Issue 19Summer 2012

YOUR FREE MAGAZINE FOR RHIWBINA!

JUBILEE EDITION

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3news

5letters

6competitions

8interview

12gardening

16memories

18local stories

25pets page

28recipes

30column

We were recently contacted by the National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth. The librarian there had requested back copies of our magazines to ensure their ‘safekeeping for

generations to come’. While this was very flattering, it meant that we had to head into the shed, fight our way past the barbeques and Christmas decorations and pull out all our back copies. It soon dawned on us that we were well on our way to our ‘half century’ of issues. Back in 2007 when we launched our very first issue of Rhiwbina Living, we had no idea that our magazines would go on to become an intrinsic part of the North Cardiff community, let alone become enshrined by the National Library of Wales. We’ve put together a rather ‘regal’ issue for you in recognition of the Queen’s Jubilee this summer. We look back at memories of past Jubilees, and have some very British recipes to get your teeth into. We’ve got an exclusive interview with Ceiri Torjussen, who grew up in Rhiwbina. He’s now swapped all that for a successful musical career in LA, where among other things, he orchestrates many of the scores featured on some of Hollywood’s biggest movies. Once again, we ask that you support our advertisers where you can. They keep Living Magazines very much alive and provide much needed services to the village. We recently had our car MOT’d with The Garden Village Garage and we highly recommend them! See you in late summer.Patric and Danielle (editors)

Welcome Croeso

A: 222 Pantbach Road, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AGT: 07772 081775 / 07974 022920E: editor@livingmags.co.ukW: www.livingmags.co.uk

While every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the contents, the publisher cannot accept any responsibility for errors or omissions, or for any matter in any way arising from the publication of this material. Every effort has been made to contact any copyright holders.Rhiwbina Living is an independent, apolitical publication.

Advertising booking and copy deadline for Issue 20 - Friday 17th August 2012. Issue 20 publication date - September 2012. Rhiwbina Living is published 4 times a year.

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RHIWBINA CRICKET CLUB GEARS UP FOR SUMMERRhiwbina Cricket Club have been playing cricket in and around the village for the last 50 years. In 1961, John and Parry Evans, Tony Pippins and Keith Heseltine used to practice cricket in Hill Snook Park on a Wednesday night. They were joined by Gwyn Williams, Doug Rogers,Teilo Davies and John Marshell who were all new to Waun-y-Groes avenue. Gwyn Williams, who played league cricket for the YMCA suggested that they form Rhiwbina Cricket Club and soon friendly fixtures were played on Caedelyn Park, mainly on a Wednesday evenings. During the late 80s the club grew in strength. The club has managed two tours of Somerset playing Wrington CC which were very successful and have also taken part in the Cardiff and District indoor league played on Sundays, usually with massive hangovers! In 2006 the name was changed to Rhiwbina Village CC as not to clash with another team that took the name and was playing league cricket.

We plan to carry on playing a good standard of social cricket that includes a chat and a pint afterwards in Rhiwbina, perhaps for another 50 years?

For Rhiwbina Living readers, it may come as no surprise to you that we literally walk miles on our deliveries around the village. But for magazine delivery assistant Brenda Lund, it was all in good practice for a 63 mile walk from for charity. “I’ve just completed a walk from London to Brighton and I’m absolutely exhausted. But what a buzz for completing it! For my training, I walked everywhere possible, getting horribly lost at times, but always somehow finding my way back home. It was great to help deliver the

spring issue of Rhiwbina Living to help with my training. Rhiwbina is a stunning area and I will be back pounding the pavements just because I enjoyed getting out and about there and meeting lots of interesting people! On my last shift, I met Stan Stennett, Sam Warburton’s dad and dogs, and even delivered a magazine to Howard Jones’s childhood house – he was my idol when I was a teenager!” If you’d like to donate to Brenda’s cause, visit her Just Giving page at: http://www.justgiving.com/Brenda-Lund.

newsFARMERS MARKET GOES WEEKLY

Rhiwbina’s popular Farmers’ Market has recently gone weekly at the Butcher’s Arms every Friday

Brenda Walks And

WalksRHIWBINA LIVING DISTRIBUTOR GOES THAT EXTRA MILE (OR 60) FOR CHARITY

Recent strong winds have torn down a 50 year-old tree in a Rhiwbina garden. Residents Jane and Chris Thomas faced the devastation after a stormy night in May. “We woke Sunday morning to find our well loved tree had fallen in the early hours and completely blocked lane to side of house and damaged next door fence. Luckily no one up and about.

Will miss the lovely coolness of the tree in summer and its beauty in our garden.” Jane told Living Magazines.

Wild Weather Fells Historic Tree

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Fancy Getting Creative With Wood? Cardiff and District Woodcraft Club are offering the opportunity for beginners or those with a love of wood, to join them in their woodcraft classes. New members are welcome tocome along on the evening of theirchoice - Mondays or Thursdays,7pm to 9pm. Contact Dave Povey on 02920616545 or Frank McLean on 02920899467 for more details on thegroup, and to start creating your very own wooden products!

It was definitely ‘likey’ for Rhiwbina’s Steph Sanders when she recently appeared on the popular Saturday night TV show Take Me Out. The former Whitchurch High School student was picked from 30 other contestants by bachelor boy Doug in April and whisked off to the ‘Isle of Fernando’ where she enjoyed a helicopter flight and a romantic meal with her date. “It was probably one of the greatest experiences I’ve had. I had applied for a bit of a laugh and a confidence boost and never expected to get on the show, let alone get picked and whizzed off to the Isle of Fernando!” the 28-year old told Living Magazines. “The filming process is really exciting; we had professional hair and makeup done by the team that work on Strictly Come Dancing, as well as being styled by the wardrobe department. It was every girl’s dream! Meeting Paddy was one of my highlights. He is a lovely, genuine guy and exactly the same in real life as he comes across on the TV. Not only that, but I have made some friends for life from the process as you get to spend a really

intense amount of time with the other girls and bond very quickly.” Steph was picked by 22-year old Doug for a date, but for all the chemistry that was there on the official date, things cooled off after. “As for me and Doug, we travelled home together and had quite a few dates since the show, but then it became clear we wanted different things. Whilst the six year age gap is no issue for me, it just highlighted the fact that I wanted to settle down and he didn’t. We still keep in touch and are good friends because we shared such an awesome experience but there was no further romance I’m afraid!” Steph was proud to highlight that fact that she hails from Cardiff on the show. “Being a Rhiwbina girl I’m pretty well known in the local pubs and for walking my dog! I take him everywhere with me. I’m a local girl – my mum has even been running for the role of Councillor of Rhiwbina and Pantmawr along with Jayne and Adrian for the Independent Party.”

news MOVE FOR CARDIFF DESIGN SCHOOL

A building which houses elements of CSAD, will make way for the new facility at Cardiff Met’s, Llandaff.

