NEWSLETTER/CYLCHLYTHR

Powys Carers Service Newsletter - Spring 2005 - Page: 1 - 2- 3- 4 - 5

The Witches Trip Our trip to the theatre in Cardiff along with Brecon Young Carers to see ‘The Witches’ adapted from Roald Dahl’s brilliant book, was a great success. It was a really excellent production with some very clever set designs and special effects. The Grand High Witch was delightfully scary! It was great to see some really good live theatre and well worth the journey. We invaded Macdonalds outside Merthyr on the way home - hopefully they’ve recovered from the shock by now! Thanks to everyone who came along and helped to make the day such a success, including our very friendly and helpful bus-driver!

Mid-Powys Young Carers are Alive and Kicking

Hello, I’m Celia Milne, Young Carers Outreach Worker for Radnorshire; we’re the piggies in the middle of Powys. Hopefully I don’t really need to introduce myself, as I’ve been around working with young carers for some time, although I was out of action last year. I now have lunchtime drop-ins in two high schools in the area: in Builth Wells High School I can be found in the cricket pavilion (behind the Sports Centre) between 12.45 and 1.30 every Wednesday; and in Llandrindod Wells High School I’m in the OASIS room from 1pm until 2pm every Thursday. I’m always happy to see young carers old and new. It’s quite a flexible set-up but if anyone wants to see me individually during these times it’s probably better to phone beforehand and I can arrange an appointment. It’s great that staff in both schools have been so welcoming and supportive of the work we do with young people. I aim to get to John Beddoes as well one day as there are so many of you from Knighton, but I haven’t made it yet – I haven’t quite mastered the trick of splitting myself into several pieces despite lots of practice!


APOLLO, JINX AND THE GRIFFIN

Apollo and Jinx were hardly what you would call the perfect partners. In fact Apollo, pale, scruffy-haired and moody, hated Jinx, who claimed she had demon blood in her. Well, that did explain the tail and claws, or so he said. He hated her, but ever since she had attempted giving him the kiss of life one time when he had fallen in a lake, people reckoned he fancied her. Even though when she was trying to save him she had swallowed one of his teeth, and his mouth had tasted like peppers and hot sauce for days afterwards. The pair sat in a forest clearing one day, shouting at each other – as usual.

“Apollo! I didn’t take your stupid bracelet!” yelled Jinx.
“It’s not a bracelet, it’s an armlet, and you took it!” came the reply.
“Why would I take your tacky jewellery?
I can get my own!”

They were so busy yelling at each other, they didn’t notice they were being watched, until a giant feathered creature leapt from a tree, grabbed Jinx by her shoulders, and took off. By the time Apollo had worked out what was going on, it – which he worked out was a griffin – was half-way back to its nest, despite Jinx shouting insults at it, and clawing at its leg. Apollo ran, trying to keep up with it, wondering if the griffin knew what it had let itself in for.

The griffin reached its nest inside a cave, threw the angry and still shouting Jinx unceremoniously to the bone-covered floor, and pinned her down with a taloned foot. It began to drool, and its sharp beak gave Jinx an idea of what it wanted.

“If you eat me, I’m going to give you really bad indigestion and you’ll just throw me up again!” growled Jinx. At that point Apollo appeared at the mouth of the cave with his sword drawn.
“Oh no, Apollo! Don’t even THINK of saving me! Yelled Jinx. “I’d rather be eaten by a griffin than be a damsel in distress, especially if it means being saved by YOU!”

Apollo sighed and then looked up, just in time to see a large griffin foot flying toward his face.
“Never mind, no fear of you saving me anyway,” muttered Jinx as Apollo fell backwards with a groan. The griffin gave a great roar, and prepared to strike, but Jinx had had enough. She narrowed her eyes. “I warned you, Chicken Man. I’m part demon and I’m angry. Griffin drew back. “Chicken Man?”
He’d never been called that before.

As he considered whether he looked like a chicken, he smelled burning from somewhere. It took him a moment to realise Jinx had set his tail on fire! When he did, however, he quickly relinquished Jinx and took off toward the nearest lake, leaving a trail of smoke behind him, and also leaving Apollo’s armlet on the floor. Jinx wondered why and how the heck a griffin would steal tacky jewellery, and just assumed that it had bad taste. Apollo got up, a large mark like a giant chicken foot on his face. “Here’s your bracelet!” said Jinx, handing it to him. “I think it will go well with your new face tattoo!” Apollo scowled. “That’s an armlet! And about the face … I hate you!” And both walked out of the cave, yelling at each other … as usual.

Mez Green