Behind the scenes as a book sale volunteer at National Museum Cardiff

Daniel Skentelbery, 4 March 2025

In March 2024, I became part of a team of volunteers at National Museum Cardiff, our objective to setup and maintain a second-hand bookstall in the main hall of the museum.  

I have a background in education, community arts, and creative writing. When the opportunity to volunteer as bookseller with National Museum Cardiff came about, I eagerly applied and was over the moon to have been invited to join. Being involved in the running of the second-hand bookstall resonates with my, and the museum’s, commitment to making education accessible. At the stall, we always have a host of history, science, and arts books available for children and adults. The bookstall also promotes an ease of access to a wide variety of fiction books, which thrills the creative writer in me. 

Whenever I go into the museum, I am warmed by how interested everyone is in the bookstall. I often chat with visitors about their unique finds, or how excited they are to get stuck into a new book, as well as talking about the museum and its exhibits. Members of staff at the museum are always taking an interest too, and I’ve gotten to know some members of the front of house team well. It is always nice hearing about their book finds, or updates about the money the stall has raised, or to catch up and chat about how our weeks have been going.  

We stock the bookstall with second-hand books donated to us by members of museum staff, and members of the public via donations to St Fagans National Museum of History, at which they have their own successful second-hand bookstall. I go into the museum once a week to sort through these donated books, in addition to tidying up and restocking the bookstall. Sorting books sees me sort books by genre, and alphabetise the fiction, as well as to make sure that books are marked with a suggested donation. Green =50p, Blue =£1, Yellow =£2, and our red stickers mark custom prices, usually to highlight rare editions, or bundles.

Sorting through the books is a great joy, we never know what is going to come in, and there are always fascinating gems to be found. I’ll set myself up in the volunteer hub, usually with an audiobook or some music and make my way through the book piles. Some of my favourite donations have been the unique specialist books donated by museum staff, books that you simply wouldn’t find in your average bookshop. But the fact is, I never know what is going to turn up. Several finds which have stood out to me, and highlight the diversity of books that come in, include: the score to Westside Story, a guide to scuba diving, a book of Mastermind questions, and an omnibus of Alien vs Predator novels! Just goes to show that it’s always worth popping in to see what’s there.  

Being a part of the bookstall has been greatly rewarding, I’ve gotten to know lots of museum volunteers and staff alike, and my relationship with the museum has provided me with opportunities to attend unique talks and events for volunteers, such as our tour of National Roman Legion Museum, back in November ‘24. Notably, I am proud of the money that the bookstall has raised for the museum, £4300.88 at the most recent count up by staff!

The second-hand bookstall is made up of four bookcases which can be found in the main hall of National Museum Cardiff. Books can be purchased by making a donation at the card reader, or by dropping some cash into the collection box beside the shelves.   

Daniel Skentelbery – Book Sale Volunteer

Museum Voices: Mark Etheridge on LGBTQ+ History and Activism

Mark Etheridge, 27 February 2025

Mark Etheridge, Principal Curator of Collection Development: LGBTQ+.
© Amgueddfa Cymru

It’s LGBTQ+ History Month and this year’s theme is Activism and Social Change. Founded by Schools Out in 2025, LGBTQ+ History Month creates a dedicated space to celebrate our diverse and rich LGBTQ+ history.

To mark the occasion, we interviewed our principal curator of LGBTQ+ collections at Amgueddfa Cymru to explore the items in our collections that capture these key moments in Wales’ LGBTQ+ activism history.

Hi Mark, would you like to introduce yourself and tell us more about your role at Amgueddfa Cymru?

So yes, I’m Mark Etheridge. I'm the Principal Curator of Collection Development: LGBTQ+ at Amgueddfa Cymru based at St Fagans National Museum of History.

I started this role in developing the LGBTQ+ collection back in 2019, at a time when there were a very small number of objects that could be tagged as LGBTQ+ related. These objects were predominantly around some historic figures, pride events, and Section 28, but they were in no way representative of the cross-section of the whole LGBTQ+ community across Wales, both in the past and in contemporary experiences.

