FREE NEWSLETTER  PUBLISHED QUARTERLY  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 FREE

LLANGOED  GLANRAFON   ON-LINE

WE’RE STILL IN PRINT! in store for us as we coast slowly through a pleasant autumn and into winter. What a year! Confusion is the name of the game, with all manner of restrictions governing our existence in one way or Just as things looked as if they were edging back to something another; no two locked-down areas seem to be using the approaching normality, local lockdowns have started to become the norm in many places. same set of rules. Whatever’s happening wherever, though, we’re delighted to be printing a bumper number of The Puffin, and Gwynedd look as if they’re two of the 'lucky' even though its availability is limited to the usual outlets: areas, with a low incidence of infection, but in mid-October the McColl’s (), Canolfan Beaumaris Leisure Centre, picture in Bangor, a university city, changed with the Central Bakery, Ena’s Newsagents, imposition of a lockdown, followed Spar and the Town Hall (Beaumaris) closely by a -wide fortnight’s and the Owain Glyndŵr (Llanddona). lockdown. As we edge towards publication of this number there’s COVID-19 information You’ll recall talk also of another lockdown of the receiving our special COVID-19 same sort early next year, so it number of The Puffin in April. looks as if it’s more 'interesting Rules and regulations have times ahead' for us all. changed since then, and All that we can do is keep our fingers businesses have adapted as well as crossed and hope that this latest they can to the needs of people in lockdown means that we’re able to general. Much of the information return to a relatively normal life given in it will still be relevant or, by before long. What effect might things using the links given in it, will lead like local lockdowns and 'groups of you to the most up-to-date six' have on family gatherings, information. celebrations and life generally? The If you’ve mislaid it, you’ll find it at simple answer is that nobody knows. www.seiriolalliance.co.uk/ Some of us will have sailed through newsletters/; look for Coronavirus the first lockdown with little or no Announcement and you’ll find it in difficulty, considering being locked Welsh and English. down as no more than an enduring Our supporters As always, we, the inconvenience. Others of us might The Puffin family never loses an opportunity to pose, and Editorial Team, say a big 'thank you' Lyn Gallagher has been immortalising them at her Penmon have had a rough time, feeling to all of you – readers, donors, Pottery. She uses a dark red clay, firing it to black at 1060°C anxious, lonely and isolated, and sponsors, outlets – who make it in the kiln to give the matt black puffin body, after which will be watching COVID-19’s possible for us to continue their features are hand-painted with coloured slip and glazes. advance with dismay and publishing The Puffin; this month Lyn obtained a BA Hons degree in Fine Art at Portsmouth apprehension. we say a particular 'thank you' to University. Most weekdays she’s in her workshop creating Don’t become complacent; you Spar for their welcome donation. ceramics that are inspired by Anglesey. Her ceramics reflect might have been all right last time the history, wildlife and landscape of this wonderful island. Articles and submissions We round. People you know might have welcome your articles and news Visit www.penmonpottery.com to see more examples of her been all right; the country was lovely work. with open arms! We’re delighted emerging into a glorious spring and with the quantity of stuff (the technical term for articles, etc.) a fair summer, but now we’re heading into winter, and a time that’s come in for this number of The Puffin, symptomatic, when the fragile or vulnerable might find it much more difficult perhaps of the times we live in. to cope with loneliness for a second time. Make sure that you keep a lookout for yourself, your family and your friends and For the first time, we have almost too much to go into a single neighbours, and anyone who might be struggling to cope. number...what a nice position to be in! Accordingly, we’ll have to keep a watch on the number of articles that come in, and Mind Mental health problems related to COVID-19 and the will make sure that we tell you quickly whether an article might lockdown are especially hard for people with depression. The have to be postponed to a future number of The Puffin. national mental health charity is a useful source of information and help for those who need it. In the meantime, though, keep your fingers in training and make sure that you keep them coming!  www.mind.org.uk/  Infoline 0300 123 3393 Looking out for others None of us has any idea about what’s  Helpline 0300 123 3011, Mon-Fri 9.00am-6.00pm

WE ARE PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO PRINT The Puffin AGAIN. NUMBERS ARE LIMITED, THOUGH, SO PLEASE MAKE EVERY EFFORT TO PASS   THIS COPY ON TO SOMEBODY ELSE TO READ. The Puffin IS ALSO AVAILABLE ON-LINE AT WWW.SEIRIOLALLIANCE.CO.UK/NEWSLETTERS/.

[email protected] 1 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020

Anglesey and Gwynedd are covered by Ynys Môn & Gwynedd Beaumaris Mind. • Canolfan Beaumaris Leisure Centre: the Canolfan  www.monagwyneddmind.co.uk/ reopened a couple of months ago in a phased return and  01286 685279 hopes gradually to welcome people back to all the classes  [email protected] and more See also page 11 and page 13.

Christmas 2020 What effect might the latest round of  01248 811200 strictures have on family gatherings and celebrations? Only  [email protected] time will tell, and whatever we write about it will probably  www.canolfanbeaumaris.org.uk/ become history in the blink of an eye!  www.facebook.com/canolfan.beaumaris.7

Make the most of this time of year...sit down and do a bit of • Beaumaris Film Night: the volunteers behind Beaumaris 'sideways thinking', be inventive and positive, think about what Film Night have been talking to Canolfan Beaumaris Leisure this time of year means, to you and to others, regardless of the Centre about restarting the popular monthly event, hoping weather and the restrictions that for a return in early January. might be in place...and have a Local interest in seeing events Merry Christmas and a Happy return is high, provided that New Year! there are all the right precautions, which Canolfan Beaumaris

WHAT’S HAPPENING WHERE Leisure Centre already has in hand. Using a large new screen By now we had hoped to be giving and sound system, the event you much more news about what’s would move to the big Main Hall happening where, but unfortunately for the same reasons, and would that’s not to be. What with rules, most likely be on a Friday regulations, lockdowns, 'can we evening instead of a Thursday travel or not?'...everything seems to evening, as the Main Hall is not be in the air as we collate this available on Thursdays. number of The Puffin. Watch out for other Tweak the text up to the last moment announcements as soon as and the content of this section will things are confirmed. probably be out of date, so the next Llanddona best thing is a summary of what we know at late October, with contact • Neuadd Bentref Llanddona details where we know them, so that Village Hall: we received no you can find out what might be response to our request for happening where and when. information.

Llangoed  01248 811223 • Llangoed Village Hall: the Village Hall is being used only  www.llanddonavillagehall. by these regular user groups: co.uk/

o Meithrin Preschool Group: Monday-Friday, 9.00am- The future If you have something that you’d like to bring to our 3:30pm readers’ notice do let us know so that we can list it for Aerobics Classes: Monday, 6.30pm-7.30pm publication as soon as things start to look as if they might o Zumba Fitness Classes: Wednesday, 6:30pm-7.30pm return to normal. Our contact details are on the back page of each number, in the Editorial information section. Each user group is following the Government’s track-and-

trace requirements, and cleaning thoroughly afterwards.

We’ve had to cancel the Hallowe’en Party, and we are not GWNEWCH APWYNTIAD AM FRECHIAD FFLIW! BOOK taking bookings for parties and other events until the YOUR FLU JAB! current lockdown restrictions are lifted, but we’re really Joanne Andreou, Practice Manager, Canolfan Iechyd Biwmares/ Beaumaris Health Centre looking forward to opening for events again in due course, and will let people know via social media, etc. Brechiad ffliw Dim ond munud mae’n gymeryd i’w gael,

Last, but not least, we would like thank Llangoed mae’d effeithiol am flwyddyn a gallai arbed eich bywyd!

Community Council for the new fencing. Pob blwyddyn gofynnwn i chi gael brechiad ffliw – mae’r tro  www.facebook.com/llangoed.villagehall yma yn bwysich nac erioed.

[email protected] Unigolion sy’ fwya bregus o fod yn wael gyda COVID yw’r un Llanfaes rhai a sydd fwya tebyg i gael cymlethdodau o’r ffliw arferol. Gallwn eich amddiffyn rhag un ohonynt rwan. • Llanfaes Community Centre: unfortunately, there’s no news at the moment, so keep a lookout on social media for Cofiwch, mae brechiad ffliw ar gael i unrhyw un:

updates. • Sydd yn drwm ei pwysau gyda BMI dros 40  www.facebook.com/llanfaescommunitycentre/ • A cyflwr celiac  [email protected] • Pob plentyn o 2 i 10 oed ac i rhai hyd at 18 oed gyda

We’re proud to be a part of the community. We provide the essentials, we serve with a smile and we support local suppliers, schools and charities. We’re there for you, and there for everyone.

The Puffin says 'Thank you, Spar, for supporting us!'

11 Street, Beaumaris, Anglesey LL58 8AB

 01248 810326  www.spar.co.uk/store-locator/afb45405-spar-beaumaris

The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 2 OF 24 www.seiriolalliance.co.uk/newsletters/

cyflwr hir-dymor If you are wary of coming into the  Cyflyrau megis asthma, clefyd y surgery please be assured that we galon, clefyd siwgr, COPD, have put steps in place to ensure problemau gyda’r iau a’r arenau your safety at this time. Everything  Pawb dros 65 oed has been done to ensure you spend  Pawb sy’n feichio the minimum time in the building,  Gofalwyr usually only a minute or two. By the time you read this we will have Mae’n debygol bydd brechiad ar administered approximately 1,000 gael hefyd i bawb sydd dros 50 oed vaccines. If you haven’t had yours – ar hyn o bryd rydym yn disgwyl yet, book easily on-line (using My cadarnhad o’r cynulliad – bydd mwy Health Online) or phone us. o wybodaeth maes o law. The beauty of Anglesey in lockdown: Traeth Fedw Fawr/ Beaumaris Health Centre Os ’rydych yn poeni am ddod i fewn White Beach beach, spring 2020 lockdown (John Briggs) Rating Row i’r ganolfan iechyd am eich Beaumaris brechiad, hoffem sicrhau ein bod Anglesey wedi gweud trefniadau addas i LL58 8AL wneud eich presenoldeb mor saff a byr a phosib.  www.myhealthonline- inps2. wales.nhs.uk/ Rydym eisioes wedi rhoi tua 1,000 o  01248 810818 frechiadau. Peidiwch ag oedi i drefnu un chi – trefnwch ar lein (drwy wefan My Health Online) neu 'VENTURE OUT' NATURE NOTES ffonio ni. Roz Hattey

The weather was very changeable Canolfan Iechyd Biwmares Rating Row 30 August 2020: common megansers off Gallows Point, over much of the summer, and Beaumaris (Andrew Perrott) seemed at times to reflect the Beaumaris Anglesey uncertainties of our restricted lives. LL58 8AL There were some very wet and stormy spells, with two named  www.myhealthonline- inps2. storms, Ellen and Francis, sweeping wales.nhs.uk/ across the Irish Sea during August,  01248 810818 which is most unusual. The

Flu jab It takes a minute, lasts a valley had some serious flooding, year and could save your life! and the level of water in my pond has remained quite high all summer. Every year we ask that you have your flu jab. But this year is more On better days, when people were important than most. People who enjoying outdoor meals, take-aways are at high risk of COVID-19 are 3 September 2020: half of a swallow’s eggshell which I and ice-creams in the sunshine, also those most at risk of found in the wheelbarrow in our shed. Its small size is herring gulls started begging for complications from flu. Today we obvious; I set it on a penny for comparison (Andrew Perrott) chips again or raiding vacated tables for left-overs. can at least help protect you against one. On one hot day in July, a few

Did you know a flu vaccine is highly people took time to watch a natural recommended for: spectacle: a large flock of around 250 black-headed gulls swooping  Anyone with a BMI above 40? and darting elegantly, almost tern-  Anyone who is coeliac? like, above . They

Other more well-known groups that were feeding on a swarm of flying are advised to have a flu vaccine ants. Queens and males of the are: black garden ant (Lasius niger) develop wings, leave their nests and  All children aged 2-10 (at 31 take to the air in great clouds for August 2020) and those aged 15 September 2020: housemartins gathered at our house and mating. This annual swarming often 11-18 with a long-term health the house next door, preparing for their long flight south occurs in hot, thundery weather, just condition (Andrew Perrott) as it was that day. Folklore has  Those with a long-term health claimed that these ants can forecast condition: diabetes, asthma, the coming of storms. On another COPD, liver disease, kidney occasion, a large, resting flock of disease, neurological disease, black-headed gulls was seen in a heart disease sheltered part of Fryars Bay. All the  Those over 65 years old (even if birds were facing into the strong fit and healthy) wind to keep them stable.  Those who are pregnant The unseasonable spells of wet,  Carers windy and cool summer weather We are still awaiting confirmation made it difficult for swallows, house- from the Welsh Government on the martins and swifts to find enough rollout of vaccinations for ages 50- flying insects, their staple diet.

