Whitchurch and Llandaff Living Issue 58
Summer issue 2020 of the award-winning magazine for Whitchurch, Llandaff and Llandaff North
Summer issue 2020 of the award-winning magazine for Whitchurch, Llandaff and Llandaff North
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News | People | Features | Competitions | Lifestyle<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong> &<br />
Ll<strong>and</strong>aff <strong>Living</strong><br />
At the heart of the community <strong>Issue</strong> <strong>58</strong> Summer '20<br />
Your multi award-winning community magazine
Distribution: 6,000 copies of <strong>Whitchurch</strong> <strong>and</strong><br />
Ll<strong>and</strong>aff <strong>Living</strong> are distributed to retail outlets <strong>and</strong><br />
public places across <strong>Whitchurch</strong>, Ll<strong>and</strong>aff <strong>and</strong><br />
Ll<strong>and</strong>aff North five times a year.<br />
2<br />
Inside this issue<br />
Interview<br />
Meet Samantha<br />
Brown, who has<br />
left her 9 to 5 job<br />
to begin a new<br />
life as a digital<br />
nomad on the<br />
road<br />
Green Mile<br />
Movement<br />
The brotherhood<br />
that's pushing to<br />
improve men's<br />
mental <strong>and</strong><br />
physical health<br />
Northern<br />
Meadows<br />
Find out how<br />
a campaign<br />
is fighting to<br />
save precious<br />
meadow l<strong>and</strong> in<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong><br />
Merthyr Road<br />
Historian Steve<br />
Nicholas takes a<br />
pictorial trip down<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong>'s<br />
Merthyr Road<br />
through time<br />
Autumn deadline:<br />
14th September 2020<br />
Published late September 2020<br />
a: 222 Pantbach Road,<br />
Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AG<br />
t: 07772 081775 / 07974 022920<br />
w: www.livingmags.co.uk<br />
e: editor@livingmags.co.uk or<br />
danielle@livingmags.co.uk<br />
While every effort has been made to<br />
ensure the accuracy of the contents,<br />
the publisher cannot accept any<br />
responsibility for errors or omissions,<br />
or for any matter in any way arising<br />
from the publication of this material.<br />
Every effort has been made to<br />
contact any copyright holders.<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong> <strong>and</strong> Ll<strong>and</strong>aff <strong>Living</strong> is an<br />
independent, apolitical publication.<br />
No part of this publication may be<br />
reproduced without the express<br />
written permission of the publishers.<br />
Welcome / Croeso<br />
Welcome to your<br />
Summer issue of<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong> <strong>and</strong> Ll<strong>and</strong>aff<br />
<strong>Living</strong>.<br />
It's certainly been a few<br />
eventful months since<br />
our Spring issue was<br />
published back in March.<br />
Our lives have perhaps<br />
changed forever but we<br />
take some comfort in<br />
the constants of life. We<br />
hope that this Summer issue<br />
will bring you some source of<br />
continuity.<br />
The global p<strong>and</strong>emic has<br />
touched all of our lives in<br />
so many different ways. For<br />
some, it's been a time of grief.<br />
For many, it's been a time of<br />
uncertainty <strong>and</strong> worry.<br />
One thing that the p<strong>and</strong>emic<br />
has done is given us a new<br />
appreciation of the beauty that<br />
is on our doorstep. Nowhere has<br />
this been made more prominent<br />
than <strong>Whitchurch</strong>'s Northern<br />
Meadows, situated between<br />
Asda <strong>and</strong> <strong>Whitchurch</strong> Hospital.<br />
The beauty spot is currently<br />
earmarked for development in<br />
the next few years but residents<br />
have launched a campaign<br />
to save what's become their<br />
sanctuary during the lockdown.<br />
We also hear from several key<br />
workers from the community,<br />
who have worked while some<br />
of us were ordered to stay at<br />
home. These people have been<br />
instrumental in keeping our lives<br />
moving, even in the middle of a<br />
global p<strong>and</strong>emic.<br />
Children also have their<br />
say about how the virus has<br />
impacted their lives as they try<br />
to adapt to a new way of living<br />
<strong>and</strong> learning.<br />
One man who decided to do<br />
something positive with his free<br />
time is Joel Piacentini, a financial<br />
adviser who loves to create<br />
music. Joel set up his own online<br />
b<strong>and</strong> with each member playing<br />
in isolation, <strong>and</strong> you can read<br />
about their performances that<br />
have been seen around the<br />
world.<br />
Another person who has used<br />
their free time to good use is<br />
former Bishop of Ll<strong>and</strong>aff pupil<br />
Samantha Brown, who decided<br />
to pack in her day job <strong>and</strong> travel<br />
the world as a digital nomad.<br />
She now works freelance from<br />
her camper van as she crisscrosses<br />
the globe.<br />
Writing can help you express<br />
feelings <strong>and</strong> begin to come to<br />
terms with emotional trauma.<br />
If you're feeling creative, we've<br />
put together a short guide<br />
that shows you how to pen a<br />
short story, whether it's just for<br />
yourself or for publication.<br />
Up in Taff's Well, a new<br />
brotherhood has formed to<br />
help men in particular, with their<br />
physical <strong>and</strong> mental health. Run<br />
by a former comm<strong>and</strong>o, the<br />
Green Mile Movement aims to<br />
bring positivity to our area <strong>and</strong><br />
beyond.<br />
Our financial security is one<br />
thing that's taken a hit these<br />
last few months, especially with<br />
the turmoil of the employment<br />
market. With that in mind, we've<br />
got some work-from-home<br />
ideas that you can get started<br />
on straight away. And there is no<br />
better time to prioritise our wellbeing<br />
so we've got some helpful<br />
tips for you.<br />
Some familiar features return<br />
as Steve Nicholas takes a look<br />
at <strong>Whitchurch</strong>'s Merthyr Road<br />
through times gone by. Local<br />
gardener Kevin Revell is also on<br />
h<strong>and</strong> to show us how gardening<br />
can be a therapeutic activity that<br />
promotes wellbeing.<br />
We do hope that you continue<br />
to stay safe during these<br />
summer months. We'll be back<br />
in late September with our<br />
Autumn issue. Until then, take<br />
care <strong>and</strong> enjoy the summer<br />
sunshine.<br />
Danielle <strong>and</strong> Patric<br />
Editors<br />
@<strong>Whitchurch</strong><strong>and</strong>Ll<strong>and</strong>aff<strong>Living</strong><br />
@livingmagazinescardiff<br />
www.facebook.com/<br />
whitchurch<strong>and</strong>ll<strong>and</strong>affliving
news<br />
Transport for<br />
Wales bus pilot<br />
extends to north<br />
Cardiff<br />
Residents walk to protest at<br />
Northern Meadows plans<br />
Residents in <strong>Whitchurch</strong> have<br />
protested at the planned building<br />
of a £180m cancer centre on the<br />
Northern Meadows.<br />
Around 300 protesters marched<br />
through <strong>Whitchurch</strong> in July to make<br />
their voices heard.<br />
The new Velindre Cancer Centre,<br />
which includes a hospital, is<br />
planned to be built on a greenfield<br />
site between <strong>Whitchurch</strong> Hospital<br />
<strong>and</strong> the Asda superstore at Coryton,<br />
commonly known as the Northern<br />
Meadows. Residents have argued<br />
that the development will cause<br />
irreversible damage to the area.<br />
Damage to wildlife <strong>and</strong> a loss of<br />
green space are other realistic<br />
outcomes should the plans go<br />
ahead, they say.<br />
The new hospital is set to<br />
replace the current 60-year-old<br />
establishment on Velindre Road.<br />
The plans for the new development<br />
were approved by Cardiff Council in<br />
Community Hub reopens<br />
Ll<strong>and</strong>aff North & Gabalfa Hub has<br />
reopened to customers, on an<br />
appointment-only basis (except for<br />
emergency cases).<br />
Green recycling <strong>and</strong> food waste<br />
bags can be collected too, without<br />
the need for an appointment.<br />
2018.<br />
A notice at the Save the Northern<br />
Meadows website said:<br />
"We recognise the serious need<br />
to update cancer services in Wales.<br />
But we believe this site should<br />
never have been granted planning<br />
permission in the first place due to<br />
its inaccessibility <strong>and</strong> its proximity to<br />
the nature reserve.<br />
"These fundamental flaws in<br />
the location of the site mean<br />
any attempt to access it will cut<br />
a significant number of adult<br />
trees in the construction of two<br />
bridges <strong>and</strong> a temporary access<br />
road. It will break up an important<br />
wildlife corridor, ruin a historic<br />
representation of Welsh industrial<br />
history <strong>and</strong> disrupt pedestrian<br />
access to public amenities."<br />
More details of the campaign<br />
can be found at www.<br />
savethenorthernmeadows.wales<br />
Customers will also be able to<br />
access the new click <strong>and</strong> collect<br />
library service, as well as a range<br />
of advice services such as Into<br />
Work, housing, benefits <strong>and</strong> money<br />
advice, when enquiries cannot be<br />
dealt with over the phone or email.<br />
Transport for Wales (TfW) is<br />
working in partnership with Cardiff<br />
Council <strong>and</strong> NAT Group to extend<br />
the ‘fflecsi’ pilot scheme to north<br />
Cardiff.<br />
Fflecsi allows people to request<br />
a dem<strong>and</strong>-responsive bus to pick<br />
them up near home, work or shops<br />
for essential travel, rather than<br />
following a set timetable at fixed<br />
bus stops.<br />
After the initial success in<br />
Newport, the pilot scheme is now<br />
being rolled out in north Cardiff as<br />
the next stage in its development.<br />
The NAT G1 route, which became<br />
a fflecsi service on 29th June,<br />
runs between Gwaelod-y-garth<br />
<strong>and</strong> Mynachdy, covering areas<br />
including <strong>Whitchurch</strong>, Tongwynlais,<br />
Melingriffith, Ll<strong>and</strong>aff North <strong>and</strong><br />
Coryton.<br />
Service areas have been designed<br />
for essential journeys <strong>and</strong> will<br />
include key destinations such as<br />
the University Hospital of Wales,<br />
Velindre Cancer Centre, Ll<strong>and</strong>af<br />
railway station <strong>and</strong> supermarkets.<br />
Caro Wild, Cabinet Member for<br />
Strategic Planning <strong>and</strong> Transport at<br />
Cardiff Council, said:<br />
“I am pleased that Cardiff is<br />
trialling this technology <strong>and</strong> new<br />
way of working. Before the Covid19<br />
p<strong>and</strong>emic, the Council set out our<br />
strategic vision for the city through<br />
our Transport White Paper."<br />
As part of the pilot scheme in<br />
Cardiff, fflecsi services will run<br />
between 07:40 <strong>and</strong> 18:00, Monday<br />
to Saturday. Riders will be able<br />
to book a seat through the fflecsi<br />
mobile app, or by calling 0300<br />
234 0300. To book, riders select<br />
a desired pick-up <strong>and</strong> drop-off<br />
location, <strong>and</strong> will be matched with<br />
a seat in a high-capacity bus that is<br />
fully compliant with public health<br />
guidelines for social distancing.<br />
3
news<br />
Rodent<br />
problems<br />
'made worse<br />
by lockdown'<br />
Cardiff Council has said that<br />
rats have become more of a<br />
problem in the affluent areas<br />
of Cardiff since the start of<br />
lockdown.<br />
The local authority's pest<br />
control department has<br />
responded to a 'significant<br />
rise' in calls for help with<br />
rodents.<br />
Council workers have seen<br />
a 'marked shift' from rental<br />
areas with a high number<br />
of takeaways to the more<br />
affluent areas of Cardiff.<br />
These include <strong>Whitchurch</strong>,<br />
Rhiwbina, Thornhill <strong>and</strong><br />
Pontprennau.<br />
Experts say that the closure<br />
of restaurants <strong>and</strong> the retreat<br />
by humans indoors is having<br />
an effect on the eating habits<br />
<strong>and</strong> behaviour of rats.<br />
5G mast<br />
objected to<br />
The Ll<strong>and</strong>aff Society has<br />
objected to a planned 20m tall<br />
5G mast.<br />
The mast is earmarked<br />
to be built outside Cardiff<br />
Metropolitan University,<br />
Western Avenue, Ll<strong>and</strong>aff.<br />
In a letter, the Ll<strong>and</strong>aff Society<br />
said the 20m tall pole would<br />
be 'unacceptable' as it would<br />
have a negative impact on<br />
the area <strong>and</strong> would be placed<br />
on an 'already over-crowded'<br />
footway. Residents have also<br />
objected to the plans.<br />
In all, 24 5G masts are planned<br />
to be erected across the city as<br />
part of mobile phone networks<br />
Three <strong>and</strong> Vodafone.<br />
4<br />
Insole Court awarded National Lottery<br />
Funding for COVID support<br />
Insole Court, a Victorian mansion<br />
<strong>and</strong> gardens, in Ll<strong>and</strong>aff has<br />
secured over £170,000 of grant<br />
funding from the National Lottery’s<br />
Coronavirus support schemes.<br />
The National Lottery Heritage<br />
Fund <strong>and</strong> The National Lottery<br />
Community Fund have both agreed<br />
to support the Insole Court Trust<br />
as it responds to the Covid19<br />
crisis. The Arts Council of Wales<br />
has also awarded a grant from its<br />
‘Stabilisation fund for organisations.’<br />
Since reopening to the public in<br />
2016, Insole Court has become<br />
a popular venue for events such<br />
as weddings, concerts <strong>and</strong> food<br />
festivals but closed in March at<br />
the beginning of the lockdown.<br />
Although it has reopened its café<br />
Cyclist hurt<br />
after accident<br />
Police are appealing for information<br />
after a cyclist was knocked off<br />
her bicycle by a hit-<strong>and</strong>-run<br />
motorcyclist on Cardiff's Western<br />
Avenue in Ll<strong>and</strong>aff.<br />
The woman was crossing the<br />
pedestrian crossing near Ll<strong>and</strong>aff<br />
RFC, when she was hit by a passing<br />
motorcyclist on July 18th. She<br />
was knocked clear of her bike <strong>and</strong><br />
needed hospital treatment for<br />
several broken bones.<br />
Police say that the motorcyclist<br />
was wearing a black motorcycling<br />
jacket with grey detailing, <strong>and</strong> failed<br />
to stop at the scene. They have<br />
urged anyone with information to<br />
come forward.<br />
<strong>and</strong> gift shop, the Insole Court Trust<br />
has lost a significant amount of<br />
income from cancelled events <strong>and</strong><br />
the funding will help to cover the<br />
charity’s costs.<br />
Insole Court’s Director, Gray Hill,<br />
explained:<br />
“We’re delighted to have secured<br />
this funding from the National<br />
Lottery <strong>and</strong> the Arts Council of<br />
Wales. The Coronavirus crisis has<br />
had a severe impact on the charity,<br />
<strong>and</strong> this support will allow us to<br />
rebuild, protect jobs <strong>and</strong> keep<br />
Insole Court free <strong>and</strong> open for the<br />
people of Cardiff.<br />
“We are immensely grateful to the<br />
National Lottery <strong>and</strong> its players who<br />
have made this support possible.”<br />
Student wins<br />
Diana Award<br />
A 16 year old student was just one<br />
of two people to receive an award<br />
in memory of Princess Diana for his<br />
work with an anti-bullying charity.<br />
Declan Andrews-Jones from<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong>, is a youth ambassador<br />
with the award-winning charity<br />
Bullies Out, which uses positive <strong>and</strong><br />
practical solutions as it engages,<br />
empowers <strong>and</strong> inspires young<br />
people to overcome bullying, <strong>and</strong><br />
to achieve their full potential.<br />
Declan is a student at Hawthorn<br />
High School <strong>and</strong> a Peer Mentor<br />
at the school, providing support<br />
for anyone who may experience<br />
bullying.
