Rhiwbina Living Spring 2023

News | People | Features | History | Lifestyle | Interiors 

Rhiwbina Living 

At the heart of the community 

Issue 58 

CRAFTED IN 

RHIWBINA 

CRAFTED IN 

Your multi award-winning magazine for Rhiwbina

Inside this issue 

Welcome / Croeso 

Llanishen Fach 

Primary School 

The latest news 

from the school, 

including updates 

from its recent 

Estyn report 

Wellness 

Practical ways to 

focus your mind 

and to deal with 

the challenges of 

everyday life 

2 

History 

A look back at 

some of the 

springtime 

celebrations in 

Rhiwbina village 

over the years 

Poems 

Words to 

celebrate the 

season of Spring 

- as penned by 

local poets 

Summer deadline: 

26th June 2023 

Published July 2023 

a: 222 Pantbach Road, 

Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AG 

t: 07772 081775 / 07974 022920 

w: www.livingmags.co.uk 

e: editor@livingmags.co.uk or 

danielle@livingmags.co.uk 

Distribution: 6,000 copies of Rhiwbina Living are 

personally delivered by us to every house in the 

Rhiwbina ward four times a year in line with the 

seasons. We also distribute to local shops 

While every effort has been made to 

ensure the accuracy of the contents, 

the publisher cannot accept any 

responsibility for errors or omissions, 

or for any matter in any way arising 

from the publication of this material. 

Every effort has been made to 

contact any copyright holders. 

Whitchurch and Llandaff Living is an 

independent, apolitical publication. 

No part of this publication may be 

reproduced without the express 

written permission of the publishers. 

Welcome to your Spring issue of 

Rhiwbina Living. 

Spring seemed to take its time 

waking its sleepy head this year 

but the warm weather finally 

seems to have reached us just in 

time. 

This year's spring season is 

peppered with Bank Holidays 

and celebrations, including of 

course, the coronation of King 

Charles. 

It's been 60 years since we last 

had a coronation here in the UK 

and for us in Rhiwbina, it's the 

perfect excuse for a good ol' 

community get-together. When 

Queen Elizabeth II was crowned, 

the world was a very different 

place. We take a look back at 

that day, including a recently 

found menu for a Coronation 

Party here in Rhiwbina. 

Throughout the years, 

Rhiwbina's springtime 

community celebrations have 

been captured forever on 

camera and we've put together 

a collection of those in this issue. 

Maybe you'll recognise someone 

you know. 

With Spring on our minds, 

we've also got some wonderful 

poems for you. Our collection of 

seasonal poems in our Winter 

issue was so popular that we've 

had to make room for all the 

Spring poems we received. 

And with warmer weather on its 

way, we've hand-picked some 

super spots in South Wales to 

picnic. 

In our history feature this issue, 

we look at the life story of Tom 

Cole. Tom was born in nearby 

Llandaff and went on to become 

one of the world's best racing 

drivers during the late 1940s and 

early 1950s. 

Closer to home, perhaps one 

of the least known landmarks in 

the area is the Wenallt Reservoir, 

which sits high up on the Wenallt, 

overlooking the village. For 

many years, it supplied Rhiwbina 

with clean running water but a 

recently unearthed piece written 

by a former Rhiwbina resident 

sheds more light on its past and 

its surroundings. 

It's also hard to imagine now 

but woollen mills were once the 

sights you'd expect to see on 

Ty'n-y-Parc Road. Now the site of 

a busy intersection, Nigel Lewis 

from Awen recounts the history 

of the local area. 

Llanishen Fach Primary School 

have recently had an Estyn 

inspection and they've kindly 

fed back all the good things 

that have been said about the 

popular Rhiwbina school. 

We've also curated some 

proper British street party recipes 

if you're holding a coronation 

street party in May and there's 

also a short story from Rhiwbina 

Living's co-editor Patric Morgan. 

We're already working on the 

Summer issue of our magazines 

and if you have a local story of 

interest that you'd like to share 

with the community, please feel 

free to get in touch. 

Danielle and Patric 

Editors 

@RhiwbinaLiving 

www.facebook.com/rhiwbinaliving 

@livingmagazinescardiff

Plans for Llanishen tax office 

demolition enter final stages 

news 

Caerphilly Road 

planned closures 

until the end of 

May 

Demolition of the vacant tax offices 

in Ty Glas could start within a few 

months. 

The former HMRC buildings 

were slated for demolition at a 

Cardiff Council meeting in August 

2022. Plans for the demolition are 

understood to be in the final stages, 

with the work likely to be carried 

out during the Spring. 

Work on demolishing the 

Llanishen site was due to start 

in September last year but was 

delayed after safeguarding 

concerns had to be addressed. 

Residents were concerned for their 

own safety, their property, as well as 

Protesters take 

to the streets of 

Cardiff to oppose 

cultural cuts 

Protesters took to the streets of 

Cardiff in February to show their 

opposition to proposed spending 

cuts on some of the city's most loved 

institutions. 

The demonstration, officially named 

as 'The People's March for Dignity and 

Culture' began with a mass protest 

outside Cardiff Central Library, where 

demonstrators each brought a book 

to read aloud. 

If the plans are approved by the 

Council, St David's Hall could be 

privatised, the Cardiff Story Museum 

could close and cuts could be made 

to library opening hours. 

Photo: Gareth James 

that of local wildlife. Concerns 

of increased traffic, especially from 

contractors, were also raised by 

locals. 

The derelict offices were vacated 

in 2020 when HMRC relocated to 

Cardiff's city centre. Various plans 

for the site have been mooted, 

including concepts for hundreds 

of homes, retirement flats and 

business venues. None of these 

came to fruition however. 

The site is opposite a former RAF 

base, with Gleider House named 

in honour of the glider training that 

took place in the field. 

The event was organised by Cardiff 

People's Assembly and has received 

high profile backing including from 

American linguist Noam Chomsky, 

singer Elizabeth Atherton, and the 

first National Poet of Wales, Gwyneth 

Lewis. 

St David's Hall recently celebrated 

its 40th birthday, but could be sold 

to the events company Academy 

Music Group (AMG). Talks about the 

takeover have been going on for 

some time, according to reports. 

Work to strengthen Caerphilly 

Road railway bridge that 

started at the end of March is 

due to continue until the end 

of May. 

Work on the bridge that is 

situated between Ty-Wern 

and Waun-Y-Groes Avenue 

includes a diversionary route 

for motorists. 

Night time closures will take 

place on the following dates: 

● From 8pm on April 29th until 

5am on April 30th 

● From 8pm on May 6th until 

5am on May 7th 




5am on May 21st 



Recycling bags 

Residents are no longer able 

to order green recycling 

bags to their home, as a 

new system is now in place 

for people to collect the 

bags from a local shop or a 

community building where 

they live. 

Residents can instead input 

their postcode into Cardiff 

Council's website to find their 

nearest stockist. These will 

most likely be Hubs, libraries, 

shops and post offices. 

The move is part of Cardiff 

Council's plans to streamline 

their recycling services. 

3

news 

New housing 

development 

takes a step 

forward 

Photo: Seth Whales 

Plans for a new housing 

development in north Cardiff have 

taken a step towards becoming 

reality after Cardiff Council's 

planning committee approved 

plans to build 2,500 homes south of 

the M4 between Pontprennau and 

Lisvane. 

The decision taken in early 

March is subject to full planning 

permission from the Welsh 

Government, but if construction is 

given the go-ahead, it will surround 

the Churchlands housing estate. 

The plans include the provision for 

restaurants, a supermarket, a GP's 

surgery, and a primary school. 

Some residents have expressed 

their concerns, pointing out that 

current services in the area are 

already struggling. 

Llanishen 

Reservoir delay 

Plans to open a new visitor centre 

at Llanishen Reservoir have been 

delayed due to supply problems. 

The venue was slated to open 

in May but Welsh Water, who are 

overseeing the project, recently 

told the press: 

"Our team is working hard on the 

construction of the new visitor 

hub. However, due to challenges 

such as the demand and supply 

of materials, we have encountered 

some delays and now anticipate 

opening the site this summer." 

The new centre will include a café 

with panoramic views over the 

reservoirs, a water sports centre 

and meeting areas that can be 

used by local community groups. 

Walking routes and a nature trail 

with bird hides will also feature, as 

well as conservation areas for the 

local wildlife. 

4 

Cardiff Bus announce price 

changes and new ticket structures 

Ticket prices on Cardiff Bus were 

increased in early April, their first 

increase for four years. 

In a statement, Cardiff Bus said: 

"From Sunday 9th April 2023, we 

are having to take the very difficult 

decision to increase our fares. This 

will be the first time any of our fares 

have changed in over 4 years. They 

were last changed in March 2019. In 

this time, we have seen costs increase 

The Rhiwbina 

Society summer 

schedule 

The Rhiwbina Society is the new 

name for the previous ‘Rhiwbina Civic 

Society’ in order to reflect its wider 

scope of activities. 

Its programme for the next six 

months is as follows: 

16 May Tales from Wales – 

Storytelling including Welsh myths 

and legends – Debra John 

20 June Coed Caerdydd – expanding 

our tree canopy – Christopher Engel 

18 July Parc Cefn Onn - Mr Prosser’s 

Garden - Rosie James 

3 August (NB a Thursday): Tour of 

Cardiff City Hall 2.30pm to 4pm 

Meetings are held in the Canolfan 

Beulah starting at 7.30pm. For further 

information, please see their website 

or Facebook page – or phone 07811 

509490. 

to a level where we are now in a 

position that we have no option but to 

increase fares." 

Several types of tickets have been 

withdrawn altogether, including ones 

that were available on the Rhiwbina 

route, and others have been replaced 

by new but similar schemes. Bus 

users can sign up to the Cardiff 

Bus newsletter to get the latest 

information. 

Councillors feed 

back mixed 

reactions to 

recycling trials 

Local councillors were able to share 

feedback about the recent recycling 

trials to a Council meeting in March. 

The scheme, that has been trialling 

in Rhiwbina since October, calls for 

residents to separate out different 

types of recycling into different bags, 

before putting them out for collection 

by the Council. 

Councillor Jayne Cowan, highlighted 

confusion around the new system, 

especially among some of the 

village's elderly residents. 

"We are a dementia-friendly city with 

lots of older people, particularly in my 

ward of Rhiwbina and in lots of other 

wards and I think that we do need a 

solution to sort that out." 

Other councillors pointed out the 

positive aspects of the scheme, 

including the increase in awareness 

of recycling, especially in local 

schools. Cardiff Council has reported 

an increase in recycling rates thanks 

to the scheme, which is currently at 

62.5%.

Your letters 

WE 

letters 

WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! 

We love to hear what you've been up to 

so send us your letters and photos! 

We'll do our best to print them all. 

editor@livingmags.co.uk 

Can you help? 

We have just returned from a 

cruise to South Africa. We met a 

lovely couple there called Alan 

and Lorraine. 

During our first conversation, 

my partner said he remembered 

spending lovely holidays with 

his grandparents who lived in 

Rhiwbina when he was a child. 

They said this is where they live. 

My partner is now 82 so his 

memories are a bit hazy. His 

father was killed in 1942, so he 

never knew him but he used to 

visit his grandparents for holidays 

(these were his father's parents). 

Their surname was Thomas and 

he remembers two daughters, Vi 

and Peggy; there were two other 

sons. 

Lorraine passed on your 

magazine to us and reading 

the story by Dianne Bartley, 

we wondered if she or anyone 

else remembers Michael's (my 

partner) family and could share 

any memories with him. That 

would be so lovely! 