64 year olds. We will keep everyone The beauty of Anglesey in lockdown: Traeth Tan Dinas/Tan Breeding was probably delayed and informed. Dinas Beach, spring 2020 (John Briggs) fewer broods of chicks successfully

www.facebook.com/groups/llangoed 3 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 reared. Swifts, however, are programmed to cope with left great gaps in our woodland habitats and in our landscapes. inclement weather. They will fly high above a low pressure This was also the result of fungal infection. This summer many system to catch drifting insects and spiders and have been younger local ash trees in particular had lost most of their recorded at heights of more than 8,000 feet. They can also fly leaves and were standing starkly moribund. Some larger hundreds of miles a day to feed, using the wind and other ashes have been showing loss of foliage within their crowns. atmospheric signs to assess their best course of flight – they This is a sign of the disease seriously weakening older trees are supreme weather forecasters. over a number of years. There is then an increased risk of attack by secondary pathogens Swifts do need our help, though, in such as honey fungus, which can ensuring they have safe, long-term kill the trees. nesting sites. They return from tropical Africa each year to the Ash dieback disease is now same sites. I have watched swifts widespread across England and returning to three or four nests in a Wales. In February 2013, only 14 tall building in Beaumaris for more cases had been spotted in Wales, than thirty years. This year, sadly, but the spread of fungal spores and access to their nest sites had been the disease increased rapidly in inadvertently blocked by scaffolding 2017 and 2018, and have continued and sealing under the gutters. One 18 April 2020: oystercatchers in flight at Gallows Point, to do so. Ash trees are important in pair did enter an access point, but Beaumaris; large groups of them gather there, particularly themselves for biodiversity; eventually the small group of swifts when the tide is out (Andrew Perrott) specialised fungi, lichens, snails and abandoned the building. They Take your smartphone with you when you go out for a walk, other invertebrates depend on their continued to feed and fly nearby as or even just out into the garden...with a little patience the alkaline bark. They are also an a 'screaming party' for some weeks, results will astonish you. important component of our native but they may not have nested in the woodlands. town this year. A 'screaming party' A small proportion of ash trees may was seen and heard more than be more resilient to dieback, so once in Llangoed, so there may be forestry and conservation managers a breeding colony somewhere in the are aiming to retain some ash village. Swifts did breed wherever possible in the hope of successfully again in artificial nest- some future recovery. boxes in , and it is Along the shores of the hoped that boxes erected on the and across the sand and mud flats Canolfan in Beaumaris last year will of Traeth Lafan many people will eventually be used by nesting have seen and heard swifts. oystercatchers and, later in the The Wildlife Trust has year, curlew and other smaller reported an unprecedented summer waders. Two other birds which are at Nature Reserve, where 30 August 2020: a bee on a doronicum flower in the garden also important species here may be thousands of terns nested on the next door (Andrew Perrott) less familiar. In autumn and winter, small islands, with chicks this area supports Britain’s largest successfully reaching fledgling age. group of moulting great crested

The tern colony was protected by a grebes, which breed inland on wardening service. Initially, about freshwater lakes and rivers. Another 2,000 pairs of Sandwich Terns striking bird, the red-breasted nested, and in early June about 750 merganser, also occurs here in pairs of Arctic terns and 250 pairs of some numbers and can sometimes common terns also arrived to nest, be seen just offshore when they are displaced from the unwardened moulting their flight feathers in Skerries by disturbance from August and September. There were peregrine falcons. The Trust is small rafts of these saw-billed diving again appealing for donations to ducks near Gallows Point and just ensure that the vital wardening below Cae Mair in August this year. service at Cemlyn can continue next One description of the bird is

year. amusing and quite apt: 'The shaggy 30 August 2020: a variety of insects on ivy, making the most crest and upswept bill add to their There’s not such good news about of a valuable late summer source of food (Andrew Perrott) eccentrically untidy appearance'! It our native ash trees (Fraxinus is exciting, too, to watch them diving excelsior); see Simon Hunt’s article for fish. on page 6. It has been a sad sight Late in August I was fascinated to this year to see so many ashes watch a large group of more than 20 along roadsides, in hedgerows and young swallows practising their in woodland increasingly flying skills on a dead tree along succumbing to ash dieback disease. Henllys Lane. It was a gusty day This is caused by a fungal pathogen, and they were perching precariously Hymenoscyphus fraxineus. Millions along the branches, facing into the of imported ash saplings are north-east wind. As the gusts thought to have brought in the developed they spread their wings disease. and allowed the wind to lift them Many of us remember the ravages slightly above the branches, then of Dutch Elm Disease in the 1970s fluttered rapidly into the wind for a which killed most British elms and 17 October 2020: a ladybird on ivy (Andrew Perrott) few short moments before landing

The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 4 OF 24 www.facebook.com/groups/llanddona/

NOTICE OF CO-OPTION Section 116 Local Government (Wales) Measure 2011 Llangoed & Penmon COMMUNITY COUNCIL

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that Llangoed & Penmon Community Council intends to Co-opt 2 (TWO) members to fill the vacancies that currently exist in the office of Councillor through the process of co-option. Co-opted Councillors have the same rights and responsibilities as those Councillors who obtain office through election. The position of a Community Councillor may attract remuneration. Councillors are expected to attend the monthly meetings of the Council and also to serve on a number of Committees which normally meet on a 6-monthly cycle. The role is varied and enables local people to use their skills and experience to enhance the work undertaken by the Council for the benefit of the community.

Expressions of interest are being sought from members of the public who meet the following qualifications and are interested in representing their community on the aforementioned Community Council. You must be a British, Commonwealth, Irish or a European Union citizen and be 18 years of age or over; and meet at least one of the following criteria:

• registered as a local government elector for the area named above; or

• during the whole of the last 12 months occupied as owner or tenant land or other premises in the community named above; or

• your principal or only place of work during the last 12 months has been in the community named above; or

• you have during the whole of the last 12 months resided in the Community or with 4.8 kilometres of it.

• Certain people are disqualified from standing, and these include paid officers of the Community Council, anyone subject to bankruptcy restriction orders and those subject to recent sentences of imprisonment. It is the responsibility of the candidate to ensure that they are qualified to stand.

Those interested and eligible people to submit their applications for the role of Councillor by way of a letter outlining the following:

• the contribution you believe you could make to the work of the Council;

• the personal qualities that you would bring to the role;

• your availability for attending meetings.

If you wish to be considered for co-option for the vacant seats(s) or want more information regarding the role of a Community Councillor please contact the Clerk to the Council Community:

Mr J Alun Foulkes, 9 Brynteg Estate, , Menai Bridge, Ynys Môn LL59 5TY. Telephone: 01248 713501 or 07375 299208 or e-mail: [email protected].

Closing date: 30th November 2020.

Applications will be considered at a Council meeting that will be held in JANUARY 2021.

[email protected] 5 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 again on the branches. I wished the tree is to the ground the more them well for their long journey back infection it will get. Thus, young to southern Africa. Fortunately trees are extremely susceptible as September provided them and the is coppice regrowth (where the tree house-martins with more settled, is cut to the ground and regrows warmer conditions for feeding up with multiple stems). before their departure, and it was If the first year’s infection does not lovely to watch quite large numbers kill the tree, as is the case with flying high above houses and fields mature ash trees, then the second as they fed late into the evenings. year’s infection may, or the tree will Human visitors enjoyed glorious survive that and continue getting days of golden autumn light as well, infected year on year. This leads to strolling along the Prom or playing the tree looking like it has pompoms with children and dogs on the of growth like mistletoe. The current beaches. Red admiral and small thinking is that 95% of all ash trees tortoiseshell butterflies, honey bees will be killed through dieback or and bumble bees were still busy on secondary infections such as honey our gardens flowers, and along the fungus, maybe 5% will survive and hedgerows opening ivy flowers were maybe 1% or less will be immune. It abuzz with bees and other A healthy ash (Simon Hunt) really depends on the differing pollinators. We must keep these genetics in the population of ash days in our minds as we go into trees; in North Wales, fortunately, more unsettled times again. there seems to be a wide spread of

genes in ash trees.

ASH DIEBACK Ash dieback severely reduces the Simon Hunt strength of the timber. Dead twigs and branches are really easy to Ash dieback, or to be more precise, break and are broken off in the Chalara dieback of ash, is a inevitable gales we have. This can widespread fungal disease that have severe consequences, infects and kills ash trees. It is an especially if it is a large tree over a annual infection; trees get re- road or a building. Even though the infected every year in the summer. risk of limbs breaking off is It was unfortunately imported from increased it cannot be seen as an the far east and ash trees have little emergency that needs urgent action. or no resistance to it.

Signs of ash dieback start in early Ash trees are a wonderful host to summer as small black or chocolate many species. The most obvious brown dots on leaves and leaf are nesting birds, woodpeckers love to make nest holes in the trees which stems. This discoloration is where An ash with c.50% dieback (Simon Hunt) others then take advantage of. Less the cells in the tree are killed by the fungus, as the fungus spreads obvious are bat species, especially through the tree the necrosis noctule bats which often only stay in spreads with it and you start seeing a roost for a few days at a time and dead leaves that are black and move around different trees over a wizened, typically in July and wide area. There’s a range of other August. Further spread causes creatures, plants and fungi which use the tree in various ways. complete branches to die, and you often get a black triangle of dead It is recommended by some to fell bark running up and down the stem trees where they pose a risk if they union. Other signs are the seeds have more than a half of the crown

(keys) staying on the tree over- Ash dieback: leaves, above, and keys, below (Simon Hunt) of the tree infected with dieback. winter and well into the following This is obviously a rule of thumb, spring, very late flushing of leaves and should not be strictly followed. It (they flush late anyway but compare depends on how quickly the spread it with other ash trees around). of dieback has been: if it’s slow(over

Often a tree will get a small amount a period of several years) then you of infection one year and then more might want to err on the side of infection the next. The fungus over- caution, but if it’s quick (within a winters on the leaf stems of the ash year) you might want to take action and produces spores in the sooner when perhaps a third of the crown has dieback. summer, which are spread through rain splashes and wind. We have There are a few things you need to the perfect climate for it! The closer All photographed between June and September 2020 consider if you’re felling ash trees:

Beaumaris Town Council

Town Hall, Castle Street, Beaumaris, Anglesey LL58 8AP

 01248 810317  [email protected]   www.beaumaristowncouncil.gov.uk/

The Puffin says 'Thank you for supporting us!'

The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 6 OF 24 www.seiriolalliance.co.uk/newsletters/

Across QUICK CHRISTMAS CROSSWORD Down

7 Christmas bird (6) 1 A log for Christmas (4) 8 Dickens character (6) 2 A winter getaway? (6,7) 9 Abominable snowman (4) 3 A puzzle? (7) 10 Religious belief (8) 4 What presents often come in (5) 11 Campanologists (7) 5 A writer of someone’s story (13) 13 Another Christmas bird? (5) 6 Antarctic birds (8) 15 Male choir member (5) 12 Chunks of floating ice (8) 16 Flower seller (7) 14 One of Santa’s reindeer (7) 18 At home (8) 17 Delicious – steak, maybe? (5) 19 Church seats (4) 20 Pack hunter (4) 21 Horrified (6)

22 How snow might spread (6) shears mounted on tracked

excavators. Whatever method is • Are the trees protected by a used, caution needs to be taken to Tree Preservation Order or in a avoid the risk of being hit by Conservation Area (you can branches falling on you. check with the County Council if When you’ve felled the tree, plant you don’t know)? two or three to take its place. In • Is the volume you are proposing order of similarity, tree species that to fell over 5m3? replace part of what ash trees do for • Are there any protected species The solutions to 'the Governor’s' Quick Christmas crossword the environment are: oak, alder, (bats, birds etc) using the trees? and Christmad Wordsearch will be given in The Puffin 35. beech, aspen, sycamore, If the answer to any of these is yes QUICK CROSSWORD NO 3: SOLUTION hornbeam, birch, hazel, hawthorn, (or even maybe) you need to follow small-leaved lime, field maple, grey this up before felling or reducing the willow, wild cherry, sweet chestnut, tree as you may well be breaking goat willow, whitebeam, yew, bird the law if you don’t. cherry and Douglas fir. So, there are quite a few species of trees to If the answer is no, and you are choose from! sure it is no, then you can fell the tree but make sure you keep a For those of us old enough to record just in case, such as taking remember the ravages of Dutch elm some photos of the tree. disease there was the slogan plant a tree in 73 and plant some more in If the answer is yes to the above 74, perhaps it should be updated to questions: plant a tree in 23 and some more in • You permission from the County 24?