Your letters<br />
WE<br />
letters<br />
WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!<br />
We love to hear what you've been up to<br />
so send us your letters <strong>and</strong> photos!<br />
We'll do our best to print them all.<br />
editor@livingmags.co.uk<br />
New Cancer Centre<br />
plan is archaic<br />
I am a <strong>Whitchurch</strong> resident <strong>and</strong><br />
a Consultant Interventional<br />
Radiologist at Cardiff <strong>and</strong> Vale<br />
University Health Board. Over 90%<br />
of my professional work as a doctor<br />
is related to cancer. The views I<br />
express here are my own.<br />
The environmental arguments<br />
against destroying the Northern<br />
Meadows are clear. I don’t need<br />
to reiterate these. The reason for<br />
writing is regarding good modern<br />
cancer care of the population in the<br />
21st century.<br />
Cardiff <strong>and</strong> Vale University Health<br />
Board is responsible for the health<br />
<strong>and</strong> well-being of the whole<br />
population, which is set out in the<br />
Aims of the Health Board.<br />
There is no doubt taking away the<br />
Northern Meadows as they currently<br />
are from the local population<br />
would be hugely detrimental to<br />
physical <strong>and</strong> mental well-being. But<br />
developing a st<strong>and</strong>-alone nonsurgical<br />
Cancer Centre is an archaic<br />
model. Here's why:<br />
Cancer treatment has become<br />
more complex, <strong>and</strong> cancer patients<br />
have increasingly complex issues<br />
frequently needing input from other<br />
medical <strong>and</strong> surgical specialties.<br />
If they become severely unwell in<br />
Velindre, they are transferred to<br />
UHW in an ambulance. Other new<br />
cancer service developments are<br />
using a different, better model with<br />
specialties on the same site, such as<br />
surgery, cardiology, interventional<br />
radiology, gastroenterology,<br />
respiratory medicine, intensive care<br />
<strong>and</strong> others. In other words, modern<br />
cancer services are physically linked<br />
to larger acute hospitals.<br />
I completely underst<strong>and</strong> why the<br />
clinical <strong>and</strong> managerial leaders<br />
at Velindre wish to retain their<br />
autonomy, which they currently<br />
have. But they continue to disregard<br />
other options, <strong>and</strong> the reviews<br />
<strong>and</strong> option appraisals are either<br />
outdated or secretive such as the<br />
Barrett Review. The world has<br />
changed with COVID-19, increasing<br />
the importance of outdoor spaces<br />
for communities.<br />
This model for cancer care is<br />
outdated before it is built. There are<br />
therefore important issues to raise:<br />
• Can the 2017 Barrett Review of<br />
the plans be made public? If not,<br />
why not?<br />
• Is Velindre right <strong>and</strong> everywhere<br />
else in the UK wrong?<br />
• The new UHW build was not an<br />
option in the past but it is now, <strong>and</strong><br />
needs revisiting urgently.<br />
• Has there been any recent<br />
engagement with Cardiff <strong>and</strong><br />
Vale UHB as integration of cancer<br />
services on that site is now an<br />
option?<br />
• Has this been revisited as<br />
an option since the COVID-19<br />
p<strong>and</strong>emic?<br />
Those who oppose the new<br />
development <strong>and</strong> destruction of<br />
the Northern Meadows have been<br />
br<strong>and</strong>ed as anti 'cancer services'<br />
but this is not true, <strong>and</strong> is indeed<br />
offensive. The application must be<br />
called in <strong>and</strong> the proposed model of<br />
care reviewed.<br />
Dr Ashley Roberts<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong><br />
A community alarmed<br />
<strong>and</strong> dismayed<br />
The Velindre campaign has sought<br />
assistance for its plans for a new<br />
hospital from public personalities<br />
such as Julie Morgan AM <strong>and</strong><br />
Jonathan Davies. Unfortunately they<br />
are only armed with one side of the<br />
story much to the consternation of<br />
this community.<br />
Here are a few facts:<br />
• We were originally told that the<br />
proposal was not financially based.<br />
It is in fact part of a strategic plan<br />
to build a new facility financed in<br />
whole or in part by the development<br />
of the old Velindre <strong>and</strong> <strong>Whitchurch</strong><br />
Hospital sites. Quid pro quo.<br />
• We were told that the <strong>Whitchurch</strong><br />
Hospital site is too small. Not true.<br />
The footprint of the facility can be<br />
transposed comfortably onto the<br />
Velindre/<strong>Whitchurch</strong> Hospital site.<br />
• We are told that <strong>Whitchurch</strong><br />
Hospital is a Grade 2 Listed building,<br />
consequently restricting its potential<br />
for development. One of the<br />
reasons that the old hospital site<br />
was listed is that it is "Included as<br />
the best example in Wales of a large<br />
mental hospital using echelon plan<br />
form, <strong>and</strong> for its special architectural<br />
interest."<br />
I assume that once the old site<br />
ceases to be a 'mental hospital', its<br />
grading will be instantly lost.<br />
• The impact <strong>and</strong> turmoil of years<br />
of building <strong>and</strong> construction on<br />
one site followed by the other will<br />
then be followed by the chaotic<br />
aftermath of both developed sites.<br />
• There are other advantages of<br />
using the brownfield site in that<br />
it has the attraction of a more<br />
regulated <strong>and</strong> gradual development<br />
over time.<br />
• The construction phase alone<br />
comes with intolerable traffic activity<br />
<strong>and</strong> turmoil.<br />
• Extensive alterations to the<br />
Coryton roundabout at Asda will<br />
predictably cause all sorts of traffic<br />
issues <strong>and</strong> disruption <strong>and</strong> lead<br />
to long term problems <strong>and</strong> wider<br />
implications to the economy of<br />
Cardiff centre.<br />
• These proposed alterations are<br />
exorbitant in cost <strong>and</strong> at taxpayers<br />
expense.<br />
• The whole planning system/<br />
procedure is flawed, in favour of<br />
the developer/applicant who have<br />
years of professional <strong>and</strong> specialist<br />
interventions <strong>and</strong> are usually well<br />
resourced. The public have just<br />
weeks to act on their wits <strong>and</strong><br />
individual intelligence.<br />
This is unjust <strong>and</strong> unfair.<br />
Terry Chard<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong><br />
5
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Northern<br />
Meadows<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong> <strong>and</strong> Coryton's Northern Meadows have provided a<br />
green space for decades. Now they are under threat of destruction<br />
They have been the lifeline<br />
for many during the COVID19<br />
lockdown. A beauty spot that has<br />
allowed many to maintain their<br />
physical <strong>and</strong> emotional well-being;<br />
the living, breathing lungs of the<br />
local area.<br />
Yet <strong>Whitchurch</strong>’s Northern<br />
Meadows are now facing extinction<br />
of their own as residents fight to<br />
save them from the development of<br />
a new cancer treatment hospital.<br />
One of the old bridges<br />
along the footpaths<br />
The 23-acre site of meadow,<br />
ancient trees, shrub <strong>and</strong> grassl<strong>and</strong><br />
are earmarked for the new Velindre<br />
Hospital development. The area<br />
is bordered on three sides by the<br />
Forest Farm SSSI Nature Reserve<br />
an abundant, diverse wildlife haven,<br />
local heritage sites, housing <strong>and</strong><br />
schools.<br />
David Powell, Velindre’s Project<br />
Leader said:<br />
“We have pledged to keep our<br />
selected site green. This means<br />
maintaining <strong>and</strong> enhancing<br />
community access, supporting the<br />
ecological diversity <strong>and</strong> natural<br />
environment of the site, while also<br />
implementing sustainable transport<br />
<strong>and</strong> a Green Travel Plan.<br />
“We want to provide patients<br />
with a better, more peaceful <strong>and</strong><br />
restorative healing environment for<br />
treatment. The Northern Meadows<br />
provides a great site with planning<br />
permission to do this.”<br />
But residents are not happy.<br />
There are over 300 households in<br />
local community without a garden<br />
<strong>and</strong> locals say that the Northern<br />
Meadows have provided them with<br />
access to green spaces.<br />
The Save The Northern Meadows<br />
campaign was recently launched<br />
to help fight the plans. Their aim<br />
is to see the incorporation of the<br />
Northern Meadows into the nearby<br />
Nature Reserve <strong>and</strong> secure it for<br />
future generations. In a recent<br />
survey of 400 residents, 91% of<br />
participants said that they were<br />
against the development of the<br />
hospital on the site.<br />
“We recognise the serious need<br />
to update cancer services in Wales.<br />
But we believe this site should<br />
never have been granted planning<br />
permission in the first place due to<br />
its inaccessibility <strong>and</strong> its proximity to<br />
the nature reserve.<br />
“It will be impossible to keep the<br />
site green as construction dem<strong>and</strong>s<br />
the bulldozing of 600 trees <strong>and</strong><br />
some of the last 3% of meadowl<strong>and</strong><br />
in Wales.<br />
“These fundamental flaws in<br />
the location of the site mean any<br />
attempt to access it will cut a<br />
significant number of trees in the<br />
Photos: Catherine Davies
construction of two bridges <strong>and</strong> a<br />
temporary access road. It will break<br />
up an important wildlife corridor,<br />
ruin a historic representation<br />
of Welsh industrial history <strong>and</strong><br />
disrupt pedestrian access to public<br />
amenities,” said Tessa Marshall from<br />
the campaign.<br />
Velindre Cancer Centre has said<br />
that it is committed to working with<br />
the community however.<br />
“I would like to reassure you again<br />
that we want to work with you <strong>and</strong><br />
others to minimise its impact <strong>and</strong><br />
to enhance the site as sensitively<br />
as we can,” said Velindre Cancer<br />
Centre’s David Powell in June.<br />
“We will respond to concerns<br />
about the surfacing of the existing<br />
road to the north of the <strong>Whitchurch</strong><br />
Hospital site, making improvements<br />
if it won’t withst<strong>and</strong> additional<br />
construction traffic.<br />
“The Trust is also seeking to<br />
extend the period when the<br />
temporary construction road on<br />
the <strong>Whitchurch</strong> Hospital site can<br />
be used. We want to use the road<br />
both for construction of access to<br />
the new centre <strong>and</strong> for part of the<br />
construction of the centre itself. As<br />
a result we can reduce costs <strong>and</strong><br />
bring forward the opening date.”<br />
The Velindre development has<br />
also had endorsements from<br />
high profile sports stars such as<br />
Swansea’s Shane Williams <strong>and</strong><br />
Jonathan Davies.<br />
Velindre has added:<br />
“We all know someone with<br />
cancer or someone who has had<br />
cancer. And the number of people<br />
diagnosed with cancer is increasing.<br />
“But Wales has some of the lowest<br />
cancer survival rates in the western<br />
world. And the 60-year-old Velindre<br />
Cancer Centre does not have the<br />
facilities or space to meet this<br />
future challenge.<br />
“The new Velindre Cancer Centre<br />
will treat more patients <strong>and</strong> help<br />
more people live longer with<br />
cancer. Our vision is for a Velindre<br />
Cancer Centre which has the<br />
strength to last for the long-term.”<br />
But resident Dr Ashley Roberts,<br />
who works at UHW as a Consultant<br />
Interventional Radiologist, argues<br />
that the plans are an archaic form of<br />
cancer care:<br />
“Those who oppose the new<br />
development <strong>and</strong> destruction of<br />
the Northern Meadows have been<br />
br<strong>and</strong>ed as anti ‘cancer services’<br />
but this is not true. But we should<br />
not spend millions of pounds<br />
of taxpayers money doing the<br />
wrong thing, <strong>and</strong> destroying an<br />
important natural space which we<br />
would never have back, however<br />
outst<strong>and</strong>ing the architecture is.<br />
“The plans that we are seeing now<br />
reflect the vision for development<br />
Cardiff Council want to see in<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong>, that they are trying to<br />
implement without consultation of<br />
local people,” added Tessa.<br />
“Velindre University Health Board<br />
are swapping their current l<strong>and</strong><br />
(<strong>Whitchurch</strong> hospital site) for the<br />
meadow l<strong>and</strong>, which is the property<br />
of Cardiff Council. It’s a l<strong>and</strong> swap to<br />
build houses <strong>and</strong> make money.<br />
“The meadow l<strong>and</strong> is inaccessible<br />
for housing as building access<br />
bridges will cost at least £30 million<br />
of taxpayers’ money. By swapping<br />
the l<strong>and</strong>, the health boards are<br />
making a profit.<br />
“Our main contention is that the<br />
community has never approved<br />
construction on the meadow,<br />
Photo: Sarah Davies<br />
feature<br />
The meadows are a haven<br />
for a wide range of wildlife<br />
due to its benefits to our physical<br />
<strong>and</strong> mental health, as well as its<br />
importance to nature. Despite<br />
this history of rejection, Velindre<br />
changed their new hospital plans in<br />
2015/16, moving their new hospital<br />
to the meadow, enabling housing to<br />
be built on <strong>Whitchurch</strong> Hospital.<br />
“This means that the narrative of<br />
hospital or housing on the meadow<br />
is false – it is hospital AND housing.<br />
Furthermore, the railway cutting,<br />
our only road-free access to Asda<br />
shall never be returned to us.”<br />
The debate is set to rage on but<br />
in the meantime, the meadows<br />
continue to provide a home to an<br />
abundance of wildlife, <strong>and</strong> a respite<br />
to residents in desperate need of<br />
sanctuary.<br />
For more information or to get<br />
involved, head to<br />
savethenorthernmeadows.wales<br />
Photo: Chris Marshall<br />
A view of the meadows on<br />
a cold winter's morning<br />
9
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We’re here to help loved ones<br />
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Summer is almost here!<br />
by Rebecca Salter of Kip McGrath Cardiff West<br />
Summer this year will be quite<br />
different to what we have all<br />
experienced in previous years.<br />
Children will need a bit of<br />
learning during this critical time to<br />
help them catch up <strong>and</strong> prepare<br />
for whatever September holds.<br />
If you are worried that your<br />
children will fall behind over the<br />
summer period, keep their brains<br />
active with the Kip McGrath Cardiff<br />
West Online Summer School<br />
Programme. We are offering<br />
fun-filled summer online tuition<br />
sessions in maths <strong>and</strong> English, to<br />
ensure that the learning gap is<br />
minimised.<br />
At Kip McGrath Cardiff West, we<br />
believe in building confidence,<br />
self-esteem <strong>and</strong> providing results<br />
for your child. Our face-to-face,<br />
online Summer School Programme<br />
can help fill your child with<br />
confidence <strong>and</strong> ensure that they<br />
are ready for that all-important<br />
start to the new year in September.<br />
What is Summer<br />
Learning Loss?<br />
The equivalent of one entire month<br />
of overall learning can be lost<br />
just during the summer holiday<br />
break <strong>and</strong> 2-3 hours per week<br />
during the summer holidays is<br />
needed to prevent this significant<br />
learning loss! If your child is already<br />
struggling, then it is even more<br />
important to ensure that they<br />
continue to learn, in a fun way, over<br />
the summer holidays.<br />
Why not give your child a<br />
head start this year?<br />
Our Online Summer Programme<br />
is designed to help prevent this<br />
learning loss <strong>and</strong> to close any<br />
learning gaps that your child may<br />
have. We also offer extension<br />
programmes to push your child<br />
forward in the areas in which<br />
they excel. We can support their<br />
progress over the six weeks <strong>and</strong><br />
beyond, to make them ready to<br />
face the challenges of the new<br />
school year.<br />
What makes Kip McGrath<br />
different?<br />
Every child is treated as an<br />
individual <strong>and</strong> your child will only<br />
ever be taught by an experienced,<br />
fully qualified teacher who will<br />
create a bespoke programme<br />
to fit the needs of your child. We<br />
provide this personalised, online<br />
learning experience for each<br />
student to extend or support their<br />
underst<strong>and</strong>ing of each subject,<br />
using fun <strong>and</strong> interactive resources<br />
<strong>and</strong> the chance to work one-to-one<br />
with a teacher in real time.<br />
For the last 6 years, we have<br />
provided after-school <strong>and</strong> weekend<br />
tuition in <strong>Whitchurch</strong>, as well as<br />
daytime tutoring for pupils who are<br />
currently learning at home.<br />
We also offer exam-specific<br />
sessions to prepare pupils for<br />
GCSEs <strong>and</strong> end of year tests.<br />
Keep their brains active<br />
this summer!<br />
Our Online Summer School<br />
Programme is suitable for all<br />
learners <strong>and</strong> delivered faceto-face<br />
using our innovative<br />
tuition software. It is designed so<br />
students talk directly to their tutor<br />
in real time.<br />
Contact Rebecca <strong>and</strong> Aziz<br />
today to book your child’s free<br />
assessment.<br />
T: 02920 628568<br />
E: kipcardiffwest@gmail.com<br />
W: kipmcgrath.co.uk/cardiffwest<br />
F: www.facebook.com/<br />
kipcardiffwest<br />
Sponsored feature
kids<br />
Our lockdown<br />
We asked local children to tell us about their lockdown experience<br />
Sophie aged 9<br />
What have been some of the good things<br />
about lockdown?<br />
I've been able to spend<br />
more time with my Mum,<br />
Dad <strong>and</strong> brother <strong>and</strong> that I<br />
didn’t have to do as much<br />
school work.<br />
What have been some<br />
of the difficult things?<br />
My Gr<strong>and</strong>dad passed<br />
away, but it wasn’t<br />
because of the virus - it<br />
was because of prostrate<br />
cancer. Also not being able<br />
to see my friends <strong>and</strong> not allowed to hug them <strong>and</strong><br />
play games with them.<br />
How will this summer school holiday be<br />
different?<br />
My summer holidays will be different because our<br />
holiday got cancelled <strong>and</strong> l can’t have a birthday party.<br />
I haven’t really got any plans over summer, just playing<br />
in the garden <strong>and</strong> going on day trips.<br />
How do you feel about returning to school?<br />
I'm very happy about returning to school in September<br />
because I get to see my friends <strong>and</strong> will get to hug<br />
them.<br />
12<br />
Evie aged 9<br />
What have been some<br />
of the good things about<br />
lockdown?<br />
I've got closer to my brother<br />
Barnaby <strong>and</strong> we have been<br />
playing more <strong>and</strong> I've spent<br />
more time with my family.<br />
What have been some of the difficult things?<br />
To stay away from my friends <strong>and</strong> not hug them <strong>and</strong><br />
stay away from family members that I miss. Having so<br />
much time in the house has been hard with my little<br />
brother too.<br />
How will this summer school holiday be<br />
different?<br />
We won't be able to go to places we normally go <strong>and</strong><br />
we will have to stay more local. We might be getting a<br />
camper van <strong>and</strong> going on holiday to a beach.<br />
How do you feel about returning to school in<br />
September?<br />
I'm feeling happy about seeing my friends <strong>and</strong> don't<br />
have to socially distance. But this makes me feel a bit<br />
nervous too as the virus might spread <strong>and</strong> it might go<br />
back to how it was in the beginning when it was really<br />
bad. I'm looking forward to seeing my new teacher too<br />
<strong>and</strong> excited for what Year 5 will bring.