Thank you for taking the time to 

read this. 

Jenny Wilkinson on behalf of 

Michael Thomas 

Thank you for 15 

years of Rhiwbina 

Living! 

We wanted to thank you for the 

last 15 years of Rhiwbina Living. 

We know from experience how 

hard running your own business 

is and the last few years have 

been especially challenging. 

We moved our family to 

Rhiwbina back in 2008 and we 

are always thrilled when we hear 

the latest issue plop onto our 

doormat. Thank you! 

Rhiwbina writers 

remembered 

My mother, sister and I moved 

back to Rhiwbina from Bristol 

after the breakup of my parents' 

marriage in 1940. We lived at 46 

Pen-y-Dre with my grandmother 

and aunt. 

In 1953, I went to The Slade 

School of Art, University College 

London. I was interested to see 

that [screenwriter] Andrew Davies, 

who I did not know (but often 

saw reading a book in his garden 

as I walked down the lane to the 

village) was the same age as me 

and was also at University College 

at the same time. 

There was a shop in the village 

that rented out books; this was 

before the library was built. I spent 

a lot of time talking to the woman 

who ran it. When I was given a 

place at the Slade, she said to me 

that ‘my brother was at the Slade’; 

it turned out he was the artist and 

writer Wyndham Lewis. I gathered 

that she lived with her mother. 

I don’t know if you were aware of 

this connection but thought your 

readers might be interested. 

Jenny Millbank 

Bristol 

Congratulations 

Firstly congratulations on 15 years 

of Rhiwbina Living. Hard work 

rewarded with an excellent 'read'. 

Now to two items in your latest 

edition. Firstly, the 'Rhiwbina's 

shops of yesteryear.' The photo 

of chemist Reg Jones - he and I 

were fellow member of Rhiwbina 

Men's Indoor Bowls Club. Any time 

spent in his company was highly 

entertaining, to say the least. A 

broad grin, a rich Welsh accent, 

and humour - that was Reg. 

Secondly - the photo of 'the 

1980's milk queue'. That milk float 

would park up about 100 yards 

inside Lon Isa, and a queue of 

customers formed. I would join the 

tail, until one day when the float 

had a different driver. 

Result? He stopped his float 

by what was usually the tail. 

Exactly where I was standing! It 

took me only a few seconds to 

take advantage of this. Bottles 

grabbed, paid for, and I was off! 

Roll on the next 15 years of 

Rhiwbina Living. 

Good luck to you both, and to 

those who deliver, whatever the 

weather. 

Norman Rendle 

Rhiwbina 

Andrea Gibson 


If you have anything you’d like our readers to know about, drop us a line at 

editor@livingmags.co.uk You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter 

5

Llanishen Fach has developed - 

and delivers - an innovative and 

engaging curriculum 

which has pupil well-being at front 

and centre of our teaching. With this 

being the case, it was heartening 

to read that the inspection team 

recognised this as a strength, writing: 

“Staff know their pupils very well 

and meet their well-being needs 

highly effectively” and that “Staff are 

very good at providing pupils with 

experiences that combine many 

areas of the curriculum and improve 

their sense of well-being at the same 

time.” 

Anyone who knows our school won’t 

be surprised to hear the favourable 

impression the inspectors were left 

with, but it certainly feels reassuring 

to know that we are getting things so 

right. 

We are delighted to have 

independent corroboration that “Most 

(90% or more) pupils, including those 

in the Specialist Resource Base, make 

strong progress in a wide range of 

skills,” and specifically, that “Most 

pupils make excellent progress in 

their development as writers and 

become enthusiastic and competent 

authors." They also add that “…most 

pupils achieve strong skills and 

understanding in mathematics.” 

Rucksack Day, with its art, physical 

education, and outdoor learning 

elements was highlighted, stating that 

most pupils “...make good progress 

Recent Estyn 

inspection highlights 

high quality teaching 

and strong and 

effective leadership 

are key to the 

school’s success 

Previously, we have written about 

some of the exciting pioneering work 

we have undertaken at Llanishen 

Fach Primary School, in response to 

the introduction of the Curriculum for 

Wales. 

6 

We are proud of the breadth and 

quality of provision we provide. This 

pride has recently been fully validated 

by Estyn, the Welsh Government’s 

education and training inspectorate 

for Wales, following their recent 

inspection of our school. Their praise 

was wide-ranging and effusive 

across all five areas of the inspection 

framework. 

The Estyn inspection highlights 

high quality teaching, imaginative, 

innovative and authentic learning 

experiences, and strong and effective 

leadership as key to the school’s 

success. 

With the recent changes to the 

curriculum, we have embraced the 

opportunity to develop a curriculum

schools 

The report states that the school’s 

management team “…provide 

highly effective leadership for the 

school” and that “…they have worked 

collaboratively with staff to develop 

a clear vision… based on a culture of 

self-reflection and improvement.” 

Going on, they observe that “As 

a result, staff feel empowered to 

innovate and take managed risks to 

improve learning experiences and 

outcomes for pupils.” 

Never ones to rest on our laurels, 

we will redouble our efforts to 

“Improve pupils’ Welsh language 

skills”, the single recommendation 

made by Estyn and acknowledge the 

compliment in being asked to write 

two case studies: 

in developing their creative skills and 

many become capable artists” adding 

that “…pupils’ physical skills develop 

very well during lessons and over 

time.” 

As a school community, we are 

extremely pleased that Estyn 

recognised that “…most pupils’ thinking 

skills develop strongly” and that “... 

they consider questions carefully 

and engage maturely with adults 

and their peers to consider and solve 

problems.” 

We are particularly delighted with 

their acknowledgment of how we 

support “…pupils with severe and 

complex learning and physical needs 

highly effectively…” and our inclusion 

and integration. 

“This high level of inclusion illustrates 

the closeness and strength of the 

school community.” 

• Making the most of the skills 

and knowledge of staff to deliver 

engaging learning experiences. 

• Creating a culture of low stakes 

accountability to drive innovation and 

improvement. 

And of course, we will continue 

to “…plan and deliver imaginative, 

innovative and authentic learning 

experiences…” maintaining, “… 

consistently high expectations of 

pupils’ achievement and behaviour.” 

7

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Maypoles and 

Whitsun days 

It's the season of sunshine and celebrations. Here are some scenes of 

springtime community events from Rhiwbina village over the years 

Dancing in Y Groes 1960s 

May Queen in an open top car 1960s 

May Queen and attendants 1960s 

Folk dancing 1960s 

May Day 1928 

10

memories 

Maypole dancing in Y Groes 1960s 

May Queen 1927 

Rhiwbina Queen 1960s 

May Day 192os 

Community dinner 1960s 

11

out & about 

sarnies in 

the sun 

The great British tradition of packing a basket with food and heading out 

for a picnic has arrived. Here are our favourite local spots 

Porthkerry Park 

Southerndown 

A firm favourite for both locals and 

visitors, Southerndown beach is 

situated on the Glamorgan Heritage 

Coast, not too far from Bridgend. 

The beach is mostly sand, 

especially at low tide but its real 

beauty lies in its rugged rocks, rich 

in fossils, where there are plenty of 

places to down bags and set up a 

picnic. 

There are plenty of rockpools 

at low tide to keep the kids 

entertained and if you fancy 

stretching your legs after you've 

eaten, there are plenty of green 

fields you can discover on the cliff 

tops. 

12 

This hidden gem in Barry boasts 220 

acres of woods and meadowland. 

Enclosed in a sheltered valley that 

leads to a pebbled beach, there 

are also nature trails to explore and 

dedicated picnic sites to enjoy at 

your leisure. 

Porthkerry Viaduct, one of the 

features of the park, was first 

opened in 1897 to carry the Vale of 

Glamorgan Railway. 

And if you're a plane spotter, you'll 

be delighted to know that the park 

is not too far from Cardiff Airport - 

you'll be able to see the comings 

and goings of Wales's busiest 

airport. 

Photo: Roy Parkhouse 

Dare Country Park 

You've got over 500 acres of green 

countryside to discover in the 

mountains northwest of the Cynon 

Valley. 

The park was the first country park 

in England and Wales to be created 

from land previously utilised by 

industry. Now fully regenerated, 

the park teems with wildlife and 

woodland. The flowery grassland, 

heath, bracken slopes, crags and 

scree, upland bog, moorland, 

woodland, coal spoil, stream and 

lakes all provide habitat for wildlife. 

It is here that you can take time out 

to enjoy your picnic.

Photo: Mick Lobb 

Cyfartha Park 

Covering 65 hectares, Cyfartha Park 

sits proudly in a prominent position 

overlooking Merthyr Tydfil and is 

the historic site of the Cyfartha 

Ironworks. 

The park is one of the main 

attractions in Merthyr and is often 

used for large-scale events. The 

park also includes a lake, ponds, 

gardens, play areas for the children, 

and even a recently restored ice 

house that was once used to keep 

the nearby castle cool during the 

summer months. 

Penllergare Valley 

Woods 

This 'forgotten' Victorian paradise 

with lakes, waterfalls, terraces, 

panoramic views and exotic trees is 

being slowly brought back to life by 

Penllergare Trust, who have been 

doing so for the last twenty years. 

Situated a short distance 

from Junction 47 of the M4 

near Swansea, the estate was 

previously the home of the 

renowned horticulturist, pioneering 

photographer, and astronomer, John 

Dillwyn Llewelyn. 

The site consists of over a hundred 

hectares of mixed woodland and 

includes two lakes and seven miles 

of peaceful woodland walks. You'll 

also find a spectacular waterfall 

on the River Llan which meanders 

through the estate. 

There is a community-run shop 

and a car park, plus informal picnic 

sites along the paths, where you 

can eat among the wildlife. 

Margam Park 

Margam Park is a Grade I listed 

garden and landscape, where 

you can surround yourself with 

gorgeous trees, shrubs and flowers. 

The Community Orchard and 

Meadow is located within the 

historic walled kitchen gardens 

and sees existing apple and pear 

trees being restored. New planting 

is also being undertaken including 

perennial herbs and vegetables. 

Photo: Steve Rigg 

Clyne Park, Swansea 

Clyne Gardens contain possibly the 

finest collection of rhododendrons 

in Wales. The gardens were 

established by Admiral Algernon 

Walker-Heneage-Vivian who 

owned them from 1921 until his 

death in 1952. 

The Admiral sponsored overseas 

plant collecting expeditions in his 

time and many of the garden's 

rhododendrons still bear their 

original collector's numbers. His 

influence can also be felt in the 

landscaping features throughout 

the gardens, which include a 

Japanese Bridge, the Admiral's 

Tower, and the Gazebo. 

There are meandering paths that 

take you through a wooded valley 

alongside a fast running stream 

with small waterfalls and there are 

also picnic areas where you can 

relax in the spring sunshine. 

Roath Park 

Opened in 1894, Roath Park was 

one of Cardiff's first public parks. 

It still retains its charm though, 

drawing people from all over South 

Wales to experience its famous lake 

and botanical gardens. 

North of the lake are some 

wildflower areas which includes 

paths cutting through it. To the 

south, you'll find the conservatory 

and its surrounding gardens, where 

you'll find plenty of space to enjoy 

a picnic. 

Merthyr Mawr 

Merthyr Mawr Warren National 

Nature Reserve to give it its official 

name, is situated near Bridgend 

and is home to the Big Dipper, the 

highest sand dune in Wales. 

The dune itself formed on top 

of a limestone ridge and you can 

enjoy spectacular views from the 

top. There's an abundance of other 

smaller dunes where you can lay 

out a picnic blanket but it's not all 

sand. 