Council to carry out any works Is it all doom and gloom? I don’t on a protected tree. think so. Ash trees are an important • You need permission also from part of our landscape, heritage and Natural Resources Wales (a 3 for wildlife. Some will survive (5% of Felling Licence) to fell over 5m a lot is still a lot!), and they have the of timber. You will need to capability of producing thousands of

survey the tree, carry out work offspring that will have varying when it is least likely to affect CHRISTMAS WORDSEARCH degrees of resistance. wildlife, and you might need a licence and mitigate against the So, with careful tending we can help the felling of the tree(s)wildlife, ash trees continue to be part of our and you might need a licence heritage for future generations with and mitigate against the the a cohort of other tree species that have been planted as replacements. felling of the tree(s). Here are some useful references: Felling won’t be straightforward, either! The timber can get very Tree Council: A Toolkit for local brittle and is likely to break and fall authorities dealing with ash dieback when the tree is stressed; this can  www.treecouncil.org.uk/ happen when the tree starts to science-and-research/ash- move whilst you are doing the felling dieback/local-authority-ash- cuts or if you climb it to dismantle it. dieback-action-plan-toolkit/ Forest Research: Ash dieback The best advice is to pay a qualified (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) tree surgeon who is adequately  www.forestresearch.gov.uk/ insured. tools-and-resources/ pest-and- Some contractors use a crane or a disease-resources/ash-dieback-

hoist whilst others are using tree hymenoscyphus-fraxineus/

STAR PORT YULE MASS HOLY SAUCE NOEL

ST NICK MAGI INN ADVENT GREEN PUNCH JOLLY

IVY HAM ELVES SAUSAGE PIE JOSEPH MARY RED CARD TOYS JESUS TINSEL GIFT XMAS DONNER ANGEL CROWDS FAMILY SING CRIB CHRIST POTATO HAPPY GOLD TURKEY BABY JOY DANCER COMET FIR PINE CANDY CHILD CAMEL CAROL LORD CEDAR

www.facebook.com/groups/llangoed 7 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020

JNCC: The potential ecological during the winter months, when they impact of ash dieback in the UK move far offshore in deep ocean  www.hub.jncc.gov.uk/assets/ waters. 1352bab5-3914-4a42-bb8a- They are found on rocky coasts a0a1e2b15f14 during the breeding season, but Arboricultural Association: Ash spend the rest of their lives out on Dieback – Practice Guidance the open ocean. They are members  www.trees.org.uk/help-advice/ of the auk family, and are very public/ash-dieback-%e2%80%93- sociable birds. They live together in practice-guidance colonies of up to 2 million individuals, mostly on grassy areas at the top of

THE PUFFIN: A BRIEF LIFE cliffs, using old or deserted burrows Andrew Perrott; illustrations © Femke van or making new ones.

Gent On the open sea they flock together Our name is The Puffin, but we’ve in large groups, forming 'rafts' to never written a potted life of our stay protected from predators. They namesake, so here you are. The are agile on the wing, but their skills beautiful illustrations are by Femke are at their best when in the water: van Gent, and show the puffin’s life- they are excellent swimmers, and cycle in five snapshots, from can dive to about 60m (200'), nesting, to fledging, to flying off into holding their breath for up to 2 the vast unknown. Visit Femke’s minutes; an average dive usually website, www.femkevangent.art/, lasts for about 20 seconds. They to see more of her lovely artwork. swim by flapping their wings, steering with their feet. The Common Puffin (Fratercula arctica) is one of the most easily They rest on the sea when not recognisable birds of the Atlantic’s swimming, and have an efficient waters and cliff-tops. It is easily circulatory system in their feet to recognised by its interesting help them cope with the cold. In the coloration and lifestyle, and is found winter season, they spend most of in very large flocks, especially their time foraging at sea, and go during the warmer months, when it’s many miles away from land, after time for them to breed. They are which they return to their own cliffs compact birds, 28cm-30cm (11"- during the summer months for 12") from the tip of the bill to the tail. breeding. When they return, they The wingspan is 47cm-63cm (19"- often 'display', with ritualised 25"); the males are slightly larger walking around the entrance of their than the females. They stand at burrows, knocking their bills about 20cm (8"), and weigh about together. They thrive on fish and 500g (17.5 oz). crustaceans, and bring to their

nestlings (pufflings) mostly small They have nicknames such as sea fish, especially herring, capelin, parrot and clown of the sea because sand lance, cods, sand eels, etc. of the size and shape of their bill and their colourful and comical During the mating season, the appearance. Their plumage has a colours on their bills start to penguin-like colouration: the crown, brighten. The mating season begins forehead, nape, wings and tail in the springtime and continues till feathers are a glossy black, with a summer. Once they return to land, wide black collar around the neck the pairs reunite, and some pairs and throat. On each side of the display a mating ritual termed as head there is a pale grey lozenge- 'billing', During billing, they rub their shaped area which tapers to a point beaks together during or before and meets behind the neck. The mating. They use old or deserted beak is parrot-like, but shorter and burrows, or make new ones, either tapered, and deep orange in colour. between the rocks or in the soil. The feet are orange and webbed, Particular pairs will often return to and the tail is short and blunt. When the same burrow every year. Inside in flight, they can flap their wings the burrow, the parent birds use rapidly, at up to 400 beats per seaweeds, grasses and feathers to minute, helping them gain a speed build a nest, and the female lays of about 88 km/h (55mph). one single egg. Both parents take turns incubating the egg for around They have a long life, averaging 40 days. over 30 years; the minimum lifespan is 20 years and the maximum Gulls, hawks, eagles and foxes are recorded is 33.8 years. They are the most common land predators of found along the North American adults and the young. Cats and east coast of the Atlantic, from the dogs also prey upon them when Canadian Maritimes south to Maine, they are close to human habitation, and in the coastal areas of northern and rats can also target their eggs. Europe. Migration takes place At sea, large gulls and skuas are

The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 8 OF 24 www.facebook.com/groups/llanddona/ their common enemies. wonderful Gareth at Morley House. It was also common practice to include a variety of flyers in issues, and this issue Puffins are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act included one for the Genhedlaethol yr Urdd (Welsh 1981. League of Youth), which was to be held in Anglesey the Atlantic Puffin following year. Perhaps all this was not so long ago for many www.animalspot.net/atlantic-puffin.html of us, but all this vibrant community activity does feel rather The puffin life cycle like another era today, with our community in 2020 having www.teachingthroughnature.co.uk/the-daily-digest/puffin- spent so much time in COVID lockdown, restricting social life-cycle/ gathering.

The Puffin AND ISLE OF ANGLESEY’S ARCHIVE IN MEMORIAM: TOM MCGRATH John Briggs, Editorial Team member Phil Lewis

Readers may be surprised to learn that our local newsletter Father, husband, brother, friend, landlord, raconteur, humorist, has used an image of a puffin in its title graphics since 2000. man of Tipperary, enthusiast, hospitable, interested and interesting... The name The Puffin appeared only at a relaunch of the newsletter The photos show Tom enjoying his in 2013 with the excellent puffin retirement at the home he shared in graphic that we still use today, Glanrafon with wife Julie, Siân, drawn so skilfully by Katherine Sinead and Declan. Enjoying his new hobbies of a country squire! Gaunt. It is also used on the

Cymuned Llangoed Community This is what the title graphics of the old newsletter looked I first got to know Tom when he Facebook page, www.facebook. like (John Briggs) became the landlord of the village com/groups/llangoed. We’d love pub, Tafarn y Rhyd. With first wife to publish all these old issues on- Maggs and children John, Wendy line for you in due course. and Sharron they kept the village

Gathering an archive of all past fed, watered and entertained for copies of the newsletter has taken quite a few years. The Llangoed some time, but in September 2020, Rugby Club had just started, and the Editorial Team’s John Briggs whilst Tom was first and foremost a finally took an almost complete set Gaelic Rules man he also was of paper copies of the newsletter fixture secretary of the village that ran from 2001 to 2005, and a soccer club and a most impartial complete set of The Puffin from linesman usually. His first 2013 to 2020, to the County involvement with the rugby was to Council’s Archive in . allow us to change in a couple of the upstairs rooms using sinks and Particular thanks must go to the Handing over the box of newsletters to the Archive, with a bath...anyway, when he saw the original editor, Emlyn Jones, for John Briggs (left) and Hayden Burns (right), correctly state of us it was into the river supplying hard copy of most of socially-distanced, of course, and wearing masks; the box Lleiniog we all went, to get most of those early newsletters, to Andrew was left untouched for 72 hours after handover. Such is the the mud off. When our President Perrott for scanning most of them, way of things in 2020! (John Briggs) Dafydd Sam got to hear the story he and to Hayden Burns at Isle of put in an offer for the pub and, when Anglesey’s Archive for his interest in successful, installed proper showers. adding them to his collection. Later, the river – more muddy Printed mainly on green paper, the stream – became the venue of early newsletters, were entirely Tom’s original idea for a charity bilingual, and readers flipped over event: a race from the Pub down the the publication according to their river to the sea and back, language choice. They were free, disqualifying anyone who got out of and delivered to every home in the the river to bioassay bridges or area. There were many regular pipes. columns, including articles from the To officially launch the rugby club, Clwb Garddio Llangoed Gardening an international match was Club, the Penmon Society, arranged at the village soccer field, Llangoed Young Farmers, Llangoed Above and below, Tom McGrath hard at work enjoying his with present and past internationals WI and Haulfre Residential Home to retirement (via Phil Lewis) playing against Llangoed. To create name but a few. Occasionally the the atmosphere on the day Tom Rev Neil Fairlamb contributed was appointed match commentator: church news, and the local PCSO he was exactly the right person, his updated us on crime news (not that enthusiasm and Gaelic blarney had there was much, of course, but it the crowd enthralled. Eventually the was nice to read that!). commentary seemed to cease as Reading through the December the score gravitated towards 0-50 2003/January 2004 issue of the with only 10 minutes left of the newsletter, I noticed an article from second half. All of sudden, the Tafarn y Rhyd(Llangoed’s pub) microphones screeched and Tom setting out their Christmas and New said "Humphries (Owen) has picked Year events, and an advert on the up the ball on the half way, jinked front page by Llangoed Post Office, past 2 defenders, outpaced another which in those days was run by and is sure to score...... he has...

[email protected] 9 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020

Llangoed are right back in this game! Llangoed 7, to participate at such a busy time, having put a lot of effort and Internacional XV 63!" energy into the Victorian Fayre.

The next thing the club needed was a pitch of their own to buy, This year, as I understand it, the Victorian Fayre will not be rent or squat on. No luck, with many avenues being fruitless. able to take place, so I wonder if local shops and businesses Enter Tom the diplomat; he said there might be a good chance would like to take part in the Tree Festival by decorating a if we both made an appointment to see Sir Richard about the Christmas tree as part of their window display, on the same Penmon crossroads field… Tom told Sir Richard that his son theme: Christmas Carols and Christmas Songs. In effect, this was in the Guards had served in the Falklands and, whilst would spread the Tree Festival out from the Church and along being "no hooligan", enjoyed a game of rugger. Being also a Castle Street, and could be publicised as a Christmas Tree past member of the Guards, Sir Richard acceded to Tom’s Trail around the town. It could run through the whole of request and we had a marvellous rugby pitch. With the club up December as far as businesses are concerned, culminating in and running we were told by the Welsh Rugby Union that the the Festival Week in Church. If shops wanted to get together 1999 World Cup in Wales was being heralded by an open top and create a competitive element, either between themselves bus travelling around nearly every Church of St Mary and St Nicholas, Beaumaris: two of the or for the public, along the lines of clubhouse in the country and would Christmas 2019 trees: 'guess the carol or song', then all be calling for a SHORT stop at the better. Llangoed. When eventually Scott As part of the Tree Festival, we are Gibbs and other players entered the also planning an 'angel hunt' around Rhyd they were met with the town, with a heavenly host of small hospitality and good wit Tom and knitted angels hiding in various family offered and stayed an hour locations for families to find. Each and a half rather than the planned angel will have a message, and 10 minutes. there will be a small prize for those Those days were heady socially in who find all the messages. I am the village, lots of things were hoping that some of the shops will organised on the spur of the be prepared to 'host' an angel for us. moment. Tom was a catalyst for Christmas is going to look very these events, and we all have lots of different this year so it would be happy memories of him. His good to try something different, and enthusiasm and sense of fun are I hope that as many businesses as sadly missed by all who knew him. possible will be willing to join in.

