"In your hands, the birth of a new day... " (Limahl)

20 January 2014

A sign of the times...


Spotted in the window of the (closed down) Blockbuster video store, Bridgend. Feels poignant because Blockbuster were big on the high street during my pre-credit crunch busking heyday of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Pen-y-bont / Bridgend


Dyma safle fy record am ennillion bysgio mewn un diwrnod: £339 yn Rhagfyr 2001. 

The spot of my record busking takings in one day: £339 in December 2001.

10 January 2014

Nant ger bwyty Y Polyn

Green Street, Castell-nedd


Fy mhrif safle bysgio yng Nghastell-nedd, un o'm trefi pwysicaf yn y cyfnod 1997-2005.

My primary busking spot in Neath, one of my most important busking towns during the 1997-2005 period.

7 January 2014

1 January 2014

Spotted in Borth


Postcard of D1013 at Penzance, 1976.

Borth, Dydd Calan

Clarach, Dydd Calan

Cwm Rheidol o Nant yr Arian


Nant yr Arian: Tua'r Dwyrain

Pier Pressure, Aberystwyth

Prom Aberystwyth, Nos Galan

Home-Start

Yn ystod 2014, byddaf yn codi arian er lles fy nghyflogwyr. Do, fe glywsoch chi'n iawn! Wedi gorffen fy ngwaith swyddfa a chyfarfodydd gwaith (hir!), byddaf yn defnyddio tipyn o'm amser rhydd naill nai yn bysgio / gigio ar y delyn er lles fy nghyflogwyr. Neu, byddaf mas ar y strydoedd yn ymarfer rhedeg ar eu rhan.

In 2014, I will be raising money for my employers. Yes, you heard right! After finishing my office work and (lengthy!) work meetings,  I will be using a fair bit of my spare time either busking and gigging on the harp for the benefit of my employers. Or, I shall be out on the streets practicing running on their behalf.

Y rheswm am hynny yw mai elusen Home-Start UK yw fy nghyflogwyr. Rwyf yn eithriadol o hapus am hynny, ac yn hapusach fyth i fod yn rhedeg Hanner Marathon y Parciau Brenhinol yn Llundain drostynt, ym mis Hydref 2014.

The reason being that my employers are a charity, Home-Start UK. I am very happy because of that, and even happier to be running theRoyal Parks Half Marathon for them in October 2014.

(Paned ARALL yn swyddfa Carwyn - YET ANOTHER cuppa in Carwyn's office)

Ym mis Medi 2013, roeddwn yn ffodus iawn i gychwyn swydd sydd wrth fy modd gyda Home-Start (Gweithiwr Datblygur Arbenigol dros Gymru). A'r hyn sydd yn fy nghymell i ymgyrchu ar ran fy nghyflogwyr yw eu bod yn mynd at galon bywyd teuluoedd yng Nghymru - gan gynnig cefnogaeth a chyfeillgarwch i rieni gyda phlant ifanc, ac yn llwyddo i achub, neu yn cynnig gobaith, mewn sefyllfaoedd sydd i'w weld yn anobeithiol. Bydd unrhywun sydd yn fy 'nabod yn dda yn deall pam y bydden i'n uniaethu'n gryf gyda mudiad fel Home-Start. Mae gwirfoddolwyr Home-Start hefyd yn delio gydag achosion eithriadol, gan gynnwys sefyllfaoedd lle mae trais, yn ogystal a thrais rhywiol, wedi bod yn ffactor.

In September 2013,  I was very fortunate to begin a very enjoyable role with Home-Start (Specialist Development Worker for Wales). What drives me to campaign on behalf of my employers is that they go to the heart of family life in Wales - offering support and friendship to parents with young children, and managing to save (or at least to offer hope) in family situations that may appear to be hopeless. Anyone who knows me well will understand why I would wish to identify strongly with an organisation such as Home-Start. Furthermore, Home-Start volunteers deal with exceptional cases, including situations where abuse, and sexual abuse, has been a factor.

Trwy gyfuniad o ddau hobi (rhedeg a chanu'r delyn), rwyf wedi bod yn ffodus iawn i gallu hybu sawl elusen ers 2005, gan godi ymwybyddiaeth am achosion megis MIND, Cronfa Leukaemia Tomos Owen, Clefyd Parkinson's, a sawl argyfwng naturiol. Bellach, rwyf wrth fy modd i hybu achos Home-Start ac i dynnu sylw at y gwaith (hynod sensitif a chymleth) y mae gwirfoddolwyr fy elusen yn ei chyflawni, heb ffwdan, i wella sefyllfa teuluoedd ar lawr gwlad yng Nghymru. Gyda ddiolch am eich cefnogaeth, a diolch yn arbennig i fy annwyliaid Kathryn, Heledd a Gwyn am rhoi lan gydag ymgyrch rhedeg arall eleni!

By combining two hobbies (running and playing the harp), I have been fortunate to promote several charities since 2005, including MIND, the Tomos Owen Leukaemia Fund, the Parkinson's Disease Society, and several natural disasters. This time, I am delighted to promote the cause of Home-Start and to draw attention to the (incredibly sensitive and complex) work that the volunteers in my organisation manage to do, without fuss, to improve the situation of families across Wales. With thanks for any support, and a special thanks to my dearest Kathryn, Heledd and Gwyn for putting up with another running campaign this year!








Ar Daith / On Tour 2014

Gigs - 2014

17/01/14 Maes y Felin, Drefach (Ceredigion)
21/02/14 Blaenmarlais, Arberth
06/03/14 Morfa Afan, Aberafan
06/03/14 Brondesbury Lodge, Aberteifi
20/03/14 Glyn Nest, Castell Newydd Emlyn
20/03/14 Caffi Iechyd Da, Caerfyrddin
07/05/14 Y Senedd, Bae Caerdydd
24/05/14 Gwyl Werin Abergwaun
19/06/14 Amelia's Diner, Penbre
07/07/14 Blaenmarlais, Arberth
03/08/14 Cystadleuaeth a Sesiwn Ty Gwerin, Yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, Llanelli
05/08/14 Swyddfa Plaid Cymru, Llanelli
06/08/14 Cystadleuaeth Grwp Offerynol, Yr Eisteddfod Genedlaethol, Llanelli
19/10/14 Gwyl Made in Roath Festival, Caerdydd (Stryd, wedyn G39).
04/11/14 Allt y Mynydd, Llanybydder
21/11/14 Gwesty Stradey Park, Llanelli
25/11/14 Polly's, Aberteifi
27/11/14 Brondesbury Lodge, Aberteifi
27/11/14, Queen Victoria Club, Llanelli
09/12/14 Popty, Hendy Gwyn ar Daf