You'll also find nature trails and 

coastal paths that take you to the 

beach. 

Photo: Nick Smith 

Rest Bay 

Located between Port Talbot 

and Ogmore, Rest Bay beach 

offers visitors spacious sands and 

gorgeous views over the Bristol 

Channel. 

A new water sports centre has 

opened there and it looks out over 

the Blue Bay beach. It's the ideal 

spot to spend a few hours in the 

sunshine, eating your nibbles and 

watching both sea-shy paddlers 

and watersports professionals alike. 

And if your picnic's not enough, 

the beach has several ice-cream 

parlours along the promenade 

where you can get yourself a 

cooling treat. 

Photo: Roger Davies 

13

MAZDA CX-60 WINS BEST PLUG-IN 

HYBRID IN SCOTLAND 

Launched just three months ago the Mazda 

CX-60 is already winning fans and awards 

across the UK with the Association of Scottish 

Motoring Writers (ASMW) crowning 

it Best Plug-In Hybrid 2022 at the annual 

Scottish Car of the Year Awards. 

The ASMW is made up from 15 motoring 

writers from across Scotland who vote for 

cars they have driven in Scotland over the 

past 12 months and their relevance to 

Scottish consumers. The Mazda CX-60 was 

a late entry, only going on sale in September, 

but wow’d the panels of judges enough to 

take the hotly contested category win. 

With prices starting at £45,420 on-the-road, 

the all-new Mazda CX-60 has expanded 

Mazda’s award-winning SUV range, joining 

the UK line-up above the ever-popular 

2022 Mazda CX-5. The new flagship SUV 

is Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid technology 

powertrain, which combines a Skyactiv-G 

2.5-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 

129kW electric motor and a 17.8kWh highcapacity 

battery. 

This combination of engine and motor 

delivers a total system output of 327ps and 

an abundant torque output of 500Nm – 

making it the most powerful road car Mazda 

has ever produced. Mazda’s first PHEV 

also displays outstanding environmental 

credentials with WLTP combined fuel 

consumption of 188mpg and WLTP 

combined CO2 emissions of only 33g/km. 

The Mazda CX-60 e-Skyactiv PHEV offers 

39.15 miles of combined electric motorpowered 

driving with the vehicle running 

at 62mph or less, while the performance of 

the combined drivetrain delivers a 0-62mph 

performance of just 5.8 seconds. 

Demonstrating Mazda’s commitment to 

a multi-solution approach to sustainable 

mobility and the principal of the right solution 

at the right time, the Mazda CX-60 meets the 

growing needs of the segment by combining 

strong environmental performance with the 

driving pleasure inherent in every Mazda. 

The all-new Mazda CX-60 PHEV represents 

everything that Mazda has built into its DNA 

over the last 100 years, from outstanding 

exterior and interior design to the finest 

Japanese craftsmanship, plus the latest 

innovations in human-centric technologies 

and world-leading powertrains. 

The all-new Mazda CX-60 is the first of 

two new models from the company’s Large 

Product group to be introduced throughout 

Europe during the next two years, with the 

second being the three-row Mazda CX-80. 

In addition, joining the 2.5-litre e-Skyactiv 

PHEV drivetrain in the CX-60 line-up at a 

later date will be two brand new Mazda 

engines that have been developed using 

the ‘right sizing’ concept which calls for 

optimised displacement for improved fuel 

and power efficiency. 

The new generation straight-six 3.0-litre 

e-Skyactiv X petrol and 3.3-litre e-Skyactiv 

D diesel engines, which feature M Hybrid 

Boost – Mazda’s 48V mild hybrid system – 

combine high output with excellent fuel 

economy and emissions performance, they 

will join the CX-60 range in the future. Both 

powerplants are mated to the same eightspeed 

automatic transmission and i-Activ 

All-Wheel Drive system as the PHEV, but the 

e-Skyactiv D diesel unit and the e-Skyactiv 

X petrol engine have also been developed 

to be equipped with rear-wheel drive only. 

ASMW President Jack McKeown said: 

“Mazda’s first plug-in hybrid model is the 

seriously impressive CX-60. The premium 

SUV has a stylish shape, a beautiful interior 

– and the ability to travel nearly 40 miles on 

battery power. Our members particularly 

liked its driving dynamics and classy cabin.” 

Jeremy Thomson, Mazda UK Managing 

Director commented; “The Mazda CX-60 

has seen tremendous sales success across 

Europe since its launch in September and 

it is great to have the car recognised by the 

Association of Scottish Motoring Writers as 

their choice for Plug-In Hybrid of the year 

so soon after the car’s launch. Mazda has 

always been a popular brand in Scotland 

with market share at 2.3 percent vs 1.6 

percent for the whole of the UK and I feel 

confident that, with this recognition, the car 

will be a popular choice with our Scottish 

customers.”

ALL-NEW MAZDA CX-60 

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AVAILABLE FOR £549 PER MONTH 

7.4% APR* REPRESENTATIVE OVER 4 YEARS 

Created by our Takumi craftsmen, the all-new Mazda CX-60 showcases the 

refined elegance of our KODO design language woven into the toughness of 

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SEARCH: VICTORIA PARK MAZDA 

Model 

All-new Mazda CX-60 327ps AWD Homura Auto 

Mazda Personal Contract Purchase Representative Example 

Monthly Payment £549 Total Amount Payable £57,722 

On The Road Price inc Metallic Paint £49,070 Fixed Rate of Interest 3.82% 

Mazda Deposit Contribution £1,000 No of monthly payments 48 

Customer Deposit £9,391 Duration of Agreement 49 months 

Amount of Credit £38,530 Annual Mileage 9,000 

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Retail sales only, subject to availability for vehicles ordered between 20.12.22 and 31.03.23, registered by 30.06.2023 at participating dealers. T&C apply. *7.4% APR Mazda Personal Contract Purchase 

available on all new Mazda CX-60 PHEV models. Finance subject to status, 18s or over. Guarantee may be required. Mazda Financial Services RH1 1SR. Channel Islands and Isle of Man excluded. 

Not available in conjunction with any other offer unless specified. 

Model shown: Mazda CX-60 327ps AWD Homura Auto, OTR from £48,170. Model shown features optional Soul Red Crystal paint (£900). OTR price includes VAT, number plates, delivery, 12 months’ road 

fund licence, first registration fee, 3 year or 60,000 mile warranty and 3 years’ European roadside assistance. Test drives subject to applicant status and availability. Details correct at time of going to print. 

Not available in conjunction with any other offer unless specified. 

Victoria Park Motor Company Limited, trading as Victoria Park Mazda is a credit broker not a lender for this financial promotion. We can introduce you to a limited number of carefully selected finance providers 

and may receive a commission from them for the introduction. If you have any questions about commission please speak to the dealer. 

DRIVE TOGETHER

the 

racer 

Tom Cole leaves the Ferrari 

factory in Modena in his 

Ferrari 340 MM, restyled 

in North American racing 

colours in May 1953 

Llandaff's Tom Cole lived life on the edge until one day in 1953, 

his luck ran out and he became a Le Mans legend 

On a hot summer's day in 1972, 

Luigi Chinetti dropped into the 

driver's seat of his Cadillac Eldorado 

and turned the ignition key. 

The car cranked into life and 

slowly rumbled out of the town of 

Le Mans, making its way onto the 

dusty roads that led out into the 

French countryside. 

After stopping off at Auburge du 

Rallye for some lunch, Chinetti and 

his passenger, a man named Jim 

Ibold, got back into the Cadillac 

and made their way to Le Mans 

Cimettiere De L'Ouest, a sprawling 

cemetery a short distance away. 

Chinetti parked his car at the 

entrance to the cemetery and the 

pair got out. They silently walked 

the paths that criss-crossed the 

cemetery to a large tombstone that 

sat on the far side. 

When they arrived at the 

tombstone, the pair stood in silence 

in the early summer sun. The 

granite stone of the tombstone 

had lost its shine so Chinetti looked 

around and found a bowl of water 

16 

nearby. Taking the handkerchief 

from his pocket, he dipped one end 

into the bowl and wiped the grime 

off the stone. When it was clean 

of dirt, Chinetti took the dry end of 

his handkerchief and polished the 

stone to give it a lustre. Then he 

took a step back to make sure he’d 

done a good job. 

His workmanship was spotless, 

much like his driving skills that 

had kept him out of harm’s way for 

decades. 

Chinetti and his friend Ibold stood 

and looked at the tombstone for 

a short while before they headed 

back to the car. 

The tombstone, now clear of dirt, 

read 'In Loving Memory of Tom 

Cole. Killed while driving in the 24 

hours motor race at Le Mans June 

14th 1953'. 

The life of Thomas Lionel Howard 

Cole, Jr. may have come to an 

abrupt end at the side of a road 

in northern France but his story 

started right here in north Cardiff. 

Born on 11 th June 1922, Cole 

contracted polio in childhood, and 

although largely recovering from 

the illness, it left him with minor 

disabilities for the rest of his life. 

In late August 1939, just before 

the outbreak of World War II, Tom 

and his family arrived in New York 

aboard the French liner Normandie. 

The 1940 United States Federal 

Census page, compiled in April 

1940, shows the Cole family to be 

guests at the Hotel Pierre in New 

York City. 

Cole attended Harvard for a year, 

before serving in the US Merchant 

Marine after the United States 

entered World War II. He worked 

as a crew member of the USS Esso 

Aruba and USS Esso Bayonne in 

1943 and later drove an ambulance 

for the American Field Service. 

At the end of the war, Cole 

became interested in racing sports 

cars, something he could do, 

despite the minor disabilities from 

his childhood polio. 

Splitting his time between the UK 

and the US, Cole took part in hill

climbs and speed trials as a way 

of gaining experience behind the 

wheel. He also got involved with 

the US East Coast racing scene, 

working his way into the Frick- 

Tappet racing team by tagging 

along during the race seasons. 

Being totally new to sports car 

racing, Cole had to make up for 

his lack of technical ability with his 

enthusiasm for his new love. But 

in 1949, Cole's father, Thomas Sr. 

(who owned the Clifton Steamship 

Corporation) shipped over his son's 

Jaguar and a HRG 1500 to the 

United States, to take part in the 

1949 Bridgehampton Sports Car 

Races. 

Bridgehampton was renowned 

as a fearsome course, requiring 

the utmost skill from the drivers. 

Held on public roads, the course 

ran counterclockwise on an 

approximately 3-mile rectangle. 

Bridgehampton founder Bruce 

Stevenson recalled that: 

"Tommy Cole was well known to 

all as a gentleman... charmingly 

forgetful of his passport, his wallet, 

his helmet and the unimportant 

details of daily life. But in a thrilling 

exhibition of driving skill, he piloted 

the Jaguar to second place using 

only one hand on the controls—the 

other was occupied holding the 

battery in position!" 

Cole's ability and potential soon 

outstripped the specifications of his 

two cars and in pursuit of a faster 

race car, he asked Bill Frick of the 

Frick-Tappet racing team whether 

a 5.4 litre Cadillac engine would fit 

into his Jaguar. After taking some 

measurements, Frick told Cole that 

this wasn't possible but undeterred, 

Cole got another car - an Allard 

J2- shipped over to the States. Thus 

the Cadillac-Allard J2, or Cad- 

Allard, was born. The car fused a 

lightweight chassis and modern 

suspension system with the large 

Cadillac powerplant, and it would 

go on to achieve considerable 

international success. Cole is 

credited with the car's creation. 