I’ve worked with a variety of community groups and individuals over the last few years to build up a collection that's far more representative and we now have a collection of over 2,200 items tagged as LGBTQ+.

Large protest banner made by CYLCH in a demonstration against Section 28. The slogan is a play on words, translating to 'your clauses make us sick'.
© Amgueddfa Cymru

With it being LGBTQ+ History Month, the theme for this year is Activism and Social Change. With your knowledge of LGBTQ+ history in Wales and in your own lived experience, what changes have you seen?

This year’s theme fits in well with our collections and our new LGBTQ+ display case in St Fagans, Wales is… Proud, which is the first permanent display of LGBTQ+ history at Amgueddfa Cymru. The display shows how equal rights have changed over the past 50-60 years and are currently evolving and changing today. We’ve seen, and this is what the new case goes into, things like the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967, the formation of groups like the Cardiff Gay Liberation Front in the early 1970s, protests against Section 28 in the late 1980s and 90s, through to some of the most recent trans rights protests against things like conversion therapy, which have been happening in Cardiff and across Wales over the past few years.

The areas that I’ve been collecting over the more recent years are the changes in 2021 to the ban on gay and bisexual men being allowed to donate blood, along with the Church in Wales Bill which allowed same-sex marriages and civil partnerships to be blessed from September 2021.

So, I think that the current protests and activism around improvements to equal rights shows that it’s still ongoing today and it didn’t end in 1967.

Report relating to the Church in Wales Bill, passed in September 2021.
© Amgueddfa Cymru

Would you be able to tell us more about the items on display at St Fagans that touch on those moments in LGBTQ+ activist history?

One of the items in the case is the Church in Wales Bill, I collected a number of items around the legalities of it, along with a handwritten speech by the Bishop of Llandaff who spoke in support of the bill.

To accompany these items and to bring a personal element to this historic moment, I collected an order of service for two gay men who had their marriage blessed following the bill.

With a lot of the collecting that I’m doing, it’s not just about the facts around the changes in equal rights, it’s about how it affects the LGBTQ+ community and the personal stories around them.

It’s really special that we can capture the personal experiences behind these historic moments. Could you tell us a bit about how you go about acquiring these pieces, especially when they are personal items?

Placard 'Rhaid Gwahardd Therapi Trosi'. Used at a protest, organised by Trans Aid Cymru, against conversion therapy, 26 April 2022. 
© Amgueddfa Cymru

Sometimes it’s reaching out to people through social media or you happen to meet somebody who offers to donate an item to our collections.

Part of it is also working with certain organisations; Trans Aid Cymru have been very supportive of my work and have helped me collect placards that had been used at various trans rights protests which they held in Wales.

It’s important that we build connections with members of the LGBTQ+ community, whether that’s individually or as support groups, and that we provide a safe space for the collection and stories to be told.

In addition to Trans Aid Cymru, have you worked with other LGBTQ+ charities and groups? And which ones do you believe need more of a spotlight?

I’ve worked with a few groups like Glitter Cymru and Pride Cymru but also worked with the smaller Pride groups.

Banner made by Glitter Cymru, used at first Welsh BAME Pride held in August 2019.
© Amgueddfa Cymru

There are a few of them who I recently reached out to and have been supportive in donating objects to our collections, such as Merthyr Tydfil Pride, Pride Caerffili and Flint Pride.

I think all of the ones I’ve mentioned are important to support, as the smaller Pride events in the local communities are vital in allowing people to attend Pride whilst also having the LGBTQ+ community be represented and seen in smaller communities.

It’s about visibility, Glitter Cymru have been very supportive when I first started in this role in 2019, and they provide a very specific need in Wales of supporting LGBTQ+ global majority people. There’s lots of different charities and lots of different groups, all supporting many different areas and with their own value. 

Sign from The King's Cross public house, 25 Caroline Street, Cardiff, 1990s.
© Amgueddfa Cymru

If we think about the new display at St Fagans and our wider collection of LGBTQ+ items, what piece would you say resonates with you the most?

It’s quite a personal one, we have a sign from a pub called The King’s Cross in Cardiff, and that was one of the first gay pubs I went into after I came out. It was a gay venue from the early 70s right through to when it closed in 2011.