Please do get in touch if you would THE 2020 BRO SEIRIOL like any further information. HRISTMAS REE ESTIVAL C T F Contact details If your voluntary or Rev Lesley Rendle community group would like to Last year, the Church of St Mary contribute a decorated tree to the and St Nicholas in Beaumaris held a display in Church, please contact very successful Christmas Tree Beaumaris Allotments Society (Rev Lesley Rendle) Rev Lesley Rendle on 07817 Festival; see The Puffin 30, page 8. 873080 or via lesley.rendle@ googlemail.com. Let’s make it an Local groups and organisations even bigger display than last year, each brought along and decorated and really celebrate the great Christmas trees; there were 36 on diversity of skills, talents and display in the Church, representing interests around the Seiriol area! all aspects of life in and around Beaumaris, from the Brownies to

Beaumaris Allotment Society and THE RESTAURANT from the Lifeboat to Men’s Sheds. Tommy Miller, Llanddona Writing Group Even the Canolfan and the Town Council had trees, as did the local We’d book the table for six-thirty schools. Locals and visitors to the and arrived ten minutes early, eager area visited the festival and and hungry after an enjoyable but donations received were divided tiring sightseeing day. It had gone quarter to seven and we still hadn’t between the church and the hospice. made it to the safety of the bright red This year we intend to hold a similar awning from the threatening winter event during the week before Holborn sky. Christmas, although because of COVID-19 it will have to be slightly Outside, the tables under the different. The theme for the trees protection of a red canopy looked comfortable and chic. this year will be 'Christmas Carols and Christmas Songs'. Last year, The deep red tablecloths topped although local businesses were with smaller whiter-than-white linen invited to take part, most felt unable Baron Hill Golf Club (Rev Lesley Rendle) squares, water jug and glasses,

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The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 10 OF 24 www.seiriolalliance.co.uk/newsletters/ always a sign of an honest place. ST DONA’S CHURCH, LLANDDONA

James Percival and Lucy Low, Warden, St Dona’s Church Together with the stylish wicker chairs and slightly cheesy but weirdly comforting wax-dripped wicker-covered Chianti bottles, St Dona’s Church is a small 19th-century Grade II listed parish it was effortlessly Italian. But they were all reserved. A shame, church in the coastal village of Llanddona, Ynys Môn. It is I do love to eat, drink and be able to smoke, it’s located near the beach. The present building on the site dates so…expressive. from 1873 and was designed by the rector at the time. It is a I knew exactly what I was going to order. The same thing I prime example of the gothic revival period, and it is important always order when I find a good Italian restaurant, my version to remember that there has been a place of Christian worship th of a test. God, the smell of food was killing me. Why aren't at or near the present-day site since the early 7 century. these people moving? It did look busy, even this early in the The future St Dona’s Church is currently under threat of evening. closure. Many churches are struggling to stay open as numbers We started to move, and smiling, shuffled past the lucky lushes in congregations in many places continue to fall. Yet instead of sitting at the outside tables, smoking, drinking and looking all closure, a plan has been submitted to the Church in Wales flamboyant and bohemian. We scooted under the canopy and that could breathe new life into not only the church itself but hovered on the threshold, our backs cold but our faces bathed the wider community it serves. This plan is essentially to make in the warm promise of Tuscany. St Dona’s a 'Pilgrim Church'. This means opening the church to a much wider group of people. After politely standing and smiling at happy eaters, balletic servers and pacified exiting patrons, for what my stomach was Pilgrimage is becoming more popular to both secular and telling me was at least three days, we were at last religious individuals and groups, as with the Camino de acknowledged, identified, welcomed, and shown into the Santiago in Spain. It is also situated near a traditional pilgrim dining room. route through North Wales, ending at Ynys Enlli at the tip of the Llŷn The dark hardwood floor of the Peninsula. reception and bar gave way to a plush deep red carpet mirroring the The plan also includes a welcome to outer decorative awnings and walkers on the Anglesey Coastal tablecloths, with clean white walls Path, just 200m from the Church. slathered in black and white The church could become a place photographs of iconic and beautiful for quiet, prayer, sanctuary and people. pilgrimage. To this end, plans are The place was packed. We watched being made to restore the building. three members of staff speed deftly Sources of finance suggest that this

in and out of the throng, reset our 'The restaurant'...no idea where, but it looks so enticing! is certainly feasible in the short table and we were seated. term. In the longer term, it is envisaged that visits and events to Olives, artisan breads, a water attract visitors (music, art, poetry, carafe and glasses were placed on writing, history talks and displays) the table and a candle in a red will be on offer, and are ready to be frosted glass shade lit as a dark- developed. This is all alongside the haired waitress with a thick Italian existing pattern of worship and accent took our order. A plate of availability for weddings, baptisms sardines each to start, with a glass and funerals. of house red for me and white for her. To follow, spaghetti carbonara Above all, we really hope that it will for me and steamed clams and be a place of warm welcome and shellfish linguine for her. hospitality, and a place where the the community can come together.

We waited for our food to arrive St Dona’s Church, Llanddona (James Percival) sipping our wine and nibbled at the Visit us and support us Become olives and bread, listening to the pretty good white-suited supporters of the project! Visit our Facebook page, Friends of pianist playing Puccini. We watched the fast moving army of Dona Ffrindiau Dwna, at www.facebook.com/groups/ staff and smiled at each other as the rain began to fall on the 2800477456836753, become a friend and read updates on exposed tail end of the queue we had not long escaped. plans, fundraising and news.

God, she looked beautiful, she always did to me, but tonight I If you have suggestions, can donate money or can offer help could feel my heart aching for her. Her light blue eyes and the in any way, do contact Lucy Low, Church Warden, on 01248 slender gap between her two front teeth made me desperately 490167, or e-mail Lucy at [email protected] or want to kiss her. We held hands across the table, looking at James Percival at [email protected]. each other through the soft candle light, feeling like teenagers. Our bilingual service is held on the first Sunday of every month Footnote Launched in summer 2019 by Stephen Marsden, at 9.30am. Everyone is welcome! Please support us, and help the Llanddona Writing Group was meeting fortnightly in the us to save St Dona’s Church, for the community and for future Village Hall until COVID-19 arrived. generations!

Since then, he has run it via e-mail, suggesting fortnightly topics and sharing writers’ responses and their feedback on 'THANK YOU, EVERYBODY!' FROM THE CANOLFAN each others’ work. Bethan Evans, Canolfan Development, Marketing, and Duty Officer

'In one way,' Stephen says, 'it’s had its benefits, as we don’t We would like to thank all of the members of the Canolfan have to get through everything in the hour and more when we Beaumaris Leisure Centre who have stuck by us during this met in person. But we look forward to when we can meet difficult time. again; we miss the buzz and spontaneity of it.' COVID-19 has affected many people in many ways, but we’ve Either way, please contact Stephen on 07774 699685 if you’d come back fighting and stronger than ever! The gym has been like to know more. moved up to the Gallery area to adhere to social-distancing

www.facebook.com/groups/llangoed 11 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 measures, and we’ve employed an sgiliau digidol fel mynediad i’r additional member of staff to focus rhyngrwyd a chyfryngau solely on cleanliness and hygiene cymdeithasol, gan felly gael during this time, to reassure staff gafael ar unigedd and the members here at the • Newid llyfrau llyfrgell Canolfan. Classes have been well Nid yw’r rhestr hon yn attended, and some new faces have hollgynhwysol. Rhowch alwad i ni joined the regulars who have hyd yn oed os nad yw eich gofyniad returned to us since lockdown in wedi’i restru yn uchod, a byddwn yn March... welcome, everybody! gweld beth y gallwn ei wneud. It is with sadness that we are having Noder bod pob gwasanaeth yn to close again in line with Welsh ymodol ar ganllawiau COVID-19. Government legislation, but we Deallwn fod cwrs y pandemig yn have some new projects on the creu unigrwydd ac anhawster i bobl horizon and we’re looking forward to Wendy and her cat outside the vet after being taken there by a byddwn yn gwneud popeth o fewn the New Year! Ray (via Steve MacVicar) ein gallu i helpu. Fodd bynnag, yn Have a look at page 13 for our ystod y cyfnod hwn mae’n rhaid i ni timetable of classes, and details of hefyd feddwl am ddiogelwch pawb Caroline Egan’s Latin In Line ac efallai na fyddwn yn gallu Dancing classes, which start on cyflawni tasgau sy’n rhoi unigolion Wednesday 11 November...your mewn perygl annerbyniol. feet are tapping already, I’m sure! Fel y gwelwch o’r rhestr uchod

gallwn bellach ddarparu trafnidiaeth CYNLLUN TRO DA SEIRIOL gymunedol. Gellir darparu cludiant GOOD TURN SCHEME: yn y bws cymunedol neu gan un o’n 40 gwirfoddolwyr sy’n defnyddio eu DIWEDDARIAD/ UPDATE car eu hunain. Steve MacVicar Taliadau: er mwyn ’r cynllun i Diweddariad fynd yn y dyfodol, ’rydym yn gorfod Mae gennym rif ffôn newydd sbon: cyflwyno taliadau am rhai

 01248 305014 dydd Llun-ddydd gwasanaethau, yn arbennig Gwener 9.00yb-5.00yp trafnidiaeth gymunedol. Mae hyn i dalu am gostau gwirfoddolwyr a Beth mae’r Cynllun yn ei gweinyddol. ddarparu: pwrpas y Cynllun Tro Da yw diwallu anghenion y gymuned Rachael has been walking Burt for his owner, Peter, regularly Cofrestru: i gael unrhyw wasanaeth drwy ddarparu amrywiaeth o since lock-down. Burt was also taken for walks by Nora and mae angen i chi gofrestru gyda’r wasanaethau i bobl sy’n byw yn her daughter Amelia (11 years old) during the summer, Cynllun. Mae cofrestru am ddim ac before school restarted (via Steve MacVicar) nid yw’n eich ymrwymo i ardal Seiriol a allai fod angen gwasanaethau o’r fath. ’Rydym yn ddefnyddio’r cynllun mwy nag yr hapus i ystyried rhoi cymorth i ydych am ei wneud. Galwch 01248 unrhyw berson o unrhyw oedran, 305014 i siarad gyda un o’n teuluoedd, neu grwpiau o unigolion gwirfoddolwyr cyfeillgar, a thrafod sy’n dibynnu ar eu hanghenion ac cofrestru ac unrhyw ymholiadau neu argaeledd gwirfoddolwyr. Mae’r bryderon eraill. gwasanaethau a ddarperir yn Thema arbennig: anifeiliaid seiliedig ar yr egwyddor o anwes a gwirfoddolwyr: un o rolau wirfoddolwyr yn gwneud "troeon da" ein gwirfoddolwyr yw gofalu am i helpu unigolion neu grwpiau ag anifeiliaid anwes pobl eraill yn eu anghenion a nodwyd. Bydd y cyfnod o angen. Mae wedi hen "troeon da" hyn yn cynnwys y ennill ei fryd y gall bod yn berchen canlynol: ar anifail anwes helpu i leihau • Darparu cludiant er mwyn mynd teimladau o unigrwydd a gwella â chleientiaid i‘w meddygfa, eu iechyd meddwl a lles. Mae’r Cynllun hysbyty neu apwyntiadau eraill Tro Da yn falch iawn o fod wedi • Siopa, casglu presgripsiynau o’r gallu helpu nifer o berchnogion fferyllfa anifeiliaid anwes dros y misoedd

• Galwadau cyfeillio galwadau i Elizabeth’s lovely watercolour of two dogs that she had been diwethaf. Mae "troeon da" a bobl unig sy’n gaeth I’r tŷ walking regularly (via Steve MacVicar) berfformiwyd gan wirfoddolwyr wedi

• Help gyda cherdded cŵn a cynnwys tripiau i’r milfeddygon lleol, gofalu am anifeiliaid anwes eraill darparu bwyd anifeiliaid anwes, a cherdded cŵn yn rheolaidd. ar adegau o angen • Cefnogi unigolion i ddatblygu Yn ddiweddar anfonom rownd

Owain Glyndwr

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The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 12 OF 24 www.facebook.com/groups/llanddona/

Canolfan Beaumaris

Busnes Menter Gymdeithasol di-elw yn cefnogi’r gymuned ers 2013 A not-for-profit Social Enterprise Business supporting the community since 2013 Rating Row, Beaumaris, Anglesey LL58 8AL   01248 811200

   [email protected] www.canolfanbeaumaris.org.uk/

AMSERLEN DOSBARTH CLASS TIMETABLE

Dydd Llun Monday 11.00yb-12.00yh Pilates gyda Sam 11.00am-12.00 noon Pilates with Sam 1.00yp-2.00yp Ffitrwydd i bawb gyda Sam 1.00pm-2.00pm Fitness for All with Sam 2.30yp-4.00yp Yoga gyda Katie 2.30pm-4.00pm Yoga with Katie 5.00yp-6.00yp Yoga gyda Sam 5.00pm-6.00pm Yoga with Sam 6.15yp-6.45yp HIIT gyda Nat 6.15pm-6.45pm HIIT with Nat 7.00yp-7.30yp Tonezone gyda Nat (newydd) 7.00pm-7.30pm Tonezone with Nat (new)

Dydd Mawrth Tuesday 10.00yb-11.00yb Tai Chi gyda Philip (newydd) 10.00am-11.00am Tai Chi with Philip (new) 1.00yp-2.00yp FABBs gyda Sam (dros 60s, newydd) 1.00pm-2.00pm FABBs with Sam (over 60s, new)

Dydd Mercher Wednesday 11.00yb-12.00yh Cryfhau’r Cymalau gyda Sam 11.00yb-12.00yh Joint Strength Circuits with Sam 1.00yp-2.00yp Pilates gyda Sam 1.00yp-2.00yp Pilates with Sam 6.30yp-7.30yp Llinell Ladin gyda Caroline (newydd) 6.30yp-7.30yp Llinell Ladin with Caroline (new)

Dydd Iau Thursday 10.00yb-10.30yb Gentle Yoga gyda Kath 10.00yb-10.30yb Gentle Yoga with Kath 1.30yp-2.30yp Pilates gyda Angie 1.30yp-2.30yp Pilates with Angie 5.00yp-6.00yp Pilates gyda Sam 5.00yp-6.00yp Pilates with Sam 6.15yp-7.15yp Cam a Ffurf gyda sam 6.15yp-7.15yp Step and Tone with sam 7.30yp-8.30yp Hyfforddiant Cylchol gyda Ben/Siôn 7.30yp-8.30yp Circuit Training with Ben/Siôn

Dydd Gwener Friday 1.00yp-2.00yp Hyfforddiant Cylchol gyda Sam 1.00yp-2.00yp Circuit Training with Sam 7.00yp-8.15yp Dawnsio Neuadd gyda Caroline 7.00yp-8.15yp Ballroom Dancing with Caroline