Cole would also go on to take 

the Allard to two outright wins at 

Bridgehampton - in 1950 and 1951. 

He would also take part in Le Mans 

for the first time in 1950, finishing 

third in the prestigious 24 hour race. 

In 1951, Cole was due to take part 

in the 1951 Buenos Aires Grand Prix 

but having damaged his Cad-Allard 

in a crash, he was offered a Chrysler 

Hemi powered Allard in which to 

race. Cole struggled with the car, 

especially the engine's massive 

torque. Transmission problems 

during practise sessions and the 

race itself meant that Cole did not 

finish the race. Ironically, first place 

was taken by John Fitch, who had 

taken Cole's Allard to repair and 

raced it himself. 

But Cole's Argentinian adventures 

didn't end there. A short while later, 

Cole was a sole passenger in a light 

plane that crashed in the jungle. 

The only survival tools that the pilot 

had on him was a .45 handgun and 

a knife. The pair were missing for 

two weeks and survived by eating 

snakes. They were eventually 

found by natives and returned to 

civilisation in Brazil. 

In the summer of 1952, Cole 

launched his European racing 

campaign at Le Mans in a Ferrari 

belonging to his co-driver Pierre 

'Pagnibon' Boncompagni. Cole 

brought the Ferrari back to the UK 

that summer. 

Pagnibon was a French driver, 

perhaps best remembered for 

winning the 1951 Tour de France 

Automobile, one of the world's 

oldest motorsport events. His 

success during the 1952 season had 

caught the attention of Enzo Ferrari, 

who offered Pagnibon an entry to 

the 24 Hours of Le Mans under the 

official Scuderia Ferrari banner. 

Pagnibon entered his car to the 

race with Cole as a second driver, 

but retired with electrical issues. 

The remainder of the 1952 season 

saw mixed fortunes for Pagnibon 

but returned in 1953 with a Ferrari 

340 MM. 

In this car, Pagnibon won the 

Rallye Soleil-Cannes, an eight-day 

road rally across France. He also 

drove it to second place in the 

Coupes de Vitesse, and won the 3 

Hours of Algeria. 

Tom Cole too was having success 

during the first half of 1953, coming 

fourth in the Mille Miglia in April, 

despite having never driven 

The Cadillac-Allard J2 in which Cole finished 

third at the 1950 24 Hours of Le Mans 

history 

the 1,000 mile course before, 

and finishing second place at 

Silverstone in May. 

On June 7th, both Pagnibon and 

Cole were competing in the 12 

Hours of Hyères race, which took 

place in heavy rain. Pagnibon had 

been leading the race and had just 

set the race record when on the 

34th lap, he lost control of his car 

on a high-speed bend. The car hit 

a telegraph pole and overturned, 

killing Pagnibon instantly. 

Cole won the race but had lost 

his Le Mans co-driver, and was 

understandably heart-broken. 

A week later, Cole started his 

Le Mans this time with Italian- 

American driver Luigi Chinetti. 

Chinetti had competed in every Le 

Mans race held from 1932 but this 

was to be his last. 

Cole started the race strongly, the 

car peaking at third place during the 

first three hours. As the race headed 

into the night, Cole dropped down 

the field into sixth place. 

As morning broke the next day, 

fog had shrouded many parts of 

the track. Just after 6.14am, Cole 

was attempting to catch Peter 

Whitehead at Maison Blanche, who 

was in fifth place. Manoeuvring to 

pass a slower car, Cole lost control 

of his Ferrari, cutting a turn too 

close. The car dropped into a ditch 

demolishing a shed, but as it exited 

the ditch at speed, the car pivoted 

and threw Cole clear. He was killed 

instantly on impact with the ground. 

Cole had previously stated that 

if he was ever killed during a race, 

he wanted to be buried near the 

track. In accordance with his wishes, 

he was buried in Le Mans West 

Cemetery where nearly 20 years 

later, Luigi Chinetti would drive 

his Cadillac Eldorado to pay his 

respects. 

17

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V0722 - VIL - Party at Village 2023 - Cardiff magazine Ad.indd 1 19/04/2023 10:26

Celebrating 

Established 1998 

25 

years 

Rhiwbina’s award-winning 

C3 Chiropractic Clinic celebrates 25 years! 

The well-known clinic is celebrating 

its 25th year this year – and have 

just announced that they have 

received a prestigious award 

that assures patients of their high 

standards of care. 

“We are delighted to announce 

that in our 25th year of C3 

Chiropractic Clinics, we have 

been awarded the Royal College 

of Chiropractors PPMQ – Patient 

Partnership Quality Mark (2023 

-2025) for excellence in meeting 

patient expectations,” says Principal 

Chiropractor, Rainer Wieser. 

Rainer and Chloe collect C3’s award 

Rainer was recently just one of 

only two chiropractors from the 

UK to be selected to work as part 

of a worldwide team at the World 

Games held in Birmingham, USA in 

July 2022. As a recognised member 

of FICS – Federation of International 

Chiropractors in Sports, he 

thoroughly enjoyed his time at the 

games – the second time he’s been 

223-225 Pantbach Road, 

Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6AE 

involved. 

“Working alongside elite sports 

chiropractors from around the 

world who make up the team was 

fantastic. It’s also amazing to treat 

competing athletes who are at the 

top of their game and assisting 

them in achieving their goals and 

get them through injury,” he says. 

C3’s talented team in Rhiwbina 

includes chiropractors Rainer 

Wieser, Chloe Stamper, and Lia 

Biancheri as well as podiatrists 

Lynne Griffiths and Laura Dommett. 

“Here at C3, we use the latest 

techniques and equipment to aid 

patient recovery. These include 

laser therapy and radial shock wave 

therapy. We are finding this therapy 

is an excellent treatment method 

for ailments like tennis elbow, 

plantar fasciitis, jumper’s knee, shin 

splints, calcific tendinitis of the 

shoulder, chronic joint pain, as well 

as painful trigger points. 

“While laser therapy can help 

reduce pain and inflammation 

related to many common 

muscular skeletal conditions, our 

chiropractors treat a variety of 

conditions - more than just backs 

and necks!” 

Podiatry and chiropody services 

are also available at C3: 

C3 offer a full range of podiatry and chiropody 

services at their Rhiwbina Clinic 

“Our podiatry and chiropody 

service is now in its 12th year and 

continues to go from strength 

to strength,” says Rainer. “Our 

podiatrists Lynne and Laura are 

very experienced and treat a wide 

range of foot complaints, including 

ingrown toenails which can be 

incredibly painful. They are qualified 

in toenail surgery and regularly 

assist patients with this painful 

complaint. 

“Our team at C3 pride ourselves of 

having satisfied, informed patients 

and we are delighted to be an 

award-winning clinic!” 

www. c3chiropractic.co.uk 

02920 627888 

CHIROPRACTIC CARE • CHIROPODY/PODIATRY • HYPNOTHERAPY & COUNSELLING 

All under one roof in the heart of Rhiwbina

Calming breath 

Breathing is something we tend to do without thinking but these 

calming techniques can help relieve anxiety and stress 

Abdominal v Chest 

There are two types of breathing - 

diaphragmatic (abdominal) breathing 

and thoracic (chest) breathing. 

Diaphragmatic is the more 

beneficial method as it engages your 

diaphragm and allowing your lungs 

to drive air through your nose and 

mouth more effectively. This usually 

occurs subconsciously when we 

sleep. 

Thoracic breathing involves shorter, 

sharper breaths that come mainly 

from the chest. It's often used when 

we are anxious or in a heightened 

state of stress due to our instinctive 

fight-or-flight reactions. Because it's 

only intended for short-term use, 

more long-term use can lead to 

dizzy spells and light-headedness. 

20 

Alternate-Nostril 

Breathing 

This yoga-based method has 

been proven to reduce blood 

pressure, improve motor 

functions skills, and improve 

memory. 

The reason that it's so effective 

is because it forces us to focus 

solely on our breathing. Using 

your thumb, gently close off one 

nostril at a time and take in a full 

breath, before exhaling it. Then 

try with the opposite nostril. 

Repeat the process up to ten 

times in one go. If you start to 

feel light-headed at any time, 

release the blocked off nostril 

and breathe normally until you 

have readjusted. It's best to be 

seated for this technique. 

Belly Breathing 

Utilising your diaphragm can 

alleviate anxiety and stress. Also 

known as 'belly breathing', this 

method can be used three or 

four times a day to bring about 

calm. 

Find a comfortable, quiet place 

where you can sit or lie down. 

Place one hand on your belly 

and the other on your chest. 

Relax as much as you can and 

then breathe in deeply through 

your nose. Drive the air down 

into your belly, so that your 

hand on your belly moves, but 

the hand on your chest remains 

relatively still.

Box Breathing 

Possibly one of the easiest 

breathing techniques out there, 

box breathing, sometimes 

referred to as square breathing, 

can be done sitting or lying 

down, or sitting upright with a 

straight back. 

Exhale to the count of four, 

emptying your lungs of air and 

then count another four. Inhale 

deeply through your nose for 

another count to four and then 

hold the air in your lungs for 

another count to four. 

Repeat the process again by 

exhaling to the count of four. 

wellbeing 

4-7-8 Breathing 

This method is slightly more 

complicated but acts well to calm the 

nervous system. 

Best practised seated with a straight 

back, push the tip of your tongue to the 

top of your mouth behind your top front 

teeth. Exhale completely through your 

mouth and then inhale through your 

nose to the count of four. Hold the air 

there to the count of seven and exhale 

to the count of eight. 

Lion’s Breath 

Another deep breathing technique 

that draws on our primal instincts, 

the Lion's Breath technique can 

help alleviate body stress, as well 

as pin-pointing stress within the 

facial area. 

This technique is best carried out 

in a sitting position on the floor. 

Lean forward slightly with your 

hands on your knees. 

Spread your fingers as wide as 

they will go. Inhale deeply through 

your nose and then open your 

mouth wide. Stick your tongue out 

and point it down towards the floor. 

Exhale deeply, pushing the air out 

as hard as you can. As you do this, 

make an 'aaaah' sound from deep within. Recover by breathing normally 

for a few moments before repeating again up to eight times. 

Resonance Breathing 

Resonance breathing is a more relaxed 

way of controlling your breathing, and is 

best done lying down. 

Unlike other techniques, the aim is not 

to fill or empty your lungs to capacity 

but to achieve a gentler and conscious 

approach over a longer period of time. 

Inhale to the count of six but not to the 

point where your lungs are full. Then 

exhale gently for another count of six, 

making sure that you don't completely 

empty your lungs. Do this for ten minutes. 

Pursed-Lip Breathing 

Pursed lip breathing can increase the 

amount of oxygen entering the body 

and help get the diaphragm working 

more effectively because it keeps the 

airways open for longer than normal. 

It forces us to take longer and more 

intentional breaths and has been 

proven to be effective in people with 

lung conditions. 

Starting in a sitting position, breathe 

in deeply through your nose before 

exhaling deeply through pursed lips, 

as if you were blowing a long kiss to 

someone across the room. 

Mindfulness Breathing 

Mindfulness and its associated 

meditation techniques fit 

naturally into range of breathing 

techniques because it focuses 

on the awareness of the breath. 

There are various ways of doing 

this in a mindful way and most 

of them use a cue, either verbal 

or in your mind. Breathing in 

as you say (or think) the word 

'inhale' and conversely 'exhale' 

as you breathe out, it forces 

us to become mindful of what 

we are doing in that moment. It 

helps restore brain function by 

switching off from stressful or 

negative thoughts. 