I have that personal connection there and I think our collections are important from that perspective, you want people to resonate with them for whatever reason, whether that’s to encourage them to become more activist, or to allow them to connect with an item on a personal level where it brings back certain memories.

We want the museum collections to allow people to make those connections.

Reg and George having a picnic with their dog. They met in 1949 and were together for over 60 years.
© Mike Parker/Amgueddfa Cymru

Absolutely, and going back to Activism and Social Change, it doesn’t necessarily need to be a protest. At times, it’s just existence.

Yeah exactly, and I think that’s something I recently mentioned in a talk about our Reg Mickisch and George Walton collection from On The Red Hill. I think they are an example of that, as them living their everyday life together during a time when it was illegal is a form of activism in itself.

Activism isn’t just about protesting, simply existing as an LGBTQ+ person, especially in times where it was and is illegal or taboo, is a form of activism in itself.

That’s something I’m quite keen for the displays to show that it isn’t just about activism in terms of protesting and pride, but that there are lots of stories just about LGBTQ+ people living their everyday lives in Wales.

As well as the new LGBTQ+ display case in St Fagans, what would you like to achieve next?

We’re still actively collecting LGBTQ+ history, and we especially want more items around early activism and early stories about LGBTQ+ people living in Wales.

We’ve got the new case in St Fagans and LGBTQ+ related things, say, in the art department at National Museum Cardiff, but we’ve got less on some of our other sites.

So I think the next step, is to start using the collection to build more displays and weave it into the story of each site and everything we do.

Our new LGBTQ+ display case in St Fagans.
© Amgueddfa Cymru

How would you compare the history of LGBTQ+ Activism and Social Change, to activist groups of today and the political landscape?

The fight for equal rights is still ongoing in lots of ways. The worry for some people is that the rights granted can be rolled back. They can just as easily be rolled back as they can go forward. We can’t take certain things for granted, and we do have to remember that.

You know, this is evident in things like the decriminalisation of homosexuality in 1967 where it was only partial decriminalisation under very specific circumstances.

It’s like the Church in Wales Bill, they went one step to allow same-sex marriages to be blessed in the Church of Wales but didn’t go the further step to allow them to be married.

It's little things like that, where it may be one step forward, but it isn’t necessarily going the full way.

Thank you Mark, for taking the time to discuss our LGBTQ+ collections in relation to Activism and Social Change. I’m excited to see the collection grow and for it to become more of a permanent feature in the story of our museums.

© Amgueddfa Cymru

Now, we’d like to finish by asking what is your favourite item in our collections outside of your work?

This glass plate negative was taken by Mary Dillwyn in 1854 or 1855. Mary is one of the first women photographers in Wales and this negative is from a large collection at Amgueddfa Cymru taken by members of the Dillwyn Llewelyn family. I love that this image captures what is probably the first photograph taken of a snowman in Wales; with the collection also containing many firsts in Wales such as the first photograph of bonfire night.

You can explore more of our LGBTQ+ collections online, visit our new LGBTQ+ display case Wales is… Proud at St Fagans, or discover our Lesbian and Gays Support the Miners collection in our current Streic! 84-85 Strike! exhibition in National Museum Cardiff, open until 27 April 2025.

Strike Stories: Stephen Smith (miner)

Stephen Smith, 17 February 2025

In this series of Strike Stories we hear the highs and lows of that life changing year through the eyes of miners, families, police officers and politicians as they recall what life was like in 84–85.

The Strike Stories form part of the Streic 84–85 Strike exhibition which is on display at National Musem Cardiff until April 27 2025.

© Mike Thompson

Stephen Smith (former miner, Maerdy pit)

I was one of the last set of apprentices they took on with the old National Coal Board and ended up working at Maerdy colliery. I was a bit of a naughty boy in school and I applied for a few apprenticeships in gas, telecoms, all sorts. But I’m the fifth generation in a mining family and ended up following suit. At 17, I got a mining craft apprenticeship, which was to get you ready for management further along the line.

I’ll never forget my first day going underground. My stomach was churning as the cage dropped down the shaft.

