Freedom returns

At last, the news we care home residents have been waiting for… family and friends can visit much more freely.

The excellent Sunrise Covid task force have worked out a new plan to give us back the freedom to enjoy life and activities in the home, to be able to go out and to have family and friends visiting us much more freely.

We can now choose two visitors who can come any time, without booking, with no time limit. Better still, they can come through the home, wearing a mask which they will not need in our suites. They will still need to have had two vaccinations and have a half hour lateral flow test on arrival,

And it could get even better if, as we hope, the Welsh government lift other restrictions as proposed. So, if any of you have the time, I would love to welcome you back to my Turret suite in the beautifully totally refurbished Sunrise Cardiff.

Hearing more good things about Sunrise...

From my first days here almost two years ago I have appreciated and sung the praises of the magnificent Sunrise care and service and I get daily confirmation.

The latest example involves a lost hearing aid that has cast me into a world of near silence.

I was out on my scooter, driving down to the nearby shopping area when I lost it, probably when I put on my mask. Realising the danger of displacing the aid I had always been careful when doing so but perhaps not this time.

It might have dislodged when I hit the bumpy pavement near Sunrise. I noticed the loss as soon as I got home but was unable to retrace my route.

Next day Karen did so, but without success.

The accident immediately changed my quality of life. I now find it almost impossible to hear anyone or anything - my second hearing aid for my almost deaf left ear has not worked for many months and I am still waiting for a hospital appointment. 

I told Carol, the concierge. Lis May, the Sunrise Director of Community Relations, overheard and said she would get in touch with the hospital for me. This morning, Lewis, one of the carers, told me he had spoken to the hospital and there’ll was no need to go there. They would deliver a replacement hearing aid to me.

How is that for looking after your residents?

Goodbye Matt Hancock

So Mr Hancock, England’s Secretary of State for Health, has gone. It took a long time. Throughout my diary, now a book reporting the first year of the pandemic, there are dozens of examples of his inefficiency, duplicity and bombastic behaviour. 

He was the wrong man for the most important job.

Now we hope Sajid Javid will look after the public better, be honest with them, and not treat them as.children. 

The latest drama is another example of the danger the prime minister faces. As usual he refused to sack Mr Hancock and is relieved no doubt  by his resignation. But will the public forget his misguided patronage? I have my doubts. 

The whole country seems to have resigned itself to being misled and ignored.

Dithering again

Talk about dithering. This government has has made it an art form. The latest example is the endless debate about foreign travel. With the traffic light system malfunctioning it might as well be at red all the time as it deters almost everyone from venturing abroad.

This morning, after months of protests and pleas by the stricken travel industry, Mr Shapps, the Transport Secretary for England, says he will review the situation, with the facile fallback explanation that it was down to ‘the science’. Has he not got a mind of his own?

Germans are pouring into Majorca, one of the safest holiday destinations, but we are shut out.

The most worrying feature of the regulations and rules that have bound us so tightly for so long is that they may encourage the government to carry on controlling us indefinitely.

Cardiff Singer of the World memories

Watching Cardiff Singer of the World brought back happy memories of the three editions I was involved in nearly 30 years ago. It was strange and sad to see St David’s Hall with no audience. Part of the thrill was lost, but despite this it was magnificent.

The competition was a success from the beginning - it was founded in 1983 to mark the opening of St David’s hall. In the early years broadcasting companies around the world nominated entrants. Later this was changed when a BBC opera expert travelled  the world to select competitors.

BBC Wales presenter and head of public relations Iwan Thomas and I produced the lavish concert programme.

It was always a hectic week with the tension and excitement mounting day by day.The final was a magnificent climax.

The most memorable for me was the ‘Battle of the baritones', the evening Bryn Terfel lost out on the main award to Russian Dmitri Hvorostovsky, who died aged 55 four years ago. When Hvorostovsky came to Cardiff to take part he had no concert clothes, and had to be fitted out by the BBC wardrobe department. He was so overcome after being awarded the glass bowl that he cried backstage. Like Bryn Terfel, he become an international star.

The first winner, Karita Mattila from Finland, also became world famous, and is still singing at major opera houses.

Rosemary used to join me for the final evening - and the reception that followed.

Family fun

Yesterday was a special, memorable day. My great granddaughters Rosa and Claudia came to Sunrise. It was the first time I had seen them for 18 months. And how they have grown.

They looked marvellous in their light blue school dresses. It was fun and laughter all the way.

