Newsletter – September 2025

 September 8th meeting:

    Main Speaker: Ceri Stennett – Life in Pantomime, my father Stan Stennett

    Collection of Smartie tubes filled with cash as fundraising for our charity.

Outings and events:

    Llandaf Cathedral Guided Tour. Tuesday 16th September at 2pm. 

    If you want to travel together on the bus (No 24), meet on the Common at 1pm. 

    No charge, but a donation of £5 per head is requested.    

    Oakham Treasures, Bristol; 29th October; £9 entrance fee. 
    Meet outside Ararat at 9.30 am for minibus transport (£6). See notice board for more details.     Please note, the transport is a minibus – so limited numbers. Shared car transport could be

    available if more people wish to go.

Information
    Link to the Glamorgan Newsletters.

    MyWI site (registration and log in required)

Groups:

    Choir: the choir will not be meeting until further notice.

    Book Group: Wednesday 17th September / 11.00 am
    La Cucina da Mara, Whitchurch

    Craft Group: NB no meeting in September.

    Tangle Art Group: Wednesday 17th September / 2.00 pm

    5 Court Close, Whitchurch
    NB This group needs new members. Please ask Nor'dzin for more information. Relaxing, creative, no previous experience or artistic competency needed. A 'tangle' is a design created using patterns drawn in pen.

    Family History: 22nd September / 2.00 pm / 113 Pantbach Road

    Sunday Lunch Group: 21st September

    Ffynon Wen

 
    Poetry and Prose Group: Monday 22nd September / 11.00am
    The Ark coffee bar, Ararat / Topic: favourite poets

    

    St Mary's Gardens: Tuesday 9th September / 10–12

 

Following meeting:

    Next meeting: 13th October in Ararat Church Hall, Whitchurch Common, 2 pm.

    Speaker: Keith Jones – ‘The Taff from source to the sea’

July 2025 meeting

The meeting began with a short presentation by Dr Kristian Skoczek, Post-doctoral Research Associate for Cardiff University's REVAMP project. He talked to us about the eye condition glaucoma and how we could help with new research. They are aiming to find better ways to detect visual field loss and are looking for volunteers aged over 40 to help them. It was an interesting talk, and Kristian stayed till the end, seeming to enjoy hearing about musicals that would have been produced long before he was born, and the singing. Many members talked to him after the meeting and he was pleased with so many people offering to be involved in the project.

Christine Purkiss entertained us with the Story of Rodgers and Hammerstein – and with her wonderful singing. Not only does she have a beautiful voice, she animates the lyrics bringing the songs to life. Her presentation was highly professional and also informative, lighthearted and witty. She also included a few anecdotes about her singing career.

The original production of Oklahoma was in 1943. It featured the tensions between farmers and cattle drovers. The original production also included ballet. It appeared as a film in 1955, being the first wide screen production. Christine sang the title song.

Her next song came from Carousel which was produced in 1947. Christine sang 'June is Busting Out All Over.'

This was followed by fascinating information about South Pacific, which won the Pullizer Prize. Mary Martin was a favourite singer of Rodgers and Hammerstein, but often stars were given the leading roles in the film productions of their musicals with Mary's voice dubbed. Christine sang 'Some Enchanted Evening'.

Next we heard about The King and I, with Christine singing 'Getting to Know You'. From Flower Drum Song we were had a delightful performance of 'I Enjoy Being a Girl'. Then the last musical described was the famous Sound of Music, in which everyone sang their own songs we were told. Christine entertained us with the title song and 'Climb Every Mountain'.

What a wonderful way to round up the first half of the year and break for the summer. The speakers were followed by tasty cakes with our beverages. Have a lovely summer.

Gorffennaf 2025 cyfarfod

Dechreuodd y cyfarfod gyda chyflwyniad byr gan Dr Kristian Skoczek, Cydymaith Ymchwil Ôl-ddoethurol ar gyfer prosiect REVAMP Prifysgol Caerdydd. Siaradodd â ni am y glawcoma cyflwr llygaid a sut y gallem helpu gydag ymchwil newydd. Maent yn anelu at ddod o hyd i ffyrdd gwell o ganfod colled maes gweledol ac yn chwilio am wirfoddolwyr dros 40 oed i'w helpu. Roedd yn sgwrs ddifyr, ac arhosodd Kristian tan y diwedd, fel petai’n mwynhau clywed am sioeau cerdd a fyddai wedi’u cynhyrchu ymhell cyn iddo gael ei eni, a’r canu. Siaradodd llawer o'r aelodau ag ef ar ôl y cyfarfod ac roedd yn falch bod cymaint o bobl wedi cynnig bod yn rhan o'r prosiect.

Stori Rodgers a Hammerstein: Bu Christine Purkiss yn ein diddanu gyda manylion sioeau cerdd Rodgers a Hammerstein – a gyda'i chanu bendigedig. Nid yn unig y mae ganddi lais hardd, mae hi'n animeiddio'r geiriau gan ddod â'r caneuon yn fyw. Roedd ei chyflwyniad yn hynod broffesiynol a hefyd yn addysgiadol, ysgafn a ffraeth. Cynhwysodd hefyd ychydig o hanesion am ei gyrfa canu.

Cynhyrchwyd y cynhyrchiad gwreiddiol o Oklahoma yn 1943. Roedd yn cynnwys y tensiynau rhwng ffermwyr a phorthmyn. Roedd y cynhyrchiad gwreiddiol hefyd yn cynnwys bale. Ymddangosodd fel ffilm yn 1955, sef y cynhyrchiad sgrin lydan cyntaf. Canodd Christine y gân deitl.

Daeth ei chân nesaf o Carousel a gynhyrchwyd yn 1947. Canodd Christine 'June is Busting Out All Over.'