It’s ‘Likey’

For Steph

North Cardiff Dance Instructor Gets A Date And A Holiday To ‘Isle Of Fernando’ On Saturday Night TV Show

Haus Celebrate A Year In The Village Rhiwbina’s contemporary furnishing shop Haus is celebrating its first birthday in the village this month. Headed by two former Maskreys employees, Gail and Vivian, Haus has become a focal point of the popular North Cardiff village. “We’ve been delighted at the way that the people have made us welcome here, and we’d like to thank everyone who has made our first year a success.” said Gail.

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ARCHIVE STORIES SHEDS LIGHT ON RHIWBINA PASTDear EditorsI thought you might find this little précis of archive material relating to Rhiwbina possibly worthy of inclusion in your excellent publication. You may be slightly puzzled by the use of the word ‘circuses’ when describing Ebenezer Howard’s Rhiwbina but in consulting my sister, who lives in the USA, I find that it is the word they use for a cul-de-sac, several of which feature in the landscape of Rhiwbina. An article in the American Express of 1989 describes Rhiwbina: “Squares, Circuses and Tree Lined Streets - Rhiwbina Garden Village - A place with style and quality, the city of Cardiff ” says the Prince of Wales ‘also contains this elegant suburb as designed by Ebenezer Howard of Llanelly” A contrast of two articles published on the 21st May 1938 in the Cardiff and Suburban News. The first is an anonymous accusation penned by one ‘Suburbia’, that Rhiwbina was becoming a ‘Pagan community’ as the village had voted to allow tennis to be played in the Recreation Club Tennis Courts on a Sunday and to buy alcoholic drinks at the bar while the neighbouring Baptist Church had not been consulted. The second is a more reflective historical look back by Edgar Chappell, the elected Councillor for Rhiwbina on Glamorgan County Council. “What became of Bessie?” he mused. (Bessie was the communal pig bought as part of the war effort in 1915. She had proved to be no problem until she delivered

more piglets than she could feed and there proved to be a dearth of willing helpers and so the enterprise ended in disaster). Chappell goes on: “Rhiwbina Garden Village,” he wrote, “had a reputation as more or less a dangerous Socialist and Pacifist colony deemed to be the centre of Sedition.” Chappell goes on to reveal that as a Rhiwbina resident, he had almost given assistance to the Irish Insurrection of 1918. A seemingly capable Captain White DSO, son of General Sir George White, famous for the relief of Ladysmith in the Boer War, approached him to suggest contacts in the South Wales mining community that he might usefully talk to. Unbeknown, a strong supporter of Irish Home Rule, he was seeking to create a sympathetic movement in South Wales. He was arrested and imprisoned following his attempt in a meeting in Aberdare to persuade miners to go on strike in support of the Irish cause. In his trial, his Rhiwbina connection was revealed. But closer to home, an actual resident of the village, a certain Mr PR Morrison was arrested, charged and indicted of incitement to undermine the war effort by encouraging young men to become conscientious objectors. He was however,

acquitted on the basis of good character. But in the article, Edgar Chappell goes on to point out that Rhiwbina was not only loyal and peaceful but that the distinguished contributions to the war effort were made by many of the prominent residents of the village, including Alwyn Lloyd, the principal architect of the village and George Davies, who later became the Member of Parliament for the Welsh University and indeed, how the village banded together on newly-created allotments to grow crops towards the war effort, some with greater success than others. “Rhiwbina,” he wrote, “is still a pleasant place to live and I think we can still say the same 73 years later.GARETH NEALEHeol-y-DeriRhiwbina

A BIG THANK YOU!

Dear EditorsOn behalf of the Rotary Club Of Cardiff, may I thank all those readers of Living Magazines who donated old garden tools, carpentry tools, sewing machines etc for the Tools For Self Reliance project.DAFYDD THOMASon behalf of the Rotary Club Of Cardiff

lettersIf you’d like to get in touch, you can find our address on the inside front cover. Alternatively, you can email us ateditor@livingmags.co.uk

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Elle Woods can handle anything. So when her boyfriend, Warner, dumps her she decides to follow him to Harvard Law School and win him back. With some help from new-found friends Paulette, Emmett, her Chihuahua Bruiser (and a Greek chorus!), she learns that it’s so much better to be smart. Winner of Best New Musical 2011 (Olivier Awards) this all singing, all dancing romantic comedy is about knowing who you are and showing what you’ve got. Directed by Tony and Olivier Award winning Jerry Mitchell (Hairspray), Legally Blonde The Musical is the funniest and most fabulous musical around, case closed. For your chance to win a pair of tickets for this show in July, simply email us at editor@livingmags.co.uk or send us your name, address and telephone number to our address on the inside front cover. All entires must reach us by Saturday 30th June.

