Gareth Morlais

A list of grants available for your sports club

Posted on 15/11/2014 by Gareth Morlais

This post is triggered by a discussion on Twitter about the difficulties Abergele Rovers / Kinmel Bay Sports FC football team have been having with sports facilities. The club would like a ground in Abergele which meets the standards asked for by the Welsh FA. That entails having a solid barrier around the pitch and changing facilities near the pitch itself. There’s more about this story in this Pioneer article by Tomos Hughes.

So, whether or not you play your sport in Abergele, here’s a list of links to explore if your sports team or club needs some financial help to buy kit, equipment, goalposts, transport, etc.

SportsWales ChwaraeonCymru

Nicola Hill explains the role of the Football Foundation and where else you can go to finance your new kit, goalposts, turf, floodlighting, stadium…

Sported. National grants and funding deadlines.

Cash4Clubs by BetFair and SportsAid

The Sports and Play Construction Association.

Living Sport’s Funding for Sports Clubs.

There are many other sources of funding available, including Big Lottery, crowdfunding platforms, charitable trusts and foundations, etc. Please feel free to add your suggestions in the Comments.

Mynydd Seion Paned a Sgwrs

Posted on 01/11/2014 by Gareth Morlais

Mae na groeso i bawb ymuno am baned a sgwrs yn festri Capel Mynydd Seion ar fore Gwener cyntaf pob mis.

Mynydd Seion Chapel in Chapel Street opens its vestry doors on the first Friday morning of each month for an informal coffee and chat. All welcome.

Emyr ac Elwyn

Posted on 30/10/2014 by Gareth Morlais

Do you remember Emyr ac Elwyn?

They were a duo who used to perform at Nosweithiau Lawen and concerts all along the north Wales coast in the 1960s. They opened a record shop in Colwyn Bay in the 70s. They came from an era of duos; Iola a Nia were Abergele’s most famous.

These 45rpm EP records were often displayed for sale in the window of Jenkins shop, between the George and Dragon pub and Hywel the Barber’s.

Deryl Ann Mahon, whom I knew as Deryl Roberts at Ysgol Glan Morfa, wrote about Emyr ac Elwyn’s song “Sibrwd Cariad”. Her father wrote this song. Deryl picks up the story:

… “Dad gave them the song which he’d come up with on piano … He was a good pianist ! he played the piano for them on this track … They wrote lyrics … I’m trying to find a copy that dad played on in particular as I think the one we had has been mislayed years ago – long shot I know ! Searched internet .. No luck !”

I haven’t found a copy of the record, but here’s a photo of the cover. If you can help Deryl find the vinyl, please use the Comments section below.

Emyr ac Elwyn Photo of 45rpm by Nic Dafis from Flickr — Photo of 45rpm by Nic Dafis from Flickr

Abergele Lipreading Support

Posted on 15/10/2014 by Gareth Morlais

If you’d like to learn or brush up your lipreading skills, head on over to Hafod y Parc, Abergele, every third Friday afternoon of the month…

Gwrych Halloween

Posted on 15/10/2014 by Gareth Morlais

There are some ghostly happenings planned at Gwrych Castle this Halloween, organised by the Gwrych Trust, according to the Trust’s Jake Basford:

“Gwrych Castle has been famous for its ghostly happenings, with stories coming from famous boxers who trained there having spotted the Countess wandering the Gardens, and pictures of ghosts making headlines in recent years (only to turn out to be Hermione from Harry Potter). This is why Gwrych Trust is recreating the spooky experience with a series of Ghost Hunts, Walks, and, a special themed Open Day over Halloween.”

31 October (Halloween Night): Ghost Walks (6pm-9pm) running around the Castle, 50 people per guide, age 16+, costing £15 per person which includes a hot beverage and pumpkin soup. Ghost Hunts (9pm-2am) taking place in the Gardens, 30 people per group, age 18+, costing £30 per person.

1 November (All Saints Day): Open Day (12-4pm) at Gwrych Castle, no minimum age requirement, £5 per person, Halloween theme. Ghost Walks (6pm-9pm) running around the Castle, 50 people per guide, age 16+, costing £15 per person which includes a hot beverage and pumpkin soup. Ghost Hunts (9pm-2am) taking place in the Gardens, 30 people per group, age 18+, costing £30 per person.

Tickets are on sale from Gwrych’s ticketing site from 15 Oct 2014

Mark Baker, Chair of Gwrych Trust, said, “With the success of previous Open Days at the Castle we thought we would really go for it with Halloween this year. There are many ghost stories rampant about Gwrych, from previous owners to current volunteers, so it may be necessary to do a second edition of Myths and Legends one day!”

Pensarn Station 1948

Posted on 06/10/2014 by Gareth Morlais

Here’s a lovely old engraving kindly submitted by Delyth Ann. It depicts the opening of Pensarn station in 1848, as printed in the London Illustrated News at the time:

Old postcard taken from the outskirts of Abergele

Posted on 27/09/2014 by Gareth Morlais

I originally thought the photo for this old postcard might have been taken from the old hospital chalet at the top of Tower Hill’s Red Rock, but the orientation of Mynydd Seion in relation to St Michaels isn’t quite right. I’m wondering now if it might have been taken from the Doorknob on Tan y Goppa…? It all depends on whether the white in the foreground is limestone rock or flowers. Any ideas?

Old postcard looking down on Abergele from Red Rock

The pipe that filled the paddling pool

Posted on 18/09/2014 by Gareth Morlais

Have you ever noticed this rusty cast iron pipe in the Gele beneath the bridge at the top end of High St? Brian Haynes told me that its purpose was to fill the paddling pool that used to be in the Playnies (King George’s Field).

The concrete pool was there when I was a child in the 60s and 70s. During the 1980s it became a gardening project for Emrys ap Iwan students. This pool is filled in today.

I don’t have a photo of the pool but here’s one of where it used to be and one of the pipe used to keep it filled with water.