Norwegian Church

Celebrate a traditional Scandinavian Christmas at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay. There is a long tradition of celebrating Christmas at the Church and this weekend is no exception as the Church hosts its annual Christmas Market. Children and adults alike are also welcome to attend the Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony and Carol Service.

On 29th of November the traditional Norwegian Church Christmas market will be displaying a wide range of tasty produce. Take a relaxing stroll around the market stalls laden with decorations, cards and gifts and you can also enjoy treats available from the Norwegian Coffee Shop.

Everyone is welcome and admission is free!

Also on the day will be the annual Christmas Tree Lighting ceremony opening with the Salvation Army Band who will be singing from 4.30 with the annual Carol and Tree Lighting Service from 5.15. As the Christmas tree is a gift to the Norwegian Church from the people of Hordaland, Ms Ingeborg Astrup, Director of International Affairs at Hordaland Council will deliver a Christmas message, ahead of the lighting of the Christmas tree. The ceremony will conclude with a folk and jazz music ‘Concert for a Starry Night’ in the Tube (ticket holders only, limited number available).

Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture said “This is one of my favorite times of year in Cardiff Bay. With the city bustle in the distance, the waterfront comes into its own as a cosy, tranquil haven. With the traditional, festive atmosphere, there is something for everyone to enjoy here at Christmas time.”

Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens

Radio 1 DJ Huw Stephens is set to announce the winner of the Soundtrack For Cardiff competition this Saturday 24 October at a special awards ceremony in the Wales Millennium Centre. The Soundtrack Award is part of the Swn 09 Festival which hits town on Thursday and parties through to the early hours of Sunday morning. John Rostron, the co-founder and energy behind Swn says:

“We all know that Cardiff has historically been a hotbed of musical talent and the OPENCities Soundtrack For Cardiff competition has provided a good platform for local talent to get their names in the frame. Hopefully we will be featuring Saturday’s winner in Swn festivals of the future”.

The OPENCities Soundtrack For Cardiff Awards ceremony kicks off at 11:00 a.m., and special guests are OPENCities photographer Gareth Phillips and some of his photographic subjects, children from St Mary’s Catholic Primary School. The OPENCities photo exhibition, which visted the Old Library in September and early October, provided inspiration for the city’s musicians, and the Awards ceremony will provide a final opportunity to see Gareth’s stunning portraits before the exhibition moves to Belfast.

Executive Member for Sport, Culture and Leisure, Cllr Nigel Howells, said: “I was lucky enough to have been chosen as one of the competition judges and was fortunate to see first hand all the entries. The standard of entry was very high and it’s fantastic to see such creativity in the city.

The OPENCities exhibition and Soundtrack For Cardiff competition has provided a platform for us to showcase both the diversity and creative talents we have in Cardiff and has helped reinforce the message that it is important that cities should be open and welcoming.”

The British Council aims to strengthen the international profile of UK music and creativity, to communicate the diversity of UK society, and to establish long-term partnerships overseas. From electronica to jazz, traditional to folk, and classical to indie, we work across all genres of music.

Working with Swn the British Council has helped to develop opportunities for international cultural exchange. Showcasing the diversity of new and up-coming bands from Wales on Selector the British Council radio station and supporting the development of new international links.

OPENCities Soundtrack For Cardiff Awards Ceremony
Saturday 24 October, 11:00 am to 12.00 midday
Wales Millennium Centre

Cardiff Winter Wonderland

The countdown to Christmas started this week when the build of bmibaby Cardiff Winter Wonderland began on Monday 19 October.

Now in its ninth year it takes a team of 31 people, 25 days to put together Cardiff’s top Christmas attraction and with nearly half a million skaters having taken to the ice to date and the cast of Merlin ready to switch on the Christmas Lights on November 12 it is important that the team do everything on time and the man to oversee that job is Production Manager Matthew Faulkner.

Matthew says “This is my fifth year of overseeing the build of the open air ice skating rink and each year I enjoy watching the transformation take place from building site to Winter Wonderland.”

