Father Richard's CD

 I was meeting a friend outside the church this afternoon, and as I was a few minutes early I slipped inside.

On sale at the table at the back of the church is a new CD by Father Richard.  It's called Parish Notes and includes a variety of extemporisation on classical tunes, a couple of Jerome Kern tunes and some classical music - all for the organ, of course.  I'm playing it now in the background, and it's very good.  The price is £10.  

Father Richard's event at the Winter Festival, where he plays the organ for the silent film Metropolis, is already sold out, by the way, so the CD is a good way to get a flavour of his playing whenever you want!

While I was there I also picked up the latest issue of Way on High.  It was a bit of a surprise to see that they are commemorating the death of David Rees in 2000 - he was the vicar of Hay before Father Richard, and I knew him quite well.  It doesn't seem that long ago!

I also noticed that Father David is now the vicar of Clyro as well as Hay.  This is in addition to the churches at Llanigon and Capel-y-ffin, which have been looked after by the vicar of Hay for many years.

He also reported on the pilgrimage of Our Lady down the Wye, which was a great success.  They hope to make it an annual occurance.

Winter Festival

 The brochure for the Winter Festival is now out, and the tickets are flying out!  I went up to the box office this morning and was only just in time for the events I wanted to see.

The dates this year are Thursday 28th November to Sunday 1st December, and for the first time in years I'm going to miss the Switching on of the Christmas Lights on Friday evening, because I will he heading for the church to watch Father Richard play the organ for the film Metropolis!  (I could do both, but it would be a bit of a rush).

Then on Saturday morning I'm going to see George Nash talk about the Neolithic tombs of Wales, also in St Mary's Church.

Other highlights of the weekend are the Quentin Blake Exhibition and a talk on the demons, witches and ghosts of Christmas by Sarah Clegg, John Fitzpatrick and Blackthorn Ritualistic Folk at Hay Castle.

There's also a cello concert at St Mary's Church on Saturday evening, a guided walk on Sunday, Tom Bullough (local author) talking to artist Jackie Morris about Writing and Rivers, Natalie Haynes talking about Goddesses in Greek Myth, Jenny Eclair, Carol Vordeman, Paterson Joseph, Jonathan Dimbleby and David Olusoga, Luke Evans, Ali Smith and more!

There's also an online pass for people who can't be there in person to watch from home for selected events.

If I had unlimited funds, I'd be going to a lot more than two events!

I also find it interesting that one of the sponsors of the Winter Festival this year is Visit Seattle, which is where the World Science Fiction Convention will be held next year.

New Exhibition at The Chair

 The exhibition that caused all that publicity has now gone, to be replaced by an exhibition by Polly James.  She does pencil sketches of animals, mainly dogs and horses.

Nothing rude.

Or pink.

Art or Pornography?

 According to BBC Hereford and Worcester, police were called to The Chair gallery in Hay the other day, because of complaints about a picture in the window.  They warned that the picture might constitute a public order offence, but they have not said whether further action will be taken yet.

It's very pink.

I haven't taken a picture, because I am rubbish at taking photos through glass, but it's a long, narrow rectangular picture of a naked woman with her legs spread wide - well, almost naked; she's wearing pink cowboy boots.

Apparently there was a meeting about the picture yesterday afternoon at the gallery - I only found out about it afterwards - and there is a visitor's book now where people can record their thoughts about the picture, which was painted by art student Poppy Baynham.  The exhibition is a joint venture with her sister.

The picture isn't something I'd hang on my wall at home, but I think there is a useful discussion to be had about the difference between art and pornography (or is there a distinct difference?).

At any rate, nakedness in art goes back to the beginning of art itself.  Maybe it's the prominent position of the picture that is the problem - but then perfectly reputable art galleries display statues of naked people - all those Greek and Renaissance statues of young men didn't originally have fig leaves in strategic positions.  Mostly, the Victorians added those!