21

All Saints Church 

An inclusive school for 

boys and girls aged 4-18 

Spring Sale 

13th May 

Our Spring Sale takes place outside the Church 

(unless it rains, when it will be in the Hall) on 

Saturday 13th May from 11am to around 1pm. There 

will be stalls with plants and seeds, delicious homemade 

jams and preserves, teas/coffees and cake. The 

City Ringers will also be playing their hand chimes 

and the Rhiwbina Eco Team will be explaining how 

to make Rhiwbina even finer for plants and wildlife. 

All Saints Church, Maes-y-Deri, 

Heol-y-Felin, Rhiwbina, Cardiff 

029 2048 2854 Come and join our happy family! 

www.kingsmonkton.org.uk 

Enquire today by emailing us at 

admissions@kingsmonkton.org.uk 

"Be the best you can be!" 

An excellent education and learning experience 

Here at Kings Monkton School, we deliver the best education to our 

pupils. From our outstanding wellbeing support, excellent staff, and 

individually tailored curriculums to our extracurricular activities and use 

of world class sporting facilities, we create a safe, stable, and nurturing 

environment that encourages your children to be the best they can be. 

We want as many pupils as possible to be part of our Kings Monkton 

family. To support you we will not increase our school fees for the next 

academic year, we will provide free meals to all of our primary pupils, 

we continue to not charge for exams and offer subsidised curricular based 

trips. Come and visit us for a personal appointment and tour. We look 

forward to meeting you. 

Your awardwinning 

local 

opticians 

NHS /Private patients welcome 

Welsh Eye Care Service (WECS) 

Low Vision Service Wales 

On-site glazing and repairs 

All types of contact lenses 

Wide range of excellent value frames from 

budget to designer brands 

Sunglasses 

Friendly husband and wife team 

Varilux specialist 

Based in the heart 

of Rhiwbina 

3a Beulah Road, Rhiwbina, Cardiff CF14 6LT 029 2061 1283

MICHELLE MARSHALL SALON 

HAIR - BEAUTY - WELLNESS 

It’s hard to think of a time before 

Michelle Marshall Salon existed. 

The award-winning hair and 

beauty specialists have embraced 

Rhiwbina and its surrounding areas 

and in return, they’ve become a 

well-loved and much trusted brand. 

Yet it was only eight years ago that 

the salon first opened its doors to 

a curious public - and the rest, as 

they say, is history. 

“I was working in the area but 

decided that the time was right 

to do something bold and bring 

people the vision and treatments 

that I knew I could offer,” says Salon 

Director, Michelle. 

“Choosing Rhiwbina as a place 

to establish our salon was an easy 

decision to make. The sense of 

community around here and its 

sense of belonging meant that I 

didn’t need to look elsewhere. 

“It’s hard to believe that it’s been 

eight years already - a lot has 

happened in that time!” 

And she’s right - multiple awards, 

the opening of a new salon in 

Wyndham Arcade, plus the addition 

of new talent to the team has seen 

the home-grown brand flourish into 

something truly metropolitan. 

The salon is now perhaps the 

premium brand in Cardiff, built 

around the pioneering work of 

Redken products and training. And 

with summer fast approaching, the 

team is on hand to get you holidayready. 

“We’ve got everything you need 

this year,” says Head Beauty 

Therapist, Sian, “whether that’s a 

spray-tan, manicures, pedicures, 

eyelash tints and shaping, as well as 

all aspects of waxing.” 

The team has also introduced new 

colour gels for hair for 2023. 

“Our new Redken colour gel oils 

are a non ammonia permanent hair 

colour. This formula offers 100% 

grey coverage and apricot oil for 

shine. It really rejuvenates your 

hair, it’s gentle on the scalp and it’s 

vegan too.” 

The salon also now stocks new 

supplements that are trusted by 

hair professionals worldwide: 

“Glowwa Hair Food vitamins 

provide daily nutritional support 

for longer, healthier hair growth, 

improved condition, and shine. 

They contain a natural blend of 

hair specific ingredients which 

include Biotin, B12, Zinc, L-Lysine, 

MSM, Niacin, B5, B6, Vitamin C, and 

coconut water for the ultimate at 

home healthy hair treatment. 

“The benefits show that after 

consistent, regular use, customers 

can expect healthy hair growth, 

reduced shedding, improved 

condition and shine, healthy, 

glowing skin, as well as stronger 

nails and other well-being benefits. 

“We like to think of it as 

nourishment from the inside!” says 

Sian. 

The team continues to strive for 

excellence on a daily basis, led from 

the front by Michelle herself. 

“We have two Redken artists inhouse 

and Michelle pushes really 

hard in the regular training that 

we get,” laughs Sian. “She’s always 

looking for ways for us to improve 

as professionals but that’s a good 

thing because every member of the 

team is dependable and skilled.” 

And eight years of excellence 

has helped rack up recognition 

within the industry, most recently 

as finalists at the Welsh Wedding 

Awards. And it’s their happy 

customers who are reaping the 

rewards: 

“We have guests consistently 

come from all over to experience 

both our hair and our beauty - even 

as far away as Pembrokeshire!” 

High praise indeed for the salon 

that has made Rhiwbina its spiritual 

home, but continues to spread 

happiness and gorgeousness 

further afield. 

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25

history 

Rhiwbina reflections 

These memories of our village, written in the 1990s, depicts a 

Rhiwbina of endless summers and carefree days 

My childhood memories take 

me back to the 1920s, back 

to a very different Rhiwbina 

to the one we know today. 

Cars were so few and far between 

that one could cross the main road 

without having to look either way. 

Rhiwbina Garden Village was 

not many years old and the main 

event of the Garden Village year 

was the Rhiwbina Village Fêtes. 

This was always held in June and 

the Saturday chosen was always 

gloriously sunny. 

The fête took place on the 

village green with the children 

intertwining ribbons as they danced 

around the Maypole. There were 

numerous stalls such as Hoopla, 

Coconut Shies, and plenty of 

races. These included the Egg & 

Spoon, the Three-legged, and the 

Wheelbarrow races. My happiest 

memory here was winning a canary 

for my youngest sister that she so 

longed for by throwing a ring right 

over a yellow object on the table. 

26 

I remember shops being on the 

west side only of Heol-y-Deri with 

Thomas & Evans the grocer being 

on the corner where the Principality 

Building Society is today. This was 

a good old-fashioned grocer’s shop 

with personal attention. Here, the 

butter came in boxes to be weighed 

and shaped with butter pats by the 

assistants. 

The sugar came in sacks and the 

tea in tea-chests, all having to be 

weighed up for each customer's 

individual needs. There was always 

an errand boy with a basket on the 

front of his bike, willing to deliver 

The Deri Stores terminal 1920s

your weekly order free of charge. 

A few shops further on was the 

attractive fruit and vegetable shop, 

then owned by relatives of David 

Broome - the champion horseman 

and show jumper. 

Going further north, we came to 

Smarts Tea Gardens. This was a 

favourite spot for families having 

a day out in the country. Open-top 

buses terminated here in those 

days and parents called at the Tea 

Gardens to have an afternoon tea 

under rose-covered, rustic arches; 

meanwhile their children played 

happily on the swings and see-saws 

after devouring their pop and icecream. 

Sadly, these Tea Gardens 

were soon to close to make way for 

the garage and workshops as cars 

became more popular. 

Still working our way northwards, 

we come to the Deri Farm, which 

has since been demolished to 

make way for the Deri pub. The 

farmhouse was surrounded by 

fields with cattle grazing right down 

to where the Mormon Church now 

stands. Perhaps this accounts for 

some of the beautiful lawns that 

now surround the church! 

Turning right at the Deri, we carry 

on up Wenallt Road to the Wenallt 

Reservoir. Here are some of my 

most vivid memories. 

My father was the engineer in 

charge of the building of this 

reservoir. Heavy goods vehicles 

as we know them today were not 

around then so a way had to be 

found of carrying all the heavy 

materials needed, such as concrete, 

sand, and gravel up to the Wenallt 

to build the foundations, floors, and 

walls for this construction. 

To overcome this transport 

problem, an overhead cable 

railway was installed, connecting 

Whitchurch station with the Wenallt. 

The building materials were then 

sent in wagons to the sidings at 

Whitchurch station where buckets 

on this overhead railway were 

filled and carried non-stop from 

Whitchurch to the Wenallt. Here, 

they were emptied and returned 

to Whitchurch station immediately 

to be refilled and sent back to the 

Wenallt. 

This project took some years to 

complete and when it was finished, 

my father took on the responsibility 

of both the Wenallt reservoir and 

the filter beds and reservoirs on 

Rhiwbina Hill. 

This was before the Pantmawr 

estate was built. The only house in 

those days was the Pantmawr Farm, 

surrounded by fields with beautiful 

hills in the background. The farmer 

The filter beds at the Wenallt Reservoir 

always allowed our chapel to have 

one of his fields for us to have our 

Whitsun treat. I remember feeling 

very privileged one year to be 

chosen with a couple of other girls 

to sing a few hymns at his wife’s 

bedside; she was not well enough 

to join us in the field that year. Our 

reward for this was an extra slice 

of Whitsun treat ‘fruitcake’ and an 

extra glass of pop. 

Our home, known as Waterworks 

House, on Rhiwbina Hill, was a 

truly happy and interesting place 

to live. The grounds were extensive 

with orchards, lawns, and beautiful 

flower beds. This gave us plenty 

of room to play all of the games 

we wanted. I remember high days 

and holidays were very often 

spent having pony trap rides with 

our parents to local beaches. 

Unfortunately, a lot of these 

gardens had to be taken away to 

make way for the M4 motorway. 

The necessary flow of water to 

supply Cardiff all those years ago 

was controlled by valves worked by 

hand, opening the valves wide each 

morning and closing them by about 

75% each night. Another interesting 

feature that people would not be 

able to see from the road were the 

underground reservoirs because 

they were covered with well-kept 

lawns. 

These reservoirs had to be 

cleaned out regularly and when 

they were emptied for this purpose, 

I was allowed to go down and see 

each one. I was very surprised to 

see that there were nine rows of 

nine columns marking 81 columns 

in all, supporting each reservoir’s 

roof. 

During the intervening years, 

Rhiwbina and Cardiff expanded 

to such an extent that these filter 

beds and reservoirs were no longer 

adequate to meet the demands of 

the people and are now used for 

storage purposes. The main supply 

of water for our city now comes 

from the Brecon and Llandegfedd 

Reservoirs. 

All of these years of happy 

childhood memories were shared 

with the most kind and caring 

parents one could wish to have. 

Words by the late aunt of Denise 

from Rhiwbina 

Rhiwbina from the air 1920s 

27

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How do you clean your ears? 

In my years of being a Hearing 

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hair grips, glasses arms, and car 

keys. I’m sure nearly everyone is 

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ears they are not supposed to so I’m 

going to explain why the old wives 

tale ‘nothing smaller than your 

elbow’ is so true. 

Our ears are designed by nature 

to be both self-cleaning and selfprotecting 

and that’s why by using 

the wrong cleaning methods, you 

risk causing injury to the ears, 

damaging your hearing, or even 

cause infections. 

Earwax (also called cerumen) is 

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mechanism to work properly. 

Earwax is manufactured by glands 

in the skin of the outer ear canal, the 

hole through which sound travels to 

the eardrum. Earwax serves several 

important functions. It coats the skin 

of the ear canal, repelling water and 

helping to protect it against injury 

and infection. It also helps to keep 

the skin inside the ears from getting 

dry and itchy. 