They could not come into the building but the lovely gardens were even better. They ran around exploring while Ria and I had a quiet chat. 

The girls enjoyed a picnic - orange juice and mini doughnuts - and off they went again, picking flowers for me. They even found some tiny strawberries. And they sat on my scooter, pressing all the buttons - I had wisely taken the key out or they might have driven off!

The hour passed too quickly but we will meet again soon in Roath Park where they will enjoy the adventure playground and a promised ice cream.

Something to look forward to.

Sixty years of twinning friendships

Sixty years ago, in Caerphilly council chamber, I reported a decision that led to friendships that have given me and our family lasting pleasure.The council that day officially agreed to twin with the German city of Ludwigsburg. 

Shortly afterwards, as South Wales Argus reporter, I went with a council delegation on the first visit to Ludwigsburg. A year later, now Caerphilly council’s public relations officer, I was in charge of the twinning.

The idea came from the UK and European governments, to encourage friendship between people.The war had been over for 15 years, and the Treaty of Rome in 1957 created the European Economic Community (the forerunner to the EU), but life had still not fully recovered.

Cities, towns and even villages here and on the continent were invited to link up with counterparts. If possible they had some similar characteristic - history, iconic buildings or industries.

The tie between Caerphilly and Ludwigsburg was two magnificent buildings: the rugged, moated 13th century Caerphilly castle and the superb, elegant 452 room 18th century Ludwigsburg Royal Palace.

Over the 60 years, apart from regular official visits, there have been scores of exchanges, including choirs, golfers, doctors and other organisations.

The biggest success has been with secondary schoolchildren visits, Rosemary and I even conducted one memorable visit.

The twinning made friendships that last to today. Ursula - Uschi - who was the young interpreter for the first Ludwigsburg choir’s visit and Werner, a young Tubingen graduate who came to South Wales for a year’s teaching experience. 

Werner, Sabine and Lino visit Bob in Sunrise

Uschi and her husband Dieter, and Werner and his wife Sabine, are our close friends, and we have had many family visits.We have kept in touch during the pandemic by email and  Werner, Sabine and their grandson Lino visited me in Sunrise just before lockdown.

So many memories, so much pleasure, over all those years, thanks to town twinning.

I have been reliving them ready for my Bob’s  travel talk to Sunrise residents later today.

Brexit: from bad to wurst

Despite the almost comical elbow knocking greetings and the bonhomie there is a strong undercurrent of tension, animosity even, dividing some of the nations at the G7 summit in Cornwall.

Among those who do not see eye to eye with us are France and Germany, with, possibly, a large cohort of the EU nations.

The reason? Brexit. There are clearly two opposite views on the most contentious and difficult subject, the Northern Ireland ’protocol’. 

After years of negotiation a deal was agreed only to be called into question after a few months. And it almost farcically centres on sausages, wurst in German, specifically their passage from Great Britain through Northern Ireland to Ireland and the EU countries.

French President Macron, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and EU Commission President von der Leyen are the most vociferous in their allegation that the UK is reneging on a signed and sealed agreement. PM Johnson is aghast, alleging we are being bullied and threatened.

Diplomacy seems to have gone out of the window. 

But it is very serious. Unless sanity is restored or, to put it more simply, one side backs down, future relations between the EU and the UK could be very rocky. And there is little doubt who would would come off the worst. The EU has the interests of its 27 member nations to consider, and a decision to hold the UK to the agreement would be serious. Not surprisingly, they may feel disappointed and annoyed with us, strengthening their resolve to hold fast. Having apparently solved the main Brexit problems It is sad that all this could be put at risk by a sausage. Or as one of our tabloid newspapers put it, Brexit goes from bad to wurst.

Freedom can wait

Thank goodness we  have only a few more days to be told if ‘freedom’ will arrive this month as planned by the prime minister.

Every day for weeks the media has been speculating, quoting the views of the optimists and the pessimists, the government and assorted advisers, so many differing views.

Some newspapers have been urging Mr Johnson to be bold. He would be wise not to heed them.

He knows that if he makes a decision that proves wrong, with serious or even disastrous consequences, they may not be forgiving,  

He cannot be sure. I would play for safety. After all, would deferring the free-for-all for a couple of weeks after so many long months be a disaster.?

Surely not. We can be patient a little longer.

Looking back rather than ahead, those early days are coming back to haunt the health secretary for England.

Facing a probing government committee, Matt Hancock tried to defend his action or, rather, lack of action, in the early days.