The exhibitions at The Chair don't go on for very long, so in a couple of weeks all this will be past history anyway.

No More Hay Forum

 Back in February Hay Forum, which met at St Mary's Church, went into a haitus because the organiser had a lot of family troubles to deal with.  The idea was that the Forum would return in October - but that will not be happening now.  

The surplus money from the entrance fee to the Forum (after the hire of the church) was being used to help local elderly people, and provide locally sourced gifts for the speakers, as well as bouquets for Helen the librarian and another lady who has gone through major surgery.  The surplus money is being donated to the toddler group at the library, so they can buy some more instruments for their Monday morning sessions.

Mary-Anne has some plans for smaller projects around Hay in the future.

Health and Wellbeing Forum

 The Bronllys Well Being Park CLT is holding a health and well being forum on Thursday October 3rd at 7pm at Talgarth Town Hall.

There is some concern about the future of Bronllys Community Hospital, after the Powys Teaching Health Board re-designated two wards at the hospital for what they say is a temporary period.  Local people are worried that this temporary period may become permanent downgrading of the services on the site.

Present at the meeting will be our new MP, David Chadwick, Hayley Thomas the CEO of Powys Teaching Health Board, Councillor James Gibson-Watt the Leader of Powys County Council, Matt Perry from the County Council, Claire White from Cwmpas and Sharon Healey from PAVO - so it's a meeting that is being taken seriously by the local authorities involved.

Refreshments will be provided, and the advice is to arrive early, as there is a lot of local interest in the plans for the hospital.

Meanwhile, on the next page of the Brecon and Radnor Express, there is another story about Bronllys Hospital - the installation of new lung-function equipment at the hospital.  This is a Body Plethysmograph, and the Powys Teaching Health Board say that it will reduce patient waiting times and travel, as previously a GP had to refer a patient to a consultant, and the patient would then have to travel to a hospital in England for the tests.  Now they can be referred straight to Bronllys.  The Bodybox can help to treat asthma, bronchiectasis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and is also used in cardiology and rheumatology treatment, to make sure that the medications are not affecting the patient's lungs.

Small Businesses on the Move

 

Here's Gay-on-Wye, which has just moved one shop along into the premises which used to be Eighteen Rabbit and Tangled Parrot.  They need more space for their stock already!

Meanwhile, in the old newsagents where they started off, Small Stories has moved in, down from a small unit at the Castle.  I'm not entirely sure what they're selling - they weren't quite open when I went past - but it seems to be small household items.

Hereford Labyrinth

 I needed a new Senior Railcard (I have some plans for days out later in the year).  I tried to renew the card online, but the website wouldn't let me do it.

Thank goodness for ticket offices!  I went into Hereford yesterday and bought a new card over the counter in minutes.  The online version had to allow ten days for the card to be delivered.

So, while I was in Hereford, and had plenty of time, I decided to go in search of the Hereford Labyrinth.  I'd heard of this via the new local Pagan group that has a page on Facebook, the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Pagan, Witch and Spiritual Community - not exactly a snappy title, but does what it says on the tin, and it has 1.3k members!

The Labyrinth was built by volunteers, in the last few years, and the information online said it was on Castle Green.  So I walked all round Castle Green, without success.  There's a rather pretty footbridge across the Wye to Bishop's Meadow, so I thought I'd try there.  

On the way, I stopped at a coffee stall, and the lady there pointed me in the right direction.

It is, indeed, in Bishop's Meadow, surrounded by park railings, and free to anyone who wants to go in and walk the labyrinth, or sit on the benches around the edge.

The benches are just out of shot, in the corners of the fenced area.  The four quarters of the compass are marked with small stones around the edge, too - the labyrinth begins in the North East.

The difference between a labyrinth and a maze is that a maze has dead ends and you can get lost in them, whereas a labyrinth has one path that meanders towards the centre, and then out again.  It took me about ten minutes to reach the centre, walking slowly.  It's a very peaceful experience, and is often used as a method of meditation.