Giacomo aged 7<br />
What have been some of the<br />
good things about lockdown?<br />
I liked spending time with family,<br />
I enjoyed the walks, finding the<br />
Wenallt <strong>and</strong> a walk with a good<br />
climbing tree behind our house. We slept in dens,<br />
watched the Starlink satellites, got two kittens, built<br />
monkey bars <strong>and</strong> bought a camper van.<br />
What have been some of the difficult things?<br />
The worst thing was not being able to see our friends<br />
<strong>and</strong> family.<br />
How will this summer school holiday be different?<br />
This summer holidays we won't be going to Italy. I am<br />
really, really sad about that. This year we are going to<br />
use the camper van to camp!<br />
How do you feel about returning to school?<br />
I don't want to return to school because it will be too<br />
hard. I am not ready for Year 3.<br />
Javier aged 6<br />
What have been some<br />
of the good things about<br />
lockdown?<br />
Getting to spend more time at<br />
home as a family <strong>and</strong> getting to<br />
play together more, <strong>and</strong> cuddle<br />
my pet cats.<br />
What have been some of the<br />
difficult things?<br />
Not being able to hug people who you want to, like<br />
family <strong>and</strong> friends. Doing school work at home has<br />
been boring.<br />
How will this summer school holiday be<br />
different?<br />
We have already had lots of time off school <strong>and</strong> we’re<br />
probably not going to be going on our holiday this<br />
summer. We'll go to beaches near us instead.<br />
How do you feel about returning to school?<br />
Nervous because I’ll be starting Year 2. I’m not really<br />
happy to do more work, but my new teacher looks<br />
really fun <strong>and</strong> I’m excited to see my friends.<br />
Seb aged 9<br />
What have been some<br />
of the good things about<br />
lockdown?<br />
I’ve been riding my bike lots<br />
<strong>and</strong> spending time with my<br />
family.<br />
What have been some of the difficult things?<br />
I’ve missed seeing my friends <strong>and</strong> at times, being<br />
around my little sister has been annoying.<br />
How will this summer school holiday be<br />
different?<br />
Jenna aged 9<br />
What have been some of the good<br />
things about lockdown?<br />
Having my lockdown birthday <strong>and</strong><br />
having a new bike. I also had my<br />
friends to visit me in the front garden<br />
<strong>and</strong> had a very nice lunch with my<br />
mum, dad <strong>and</strong> brother, Jamie.<br />
What have been some of the difficult things?<br />
Learning from home, not going to any of my clubs or<br />
activities <strong>and</strong> not seeing my friends that often.<br />
How will this summer school holiday be different?<br />
We are not going to Tenerife with our friends. We’re<br />
going to spend lots of time with our ‘bubble’ in<br />
Swansea <strong>and</strong> they’ve just got a new puppy, Lulu <strong>and</strong><br />
she’s smaller than a guinea pig. I’m also going to do a<br />
summer camp with my drama group, CAST <strong>and</strong> have a<br />
master class with a lady from ‘Matilda’ in the West End.<br />
How do you feel about returning to school?<br />
I am going to be so, so happy. I’m so excited to see<br />
all of my friends again <strong>and</strong> it will be ‘different but the<br />
same’. I’m so excited to see my teacher <strong>and</strong> so glad<br />
we’ve got the same one from Year 4 into Year 5.<br />
Lola aged 8<br />
What have been some of the good<br />
things about lockdown?<br />
One of the good things about lockdown<br />
was spending time with my family.<br />
What have been some of the<br />
difficult things?<br />
Not being able to catch up with school work as much<br />
as we’ve missed half of the year.<br />
How will this summer school holiday be<br />
different?<br />
We won’t be able to see our friends when normally in<br />
the summer holidays, I’d have sleepovers.<br />
How do you feel about returning to school?<br />
I'm nervous about going back, even though I know<br />
what it’s going to be like as I went to school a couple of<br />
times. It’ll be a bit weird as I’ll be around my friends but<br />
we’ll still have to social distance.<br />
I was supposed to go to Spain so I’m disappointed I’m<br />
not going. I’ve been down to Cornwall last weekend.<br />
I had fun bodyboarding. I also went kayaking <strong>and</strong><br />
coasteering with my<br />
family <strong>and</strong> some<br />
friends.<br />
How do you feel<br />
about returning<br />
to school?<br />
I’m really happy<br />
about returning to<br />
school in September<br />
because I’ll get to<br />
be back with my<br />
friends.
“It’s my Coronavirus Protection<br />
Bubble on wheels,” she says,<br />
excitedly.<br />
Meet Samantha Brown. A former<br />
Bishop of Ll<strong>and</strong>aff student, now<br />
travelling the world in her camper<br />
van as a digital nomad. Her work<br />
tool is her laptop. Location: various.<br />
“I feel safe in my van,” she says.<br />
"I’ve got everything I need here.<br />
Somewhere to eat, work, wash <strong>and</strong><br />
sleep. I’m off to France next week.”<br />
Sam hasn’t always been a traveller.<br />
In fact, for the last few months,<br />
much like the rest of us, she’s been<br />
trapped in her home. But her sense<br />
of adventure has returned.<br />
"I was always seeking adventure<br />
as a child. Building dens <strong>and</strong><br />
experiencing the outdoors was how<br />
I liked to spend my days.<br />
"I always had the desire to<br />
communicate too. As a kid, I used to<br />
record pretend radio programmes<br />
on my tape recorder with my sister.<br />
These days, I have my own podcast.<br />
As a youngster, I was into telling<br />
stories <strong>and</strong> I'd dream of creating a<br />
cosy little home for myself. I think<br />
that's where this lifestyle comes<br />
from."<br />
Sam attended Bishop of Ll<strong>and</strong>aff<br />
High School <strong>and</strong> it was here that<br />
she embraced her education.<br />
“The most abiding memories I<br />
14<br />
have of Bishop of Ll<strong>and</strong>aff was<br />
that we laughed a lot. Needless<br />
to say, we learnt a lot too <strong>and</strong><br />
we were given a solid education<br />
there. I’m thankful that I went to<br />
one of the best schools in Wales<br />
although I have to admit that I found<br />
assemblies boring. I’d skip these by<br />
hiding in the loos. There’d be a few<br />
of us doing that!<br />
“As I moved into Sixth Form, I<br />
began my love affair with music,<br />
especially Cardiff’s indie scene. I felt<br />
that to my friends, I was a bit of an<br />
arty outsider - but they didn’t love<br />
Nomad<br />
Samantha Brown gave up her 9 to 5 job <strong>and</strong> packed a bag to start<br />
a new lifestyle, travelling the world <strong>and</strong> working from a laptop<br />
me any less.<br />
"By the mid '90s, I was working as<br />
a nanny in Paris where I found out<br />
that I was pregnant. After having my<br />
daughter, I completed my degree<br />
in English Literature as a young<br />
single parent at Bristol University<br />
before launching headlong into the<br />
corporate world."<br />
Sam spent 12 years as the Head<br />
of Marketing <strong>and</strong> Communications<br />
for large corporates <strong>and</strong> national<br />
charities. She bought her home in<br />
Bristol <strong>and</strong> felt settled in her life.<br />
But that all changed in 2017, when
Sam's father was diagnosed with<br />
cancer.<br />
"Dad worked hard his entire life<br />
<strong>and</strong> was due to retire when he<br />
found out that he was ill. He’d<br />
wanted to spend his retirement<br />
seeing the world but sadly, he never<br />
got to do it.<br />
"It made me question my life. I<br />
realised that I didn’t want to spend<br />
the next 20 years stuck in an office. I<br />
wanted to see the world, so I took a<br />
sabbatical in 2019, not long after my<br />
Dad had died."<br />
Sam went travelling across 12<br />
countries in South <strong>and</strong> Central<br />
America, picking up work as a<br />
freelance marketing consultant<br />
along the way.<br />
"I eventually came back to my day<br />
job <strong>and</strong> was toying with the idea<br />
of h<strong>and</strong>ing my notice in, when we<br />
were told that the organisation had<br />
failed to retain its contract <strong>and</strong> I was<br />
h<strong>and</strong>ed a redundancy."<br />
Freed from the shackles of the<br />
corporate world, Sam took to the<br />
skies <strong>and</strong> headed east.<br />
“I spent two months in Bali <strong>and</strong><br />
two months in Thail<strong>and</strong>. I also set<br />
up my blog <strong>and</strong> podcast to provide<br />
inspiration to others. Christmas <strong>and</strong><br />
New Year was shared with a group<br />
of digital nomads on a remote<br />
isl<strong>and</strong>. It was wonderful."<br />
Sam then moved on to India. Still<br />
working from her laptop, Sam was<br />
able to combine the experience of<br />
living within another culture while<br />
paying her way through her online<br />
work. That was until Coronavirus's<br />
tentacles began reaching around<br />
the world.<br />
"I’ll always remember 17th March.<br />
I’d just had dinner when I found out<br />
that the EU had closed its border.<br />
At 11pm that night, I booked a flight<br />
home that was due to leave at 7am<br />
the next morning.<br />
"I was in the middle of the Goan<br />
countryside with no taxi available,<br />
so I started knocking on neighbours'<br />
doors to see if anyone would give<br />
me a lift to the airport. Unfortunately<br />
no one would.<br />
"In the end, the only viable option I<br />
had was to use the scooter I'd been<br />
hiring to get me there. I packed my<br />
backpack <strong>and</strong> headed off into the<br />
night, bound for the airport.<br />
"Out on the highway in the dead<br />
of night, it was only after I spotted<br />
traffic coming towards me that I<br />
realised I was driving down the<br />
carriageway in the wrong direction.<br />
The traffic slowed <strong>and</strong> I had to try<br />
<strong>and</strong> manoeuvre my scooter onto<br />
the right carriageway. Then my<br />
backpack fell off <strong>and</strong> its contents<br />
Main photo: Carles Navarro<br />
spilled out. I’d been relying on my<br />
iPhone for directions - it fell onto<br />
the road <strong>and</strong> two cars passed over<br />
it. Thankfully, they hadn’t damaged<br />
it.<br />
"I arrived at the airport at 5am,<br />
ab<strong>and</strong>oned the scooter <strong>and</strong> took a<br />
photo of it so that I could let the hire<br />
company know where it was. And<br />
all the while, I could hear my dad’s<br />
voice telling me to get home.<br />
"It was pure instinct. I knew I was<br />
doing the right thing, even though it<br />
seemed totally crazy at the time.<br />
I was so wired on the initial<br />
domestic flight that I couldn’t sleep,<br />
despite being up all night. When<br />
I finally got on the BA flight to<br />
Heathrow, the crew confirmed that<br />
it was one of the last to leave India<br />
– so my instincts were right.”<br />
Exhausted, Sam eventually made<br />
it back to her Bristol home which<br />
she normally rents out to lodgers<br />
<strong>and</strong> her daughter whilst travelling.<br />
"The only room left in the house<br />
was the small one I'd been keeping<br />
all my belongings in. I had no<br />
choice but to use it as both my<br />
office <strong>and</strong> my lodgings. Because<br />
I’d just come back from abroad, I<br />
was forced to quarantine for seven<br />
days. Lockdown then started on the<br />
sixth day. I was desperate to see my<br />
mum <strong>and</strong> siblings but I had to abide<br />
by the rules.”<br />
And so it was, that Sam was<br />
marooned in her room for 10 weeks,<br />
not sure of when she could restart<br />
her travels or even see her close<br />
family.<br />
"Although I realised I was fortunate<br />
to get home <strong>and</strong> still be able to<br />
work through my consultancy, I<br />
found lockdown difficult. I lost all<br />
my energy <strong>and</strong> drive <strong>and</strong> it wasn’t<br />
until I hit upon the idea of getting<br />
a motorhome that my excitement<br />
people<br />
Sam has the world at her<br />
fingertips via her laptop<br />
returned.<br />
"I bought the van with the rest of<br />
my redundancy money <strong>and</strong> named<br />
her Juno – after the Ancient Greek<br />
goddess. She’s the protector of<br />
women.<br />
"Juno is completely self-contained.<br />
I have everything I need – including<br />
a toilet, shower, kitchen <strong>and</strong> WIFI<br />
for me to work remotely. I’m off<br />
to France next week. I’ve always<br />
wanted to see Europe <strong>and</strong> as we’ll<br />
be leaving it at the end of the year,<br />
it’ll be harder to do that any time<br />
later. I figured that this was the<br />
safest <strong>and</strong> cheapest way to get to<br />
see it.<br />
"I plan to keep Juno for a few years<br />
whilst this p<strong>and</strong>emic continues –<br />
after that, who knows where the<br />
road will lead me."<br />
Be inspired by Sam's journey by<br />
following GenerationXit on YouTube<br />
or visit www.generationxit.com<br />
Juno allows Sam to work<br />
remotely <strong>and</strong> at her own pace<br />
15
self<br />
care<br />
The mental health repercussions from the COVID p<strong>and</strong>emic <strong>and</strong><br />
its economic fallout are yet to be realised. Here are some tried <strong>and</strong><br />
tested coping strategies to help you through these tough times<br />
Looking after<br />
yourself <strong>and</strong><br />
others<br />
Not many of us could have<br />
previously claimed to have lived<br />
through a p<strong>and</strong>emic <strong>and</strong> like all<br />
infectious disease outbreaks,<br />
the current Coronavirus can be a<br />
scary experience.<br />
It can also take its toll on our<br />
mental health <strong>and</strong> while it is<br />
important to keep abreast of<br />
ongoing developments, we can't<br />
overlook our own well-being <strong>and</strong><br />
the well-being of others. While<br />
the risk to our physical health<br />
remains, so too does the risk to<br />
our emotional health.<br />
Many of us will already be<br />
feeling these effects <strong>and</strong> as our<br />
country starts to emerge from<br />
the lockdown, there will be more<br />
challenges ahead.<br />
But like most things, there are<br />
ways to cope <strong>and</strong> manage the<br />
anxiety <strong>and</strong> stress. Making sure<br />
that your wider health needs are<br />
met will result in new routines<br />
but it is an opportunity to reflect,<br />
reset <strong>and</strong> respond to our current<br />
situation for the better.<br />
16<br />
Diet<br />
Together with exercise, diet forms<br />
the foundations for long-term<br />
health <strong>and</strong> well-being.<br />
Eating well can help us avoid<br />
chronic diseases but it can also<br />
help lift our moods <strong>and</strong> levels of<br />
happiness <strong>and</strong> contentment. A<br />
balanced diet gives your body the<br />
nutrients it needs to function as it<br />
should.<br />
No single food contains all the<br />
essential nutrients that the body<br />
needs to stay healthy <strong>and</strong> work<br />
properly. For this reason, our diets<br />
should contain a variety of different<br />
foods, to help us get the wide<br />
range of nutrients that our bodies<br />
need.<br />
Planning your meals will help<br />
avoid the temptation to snack on<br />
the go, which often leads to obesity<br />
<strong>and</strong> upset our energy balance.<br />
Exercise<br />
Exercise delivers oxygen <strong>and</strong><br />
nutrients to your tissues <strong>and</strong><br />
helps your cardiovascular system<br />
work more efficiently. When your<br />
cardiovascular system works<br />
better, everything seems easier<br />
<strong>and</strong> you have more energy for<br />
the fun stuff in life.<br />
Aerobic exercise <strong>and</strong> strength<br />
training can help strengthen<br />
your body <strong>and</strong> help clear your<br />
mind. Strengthening the heart<br />
<strong>and</strong> other muscles isn't the<br />
only important goal of exercise.<br />
Exercise can also help the body<br />
stay flexible, meaning that your<br />
muscles <strong>and</strong> joints stretch <strong>and</strong><br />
bend easily.<br />
You can start off by taking<br />
daily walks but 60 minutes of<br />
moderate to vigorous daily<br />
exercise is recommended.