Connie Fisher returns to Wales Millennium Centre in the musical comedy, Wonderful Town. Recreating the bright lights of 1930s New York City with spectacular sets, dazzling choreography and featuring a superb score by legendary American composer Leonard Bernstein (West Side Story), the show

has received countless awards since its premiere in 1953 including the prestigious Tony Award for Best Musical. Connie plays aspiring writer Ruth Sherwood who arrives in New York City fresh from Ohio with her beautiful younger sister Eileen. Bursting with dreams of romance, riches and perhaps a free lunch at Walgreen’s deli, the indomitable pair meet an array of colourful characters in their search for success, causing chaos and delight at every turn. Living Magazines have teamed up with the Centre to offer one lucky reader the opportunity to win a pair of tickets to see the show on opening night, Tuesday 3 July 2012 at 7.30pm. For your chance to win a pair of tickets for this show in July, simply email us at editor@livingmags.co.uk or send us your name, address and telephone number to our address on the inside front cover. All entires must reach us by Saturday 30th June. Wonderful Town brings the Big Apple to Wales Millennium Centre from 3 - 7 July 2012. For more information or to book tickets call the Ticket Office on 029 2063 6464 or visit wmc.org.uk

Top photo: Alastair Muir

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For LA-based Ceiri Torjussen, being able to make a living out of his art is a way of life. One

hailed by a UK newspaper as one of the brightest British musical talents in British history, Emmy-nominated Ceiri has already a wide-ranging and successful musical career. But the success story started right here in North Cardiff. “I was born in Rhiwbina, then moved to Whitchurch when I was about four years old. Then we moved back to Rhiwbina when I was about eight. Mum and Dad still live in Rhiwbina. “I always remember the area fondly - loads of music, friendly people, good beer, lovely places to go in and around the city. Places were generally very easy to get to, unlike here in LA!” Educated in Llandaff North, Ceiri had already started playing the trumpet and piano at the age of eight. “Glantaf was a great school. There was always great music

there, great teachers; it was a great school! I wouldn’t say that I was musically talented as a child though. I had to work hard. Piano was always a chore, but I somehow persisted. Trumpet was my instrument, but I tended to be more interested in improvisation and composition. I found I got bored reading other peoples musical notes.” But it was Ceiri’s move to Los Angeles that catapulted him into the Premier League of composing. “I moved to LA in 1998 to do my Masters at the University of Southern California. I was there for two years, and taught there simultaneously. I was lucky enough to get some orchestrating work on some big studio films when I graduated, so that allowed me to get my visa and stay in the country. I then gradually started scoring my own films and TV shows, and have been doing so ever since. I was never scared. Definitely excited, and a maybe little daunted.”

Ceiri’s music has been described by the Los Angeles Times as a “…sudden bolt of creative lightning”. “The only single word with which I could describe it would be eclectic.” says Ceiri. Although trained in classically, Ceiri’s range of music includes jazz, non-Western music and electronic.” His art has gained much in the way of awards. Ceiri has been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship (which offers scholarship awards and exchange programmes for UK citizens to study, lecture or research in the USA), in addition to scholarships from the British Arts Council, S4C and the Welsh American Foundation. He won the Composers Medal at the Urdd National Eisteddfod three times, and has received the Daily Telegraph Jazz Arrangers Award. In 2000, he was made a ‘White Druid of the Island of Britain’ for his services to Welsh music, and was the subject of a TV documentary. His orchestral work, Momentum, has been

interview inmusical

form

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interviewperformed widely, notably by the BBC National Orchestra of Wales. He has also had work recorded and broadcast on both radio and TV in Europe and the US. Ceiri has also scored six feature films to date. Most recently he composed additional, heart-thumping action music for the 2007 blockbuster, Live Free or Die Hard, starring Bruce Willis. His music demonstrates an expansive creative range and versatility, being at home in many arenas, including horror (Dracula III: Legacy, Soul’s Midnight, and additional music for Underworld: Evolution) and comedy (Funky Monkey and additional music for Scary Movie II). No stranger to television, he provided additional music for the TV show Glory Days, the CBS network shows Cold Case and Close to Home, and for the series Dead Like Me. Ceiri has also worked extensively in animation, composing music for high-profile animated shows such as Ni Hao Kailan (Nickelodeon), and for Mike Young Productions’ Max and the

Mechanicals, The Mr. Men and Dive Olly Dive for which he received a 2007 Daytime Emmy Nomination for Best Original Score. But how does anyone start with a score? “I mostly write to films that have already been edited. Having a film edited around a score is a dream come true for a composer, but it happens pretty infrequently.” “I’m very much a morning person - like to get creative early. The schedule has been a bit unusual over the past six months since we just bought a new house in Topanga Canyon, so I’ve been juggling various things, notably music work, and work on the house which doubles as a studio. I feel like a bit pulled in multiple directions at the moment, with all the house stuff to deal with. But once the house is in more order my day will be more back to normal (which is generally: wake up: breakfast, compose,

lunch, compose, hike/exercise, dinner, compose, relax, bed!) After 9pm I tend to be pretty useless unless I have a crazy deadline, in which case espressos are the only option.” Ceiri is proud of his Welsh roots and is a fluent Welsh speaker. “My Welsh heritage and the Welsh language is important to me. I have a few Welsh friends and we meet up, especially to watch Wales play rugby (usually at 6 in the morning on a Saturday in the King’s Head pub in Santa Monica!) I miss home a lot though. I try to visit at least once a year.” “Out of all of my achievements, it’s being able to make a living out of my art which gives me the greatest satisfaction. I’m always grateful for that.”

Ceiri at work in his studio

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The days are growing longer, the mornings brighter and the evenings spent in the garden go

past the children’s bedtime. A heady mix of the perfumes of old shrub roses, lavender and mock orange (Philadelphus spp.) carries on the warm sultry air. Uncomfortably hot days have put paid to the last blossom of spring and it is soon apparent that summer has arrived. Flowering honeysuckle and jasmine act as a beacon to passing moths; they stop by on their nocturnal journey around the neighbourhood, occasionally lured in through open windows if the lights are left on. The combination of a bright light and a white sheet left out for a few hours reveals the huge diversity of insects which visit the garden at this time of year; countless varieties of moths in all shapes and sizes and rarely seen lacewings, the larvae of which are invaluable in the fight against greenfly in the garden. Evergreen star jasmine (Trachelospermum jasminoides) is invaluable now with a mass of

fragrant flowers which last for weeks as well as providing an attractive backdrop of polished foliage steadily disguising the panel fencing with a verdant cloak. The first rose of summer is usually the creamy white climber ‘Madame Alfred Carrierie’, a mass of bloom by the middle of May, the sweetly scented flowers waft their perfume through the open bedroom windows, warm nights permitting. The thorny growth runs riot over the front of the house and threatens to bring down the walls with the weight of its profuse growth by autumn. A few hours spent up a step ladder with the secateurs saves a major insurance claim and ensures a good show the following year. Less responsive to my pruning is the red climber ‘Etoile de Hollande’ beautiful highly fragranced blooms stud the plant in early June but the strong growth is extremely thorny and resists all attempts to tame it, usually shearing off when I try to restore order or breaking in the occasional summer gale. Rambler roses flower last in