Turning the site into a winter wonderland is no easy task and it involves 5,000m of pipework to create the 40m by 22m wide rink, which holds the equivalent of 7 million ice cubes!

And if you thought putting your Christmas decorations up was difficult, spare a thought for the bmibaby Cardiff Winter Wonderland team who have to install 250 sets of Christmas lights , 100 Christmas trees, 200 meters of Christmas garland and 2,000 baubles!

Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells, said: “Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas in Cardiff without bmibaby Cardiff Winter Wonderland. This seasonal delight offers everyone a great festive fun day out and I would like to thank Matthew and his team for all their hard work.”

bmibaby Cardiff Winter Wonderland is open from 12 November until 3 January offering 400 hours of skating over 52 days. For more information on bmibaby Cardiff Winter Wonderland including tickets, news, session details and entertainment listings visit www.bmibabycardiffwinterwonderland.com

Tickets for Cardiff’s must see Christmas attraction costs £8.50 per adult and £5.50 for children (aged 12 and under). Plus, those wanting to skate in the day can take advantage of the special off-peak rate of £5.50 (sessions from 11am to 4pm Monday to Friday, up to and including December 18).

There are also special rate for school groups, who can skate for £2.50 per pupil (teachers free) between November 16 and December 18 (11am to 2.40pm) and groups of over 20 can take advantage of discounted rates of £7.50 per adult and £4.50 for children at the 9.40-10.40am session from December 19 to January 3 (except Christmas Day, December 26 and January 1)

bmibaby Cardiff Winter Wonderland is one of many ways to celebrate Christmas in the capital. Other events include the Christmas Lights Switch On on November 12th, Cardiff Bay’s ‘On the Road to Christmas’ festivities on November 14th and Cardiff’s Calennig New Year’s Eve celebrations supported by Queens Arcade, with free live music stage, Admiral Family Fire Show; and Admiral Free New Year’s Eve Bus Service. Plus Christmas shopping in the city is more exciting and easier than ever with a complete Christmas Shoppers Park & Ride service supported by Admiral and much, much more.

The free event is being held in Novotel Hotel in Cardiff Bay on Saturday 21 November from 10am until 3pm and is aimed at parents of children with diabetes in South Wales.

The day, which also includes a free lunch, will feature talks from diabetes experts about research into the condition.

It will include talks from Prof Jeremy Tavare about JDRF research, Prof Andrew Sewell about the autoimmune reaction in Type 1 diabetes, Francesca Annan about sport and diabetes, and Davida Hawkes about the transition of care.

After the talks, the speakers will answer questions from parents.

Dai Williams, National Director of Diabetes UK Cymru, said: “Diabetes UK Cymru is delighted to be working with the JDRF to host the parent network event.

“The day is a fantastic opportunity for parents of children with diabetes in South Wales to learn more about diabetes and the vital research that is being done into the condition.”

To book a place, contact Diabetes UK Cymru on 029 2066 8276 or by emailing wales@diabetes.org.uk before November 6.

On Wednesday Anne Frank will be officially commemorated in the city’s Alexandra Garden, when Cardiff Council Leader, Cllr Rodney Berman will plant a tree in memory of her.

As well as the special tree planting in Alexandra Gardens, Cardiff will also host a special Anne Frank Exhibition.

Cardiff Council and the Anne Frank Trust UK are bringing the new powerful and captivating exhibition, ‘Anne Frank + You’, to the Old Library, The Hayes from November 5-29.The dramatic multimedia exhibition will powerfully bring the messages and voice of Anne Frank firmly into the 21st Century.

‘Anne Frank + You’ will present contemporary issues, including racism in football, the right to wear religious symbols, bullying and the plight of child soldiers. The exhibition also includes interviews with British teenagers and photographic documentary evidence.

The exhibition has many audio visual experiences as well as a journey of fact finding and self exploration.