Avoid sensationalist<br />
headlines<br />
One of the main triggers of<br />
anxiety <strong>and</strong> stress over the<br />
last few months has been the<br />
sensationalist headlines in the<br />
press. Social media often doesn't<br />
help as many publishing outlets<br />
want you to read their stories so<br />
that they can build revenues.<br />
Get any news you want to know<br />
about from a reputable source<br />
<strong>and</strong> try to stay away from news<br />
that doesn't directly impact on<br />
you.<br />
Talk to your children<br />
Involving your young family<br />
members in discussions can be<br />
tricky. Children may well feel<br />
confused themselves <strong>and</strong> you<br />
may want to keep them informed.<br />
Be truthful in your conversations<br />
as any exposed untruths will<br />
cause a sense of distrust between<br />
you. Making them feel safe <strong>and</strong><br />
protected should be a priority.<br />
Pace yourself<br />
Remind yourself that you can't do<br />
everything at once. Whatever you<br />
are trying to achieve, it has to be<br />
done over time <strong>and</strong> with patience.<br />
We will all be moving at our own<br />
pace as we come out of lockdown<br />
- be aware of that with others <strong>and</strong><br />
make others aware of that too.<br />
Prepare for the future but focus<br />
on the present <strong>and</strong> any positives<br />
that it brings.<br />
Sleep<br />
Where possible, try <strong>and</strong> create<br />
a routine <strong>and</strong> environment that's<br />
conducive to a good night's sleep.<br />
Sleep is crucial to both your<br />
emotional <strong>and</strong> physical state<br />
<strong>and</strong> its effectiveness in helping<br />
you reset <strong>and</strong> heal cannot be<br />
underestimated.<br />
It should therefore be considered<br />
a priority of your day.<br />
Stay connected<br />
Lockdown has kept us physically<br />
apart, <strong>and</strong> for some, this has<br />
caused huge distress.<br />
Loneliness <strong>and</strong> feelings of<br />
isolation have rocketed over the<br />
last few months so it's important<br />
to keep connected as much as<br />
possible.<br />
Many of us have kept in touch<br />
with family <strong>and</strong> friends using<br />
our phones <strong>and</strong> internet but as<br />
lockdown eases, it's easy to lose<br />
the connections you built up over<br />
the last few months.<br />
Look out for loved ones too who<br />
have gone quiet. Many people are<br />
struggling in silence <strong>and</strong> a quick<br />
catch up will make both you <strong>and</strong><br />
them feel less isolated. Even a<br />
socially-distanced walk can help<br />
you feel connected to those you<br />
care about.<br />
Control what can be<br />
controlled<br />
Worrying about things that are<br />
outside of your control can take up<br />
a lot of your time <strong>and</strong> energy.<br />
You may need to be told that there<br />
are many things that happen in your<br />
life, over which you have no control.<br />
That is a simple fact.<br />
You can be a lot more effective if<br />
you focus only on the things that<br />
you have control over. You can't<br />
stop a storm coming but you can<br />
prepare for it so take some time to<br />
figure out the things that you can<br />
control <strong>and</strong> discard those aspects<br />
of your life that you can't control -<br />
including the behaviour of others.<br />
wellbeing<br />
Three steps to dealing<br />
with stress<br />
Stress is the feeling of feeling<br />
under excessive pressure <strong>and</strong> it can<br />
cause many emotional <strong>and</strong> physical<br />
problems. It can also creep up on<br />
you slowly as stressors build on top<br />
of each other before it suddenly hits<br />
you.<br />
Step One - Become Aware<br />
Becoming aware that you are<br />
stressed <strong>and</strong> underst<strong>and</strong>ing what<br />
is causing your problems is the first<br />
step.<br />
Physical warnings are usually the<br />
first indicators - headaches, overtiredness<br />
<strong>and</strong> tensed up muscles<br />
are all associated with stress.<br />
Work out the connection between<br />
your physical ailments <strong>and</strong> their<br />
underlying causes.<br />
Step Two - Identify the causes<br />
Identifying the underlying causes of<br />
your stress is your next step. These<br />
can be classified in three possible<br />
ways:<br />
1) those that you can sort with a<br />
practical solution<br />
2) those that will get better over time<br />
3) those causes that you can’t do<br />
anything about<br />
If possible, try <strong>and</strong> let go of the<br />
worry of the second <strong>and</strong> third<br />
elements to free up mind space.<br />
Step Three - Review your<br />
lifestyle<br />
Are you trying to do too much? Are<br />
you able to delegate anything?<br />
Prioritise the things you are trying to<br />
achieve <strong>and</strong> re-organise your life<br />
Remind yourself that there is a time<br />
for everything but only if you do one<br />
thing at a time.<br />
17
Residents at a Cardiff care home<br />
have been able to keep in touch<br />
with their loved ones thanks to<br />
a rugby club who donated two<br />
Amazon fire tablets after members<br />
‘virtually’ walked around Wales four<br />
times <strong>and</strong> raised over £11,000.<br />
Around 350 members of<br />
Rugby club walks around Wales<br />
virtually four times for charity<br />
Pontcanna’s Clwb Rygbi Cymry<br />
decided to try <strong>and</strong> see how long it<br />
would take them to walk around<br />
Wales, which is around 1,000 miles,<br />
collectively by adding up each<br />
time they went out for a run or walk<br />
during lockdown. The club collated<br />
all the data <strong>and</strong> after two days<br />
discovered that the final distance<br />
reached was, in fact, 4,120 miles –<br />
enough to walk around the country<br />
four times.<br />
Amazingly, Clwb Rygbi Cymry<br />
Caerdydd was able to raise £11,313<br />
<strong>and</strong> decided to purchase over 100<br />
Amazon Fire tablets to help people<br />
in care homes who have been<br />
unable to see family members.<br />
Staff at Tŷ Ll<strong>and</strong>aff, a private<br />
nursing, residential <strong>and</strong> respite care<br />
home in Conway Road, were the<br />
first care home in Cardiff to receive<br />
the devices.<br />
The care home closed its doors<br />
to non-essential visitors in mid-<br />
March to protect those in its care<br />
from Covid-19. The care home has<br />
remained free of the virus since<br />
the outbreak <strong>and</strong> is accepting new<br />
admissions.<br />
Tŷ Ll<strong>and</strong>aff care home manager<br />
Lisa Cristina said:<br />
“This is such a wonderful gesture<br />
by Clwb Rygbi Cymry Caerdydd<br />
<strong>and</strong> everyone at Tŷ Ll<strong>and</strong>aff really<br />
appreciates it. What a wonderful<br />
achievement by all the members to<br />
walk 4,000 miles between them!<br />
“Naturally, residents are missing<br />
having visitors but we are setting<br />
up video calls <strong>and</strong> doing all we<br />
can so they get to see <strong>and</strong> speak<br />
to their loved ones as much as<br />
possible. Having two extra tablets<br />
means even more residents can<br />
interact with family members <strong>and</strong><br />
more frequently. It has made a real<br />
difference to their overall wellbeing.”<br />
For more information about Tŷ<br />
Ll<strong>and</strong>aff call 02920 600 100,<br />
email info@tyll<strong>and</strong>affcare.com or<br />
visit www.tyll<strong>and</strong>affcare.com<br />
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Although it is not a pleasant thing to think about, it<br />
is important to ensure you have a properly<br />
prepared Will in place. Having a professionally<br />
drafted Will in place provides peace of mind that<br />
your estate should be dealt with in accordance with<br />
your wishes <strong>and</strong> is likely to make the process far<br />
easier for those you leave behind when you die.<br />
With recent events making many of us anxious <strong>and</strong><br />
uncertain about the future, lawyers have seen a sharp<br />
increase in the number of people wanting to put their<br />
affairs in order over the last few months.<br />
Laura Selby, Head of Wills & Probate at Harding Evans<br />
Solicitors, explains why it is so important to plan for the future<br />
to avoid any unnecessary complications further down the line.<br />
Yet, there are reports that surprisingly around<br />
60 per cent of the adult UK population do not<br />
have a Will, which effectively means they will be<br />
allowing ancient laws to determine who receives<br />
their estate.<br />
Making a Will is often not the long, complicated <strong>and</strong><br />
expensive process that people often imagine it to<br />
be. Many people have put it off during lockdown,<br />
thinking it would not be possible while social<br />
distancing. At Harding Evans, in accordance with<br />
Government guidelines, we have been operating<br />
throughout lockdown. Our offices are now open to<br />
the public with measures in place to reduce the risk<br />
of spreading the virus.<br />
If you are currently unable to leave your property,<br />
we also offer telephone appointments, video calls<br />
<strong>and</strong> witnessing of Wills, even via your front window<br />
if required! There are strict rules regarding the<br />
witnessing of Wills to ensure they are executed<br />
properly.<br />
Unfortunately, challenges to Wills appear to be on<br />
the rise, so it is more important than ever to obtain<br />
legal advice when preparing your Will, to avoid<br />
lengthy <strong>and</strong> costly disputes after your death.<br />
As we can see from the recent case of Clitheroe v<br />
Bond [2020] EWHC 1185 (Ch), not only is it<br />
important to ensure the Will is validly executed, but<br />
it is also important to prove you have full mental<br />
capacity.<br />
In this case, the daughter of the deceased<br />
succeeded in establishing that two Wills made by<br />
her late mother in 2010 <strong>and</strong> 2013 were both invalid.<br />
The Court found that, following the death of her<br />
other daughter, the mother had been suffering from<br />
a complex grief disorder that impaired her capacity<br />
to make a Will. While she had cognitive function <strong>and</strong><br />
was intellectually sound, it was found that she had<br />
experienced “insane delusions” that “poisoned her<br />
mind” against the daughter she excluded from her<br />
Will, causing her to make allegations for which there<br />
was no rational basis. In circumstances where there<br />
could be any doubt as to a person’s mental capacity,<br />
we recommend obtaining a medical report.<br />
Most commonly, when clients show some form of<br />
memory loss, possibly as a result of dementia, this<br />
makes us consider their capacity <strong>and</strong> we will give the<br />
most appropriate advice. The case of Clitheroe v<br />
Bond is a firm reminder that other health conditions<br />
may exist which may not give rise to memory loss<br />
but could still mean that they may be lacking<br />
capacity. It is recommended to keep records of the<br />
will instructions taken; these records may also help<br />
to protect your estate in the event of a challenge.<br />
If you would like assistance with preparing your Will, please call our<br />
experienced <strong>and</strong> friendly team to find out how we can help you.<br />
Call us on 02922 676818<br />
Email us at info@hevans.com
Key Workers<br />
Our lockdown<br />
Lockdown has hit us all hard but for the key workers in our communities, it was a case<br />
of having to adapt to a new way of working. Here are a few of our key worker heroes<br />
Charlotte<br />
Secondary School Teacher<br />
When the lockdown was first<br />
announced, I felt that it was a<br />
completely surreal situation. I felt<br />
that I had to adapt to the changes<br />
very quickly while managing waves<br />
of anxiety.<br />
I worked throughout the lockdown<br />
but it wasn’t too difficult to be home.<br />
I thoroughly enjoyed being with<br />
my family <strong>and</strong> not on the manic<br />
treadmill of everyday life.<br />
Up-skilling myself quickly on new<br />
teaching software <strong>and</strong> being sat<br />
at a computer all day was difficult<br />
<strong>and</strong> a very steep learning curve. I<br />
definitely missed the interaction of<br />
the pupils <strong>and</strong> emailing them just<br />
wasn’t the same as that face-toface<br />
interaction.<br />
I am quite a positive person, so I<br />
accepted the situation quickly <strong>and</strong><br />
on the whole, tried to make the best<br />
of it. As a family, we did the typical<br />
20<br />
things like baking, gardening, the<br />
8pm clap on a Thursday, online<br />
quizzes, bike rides, bingo nights.<br />
I definitely think the highlights for<br />
me were getting time at home<br />
with my family <strong>and</strong> my daughter<br />
<strong>and</strong> being personally involved in<br />
various musical projects (Memorial<br />
for Srebrenica <strong>and</strong> 1,000 Voices<br />
project).<br />
During the Easter holidays I<br />
ordered a skip, as we weren’t going<br />
away <strong>and</strong> had a long overdue<br />
clear-out of the loft. We also had a<br />
campout in our summer house with<br />
my daughter, where we sat around<br />
the fire pit, toasting marshmallows.<br />
We bought a hot tub just before<br />
the start of lockdown so enjoyed<br />
that a lot in the warm weather while<br />
looking for satellites in the sky.<br />
We made some really magical<br />
memories that I will treasure for the<br />
rest of my life. We were also very<br />
grateful to <strong>Whitchurch</strong> Golf Club for<br />
allowing the public to access their<br />
course. We thoroughly enjoyed our<br />
walks <strong>and</strong> were very grateful to<br />
have such beauty on our doorstep.<br />
In terms of my job, we are currently<br />
waiting for government guidelines,<br />
so I'm not totally sure how my job as<br />
a music teacher will look (whether<br />
we’ll be able to use instruments or<br />
sing in class).<br />
I look forward though to beginning<br />
extra curricular activities, as these<br />
give pupils so many skills <strong>and</strong><br />
opportunities.<br />
The sense of community in<br />
our neighbourhood <strong>and</strong> the<br />
appreciation of our local area <strong>and</strong><br />
how grateful we are for where we<br />
live is something that's struck me<br />
these last few months. It's afforded<br />
me the chance to spend more time<br />
with my family <strong>and</strong> to re-evaluate<br />
life <strong>and</strong> what is important.<br />
Phil<br />
Postman<br />
I felt a lot of<br />
uncertainty<br />
when<br />
lockdown<br />
was first<br />
announced.<br />
It made me worry about everything<br />
<strong>and</strong> how it was going to affect the<br />
work I do. I also had health <strong>and</strong><br />
safety concerns.<br />
I have worked throughout the<br />
entire lockdown but I think I<br />
adapted very well, both at work<br />
<strong>and</strong> at home. The one time I did<br />
find difficult was when I was on<br />
leave <strong>and</strong> had to stay in my house.<br />
Work for me was harder during<br />
lockdown. I had an increased<br />
workload due to people ordering<br />
goods online, but the plus point<br />
was that most people were in to<br />
receive their items.<br />
Going forward, I'm not sure if my<br />
job will change much. One silver<br />
lining of the lockdown was being<br />
able to park my van anywhere!