New NHS Dental Service for Hay

 I don't know about anyone else, but I haven't seen a dentist since just before covid lockdown, as the NHS dentist that I was going to see retired at that point.  The dental practice were unable to find a new NHS dentist, so only private dental services have been available in Hay since then.

All that is about to change, at least temporarily.

A mobile unit will be parking at the recreation grounds on Brecon Road until December.  After this, it will be moved to another location in Powys.

This will be a five day a week service, and patients will be invited to come in at the start of a session (morning or afternoon) and wait to be seen, so they can get through as many patients as possible.

Patients will be invited to the service from the existing dental waiting list for Powys, but there will also be emergency care available for people who dial 111 with dental swelling or pain.

Patients who need more complex treatment, or longer courses of treatment, will be referred to Brecon War Memorial Hospital, which has a dental unit.

So three cheers for the Town Council for providing a place for them to park, and all the other facilities they need.

h.art Gallery in Hay

 

Here's Elena Underhill's gallery, in her conservatory and hallway, tucked away down an alley way near the Clock Tower.  

When I visited yesterday, a couple of the organisers of h.art were also there - they said that they tried to get round to see all the new exhibitors during the week.

I treated myself to a watercolour view of the Warren, as a percentage of the profit will go to buying testing kits for the citizen scientists testing the quality of the water in the River Wye.

Missing Heron Found!

 The wooden sculpture of a heron, which disappeared from the Riverside Walk about three months ago, has been found!  It was floating in the river about five miles downstream from Hay, and was found by a local angler.  It has lost its beak, but it might be possible to restore it, and return it to the Riverside Walk - where a new heron has been installed to replace it.

New Post Box Topper

 

Here's a proud gnome showing off his vegetables!

Zen Painting at the Chair

 Now that the sketching exhibition has finished, there's another exhibition at the Chair gallery that encourages members of the public to try their hand at an art technique.

This is as much a meditation practice as art.  The idea is to relax, breath deeply, and make either a line or a circle with the huge paintbrush.  Stacks of newspaper are provided to paint on, and there is an assistant who talks you through the process.

It was actually really good fun, and the people demonstrating the technique are very interesting to talk to.

The exhibition is on for another couple of days.

Vessel Art Trail

Vessel is an art trail between remote rural churches maintained by the Friends of Friendless Churches between Usk and Hay, and it runs from 8th August to 31st October.  I discovered it when  a friend gave me the leaflet.

 It's an art trail that requires a car, but for those who can get to the churches, it sounds very interesting.  

Each church hosts a different artist, so:

St Jerome Llangwm Uchaf has a sculpture of a white hart by Lucy Glendinning

St Mary Llanfair Kilgeddin has a sculpture called Centre in the churchyard, by Steinunn Thorarinsdottir

St Michael and All Angels Gwernesney has a sculpture called Grace Vessel by Jane Sheppard

Urishay Castle Chapel has a wooden sculpture called Simmer Down by Robert George (I have been to Urushay Castle Chapel by taking the bus to Peterchurch and walking up the hill, though it's a bit of a climb).

St Cadoc Llangattock-vibon-avel has two sculptures by Barbara Beyer, one in the church and one in the churchyard.

Dore Abbey has a knitted red wool installation by Lou Baker

and finally, St David Llangeview has a tapestry above the West door by Andrew Bick

There's also a weekend event coming up from 13th to 15th September based in Abergavenny, with curator-led tours to all the churches, talks, dinner at St Mary's Priory and an art performance by Holly Slingsby - tickets start at £35 from artandchristianity.org/events

Stone Seat in Cusop Churchyard

 There's a new stone seat in Cusop Churchyard, and to celebrate the church is having live entertainment on Wednesday 4th September, from 4pm, with a Bring and Share Tea.

Everyone is welcome.