We were on strike pretty much every year once I’d joined, usually about pay and conditions. The Strike in ’84 was different. It was all about the preservation of our jobs and the mining communities.

I was one of the lucky ones – I didn’t have a family to support and I was still living at home. My father made me pay rent right the way through the strike, he said that if I supported it then I should feel the hardship of having no money exactly the same as everyone else on strike.

We show of hands vote about coming out on the Sunday in the Maerdy Working Men’s Hall. The world’s media were on our doorstep waiting to see if we would back the Yorkshire miners (Cortonwood is where it started). We voted to come out on strike.

We started to travel to other mines and join picket lines to try and talk to the lads going to work and persuade them to join us. Often, we’d be turned back by the police en route – I was convinced we’d had our phones tapped as there was no way they’d have known about the little roads we took, otherwise. Once, we ended up getting pulled over and the coach driver was told he’d be arrested if he took us any further. So we got off the bus and in the middle of the night walked through the drizzle to our designated pits that we were going to picket.

There was a new employment Law – Tebbit’s Law, about not being allowed to picket in groups of more than six. Occasionally, we broke it. At Newstead Colliery, when we broke the line, a copper grabbed by finger and bent it back. then put my arm behind my back, another copper came alongside and was punching me in the side and I was bundled into a police van. I got taken to the station and put in a cell along with a few others from my pit. At about 3am I was taken from the cell and interviewed by CID who began with ‘Are you a member of the Communist Party? Are you a Scargill supporter?’ and so on. We were in overnight. We were given a piece of toast and something pretending to be tea and sent to court in handcuffs, which was humiliating. The police inspector told the court there were around fifty people and that I was the instigator, pulled from a group of 50 or so pickets. This was a lie.

I was charged with Breach of the Peace, the NUM lawyer said: ‘Plead guilty or you’ll be sent away, the NUM will pay your fine.’ I was still a teenager, so I took the advice and pleaded guilty, even before any statements were read out. The magistrate told me that if I appeared in front of him again he would be sent to Risley (Grisly Risley as it was known) remand centre.

It was rough. There were times we’d be kicked in the shins or have our feet stamped on so we’d end up wearing our work boots, for protection. Once, a copper started whacking my head repeatedly on the bonnet of a car. There were reporters there. I shouted ‘I hope you’re going to report this!’. The media were dead set against us, they painted this misconception that we were a bunch of thugs! It was the state and the police that were the thugs, and there should be an enquiry as to what involvement the government had on the strike and the police thuggery.

We were fighting for a full year – not just for our jobs, but for our communities. Going underground builds such incredible, tight camaraderie, we had each other’s backs. It was character-building and we were all in it together – before the strike, during and after. Everyone worked in or around the Pit. The impact was wide-reaching. I had an invitation from Oxford and went and spoke at a fund raising event. They raised an awful lot of money for us and sent us food parcels.

My only regrets - being unable to save our jobs, communities and subsidiary industries. And that I’d pleaded guilty to a breach of the peace when the police had lied. I was not guilty.

Strike Stories: Sian James (activist and politician)

Sian James, 10 February 2025

In this series of Strike Stories we hear the highs and lows of that life changing year through the eyes of miners, families, police officers and politicians as they recall what life was like in 84–85.

The Strike Stories form part of the Streic 84–85 Strike exhibition which is on display at National Musem Cardiff until April 27 2025.

© Imogen Young

Sian James, activist and politician.

I was married at 16, had two kids by the time I was twenty, with a hubby who worked underground. Within two years of starting work, he’d voted to back Scargill for the NUM and the whole family were behind him. Scargill was our leader, he’d fight on our behalf and we were immensely loyal. There was no hesitation when it came to the strike.

We stood strong. You did not cross a picket line. Our family didn’t understand those who did. People said, ‘well, hardship…’ but how the hell did I last on £20 a week with two kids? We did it by organising ourselves within our communities. Not just me and my community, but thousands of women.

The realities weren’t easy: hiding behind the sofa from the rent man. Hearing an ice cream van outside and telling my daughter there was no money. She told my husband to jump up and down. She could hear the change in his pocket. There were big changes for our family.