In addition, earwax traps dust and 

germs, keeping them from reaching 

the eardrum. Usually, you don’t 

need to do anything to help this 

natural cleaning process unless you 

suffer from an impaction that may 

have to be removed. 

Trying to forcibly remove the ear’s 

protective wax layer or stop an itch 

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The ear canal is narrow and 

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This is a sponsored post

the power of sleep 

The lengthening days can tempt 

us to stay up late and get up early. 

Yet sleep is vital for the health of our 

minds and bodies 

Heart health 

A recent study in the US showed that 

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of having poor cardiovascular health. 

Those with obstructed sleep apnea 

experienced a more than 200% 

greater chance of poor heart health 

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Although poor sleep doesn't 

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increase our chances of poor life 

decisions (diet, lifestyle etc) that can 

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30 

Improved moods 

The short-term effect of 

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On a long-term scale, sleep 

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depression, anxiety, and mental 

distress. This in turn, adds to 

stress levels, creating a negative 

cycle of emotions and feelings. 

Getting a good amount of sleep 

will restore your energy levels, 

allowing you to get up in the 

morning and get through the 

day. Prioritising sleep is often the 

first step in taking back control of 

your life. 

Blood sugar levels 

Insulin is the hormone that helps 

sugar (glucose) into our cells, 

which they use for energy. Your 

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This is because blood sugar 

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Getting less than seven hours 

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Mental ability 

Getting enough quality sleep is 

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The reason for this is because it 

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Memories are also developed 

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Medium-term lack of sleep, even 

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Everyday actions such as driving, 

can therefore become riskier 

with the less sleep you have. 

Immune system restoration 

Studies over many decades have shown 

that sleep contributes both to the 

protection from illness, and to the recovery 

of it if we do get ill. This is because your 

body has two levels of immunity: the innate 

and the acquired immune systems. 

The innate system is your first line of 

defence, seeking out anything that doesn't 

belong in your body and destroying it. 

Your acquired immune system is more 

advanced in that it recognises pathogens 

(the baddies) and specifically targets 

them for destruction. Not only that, but it 

remembers them for the next time they try 

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chicken pox more than once. 

Sleep restores your immune system to 

optimal levels to help protect you. 

health 

Stress levels 

Stress and sleep are two uneasy 

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Lack of sleep can increase levels of 

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including our cortisol levels. Cortisol is 

released by our bodies when we are 

stressed and sleep can help balance it. 

Skin replenishing 

While we sleep, our body naturally 

replenishes our skin's moisture levels. Any 

excess hydration is mostly processed for 

removal. 

Collagen is also crucial for keeping your 

skin plump and smooth. During sleep, 

your body generates collagen to help 

keep your skin tight and elasticated. 

Collagen production while you sleep also 

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giving them strength and shine. 

Getting your beauty sleep really is a 

thing! 

Weight loss 

Sleep is often the last thing that comes 

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sleep is crucial to weight loss and it's 

all down to a bit of chemistry. 

As we sleep, our bodies naturally 

produces more of an appetite 

suppressor called leptin, reducing 

production of the appetite stimulant 

ghrelin at the same time. Lack of sleep 

reverses this - increasing production of 

ghrelin while leptin decreases. Makes 

sense to stay in bed now, doesn't it? 

Live longer 

In 2018, researchers found that 

those who slept between seven 

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less than seven hours or more 

than nine hours) could expect to 

have one to three more years of 

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This is most likely down to the 

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affected during sleep. 

Oversleeping (more than 

9 hours in a 24 hour period) 

regularly can also have a 

detrimental effect on your health. 

31

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The cost of this publication have been met by the Senedd 

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history 

The 

Woollen 

Mills 

of Ty'n-y-Parc Road 

Photo: W Morgan Davies/Cardiff Libraries 

By Nigel Lewis 

The history of our ancient 

Whitchurch Parish is 

incredible, but so few people 

seem to know very much. 

If you were asked to produce a list 

of the old industries in the parish, 

you’d probably include the tin 

works at Melingriffith, the College 

Ironworks behind Whitchurch 

Common or perhaps the industries 

in Llandaff North and Tongwynlais 

associated with the canal and the 

railways. 

How many, I wonder would include 

the woollen mills in Ty’n-y-Parc 

Road in Rhiwbina? 

Who even knew there were two 

woollen factories alongside the 

stream by the Masons Arms in 

the 1870s-80s in this corner of the 

village? 

According to the Tithe Map of 1841, 

there was a small hamlet of houses 

and cottages along Ty’n-y-Parc 

Road and around the stream, Nant- 

Waedlyd. There was a detached 

farmhouse (later to become Ty’ny-Parc), 

a farm on the north side 

of the road (Glanynant) and Elm 

Cottage on the south side (later Elm 

Farm). Around these houses were 

a few small cottages and an early 

pub. 

One of the local landowners at 

the time was John Homphray, 

who owned land at Tyn-y-Parc. By 

1869, the Cardiff Times newspaper 

reported that John Homphray was 

said ‘to have decided upon building 

a woollen factory on his own land in 

Whitchurch which, when completed 

will give employment to 60-80 

men, women and children.’ 

Eleven years later, the 1880 

OS map shows that the hamlet 

had expanded with two woollen 

factories and a row of semidetached 

workers' cottages 

(probably single-storey) fronting 

the main road, called Tyn-y-Parc 

Row. Further buildings nearer the 

stream look more substantial and 

might have been managers' houses, 

offices or stores. None of this 

survives today. 

The local woollen industry didn’t 

last long. By the 1900 OS map, Tyny-Parc 

Row was still there, but the 

eastern woollen factory had been 

replaced by cottages. Additional 

terraced cottages had been built 

on the opposite side of the road, 

adjacent to Elm Cottage. 

By 1921, Tyn-y-Parc Row had 

disappeared altogether and was 

replaced by the 14 terraced houses 

we see today on the main road. 

The remaining buildings behind 

were intriguingly called Tyn-y-Parc 

Square! 

Census information is fascinating 

too. In 1861, the local population 

consisted of workers from 

Melingriffith with a few agricultural 

workers. And the local pub was 

called ‘The Swan’. The local 

cottages were called ‘Queens 

Square’ and ‘Park Street’; were these 

local corruptions from ‘Tyn-y-Parc’? 

By 1871, the census refers to 

‘The Square, Tyn y Park Road’, and 

the local population was mainly 

woollen workers, weavers, spinners, 

and a dress maker. There were still a 

few mill workers too. 

There’s a lovely online article 

by Dave Hilling, listing his own 

researches. He tells that the two 

factories produced flannel, a soft 

woven fabric. He believes that the 

western factory (close to where the 

Masons Arms is now) was the first; 

and it could have been converted 

from farm buildings. The eastern 

factory followed c.1860. 

By the end of the century, the 

eastern factory had finished and 

had been converted into six small 

cottages, each with a long rear 

garden with an outside privy at the 

end. The cottages are still there 

today as Upper Tyn-y-Parc Terrace. 

Dave Hilling and his wife lived in 

one in the early 2000s. 

It’s hard to understand the layout 

of the area in 1880s, as so little 

now remains. The wonderful 1911 

photograph from Edgar Chappell’s 

book ‘Old Whitchurch’ shows the 

view eastwards along Ty’n-y-Parc 

Road. Today you’d be queuing to 

turn into the Tesco garage! 

Is the Masons Arms a survivor 

of that time? The brook from 

the photograph has been rerouted, 

and Manor Way confuses 

everything. Glanynant Farm is now 

the site of the Toby Carvery, with 

Elm Cottage replaced by the Tesco 

garage. Even Tyn-y-Parc, home of 

Count Antonio de Lucovich is no 

more (but that’s another story!). 

What happened to the families 

of woollen weavers and spinners; 

the Powells, the Wildes or the 

Morgans? What about Philip Norton 

with his two children and five stepchildren? 

Did they move away, or 

did they simply find alternative 

employment, more suited to the 

changing times? 

Are you part of one of these 

families? Or do you have any 

information to help grow the lost 

history of this part of our local 

village? 

We’d love to hear from you! 

Nigel Lewis is a member of AWEN@ 

thelibrary (awen.cymru@gmail.com) 

35

THE RETURN 

Lulled by winter chill 

and light curtailed, 

we don't recall the toll 

of quick befrilling slug and snail 

But now the thug of trail 

-and toilreturns 

(The tell-tale spiral, unshod shell; 

a 'keely' early caught) 

A cull is mooted; 

brutal! 

Perhaps a shoot; 

disputed! 

Called by daffodils 

and camomile, 

- and lone-consoling rain- 

The gardeners' spring travails 

begin 

In earnest 

(gastropods are versatile) 

As inestimable mouths 

avail themselves of our morale, 

and all our summer plans 

annul. 

Nigel Phillips 

Whitchurch 

36 

Seasonal 

Poems 

OUR FALLEN FRIEND 

For decades rooted in our celtic soul 

Listening to secret woodland whispers 

Watching generations wander through the bluebells 

We wondered at your might 

But still you stood 

Remained our constant 

Strong, unyielding 

Where children elfin like, their laughter crisp, their boots deep in 

your leaves 

Would peep and hide beneath your trunk 

And gaze upwards toward 

Your twisted branches 

Reaching to the sky 

There you remained 

Your age unknown 

A landmark, a forever place 

Unchanged by time 

Unmoved by storms 

You stood steadfast 

Sheltering us 

Sharing the hope that we can face the Winds of time, can still endure 

Until today 

When you lie fallen 

I catch my breath 

I weep for you 

My fallen Wenallt friend 

And all who shared your wonder 

Claire Erasmus 

Rhiwbina

poetry 

Poems penned by the local community 

BLUEBELLS BOWED THEIR HEADS 

I walked here, in ‘Fforest Ganol’ Woods, 

Before much of life had happened to me. 

Normally, hand in hand, with a teenage love 

Branches tangled above our careless heads 

Trying not to tread on the ringing Bluebell carpet 

That grew there then, and still does today, 

A perfect illustration of Wordsworth’s line 

‘Splendour in the grass. Glory in the flower’ 

And how nothing could, and can ever, regain 

The mindless moments of our younger times 

When all we sought was simple sweetness 

On the cusp between ‘Innocence and Experience’ 

Moving from childhood ‘crush’, carrying her books 

To proper passion growing, like a loving bruise 

For all to see. Mindful maturity. Or its beginnings. 

And in this Midsummer Night’s Dream 

Of a Springtime place, we strolled arm in arm 

Hopeful and harmless. ‘Love’s young dream’ 

Scheming and plotting our Saturday night 

At ‘The Monico Cinema’. Eating sweets 

And unwrapping our hearts. But beginning 

To feel the chill winds of changes coming, 

As ticking Trickster time toyed with us, 

And our perfect rhyme became blank verse 

As terse chronology and hour-glass sand 

Dictated to us, ever more insistently, 

And eventually, as night follows day 

Took me away to where new flowers bloomed 

In flat, Cambridge meadows, as yet unseen. 

To stretch, in Summer grass, with brand new lovers. 

While, in the familiar fields 

Beneath old our familiar trees 

Bluebells bowed their heads 

And returned, at last, to earth. 

HERE IN THIS 

GARDEN 

Here in this garden the pleasant 

sunlight rays 

Fall on blooms that hang from 

ancient wall 

And gently flow into a coloured 

maze 

There scents to creatures reach 

that heed its call, 

How I like them I am when within 

your gaze 

As under your charm I quickly fall 

And voices turn into a murmured 

haze 

So great it does my soul enthrall, 

And so it has been for many days 

As do I walk from hall to hall 

Though would I for you presence 

praise 

And wish of your time so ever 

small, 

So do I miss thee that my heart 

does ache 

And would I willingly your hand 

to take. 

