WI

MEMBERS, at their meeting on Monday, 16 May, welcomed Hugh Parry as speaker. He was introduced by Barbara Rowe, a member, who knowing of his interest in early music recording machines thought that we would enjoy a musical evening with a difference. Hugh, known as the Sheik of Shellac, entitled his talk At the Turn of a Handle. He brought along eight early recording machines, all before the days of electricity, the oldest being an Edison Gem of 1904 which played wax cylinders. Hugh talked of the development of these early machines, the rivalry between the systems and makers and the gradual development of the mass market for both machines and discs. Members were surprised by the excellent quality of the recordings and indeed had a thoroughly entertain-ing evening.As summer approaches, plans are in hand throughout the county for various events and at the next meeting of Waunfawr WI on Monday, 6 June, Ian Tillotson, a local wildlife expert, will be talking on Wildlife Overseas and they will be finalising plans for the summer trip to Cardigan Castle and the Welsh Wildlife Centre at Cilgerran. A warm welcome is extended to all women of the Waun to come to the community hall for this meeting at 7pm.

U3A

AT THEIR last meeting on 21 May members were entertained by an engrossing lecture on the BBC. The speaker was Jean Seaton, an acknowledged expert in this field who has written widely on this subject. The widespread acceptance of the organisation as a reliable purveyor of news began in its early days: it was founded in the 1920s when reporting of the General Strike was generally regarded as biased.From the beginning the BBC in its appeal to strikers and non strikers alike quickly established a reputation for accurate reporting, which came to be relied on by the public at large, and which has lasted to the present day. The speaker said that recently there have been signs of a policy to inform the public of social issues which previ-ously have not attracted much public attention. Most recently there has been the three-year coverage of the often hidden problem of domestic abuse. The daily airing this has received in The Archers radio ‘soap’ has resulted in a strong public response.The next meeting, to which all are welcome, will be held in the Morlan Centre at 2.30pm on Thursday, 16 June, when Dr Martin Bates will be talking on ‘The submerged forests on our fore shores’.

Scouts

THE 3rd Aberystwyth Scout Group is holding a sponsored Mount Everest Challenge on Saturday, 4 June, to raise funds to support group activities.The Beavers and Cubs, Scouts and Explorers will in their sections ascend the height of Everest by climbing Constitution Hill making a total of 82 ascents per group. The event will start at the bandstand before progressing to a base camp at the foot of Constitution Hill on 4 June at 1pm.

Blossoms Gallery

AN open exhibition celebrating the wealth of creativity in west Wales and the Welsh borders will be held at the gallery until 31 May.The exhibition features Holy Wells of Wales - an artistic tour by Ted Harrison. Also on display are a collection of works inspired by Bron-yr-Aur, Machynlleth, where Led Zeppelin wrote Stairway to Heaven and much of their third album.