Dilynwyd hyn gan wybodaeth hynod ddiddorol am South Pacific, a enillodd y Pullizer Prize. Roedd Mary Martin yn hoff gantores i Rodgers a Hammerstein, ond yn aml roedd sêr yn cael y prif rannau yng nghynyrchiadau ffilm eu sioeau cerdd gyda llais Mary yn cael ei drosleisio. Canodd Christine 'Some Enchanted Evening'.

Nesaf clywsom am The King and I, gyda Christine yn canu 'Getting to Know You'. O Flower Drum Song cawsom berfformiad hyfryd o 'I Enjoy Being a Girl'. 

Yna y sioe gerdd olaf a ddisgrifiwyd oedd y Sound of Music enwog, lle canodd pawb eu caneuon eu hunain dywedwyd wrthym. Diddanwyd ni gan Christine gyda'r gân deitl a 'Climb Every Mountain'.

Newsletter – July 2025

 July 14th meeting:

    Main Speaker and Singer: Christine Purkiss – The Story of Rodgers and Hammerstein

   Additional Speaker: Dr Kristian Skoczek, Post Doctoral Research Associate for the                   REVAMP Study on Glaucoma.

    As it is the last meeting before the summer break we will also be enjoying cake!

Outings and events:

    A trip is proposed to Oakham Treasures, Bristol in October. This will discussed again with         more information about the centre.

Information
    Link to the Glamorgan Newsletters.

    MyWI site (registration and log in required)

    Art Exhibition 11–18 July at Ararat Centre for the Community 
    Paintings created by people living with Alzheimer's
    Cards and paintings available for sale.

    St Mary's Gardens Open Day 12th July / 10 am to 3 pm
    stalls and plants for sale

Groups:

    Choir: the choir will not be meeting again until September.

    Book Group: Wednesday 16th July / 11.00 am
    La Cucina da Mara, Whitchurch

    Craft Group: Monday 21st July / 10.30 am
    41 Cherry Orchard Road, Lisvane

    Tangle Art Group: Wednesday 16th July / 2.00 pm
    5 Court Close, Whitchurch

    Family History: 28th July / 2.00 pm / 113 Pantbach Road

    Sunday Lunch Group: 27th July

    Llanishen Golf Club

 
    Poetry and Prose Group: Monday 21st July / 11.00am
    The Ark coffee bar, Ararat / Topic: bodies

    

    St Mary's Gardens: Tuesday 8th July / 10–12

 

Following meeting:

    No meeting in August!    

    Next meeting: 8th September in Ararat Church Hall, Whitchurch Common, 2 pm.
    Speaker/singer: Cwei Stennett – Life in Pantomime, my father Stan Stennet

June 2025 meeting

Sheena Crossley gave a presentation on The Gardens of Wales. Everyone thoroughly enjoyed Sheena’s humorous talk, with slides of beautifully colourful gardens, from Cardiff to Anglesey. Each slide was accompanied by an anecdote describing her visits over a long period of time.

(Unfortunately we do not have any photographs from this presentation.)

The presentation was followed by a talk from Emma, the fundraising co-ordinator from Velindre, our charity for 2025. She explained how support through donations, events, fundraising and overseas challenges allows them to fund projects over and above those provided by the NHS, which improves the experience and outcomes of patients receiving treatment and care at the hospital. She explained that donations help to fund an entire team of clinical psychologists and counsellors, including a dedicated staff psychologist, providing essential one-to-one care for patients and staff; plus resources for children and families, such as specialist education books, lion teddies, toiletries, new pyjamas and digital devices to keep in touch with loved ones.

Members were reminded about Whitchurch Fete on 5th July, with a call for helpers and donations. 

The meeting closed with a poem to commemorate VE Day read by Jenny Andrews.

Chris and Glenys

The May meeting of Whitchurch WI is the AGM when the new committee is created. Two committee members, Chris Soughton and Glenys Care, decided to stand down from the committee at this time. They were both founder members of Whitchurch WI. Chris had been a committee member for 20 years and Glenys had been president for 9 years.

Unfortunately both Chris and Glenys were not well enough to attend the May meeting. The membership wished to express their gratitude and appreciation of Chris and Glenys's years of dedication to Whitchurch WI. As they could not be at the meeting, a bouquet was taken to their home and presented to them there.

 

 

💐Happy retirement Chris and Glenys! 💐

 

Newsletter – June 2025

 

 June meeting:

    Main Speaker: Sheena Crossley – Gardens of Wales.
    Members will be wearing red, white and blue in memory of VE Day.

Outings and events:

    A trip is proposed to Oakham Treasures, Bristol in early October. There will        be a request for a show of hand of those who are interested in order to judge     whether plans for the trip should go ahead.

Information
    Link to the Glamorgan Newsletters.

    MyWI site (registration and log in required)

Groups:

    Choir: Wednesdays at 11.30 am
    Memorial Hall, Rhiwbina

    Book Group: Wednesday 11th June / 11.00 am
    La Cucina da Mara, Whitchurch

    Craft Group: Monday 16th June / 10.30 am
    41 Cherry Orchard Road, Lisvane

    Tangle Art Group: Wednesday 19th June / 2.00 pm
    5 Court Close, Whitchurch

    Family History: 16th June / 2.00 pm / 113 Pantbach Road

    Sunday Lunch Group: date and venue to be confirmed
 
    Poetry and Prose Group: Monday 30th June / 11.00am
    The Ark coffee bar, Ararat / Topic: weather

    

    St Mary's Gardens: Tuesday 10th June / anytime between 10 am & 1 pm, for     any length of time

 

Following meeting:

    14th July in Ararat Church Hall, Whitchurch Common, 2 pm.
    Speaker/singer: Christine Purkiss – The Story of Rogers & Hammerstein
    Plus a short talk on Glaucoma.