All extras were removed from the trolley. Debt would catch up with us, but we weren’t the only people experiencing that suffering. We all got involved to whatever degree we could. We got stuck in. There was a clear turning point for me. In the August, Thatcher and MacGregor started describing us as ‘the enemy within’. I was no-one’s enemy. We just wanted to retain our loving communities. We knew how it all worked, what made it tick.

I was amazed at how militant I’d become. The excitement of meeting women who fought and thought like I did, shoulder to shoulder and side by side. The thing is, they couldn’t touch us, sack us – we didn’t work for them.

We spoke on platforms all over the place. Nottinghamshire, Derbyshire. The men’s story had been ‘mined’ to death: we were a new voice. The attention shifted to how families were organising themselves. We told the women’s story: we are in this together. When we started getting invitations to speak publicly, we began to ask for a bit more. My role was organising and fundraising.

We had some support group rules.

  • Every penny raised went into the pot.
  • Everyone got the same out of the pot. Whether they had kids or not.
  • If you turned up for the Sunday afternoon meeting, you had to vote.

At the lodges, only members – the men – could vote. But suddenly, women’s opinions were sought.

We were the Neath, Dulais and South Wales Valleys Miners’ Support Group. We had ten food centres feeding anything from thirty to several hundred miners. But this soon turned into us feeding over a thousand families, at £8 a bag, but the time we were finished.

The whole thing transformed my life. When the gay and lesbian groups came out in support of the miners, they brought a whole new level of experience and expertise: they were people who’d had to fight for justice, they were used to it. And they helped us in incredible ways. They were good socialists and campaigners. They understood the system.The people who supported us from those groups then, are still my friends, today.

I often say: my strike was a good strike. I was frightened it was all going to go back to how it had been before, to be honest. But I went to University, built a name as a media commentator on S4C, because I spoke Welsh – it was the language of the men who worked underground. I went on to work in public affairs, worked for all sorts of companies including National Trust, Save the Children and Welsh Women’s Aid before eventually standing and getting elected into Parliament in 2005.

During the strike, I had the chance to talk to speakers, women on strike like me across the country. We all had mouths to feed. We all had to keep going. But my God, I met such wonderful people, women and men. Someone once asked Julia Gillard what her best advice was for her fourteen-year-old granddaughter. She replied: ‘Don’t let anybody turn your volume down.’ And that’s the thing. Chopsy women change the world.

Weather Data for January

Penny Dacey, 5 February 2025

Hi Bulb Buddies,

Thank you for all the weather data you have entered to the website so far. Please try to get all your data uploaded this week, as The Edina Trust will be using it to predict when our plants might flower!

I have seen my first daffodil in bloom this week! This feels very early. Have any of you seen any early signs of spring? Please let me know what you've seen and how your plants are doing when you share your comments this week. Do any of your plants have flower buds forming yet? You can use resources on the website to help prepare for taking flower records: Step 5: Keeping flower records (January - March)

Are you taking part in the BulbCast competition this year? If so, you could take video footage of your plants at different stages to use in your entry. I can't wait to see what you come up with. Remember to read the supporting resources that outline how the task can be structured so that everyone has a role to play: Bulbcast competition

January saw some dramatic weather, and this was reflected in your weather comments (see these below). Lots of you reported school closures, powerful winds, low temperatures and some reported snow and frost! Many of you were impacted by Storm Eowyn on the 24th of the month. This was the fifth named storm this storm season (September-August) and the first red warning for wind in 2025. Wind speeds of over 90mph were recorded in parts of Northern Ireland, Wales, and Scotland, and a 100mph gust was recorded in Drumalbin, Lanarkshire!

Days after storm Eowyn, storm Herminia reached the UK bringing heavy rain to parts of England and Wales. Some of you may have wondered why the storm names jumped from E to H! This is because storm Herminia had already been named by the Spanish Meteorological Service before it reached us. The next storm named by the UK will be Storm Floris! More information on named storms can be found here: Weathering the Storm

January Weather Summary

> January’s temperatures were colder than usual. All four nations recorded below-average temperatures, making it a chilly start to the year. 