8.30yp-9.45yp Dawnsio Neuadd gyda Caroline 8.30yp-9.45yp Ballroom Dancing with Caroline

Dosbarthiau: 60 munud: £5.00 aelod £6.00 i’r di-aelod Classes: 60 minutes: members £5.00; non-members £6.00 Dosbarthiau: 30 munud: £3.50 aelod £4.50 i’r di-aelod Classes: 30 minutes: members £3.50; non-members £4.50

PARCIO AM DDIM I BOB AELOD FREE PARKING FOR MEMBERS

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[email protected] 13 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 e-bost at yr holl wirfoddolwyr i ofyn a allai unrhyw un feithrin Registration: to obtain any service you need to register with Collie Cymreig tri oed ar ôl i’w berchennog gael ei dderbyn ar the Scheme. Registration is free, and doesn’t commit you to frys i’r ysbyty. Fel arfer, cafwyd ymateb gwych gydag o leiaf 5 using the scheme any more than you want to. Please give one gwirfoddolwr yn ymateb i’r alwad o fewn ychydig oriau. Mae of our friendly volunteer call-handlers a ring on our new phone Chip bellach yn cael gwyliau gyda Jane yn Llandegfan ac mae number, 01248 305014, to discuss registration and any other Steph wrth gefn i ymgymryd â dyletswyddau maeth ar ôl queries or concerns. wythnos os yw ei berchennog yn dal yn yr ysbyty. Special theme: pets and volunteers: one of the roles of our Yn olaf, stori cynhesu calon ac anifeiliaid anwes ysbrydoledig volunteers is to look after other people’s pets in their time of y mis! Mae dau wirfoddolwr, Jeanette ac Elizabeth, wedi bod need. It is well established that owning a pet can help reduce yn rhannu cerdded dau gi yn rheolaidd I’w perchennog ym feelings of loneliness and improve mental health and Miwmares. Mae Elizabeth yn 15 oed, ac mae wedi ennill wellbeing, and the Seiriol Good Turn Scheme is really pleased cymaint ei hun o’i rôl gwirfoddoli yn ogystal â darparu cymorth to have been able to help a number of pet owners over the y mae mawr ei angen yn y gymuned leol. Roedd yn emosiynol past few months. Errands performed by volunteers have fawr pan ffoniodd perchennog y cŵn hi yn yr ysgol i roi included trips to the local vets, delivering pet food, and regular gwybod iddi fod un o’r ddau gi wedi marw’n sydyn ac yn dog walking. annisgwyl. Roedd Elizabeth am fynd rownd a chyfnewid Recently we sent an e-mail round to all the volunteers to ask if cwtshis a chael cwpanaid o de ond mae’n amlwg nad oedd anyone could foster a three-year-old Welsh Collie after his hyn yn bosibl gyda COVID-19. Felly, peintiodd bortread owner had been admitted urgently to hospital. As usual, there ddyfrlliw o’r ddau gi, ei fframio, a’i gyflwyno I’r perchanog. was a brilliant response, with at least five volunteers Ystum hyfryd. responding to the call within a few hours. Chip is now having a Mae’n wych gweld gwirfoddolwyr ifanc fel Amelia ac Elizabeth holiday with Jane in Llandegfan, and Steph is on standby to yn cymryd rhan. take over foster duties after a week if his owner is still in hospital. Update Finally, the heart-warming and inspirational pet story of the We have a new telephone number: month! Two volunteers, Jeanette and Elizabeth, have been  01248 305014 Monday-Friday 9.00am-5.00pm sharing the walking of two dogs regularly for their owner in Beaumaris. Elizabeth is 15 years old, and has gained so much What the Scheme provides: the purpose of the Seiriol Good herself from her volunteering role as well as providing much Turn Scheme is to meet the needs of the community by needed help to someone in the local community. She was very providing a range of services for persons residing within the moved when the dogs’ owner rang her at school to let her Seiriol area who may be in need of such services. It is happy know that one of the two dogs had suddenly and unexpectedly to consider providing help to any person of any age, families, died. Elizabeth wanted to go round and exchange hugs and or groups of individuals dependant on their needs and the have a cup of tea but obviously this wasn’t possible with availability of volunteers. The services provided are based on COVID-19, so she painted a watercolour of the two dogs, the principle of volunteers doing "good turns" to help framed it, and took it round instead. A lovely gesture. individuals or groups with identified needs. These good turns include the following: It is great to see young volunteers like Amelia and Elizabeth getting involved. • Providing transport such as to take clients to their GP

surgery, hospital or other appointments • Shopping, prescription collection from the pharmacy FFERM WYNT ALLTRAETH AWEL Y MÔR/AWEL Y • Befriending calls to lonely housebound people MÔR OFFSHORE WIND FARM • Help with dog-walking and looking after other pets in times RWE Renewables UK, via Beaumaris Town Council

of need Ymgynghoriad rhithwir Dweud eich dweud...mae’r cynlluniau • Support individuals to develop digital skills such as internet i ddatblygu Awel y Môr, chwaer-prosiect Fferm Wynt Alltraeth access and social media, thereby tackling isolation Gwynt y Môr oddi ar arfordir Gogledd Cymru, yn mynd yn eu • Changing library books blaenau. Mae’r Tîm Awel y Môr yn eich gwahodd i fwrw golwg

This list isn’t exhaustive. Please give us a call even if your ar ein cynlluniau hyd yma, ac yn croesawu eich adborth yn requirement isn’t listed above and we’ll see what we can do. ystod y cam cynnar hwn yn y prosiect. 3TMae gwynt ar y môr eisoes yn un o’r mathau glanaf a rhataf o gynhyrchu ynni, ac Please note that all services are subject to COVID-19 fe allai fferm wynt ar y môr arfaethedig Awel y Môr chwarae guidance. We understand that the course of the pandemic is rhan allweddol mewn lleihau allyriadau carbon ymhellach, gan creating loneliness and difficulty for people, and we will do all helpu Cymru i gyrraedd ei tharged o gynhyrchu 70% o we can to help. During this time, however, we also have to gyfanswm y trydan sy’n cael ei ddefnyddio o ynni think of everyone’s safety, and we may not be able to carry out adnewyddadwy erbyn 2030. tasks which put individuals at unacceptable risk. Yn3T ystod mis Tachwedd, bydd Tîm Awel y Môr yn cynnal y As you can see from the list above we can now provide rownd gyntaf o Ddiwrnodau Ymgysylltu â’r Cyhoedd anffurfiol. community transport. Transport can be provided in the O ganlyniad i sefyllfa COVID-19, bydd y sesiynau hyn yn cael community minibus, or by one of our 40 volunteers using his/ eu cynnal ar lwyfan rhithiol ar-lein ar ein gwefan. her own car. Sylwch3T y bydd rownd arall o Ddiwrnodau Ymgysylltu â’r Charges: in order for the scheme to continue long-term, we Cyhoedd yn digwydd y flwyddyn nesaf, pan fydd y sefyllfa, have had to introduce charges for some of the services gobeithio, wedi newid er gwell. Bydd y rhain yn dal i fod ymhell provided, notably community transport, to cover volunteer- and cyn i’r prosiect wneud cais am gydsyniad datblygu, sydd heb 3T administrative expenses ei3T drefnu tan rywbryd yn ystod 2022.

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The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 14 OF 24 www.seiriolalliance.co.uk/newsletters/

RWE yw’r gweithredwr unigol mwyaf yng Nghymru o ran  0800 197 8232 asedau ynni adnewyddadwy gyda 300+ o weithwyr parhaol ar  [email protected] draws ein swyddfeydd yng Nghymru, gan gynhyrchu dros Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm draean o’r holl drydan adnewyddadwy a gynhyrchir o: RWE Renewables • 3 fferm wynt alltraeth gyfredol oddi ar arfordir Gogledd Baglan Bay Innovation Centre Cymru: Central Avenue Gwynt y Môr (576MW) Baglan Energy Park Gwastadeddau’r Rhyl (90MW) Port Talbot SA12 7AX North Hoyle (60MW) • 3 fferm wynt ar y tir:

Coedwig Clocaenog (96MW) MORE ON HEDGEHOG CARE Coedwig Orllewinol Brechfa (57.4MW) (name given) Mynydd y Gwair (32.8MW) This article follows on from Jill Anker’s story, Betty: the story of • 6 prosiect hydro (45MW i gyd) a rescue hedgehog, in The Puffin 33. Am fwy o wybodaeth: I read your article written by a reader about her experience of  www.awelymor.cymru a hedgehog she was feeding. I have 20 years of taking care  0800 197 8232 and releasing hedgehogs. Hedgehogs eat a wide variety of  [email protected] food; feeding cat food as a short-term supplement is fine, but Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm as a long-term food we are creating long-term problems for RWE Renewables these creatures that we strive to help.

Baglan Bay Innovation Centre Throughout the summer it’s best not to feed them at all. Water Central Avenue should be available all year round. If one wishes to feed Baglan Energy Park hedgehogs a small amount may be provided in spring and Port Talbot autumn to supplement their diet, but they do need a huge SA12 7AX variety of foods to keep healthy: cat food is not a natural food Virtual consultation Have your say...plans to develop Awel y for them. Also, they travel over long distances so should not Môr, sister project to Gwynt y Môr Offshore Wind farm off the be kept in a single garden unless a disability stops them coast of North Wales, are progressing. The Awel y Môr Team travelling far. invites you to explore its plans to date and welcomes your If a hedgehog is seen outside in daylight through spring, feedback at this early project stage. Offshore wind is already summer and autumn it is not a reason for removing them to one of the cleanest and cheapest forms of energy generation rescues unless they are obviously injured. Food and water in and the proposed Awel y Môr Offshore Wind Farm could play these cases should be offered. The reasons that a hedgehog a key role in further reducing carbon emissions, helping Wales is seen in daylight are: to meet its target of generating 70% of electricity consumption from renewable energy by 2030. • A mother in need of food or drink • A hedgehog having been disturbed and searching for a During November, the Awel y Môr Team will be hosting its first new home round of informal Public Engagement Days. Due to the • A hedgehog flooded out of its home ongoing COVID-19 situation, these sessions will be hosted via • Sometimes a hedgehog just wandering about. an on-line virtual platform on our website. Nests of babies are being found abandoned as their mother Another round of Public Engagement Days will take place next has been taken to a rescue by a well-meaning person; year when we hope the situation will have changed for the sometimes they die, sometimes someone finds them in time. better. These will still be far in advance of the project applying for development consent, which isnot scheduled until My main reason for writing on this matter is my concern that sometime in 2022. some people are fencing hedgehogs in their gardens and feeding them daily on cat food as though they are pets, rather RWE is Wales’s single biggest operator of renewable energy than wild animals. Hedgehogs hibernate during the winter assets with 300+ permanent employees across its offices in because their natural food is scarce. I do use cat food myself Wales, producing over one third of all renewable electricity over winter when I’m given hedgehogs that are too small or generated from: underweight to hibernate; cat food does not provide a • 3 existing offshore wind farms off the coast of North complete healthy diet for hedgehogs, but is fine for a short Wales: period and as a supplement. Gwynt y Môr (576MW) I realise that many people want to help these wonderful Rhyl Flats (90MW) creatures. They are wild animals, though, and rescues should North Hoyle (60MW) be left to people with experience. Food should be a treat only. • 3 onshore wind farms: Hedgehogs are now on the endangered list, which is such a Clocaenog Forest (96MW) shame as they are so important in nature and for our gardens. Brechfa Forest West (57.4MW) Mynydd y Gwair (32.8MW) Some elementary care points Please don’t feed cow’s milk 6 hydro projects (up to 4MW each) to hedgehogs under any circumstances. Like many other wild creatures hedgehogs can’t digest the lactose in cow’s milk; it For more information: makes them ill and they often die as a result. Slug pellets are  www.awelymor.cymru poisonous, and hedgehogs are likely to die if they eat them.

www.facebook.com/groups/llangoed 15 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020

A DIP IN TIME SAVES A CANINE! to write a paper about her for their David Huntington veterinary journal.