Cardiff Council Leader, Cllr Rodney Berman, said: “I’m very honoured to plant a tree in Anne Frank’s memory, with the tree having added poignancy as this year Anne Frank would have celebrated her 80th birthday.

“Anne Frank is a symbol of all those who lost their lives during the Holocaust, and her diary ensures future generations continue to remember them.”

“It’s a privilege that the Anne Frank Trust has chosen Cardiff to host the Anne Frank + You exhibition. The exhibition will help people understand a key point in history and will also tackle subjects that are relevant today.”

Annelies Marie “Anne” Frank was a Jewish girl who was born in the city of Frankfurt am Main in Weimar Germany, and who lived most of her life in or near Amsterdam, in the Netherlands. She gained international fame posthumously following the publication of her diary which documents her experiences hiding during the German occupation of the Netherlands in World War II.

Anne and her family moved to Amsterdam in 1933 after the Nazis gained power in Germany, and were trapped by the occupation of the Netherlands, which began in 1940. As persecutions against the Jewish population increased, the family went into hiding in July 1942 in hidden rooms in her father Otto Frank’s office building. After two years, the group was betrayed and transported to concentration camps. Seven months after her arrest, Anne Frank died of typhus in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp, within days of the death of her sister, Margot Frank. Her father Otto, the only survivor of the group, returned to Amsterdam after the war to find that her diary had been saved, and his efforts led to its publication in 1947. It was translated from its original Dutch and first published in English in 1952 as The Diary of a Young Girl.

The diary, which was given to Anne on her 13th birthday, chronicles her life from 12 June 1942 until 1 August 1944. It has been translated into many languages, has become one of the world’s most widely read books, and has been the basis for several plays and films. Anne Frank has been acknowledged for the quality of her writing, and has become one of the most renowned and most discussed victims of the Holocaust.

Cllr Freda Salway: "The awards celebrate the courage and achievements of those who have helped others"

The closing date for the Cardiff against Bullying Inspire Awards is fast approaching but don’t worry there is still time to get your nominations in.

The closing date for entries is October 22 and nominations will be accepted from peers, teaching and non teaching staff as well as professionals who work alongside children and young people. Those nominated need to be Cardiff residents or employees who work in the city.

The Inspire Awards have been launched to reward those, whose acts of kindness have made a difference to another person. Celebrating the children, young people or adults who have had the courage to stand up for and befriend others who have been bullied.

It’s easy to nominate someone who you feel has made a difference, simply visit the www.cardiffagainstbullying.co.uk website and click on Inspire Awards.

The successful nominees will be rewarded at the Inspire Awards which will take place on November 18 at Cardiff Castle.

Cardiff Council’s Leader, Cllr Rodney Berman, said: “It’s important we reward those who have made a difference to someone else’s life. The Inspire Awards are a perfect opportunity to celebrate those who have stood up against bullies and have helped someone else.”

Executive Member for School’s and Lifelong learning, Cllr Freda Salway, said: “The awards celebrates the courage and achievements of those who have helped others and I would encourage people to nominate anyone they know who has helped someone who has suffered bullying.”

For further information visit www.cardiffagainstbullying.co.uk

The course runs from 2pm to 4pm, on Monday 26th until Friday 30th October. It is free of charge and open to all children in Cardiff aged nine years and above, who have their own bike. Following health and safety advice, the wearing of a cycle helmet is now compulsory and can be purchased from the Centre for £8 each. Bicycles can also be stored overnight for convenience.

Every year the Road Safety Team provides on and off-road practical cyclist training for more than 1500 school pupils at Cardiff schools. All receive instruction on practical riding skills, knowledge of the Highway Code, cycle checks and advice on the wearing of protective equipment. Providing the children have achieved the necessary skills, they will also have the opportunity to train on local roads.

Executive Member for Traffic and Transportation, Cllr Delme Bowen, said: “The cycle training courses help parents to supplement what they have already taught they’re children about road safety, with winter setting in, it’s a priority to ensure young cyclists have the proper training they need.”