July but the display is worth the wait. Like cherry blossom, their flowering is brief but overwhelming in its abundance. The pink pom-poms of ‘Minnihaha’ even threaten to outgrow the wisteria on the pergola for a while. The massed tiny flowers of ‘Goldfinch’ are interesting in that the flowers greet the morning egg yolk yellow but fade to creamy white within hours. Fragrant old shrub roses in flower are the epitome of a British summer’s day, ignoring the fact that most of them are French. No matter, they have been in cultivation for nearly two centuries some date back to the crusades, so they have become part of our gardening heritage and should be preserved. ‘Tuscany Superb’ and ‘La Ville de Bruxelles’ are among the best and look superb with herbaceous geraniums sprawling around their feet. Other plants to associate well with roses include lavender, foxgloves and delphiniums. Old roses however beautiful or fragrant usually only flower once around mid-summer, many gardeners grow more recent

thesummer garden

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by Kevin Revell

Kevin Revell is Plant Area Manager at Caerphilly Garden Centre and is a Llandaff North resident

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introductions which flower throughout summer and lateinto autumn often without the benefit of fragrance although shocking pink ‘Gertrude Jekyll’ and crimson purple ‘Munstead Wood’ buck the trend and are as good as any that have gone before. While roses are often taken to be the indicators of the arrival of summer, a more reliable sign is the first Dahlia flower. These exotic natives of South America simply refuse to flower until conditions suit them when the days are long are the nights are warm. Once started however, the display continues right through the summer well into the autumn. Large flowered hybrids favoured by competitive allotmenteers have now largely been replaced by dark leaved hybrids typified by the ubiquitous red Bishop of Llandaff. Only wet weather and the nocturnal activities of slugs and snails will halt their serene progress through the lazy days of summer. Along with ornamental grasses these plants are used to inject some late summer interest into the traditional herbaceous

border. Tall spires of delphiniums and foxgloves rise up in early summer followed by the outsized daisies of Leucanthemum and indestructible Hemerocallis. Late summer into autumn sees the blooming of Aster, Echinacea and Helenium all much loved by butterflies seeking respite from the ubiquitous buddleia, while red hot pokers or Kniphofia thrust up to greet the hot summer sun. Redcurrants and blackcurrants are the first fruit to ripen followed by the blackberries and a frantic search of cookery books in search of a solution to the seasonal glut. Plums are usually ready for picking at the end of July and in a good year will still be cropping in early September. Early pears such as Williams Bon Chretien are not far behind while the well named Scrumptious apples are ready in late August.

The time comes when you can just sit back and enjoy the fruits of your labours, that pruning job will probably wait until tomorrow or next week and the energetic thrusting growth of spring has slowed and matures in the harsh light of summer drought. The lowering sun as summer weakens, reveals a blush on the late-ripening Blenheim Orange apples. At school the harvest festival was celebrated in autumn but in my garden at least it is over by the end of summer apart from a few resolute rock hard conference pears clinging on as the first of the autumn gales race in.

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Jubilee

MemoriesGORDON THOMAS(aged 16 in 1952)

I was living in Grangetown at the time of the Coronation. I’m not sure whether my day out with my friends was on Coronation Day itself or not, but it was certainly around that time. A few friends and I had walked into town to celebrate our new Queen. The first pub we walked into was a small Irish pub near the Brains factory. As we were all 16, we were very conscious of the fact that we should not have been there, especially as everyone there seemed to know someone from my family. There were a few awkward moments, especially when it came to getting served at the bar. We ordered ‘Three pints of bitter’, the landlady cottoning on to the fact that we were so young by deliberately asking what bitter we wanted. The looks we got from the regulars were intimidating to say the least. It was the quickest pint of beer I’d ever drunk. As we swigged our last dregs from the bottom of the glass, the landlady came over to us, leant into my ear and said quietly: “I think it’s time you left now lads.” So we headed over The Great Western, where we were met with a similar atmosphere but we did manage to at least get a few pints in there. We walked home to Grangetown afterwards, a little merry and singing to our new Queen. When we got home, most of my family weren’t there. After some questioning around, I found them in a house owned by a family friend over in Llandaf. They were the type to have all the latest gadgets. This time is was a new-fanlged thing called a television. The worst thing about it was that they were charging people to come into their house and watch the Coronation on their telly!

DAFYDD WILLIAMS(aged 34 in 1977)

Most of the Silver Jubilee celebrations took place on the weekend of the Queen’s official birthday which was 6th June. I remember that celebrations started with a string of bonfire beacons being lit across the country. It must have been the 7th, the day after, when we had the street party. We were just one of many that day - there must have been thousands going on that day. It was nice because there was a real community spirit about the place. People dragged tables and chairs out. I had got my two kids to help me make some bunting. The night before the party, I’d been up a ladder, hanging it all off the street lamps (no Health and Safety red tape back then!) and I always remember that the bunting hung there for days. My wife had made plenty of jelly, trifle and sandwiches. The pop man who used to come round in his lorry must have had a done a roaring trade leading up the festivities. We had a nephew who was very much into the Sex Pistols at the time and stayed in his room all day listening to them. I’m sure he was disappointed to miss so much trifle!

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MemoriesIVOR JENKINS(aged 21 in 1953)

I was in the US on business on the big day. I got up in the small hours to watch it live on the TV. They tried to bounce the signal off the upper atmosphere which did not work, so I went back to bed. A recording of the Coronation was flown to US networks in an RAF Vulcan bomber. It beat the sun across the Atlantic, and was available to the nation before dawn. It was a wonderful era. As well as the Coronation, Hillary scaled Everest there was also an Ashes win - all brought to us by Pathé News!