At the end of July our family decided Since then Beti has gone from to go for a picnic at Lleiniog beach strength to strength, and we hope on the way to Penmon. It was a very she will be with us for a few more hot day, and as we were making our years yet! Having survived an adder way down to the beach our 17-year- bite a few years ago, and now this: old Parson Jack Russell, Beti, she certainly is a very brave and decided (despite our telling her not tough little dog whom we all love to, or due selective deafness!) to go dearly. for a swim in the river. The spot she chose was I think, deeper than she GWOBR GYMUNEDOL Y FANER expected. She swam out into the middle, turned back to the bank and The deep water at Lleiniog, where Beti took her dip (David WERDD I WARCHODFA NATUR Huntington) then her head went under the water. LLANGOED/GREEN FLAG She surfaced and then her whole COMMUNITY AWARD FOR body went under the water. She LLANGOED NATURE RESERVE surfaced again moments later and, to Delyth Phillipps, Swyddog our horror, was floating on her side. Prosiect/Project Officer

In an instant my daughter Kate Gwobr Gymunedol y Faner scrambled down the steep bank, Werdd i warchodfa natur waded in, grabbed her by the collar Llangoed Rydym wrth ein bodd o and lifted her out. She carried her allu rhannu ychydig o newyddion da up the bank and, having gyda chi. Mae’r warchodfa natur leol remembered reading it somewhere, yn Llangoed, sy’n fan gwyrdd I held Beti up by her back legs to cymunedol poblogaidd a ddefnyddir drain any water out of her lungs. gan lawer, wedi llwyddo i ennill

Beti was lying on her side, eyes Gwirfoddolwyr Cwlwm Seiriol yn arddangos y Faner Gwobr Gymunedol y Faner Werdd open and not breathing; Kate Werdd/Cwlwm Seiriol Volunteers show off the Green Flag eleni. Gwobr Gymunedol y Faner immediately started chest (Delth Phillipps) Werdd yw’r meincnod i barciau a compressions and mouth-to-mouth mannau gwyrdd sy’n cael eu rheoli resuscitation as you would to a gan wirfoddolwyr. Lle bynnag y human. After about a minute she gwelwch Faner Werdd, gwyddoch started showing signs of life. We put eich bod yn ymweld â lle arbennig her in a large beach towel and sydd â’r safonau uchaf. carried her back to the car whilst I’r rhai ohonoch nad ydych yn one of us phoned the vet. We were gyfarwydd â’r safle, mae told to take her straight to their Gwarchodfa Natur Leol Tir Comin Mona branch. Llangoed ac Aberlleiniog, i roi ei That journey seemed to last for deitl llawn, yn gyfuniad o ruban o ever! All the way there I was rubbing goetir, prysg a dôl laith, yn ymestyn and drying her with the towel and tua’r gogledd a’r de o’r maes parcio massaging her chest. When we yng nghanol pentref Llangoed. Mae

arrived, they took her from us and Gwirfoddolwyr Cwlwm Seiriol yn gosod giât a wnaed gan hefyd yn cynnwys coetir llydanddail told us to get back to them in an wirfoddolwyr Gerddi Haulfre/Cwlwm Seiriol Volunteers cymysg wedi’i blannu, coetir hour. They prepared us that she installing a gate made by Haulfre Gardens volunteers (Delyth llydanddail rhannol-naturiol, pyllau a might have to go Liverpool Phillipps) chynefin torlannol ar ymyl Afon Veterinary Hospital for further Lleiniog. treatment; an hour later our worst Ers ei ddynodiad, mae’r safle wedi’i fears were confirmed, and Liverpool reoli gan Gyngor Cymuned were expecting us straight away. Llangoed a Phenmon gyda After another journey of what chymorth gan Menter Môn (Asiant seemed like forever, we arrived at Menter a Datblygiad Gwledig Ynys the hospital and Beti was checked Môn); a, rhyngddynt, mae’r ddau in. They told us they would assess sefydliad yn berchen ar y tir. Mae’r her and phone us when they had some results to report. They gymuned wedi bod yn rhan weithredol o’r warchodfa ers 2008 did so, saying the oxygen count in her blood was in the low a daeth nifer o bobl leol i estyn cymorthi blannu miloedd o goed 50s (when it should be in the 90s), she had pneumonia in her ar y tir o gwmpas y castell pan gafodd ei brynu gan Menter left lung and they would have to keep her in for at least two Môn. days. If worst came to the worst she would have to go on a Mae llwybrau troed cyhoeddus yn ymestyn drwy’r warchodfa, ventilator. Luckily this wasn’t the case. The care she received yn caniatáu i ddefnyddwyr gerdded o bentref Llangoed, tua’r was exemplary, with 24-hour monitoring and regular telephone gogledd tuag at Glanrafon, a thua’r de i draeth Lleiniog. Mae updates. cysylltiadau â llwybrau troed a theithiau cerdded eraill hefyd yn Two days later we collected her, along with a load of yr ardal, gan gynnwys y Llwybr Arfordir, y gellir ei gyrraedd medication, and aftercare instructions. The vet said that for her drwy Draeth Lleiniog. Llwyddodd Cyngor Cymuned Llangoed a age she was a "real little toughie"! We told him how grateful Phenmon i sicrhau cyllid Ewropeaidd yn 2006 i brynu’r tir a we were for all they had done for her and to thank all the staff chreu’r rhwydwaith o lwybrau troed yr ydych yn eu gweld yn y very much to which he replied, "The main person you must be warchodfa natur leol heddiw. Mae maes parcio a byrddau thanking is your daughter and her quick thinking"! They have dehongli ym mhentref Llangoed sy’n dangos ehangder y also said that, because of her remarkable recovery, they wish warchodfa ar fap ac yn rhoi gwybodaeth ynghylch hanes yr

The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 16 OF 24 www.facebook.com/groups/llanddona/ ardal leol a’r bywyd gwyllt sydd wedi’i gofnodi yn y warchodfa. enabling users to walk from Llangoed village, north towards Glanrafon, and south to Lleiniog beach. Links also exist to Mae , atyniad lleol poblogaidd sydd wedi’i other footpaths and walks in the area, including the Coastal leoli yn y warchodfa, yn gastell mwnt a beili a adeiladwyd Path, which is accessed via Lleiniog beach. Llangoed and rhwng 1080 a 1099 gan Hugh d’Avranches. Dyma’r unig un o’i Penmon Community Council managed to secure European fath ar Ynys Môn ac mae’n Heneb Restredig gyda Cadw. funding in 2006 to buy land and to create the network of Mae’r strwythur pren Normanaidd gwreiddiol wedi hen footpaths that you see in the LNR today. There is a car park ddiflannu, ac yn ei le mae strwythur carreg a gafodd ei osod and interpretation boards in Llangoed village which show the rhyw bryd cyn canol y 17 ganrif, pan gafodd ei ddinistrio gan extent of the reserve on a map and give information about the Thomas Cheadle, cwnstabl Biwmares. Llwyddodd Menter Môn history of the local area and the wildlife that has been i sicrhau cyllid grant gan Gronfa Dreftadaeth y Loteri a Cadw recorded at the reserve. er mwyn ei atgyweirio yn 2008.

Nod y Warchodfa Natur Leol yw gwarchod ac atgyfnerthu Castell Aberlleiniog, a popular local attraction which can be harddwch naturiol yr ardal er budd bywyd gwyllt a phobl. Mae found within the reserve, is a motte and bailey castle built harddwch naturiol yn cynnwys bywyd gwyllt brodorol between 1080 and 1099 by Hugh d’Avranches. It is the only (planhigion a ffawna), y tirlun gweledol ac arteffactau one of its kind on Anglesey and is a Scheduled Ancient diwylliannol. Mae’r Warchodfa Natur Leol yn cydnabod Monument registered with Cadw. The original Norman timber structure is long gone, replaced by a stone structure at some hawliau cyfreithiol a thraddodiadol pobl (lleol ac ymwelwyr) i th fwynhau mynediad at yr ardal a’i defnyddio ac yn ceisio point before the mid-17 century, when it was destroyed by cydbwyso ac integreiddio’r rhain. Thomas Cheadle, the constable of Beaumaris. Menter Môn managed to secure grant funding from the Heritage Lottery Ers mis Medi 2017, mae prosiect Cwlwm Seiriol a Fund and Cadw for its restoration in 2008. gwirfoddolwyr o ardal Seiriol wedi bod yn gwneud gwelliannau i gynefinoedd yn y warchodfa, gan gynnwys clirio prysg, The aim of the Local Nature Reserve is to conserve and bondocio coed a thorri coed ynn sydd wedi dioddef o’r clefyd enhance the natural beauty of the area for the benefit of coed ynn. Mae gwelliannau i’r llwybr troed hefyd wedi’u wildlife and people. Natural beauty includes native wildlife gwneud. Roedd hyn yn cynnwys gosod cerrig mewn dulliau (flora and fauna), the visual landscape and cultural artifacts. The LNR recognises both the legal and traditional rights of traddodiadol i atal llif y dŵr rhag difetha’r llwybr. people (local and visitors) to enjoy access to and use of the Mae nifer o ddigwyddiadau cymunedol wedi bod yn area and seeks to balance and integrate these. gysylltiedig â’r warchodfa dros y blynyddoedd, y diweddaraf oedd dathliad Diwrnod Santes Dwynwen ar 25 Ionawr eleni Since September 2017, the Cwlwm Seiriol project and pan ddaeth pobl leol i greu calonnau helyg (gan ddefnyddio volunteers from the Seiriol area have been carrying out habitat helyg wedi’u coedlannu yn y warchodfa) a cherfio llwyau (gan improvements within the reserve, this has included scrub ddefnyddio cyll wedi'u coedlannu) a chanu cân serch clearance, coppicing and the cutting of ash trees that have Gymraeg o amgylch tân gydag iwcalilis. succumbed to ash dieback. Footpath improvements have also been carried out. This involved creating water breaks using Ymwelodd beirniad y Faner Werdd â’r warchodfa ar 8 Medi i traditional stone pitching techniques. gwrdd â gwirfoddolwyr ac asesu a oedd y safle yn bodloni safon Gwobr Gymunedol y Faner Werdd, mae 24 o feini There have been a number of community events linked to the prawf. Yn dilyn yr ymweliad, dywedodd "cafodd lefel y reserve over the years, the most recent being a St Dwynwen’s gweithgarwch cymunedol argraff arnaf, mae’n wych gweld Day celebration on 25 January this year when local people safle sydd â chysylltiad mor glos â’i defnyddwyr". came out to make willow hearts (using willow coppiced in the reserve) and carve spoons (using coppiced hazel) and to sing Os hoffech gael gwybod mwy am yr hyn sydd gan y prosiect a Welsh-language love song around a campfire with ukuleles. i’w gynnig, anfonwch e-bost atom yn cwlwmseiriol@menter mon.com. The Green Flag judge visited the reserve on 8 September to meet volunteers and assess whether the site met the standard Green Flag Community Award for Llangoed nature of the Green Flag Community Award, there are 24 criteria. reserve We are excited to share some positive news with you. Following the visit, he said "I was very impressed with the The local nature reserve in Llangoed, which is a well-used and level of community activity, it is wonderful to see a site so well much-loved community green space, has achieved a Green connected with its users". Flag Community Award this year. The Green Flag Community Award is the benchmark for parks and green spaces which are If you would like to find out more about what the project has to managed by volunteers. Wherever you see a Green Flag, you offer, please e-mail us at [email protected]. know you’re visiting an exceptional place with the highest standards. LLANDDONA WRITER’S BOOK TO SUPPORT For those of you who are not familiar with the site, the MACMILLAN NURSES Llangoed Commons & Aberlleiniog Local Nature Reserve Stephen Marsden (LNR), to give it its full title, is made up of a ribbon of woodland, scrub and damp meadow, extending both north A new book of verse, humour and short stories by Anglesey andsouth from the car park in the centre of Llangoed village. It writer Stephen Marsden is on sale, with all proceeds in aid of also includes a planted mixed broadleaved woodland, semi- Macmillan Cancer Support. natural broadleaved woodland, ponds and riparian habitat "Out of my Head", he says, "is an 80-page selection of mostly bordering the Afon Lleiniog. writing over the last five years. The short stories are indeed Since its designation, the site has been managed by Llangoed just that at 500 words, what publishers call flash fiction. And and Penmon Community Council with the support of Menter the title just seemed not just true of it all, but eye-catching Môn (Anglesey’s Enterprise and Rural Development Agency); too." both organisations own the land between them. The Since retiring from over 40 years as a journalist, advertising community has been actively involved with the reserve since copywriter and editor, Stephen has enjoyed a lot more time for 2008 and many local people came out to help plant thousands his own writing. "Living in Llanddona with my wife Meg, on an of trees on the land around the castle when it was bought by island we love, is a perfect place to play with the ideas in your Menter Môn. head. And Macmillan Nurses do wonderful work, as we know Footpaths for public use extend throughout the reserve, with family and friends."

[email protected] 17 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020

Chairing one writing group and last with local 'loose end' teenagers in a year starting a second has simple exchange of 'tech know-how' prompted him to write even more, for a cup of coffee and a serious and various of his pieces had chat about life’s difficulties. success in the Anglesey over-50 Apparently it’s going down really bilingual Eisteddfod, where he won well on both sides. the bard’s chair in 2017. Sadly, that Another interesting phenomenon is event has since stopped. the rise in popularity of 'She Sheds', Stephen grew up in Manchester, which are entirely separate from the joining the Old Trafford faithful while Men’s Sheds but share the same still in short pants (see 'The Voice of ideals and meet at different times at Footbal'’). With an early love for the same venue. language, even Latin, he studied To learn more about us, telephone French, German and philosophy at Iain on 07782 307219 or Alan on university before writing for a living. 07788 434892. Meanwhile, learning Welsh has just added to his interest in language, but despite various promptings, he CLWB GARDDIO LLANGOED has yet to do anything seriously GARDENING CLUB creative beyond English. Jean Whitehead

"Welsh is such a pleasure to speak After all the beautiful warm and and read," he says, “but look at the sunny days of our summer lockdown unique wealth and style of its we are now well and truly into literature – how could I ever do it Autumn. The gardens are starting to justice?" look a bit tatty, with lots of cutting

Stephen and "Out of my Head" (Stephen Marsden) back to do, although there’s still a "Out of my Head" is available direct from the author on 07774 699685, wealth of flowers, such as rudbeckia, or e-mail [email protected]. The sedums, dahlias and schizostylis, price is £7.50 (plus £1.50 postage, if still in flower, and many others, too. required). And remember, all the There are apples and pears aplenty, proceeds go to Macmillan Cancer with the lovely red fruits of crab Support. apples grabbing our attention.

