Bro...Treforys Bro

-888

-I've been fortunate enough

-to travel around the world...

-..but there are some areas of Wales

-I've never visited.

-I'm looking forward to meeting

-people who live in those areas.

-Are you ready? Off we go.

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-# It's not pretty,

-it's not beautiful... #

-The first area we visit

-on our journey around Wales...

-..is Morriston

-in the lower Swansea Valley...

-..near the city of Swansea.

-# Morriston's side of town... #

-This is an industrial

-and cultural town...

-..and home to around 17,000 people.

-There's a famous hospital

-and magnificent chapel here.

-If you have a driving licence,

-you've dealt with the DVLA centre.

-"To those who have left,

-it's seventh heaven"...

-..says singer Neil Rosser.

-What do the residents

-think of Morriston?

-Rhian Williams

-has lived here all her life...

-..and knows a lot

-about the area's history.

-Rhian, hello.

-Rhian, hello.

-

-Hello, welcome.

-What a view!

-What's the history of this building?

-It looks like an old castle.

-It's not an old castle.

-These were the first flats in Wales

-for workers.

-They worked in the copper works

-in the town.

-This was a big building - it's huge.

-They wanted to house

-over 40 families here...

-..but actually,

-only 20 families lived here.

-These flats were on four floors.

-I was down in the town this morning

-and a woman said...

-.."Making a programme, are you?

-They call us Morriston monkeys."

-What's the story there?

-There were trees in Morriston -

-monkey puzzles.

-None of them remain today.

-The other reason

-we're called Morriston monkeys...

-..was because

-of the Morriston monkey parade.

-Young women and girls would march

-up and down Woodfield Street...

-..hoping to get chatted up.

-It was a show - a parade.

-Let's go to find these women

-so I can chat them up.

-The monkey parade.

-# Life was hard here

-# Humour as black as coal #

-Hello, Jess. How are you?

-Can we have a quick chat?

-Sorry to disturb your work.

-What are you doing here -

-practising?

-I'm practising on plastic skin.

-To be a professional tattooist.

-Yes, but not until I'm 18.

-In a year's time,

-I'll be tattooing people.

-How long does it take for you

-to pass an exam to be a tattooist?

-There's no exam

-but you need a certificate.

-It can take anything

-up to three or four years.

-I've been doing it

-for almost a year.

-Though I say so myself,

-I'm pretty good.

-What's the most unusual request

-you've had in this shop?

-Someone came in once, a woman.

-She asked for a happy face

-on one finger...

-..and an unhappy face on the other.

-Really?

-Really?

-

-We just told her to go.

-"Come back when you've realized that

-it's going to be there for good."

-Is this the career for you?

-Oh, yes. I knew that

-after working here for a week.

-You love it here. Well done.

-Jess, crack on with your work.

-Back to the practising.

-Thank you for your time.

-Hello, Craig. Hello, Gethin.

-Are you in pain?

-Are you in pain?

-

-No, it's alright.

-It's OK.

-Which tattoo

-have you chosen for your arm?

-A phoenix.

-Is there any particular reason?

-It's my birthday next week.

-I'll be 30.

-It's a new start -

-a phoenix rising from the flames.

-Do you think a tattoo would suit me?

-Of course.

-Mam would be furious.

-Have a tattoo of Mam.

-MAM - across my chest!

-We're in the town centre now.

-This church is a strange sight.

-It's in the middle of the road.

-When it was built, it wasn't.

-It was in the middle of a field.

-There was a road that went past it.

-The grid system of Morriston begins

-at the church and goes from there.

-Well, well, well.

-The road goes right around it now.

-It's a roundabout.

-It's called the church

-in the middle of the road.

-There's another tower next to it -

-what's that?

-It's Tabernacl chapel's tower -

-the Independents' chapel.

-The cathedral of nonconformity.

-The cathedral of nonconformity.

-

-Let's go and see it.

-# Three square miles

-at the lower end of the valley

-# Cars speeding everywhere,

-the air is full of fumes

-# Threadbare shoes, thick accents

-# Down on the Morriston

-side of town #

-Tabernacl is massive.

-It's Morriston's largest chapel.

-Tabernacl Chapel for Independents.

-There are many stories

-about this chapel when it was built.

-They built a tower of scaffolding

-to carry the stone.

-When they re-built the roof...

-..they found large stones

-and boulders.

-They wondered

-why they were up there.

-When the masons built the walls...

-..they couldn't carry the stones

-back down.

-They were left up there.

-It's a strange tower.

-You'd expect to see it on a church.

-Yes. It's a copy of the tower

-on St John's Church...

-..which is further down the road.

-When the architect

-was designing the chapel...

-..he copied the tower

-but made it larger.

-It's a magnificent chapel.

-You mentioned the choirs...

-..the Orpheus, the men's choir...

-..the women's choir

-and the rugby club choir.

-It seems as if everyone

-in Morriston sings.

-There's a long tradition

-of singing here.

-It started in the chapel.

-Tabernacl Choir

-was formed over 130 years ago.

-The Morriston Orpheus Choir

-is over 70 years old.

-Everyone likes singing in Morriston.

-Thank you. Cheers.

-How are you, Ceri? There you go.

-Usually, when I'm in Morriston,

-I'm here to sing in concerts.

-Do you sing?

-I sing a bit - for enjoyment,

-not as a professional singer.

-Acting is your forte.

-You had a part in 2 Dy A Ni.

-You're doing very well

-as a young actor.

-Do you enjoy it?

-Do you enjoy it?

-

-Yes. I don't look at it as a job.

-It's something I enjoy doing.

-Waking up in the morning isn't

-so hard when you go out to act.