PAMELA EVANS (aged 11 in 1952)

How could I not remember? My older brothers and sisters had gone London to watch the Coronation. I was just 11 at the time so I went with my parents to their friend’s house. They had the good fortune of owning a TV, but the screen was so small, they had to fit a large magnifying glass over the front of it. I dare say it, but it was in fact, quite a boring day. I’d amuse myself by leaning back in my seat and altering the angles of viewing. With the magnifying glass in place, it’d sometimes stretch the faces of those on the TV. The room was a bit dark and the whole event was rather long. It was ok for the grown-ups as small glasses of I-don’t-know-what were passed around. I was glad to go home! When we went back to school after the event, I remember learning about the Crown Jewels, with all the stunning emeralds, rubies and diamonds. When I look back and watch it now, I appreciate it all the more for what it was.

OLIVIA ROBERTS(aged 15 in 1977)

Even though there the Jubilee was celebrated against a backdrop of social unrest, we did have lots of fun. The street party was the main thing I remember - it’s what we used to do back then. We had one to celebrate Charles and Diana getting married a few years later too. Those days seemed innocent and free of danger. It’s a shame that my kids won’t get to experience any of the street parties like we did. People these days don’t seem to know their neighbours and I’ve heard that it’s hard to get permission to organise anything like a street party these days

DARREN HOCKNEY(aged 9 in 1977)

I wasn’t too fussed about celebrating the Queen’s Jubilee to be honest. The thing I remember most about it were the ‘commemorative items’ that my mum’s friend seemed to collect. She had loads of things - mugs, teatowels, plates, but also some things such as a compact mirror and even a pen-knife. For some reason, I thought all the money that was made on them went to the Queen for some reason, which is probably why I wasn’t too interested in celebrating anything as I thought she was rich enough anyway!

SUE TUCKER(aged 13 in 1977)

The Silver Jubilee for me was all about the fancy dress. Me and my best friend Julie had spent weeks making the most beautiful dresses, and a few more weeks sewing thousands sequins onto them. We debuted our dresses at the street party that we held, but our thunder was stolen by a boy who came from Penylan (which we always thought was posh in our house!). His mum had made a perfect little Beefeater outfit, and once he turned up, everyone flocked to him. Julie and I were upset at the time but we do look back it and laugh these days!

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John and I started in Rhiwbeina Junior School in September 1946 both aged 4 and were in the same class until 1959. Our fathers knew each other from their war service. John lived in Kyle Crescent but now lives in Wenallt Road where I was brought up. Away from school I was a regular at Beulah while John was a choirboy at St Mary’s where he got paid!! John was ‘aware’ of girls much earlier than me but I was happy to join in even in the back row of the Monico cinema on a Saturday morning! I remember John hiding under the dining room table (hard to believe today!) when one of the girls from school came to his house. We were members of the 1st Rhiwbina Cub Group and occasionally managed to play on the Cardiff Corinthians pitch at the end of Heol y Bont/Caerhys.

In 1951 we won the three legged race in a special sports event in Whitchurch to celebrate the Festival of Britain, being left and right handed helped!! We went to Whitchurch Grammar School in 1953 and like all ‘new boys’ we were thrown in the sand pit. This initiation stopped a couple of years later when Nipper Hope broke his arm on his first day. We played in the same cricket and rugby teams and John also starred in athletics. John played rugby for the Cardiff U15’s and I captained the Cardiff U15’s cricket team which won the South Wales Cup. One day we ‘mitched’ to watch the Varsity match on television. I got the cane because I owned up but John got off because he had a ‘good’ excuse!! In Rhiwbeina School, John and I had to stand under the clock several times for

‘bad’ behaviour before Mr Green, the headmaster, delivered the cane. One of our teachers, Mr Ball who gave us weekly writing tests is still enjoying his retirement living in Rhiwbina. Whitchurch hit the national newspapers when a number of pupils, including John, were banned for wearing duffle coats. John also liked to dress as a teddy boy with sideboards, drained pipe trousers. and a Tony Curtis hairstyle. Every year they took a panoramic photo of all the pupils and teachers in the school. John managed on one occasion to appear at both ends of the photo much to the headmaster’s displeasure. I left school to study accountancy whilst John went to Sheffield to qualify as a dentist. It was there that he met his wife Helen who later produced their four children. John opened his dentistry practice in Smart’s garage in 1968 later moving to 25 Heol y Deri. As a chartered accountant I helped him with his accounts whilst he gave me all the local gossip he had picked up from his patients. By then I was a Councillor representing Rhiwbina on Cardiff City Council and later South Glamorgan. His gossip kept me very much up to date on local affairs. John became a junior member of Whitchurch Golf Club and for many years sponsored the 1st team. I have played at Llanishen for over 40 years. John was forced to retire from dentistry in 1999 because of ill

70 years of friendship

The story of a Rhiwbina friendship that has

lasted the test of time

Rhiwbeina Junior School visting Castell Coch. John is standing in front middle. I am on the left of the 3 boys sitting in the 2nd row

health. In retirement sadly he is unable to play golf or drive but maintains his sense of humour with visits to the golf club ‘library’ and the Deri. I lost my seat on the Council in 1996 after 29 years service and later moved to Lisvane but in 2003 I was elected Chairman of the Welsh Rugby Union Finance Committee. During my terms of office,Wales have so far won three Grand Slams. The latest team captained by Sam Warburton, the first former Whitchurch pupil to captain Wales. As a member of the 6 Nations organising Committee it gave me particular pleasure. I am also Chairperson of the 6 Nations Women’s Committee. My daughter in law went to Rugby School but never played the game. I have six grandchildren, one of whom, aged 7 played at Twickenham last year. In 2009 we arranged a school reunion at the Deri to coincide with Norman Gage’s return from

Australia to watch the Ashes test. Earlier in the day some of our friends visited the school. When a member of staff failed to open a room Chris Michael offered the key he had been given as a prefect. The key also opened Cathays High school where his father had been headmaster and Liverpool University where he is a professor. There were not many key combinations in those days! In May we both celebrated our

70th birthdays and look forward to celebrating many more birthdays together in the future.