Jayne<br />
Cardiff City<br />
Councillor<br />
people<br />
Jane<br />
Registrar<br />
of Births,<br />
Deaths,<br />
Marriages<br />
<strong>and</strong> Civil<br />
Partnerships<br />
When lockdown was first<br />
announced, my first thoughts were<br />
for friends <strong>and</strong> family, making sure<br />
that everyone was safe <strong>and</strong> had<br />
plenty of toilet paper!<br />
My role was classed as a key<br />
worker so I worked right through<br />
lockdown, registering deaths.<br />
Going out to work while everyone<br />
else stayed at home was worrying<br />
at first. Driving to City Hall the<br />
morning after lockdown was<br />
announced was so eerie because<br />
the roads were empty, the city<br />
centre was deserted. It’s amazing<br />
how quickly I got used to that.<br />
The government’s Coronavirus<br />
law completely changed the way<br />
we worked <strong>and</strong> overnight, we had<br />
to adapt <strong>and</strong> absorb a lot of new<br />
information. When I look back, I<br />
realise how quickly it all changed.<br />
City Hall closed to the public.<br />
Birth registrations, marriages <strong>and</strong><br />
civil partnerships all stopped. We<br />
registered deaths by telephone<br />
so that families could stay safe at<br />
home. There were many phone<br />
calls with doctors <strong>and</strong> funeral<br />
directors <strong>and</strong> we worked closely<br />
with the bereavement teams at<br />
UHW <strong>and</strong> Thornhill as we all<br />
adapted to the new legislation to<br />
make sure deaths were registered<br />
<strong>and</strong> funerals could go ahead.<br />
It’s been very emotional hearing<br />
families share their stories <strong>and</strong><br />
experiences of death, loss, grief<br />
<strong>and</strong> separation.<br />
Looking forward, it’s lovely to get<br />
back to births <strong>and</strong> marriages <strong>and</strong><br />
seeing people face to face again.<br />
It’s smiley work <strong>and</strong> I definitely<br />
missed it. Every part of the job<br />
has changed <strong>and</strong> is still changing<br />
day to day to comply with social<br />
distancing <strong>and</strong> PPE. In New York<br />
State, they introduced Zoom<br />
weddings during lockdown. Wales<br />
didn’t go that far, but I’m sure I’ll<br />
conduct virtual ceremonies one<br />
day!<br />
The things I remember most<br />
about this time is that fact that my<br />
daughters all managed to come<br />
home before lockdown. The kitchen<br />
table was suddenly full of laptops<br />
<strong>and</strong> cables as they set up office<br />
to work from home. My youngest<br />
daughter took final exams, had her<br />
21st birthday <strong>and</strong> graduated during<br />
lockdown.<br />
We’ve laughed <strong>and</strong> cried <strong>and</strong><br />
there’s been a lot of banana bread!<br />
We made so many gorgeous<br />
memories <strong>and</strong> a few new family<br />
traditions but mostly I look back in<br />
awe at the way life carried on <strong>and</strong><br />
we just made it work. Clapping for<br />
the NHS on Thursday evenings also<br />
st<strong>and</strong>s out. The whole street got<br />
involved <strong>and</strong> it became a lovely<br />
time to catch up <strong>and</strong> check in on<br />
each other. We celebrated a few<br />
birthdays on those days too.<br />
Looking back, we hadn’t all lived<br />
under the same roof for this amount<br />
of time for many years as a family.<br />
This was bonus time for us <strong>and</strong><br />
that was definitely a silver lining.<br />
Being locked down <strong>and</strong> seeing the<br />
local community <strong>and</strong> businesses<br />
helping <strong>and</strong> supporting each other<br />
throughout has reminded us how<br />
lucky we are to live here.<br />
My first<br />
thoughts when<br />
lockdown was<br />
announced<br />
were about<br />
the community, <strong>and</strong> in particular<br />
older people who lived alone. I<br />
worked with the Council to answer<br />
enquiries from residents, <strong>and</strong> would<br />
like to pay tribute to the amazing<br />
groups of residents who went<br />
above <strong>and</strong> beyond to help people<br />
with groceries, medicines <strong>and</strong> even<br />
dog walking.<br />
My colleagues Adrian Robson,<br />
Oliver Owen <strong>and</strong> I were busier<br />
than ever as we worked during<br />
lockdown. I work from home for<br />
most of my time so I didn't notice<br />
the transition too much. I did miss<br />
the community events, <strong>and</strong> site<br />
meetings <strong>and</strong> the exchanges in the<br />
Council Chamber. I became a keen<br />
gardener <strong>and</strong> also continued my<br />
love of baking - rolls, bread, bagels,<br />
jam, pastries <strong>and</strong> fudge!<br />
All our Council Meetings were held<br />
electronically, <strong>and</strong> we continue to<br />
have briefings this way. I hope that<br />
a lot of the briefings <strong>and</strong> updates<br />
continue to be held this way. I am<br />
a member of the Police <strong>and</strong> Crime<br />
Commissioner Panel, <strong>and</strong> we held<br />
a meeting across authorities <strong>and</strong><br />
it worked effortlessly. There will<br />
always be a place for face to face<br />
meetings, but electronic meetings<br />
have proved invaluable.<br />
I think there will be more home<br />
working in the future. The p<strong>and</strong>emic<br />
has really changed the world, <strong>and</strong><br />
I think we will see community spirit<br />
continue to grow, <strong>and</strong> more people<br />
looking out for each other.<br />
I think social media has been<br />
exceptionally helpful <strong>and</strong> I have<br />
enjoyed seeing <strong>and</strong> hearing about<br />
people's positive experiences. So<br />
many people are now gardening,<br />
walking in the local area <strong>and</strong> have<br />
learnt new skills such as knitting,<br />
crafting <strong>and</strong> baking. I think that they<br />
will continue.<br />
21
S H O P N O W A T<br />
W W W . P U G H S G A R D E N C E N T R E . C O . U K<br />
YOUR LOCAL GO-TO GARDEN<br />
CENTRE, NOW ONLINE!<br />
PLANTS, POTS & COMPOST<br />
GARDEN FURNITURE<br />
GIFT VOUCHERS<br />
GARDEN ACCESSORIES<br />
WEBER BARBECUES<br />
OUTDOOR HEATING<br />
Delivered safely, straight to your door within 7 working days. Shop online at<br />
www.pughsgardencentre.co.uk or in store at Radyr <strong>and</strong> Wenvoe
Garden Building & L<strong>and</strong>scape Centre<br />
Visit Our Newly<br />
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We’re Open For Business<br />
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• Traditional Sheds <strong>and</strong> Summerhouses<br />
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• Greenhouses <strong>and</strong> Garden Features<br />
Pugh’s Garden Village,<br />
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Wenvoe,<br />
CF5 6AD<br />
T: 029 2059 7365<br />
shedscardiff.co.uk<br />
edenl<strong>and</strong>scapes_<br />
edenl<strong>and</strong>scapecdf<br />
edenl<strong>and</strong>scapescardiff<br />
12 Pantbach Road<br />
Cardiff, CF14 1UA<br />
02921 3<strong>58</strong>2<strong>58</strong><br />
www.cubekitchens.co.uk
Garden<br />
Social<br />
Whether you want<br />
to spend time with<br />
friends or with<br />
loved-ones in your<br />
bubble, holding a<br />
garden party is a<br />
great way to while<br />
away summer days<br />
Firepit<br />
Create a cosy space in your<br />
garden that will naturally give you<br />
warmth during the evenings too.<br />
A great piece of garden furniture<br />
to sit around long into the summer<br />
nights.<br />
www.wayfair.co.uk<br />
Garden Lights<br />
This string of 12 mini mushroom<br />
solar lights is essential for adding<br />
an enchanting atmosphere to any<br />
outdoor space. Each soft, squidgy<br />
mushroom is 20cm tall <strong>and</strong> houses<br />
one warm white LED for an ethereal<br />
glow.<br />
www.lights4fun.co.uk<br />
24<br />
Cottage Painted<br />
Garden Arbour<br />
H<strong>and</strong>-crafted in Britain, this garden<br />
arbour includes a contoured seat as<br />
well as an arm rest <strong>and</strong> drink holder.<br />
Pugh's Garden Centre<br />
Kids entertainment<br />
Kids love to play in the garden,<br />
especially when water games are<br />
involved.<br />
If your garden is big enough,<br />
provide them with inflatables that<br />
you can deflate <strong>and</strong> pack away<br />
in the winter months. This giant<br />
unicorn connects directly to your<br />
garden hose <strong>and</strong> squirts water<br />
from its horn! All you need to do is<br />
inflate it <strong>and</strong> turn the water on!<br />
www.dobbies.com
outdoors<br />
Hanging chair<br />
The perfect place to sway away the<br />
stress of the day! Set in a beautiful<br />
teardrop design, there's room for<br />
two if you're happy to share.<br />
This delightful outdoor swing chair<br />
comes with a comfy showerproof<br />
cushion, ideal for our inclement<br />
British weather.<br />
www.cuckool<strong>and</strong>.com<br />
BBQ<br />
Cater for both family <strong>and</strong> friends<br />
with a quality barbecue set<br />
this summer. Weber are worldrenowned<br />
for their barbecue<br />
innovation <strong>and</strong> provide the ultimate<br />
barbecuing experience. You can<br />
pick up your very own Weber here<br />
in North Cardiff. Traditional charcoal<br />
<strong>and</strong> gas barbecues are also<br />
available.<br />
Pugh's Garden Village, Wenvoe<br />
Sun loungers<br />
Sit back, relax <strong>and</strong> soak up<br />
the sun with a sun lounger.<br />
Outdoor recliners <strong>and</strong> sun<br />
loungers are the perfect<br />
place to base your afternoon<br />
in the garden sunshine. This<br />
lounger is made from heattreated<br />
ash wood <strong>and</strong> is<br />
available in traditional wood<br />
or black.<br />
The lower half is separate<br />
from the main section to<br />
cater for all body lengths.<br />
www.wayfair.com<br />
Patio Heaters<br />
Extend your time out in the garden<br />
with a free-st<strong>and</strong>ing patio heater.<br />
Powered by gas or electricity,<br />
patio heaters can keep you <strong>and</strong><br />
your guests warm with minimal<br />
fuss or fumes. Safe, economical<br />
<strong>and</strong> a convenient way to heat your<br />
outdoor space, patio heaters can<br />
be used all year round, allowing<br />
you to have a night under the stars<br />
whatever the season.<br />
www.heat-outdoors.co.uk
House Clearances<br />
2nd<br />
time around<br />
2nd Time Around<br />
specialise in<br />
house clearance<br />
We provide a professional <strong>and</strong><br />
friendly service for full or part<br />
clearance, attics to cellars.<br />
Specialist Glaziers with over 30 Years Experience<br />
Repairs & Renewals<br />
Experts in the repair of windows, doors <strong>and</strong> conservatories<br />
uPVC Products<br />
We offer a full range of quality replacement uPVC products<br />
Mirrors & Processed Glass<br />
Mirrors, glass (st<strong>and</strong>ard, safety, greenhouse & picture)<br />
Secondary Glazing<br />
A less costly option to reduce noise & heat loss<br />
Unit 4 St Catherine’s Park, Pengam Road, Cardiff CF24 2TY<br />
029 2048 6797<br />
contact@wrightglass.co.uk www.wrightglass.co.uk<br />
We also offer the following services:<br />
• Reports for probate purposes<br />
• Valuations & advice on selling at auction<br />
• Auction service<br />
• Cleaning service<br />
• Sympathetic h<strong>and</strong>ling of deceased’s estates<br />
• Small removals & deliveries, nationwide<br />
• Rubbish removal<br />
• Recycling<br />
We comply with current legislation; we are waste<br />
management registered <strong>and</strong> have public liability insurance.<br />
House Clearance Specialists<br />
www.houseclearancecardiff.com<br />
Contact: Jan Richards<br />
T: 02920 692704 M: 07715 622406<br />
E: janrichards4@hotmail.co.uk<br />
W: www.houseclearancecardiff.com<br />
HAVE YOU HEARD THE NEWS?<br />
Viney Hearing Care has re-opened, offering a full<br />
range of services across the hearing spectrum<br />
We are following official COVID guidelines <strong>and</strong><br />
utilising PPE to keep both you <strong>and</strong> our staff safe<br />
We have all been through a very challenging time but<br />
for some, the added difficulty of hearing loss has made<br />
lockdown unbearably isolating. Struggling to hear the latest<br />
news <strong>and</strong> information, <strong>and</strong> struggling to communicate with<br />
family has left some feeling anxious <strong>and</strong> lonely.<br />
If you or a family member has been suffering with hearing<br />
problems, call <strong>and</strong> book a free ear health check <strong>and</strong> hearing<br />
test. It could be wax blocking your ears - our microsuction<br />
procedure is the safest <strong>and</strong> most effective way to clean your<br />
ears.<br />
We get our eyes <strong>and</strong> teeth checked on a regular basis, but<br />
why not our ears? Regular check-ups <strong>and</strong> early treatment<br />
can help prevent further hearing deterioration.<br />
FREE hearing<br />
tests <strong>and</strong> advice<br />
with the latest<br />
diagnostic<br />
equipment<br />
FREE<br />
demonstrations<br />
of the newest<br />
hearing<br />
technology<br />
FREE lifetime<br />
aftercare service<br />
Micro-suction<br />
wax removal,<br />
the safest way to<br />
remove wax<br />
Service, repair<br />
<strong>and</strong> calibration of<br />
ANY hearing aid<br />
Video Otoscopy<br />
- fibre optic<br />
camera to show<br />
the condition of<br />
the ear<br />
Speech analysis -<br />
testing how well<br />
your hearing aids<br />
allow you to hear<br />
speech<br />
66 Merthyr Road, <strong>Whitchurch</strong>, Cardiff CF14 1DJ<br />
02920 250121 vineyhearingcare.co.uk
CUTTING THE COST OF<br />
ARTIFICIAL GRASS<br />
Open 7 days a week<br />
in Caerphilly<br />
Wales’ lowest pricesfrom<br />
£7.16 SQ MTR!<br />
Highest quality<br />
Easylawn<br />
Expert fitting <strong>and</strong><br />
groundwork<br />
Available in 2, 4 & 5<br />
metre widths<br />
Hundreds of rolls in<br />
stock<br />
FULL GROUNDWORK<br />
AND INSTALLATION<br />
AVAILABLE<br />
Established<br />
1971<br />
Open 7 days a week<br />
Tel: 02920 884951<br />
www.carpetcastlecaerphilly.co.uk<br />
COSTS LESS<br />
Nantgarw Road, Caerphilly
Rediscovering<br />
the garden<br />
For many of us who were<br />
furloughed during the recent<br />
Covid-19 p<strong>and</strong>emic, lockdown in<br />
our gardens became a place of<br />
sanctuary; somewhere to escape<br />
the stresses <strong>and</strong> strains of stepping<br />
outside the front door <strong>and</strong> the sheer<br />
terror of having to venture out to the<br />
shops where humanity was to be<br />
found in all its seething hordes.<br />
Being at one with the garden,<br />
cast adrift in a calming sea of<br />
green, is most people's idea of<br />
gentle repose, to be enjoyed<br />
with a cup of tea or a glass of<br />
something stronger. We live in a<br />
world that is increasingly beyond<br />
our control. From the worry of<br />
paying the mortgage <strong>and</strong> utility<br />
bills to increased pressure in our<br />
workplace, we feel under stress.<br />
The garden is a sanctuary for both<br />
mind <strong>and</strong> body <strong>and</strong> can prove<br />
therapeutic to those recovering<br />
from drug or alcohol abuse or who<br />
suffer from depression or posttraumatic<br />
stress disorder.<br />
The rituals of the year are devoutly<br />
followed; looking for the first<br />
primrose of spring or the first rose<br />
of summer maintains a positive,<br />
forward-thinking outlook for young<br />
<strong>and</strong> old alike.<br />
28<br />
Summer affords us the opportunity to pause, reflect <strong>and</strong> relax.<br />
Kevin Revell looks at the therapeutic benefits of spending time in our gardens<br />
In our gardens we are free; some<br />
will seek peace <strong>and</strong> solitude in<br />
a tranquil corner of the garden<br />
surrounded by fragrant plants <strong>and</strong><br />
the industry of bees; for others,<br />
trundling a lawn mower around can<br />
give a warm glow of satisfaction.<br />
Similarly raking moss from a lawn or<br />
sweeping up leaves provides useful<br />
cardiac exercise; a fit body can lead<br />
to a fit, content mind. The gentle<br />
exercise provided by gardening has<br />
been found to help lower blood<br />
pressure <strong>and</strong> cholesterol, helping to<br />
prevent type 2 diabetes <strong>and</strong> strokes.<br />
The Sensory Garden<br />
We are sensory creatures <strong>and</strong><br />
respond to certain stimuli which<br />
help to make us feel alive <strong>and</strong> at<br />
one with ourselves.<br />
In the garden, our senses can be<br />
awakened, we just need to take the<br />
time to appreciate what is around<br />
us <strong>and</strong> not take our surroundings<br />
for granted. Walking barefoot on<br />
the lawn can be a pleasurable,<br />
relaxing experience which has<br />
been demonstrated to lower blood<br />
pressure, stimulating several senses<br />
at once.<br />
Scent is the most evocative of<br />
all the senses <strong>and</strong> can trigger<br />
memories of times <strong>and</strong> places<br />
past. Herbs will yield a pleasant<br />
aroma when touched, brushing<br />
past lavender releases oils from the<br />
leaves that evoke sunnier climes.<br />
The sense of touch is perhaps the<br />
least appreciated in the garden;<br />
running fingers through soft<br />
tussocks of ornamental grass is a<br />
sensation denied to most people.<br />
The sound of running water<br />
from a water feature can also<br />
be relaxing, hearing harmonious<br />
birdsong as we work can block<br />
out the more routine background<br />
noise of passing traffic. The highpitched<br />
buzz of bees can also<br />
prove immensely relaxing. Even the<br />
slightest breeze can elicit a rustle<br />
from tall grasses <strong>and</strong> trees.<br />
Seeing the flowers of spring <strong>and</strong><br />
summer, is for most people, what a<br />
good garden is all about, whether<br />
tasteful, harmonious pastel shades<br />
or a riot of bright clashing colours.
gardens<br />
How to Plant a<br />
Cheerful Pot or<br />
Hanging Basket<br />
Hanging baskets have become<br />
popular in our gardens. Those with<br />
small flats or no garden at all can<br />
usually put one or two by a door or<br />
find room for at least one planter<br />
which improves the visual amenity<br />
of the area.<br />
Pre-planted baskets are readily<br />
available but most keen gardeners<br />
engage in the annual ritual of<br />
planting their own. When filling a<br />
pot or basket, don’t skimp on the<br />
compost - this is the engine room<br />
of the basket <strong>and</strong> is going to need<br />
to keep it going right through the<br />
summer. Multi-purpose compost<br />
alone will not be up to the task.<br />
Either add additional slow-release<br />
fertiliser <strong>and</strong> wetting gel or buy<br />
a specific container compost<br />
formulated for this task.<br />
When it comes to planting, there<br />
are no rules - it is entirely up to<br />
you which plants in what colours<br />
are used but tradition dictates that<br />
there should be a taller plant in the<br />
middle to give a bit of height to the<br />
arrangement. Three or five smaller<br />
or trailing plants are then arranged<br />
around this <strong>and</strong> if possible, trailing<br />
plants are inserted around the<br />
basket sides <strong>and</strong> base to give an<br />
all-encompassing show of foliage<br />
<strong>and</strong> flowers. Ideally, no trace of the<br />
basket or liner should be visible<br />
once the plants are established.<br />
Usually it will be a fuchsia or<br />
geranium giving height <strong>and</strong> trailing<br />
forms of fuchsias <strong>and</strong> geraniums<br />
are a popular choice for the rest of<br />
the basket. Trailing lobelias are the<br />
best for inserting in the sides of the<br />
basket as they cascade down <strong>and</strong><br />
are available in a range of colours.<br />
Trailing petunias or surfinias are<br />
another popular choice, coming<br />
in many bright colours including<br />
outrageous shades of hot pink <strong>and</strong><br />
red. These plants are extremely<br />
vigorous, <strong>and</strong> three to five plants<br />
will be more than enough to fill a<br />
basket with colour long into the<br />
summer.<br />
Other useful contenders include<br />
the tiny white stars of bacopa, or<br />
blousy trailing begonias which<br />
although slow to get going, will<br />
flower long into the autumn. Of<br />
course, a planted pot, hanging<br />
basket or window box doesn’t need<br />
to be full of flowers if these are not<br />
your thing. It is also a very good<br />
way of growing herbs <strong>and</strong> salad<br />
vegetables which can still look<br />
attractive <strong>and</strong> will be out of the<br />
way of marauding slugs <strong>and</strong> snails<br />
while bees will certainly appreciate<br />
a window box full of flowering<br />
lavender.<br />
It is to be hoped than many who<br />
were confronted with enforced,<br />
increased leisure time will have<br />
discovered the benefits to<br />
improving their outdoor space<br />
<strong>and</strong> will continue to enjoy home<br />
grown vegetables <strong>and</strong> flowers. It<br />
will perhaps have sown the seeds<br />
of interest in small children who<br />
helped their parents build raised<br />
beds <strong>and</strong> wildflower meadows or<br />
even just plant a few window boxes<br />
or hanging baskets. Maybe now,<br />
they will have lifelong memories of<br />
their first minibeast safari <strong>and</strong> all the<br />
wonders to behold if you just look<br />
closely enough <strong>and</strong> make a few<br />
adjustments to the way you enjoy<br />
the garden.
