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Aberdare’s MP Ann Clwyd made a thoughtful contribution to the Burma debate yesterday : “
I was flying over Burma at about 1 am this morning, and I wondered what was happening below in that country. Like many, I have not had the opportunity to visit it, but I have been to the border camps and I have for the past three years been the chair of the human rights committee of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, which deals with the human rights of parliamentarians in trouble. We have over a five-year period heard from the Burmese in opposition, some of whom were elected in 1990. They have told us about the plight of their colleagues in Burma, and the stories are tragic. Members should be particularly concerned about the plight of our fellow parliamentarians who, unlike us, are not able to stand on any platform and speak out, or to practise their mandates.”
All of Ann Clwyd’s contributions to the Burma debate in the House of Parliament are available online here. There is a detailed profile on the Cynon Valley MP on the TheyWorkForYou website, including contributions, voting records, and details on expenses. Nowadays it is possible to keep tabs on one’s Member of Parliament and read their Parliamentary contributions almost instantaneously. You can even request a free copy delivered in your e-mail intray!
It’s hard to keep a straight face and a steady camera when one of these mighty birds is oogling you inches from your face. At Aberdare Park boating lake this week one of these dark coloured geese came a little too close for comfort. They are greedy and inquisitive and face a constant battle with their other instinct… the instinct to stay away from people for the sake of self-preservation.
There is another famous Aberdare Park situated in Kenya. But who needs to travel thousands of miles to strange and foreign lands, when we have our very own collection of wildlife on the doorstep in Aberdare, Wales.
Treat yourself to an Authentic Souvenir from Aberdare :
a vial of Aberdare Air.
Captured in the centre of Aberdare Town on a cold Autumn day.
For external use and visual consumption only.
May be diluted, as required.
Bid today to avoid disappointment.
You are worth it.
Cardiff recognised the contribution of David Lloyd George nearly fifty years ago with a prominent statue erected in Gorsedd Gardens, opposite the National Museum of Wales. It has taken London a lot longer to pay tribute. Today at 2pm a statue of David Lloyd George is being unveiled in Parliament Square.
The Lloyd George Society explains the background : “in Parliament Square there is no memorial to Lloyd George there, nor in any other street or square in London. Hence the David Lloyd George Statue Appeal, a charitable trust, was set up to rectify this situation. HRH The Prince of Wales became royal patron and Professor Glynn Williams was chosen as sculptor by a panel of advisers under the chairmanship of Lord Heseltine.”
Commenting on the unveiling of the statue of David Lloyd George in Parliament Square today, Acting Liberal Democrat Leader Vince Cable MP said:
“This is a long-awaited tribute to a man who is generally regarded as the most radical social reformer to have led this country.
“Lloyd George created modern liberalism by marrying a belief in freedom with a sense of social justice.
“Both as Chancellor and Prime Minister he was ambitious to bring about changes which helped ordinary people. His pensions and national insurance scheme launched the welfare state and as Prime Minister he focused on core issues of health, education and housing. He was also an ardent campaigner for devolution and he gave women the vote.
“Furthermore he was Britain’s war leader through the most difficult years of the First World War.
“I would like to extend my congratulations to all who have been involved in campaigning for and creating this statue for this great Liberal leader.”
*Note : the photographs are of Michael Rizzello’s statue of Lloyd George in Gorsedd Gardens, Cardiff
The Aberdare economy was built on coal which was exported all over the world.
Nowadays the coal mines are all closed.
So instead we export something far more precious… Comedy.
Aberdare’s hottest comedy export is Elvis Preseli aka Geraint Benney, the only bald, Welsh speaking Elvis in the world.
This year Elvis Preseli is in hot demand on the other side of Europe. Elvis Preseli performed live at Runway Fest in Croatia recently in a unique festival held on a runway. The festival showcased the best dance music talent from across Europe, with Djs from every major European Country playing. Elvis Preseli represented Wales.
It is exactly a year since we wrote about
the forgotten people of Hirwaun. In our report we tried to convey the basic facts which went unreported by Trinity Mirror, publishers of the Cynon Valley Leader.
The willingness of working people to respond to the challenge of overdevelopment in Hirwaun was a story we could not ignore.
Events have moved on swiftly since then : the English housing developer seeking to build several hundred homes in the last remaining green space in Hirwaun (the Gloucester site and nearabouts) had their planning application rejected by Rhondda Cynon Taff Council. They have since appealed against that decision, and this has led to the decision being reviewed by the Welsh Assembly.
