The Annual General Meeting – 9th May
AGM’s are often dry, tedious affairs, but not with CDWS!
Our chairman, Jonathan Pegler welcomed over 50 members to the AGM held in the village hall in Coleshill. Jonathan described some of the highlights of the previous year, including the trip to Highgrove, our St David’s Day dinner, the perfect weather for the Summer Lunch, the Golf Day, the four day sightseeing trip around Cardiff, visiting the Magic Circle and the Christmas Get-together.
A quick straw-poll revealed that there was sufficient interest in a visit to see the London Welsh Festival of Male Choirs at the Albert Hall on October 18th. Details will be circulated soon.
Graham Beavan briefly explained the intricacies of the Society’s funds, reassuring the membership that we still had some.
With the formal part of the evening over Ann Tennant and her staff provided a delicious choice of hot dishes and desserts – so difficult to choose between that I had to try several of them.
Finally, we were entertained by Glenys Groves, accompanied at the piano by Francine. Glenys ran through a selection of songs from opera and musicals, some well known, others a new treat. I had never heard Cole Porter’s song about the Little Oyster before!
Glenys finished to well deserved and enthusiastic applause. We then quickly restored the hall to order and said our farewells at about 10:30.
Visit to Church Wood, Hedgerley
A small, but elite party met by the village pond in Hedgerley on Saturday 17th May. We knew that our search might be in vain, but we were prepared to overcome many hardships in our search for late bluebells.
In fact the weather was perfect, the going easy, and yes! – we did find some late blooming bluebells. We were told that if we kept our eyes peeled, we might spot some rare wild orchids growing next to the path – but no-one spotted them.
We meandered around the wood, with Gwyn and Jean Owen striding out ahead acting as pathfinders while others admired the wild flowers and tried to identify them.
After an hour or so we reached the church with an interesting churchyard, indicating that we were arriving back in civilisation – and there would be a pub nearby!
And what a pub – the journey was rewarded with a visit to The White Horse in Hedgerley, well known for both its food and beer. We sat in the garden talking of previous more adventurous escapades while enjoying one of a variety of beers from the cask and a great selection of hot & cold dishes. 
This year’s St David’s Day dinner was the best attended yet, and what an enjoyable evening!
The meal included a really delicious Welsh lamb steak, preceded by a prawn tart and finished off with a good old fashioned sponge pudding with custard.
A wonderful operatic soprano, Rhiannon will this year be the guest soloist for the London Welsh Festival of Male Choirs at the Royal Albert Hall. She gave a charming and captivating performance covering a varied programme, ranging from Puccini’s La Boheme to Gershwin’s Summertime. I think that most of the men in the audience liked the pieces where she played the ‘vamp’ and teased various gentlemen in the room singing amorously at them (soprano/lap dancer she says in a recent tweet).
Jonathan Pegler thanked the pair, Rhiannon was presented with a bouquet of flowers, and Peter with a bottle of wine.
Despite the fact that by then some members had already departed, the thirty or so remaining members joined in the singing of a traditional selection of carols in wonderful Welsh harmony before finishing the proceedings with a gusto performance of Maen hen wlad fy nhadau.
We were conducted around the Castle by a lovely Scottish Lady who pointed out architectural detail, an open Guard robe complete with seated man and sound effects (!!), and the significance of the Castle to protect the South from an advancing army of Llywelyn ap Grufydd, which threat was removed in 1282 when he was killed. Not even with the assistance of men in the party could the massive leaning tower be pushed back into a vertical position!!
A relaxing start to the next day at 9:30 am saw us in the Market Town of Y Bont-faen (Cowbridge), again in great weather, to enjoy the picturesque buildings, the fine Physic Garden with its herbs and medicinal plants, and antique memorabilia.
Had we had a best hat parade I would have given my gents vote to Bob Ford’s – what style! The ladies too had brought hats but most carried them in so I didn’t see too many being worn, but Pam Britton wore hers with grace. We mingled over drinks to catch up on gossip, using “ein hiaith” where we could, whilst Jean Owen and Muriel Knight distributed small posies of flowers which they’d brought along to brighten up the tables. 
Janet John had brought along a bubble making machine which created a party spirit as the bubbles danced their way through the tents until their all too brief existence came to an end as they drifted into more solid things.
Irene Powell said one can get square bubbles these days! What good are the corners?
And good he is too! Watch out John Breese and Jonathan Pegler, there’s competition about. 
So we had a few songs to finish with. Colin led the singing with laser-like precision on the top notes, whilst Jonathan – recently returned from an operatic course in Italy – provided the harmony.
Liz Seely showed us how to fold the cloths and tents to perfection.