He had promised to put a ring around care homes yet 20,000 residents died, many of them through the unforgivable offloading of hospital patients. 

He was as usual both glib and cautious, measuring his words carefully as though stepping through a minefield. 

He knows that the final reckoning may be years away and by then he will be out of the firing line, perhaps even forgotten.

Cardiff's Mansion House

The Mansion House is one of the most attractive buildings in Cardiff. Elegant and impressive, it tells the story of the rise of a small mid 19th century town to the capital of Wales.

In 1850 just over 18,000 lived in Cardiff; in the next ten years the population almost doubled to 33,000. Businesses were booming, none more so than shopping. One of Cardiff’s first entrepreneurs was James Howell who had opened a shop in 1865. It flourished and 30 years later he needed a new, large home for his family - he needed it as he had 11 children...

He leased land from Lord Tredegar in what is now the Richmond Road area and had a uniquely designed building. With two front doors it could be used as two separate homes.

He could see Howells, his departments store, from his new home.

Bought by the city council in 1913, it became the Mansion House and home for Lord Mayors until 1971. It was the pride of the city, reflecting its growing importance. It was not just a private home but a showpiece, promoting business and industry. 

I enjoyed many special occasions there, including  meetings that led to Panasonic setting up a major new industry, and thousands of civil servants moving from London.

It was not all business. Lord Mayors did a lot of entertaining, with VIPs from around the world. One Lord Mayor, Norman Lloyd-Edwards, later to become  Lord Lieutenant for South Glamorgan and  Sir Norman, even brought his grand piano to the Mansion House.

How times have changed. Today, the Mansion House is an up market wedding venue with an all with everything arranged for an advertised £3,000 to £4,000, or more modest events and celebrations. 

It is a favourite place for charities. Face Up, the head and neck cancer charity which Rosemary and I helped to found, raised thousands of pounds there. Opera singer Stuart Burrows, a great supporter, gave a series of  concerts for us, turning up in his Rolls Royce with his recording equipment.

The Mansion House may have lost its civic role but it is proving even more attractive and useful for us Cardiffians.

As for Howells store, it retained its name for many years before being eventually taken over by the House Of Fraser.

The lightening mood

The mood is lightening at Sunrise, thanks to the easing of restrictions.The most welcome is visiting; we can now have two visitors for one hour in our rooms and family and friends, including children, can come into the gardens. No need to nominate people or pre book which makes it so much easier.

Robert has been twice recently and Brenda and Ivor came this week. Brenda brought me a pot of mint which she had ready for me over a year ago. I intend to produce my own fresh mint sauce as in Windsor Court.

Visitors are impressed by the refurbishment here which has made it even more attractive, much brighter and more modern.

I was interrupted while writing this. Virgil, the deputy general manager, called in to ask if I would do an interview. A few minutes later I was in front of the camera and  microphone.

I think it is for Sunrise publicity. I was happy to do it as I am as satisfied as ever with life here and Sunrise deserves its good reputation as a well run home with a great team.

Memories of homes

Eighty years ago our family escaped from bomb ravaged London for a new home in Cardiff. It was a real homecoming for Mum, who had lived in 20 Bushey Road, West Ham, since just after the First World War when she met Dad, recently demobbed from the army.

After months of air raids and living night after night in our Anderson shelter in the garden of 6 St Annes Hill, Wandsworth we moved into 31 Malefant Street Cathays, Cardiff. It was a relief, but not as peaceful as we had hoped.

The Luftwaffe followed us and we had many disturbed nights. On one night, a string of bombs fell in a line over our house. Luckily they were small, fifty pounders that caused little damage. 

We were even more lucky when a landline - a bomb on a parachute - fell in the Cathays cemetery a hundred yards away, shattering our windows, hurting no-one

Malefant Street was so convenient, with many shops in Crwys Road, on the tram route into town (route number 2 of the 4). It took me to Cardiff High School.

I spent 11 happy years at 31 Malefant Street, marred by Dad’s sudden death from a heart attack in December 1942.

I left on 23 August 1952, to be driven with my best man, reporter Peter Parry~Jones, to Christchurch, Penarth to marry Rosemary.

After a few months living at Rosemary’s home, 15 Grove Place Penarth, we moved into a flat above a shop, 50 Cardiff Road, Caerphilly’s main Street, my new South Wales Argus office.

I am writing this in Sunrise Cardiff in Cyncoed, my 11th  home which I describe in my family history, Home to Home.