PRW Construction are a family run business with<br />
over 32 years of experience within the building<br />
<strong>and</strong> construction industry, references available.<br />
Our company is a progressive family run<br />
business, offering a variety of building <strong>and</strong><br />
maintenance services. We recognise the<br />
importance of planning <strong>and</strong> control in the<br />
execution of building projects, whilst using<br />
a great deal of creativity <strong>and</strong> innovation in<br />
successfully managing projects to your timescales<br />
<strong>and</strong> your costs.<br />
Contact us for your free quotation<br />
Andrew 07718 621716<br />
Rachael 07753 293444<br />
Office 02920 842333<br />
www.prwconstruction.co.uk<br />
enquiries@prwconstruction.co.uk<br />
Some of the services we offer:<br />
• House extensions<br />
• House<br />
refurbishments<br />
• Luxury bathrooms<br />
• Design <strong>and</strong><br />
architectural<br />
services<br />
• Full structural<br />
design services<br />
• Building repairs<br />
• Garage conversions<br />
• Roof repairs<br />
• Plumbing <strong>and</strong><br />
heating<br />
• Painting <strong>and</strong><br />
decoration<br />
• Electrical works<br />
• Patio & garden<br />
works<br />
OVER 25 YEARS<br />
EXPERIENCE<br />
INDEPENDENT<br />
WHITCHURCH-<br />
BASED COMPANY<br />
FENSA Certified Company<br />
38074
Beating the<br />
virus!<br />
Carpet Castle in<br />
Caerphilly is pioneering<br />
a safe new way to buy<br />
flooring<br />
As retailers all over Wales<br />
reopen their doors following<br />
the Coronavirus lockdown,<br />
we caught up<br />
with Carpet<br />
Castle in<br />
Caerphilly to<br />
find out what<br />
South Wales’<br />
famous<br />
bargain<br />
flooring<br />
warehouse<br />
has done to<br />
keep customers safe during<br />
this time<br />
What changes have you made to<br />
the store to ensure you are ‘Covid<br />
Secure’?<br />
You name it, we’ve done it!<br />
Perspex shielding around the<br />
till area, two metre spacing<br />
around the shop floor, electronic<br />
payment methods, h<strong>and</strong> sanitisers,<br />
disinfection of carpet samples <strong>and</strong><br />
we also limit the number of people<br />
in store at one time.<br />
I can honestly say that customers<br />
should feel really safe making a<br />
visit to the store. It’s a really clean<br />
environment <strong>and</strong> the staff take these<br />
new measures really seriously.<br />
We’ve been a leader in our industry<br />
for 50 years, so we’ve gone above<br />
<strong>and</strong> beyond to pro-actively modify<br />
the entire retail experience that<br />
will allow customers to shop with<br />
Sponsored feature<br />
complete confidence.<br />
We were able to trade earlier than<br />
other stores because we have an<br />
outdoor l<strong>and</strong>scaping department,<br />
so we had the chance to iron out a<br />
few things <strong>and</strong> optimise our safety<br />
procedures well before nonessential<br />
retailing was permitted in<br />
Wales. I think that has given us a<br />
bit of a head start over some other<br />
retailers.<br />
If anybody would like to learn more<br />
about the new measures, we’d be<br />
really happy to discuss it. They can<br />
call the store on 02920 884951. Just<br />
ask for Dai, the store manager.<br />
Have you considered selling online<br />
instead?<br />
We thought about it, but the<br />
feedback we received from<br />
customers is that when it comes to<br />
carpets, there is so much choice that<br />
they prefer to make a physical trip to<br />
the store.<br />
In fact, we are much cheaper than<br />
most online carpet retailers as well.<br />
That’s when we realised the solution<br />
for our industry was just to make the<br />
in-store experience totally safe.<br />
What about home visits?<br />
Obviously, our fitters need to visit<br />
customers’ homes to complete<br />
installation work, so we’ve<br />
introduced additional measures to<br />
keep the fitters <strong>and</strong> the customers<br />
extra safe when it comes to home<br />
visits.<br />
The fitters wear PPE equipment<br />
that they change for new on every<br />
job. They accept contactless <strong>and</strong><br />
electronic payments <strong>and</strong> we ask that<br />
customers give the fitter at least 2<br />
metres of social distance.<br />
We appreciate that some<br />
customers may be of an age where<br />
they would like the fitters to take<br />
even more precautions <strong>and</strong> we<br />
do our very best to accommodate<br />
these requests. At the end of the<br />
day, this virus has left many people<br />
nervous about shopping <strong>and</strong><br />
especially about letting tradesmen<br />
into their homes so we’ve tried to<br />
make it so safe that anyone, even<br />
‘at-risk’ groups can still have their<br />
new flooring fitted <strong>and</strong> do it with<br />
confidence.<br />
How do you see the economic<br />
picture developing for retailers over<br />
the next 12 months?<br />
We’re more optimistic then others.<br />
Our shop has been really busy<br />
since we introduced all the safety<br />
measures so I think it’s all about just<br />
making the experience safe so that<br />
customers can happily shop with<br />
confidence.<br />
The more that businesses<br />
<strong>and</strong> industries adapt, the more<br />
customers will return <strong>and</strong> the<br />
economy will recover for everybody.<br />
We’re really lucky to have been in<br />
business in South Wales for 50 years<br />
<strong>and</strong> we intend on being here for<br />
another 50 years!<br />
Andrew Graham is a director at<br />
Carpet Castle<br />
Nantgarw Road, Caerphilly<br />
029 2088 4951<br />
www.carpetcastlecaerphilly.co.uk<br />
Extensive safety<br />
measures should make<br />
customers feel really<br />
safe browsing the store
feature<br />
Make money from home<br />
The recent lockdown has made people think twice about how they<br />
can earn a living. Here are some ways that you can create a new<br />
<strong>and</strong> sustainable income stream from your home<br />
Creating an income<br />
from home<br />
The UK economy, much like the<br />
rest of the world, has become<br />
hugely unpredictable following<br />
the Coronavirus outbreak.<br />
Jobs <strong>and</strong> financial security have<br />
become a real worry for many<br />
people, even those who thought<br />
that they were safe in long term<br />
employment.<br />
Setting up a side business<br />
at home could be one way to<br />
create an extra income stream<br />
<strong>and</strong> a possible safety net should<br />
the worst happen with your<br />
employment.<br />
Set aside a small amount of<br />
time each day to work on your<br />
side business <strong>and</strong> over the<br />
weeks <strong>and</strong> months, it could<br />
grow into something larger <strong>and</strong><br />
profitable.<br />
While there's a whole world<br />
of opportunity to make money<br />
from home, it's worth doing<br />
some research beforeh<strong>and</strong><br />
to find out what skills <strong>and</strong><br />
experience you can offer.<br />
32<br />
Online coaching<br />
The Coronavirus lockdown<br />
changed the way that we interact<br />
with each other forever. Working<br />
remotely became much more<br />
the norm - but so too did online<br />
learning.<br />
It's highly likely that you have<br />
certain skills, talent or experience<br />
that people will pay to hear about.<br />
Think back over your employment<br />
history. Is there a specific area that<br />
you could say that you have good<br />
experience in? There are people<br />
out in the world who don't have<br />
that experience - <strong>and</strong> need to hear<br />
from someone that does!<br />
You don't need large audiences<br />
either to make money from<br />
teaching online either. In fact, the<br />
more specific the niche, the more<br />
you'll find it easier to find your<br />
audience <strong>and</strong> to sell to them.<br />
You can either create video<br />
courses to sell via platforms like<br />
Thinkific or Teachable, or you can<br />
offer training over video calls,<br />
either to individuals, or to groups of<br />
people at a time.<br />
Start a blog<br />
A blog is a bit like a website, except<br />
it often has a more informal style<br />
<strong>and</strong> is usually written by individuals<br />
or small groups.<br />
A blog can range from any topic<br />
such as beauty or makeup, through<br />
to sport of film. Whatever your<br />
subject matter, there are ways<br />
of monetising a blog, whether<br />
it's through online advertising,<br />
selling digital downloads such as<br />
e-magazines, or even charging<br />
subscription fees.<br />
There are some very good<br />
examples of people starting out<br />
with a very simple blog idea, <strong>and</strong><br />
seeing it develop into a moneymaking<br />
br<strong>and</strong>.
Virtual home assistant<br />
Life is very hectic for many of us<br />
<strong>and</strong> organisation can often be<br />
overlooked as we struggle to<br />
keep up with the pace.<br />
If you have good organisational<br />
skills, why not put them to good<br />
use to help others? A virtual<br />
assistant could be the answer<br />
- someone to do the online<br />
shopping, organise diaries <strong>and</strong><br />
events, taking care of household<br />
budgets - the list of services<br />
you could offer to do from the<br />
comfort of your own home is<br />
pretty exhaustive!<br />
Whether you want to charge<br />
per service, or a simple monthly<br />
retainer fee, positioning yourself<br />
as a virtual home assistant could<br />
see you building a new career<br />
from scratch <strong>and</strong> for the most<br />
part, you don't even have to<br />
leave home.<br />
Dog walking<br />
Dogs always need walking <strong>and</strong> helping<br />
out your local canines <strong>and</strong> their owners<br />
is another way to make some money.<br />
Do your research first though - if you<br />
can get yourself certified as a dog<br />
trainer, it will be of benefit to the dogs,<br />
their owners, <strong>and</strong> the ability to sell<br />
your services. Perhaps start by walking<br />
your family or friends' dogs to get<br />
experience under your belt.<br />
Online shop<br />
There is plenty of money to be made from online shops - <strong>and</strong> the best<br />
part about it is that it won't cost you much to get going.<br />
There are several ways of running an online shop. First, there is the<br />
traditional way of selling physical goods, whatever they may be. You'll<br />
need to hold stock, manage inventories <strong>and</strong> take into account shipping<br />
costs.<br />
You can also make money by selling goods that you don't need to<br />
physically store. Websites such as RedBubble <strong>and</strong> CottonCart allow<br />
you to sell your designs on<br />
T-shirts, mugs, <strong>and</strong> all kinds of<br />
merch<strong>and</strong>ise. They also take care<br />
of delivery <strong>and</strong> you get a small<br />
commission for each item sold.<br />
You can also look to open your<br />
own shop on websites such as<br />
Etsy or even eBay, which is a good<br />
place to sell bits <strong>and</strong> bobs that are<br />
hanging around the house <strong>and</strong> are<br />
no longer needed.<br />
Book keeping<br />
Many small businesses often overlook the important task of keeping their<br />
accounts up to date. It's always advisable to have some kind of qualification<br />
in this field (you can get this online<br />
too) <strong>and</strong> if you are just starting out, it's<br />
worth helping people you know so that<br />
you can get to know the processes<br />
involved.<br />
Book keeping is becoming<br />
increasingly digitalised, which means<br />
that you can often work remotely using<br />
specialised software. Working within<br />
a specific niche also means that you'll<br />
find clients easier.<br />
Stock photography<br />
If you're the sort of person that<br />
loves taking photos, you can<br />
always look to make money<br />
from them by selling them on<br />
stock photography websites.<br />
Every time your photo is<br />
licensed, you get a royalty<br />
paid. Check out websites like<br />
Unsplash, iStockPhoto <strong>and</strong><br />
Shutterstock to see what sort of<br />
quality they are looking for, <strong>and</strong><br />
also to see what kind of photos<br />
are doing well. A great way to<br />
build a passive income.<br />
Become a translator<br />
Your second (or third or fourth!)<br />
language could be translated<br />
into money in your pocket by<br />
becoming a translator.<br />
There are always people<br />
<strong>and</strong> businesses looking to get<br />
their work translated. It's worth<br />
checking to see what kind of<br />
qualifications you think you might<br />
need but you can complete<br />
these alongside small pieces of<br />
work to get you going.<br />
It's always a good idea to focus<br />
on one industry-specific area<br />
of translation so that you can<br />
become a go-to expert in your<br />
field.<br />
33
Every man<br />
an emperor<br />
A group in North Cardiff is aiming to improve the lives of men through<br />
physical <strong>and</strong> mental hardship. This is the Green Mile Movement<br />
Among the dry, summer mountains<br />
<strong>and</strong> rushing rivers of Taffs Well <strong>and</strong><br />
beyond, there exists a brotherhood<br />
that’s shaping up to be a force for<br />
good.<br />
Over the last few months, the<br />
men of the Green Mile Movement<br />
have been pushing their physical<br />
<strong>and</strong> mental strength to their<br />
limits; developing their integrity,<br />
their confidence, composure,<br />
perseverance, <strong>and</strong> grit.<br />
The movement is the brainchild of<br />
Chris Flynn, a former comm<strong>and</strong>o<br />
from Cardiff who in 2018, formed<br />
a small group of friends to test<br />
themselves physically. As the<br />
months rolled on, the existence<br />
of the group developed into<br />
something more serious <strong>and</strong><br />
meaningful.<br />
“I grew up in Lisvane <strong>and</strong> now live<br />
34<br />
Chris served in multiple<br />
overseas deployments<br />
in Taff’s Well,” says Chris. “I was born<br />
into a huge family, many of whom<br />
still live in north Cardiff.<br />
“For over 12 years, I served in<br />
various roles within the airborne<br />
<strong>and</strong> comm<strong>and</strong>o forces on multiple<br />
overseas deployments. I left the<br />
forces in 2012 <strong>and</strong> then lived in<br />
Dubai <strong>and</strong> the US working as a<br />
health safety <strong>and</strong> environmental<br />
consultant.”<br />
But it was Chris’ return to the UK<br />
in 2017 that left him shocked at the<br />
state of men’s physical <strong>and</strong> mental<br />
health <strong>and</strong> he felt compelled to do<br />
something about it.<br />
“After moving back to the UK <strong>and</strong><br />
losing my sixth mate to suicide,<br />
I started looking into the state of<br />
men's health. Having been raised<br />
in the military with five brothers of<br />
my own, I have an insight into what<br />
drives guys to the point of giving up.<br />
“I found that statistically, men<br />
do not suffer more than women<br />
as the numbers of female suicide<br />
attempts actually exceed that of<br />
males. However, I do believe that<br />
male identity has been warped<br />
somewhat over the past few<br />
decades for many different reasons<br />
<strong>and</strong> a stronger path needs to be<br />
cut by us if we are to fulfil our role<br />
as well-orientated members of our<br />
family <strong>and</strong> community.”<br />
Chris soon hit upon the idea of<br />
a ‘brotherhood’ that could help<br />
support those who needed help:<br />
“I believed that the brotherhood<br />
that I once belonged to was such<br />
a strong <strong>and</strong> positive force in many<br />
ways, that if elements of it could be<br />
replicated outside then that would<br />
benefit many lost men in need of a<br />
lift up.”<br />
The Green Mile Movement was<br />
born as an extension of Chris’<br />
belief that all men (<strong>and</strong> women)<br />
should be capable of dealing with<br />
the difficulties of life <strong>and</strong> a way of<br />
achieving this is through arduous<br />
physical training <strong>and</strong> personal<br />
sacrifice.<br />
The movement applies many tried<br />
<strong>and</strong> tested military techniques as<br />
well as other pursuits to develop<br />
certain attributes in its members<br />
- men of all backgrounds <strong>and</strong> all<br />
abilities.<br />
“By creating a network of strong<br />
<strong>and</strong> well-orientated men in cities<br />
throughout the country, men who<br />
believe in respect, encouragement,<br />
discipline <strong>and</strong> hard work, we can<br />
improve the lives of not only those<br />
men, but also their families <strong>and</strong><br />
communities, which is very much<br />
needed in a time like ours today,”<br />
says Chris.<br />
“Physical <strong>and</strong> mental health are
mutually supporting. They are not<br />
separate entities. The mind cannot<br />
reach its peak of ability without<br />
a sound physical body to house<br />
it <strong>and</strong> vice versa. We believe that<br />
men's (<strong>and</strong> women’s) potential is<br />
significantly reduced if they are not<br />
at least pursuing better health.”<br />
The brotherhood holds regular<br />
(<strong>and</strong> free) outdoor sessions, for<br />
general fitness. These run most<br />
evenings, from various locations,<br />