Martin Davies

real life stories

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petspage

IF YOU HAVE ANY PET-RELATED QUESTIONS THAT YOU WOULD LIKE CHRIS TO ANSWER, PLEASE EMAIL US AT EDITOR@LIVINGMAGS.CO.UK AND WE’LL PASS THEM ON.

Most of my furniture has had the life scratched out of it by my 3 year old cat. Is there anything I can do to stop her doing this? I’ve tried a scratching post but she seems to prefer my new furniture every time. The usual reason that cats scratch furniture is for marking their territory. The pads on their paws secrete a pheromone that has a friendly smell and reassures the cat that they she is in ‘home’ territory. Roughening the surface by scratching enables the scent to be held more securely and therefore last longer. You will often see cats scratching on treetrunks, fences etc outdoors - we take little notice because it doesn’t matter; it only becomes an issue when it’s your best furniture or new wallpaper that’s at risk. Your cat is probably marking your new furniture precisely because it is new - she needs to impregnate it with her pheromones to make it belong in her home. Sometimes, cats will start to scratch furniture or wallpaper which has been around a while. This is usually because they feel under stress, perhaps because of a lot of visitors, changes in the house, a new baby, or new cats in their outdoor territory. They are seeking to increase their feelings of security. A scratching post can sometimes help deflect a cat’s need to mark. It needs to be in a prominent place, near to an entrance because this is where the cat prefers to put the pheromone. You can enhance her interest in the post by spraying it with catnip solution (available in most good pet stores). However, the most effective treatment is a synthetic version of the cat’s own pheromone called ‘Feliway’. This is available as a spray which you apply sparingly to the areas where the marking is happening. Your cat will detect the smell and realise she has no need to reinforce it. This

also works well for cats who mark their territory by urine spraying. You can get Feliway at your vet’s surgery, along with lots more

advice if the problem persists.

Are all dog feeds essentially the same? I spend a lot of money on the expensive stuff. A friend of mine feeds her dog the basic stuff from the supermarket and her dog appears as fit and healthy as mine who’s on the posh stuff! Am I throwing money away?

No, and No! is the short answer here. Dog food varies enormously in both the quality of ingredients and the care with which it is formulated and made.

The ingredients can contain just meat which you and I would be happy to eat, or stuff which has been rejected as unfit for human consumption, or a combination of the two. Gristle, fat and skin and even feathers can be processed and incorporated and they count towards the percentage of protein you see stated on the packaging, even though they may not be of any nutritional value. Cereals are also used in dog food - wheat, maize, rice, potato, carrot etc. These do add valuable nutrients, but they are much cheaper than meat and are often used to bulk up the product. It’s much the same as the variability in sausages for people - you can buy expensive premium brands with a high meat content which taste excellent, or you can get cheap stuff which frankly doesn’t taste much better than cardboard!

Some manufacturers spend a great deal of money on research to find out the nutritional needs of dogs and cats, and go to great lengths to ensure their products provide everything the pet needs. Others are far less conscientious. Usually, the ingredients of dog food vary from batch to batch, depending on what is cheapest on the market at the time. For example, if a food is labelled ‘chicken’, as long as the majority of the meat in it is chicken, the balance could be made up of any other meat or fish. Only in the best ‘prescription’ diets made to treat particular diseases does this not happen.

The amount of money you pay for your dog food largely reflects its quality, both in terms of the ingredients (and therefore the digestibility) and the care with which it is formulated and manufactured. Many dogs will manage on a poor quality cheap food, as do people, but most will enjoy better health if they have better food. A few dogs cannot tolerate poor quality ingredients, and must have expensive food to thrive.

Pets Page is sponsored by Heath Vets 02920 621511

Pet problemsCHRIS TROUGHTON OF

HEATH VETS ANSWERS YOUR PET-RELATED QUESTIONS

• FREE COLLECTION • FREE DELIVERY • FREE CAR CLEAN • FREE ONLINE VIEWING ACCESS • AWARD WINNING SERVICE • FOUR SERVICE PLANS

Service Menu

Bronze Service £125

• Home or Work Place Collection• Road Test To Garage• New Oil• Replacement Oil Filter & Sump Plug Washer• Industry Standard Service• Comprehensive Tyre Report• Complete Brake Check*• Engine Flush• Battery Check• Under Bonnet Inspection• All Fluids Topped Up• Road Test On Completion• Mini Valet(*Includes removal of all road wheels)

Mix & Fix Service £80

Why not just ask us to check the things you can’t?Choose from the list below and just let us do the rest!!!

• Brake Fluid £5• Tyre Report £10• Braking System Inspection £35• Exhaust Emissions £10• Under Bonnet Fluids £10• Power Steering System £10• Battery/Alternator Inspection £5

(Mix & Fix Service includes new oil & filter, sump plug washer, engine flush, emission control service, collection/delivery & hand wash & vacuum)

Additional Services

• Brake Fluid Change £39.95• Mot Testing £POA*• Wheel Alignment £64.95• Car Valeting from £30• Smart Repairs £POA*• Diagnostic Reporting from £50• Replacement Brakes £POA* • Emission Control Service £25• Tyres and Wheel Balancing £POA*• Engine Flush £25• Exhausts Systems & Catalyses £POA*(*Price on application)(All prices exclude VAT at the current rate)(Supplements may apply to certain engine types/oils)

Upgrade To Silver Service £50

In Addition To Bronze:• Air Filter Replacement• Comprehensive Emission Control Service• Hand Wash/Wax & Vacuum

Upgrade To Gold Service £100

In Addition To Silver:• Fuel Filter Replacement• Pollen Filter Replacement• Complete Diagnostic Check• All Car Glass Cleaned Inside and Out

Registered Member

Is your car under warranty? Don’t worry we can help!!

Service, Service, Service....It’s on the Menu!Despite stating the obvious, service is not always what you get when you often need it the most! Rhiwbina’s newest service provider, The Garden Village Garage appears to be bucking the trend with what they have to offer. Award winning service as independently audited via the Good Garage Scheme saw The Nantgarw Garage (the service provider of The Garden Village Garage) awarded with Top Five dealer status within their first year of the scheme in 2010. Not surprsingly, they have just been acredited again with same award for 2012, Top Five Dealer. The proprieter Matthew Davies said “Customer satisfaction is our number one goal.”