Clwb Garddio Llangoed Gardening Club has not had any meeting since SEIRIOL MEN’S SHED Mike Thomas the start of the COVID-19 lockdown in March. We miss our informative About a month ago we had a visit illustrated talks and the chance to from our regional co-ordinater, chat with one another over a panad. Simon Poole, who represents and advises all the Sheds in North Hopefully, we’ll be able to resume Wales. Simon is always welcome; our meetings in January next year, Seiriol Men’s Shed: Alan Bryant and Idris Lewis hard at he’s down-to-earth and very but who knows where this latest work (Mike Thomas) stage of COVID-19 will take supportive, and brought us some masks, sanitiser gel, etc., all us? Ann and Lyn have a full especially valued as we are a bit programme organised with many of hard up at the present time. He also the speakers we have missed this year. brought much valued information about other Sheds. As we know, our gardens have kept

Men’s Shed groups are owned and us busy, and provided a refuge and run independently by their comfort from all that has been going members. There is, of course, a set on around us for the last few of ethical minimum standards. It’s months, and as we go into winter always interesting to know how we can still get out and potter, others are making out and coping weather permitting, and breath in wonderfully fresh air. with the pandemic, what their favoured activities are and whether We’ll let all our members know as we’re missing out on any bright soon as we know these meetings ideas. can resume; until then, keep on

One local Shed had a very bright enjoying your gardens, stay well, idea: in common with most men of a keep safe and look forward to next year with hope. certain age, Sheds are seriously deficient in technology competence. 10 September 2020: a cistus, looking like crumpled paper, In normal times we meet on the third What this one has done is to engage with a bee-like insect taking centre-stage (Andrew Perrott) Monday of the month at 7.30pm in

McColl’s...we support communities around our local China House, Llangoed, neighbourhood stores, and provide a great range of Anglesey LL58 8NW quality everyday products and services, close to where people live, and available when they need them.  01248 490056  www.mccolls.co.uk/ Thank you, McColl’s, for supporting The Puffin!

The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 18 OF 24 www.seiriolalliance.co.uk/newsletters/

Llangoed Village Hall, and look too, are a bit battered and worn out. forward to seeing all our existing So, rest, allow yourself to feel the members; there will be a warm disappointment and frustration, but welcome to new members as well. get back up and keep going...in For more information please contact whatever way you can...but don’t Ann Donlan on 07919 031403 or give up. Lyn Gallagher on 07857 697572. I cobbled the brownies together and

allowed them to cool. I observed the COPING IN COVID TIMES: A damage and saw that some parts of PIECE OF CAKE! their yumminess were salvageable. Kate Gwilliam The brownies and their chocolate

The other day, instead of worrying crunch sidekicks are safely on their about my job (whether it’s viable or way to the recipients. The rest is up to them and a nice cup of coffee. not) decisions, money, the state of the world, etc., I set time aside to I can do SOMETHING with these bits! (Kate Gwilliam) I leave with this verse...and a plate bake. I was baking for of scrumpled brownies that didn’t make the packages! friends...when you can’t change stuff, you look how you can be a "Let us not become weary in doing blessing, right?! To bless them from good, for at the proper time we will afar with little parcels of treats made reap a harvest if we do not give up." from my kitchen was the aim. Galatians 6:9 NIV Brownies and chocolate crunch...the food of kings! I was organised, calm, happy to be setting my mind 'CARE AND SHARE' IN on something useful and helpful, LOCKDOWN excited to be blessing my friends Jill Anker with chocolatey goodness. The bake was going well...until the After the initial worry that we might brownies, beautifully baked, cooled not be able to tend our allotments, enough to take out of the tin, slipped we eventually got the all-clear from out of my hands and on to the work the Welsh Assembly. Following the L-R: Will Roberts, current Beaumaris Lifeboat crew member guidance of the National Allotments surface... with Dave Roberts (former crew member) whose plot he

looked after during lockdown when Dave had to self-isolate Association, the site was put into Now, in that moment, right there, lockdown with only members and was the opportunity to make a split (Jill Anker) associate members and anyone decision. Laugh, cry, stamp, feel the living with them allowed on site. All frustration of every day during the of the COVID-19 guidelines were COVID-19 lockdown rolled into strictly followed, making the site as one...my husband stood helpless. safe as possible to visit. Whatever he said would be a gamble...console, laugh if she With some members unable to get laughs? Awkward. to their plots either due to shielding or, in the case of our Chairman, I stood, I looked, my heart sank. I being stuck in New Zealand, we know it’s only brownies, but it asked the members for help to look mattered! It mattered to be doing after these plots. something that meant something! I cleared. I did cry for a moment, then Three of our associate members it occurred to me that this small (those on the waiting list) who had event in my kitchen is indicative of been self-isolating stepped up to the our lives in COVID times. We plan mark and came along to help plant what we can, allow ourselves to feel Dennis Evans with plants that he received from other and keep the weeds under control. plotholders during lockdown (Jill Anker) the anticipation, and then, Inspections were postponed and we disappointment and hurdles and hoops to jump through arrive. adopted a new motto of 'Care and Share'. Our good intentions, our excitement, or joy of helping or Keyworkers who were finding it hard to have time to tend their moving forward, all are compromised. BUT...back to the plots received help from other plotholders. One new plotholder cake... with a particularly demanding job was totally overwhelmed by Only I had the power to decide what reaction I was going to the help she received; not only was her plot weeded and dug have...and, to be honest, I didn’t have the energy to be strong over but she also received enough free plants to have it all enough to observe the baking tragedy without a tear...I planted up for her. This enabled her to just come along and allowed the tear, a trip to the tissue box, and then I looked at unwind at the end of a stressful day. the sorry brownies and thought, I can do SOMETHING with Ironically, one former member of the Beaumaris Lifeboat crew them! who had to self-isolate had his plot tended by a current Our choices, our decisions are often based on, and decided member of the crew who was on the waiting list. Plotholders on, how much we stand back and think, but also on how tired who are normally working during the week spent so much time and weary we already are from the ongoing war we are facing. on their plots that some plots looked better than they have done for years...so all in all it has been an interesting time. I am determined that fallen brownies will not stop me from sending treats and blessings to brighten another’s day...I am Our 'Care and Share' theme continues with anyone who has determined that the disappointment and chaos of COVID spare produce being asked to share to ensure nothing goes to times will not prevent me from seeing the goodness in this waste. Windfalls are being collected to be made into cider world, the love in the hearts of those around me, even if they, ready to share once we are able to start having social events.

www.facebook.com/groups/llangoed 19 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020

Unfortunately, all our normal events have had to be cancelled, If you’d like more information about the Rotary Club and its although we did manage a Plant Swap, with everyone queuing events, or are considering joining us in our endeavours to at a 2m distance. With nurseries closed, sharing plants support our community, please e-mail our Secretary, Bob became even more important. Maskall, at [email protected].

Like most allotment sites we have had a lot of applications for plots, so the next few months will be busy. PLAS BODFA OBJECTS: A NEW CREATIVE PROJECT IN

LLANGOED BANGOR ROTARY CLUB NEWS Julie Upmeyer

Pauline Kenyon Plas Bodfa’s history as a working house is taking a new turn! Like all charity and community organisations, Rotary has had In the last 50 years it’s been a restaurant, a retirement home, to find creative ways of operating and supporting others in a tapestry kit company and tea-room and shop before resting these strange times. for the last 12 years. It’s now the host for a new on-line shop for local artists and creatives to sell their works. We have continued our weekly Rotary meetings by 'zoom', which works rather well as business gets done swiftly. We also Before the COVID-19 lockdown, Plas Bodfa was going to sell have more informal meetings every some artists’ work as part of its morning for those members wishing exhibition planned for last Easter, to have a chat over coffee; this has which was obviously cancelled. As been especially valued by members for many others, the loss of income who live alone, and a lot of has been terrible for these artists. friendships have been considerably Seeing first-hand the problem for strengthened. many local artists, Julie Upmeyer At a recent meeting we were has created an on-line shop and delighted to celebrate and website to help promote their works, congratulate 'local lad' Rotarian Dai so Plas Bodfa Objects is now selling Lloyd Jones MBE on attaining the on-line affordable works of art from rare achievement of being a very over 50 artists, most of them local to active member for 50 years! North Wales. She’s working with the

When COVID restrictions allowed, artists on a "buy local, support local" small groups of Rotarians were campaign for North Wales where invited to socially-distanced garden people can either pick up the artists’ parties, hosted by members around work themselves, or have it posted, our island. These were great fun, gift-wrapped if they wish...via and for many was the first time for a Llangoed post office of course! long while during which they could If you’d like to help support these make a very safe visit to see Dai Lloyd Jones MBE (via Pauline Kenyon) local artists too, you may see their friends! works at www.plasbodfa.com/ Many Rotarians have been donating objects. the cost of Club meeting meals they couldn’t actually eat as no meetings THIS TOO WILL PASS were possible. Additionally, there Anne Lindley have been quizzes and a range of other fund-raisers, with more This was written by a treasured planned. sweetheart way, way back in the day of young dreams... Thanks to the kind and generous    support of Simon Bower and Morgan Evans Auctioneers, and the I am a dry, warm summer day, wonderful donations of 126 lots from I am the cool, blue pyjama sky, I am the puffs of egg –white cloud, Rotarians, we were able to have a charity auction on 29 October to Some of the artists’ works on show at Plas Bodfa, Llangoed I am the waving trees: wind-rustled, (Julie Upmeyer) aloud. help top up our funds to support local charities. These initiatives have enabled the Club to I am the murmur of tranquil sounds: donate £2,500 to the Food Bank and make donations to the St I am the tractor, straining, breaking ground. David’s Hospice/ Hosbis Dewi Sant development project on I am the smell of new mown hay, Anglesey, and to a number of other struggling charities. I am the flock of lambs at play.

Other members have found ways of supporting many different I am the wildflower rainbow, below the hedge. causes that have felt the loss of their own fundraising, such as I am the bumblebee in a maze of scents. 'decluttering' and giving good quality items to charity I am the frantic, zigzag, butterflies, shops...and we are planing an on-line social and fund raising I am the pheasants’ and the black crows’ cries. wine tasting! Participants pay £20 and two different wines will BUT be delivered to those keen to hone their tasting – and drinking – skills! I am the angry storm not far away, I am the anvil cloud of warship grey, Another current initiative is collecting toys, games and books I am the deluge growing inside, etc for primary-aged children to be donated to a local I am the fresh wind, rising, wild. community centre – all festively wrapped – for distribution at Christmas, and we will be contributing to the 2020 Bro Seiriol I am the fear of lightning flashes Christmas Tree Festival to be held in the Church of St Mary I am the awe to thunder crashes, and St Nicholas, Beaumaris, in December; see page 10 for I am the wet, earthy atmosphere more information. I am the warning on the clammy air.

The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 20 OF 24 www.facebook.com/groups/llanddona/

HYBIAU RHITHWIR MÔN

Mae Age Cymru Gwvnedd a Môn, Medrwn Môn a Chyngor Sir Ynys Môn yn gweithio mewn partneriaeth gyda phum Hwb Cymunedol ar draws Ynys Môn i dreialu cynllun Hybiau Rhithwir Môn. Y nod ydy tlelpu adeiladu hyder digidol unigoIion a Lleihau unigrwydd o fewn ein cymunedau.

Mae hwn yn brosiect peilot a fydd yn gweithio gyda phum Hwb Cymunedol penodol, ond mae croeso i chi gysylltu os hoffech chi neu eich hwb ymuno gyda’r cynllun yn y dyfodol.

Rydym yn chwilio am wlrfoddolwyr i ddarparu cefnogaeth un-i-un i bobl sydd efallai erioed wedi bod ar y rhyngrwyd o’r blaen, neu sydd am wella eu sgiliau digidol. Gall y tasgau gynnwys cyflwyno pobl i’r cyfryngau Cymdeithasol, Skype, Siopa Ar Leln, ac unrhyw beth arall a all fod o ddiddordeb iddyn nhw. Bydd unigolion hefyd yn cael mynediad at wefan newydd er mwyn derbyn gwybodaeth a chadw mewn cysylltiad â’u cymuned leol.

Bydd y cynllun peilot yn cefnogi unigolion o bum cymuned benodol ar Ynys Môn, ond rydym yn croesawu gwirfoddolwyr o bob rhan o’r Ynys. Nid oes rhaid i wirfoddolwyr fod yn arbenigwyr mewn technoleg, ond mae disgwyI iddyn nhw gael dealltwriaeth gyfforddus o sut i ddefnyddio tabledi/cyfrifaduron/ffôn glyfar a’r gallu i esbonio technoleg mewn ffordd syml a chlir. Mae sgiliau hanfodol eraill yn cynnwys cael natur gyfeillgar a chroesawgar a bod yn amyneddgar. Bydd gwirfoddolwyr yn derbyn hyfforddiant drwyadl gan Gymunedau Digidol Cymru.