with some simple warm-ups <strong>and</strong><br />
professional instruction.<br />
“Excessive comfort can weaken<br />
us,” adds Chris. "Our lives today are<br />
characterised by making things<br />
more comfortable. We flip this on<br />
its head <strong>and</strong> practice hardship with<br />
purpose.<br />
“TGMM is not for aesthetics or<br />
for topless profile photos. We<br />
believe the key to health is found<br />
in movement, so we practise many<br />
different ways to achieve this.<br />
Calisthenics is a strong theme in<br />
our group, but we also work on the<br />
hills surrounding the city; we climb<br />
ropes rigged up under bridges,<br />
we carry logs <strong>and</strong> drag sleds to<br />
the tops of mountains; we swim in<br />
open water <strong>and</strong> we learn skills such<br />
as eating off the l<strong>and</strong> <strong>and</strong> clean<br />
water extraction. We do this as a<br />
brotherhood, all supporting one<br />
another to get to the next level.<br />
We even practice swimming <strong>and</strong><br />
submergence training in the Taff in<br />
the summer months.”<br />
For Chris, helping others has also<br />
helped support him since leaving<br />
the forces.<br />
“I needed the brotherhood as<br />
much as the other guys may need<br />
it now. When I left what is arguably<br />
the strongest brotherhood in the<br />
country behind in the military, I<br />
was at a loss. Both myself <strong>and</strong> the<br />
other veterans who support the<br />
movement underst<strong>and</strong> what a force<br />
for good a strong brotherhood can<br />
be for men. We want to share that<br />
experience. We are rewarded by<br />
belonging to a cool group of lads<br />
that like to Train Hard <strong>and</strong> Live Easy,<br />
which is now our motto.”<br />
The concepts of military discipline<br />
<strong>and</strong> self-discipline are now breaking<br />
out into the open. TV shows like<br />
SAS: Who Dares Wins has helped lift<br />
the lid on the physical <strong>and</strong> mental<br />
attitudes needed to deal with<br />
whatever life throws at you.<br />
“Without a doubt, these shows <strong>and</strong><br />
the characters in them have lifted<br />
the br<strong>and</strong> of the military <strong>and</strong> what<br />
is does. I think people can now see<br />
more evidently what the military<br />
mindset brings about <strong>and</strong> they want<br />
some of it.<br />
“The military is steeped in age<br />
old ways of doing business that<br />
haven't changed for decades or<br />
even centuries. The reason for<br />
this is because it works <strong>and</strong> works<br />
well. Its systems are underpinned<br />
by core fundamentals such as<br />
discipline, cheerfulness in the face<br />
of adversity, physical fitness, shared<br />
beliefs, resilience <strong>and</strong> team spirit.<br />
“In the constant pursuit of<br />
progressiveness today, these<br />
characteristics have been left<br />
behind <strong>and</strong> even disregarded <strong>and</strong><br />
classed as draconian.<br />
“The truth is they are very much<br />
needed to pull us out of the rut we<br />
may find ourselves in as people <strong>and</strong><br />
as a nation. Military fitness is geared<br />
towards ability <strong>and</strong> competence<br />
whereas many more recent fitness<br />
forms are clinging to aesthetics<br />
or image, which doesn't seem to<br />
sustain over time.”<br />
The movement is quickly<br />
gathering pace <strong>and</strong> they are soon<br />
hoping to be making incursions<br />
nationwide.<br />
“So far, we’ve got 30 members<br />
wearing our Green Mile Sweatshirts.<br />
You must complete seven outdoors<br />
sessions to earn yourself one of<br />
these. We have approximately<br />
another 25 who train with us but<br />
haven't earned their sweatshirt yet.”<br />
The group will also be developing<br />
an outdoor gym, which will allow<br />
the men to train.<br />
“We have acquired a piece of l<strong>and</strong><br />
in the hills of Taff's Well <strong>and</strong> are<br />
about to build our first outdoor gym<br />
on it this summer. We have also<br />
recruited a Doctor of Psychology<br />
from the University of South Wales<br />
onto our board <strong>and</strong> hope to bring<br />
him in on the mindset elements of<br />
what we do in the near future.”<br />
The group was successful in<br />
acquiring CIC (Community Interest<br />
Company) status in January which<br />
now enables them to go <strong>and</strong> seek<br />
people<br />
Bridge drops form part<br />
of the activities<br />
funding to reach the goals that they<br />
have set themselves,<br />
“We have a number of veteranowned<br />
<strong>and</strong> veteran-run businesses<br />
lined up to work with us to exp<strong>and</strong><br />
our service delivery over the next<br />
12 to 24 months. One of our goals<br />
is to increase the number of guys<br />
wearing TGMM sweatshirts to 100<br />
by summer 2021.<br />
“Ultimately, we want to become<br />
a genuine force for good within<br />
the community of Cardiff, <strong>and</strong> to<br />
exp<strong>and</strong> the movement beyond the<br />
city to support other men who may<br />
benefit from what we do.”<br />
And away from the movement,<br />
Chris is planning to launch other<br />
offensives to help others, even from<br />
an early age.<br />
“I started a children's cartoon in<br />
health <strong>and</strong> fitness whilst living in the<br />
US, which is currently trademarked<br />
<strong>and</strong> parked on a shelf until I<br />
can create the time <strong>and</strong> cash to<br />
continue it again.”<br />
Through practising hardship, Chris<br />
hopes to change the world for the<br />
better, one individual at a time.<br />
More information can be found at<br />
www.thegreenmilemovement.com<br />
or Instagram at<br />
@thegreenmilemovement<br />
Some of the men taking part in<br />
the training regime<br />
35
pets<br />
Your pet<br />
questions<br />
answered<br />
Chris Troughton is clinical director of Heath Vets. He’s here to answer all your pet<br />
questions. If you’d like to ask Chris a pet-related question, drop us a line<br />
Is it sensible to change my dog’s diet<br />
during the summer months? She’s<br />
been moving less during the recent<br />
warm weather but eating the same<br />
amount of food.<br />
Firstly, has she put on weight? If<br />
not, don’t worry about changing<br />
anything but keep an eye on her. It’s<br />
worth weighing her regularly so you<br />
can see if she is gradually gaining<br />
weight – the scales never lie! If you<br />
can’t weigh her at home, your vet will<br />
almost certainly have scales that you<br />
can use. Alternatively, measure her<br />
waist <strong>and</strong> chest size with a tape (just<br />
in front of her hips <strong>and</strong> just behind her<br />
shoulders). Write it down <strong>and</strong> keep a<br />
weekly diary.<br />
If she has gained weight, you need<br />
to do something before things<br />
get out of control, <strong>and</strong> that means<br />
reducing her calorie intake. Review<br />
what she eats in total <strong>and</strong> see where<br />
you can cut down – fewer treats,<br />
less dinner, whatever you can do.<br />
Make sure everyone in the family<br />
underst<strong>and</strong>s the importance of not<br />
giving her extras.<br />
Generally, dogs do better on a<br />
stable diet; chopping <strong>and</strong> changing<br />
can lead to stomach upsets. Also,<br />
changing from one food to another is<br />
difficult when you’re trying to control<br />
calorie intake, as you don’t know the<br />
calorie content of the food – it’s not<br />
usually on the label. So if you can,<br />
just reduce the amount of her normal<br />
food. If you do need to change food,<br />
go for the same br<strong>and</strong>, but the ‘light’<br />
version if one exists. If it doesn’t,<br />
you’ll just have to change to any one<br />
the ‘light’ varieties, <strong>and</strong> monitor her<br />
weight, being prepared to reduce the<br />
amount you are giving her.<br />
If you’re having any difficulty<br />
controlling your dog’s weight, your<br />
vet team will be very happy to help<br />
analyse her feeding regime <strong>and</strong> can<br />
supply very effective weight control<br />
diets.<br />
Is fruit safe for dogs to eat? My<br />
partner keeps feeding our dog<br />
strawberries <strong>and</strong> I’m never sure it’s a<br />
good thing.<br />
Strawberries are fine for dogs – <strong>and</strong><br />
they may even be good for their teeth<br />
as they contain a whitening enzyme.<br />
Most fruits that we eat are ok, but<br />
the ones to avoid are: grapes (even<br />
very small amounts can be fatal),<br />
cherries, avocados, <strong>and</strong> the seeds<br />
from apples <strong>and</strong> pears. Citrus fruits<br />
<strong>and</strong> persimmons can cause stomach<br />
upsets. Most vegetables are also<br />
ok, but avoid any of the onion family.<br />
Also, never allow your dog to chew<br />
corn-on-the-cob as it can cause a<br />
horrible obstruction if swallowed in<br />
chunks.<br />
Fruit <strong>and</strong> vegetables like apples <strong>and</strong><br />
carrots make very good treats for<br />
dogs that put on weight easily, <strong>and</strong><br />
they can also help keep the teeth<br />
clean.<br />
We have three guinea pigs that<br />
we’ve kept inside all winter but we<br />
are now looking to relocate them to<br />
a larger outdoor hutch. As they’ve<br />
been inside our house all winter <strong>and</strong><br />
spring, will it be much of a shock<br />
to their system to now put them<br />
outside?<br />
Now that the warm weather is here<br />
<strong>and</strong> there is no chill at night, your<br />
guinea pigs will be fine to go in<br />
an outdoor hutch. Make sure it is<br />
protected from the prevailing wind<br />
<strong>and</strong> has an area of the run that is<br />
covered so they can be outside even<br />
when it’s raining. Actually, coming<br />
from the high Andes mountains,<br />
guinea pigs are quite hardy <strong>and</strong><br />
happy with cold weather as long as<br />
they don’t get too wet. Position their<br />
hutch in a sheltered place <strong>and</strong> cover<br />
it up at night <strong>and</strong> in bad weather -<br />
they can live outdoors all year round.<br />
In many ways, this is preferable as<br />
the space they will have outdoors<br />
is likely to be larger than an indoor<br />
run, <strong>and</strong> they are very active animals<br />
<strong>and</strong> should have plenty of room. The<br />
RSPCA recommend a space of at<br />
least 120x60cm to house two guinea<br />
pigs – <strong>and</strong> more pigs need more<br />
space.<br />
How do I protect my pet rabbits<br />
from flystrike? I remember one of my<br />
rabbits having it when I was a child<br />
<strong>and</strong> it wasn’t very pleasant as far as I<br />
remember.<br />
Flystrike is a very unpleasant<br />
condition where flies lay their eggs<br />
in soiled fur, <strong>and</strong> the maggots that<br />
hatch out eat into the flesh. It can<br />
easily be fatal if not spotted quickly,<br />
so it’s important that rabbit owners<br />
check their bunnies carefully every<br />
day for signs.<br />
The most important way of<br />
preventing flystrike is to make sure<br />
your bunny is clean. There should<br />
never be a build-up of faeces around<br />
the anus, nor wet or soiled fur. If there<br />
is, you must clean it thoroughly. If this<br />
keeps happening, you must get your<br />
vet to have a look because it might<br />
be a sign of another problem that<br />
needs attention.<br />
You must keep the hutch area<br />
clean <strong>and</strong> odour-free so as not to<br />
attract flies, <strong>and</strong> you can also use a<br />
treatment called Rearguard which<br />
is applied to the rabbit to prevent fly<br />
eggs developing into maggots. It is<br />
effective for about 10 weeks, so you<br />
should apply it in early summer <strong>and</strong><br />
again 10 weeks later to cover the<br />
high-risk period.<br />
Danescourt<br />
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Llantrisant Road,<br />
Cardiff CF5 2BF<br />
Rhiwbina<br />
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123-5 Heol-y-Deri, Rhiwbina,<br />
Cardiff CF14 6UH<br />
Sponsored feature
<strong>Whitchurch</strong> & Ll<strong>and</strong>aff<br />
Through Time<br />
In our historical series, Steve Nicholas returns with a look at life in <strong>Whitchurch</strong><br />
<strong>and</strong> Ll<strong>and</strong>aff North in bygone eras, featuring this issue on shops<br />
Merthyr Road, <strong>Whitchurch</strong><br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong> Village The thatched shop is JA Lewis, the drapers. In the 1980s, it was Percy Thomas Florists Ltd <strong>and</strong><br />
is presently Pizzeria Villagio, an Italian restaurant.<br />
The Crossroads The junction between Penlline Road, Old Church Road <strong>and</strong> Merthyr Road c.1900. Until the early<br />
18th century, there were no more than around 300 people living in about 50 farms <strong>and</strong> cottages in <strong>Whitchurch</strong>,<br />
but by the end of the 19th century, this had risen to nearly 5,000.<br />
A view of <strong>Whitchurch</strong> village, looking northwards through Merthyr Road.<br />
William Hill Pictured here passing through <strong>Whitchurch</strong> village in 1904 is the last local courier, William Hill. The<br />
buildings in the background are now occupied by Coopers Cafe, New Empire Chinese takeaway <strong>and</strong> the Cardiff<br />
Bed & Furniture Centre.<br />
38
history<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong> Post <strong>and</strong> Telegraph Office, (opposite<br />
the Royal Oak) dating from 1920s <strong>and</strong> is now the<br />
Monmouthshire Building Society.<br />
Scene of <strong>Whitchurch</strong> village, taken from the tower of<br />
St. Mary's Church. Judging by the vehicles, this shot<br />
was taken during the 1960s.<br />
A busy Merthyr Road, 1960s.<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong> village scene, August 1974 Some of the<br />
shops pictured were Rediffusion, Boots the Chemist,<br />
LG Humphries Carpets, The Principality, Dewhursts<br />
Butchers <strong>and</strong> Forest Farm Dairy. Of these, only Boots<br />
<strong>and</strong> The Principality remain.<br />
<strong>Whitchurch</strong> village c.1960.<br />
A photo of a quiet Sunday morning on Merthyr Road,<br />
taken during the 1980s.<br />
Steve Nicholas was born in Ll<strong>and</strong>aff North<br />
<strong>and</strong> has published several photographic<br />
books about <strong>Whitchurch</strong> <strong>and</strong> Ll<strong>and</strong>aff<br />
North.<br />
He also runs a website which is full of<br />
historical information about the area <strong>and</strong><br />
lots of photos. You can find more at<br />
www.whitchurch<strong>and</strong>ll<strong>and</strong>aff.co.uk<br />
39
feature<br />
HOW TO WRITE<br />
THE PERFECT<br />
SHORT STORY<br />
If you've been left with time on your h<strong>and</strong>s during lockdown,<br />
writing a short story is a great way to channel your inner creative.<br />
Here's how you can create your own perfect short story<br />
Why write a short<br />
story?<br />
Short stories are a great way to<br />
exercise your brain <strong>and</strong> provide<br />
you with a creative outlet. They<br />
are also the perfect place to<br />
start your writing career. They<br />
allow you to practise the art of<br />
planning, structuring <strong>and</strong> then<br />
layering your work. They allow<br />
you to develop characters, to<br />
master plot twists <strong>and</strong> to create<br />
your own worlds <strong>and</strong> share them<br />
with others.<br />
The love of writing can also be<br />
rewarded with that warm feeling<br />
when someone tells you that<br />
they were moved by something<br />
you wrote, or that they love your<br />
work.<br />
Whether you’re writing for<br />
pleasure or for money, there is<br />
joy to be had in mastering the<br />
art of the short story, <strong>and</strong> by<br />
creating something that can be<br />
kept forever.<br />
40<br />
Where to start<br />
Before you even start your short<br />
story, you're going to want to think<br />
about themes <strong>and</strong> ideas.<br />
It's often hard to come up with<br />
ideas off the top of your head so it's<br />
always useful to carry a notepad<br />
around to jot ideas down as they<br />
come to you (you can always use<br />
your phone for this too).<br />
Look out for possible story ideas<br />
during your every day routine,<br />
whether it's an advert on a Post<br />
Office noticeboard or a second-h<strong>and</strong><br />
wedding dress in a charity shop.<br />
Some themes may be of interest<br />
to you <strong>and</strong> you can blend these<br />
in with any story lines that you are<br />
developing.<br />
There are two main types of writer<br />
- the Planner or the Panster. The<br />
Planner gets the entire outline of the<br />
story down before committing to<br />
fleshing the story out. A Panster may<br />
have a general idea of where their<br />
story is going but takes a more seewhere-this<br />
goes approach.<br />
Neither approach is right or wrong<br />
but there are significant benefits<br />
to thoroughly planning your short<br />
story, insomuch that you can angle<br />
your story lines perfectly with your<br />
ending.<br />
A short story should ideally come<br />
in between 1,000 <strong>and</strong> 5,000 words<br />
but you can go shorter if you wish.<br />
Flash fiction often sits anywhere<br />
between 500 <strong>and</strong> 1,000 words while<br />
micro-fiction ranges between 5-350<br />
words.