In just the first three months, The Garden Village Garage has welcomed and enjoyed many new customer relationships from with its targeted area of Rhiwbina and the surrounding CF14 postcodes. Both Heather and Matthew are very pleased with the early progress that this new and innovative service has achieved. Across the page are some of our most recent customer testimonials. Heather says: “We consider all the views of our guests, this helps us to shape and improve our service.”

The concept, which is primarily a collect and deliver one operates Monday to Saturday and offers a very transparent, online viewing facility straight into the workshop. Heather also added:“Putting everything on show means that we have nothing to hide!”, a flaw that has previously been costly for the reputation of many previous garage businesses. The garage has just published its service menu (read it in their window or on the opposite page!). This has been designed for

customers to choose which service plan suits them and their motoring requirements the best.

One feature already well received is the “Mix and Fix” service which helps the client bespoke thier own service and control their motoring cost. Maybe take advantage of their latest Olympic Offer? The “Bolt On” offer is a quick sprint to the workshop for MOT test, Engine Flush, Emission Control service, Replacement Oil and Oil Filter for just £89.95, inclusive of VAT, collection, delivery and a clean car on return. It won’t quite be done in under 10 seconds but will be worthy of a gold medal. (Valid for one year when booked before the start of the Olympic Games 27th July). If you are in the Village, pop in and say hello, there may be something you need or just to see what’s going on? The office offers a warm relaxed and fun atmosphere and they even have a piano for those who can play! Finally don’t worry about Laurel and Hardy working on your car they are just there to take care of security. However, you may well have come accross comedians like these at your current main dealer. There are many of them about!

Enter our Olympic competition and win a Gold Service and Mot test worth over £300! The draw will take place at the Summer Festival which is being held on June 30th. Just email you answer to the following question to NantgarwGarage@me.com, subject heading ‘Olympic Gold’ before the 25th June, 2012.

Question: In 1921, Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the modern Olympic Games, borrowed a Latin phrase from his friend, Father Henri Didon, for the Olympic motto, Citius, Altius, Fortius Does this mean:-1 On your Marks, Get Set, Go?2 Swfter, Higher, Stronger?3 Fitter, Faster, Longer?

Answers by email only or just call into the shop with your contact details. Gook Luck!

Strike olympic gold

• FREE COLLECTION • FREE DELIVERY • FREE CAR CLEAN • FREE ONLINE VIEWING ACCESS • AWARD WINNING SERVICE • FOUR SERVICE PLANS

Service Menu

Bronze Service £125

• Home or Work Place Collection• Road Test To Garage• New Oil• Replacement Oil Filter & Sump Plug Washer• Industry Standard Service• Comprehensive Tyre Report• Complete Brake Check*• Engine Flush• Battery Check• Under Bonnet Inspection• All Fluids Topped Up• Road Test On Completion• Mini Valet(*Includes removal of all road wheels)

Mix & Fix Service £80

Why not just ask us to check the things you can’t?Choose from the list below and just let us do the rest!!!

• Brake Fluid £5• Tyre Report £10• Braking System Inspection £35• Exhaust Emissions £10• Under Bonnet Fluids £10• Power Steering System £10• Battery/Alternator Inspection £5

(Mix & Fix Service includes new oil & filter, sump plug washer, engine flush, emission control service, collection/delivery & hand wash & vacuum)

Additional Services

• Brake Fluid Change £39.95• Mot Testing £POA*• Wheel Alignment £64.95• Car Valeting from £30• Smart Repairs £POA*• Diagnostic Reporting from £50• Replacement Brakes £POA* • Emission Control Service £25• Tyres and Wheel Balancing £POA*• Engine Flush £25• Exhausts Systems & Catalyses £POA*(*Price on application)(All prices exclude VAT at the current rate)(Supplements may apply to certain engine types/oils)

Upgrade To Silver Service £50

In Addition To Bronze:• Air Filter Replacement• Comprehensive Emission Control Service• Hand Wash/Wax & Vacuum

Upgrade To Gold Service £100

In Addition To Silver:• Fuel Filter Replacement• Pollen Filter Replacement• Complete Diagnostic Check• All Car Glass Cleaned Inside and Out

Registered Member

Is your car under warranty? Don’t worry we can help!!

Strike olympic gold

Great marketing and presentation. Steve Harrison Maes-Brith Y Garn, Pontprennau

Great service - plus, the pick up and drop off service is an excellent idea. Sian Shultz Inverness Place, Cardiff

Very prompt, polite helpful service. I shall be back in a few weeks to MOT my second car, thanks. Richard Smith, Oakhill Park Bridgend

Excellent service from dedicated-throughout technical staff. They have taken the worry over servicing and arranging MOTs off of our shoulders. Well done. Margaret Jones, Llwyn Bryn Melyn, Rhiwbina

The best service I have ever had from any garage! Matthew and Lloyd really look after you and your car. Steven Smith, Heritage Close, Llantarnam

Will be using this garage in the future for any work that needs doing. They were really fantastic. Stephanie Williams, Hazel Tree Close, Radyr

I had an MOT done which I was very pleased with, they carried out the inspection very thoroughly which I watched. Car was then washed and cleaned. Henry Wramba, Gron Fforydd, Rhiwbina

As a woman. I have total confidence that they are not trying to ‘rip me off’. Leanne James, Heol Hendre, Rhiwbina

I was really pleased when I received my car back after having its MOT. It had been washed and the interior had been cleaned and an air freshener was provided. I have been driving for over 25 years and have had numerous MOTs, but this was the first one where the service exceeded my expectations. Thank you. I will definitely use you again and recommend you to others. Avril Warlow, Oxford Street, Nantgarw

The collection from home was really useful, as the MOT was due but I was unable to drive temporarily. Kenneth Morgan, Heol Llanishen Fach, Rhiwbina

WANTED!We are requiring china

for our ‘Smashing China’ stall for this year’s

Summer Festival. If you have any you’d like to

donate, please drop it into the shop

28

jubileeparty food

FAIRY CAKESIngredients100g self raising flour100g soft margarine100g caster sugar2 eggs200g of icing sugarCakes cups

Method1. Place all the ingredients in a large bowl and beat with a wooden spoon for about 2-3 minutes until well mixed. If you’ve got your children helping you out at this point, be prepared to have a messy kitchen!2. Put the bun cases on a baking tray and spoon a tablespoon of the mixture into each of the cases.3. Bake for about 15-20 minutes at 180°C, 350°F or Gas Mark 4.4. When the cakes are cool, mix some icing sugar with a little water to make a thick paste.5. Decorate the cakes with the icing and place Jellytots, Smarties or anything you fancy on the top. This is were the creativity comes in for children to learn.6. Arrange cakes on cake stands and serve to your enthusiastic audience.