Gall rhoi cyn lleied ag awr neu ddwy yr wythnos gael effaith gadarnhaol sylweddol rf fywyd rhywun. Bydd gwyrfoddolwyr hefyd yn elwa drwy gael profiad gwerthfawr, yn datblygu eu sgiliau, a chael gwir ymdeimlad o gyflawni rhywbeth gwerth chweil, ynghyd a hyfforddiant a chefnogaeth barhaus.

Os oes gennych chi ddiddordeb mewn cefnogi’r cynllun hwn fel gwirfoddolwyr, cysylltwch â Sioned Young, Swyddog Cyswllt a Chefnogaeth Hybiau Cymunedol Ynys Môn gydag Age Cymru Gwynedd a Môn.

[email protected]  01286 808735

ANGLESEY VIRTUAL HUBS

Age Cymru Gwvnedd a Môn, Medrwn Môn And Isle of Anglesey County Council are working in partnership with five Community Hubs across Anglesey to pilot an Anglesey Virtual Hubs project. The aim is to help build individuals’ digital confidence and reduce loneliness and isolation in our communities.

This is currently a pilot project, working to support five slected community hubs. However, please get in touch if you or your community hub would be interested in taking part in this project in the future.

We are looking for volunteers! We are looking to recruit volunteers to provide one-to-one support to people who may never have been on the internet before, or are looking to improve their digital skills.

Tasks may include introducing people to Social Media, Skype, On-Line Shopping, and any other things that may be of interest to the individual. Participants will also be given access to a new website to stay informed and in touch with their local community.

The pilot project willinitially be supporting individuals from five selected communities on the Island, though we welcome volunteers from all over Anglesey. Volunteers don’t need to be IT experts, but are expected to have a comfortable understanding of how to use tablets/computers/smartphones and be able to explain technology in a simple, clear way. Other required skills include having a friendly and welcoming nature, being patient and personable. Volunteers will receive full training from Difgital Communities Wales.

Giving as little as an hour or two a week in this role can have a great impact on someone’s life. In return, you will gain valuable experience, skills, and a real sense of achievement, as well as ongoing training, supervision and support.

If you are interested in supporting this project as a volunteer, get in touch with Sioned Young, Age Cymru Gwvnedd a Môn’s Anglesey Community Hub Liaison and Support Officer.

[email protected]  01286 808735

[email protected] 21 oF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020

I am where the Wild Things hide. Having spent many months pruning I am the hedge umbrella, leafy and and training the vines, the day wide. finally comes to pick the grapes... I am the thatch of green then they are taken over to blackberries. Halfpenny Green Winery. The next I am raindrops the size of cherries. time he sees them the red grapes will have been transformed into a THEN rosé wine and the white grapes into I am the suddenly soaking land. an award-winning sparkling wine I am the dripping trees, and using the same method as for I am the thirsty, gurgling ditch, Champagne. I am the puddles: muddily rich.

I am the tempest’s sudden passing. SOME BITS OF TRIVIA I am the sunshine in a rain-washed sky We’ve a little spare room at the end of this number of The Puffin, so we I am the steam rising from fields I am wildlife emerging from their Keevan with his grapes (Jill Anker) thought that we’d round off with a

shields. couple of bits of trivia…in times like this we need something to make us I am now the storm at bay. smile or pique our interest. I am a dry, warm summer day. A sensible use for mobile phones

at last The World Mobile Phone A CUNNING TALE Throwing Championships: yes, there Adrian Drake-Lee is such a thing! Mobile phone There was a crafty witch from throwing became a hit when it was first arranged in 2000 in Savonlinna, Llanddona, Finland. The organiser was a Who when a cunning spell was translation and interpretation upon her, company, Fennolingua. Local Would have a quick spin, recycling centres were a partner Then knit at the Inn, and they collected all the toxic waste. The 2019 harvest picked and ready for delivery to the As a thirst to drink gin came upon winery... (Jill Anker) The Championships have been her. arranged every year since 2000 in Savonlinna, in late August, and

THE MAKING OF BEAUMARIS international interest led to official national championships all over BUBBLY Europe, the first being organised in Jill Anker Trondheim, Norway in June 2004, Did you know that Beaumaris had with a first prize of (you guessed it) its own boutique vineyard within site a trip to the World Championships in of the Castle? Over 15 years ago, Finland! Switzerland and Germany my husband Keevan visited followed in 2005. The UK Beaumaris Allotments to see a championships are held every friend and decided the site would August, and the first event was held make the idea location of his in 2005. 'vineyard'. There are rules as well: the sponsor ... and safely delivered to Halfpenny Green (Jill Anker) Having been given many vacant provides the phones, with many allotments to chose from he finally chose Plot 21, after which different kinds of phones from which to choose, weighing we spent months weeding and digging to prepare the ground, between 220g and 400g. During the throw the competitor must installing all the necessary supports before planting Seyval stay within the throwing area; if he/she steps over the area, Blanc (white) vines and Regent (red) vines. the throw is disqualified. It’s serious stuff, by the look of things!

A great amount of time is spent tending the vines, but after Mobile phone throwing three years Keevan was able to pick his first harvest. Having  www.en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mobile_phone_throwing tried making his own wine he tried taking his grapes to Entrenched in the English language The Great War, 1914- wineries with varying success, including Wroxeter Vineyard in 1918 led to a lot of military slang coming into general use. Shropshire and Three Choirs Vineyard in Newent (courtesy of French and German words were brought into the English Pant Du Vineyard in Penygroes). language, and words from local dialects become part of the He finally settled on a small vineyard and winery called national conversation. The army in the trenches was the first Halfpenny Green Vineyard near Telford. Having tasted their really literate army, and at the end of the war, those who wines he felt satisfied that they would be able to produce just survived took their new terms back to the general population. what he wanted from his grapes. The whites are more prolific, Many of the words were created by soldiers to describe their and produce up to 115kg a year whereas the red grapes have unfamiliar surroundings and circumstances. While they had to never been as successful, yielding c.40kg in a year. come up with names for new items like "trench coats" and

Canolfan Beaumaris A not-for-profit Social Enterprise Business supporting the community since 2013 Thank you for supporting The Puffin!

Rating Row, Beaumaris, Anglesey LL58 8AL   01248 811200

[email protected]   www.canolfanbeaumaris.org.uk/

The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 22 OF 24 www.seiriolalliance.co.uk/newsletters/

"duckboards", other more Glanrafon, then and now...how things have changed over the The French word "souvenir" descriptive phrases were also years. This 'pretty, pointy piece of Anglesey' is still largely replaced "keepsake" as the primary developed. "Lousy" and "crummy" rural in appearance despite the amount of development that word for a memento, following has taken place over the years. referred to being infested with lice, exchanges with the locals, while while "fed up" emerged as a If you have any photographs of this area then and now, officers being sacked were said to widespread expression of please let us have them so that we can continue this series have "come ungummed", from the showing how the area has changed. weariness. French “dégommer”, to dismiss. This developed quickly into "come Communiqués from headquarters unstuck". Other words arrived with were derisively known as "bumf", troops from the USA, such as from "bum fodder", a term for toilet "cooler", for prison, and Canada, paper. Such reports could often give such as "swipe", for acquiring rise to "guff" (rumours). Other words something by means that were not and phrases were "snapshot", from necessarily above board. a quick rifle shot, and "wash out", which described a process by which Troops serving in the Middle aspiring officers who failed their Eastern campaign were introduced commissions and were sent back to to local terms, and several Hindi their regiments, or "washed out". By terms, picked up from Indian Army

1915 the term was being used to 1936: looking towards : from an old postcard soldiers and already circulating in signify any kind of failure. "Dud" (via John Briggs) the regular professional army, were came to take on a wider meaning also disseminated widely, such as for something which failed, from the "cushy", from "khush", pleasure, and large number of faulty shells which "Blighty", from "bilati", foreign, which, did not explode. when applied by Indians to Britons,

Parcels from home would be came to be perceived by Indian Army "whacked out" or "whacked round" servicemen as the term "British". by the recipients, being shared Words even crossed from the among friends, each receiving "a trenches opposite. "Strafe" became fair whack". an English word, via a prominent Many terms which were particular to slogan used by the enemy: "Gott a region or social class entered Strafe England", while prisoners of common usage, like "scrounging", May 2000: the house is the one in the picture above, in the war returned with "erzatz", literally foraging for food, which is thought to cluster of trees (John Briggs) "replacement", but used in English have derived from a northern dialect, to mean "cheap substitute" and and "binge",overindulgence in spelled "ersatz". Advances in alcohol, from Lancashire. "Blotto", technology brought new phrases: another term for drunk, was aircraft were known to "conk out", popularised during the war. Lower- while pilots complained of "blind class words like "gasper" or "fag" spots" where they were unable to and "bloke", once referred just to a see. gentleman, and moved from their The trench talk that is now narrow social roots. entrenched in the English language Several phrases from the criminal  www.telegraph.co.uk/news/ underworld also entered wider use, newstopics/howaboutthat/

among them "chum", formerly slang October 2020: looking towards Mariandyrys; the picture 9700432/The-trench-talk-that-is- for an accomplice, "rumbled", to be shows how much development there has been since 1936, now-entrenched-in-the-English- found out, and "knocked off", stolen. even though the area is comparatively rural (John Briggs) language.html

21 June 1981: the congregation of Ysgoldy Llanfihangel. How many people do you recognise here? This little chapel is still used, and nestles in a copse of Scots pines by the road that runs between the tall Llanddona mast and Glanrafon (via John Briggs)

www.facebook.com/groups/llangoed 23 OF 24 The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020

TAILPIECE: MORE ABOUT A WEARY He gave me instructions while I sat in the WESTIE’S LIFE IN LLANLOCKDOWN driver’s seat. I know that I could have driven it, but my little paws didn’t reach the pedals. Tilly Barker (dogtated to Andrew Perrott)

Dear fans (yawn)...the makes-me-walk person My goodness, that skip truck was so much has told me that I must dogtate another tale to fun, and I was so tired after all the excitement him about my life in Llanlockdown. The yawn that I needed a sleep in the shade (I mean in an armchair) for a while to recover. isn’t about you...I love my fans...but about having to do something when he wants, and Not being able to see my Westie bezzie (that’s not when I want... Westie-speak for best friend), Edie, in

September wasn’t much fun. She lives in Never mind. I’ve been almost busy on occasion recently, and was even mentioned Warrington with the makes-me-walk person’s on Facebook by a neighbour recently; he’d sister. She’s a rescue Westie, like me; we heard of a small white terrier running about didn’t like each other at first, but we’re bezzies loose in the village. Running?...me? I don’t do now. Edie’s very funny, and a bit of a show- running unless there’s a cat somewhere; even off...that’s not my back end sticking out from then I really do it just to show that I can do under a bed, by the way...that’s Edie’s back it...anyway, it wasn’t me. I didn’t even chase end. She squeezes herself under the bed to the chicken that I saw the other day... scratch her back on the underneath. I’d never leave my back end out like that for any old I did have some fun in September, though. My person to see. Edie can be such a minx... neighbour (I like her because she talks to me Anyway, I was telling you about not being nicely and lets me help her; I root about in her garage and conservatory where there are all able to see her in September. She was going sorts of lovely smells) had been having a to visit with her person, and they ended up in lockdown...so I don’t know when I’ll see her. I clear-out. That meant a skip to investigate... and a skip truck! The oil delivery tanker’s fun was so disappointed. My two persons grizzled because it makes noises, but the GSE Waste about it, but it didn’t affect their appetite much Management skip truck...well, it made lots of because they went out for a meal, while I had noisy noises, and did everything! Bits went to stay at home, on guard, sleeping with one ear open, waiting to pounce... up, then backwards, then lifted the skip... bangs, clicks, whizzes and clacks! Dafydd, the Thank goodness...the dogtation’s done and I driver, even let me drive the truck...almost... can catch up on some sleep now (yawn).

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Alcoholics Anonymous 0800 917 7650 Post Office: customer helpline 0345 611 2970 Beaumaris Health Centre 01248 810818 McColl’s, Llangoed 01248 490056 Beaumaris Leisure Centre 01248 811200 Spar, Beaumaris 01248 810326 Dŵr Cymru/Welsh Water: National Gas Emergency Service 0800 111 999 water services and emergencies 0800 052 0130 NHS (NHS Direct closed in 2014): sewerage services and emergencies 0800 085 3968 for non-emergency medical help 111 reporting a leak 0800 281 432 Police: non-emergency 101 Electricity (SP Energy Networks): Police Community Support Officer: information about power cuts 0800 001 5400 Teleri Jones 07814 646320 Floodline 0345 988 1188 RSPCA: daily, 9.00am-6.00pm 07490 642555 Isle of Anglesey County Council: 01248 750057 Samaritans: Beaumaris library 01248 810659 English language 116123 Children’s Services 01248 752722 0808 164 0123 missed waste collections 01248 752860 Ysbyty Gwynedd Hospital 01248 384384

The Puffin  NUMBER 34 NOVEMBER 2020 24 OF 24 Printed by The Net Print Shop, 01407 886301