Endings<br />
Logistically, <strong>and</strong> from a planning<br />
point of view, it makes things<br />
a lot easier to start at the end<br />
because from the very start<br />
of your story, you can channel<br />
each <strong>and</strong> every storyline to the<br />
ending.<br />
In every story, there is usually<br />
some kind of conflict or problem<br />
that needs to be resolved <strong>and</strong><br />
if you already know what the<br />
resolution is, you can retro-plot<br />
your characters, objects <strong>and</strong><br />
actions to set the ending up<br />
perfectly. Of course, you keep<br />
your reader in the dark about<br />
the resolution until the very end<br />
<strong>and</strong> you do this by gradually<br />
revealing ever-increasing<br />
problems that your main<br />
character has to overcome.<br />
Openings<br />
With a short story, you don't have time<br />
to create a long, rambling back story.<br />
Instead, you need to drop your character<br />
straight into the action. Suggest a back<br />
story via dialogue if you like but the sooner<br />
your character hits their 'conflict', the<br />
better chance you have of keeping your<br />
reader glued to the page.<br />
Drop something into the opening that will<br />
reappear at the end, whether it's an action,<br />
an object or a piece of dialogue.<br />
Development<br />
Now that you've got your ending <strong>and</strong> your openings sorted, you need to<br />
get your character <strong>and</strong> your story from the start to the end via the middle<br />
section. This is where you develop your plot, your characters <strong>and</strong> your<br />
theme.<br />
Traditionally, the character in a story will face larger <strong>and</strong> worsening<br />
problems but you won't have time to do that in a short story. Instead,<br />
you'll have to compress the time frame into something smaller - every<br />
word counts.<br />
In addition to the structure<br />
<strong>and</strong> plot, unless your story is<br />
purely a descriptive piece,<br />
be economical with your<br />
descriptions. Long ruminations<br />
can often cost a short story its<br />
flow.<br />
Keep your pre-planned<br />
ending in mind at all times as<br />
your middle section will be<br />
leading directly up to it.<br />
Editing<br />
Editing is where you hone, prune <strong>and</strong><br />
polish your work. A sculptor doesn't<br />
work on their finishing touches until the<br />
very end <strong>and</strong> this is what editing is all<br />
about.<br />
Once you've finished your first draft<br />
(which won't be perfect), leave it 'stew'<br />
for a few days before returning to it.<br />
You'll be looking at it with fresh eyes.<br />
In a short story, every word counts so<br />
be ruthless with unnecessary words<br />
that will bloat your story <strong>and</strong> drag it<br />
down. If your story is intended to be an<br />
exciting one, you'll be aiming to use<br />
short sentences in any case to up the<br />
tempo. Once you've done a first edit, leave it for a few days <strong>and</strong> repeat the<br />
same process over <strong>and</strong> over until you're happy with it.<br />
Get the full course<br />
The full course is available as a<br />
download from<br />
www.br<strong>and</strong>.patricmorgan.com<br />
<strong>and</strong> includes an in-depth guide,<br />
showing you how to create your<br />
own short story, <strong>and</strong> how you can<br />
make money from them.<br />
Publish your work<br />
Now that you've written your short<br />
story, you can always look to get it<br />
published.<br />
There's always the option of<br />
approaching magazines or blogs,<br />
or you can go direct to a publishing<br />
house.<br />
Self-publishing is also now one of<br />
the quickest ways to get your work<br />
into print <strong>and</strong> make money.<br />
41
Musical Harmony<br />
As lockdown confined us to our homes, a group of musicians<br />
collaborated in isolation to produce a celebration of melody<br />
When lockdown was announced<br />
at the end of March, many soon<br />
realised that life as we know it<br />
would change, possibly forever.<br />
Workers were told to either work<br />
from home or not work at all.<br />
Joel Piacentini was one of them.<br />
The musician from Rhiwbina was<br />
stuck at home, his creative outlet<br />
cut short by the p<strong>and</strong>emic.<br />
"I'm a self-employed financial<br />
adviser by day <strong>and</strong> work through<br />
lockdown has been very difficult.<br />
Work just stopped. My wife was also<br />
shielding so as a family, we had to<br />
follow the same rules as her. Like<br />
many others, I found myself at a<br />
loose end, looking for something to<br />
do with my time."<br />
Joel's affinity with music started at<br />
an early age.<br />
"I’ve been an active musician since<br />
I was a child. I started playing the<br />
guitar at 6 years old. My brother-inlaw<br />
Robert taught me my first ever<br />
chords."<br />
42<br />
Since then, Joel has spent his life<br />
performing live music to various<br />
audiences in various different<br />
guises.<br />
"Up until the lockdown, I played<br />
live music regularly <strong>and</strong> the<br />
frustration of not being able to do<br />
that made me think about doing it<br />
virtually online.<br />
"I celebrated my birthday during<br />
April <strong>and</strong> I had some basic<br />
recording equipment <strong>and</strong> it got me<br />
thinking about creating music with<br />
fellow musicians. The first people I<br />
approached were my friend Stuart<br />
<strong>and</strong> my nephew Gareth <strong>and</strong> we<br />
released our first recording on 29th<br />
April on Facebook."<br />
Joel <strong>and</strong> his b<strong>and</strong>'s first<br />
performance was quickly shared<br />
around social media, <strong>and</strong> was<br />
quickly followed up with another.<br />
"It grew from there," says Joel. "I<br />
reached out to other people I knew<br />
in the community, musician friends,<br />
<strong>and</strong> they put me in touch with other<br />
people, some of whom I've never<br />
met. We've got a young drummer<br />
called Callum on our videos <strong>and</strong><br />
I've never met him in real life!" he<br />
adds. "We were all performing in our<br />
own locations so we came up with<br />
the name of the Lockdown Buddy<br />
B<strong>and</strong>."<br />
The performances have a very<br />
polished feel to them but Joel<br />
is quick to point out that a lot of<br />
unseen work goes into each video.<br />
"When we first set out doing these<br />
videos, we tried doing a live session<br />
over a Zoom call. The problem<br />
was the time lapse <strong>and</strong> we found<br />
it impossible to create a cohesive<br />
piece of music.<br />
"So we had to come up with other<br />
ideas. Most of the tracks start with<br />
me performing my part on guitar<br />
<strong>and</strong> voice. I stick to a strict time <strong>and</strong><br />
record it on video.<br />
"The next step then is to send out<br />
my video to all the other musicians<br />
who then record <strong>and</strong> video their
part in isolation. When it all comes<br />
back in, it's then down to me to<br />
stitch it all together.<br />
"Before lockdown, I'd dabbled a<br />
few times in creating music digitally<br />
but I've learned a lot over the last<br />
few months. The technology side of<br />
things has been a challenge but I<br />
underst<strong>and</strong> it a lot better now."<br />
The b<strong>and</strong> doesn't have an official<br />
members list, as Joel calls on a<br />
rotating list of musicians, most of<br />
whom are based in <strong>and</strong> around<br />
Cardiff.<br />
"Most of the musicians are from<br />
the city. I'm in Rhiwbina but others<br />
come from Cyncoed, <strong>Whitchurch</strong>,<br />
Lakeside <strong>and</strong> Thornhill. Our violinist<br />
Kim Thomas teaches at Llanishen<br />
Fach Primary School in Rhiwbina."<br />
In a wonderful twist of fate, Joel's<br />
ex-Cardiffian brother-in-law, who<br />
first taught him how to play the<br />
guitar, now features on some of the<br />
videos.<br />
"He plays piano all the way from<br />
Vancouver so that certainly makes<br />
us an international set up. It's great<br />
to think that technology now allows<br />
us to create music together, even<br />
though we're opposite sides of the<br />
world."<br />
The b<strong>and</strong> plays an eclectic mix of<br />
music, ranging from The Beatles,<br />
through to Elbow <strong>and</strong> the likes of<br />
The Lumineers <strong>and</strong> The Fratellis.<br />
"I’m a little older now so we've<br />
been trying to play a few songs<br />
that have been released within<br />
living memory," laughs Joel. "We<br />
felt that people needed cheering<br />
up <strong>and</strong> we've had some wonderful<br />
comments from people."<br />
The performances have been met<br />
with acclaim from all over, including<br />
from overseas.<br />
"My great gr<strong>and</strong>father was Italian.<br />
He was from a village in Tuscany<br />
<strong>and</strong> we've had some lovely<br />
feedback about our performances<br />
from that part of the world."<br />
The warm welcome that the<br />
performances have accumulated<br />
have made Joel think about the<br />
future of his music.<br />
"There has been such a positive<br />
reaction to all of our performances<br />
<strong>and</strong> our aim has always been to<br />
provide something for people to<br />
focus on when things get scary<br />
out there. We've had people get in<br />
touch who have been very isolated<br />
these last few months <strong>and</strong> it's really<br />
perked them up.<br />
We have had<br />
lovely feedback<br />
about our<br />
performances<br />
from all over<br />
the world<br />
"Nobody is really sure how long<br />
it will be before live music returns<br />
to our lives so it's given me some<br />
thought about what my future could<br />
look like.<br />
"In the past, I've been performing<br />
as part of a trio that plays to social<br />
clubs, bars <strong>and</strong> at private functions.<br />
My most recent residency was at<br />
people<br />
Penylan Social Club, but of course,<br />
all that has changed now. Many<br />
of the musicians in the videos are<br />
people I've performed live with over<br />
the years.<br />
"As 'normal life' is slowly starting to<br />
resume, we are going to continue<br />
with the online performances.<br />
Output has slowed a little as some<br />
of our musicians have started going<br />
back to work. Ultimately, I would<br />
love to do at least one concert<br />
locally <strong>and</strong> recreate all of the tracks<br />
with all the individuals. There's also<br />
been talk of creating a charity CD<br />
or DVD, but there would be things<br />
such as copyright issues that we'd<br />
need to look at before we started<br />
any work on that.<br />
"I definitely want to continue<br />
working with my lockdown buddies,<br />
but perhaps not in our current setup<br />
as we move out of lockdown.<br />
"The list of b<strong>and</strong> members is<br />
still growing. I currently have 16<br />
musicians, including myself, two<br />
nieces, one nephew, one brotherin-law<br />
<strong>and</strong> my wife."<br />
Joel's vision has kept both himself<br />
<strong>and</strong> his musician friends busy<br />
during the lockdown, but more<br />
importantly, they've put a smile<br />
on the faces of those who have<br />
perhaps spent too much time alone.<br />
You can find Joel <strong>and</strong> his b<strong>and</strong> on<br />
YouTube. Search for 'Joel Piacentini<br />
<strong>and</strong> the Lock-down Buddy B<strong>and</strong>’.<br />
They are also on Facebook at<br />
www.facebook.com/rhiwbina.ldbb<br />
Top row (l-r):<br />
Joel Piacentini,<br />
Rebecca Thayer,<br />
Jeremy Lukins<br />
Bottom row l-r:<br />
Kim Thomas,<br />
Paul Thomas<br />
43
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If your marriage has broken down<br />
If during your lockdown, marriage has we’re broken here to down help.<br />
during lockdown, we’re here to help.<br />
With lockdown forcing so many couples to spend time together for months on<br />
end, reports are that, sadly, divorce rates are set to soar.<br />
Kate Thomas, Head of Family Law <strong>and</strong> Matrimonial Law at Harding Evans<br />
With lockdown forcing so many couples to spend time together for months on<br />
Solicitors, answers some of the most common questions on seeking legal<br />
end,<br />
advice.<br />
reports are that, sadly, divorce rates are set to soar.<br />
Kate Thomas, Head of Family Law <strong>and</strong> Matrimonial Law at Harding Evans<br />
For many people, the last few months of lockdown have given Q: What is the actual process I’ll need to go<br />
them a rare opportunity to enjoy Solicitors, spending time answers at home some with their of the through? most common questions on seeking legal<br />
families <strong>and</strong> reconnecting with their advice. partner. But we know that the A: Whilst you can attempt to manage the process<br />
stresses of the enforced lockdown will have led to misery for many yourself, it’s usually best to contact a specialist divorce<br />
For others, many forcing people, them to last re-evaluate few months their of marriages lockdown have <strong>and</strong> realise given that lawyer, Q: What especially is the actual if there process are children I’ll need involved to go or if<br />
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stresses We’d urge of the anyone enforced to think lockdown carefully will about have starting led to misery divorce for many A yourself, divorce petition it’s usually will best prepared to contact <strong>and</strong> a specialist filed at Court. divorce<br />
others, proceedings forcing at them this time to re-evaluate of great stress their <strong>and</strong> marriages uncertainty. <strong>and</strong> realise But if that Once lawyer, your especially spouse has if there acknowledged are children this, involved you’ll need or if<br />
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some of the most common questions, to help make things clearer will lead to pronouncement of a Decree Nisi. Six weeks<br />
at this difficult time.<br />
<strong>and</strong> one day later, you may apply for your Decree<br />
We’d urge anyone to think carefully about starting divorce<br />
A divorce petition will be prepared <strong>and</strong> filed at Court.<br />
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proceedings at this time of great stress <strong>and</strong> uncertainty. But if Once your spouse has acknowledged this, you’ll need<br />
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behaviour,<br />
before<br />
desertion,<br />
applying<br />
separation<br />
for a divorce?A:<br />
for the<br />
may<br />
distribution<br />
be possible<br />
of matrimonial<br />
within four to<br />
assets<br />
five months,<br />
<strong>and</strong> arrangements<br />
but if there<br />
There will be a lot of things to consider, from arrangements for are financial issues that cannot be resolved, an<br />
last two years), your marriage is legally recognised in the UK <strong>and</strong> for children.<br />
looking after any children <strong>and</strong> child maintenance payments to how application to Court for Financial Remedy may be<br />
the<br />
you<br />
UK<br />
will<br />
is<br />
divide<br />
your permanent<br />
your money<br />
home,<br />
<strong>and</strong> property.<br />
or the permanent home of your<br />
required, taking six to twelve months.<br />
spouse.<br />
Q: How long does it take to get a divorce?<br />
A: This can vary considerably. With no complications, it<br />
Harding Q: What do Evans I need is to one consider of Wales’ before applying top 10 law for a firms divorce?A: <strong>and</strong> has may a be possible within four to five months, but if there<br />
specialist<br />
There will be<br />
team<br />
a lot of<br />
of<br />
things<br />
experienced<br />
to consider, from<br />
Family<br />
arrangements<br />
<strong>and</strong> Matrimonial<br />
for are financial issues that cannot be resolved, an<br />
looking after any children <strong>and</strong> child maintenance payments to how application to Court for Financial Remedy may be<br />
lawyers. If you would like to speak to one of the team,<br />
you will divide your money <strong>and</strong> property.<br />
required, taking six to twelve months.<br />
please call on 01633 760678.<br />
Harding Evans is one of Wales’ top 10 law firms <strong>and</strong> has a
BBQ<br />
PDQ<br />
This sizzling selection of quick <strong>and</strong> easy mouth-watering recipes<br />
are perfect for outdoor dining on a hot summer's day<br />
Pulled Pork<br />
2 tsp ground cumin<br />
2 tsp smoked paprika<br />
2 tsp pepper<br />
2 tsp brown sugar<br />
1 tsp salt<br />
500-600ml of cider<br />
boneless shoulder of pork (between<br />
2-3kg)<br />
smoky barbecue sauce<br />
soft white rolls<br />
46<br />
☐ In a bowl, mix together the ground<br />
cumin, smoked paprika, brown sugar<br />
<strong>and</strong> salt. Rub the mixture over the<br />
boneless shoulder of pork.<br />
☐ Put the pork into a large casserole<br />
dish, skin-side up, <strong>and</strong> pour in half of<br />
the cider over the meat.<br />
☐ Cover the casserole dish with a lid<br />
<strong>and</strong> cook in the oven at 150°C/130°C<br />
fan/Gas 2 for between 4 <strong>and</strong> 8 hrs<br />
until falling apart. Check every few<br />
hours in case it gets dry – if it does,<br />
add another mugful of cider.<br />
☐ Take it out of the oven <strong>and</strong> put the<br />
meat in a big dish, leaving the liquid<br />
in the casserole.<br />
☐ Cut the skin off, then shred the<br />
meat using two forks. Ditch any fatty<br />
bits <strong>and</strong> skim any excess fat off the<br />
surface of the sauce.<br />
☐ Add a mugful of a good smoky<br />
BBQ sauce to the casserole, mix it<br />
in, then ladle some into a bowl for<br />
dipping.<br />
☐ Put the pulled pork back in the<br />
casserole with the juices so it stays<br />
moist. Season to taste. Can be made<br />
one day ahead.<br />
☐ Serve in soft white rolls with<br />
coleslaw <strong>and</strong> the bowl of juices on<br />
the side for dipping plus a tomato,<br />
cucumber <strong>and</strong> cori<strong>and</strong>er salad.<br />
Tomato, cucumber<br />
& cori<strong>and</strong>er salad<br />
6 ripe vine tomatoes, deseeded <strong>and</strong><br />
chopped<br />
1 small cucumber, diced<br />
1 red onion, very finely chopped<br />
6 tbsp fresh cori<strong>and</strong>er, chopped<br />
☐ Mix together the tomatoes,<br />
cucumber, red onion, <strong>and</strong> chopped<br />
cori<strong>and</strong>er but don’t season until just<br />
before serving.
Vegan burger<br />
For the burgers<br />
400g black beans, rinsed <strong>and</strong><br />
drained<br />
100g cooked brown rice (from a<br />
packet is fine)<br />
1 onion, grated<br />
1 tsp crushed fennel seeds<br />
½ tsp garlic salt<br />
1 tsp smoked paprika<br />
25g panko breadcrumbs<br />
1 tbsp finely chopped flat-leaf<br />
parsley<br />
For the mayo<br />
100g silken tofu<br />
1 tsp cider vinegar<br />
1 tsp lemon juice<br />
a pinch of English mustard powder<br />
1 tsp chipotle paste<br />
For the guacamole<br />
1 avocado, peeled <strong>and</strong> stoned<br />
1/2 small red onion, finely chopped<br />
1/2 red chilli, finely chopped<br />
1 tbsp chopped cori<strong>and</strong>er<br />
juice of 1/2 lime<br />
☐ To create the burgers, tip all the<br />
burger ingredients into a blender <strong>and</strong><br />
pulse until they're combined. Divide<br />
into 4 <strong>and</strong> shape them into burger<br />
patties. Place them onto a plate <strong>and</strong><br />
rest them in the fridge for at least 30<br />
minutes.<br />
☐ Heat your barbecue or griddle<br />
pan to high. Brush the burger patties<br />
with some olive oil <strong>and</strong> then place<br />
them on the grill. Cook for 3 minutes<br />
before flipping, <strong>and</strong> cooking for 3<br />
minutes more. Touch the burgers<br />
as little as possible to maintain their<br />
shape.<br />
☐ To make the chipotle mayo, place<br />
all of the ingredients into a small<br />
blender with a pinch of sugar <strong>and</strong><br />
food<br />
blend until smooth. Add 2 tbsp olive<br />
oil, <strong>and</strong> then blitz again until it looks<br />
like mayonnaise. Season, tip into a<br />
bowl, cover <strong>and</strong> chill.<br />
☐ To make the guacamole, mash the<br />
avocado with a fork, <strong>and</strong> then stir in<br />
the onion, chilli, <strong>and</strong> the cori<strong>and</strong>er.<br />
Season <strong>and</strong> stir in the lime juice <strong>and</strong><br />
then chill.<br />
☐ Lightly toast some buns <strong>and</strong><br />
then layer the bottom bun with your<br />
mayo. Add the burger <strong>and</strong> top with<br />
guacamole <strong>and</strong> some tomato slices<br />
if desired.<br />
Salmon with<br />
soy marinade<br />
1 tbsp lemon zest<br />
1 tbsp minced garlic<br />
freshly ground black pepper<br />
5 tbsp soy sauce<br />
4 tbsp dark brown soft sugar<br />
5 tbsp water<br />
4 tbsp vegetable oil<br />
700g salmon fillet<br />
☐ In a small bowl, stir together<br />
the lemon zest, garlic, pepper, soy<br />
sauce, sugar, water <strong>and</strong> vegetable<br />
oil until the sugar is dissolved.<br />
Place the fish in a large resealable<br />
plastic bag with the marinade,<br />
seal, <strong>and</strong> turn to coat. Refrigerate<br />
for at least 2 hours.<br />
☐ Preheat the barbecue to a<br />
medium heat.<br />
☐ Lightly oil the cooking grate.<br />
Place the salmon on the<br />
preheated barbecue <strong>and</strong> discard<br />
the marinade. Cook the salmon for<br />
6 to 8 minutes per side, or until it<br />
flakes easily with a fork.<br />
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