David W Morris 

Llandaff North 

Roger Stennett 

37

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Mrs Jones 

Mrs Jones was anxious that she wouldn't 

get her Winter copy of Rhiwbina Living. 

The weather was frightful and it got dark 

so early. She liked looking at the adverts 

over a cup of tea, she told us. It made her 

feel connected to her community. 

She had no need to be anxious. Mrs 

Jones has received a copy of Rhiwbina 

Living through her door since November 

2007. She's also been seeing the adverts 

on the iPaddy-thingy-bob her daughter 

bought her for Christmas. 

We personally walk over 200 miles every 

issue to make sure that you get your copy. 

That's 200 miles on every street, up every 

driveway, and into every letterbox in the 

village. 

Our commitment to getting a copy of 

Rhiwbina Living to every house in the CF14 

6 postcode means that Mrs Jones got her 

Winter copy of Rhiwbina Living. 

She'll also be at home with a cup of 

tea right now, looking at the adverts and 

feeling connected to her community. 

www.livingmags.co.uk

LESSONS IN CHEMISTRY 

Chemist Elizabeth Zott is not your 

average woman. In fact, Elizabeth 

Zott would be the first to point out 

that there is no such thing. 

But it's the early 1960s and her 

all-male team at Hastings Research 

Institute take a very unscientific view 

of equality. Forced to resign, she 

reluctantly signs on as the host of a 

cooking show, Supper at Six. But her 

revolutionary approach to cooking, 

fuelled by scientific and rational 

commentary, grabs the attention of a 

nation. 

Soon, a legion of overlooked 

housewives find themselves daring 

to change the status quo. One 

molecule at a time. 

This multi-million copy best-seller is 

the Winner of the Goodreads Choice 

Best Debut Novel Award and has 

been read on BBC Radio 4's Book at 

Bedtime. 

SPRINGbooks 

If you're looking for engaging books to read 

while you sit in the sun, here's our handpicked 

selection for this season 

books 

BLOOM 

A beautifully written, incredibly 

original and wickedly funny novel 

for listeners of 10 and older - 

Bloom is for everyone who has 

ever felt like they didn’t fit in and 

for anyone who has ever wanted a 

little more colour and wildness in 

their lives 

BEFORE WE WERE INNOCENT 

A summer in Greece for three best friends 

ends in the unthinkable when only two return 

home in this new novel from Ella Berman. 

'Before We Were Innocent takes a scenario 

we’ve seen in news reports—young women 

abroad falsely accused of a horrific crime—and 

gives it all the nuance and empathy that the 

media never bothered with...a haunting and 

dazzling page-turner.' Laura Hankin 

OTHERLANDS 

From Ice Age 

Alaska to the 

birthplace 

of humanity, 

palaeobiologist 

Thomas Halliday 

takes his readers 

on a dazzling 

tour of deep 

time to witness 

astounding 

ancient 

landscapes 

from all seven 

continents 

around the globe. 

THE LILAC GIRLS OF 

RAVENSBRÜCK 

New York socialite Caroline 

Ferriday has her hands full 

with her post at the French 

consulate and a new love on 

the horizon. But Caroline's 

world is forever changed 

when Hitler's army invades 

Poland in September 1939- 

and then sets its sights on 

France. 

Rich with historical detail 

and riveting to the end, 

Lilac Girls weaves the 

lives of three astonishing 

women into a story of 

extraordinary moral power. 

39

A Beautiful Mess 

When Lauren makes a routine visit to see her mother at the care home, little does 

she know that the turn of events that unfold will reveal a shocking family secret 

"I want to go home now. Can you 

take me home?" 

"You know I can't take you home 

Mam. Why don't you come away 

from that window and have a cup 

of tea? I'll get the nice man to make 

one for you." 

"He'll be here soon." 

"Who?" 

Mam never answered. She just 

continued to peer out of the 

second-floor window, down on to 

the car park below. Lauren had long 

given up trying to get her mother 

to sit still. Ever since she'd arrived 

at Springmeadows Nursing Home 

two years ago, Mam had taken to 

standing at the window for hours on 

end. 

Endlessly waiting. 

Lauren shifted to get comfy on 

Mam's bed and reopened the TV 

Weekly she'd been reading. Mam 

finally turned from the window but 

as soon as her gaze had broken 

away from the slow evening scene 

outside, there was a growl of an 

engine and a squeak of car brakes. 

Mam spun around quickly and 

darted back to the vista. 

"Damn. It not him," she quipped. 

“He said he'd come for me soon." 

"So you keep saying, Mam. There's 

no Emmerdale tonight, by the way. 

There's football on instead." 

Mam gave up, shuffled across the 

wooden floor and lowered herself 

slowly into her little-used arm chair. 

"Bloody football. That's all there 

ever is on telly. Stupid bloody 

game." 

"Dad used to love it." 

"Tell me about it," said Mam. "That's 

all I ever heard about. That's one 

thing I don't miss." 

"Football?" asked Lauren. 

"The constant conversations about 

it. Like I was bloody interested! 

Anyway. He'll be here soon. It's 

been a lonely six years." 

Lauren looked up from the TV 

listings. 

"Dad died seven years ago, Mam." 

Mam looked a little confused and 

then looked down at her crinkled 

fingers in her lap. Lauren laid the 

magazine on the bed and stood up. 

"I'm going to get you a cup of tea 

before I go. Richard will be picking 

me up soon." 

40 

__ 

Lauren made her way to the kitchen 

down the corridor, where she found 

Pete, the nurse. He had a kind face 

and a chapel-grey voice that would 

wrap its arms around you and give 

you a big squeezy hug when you 

needed it most. 

"Am I able to get Mam a cup of 

tea?" asked Lauren. 

"Yes, of course. Do you want one?" 

"I've got time for a last cup of tea 

with her. A quick one though. I need 

to be going soon. It's getting late." 

Lauren paused for a moment, 

looking concerned. 

"What are we going to do about 

Mam?" 

Pete set about making two cups of 

tea while they spoke. 

"What do you mean?" 

"About the fact that she's always at 

the window. Waiting." 

"I know. Nothing seems to have 

changed since the last time we 

spoke about it. I think it's just one of 

those things." 

"Are you able to get her some 

different books from the library 

downstairs? I think she's lost the 

plot. She's reading too much of 

that Mills & Boon rubbish. She 

used to love a good ol' Catherine 

Cookson book before she got into 

that saccharine happily-ever after 

nonsense. Or maybe they've got 

some Agatha Christie down there? 

A good old murder mystery might 

distract her from standing at the 

window all day." 

"I'll take a look for you." 

"Do you think it's dementia?" 

"I'm not so sure. It doesn't really fit 

with dementia. We found her at the 

window the other night and it took 

us a while to get her back to bed." 

"Who is she waiting for? Has she 

ever said?" 

"No idea. Whenever a car or van 

pulls up outside, she's there at the 

window," said Pete. 

"You won't let her wander off 

will you? Knowing her, she's 

probably met some fancy man on 

the internet. I don't want any old 

stranger turning up and taking her 

away." 

"I wouldn't worry. I don't think 

she even knows what the internet 

is. And our security is top notch. 

It's like Fort Knox down there. We 

don't let anyone in and we don't let 

anyone out unless we say so!" 

Pete finished making the two cups 

of tea and held them out to Lauren. 

"Here you go." 

__ 

"I've got a cup of tea here for you." 

Lauren found Mam back at the 

window. 

"I never asked for one," Mam 

snapped without dropping her gaze. 

Lauren sighed. She couldn't win. 

She placed the two cups of tea 

down on the bedside table and 

resumed her place on the bed. 

"I've asked Pete to get you some 

new books from the library," she 

said, picking up one of Mam's Mills 

& Boon books. She looked it over, 

almost with disgust. 

"I'm enjoying the ones I've got, 

thank you." 

"They're not healthy for you. 

They're not real life." 

"They take me back to my happy 

days," said Mam. Lauren took a 

look at the man on the front cover. 

The illustration of the man, shirt 

unbuttoned to the waist, stood over 

a pretty woman, looking helplessly 

up at him. Lauren couldn't imagine 

Dad in such dashing pose. Lauren 

read the title out aloud. 

"A Beautiful Mess." 

Mam peered out of the window. 

"It was a beautiful mess," said Mam. 

"I just fell in love," she muttered. 

"So you keep telling us." 

"I didn't mean to fall in love. It just 

happened." 

"Happens to us all," Lauren sighed. 

"We never existed in the real 

world," said Mam. There was a slight 

smile on her face. Her mind was 

miles away. 

"We'd go for walks. Long, endless 

walks. And then we'd stop and kiss. 

And those kisses - boy - the world 

would melt away. It'd just be us and 

the stars." 

"You said Dad was a rubbish kisser." 

Mam turned and looked at Lauren. 

"I'm not taking about your father." 

Lauren's head jolted back slightly. 

"I don't think Dad would have been 

happy with that, Mam." 

Mam smiled.

"He had no idea." 

As Mam looked longingly out of 

the window once more, Lauren 

scooped up the books and quietly 

slipped them into her tote bag and 

stood up. 

"I need to get going. Richard's on 

his way - he's waiting to go golfing. 

I'll come and see you tomorrow." 

Mam turned around with a wry 

smile on her face. Then she 

returned her eyes to the 

disappearing day outside. 

__ 

It was just a short walk for Lauren 

from the main entrance of the 

nursing home to Richard's car, 

where he sat waiting. Lauren 

stopped and looked up at Mam's 

window. She was there - of course 

she was there - and she gave a little 

wave. 

The evenings were getting 

noticeably brighter now. The deep 

blue hue that saturated the car park 

comforted Lauren. Warmer, longer, 

and easier days were on their way. 

A blackbird hopped up on to the 

picket fence and let out a short 

flute-like song. It quickly glanced 

at Lauren and then dashed off into 

the nearby bushes. Lauren inhaled 

a chestful of the clean spring air, 

thanked the blackbird for his song, 

and got into her husband's car. 

__ 

At first, Lauren couldn't figure out 

which phone was ringing. She lifted 

her head off her pillow and caught 

sight of her mobile phone buzzing 

on her bedside table. She reached 

over and groggily answered. 

"Hi. Lauren. It's Pete. I'm so sorry 

to bother you. Can you come to the 

home?" 

"What's happened?" 

"I'd rather tell you face to face." 

"Pete. I can't do suspense. Just tell 

me now. What's happened?" 

Pete paused. "She's gone." 

"What do you mean gone? Gone 

where? Who took her?" 

"No. I mean she's gone. She's 

passed." 

Lauren couldn't compute the 

words that she'd just heard. 

"Dead?" 

"I'm so, so sorry," said Pete. 

There was a pause as Lauren tried 

to articulate the thoughts that were 

thumping around her head. 

"Are you still there?" asked Pete. 

"Yes. Erm...just thinking 

practicalities. Richard's been 

drinking." She looked at him snoring, 

oblivious to the awful news. 

"Shall I come pick you up?" asked 

Pete. "You're not too far away." 

Lauren thought for a moment. 

"Erm. No. It's ok. I'll wait until first 

light. I'll get a taxi down. There's 

nothing I can do by being there. 

Thank you." 

"They'll have taken her by then." 

Lauren sighed. She thought back 

to the wave she'd got from the 

window just a few hours earlier. 

"That's ok." 

