Projection and Perception: The self-fashioning of Sir John     Wynn of Gwydir (1553-1627).

By Dr Meinir Moncrieffe

Twelve years ago Meinir embarked on an Open University degree in art history as a way to reconnect with her passion for fine art and material culture. This year she successfully completed a PhD with ISWE Bangor on the use of material culture in status projection during the early modern era.

The project focused on the Wynn family of Gwydir in Llanrwst, who once owned the farm Meinir was brought up on in Nantgwynant. Her interest in the family began whilst researching the original story which inspired the ‘Gelert’ folk tale for Meinir's MA in Celtic Studies at Trinity St David’s Lampeter. This led to the discovery of a letter written by Sir John Wynn outlining his interpretation of Welsh historical events and demonstrates the importance of Renaissance ideas in a rural setting where traditional cultural values were still important.

Why North Wales was covered by ice 20,000 years ago and many times before?

by Chris Wilson, Emeritus Professor of Earth Sciences, The Open University.

The scenery of North Wales was largely sculpted by ice and glacial meltwater – not just once but perhaps fifty times.

What is the evidence that reveals this history and why did the ice advance and retreat at regular intervals, starting about 2.8 million years ago?

The talk will answer these questions and end by giving a geological perspective to the current debate about climate change, focussing on geological and historical changes in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.

Warren has a mixed genre of talks, many Anglesey specific this session will be focused on the Lighthouse of Wales to go alongside a new book that is due for release in November 2025 

Dafydd is a Bee keeper and will speak to us about the secret life of Bees 🐝 

Your Porthmadog u3a Annual AGM 

Group Leaders please attend to showcase your group 

General members please attend and have your say 

Many Thanks 

The committee 

Enjoy your Summer 

Enjoy your SUMMER

Mark was running a Technical Textile company in Manchester, working in Material Science, when he moved to Abersoch. He jointly invented a sensor system using yarn-knitted directly into undergarments that could measure Heart Rate, Pulse, Temperature and Respiration movements. All data sent to a smartphone app, giving constant updating and performance insight. 
Turning yarn and threads into intelligent sensors- helping to pioneer personalised monitoring. 

Mark created a material in 2011/2012 that could harvest energy from Solar, Wind and Rain. Called Enertrees

Mark was one of the founder of the Abersoch Dunkers commenced during Covid with 6 members. This group has now grown to 20/30 regulars 

Abersoch Dunkers meet every single day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. They meet on the beach, in the hills and in rivers.

There Facebook page today has over 1,100 members Mark was inspired to start the Dunkers Podcast. As editor and host Mark states “it has been one of the most enjoyable, entertaining and gratifying roles I’ve ever undertaken 

Sid Stephenson is a former educationalist and international manager of aid and higher education programs who has worked across continents, building partnerships and navigating the complex realities of global development. His professional life marked by diplomacy, high stakes negotiations, and frontline experiences has provided him with a rare perspective on people politics and power.

Now a published author novelist and screenwriter Sid brings his wealth of experience to his fiction. His thrillers are gritty lad psychologically tense reflecting his fascination with morals, dilemmas human resilience and the shadowy intersections between justice and revenge.

Experienced in managing multi country initiatives and complex negotiations. Educational leadership, former educationalist with expertise in higher education strategies international partnerships and curriculum development. Creative writing and storytelling in transitioned into fiction writing and screenwriting crafting crime thriller and suspense driven narratives that combine pace with psychological depth.

Details to be confirmed