PIMMS AND LEMONADEIngredients:250ml Pimm’s No. 1™1 litre lemonade1/2 cucumber, chopped1 apple, cored and chopped1 orange, sliced3 strawberries, slicedhandful fresh mint leavesOptional ingredients:1/2 lime, sliced1/2 lemon, sliced2-3 fresh pineapple rings

MethodMix all ingredients together in a large glass pitcher. Serve chilled or over ice, but it’s better chilled! Serves 6.

SCONES350g self-raising flour, sifted50g butter, softened50g lard, softened100-115ml milk

Method1. Preheat the oven to 190C. 2. Grease two baking trays. Rub the fats into the flour, working as quickly and lightly as possible with cold hands. 3. Add enough milk to give a soft, bread-like dough. 4. On a floured board, roll out to a thickness of 1.5cm and cut into rounds with 6cm cutter. 5. Place on the prepared trays and bake for 15-20 minutes until lightly golden and well risen. 6. Remove from oven and place on wire rack to cool.

BLOODY MARY SHOTSWITH HORSERADISH1. For 10 shots, mix 700ml tomato juice with 50ml vodka, juice from 1 lemon and a good splash of Tabasco and vegetarian Worcestershire sauce in a jug. 2. Season then chill. 3. To serve, pour into 10 shot glasses, add a thin cucumber stick to each as a stirrer, and top with a small spoon of creamed horseradish.

JUBILEE TRIFLE8 trifle sponges7 tbsp black cherry jam420g (one tin) pear quarters in natural juice, drained and juice reserved420g (one tin) of red cherries, drained and juice reserved4 tbsp kirsch or other cherry liquer500ml ready-made custard150ml whipping cream

Method1. Split the trifle sponges in half, spreading generously with about 4tbsp of jam and sandwich them together. Place four in the bottom of six individual glass dishes, cutting them to fit if necessary, or arrange in one large dish.2. Chop each pear quarter into small pieces and place some of the pieces around the edges of the dishes and some in between the sponges.3. Mix 5 tbsp of the pear juice with the kirsch and pour half of it over the sponges. Arrange the last four sponges in the dishes (or dish). Again, cut them to size to fit and then pour over the remaining juice and kirsch.4. Leave for a few minutes, then gently squash flat with the back of a spoon.5. Pour over the custard,gently levelling it and leave for one hour.6. Lightly whip the cream - it should still be soft andfloppy, and then spread over the custard.7. Cover and chill forat least 24 hours.8. To serve, warm 3 tbsp cherry jam into a small pan with 2 tbsp of reserved cherry juice until the jam has dissolved. Leave to cool,then seive to remove any lumpsand drizzle over trifles.

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A few weeks ago, I was merrily minding my own business at my desk when I had a call from the wife. I didn’t know it was from the wife at first as the name calling me was that of her father’s. At first, she didn’t speak. I thought the father-in-law had left his phone unlocked and it had called me accidentally. But then came a frantic, garbled outpouring. “I’ve lost it...I’ve lost my phone..I’ve lost it...I had it in Tesco...I know I did because I used it....oh my God I’ve lost it....what am I going to do?” The rambling went on for a few minutes more before I could finally get a word in edgeways. I

gathered that my wife had

lost her phone. Probably somewhere in Tesco. That much was clear. For a few minutes, I convinced myself that she hadn’t lost it, and that it was in fact at the house. But the more she explained that she had last used it in Tesco, it finally dawned on me that she might have lost it. I headed home, convinced that in the panic of thinking that she’d lost it, that she had somehow ‘dreamt’ that she’d used it in Tesco. She couldn’t have really lost it. Could she? It wasn’t at the house. Sheer panic gripped me by the throat. My head started to spin. I checked the place it was normally kept five times, in the vain hope that it would reappear. No such luck. My mouth went dry. My breathing took on a life of its own. Terror dragged me around the house. What about all the holiday photos? Had I backed them all up? What about those emails? Can I still access them? Oh my god, what about those recipes I’d downloaded? How am I ever going to make that chicken casserole again? Wave after hard-hitting wave, things I thought we’d lost forever were knocking me sideways. I staggered into the kitchen and poured myself a glass of water. Leaning on the worktop, I tried to clear my mind to figure out a plan of action. The father-in-law rang again. Again, it was the wife. Still no joy. She was there on the phone but couldn’t speak. I told her that I’d head

to Tesco to see if I could trawl through their CCTV footage. She clicked off without even so much as a goodbye or good luck. Unbeknown to me, my wife had fallen to the floor in despair having emptied her handbag three times and found nothing. I jumped into the car and tore up the road towards Tesco. The usual slow drivers got in the way. As did the refuse collectors, cyclists and even a tractor. Did they not know my situation? My phone rang again. I screeched to a halt. This time it was the wife’s phone ringing me. A heart-stopping moment. Had she found it? Or had someone else? Was it a nice old lady offering to hold onto it? Or was it some scally toying with us? I clicked ‘Answer’. Nothing. The entire world stopped for about ten seconds. “I’ve found it” said the wife after a few agonising seconds. I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. I didn’t even know what to say. Instead, I headed straight to the nearest bakers and bought three pasties to celebrate - it was the only thing I could think of doing. Later on, after the pasties had been consumed, I headed to Barry to pick up my wife. The phone had slipped through a hole in her handbag’s lining and was resting there between the two layers. And it was on silent. Our lives are carried around in our pockets. I ask myself ‘how on earth did we manage?’ Maybe life was simpler then. Ignorance, as they say, is bliss.

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