There will therefore be a public inquiry at Hirwaun on Tuesday 23rd October 2007, held at Hirwaun Community Centre. Starting promptly at 10am. The Public Inquiry may run for two days.
Why should you bother to attend such a public meeting ? Karen Morgan of Action for Hirwaun puts it eloquently and passionately thus : “Please, please give some of your time to help save the Gloucesters by attending some or all of the inquiry and having your voices heard. If we all continue to stand together as a community, we have a good chance of winning and we’ll have some kind of legacy to leave behind for our children and grandchildren to enjoy.”
This statue is of David Lloyd George (1863-1945) : Liberal politician. MP for Caernarfon 1890-1945. Chancellor of the Exchequer 1908-15. Prime Minister 1916-22.
It is located at Gorsedd Gardens opposite the National Museum of Wales.
The statue was unveiled on 8th July 1960. Both fists are clenched and the right arm is outstretched. The posture is pugnacious. If Lloyd George was wearing shorts and small shirt, you would mistake him for a Welsh boxer.
The statue was designed by Michael Rizzello (1926-2004). There is a series of photographs detailing the process of making this Lloyd George statue on the Michael Rizzello website, at http://www.michaelrizzello.com/lloyd/
For a full set of photographs of Lloyd George at Gorsedd Gardens please visit the Gallery.
As we approach winter, the squirrels at Aberdare Park prepare themselves for the cold, lean months ahead.
The coat of the grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) becomes thicker and they gain weight in readiness for the lean months of winter. The winter coat of the squirrels is much greyer than the summer coat which is far more brownish.
The grey squirrel does not hibernate in the winter months and therefore they have to prepare to survive by other means. The squirrel’s drey or nest becomes thicker in the winter.
At this time of year it is possible to watch the Aberdare Park squirrels gather and hide nuts for the winter. The nuts are found not by memory but by scent. As it is now late October, much of the acorn and other nuts have already been taken into store.
Girl by Robert Thomas, looking lonely in an autumn Gorsedd Gardens in Cardiff this week.
There is a full set of photographs of the Girl in the Gallery.
The sculptor Robert Thomas (1926-1999) is a familiar part of Central Cardiff. He has four sculptures on permanent display in Cardiff Queen Street : the Nye Bevan, Mother and Son, Family, and Miner.
Photographs of all five works by Robert Thomas are available in our Gallery.
Tabernacle Independent Chapel, Fishguard.
Hidden away in a side-street in Fishguard town, Pembrokeshire.
St Mary’s Church, Fishguard : According to scholars from the
University of Lampeter in their Imaging the Bible Project website, “St Mary’s Parish Church, Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, was built in 1855–57 on the site of a medieval chapel, to the designs of an amateur architect, Thomas Clark of Trowbridge. The church is in an idiosyncratic Romanesque style, but contains several features of interest, including important work by
John Petts (1986 and 1989) and Celtic Studios (1953, 1969 and 1970).” – Reference
http://www.imagingthebible.org/wales/research/fieldwork/fishguard.html
Note – the Imaging the Bible website (see link above) has some examples of the interior of this Church including stained glass designs by John Petts
Hermon Capel y Bedyddwyr, Abergwaun – Hermon Welsh Baptist Church, Fishguard
According to Ceridwen at the Geograph project website : “An impressive chapel in the High Street with a strikingly original facade, built in 1832 (the other date 1776 presumably represents an earlier foundation). The subtle dark and light green colour scheme enhances the classical simplicity of the architecture.”
The Bethel English Baptist Church, is situated in West Street in the harbour village of Fishguard, Pembrokeshire.
It was built in 1908.
According to Bethel Baptist Church’s website : “We are a small congregation of about 35 members, dedicated to the preaching of the gospel and the furtherance of God’s kingdom here on earth.
Bethel is a small church with a “Big” welcome. Visitors and visiting preachers alike frequently comment on the warmth of the welcome they receive.
Although we do not currently have a minister, we are blessed by the messages we receive each week from visiting speakers that attend on a regular basis and who have become firm friends.”
Gwylio y gwenyn yn dawnsio ar flodau’r saets.
If only the playwright Frank Vickery was available on the NHS ! Imagine how many ailments could be cured through comedy therapy. But don’t wait until your local GP can prescribe Frank Vickery for you… visit your local Coliseum Theatre this week where A Night on the Tiles, Frank Vickery’s latest pacey comedy, is running until Saturday.
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