A fascinating fact for our Spring Bulb scientists: what we now consider a "cold" January would have been considered average in the past. The 1961-1990 January mean temperature was 3°C (the average for this year), while today’s 1991-2020 average is 3.9°C (making this year 0.9°C bellow the average). This highlights how climate patterns are shifting over time!

> Rainfall was mixed across the country. Southern England experienced above-average rainfall, while Scotland and Northern Ireland were much drier than usual.

> Despite the cold and stormy spells, January turned out to be one of the sunniest on record! The UK saw 61.8 hours of sunshine, making it the fifth sunniest January since records began in 1910. 

A fascinating fact for our Spring Bulb scientists: four of the five sunniest Januarys have all occurred in the 21st century (that's since January 2001).

Keep up the great work observing and recording your data Bulb Buddies!

Professor Plant

Comments from schools:

Storm and School Closures

Irvinestown Primary School: School was closed on Friday due to the red weather warning.
Professor Plant: It’s always best to stay safe during severe weather! I hope you were able to check on your plants when you returned.

Logan Primary School: We were not at school on Friday due to the storm.
Professor Plant: I hope you and your plants were safe from the storm. Did you notice any changes in your garden when you returned?

Scarva Primary School: We had to close on Friday because of Storm Eowyn and a red weather warning so we could not record weather data.
Professor Plant: Storms can be very disruptive! I appreciate you keeping track of the data when possible.

St Mary’s Primary – Maguiresbridge:We were unable to get a reading on Friday as the school was off with the storm (Eowyn). We have lost some plants and pots because they have been lifted with the wind.
Professor Plant: Oh no! I’m sorry to hear about the damage. Hopefully, you can replant some bulbs, and they’ll still have a chance to grow!

Meldrum Primary School: Bad storm on Friday, could not get any data.
Professor Plant: That’s understandable! I hope your plants weren’t damaged. Did you notice any effects on your garden afterward?

St John’s Primary: No weather recorded for Friday 24th as school was closed due to the storm.
Professor Plant: That’s okay! It’s always important to stay safe in bad weather.

Wellshot Primary School: School was closed on Friday because of the storm.
Professor Plant: I hope the storm didn’t cause too much damage to your plants!

Langbank Primary School: Our school was closed on Friday because of Storm Eowyn so we did not get the weather data.
Professor Plant: I appreciate you updating me despite the closure. Well done for staying safe during the storm. 

Ysgol Porth Y Felin: We had a big storm last night.
Professor Plant: I hope your plants made it through safely! Storms can bring a lot of rain, which can be helpful or harmful depending on how strong the wind is.

Stanford in the Vale Primary: We had Storm Eowyn on Friday.
Professor Plant: I hope you and your plants were okay! Did you notice any changes when you came back to school?

Ysgol Gymraeg Morswyn: Dim cofnod ar dydd Gwener oherwydd fod yr ysgol ar gau oherwydd Storm Eowyn. (No record on Friday because the school was closed due to Storm Eowyn.)
Professor Plant: Diolch am roi gwybod i mi. Mae'n bwysig cadw'n ddiogel yn ystod stormydd. (Thanks for letting me know. It is important to stay safe during storms.)


Cold and Icy Weather

Doonfoot Primary School: It was freezing.
Professor Plant: Sounds like a chilly week! Did you notice frost on the ground or your plants?

Ysgol Tycroes: This week has been very cold. We have had snow and most mornings have been very frosty. The temperature has been as low as -1°C.
Professor Plant: Frosty mornings can be beautiful but challenging for plants! Well done for braving the cold to get your readings!

Pil Primary School: The weather has been very cold this week.
Professor Plant: Cold weather can slow plant growth. I wonder if you’ll see a change once it warms up! 

Cornist Park C.P: “There is a lot of snow and it is very cold, it feels like -1 degrees.” “We have had snow, rain, sleet, and hail, the wind is making it feel like -1 degrees.” “Today the hail has frozen the roads and they are icy, it is very cold.” “The ice on the path and road is very slippy, it is cold.” “We have ice and it is very cold, the wind makes it feel like -5 degrees.”