__ 

Lauren was sat on Mam's bed. She 

could hear the blackbird's morning 

song outside and the room was 

quiet and still. 

Pete was stood in the doorway. His 

cheery face looked sullen. 

"I just can't believe it," said Lauren, 

clutching Mam's cardigan. 

"We can't either. Are you ok?" 

"I'm not sure." 

"Sorry. Stupid question. Take as 

long as you want. There's no rush. 

I'll be in the room next door if you 

need me." 

"Thank you." 

Pete turned but stopped. 

"Oh. She was clutching this when 

we found her. We thought you'd 

want it back for the family album." 

Pete gently waved a thin, long strip 

of black and white photo booth 

photos at her. 

"Thanks." 

"I'll just pop it down here." Pete 

leaned forward and placed the 

photographs on Mam's bedside 

table. Lauren stood and went to the 

window, where Mam has spent so 

many hours. She tried to imagine 

the things that Mam would have 

been thinking. 

There was a sudden squeak of 

car brakes and Lauren instinctively 

looked down. The postman got out 

of his van and went around to the 

back to open his doors. Though it 

felt like it, life hadn’t stopped. 

Lauren came away from the 

window and looked down at the 

book on the bedside table. A 

contraband Mills & Boon special. 

She picked it up and scrunched up 

her mouth at it. 

"So he never came after all? Even 

imaginary men are a let-down." 

She put the book back down and 

looked around the room. There was 

a vase of plastic flowers; a bottle 

of unopened face cream; the TV 

Weekly, still open on the previous 

day's listings, and with Mam's 

favourite shows circled. 

Lauren slumped onto the bed. She 

picked up Mam's pillow and put her 

face in it. She took a long inhale and 

then placed the pillow back. Then 

short story 

she picked up the photo that Pete 

had placed there. She held it up to 

her face. 

Her eyebrows dropped. The corner 

of her mouth skewed. And then she 

let out an audible gasp. 

She put her hand to her mouth for 

a few moments. Then looked for 

Pete. 

"Pete!" she called out. There was 

no immediate answer. 

"Peter!" Pete appeared in the 

doorway. 

"You ok?" 

Lauren held the strip of photos up 

to show him. 

"Who is this man?" 

"Your father, isn't it?" 

Lauren looked at the photo again. 

"No. Absolutely not!" 

Pete moved in closer. 

"Well who is it?" he asked. 

"That's what I'm asking you!" 

Pete sat on the bed next to Lauren 

and together, they sat in silence, 

studying the photos. 

The strip contained three photo 

booth photos. Mum was clearly 

sitting on this man's lap and in 

the first photo, they were staring 

directly into the camera together. 

The second photo, Mam was 

looking adoringly at the stranger 

who was still smiling at the camera. 

And in the final one, they were 

kissing. A moment in time, captured 

forever. 

"She looks so happy," murmured 

Pete. 

"Almost too happy," said Lauren. 

She had never seen her mother 

look so happy and radiant. Never 

seen her so content. So in love. 

And there was a look in Mam's eye. 

Lauren recognised it instantly. It 

was the same look she herself had 

when she had fallen in love with 

someone she shouldn't have. 

"Did you read the note?" 

"What note?" 

Pete pointed at a piece of paper 

that was lying next to the Mills & 

Boon book. 

She took it and unfolded it. It was 

unmistakably Mam's writing. Lauren 

recognised the beautiful swirls and 

elegant lines. And for once, it was 

written with total clarity, like she 

used to, back in the day. 

Lauren read out what was written: 

"He's here! He's here! He's finally 

here!" 

Lauren sat in silence for a few 

moments and glanced at the photo. 

Then she turned to Pete. 

"So he was real," she said quietly. 

"And he did come for her." 

By Patric Morgan 

41

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A Shilling Tea 

How we celebrated a coronation back in the 1950s 

It was nearly 60 years ago since we 

last celebrated a coronation. And 

just as the UK will be observing 

King Charles's coronation in 

May, many took to the streets to 

celebrate the ascension of Queen 

Elizabeth II in 1953. 

Back in those days, the country 

was a very different place. Warimposed 

rations, although not 

completely lifted, still had an 

effect on day-to-day life. National 

restrictions on sweets, chocolate, 

eggs, and cream were lifted prior to 

the Queen's coronation but sugar 

was still limited. 

As is traditional for royal events, 

flags and bunting were an allimportant 

necessity for the street 

party celebrations. Trestle tables 

were often laid out in the middle 

of streets and everyone would 

bring home-made foods for people 

to share. Having endured the 

hardships of World War II, many 

were used to the idea of communal 

sharing. And much like the Royal 

Wedding of Charles and Diana 

back in 1981, children were given 

souvenir coronation mugs and 

plates. 

The weather in London that 

day wasn't what everyone had 

been hoping for. The weather 

on Coronation Day itself (2nd 

June 1953) was particularly 

rough and followed summer-like 

weather throughout May. In fact, 

a week before the coronation, 

temperatures had been topping 

30°C in the London area. 

Here in Cardiff, we fared a little 

better. The day had started off 

cloudy but sunny spells developed, 

allowing for street parties and 

community get-togethers. 

Even so, many people took 

to watching the coronation on 

television. The BBC's coverage of 

the coronation was considered 

a landmark event in TV history. It 

was the first service to be televised 

and for many people in the UK, 

it was the first time they had 

watched an event on television. 

Richard Dimbleby provided the 

commentary. Others listened in on 

the radio coverage but sales of TV 

sets rocketed after the coronation. 

Prince Charles was the first child 

to witness his mother's coronation 

as Sovereign. Princess Anne did 

not attend the ceremony as she 

was considered too young at 

the time. 

One of the more memorable 

sights of the day was the 

Queen of Tonga who smiled 

and laughed throughout 

the proceedings despite the 

pouring rain. She even refused 

to put her car's roof up to keep 

her dry. She made a cutting 

contrast to our own seriouslooking 

royal family. 

On the same day, word 

reached the world that Edmund 

Hilary and Tenzing Norgay had 

made it to the summit of Mount 

Everest. The Queen later presented 

the members of the expedition with 

special edition Coronation medals. 

In total, 8,251 guests attended 

the Queen's coronation ceremony 

at Westminster Abbey that day. 

Hundreds of thousands more 

across the UK joined them. 

My late grandmother, Mrs. 

Katie Evans, who died in 1976 

and who lived at 46 Lon Isa, 

Rhiwbina for over thirty years, 

was a keen member of Rhiwbina 

Townswomen’s Guild. 

In the back of one of her old 

cookery books, handwritten 

by her, are plans for two 1953 

Coronation teas- a shilling tea 

and a sixpenny tea. These were 

obviously planned with the Guild 

in mind and illustrate clearly the 

plain and somewhat austere 

menus of the 1950s. 

The planned menus catered 

for 200 people, and included 

sandwiches, cakes, fruit salads, 

jelly, tea, and home-made jams. 

The pencil-written menus have 

faded over time but are still 

legible. 

Julie Winkler, Creigiau 

43

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Street 

Coronation 

Coronation season is upon us. Time to whip out the bunting, put on the 

sun hats and rustle up some traditional party snacks for the big day 

Mini sausage rolls 

400g sausage meat or sausages 

375g pack ready-rolled puff pastry 

½ small garlic clove 

handful of chopped parsley 

1 beaten egg, to glaze 

pinch of salt 

☐ Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/gas mark 

6. Mince the garlic and add the pinch of salt to it. 

Place the garlic into 50ml cold water along with 

the parsley and mix thoroughly. 

☐ Blitz the sausage meat in a food processor (if 

you are using sausages, remove the skin first). 

Add the garlic water into the mixture and then 

season with pepper. Continue blending until the 

mixture is well combined. 

☐ Unravel the pastry onto a chopping board 

and halve lengthways. Allocate the sausage 

mixture into two portions and add each portion 

to the length of each pastry strip in a tubular 

shape, stopping short of each edge by about 

2cms. 

☐ Wrap the pastry tightly around the sausage 

meat mixture and then brush the ends with the 

beaten egg to fasten them down. 

☐ Slice each roll into 8-10 pieces, around 2-3 

cms long, and place onto a baking sheet. 

☐ Add the rest of the beaten egg to the pastry 

to glaze it. 

☐ Bake for 30-35 mins or until the pastry is 

puffed and crisp and the sausage meat has 

cooked through. 

☐ Serve with tomato ketchup or brown sauce 

and napkins. 

46

Scotch eggs 

5 large eggs 

300g good-quality pork sausages, 

skinned 

1 tsp black peppercorns, crushed 

140g cooked ham, shredded 

25g sage, apple & onion stuffing mix 

1 tsp chopped sage 

1 tsp chopped thyme 

1 tsp chopped parsley 

100g plain flour, seasoned, plus extra 

for dusting 

100g dried breadcrumbs 

sunflower oil, for frying 

☐ Bring a pan of salted water to the 

boil, then gently place four of the 

eggs into the pan. Simmer for 7 mins 

30 seconds exactly. Take the eggs out 

and place them into a bowl of iced 

water. Leave them to cool completely, 

and once cooled, peel them and set 

to one side. 

☐ Add the sausage meat, pepper, 

ham, stuffing, and herbs into a 

small bowl. Combine the mixture 

thoroughly and then divide it into four 

equal balls. Place one of the balls in a 

Earl Grey 

Punch 

180ml white rum 

1 tbsp Earl Grey tea 

120ml orange juice 

60ml apricot brandy 

60ml freshly squeezed lime juice 

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice 

1 tsp honey 

4 dashes of bitters to taste 

Ice 

Handful of fresh mint leaves 

☐ Combine the white rum and Earl 

Grey tea in a small bowl . Allow the 

mixture to sit for 2 hours. 

☐ Strain the mixture and add to a 

small pitcher. Add the orange juice, 

apricot brandy, lime juice, lemon juice, 

honey, and bitters. Stir well and serve 

over ice with fresh mint leaves. 

piece of cling film and squash until it’s 

as flat as you can get it. Dealing with 

one egg at a time, lightly flour each 

cooked egg and use the cling film to 

help roll the sausage meat around the 

egg to completely encase it. Repeat 

the process with the remaining 

sausage balls and eggs. 

☐ Beat your remaining egg and 

place it on a plate. Add the flour and 

breadcrumbs on two separate plates 

Eton Mess 

500g fresh strawberries, plus extra 

for serving 

125g fresh raspberries, plus extra for 

serving 

2 tbsp caster sugar or granulated 

sugar 

360ml full fat cream 

120ml full fat mascarpone cheese 

70g ready-made meringues 

food 

nearby. Roll the encased eggs in the 

flour, then the beaten egg and lastly, 

the breadcrumbs. 

☐ Heat 5cms of the oil in a wide 

saucepan or wok until a few 

breadcrumbs turn golden after 10 

seconds in the oil. Lower as many 

eggs as you can into the oil, and cook 

for 8-10 minutes until golden and 

crispy. Drain on kitchen paper, leave to 

cool a while, and then serve halved. 

☐ Chop the strawberries into 

quarters and place in a large bowl. 

Add raspberries and sprinkle sugar 

over the fruit. Stir until everything is 

coated and place to one side. 

☐ In a separate bowl, whip the 

cream using an electric mixer until 

soft peaks form. Then stir through 

the mascarpone cheese. 

☐ Crush the meringues by hand. In a 

large bowl, gently fold together the 

fruit, whipped cream and crushed 

meringue. 

☐ Serve in individuals bowls, and top 

with extra fresh fruit.. 

47 

47

Rhiwbina Living Spring 2023

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