Professor Plant: Thank you all for sharing your weather comments. It sounds like quite a chilly week with the snow and icy conditions! Make sure to stay safe and warm everyone, and well done for collecting your weather readings in these cold temperatures!

Stanford in the Vale Primary: Very cold and the ice has settled in.

Professor Plant: Stay careful on those icy paths! It’s important to stay safe in these conditions. 

Bwlchgwyn Primary School: Lots of snow and ice covering our rain gauge all week.

Professor Plant: It sounds like you've had quite a bit of snow! Remember to bring your rain gauge inside for the snow to melt. Do you think the reading will be higher or lower once the snow has melted? 

Meldrum Primary School: A lot of rain and snow at the start of the week and pretty cold throughout the week.

Professor Plant: Rain and snow can sometimes create difficult conditions, but it’s a good opportunity to observe how the weather affects both the plants and the surroundings. Well done Bulb Buddies. 


Observations of Rain and Wet Conditions

Gavinburn Primary School: Normal weather for this time of year.
Professor Plant: It’s great that you are noticing seasonal patterns! Do you think this will help predict when your plants will flower?

Cornist Park C.P: It has been very cold and lots of rain this week. Our plants must feel cold.
Professor Plant: Plants can be quite hardy in the cold! They’ll start growing faster once it warms up.

Ysgol Porth Y Felin: Very wet.
Professor Plant: Lots of rain can help plants grow, but too much might cause waterlogging. Keep an eye on them!

Stanford in the Vale Primary: A lotta rain this week, mate.
Professor Plant: Rainy weeks can be great for plant growth! Did you see any changes in your garden, mateys?


Plant Growth and Gardening Observations

Ysgol Tycroes: All of our bulbs have sprouted stems and leaves. We have been learning about what a plant needs to grow strong and how a plant makes its own food called photosynthesis.
Professor Plant: That’s fantastic! Photosynthesis is key to plant survival. I’m excited to hear how your plants continue to grow.

Ysgol Pennant: Roedden ni wedi plannu yr planhigyn oedd wedi chwythu ffwrdd ar y dydd mawrth. (We replanted the plant that had blown away on Tuesday.)
Professor Plant: Gwaith da! Gobeithio bydd y planhigyn yn parhau i dyfu. (Well done! I hope the plant continues to grow.)

Bwlchgwyn Primary School: We can see some sprouts opening.
Professor Plant: That’s wonderful! Your plants are making great progress. Keep watching for their next stage of growth.

St Mary’s Primary – Maguiresbridge: We have noticed that the bulbs have all started to sprout.
Professor Plant: That’s exciting news! Keep an eye on your bulbs, they are on their way to flowering.

Henllys Church in Wales: Plants coming through.
Professor Plant: Great to hear! Keep monitoring them for new growth.

Langbank Primary School: Most of the pots/bulbs are starting to grow
Professor Plant: Fantastic news! Keep an eye on them!

Ysgol Tycroes: Nearly all of our bulbs now have shoots coming out of them.

Professor Plant: Wonderful news about the bulbs! Keep up the good work!

Ysgol Llanddulas: Some of our bulbs have grown a lot. No flowers still.

Professor Plant: That’s fantastic progress! Bulbs are getting ready to bloom, but sometimes they take a little more time to flower. Keep observing them, and I’m sure you’ll see the flowers soon enough.


Data Collection

St Joseph's Cathedral: We are very sorry that we have forgotten to record these past weeks. Once again, we are deeply sorry for the inconvenience that we have made for your research.
Professor Plant: That’s okay! Thank you for letting me know. Keeping records is a great habit, and I appreciate your efforts.

Ysgol Llanddulas: I did this on Monday because we had a new teacher on Friday, and they did not know how to log us on.
Professor Plant: No worries! It’s great that you caught up with the data.

Roaring Reptiles - Ysgol Llanddulas:We did not get weather records on Friday because our school shut due to a burst water pipe.
Professor Plant: That sounds like an unexpected event! I hope everything was fixed quickly.

Ysgol Porth Y Felin: We had no school on Monday and then 2 snow days.
Professor Plant: Snow days are always exciting! Did you notice any effects on your plants afterward?