-Who is she?

-Who is she?

-

-Don't ask.

-You're a local boy

-but you come from Pentrepoeth.

-It's not really in Morriston

-but you were born in Morriston.

-That's a feature of Morriston.

-A lot of small villages

-have been eaten up...

-..by the beast that is Morriston.

-I have friends

-from Treboeth and Penlan...

-..places this side of Swansea and

-they say they come from Morriston.

-There's a strong accent around here.

-How do you say Treforys - Morriston?

-I say it naturally - Treforys.

-I'm from Treforys.

-If I spoke to someone older from

-Treforys I'd pronounce it Treforees.

-I have an uncle

-who comes from Morriston.

-I call him Aleen instead of Alun.

-I extend the "e" sound.

-Aleen, Eleen.

-I like the sound of that.

-What's so special about Morriston?

-I have no idea!

-It's something in the water.

-I don't know what it is.

-All I know is

-I hated it in my teens...

-..and then I grew up here

-and I don't want to leave.

-There's something

-about your home area.

-It's unique and important.

-I love the place.

-It's hard to believe today but this

-place used to be an industrial area.

-The tin works

-employed hundreds of people.

-Look at it now.

-Birdsong and beautiful flowers.

-The Tawe River is unpolluted now

-and packed with fish.

-A place for people

-to walk, fish and kayak.

-Hywel, how are you? Are you alright?

-This is a lovely place for kayaking.

-Is this new?

-Is this new?

-

-I bought this about two months ago.

-It's a freestyle kayak.

-It's short.

-It's short.

-

-It's shorter than the average kayak.

-It's better suited for doing tricks

-on the river or on the sea.

-There's some white water here.

-It looks dangerous to me

-but it poses no problems for you.

-It's OK today.

-If the water level was higher, you'd

-need to know what you were doing.

-The river isn't always this calm.

-If you can't return to the surface

-on an Eskimo roll, you might...

-Drown.

-Drown.

-

-You'll end up in Swansea Bay.

-What I find rather bizarre is

-this is your hobby.

-But you work in the crematorium.

-I work in the cemetery in Morriston.

-We're busy with burials

-every week...

-..and at this time of year,

-we mow the grass.

-It's nice to leave the cemetery...

-..and visit the river

-in Morriston...

-..and do something

-entirely different.

-This is a way to let off steam.

-Yes, I can let off steam here.

-I get a buzz when I'm kayaking

-on the river.

-I train and try different tricks.

-After showing respect

-in work from day to day...

-..you can be wet and wild down here.

-I can scream a lot louder down here

-than I can up there.

-.

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-Parts of Morriston

-are truly beautiful.

-The park, in the town centre...

-..is looked after

-by the Friends of Morriston Park.

-Fendrod Lake is a fantastic place

-to appreciate the scenery.

-This small island...

-..is in the middle of the hustle

-and bustle of the Enterprise Park.

-Morriston is surrounded

-by industrial estates.

-They all look the same.

-In the middle of this estate,

-you'll find a remarkable clinic.

-Vet Lowri Davies

-established the Smart Clinic...

-..to offer alternative and unique

-treatments for animals in her care.

-Hiya, Lowri. How are you?

-Who's this?

-Who's this?

-

-Pixie.

-What's wrong with Pixie?

-What's wrong with Pixie?

-

-A problem with her hind legs.

-They tire by the evening.

-This is her fourth visit.

-Thankfully, she's a lot better.

-That's partly down to me but

-a lot of it is down to her owners...

-..who've worked hard

-with her at home.

-Is Pixie going into this tank?

-What happens in here?

-A torture chamber, possibly.

-It's a treadmill full of water.

-Is this a new technique?

-Yes, it is.

-I opened the clinic five years ago.

-This was the first one in Britain.

-By now, there are three

-or four across the country.

-I read somewhere

-that you offer acupuncture for dogs.

-There's a good reason

-for using acupuncture.

-It has a positive effect

-on blood circulation.

-For working the muscles,

-optimum blood circulation is needed.

-That's why I use acupuncture first.

-If I made a thermal image of her,

-she'd be warmer after acupuncture.

-We open up the veins to the muscles.

-Why are you in Morriston?

-Why aren't you in London?

-That's a good question.

-I've worked and travelled

-around the world.

-I returned to Swansea

-and I like living in Mumbles.

-A friend of mine, in another part

-of this building, is also a vet.

-He works as an orthopaedic surgeon.

-In America,

-every orthopaedic surgeon...

-..has someone affiliated to them

-who does this kind of work.

-There was nothing similar

-in this country.

-Because of him, I've ended up here

-and also I love living in Wales.

-I wouldn't mind having a go

-at this myself. It looks great.

-Have a go.

-It's a good workout for the legs.

-I run on it and it's very difficult.

-The Welsh rugby team will be

-training here soon - guaranteed.

-The Smart Clinic

-helps animals recover...

-..while Morriston Hospital treats

-with the area's human ailments.

-One of the hospital's most

-well-known units is the burns unit.

-Good morning.

-I'm looking for Ca... Oh, Catrin.

-And Gwennan. How are you?

-Thank you for letting me

-join you today.

-What happens in this unit?

-This is the burns unit -

-plastic surgery and burns.

-We have ten beds on the ward.

-The unit was opened in 1994.

-Do both of you work on the ward?

-Yes. There are two of us

-on every shift.

-There are other

-staff members here too.

-We treat babies and children.

-We treat babies and children.

-

-Up to 17 years old.

-It's a very colourful unit.

-It's lovely.

-I saw a sign for the Welsh Dragons

-Burns Club on the way in.

-What is it all about?

-It was founded in 2003

-after the Corus disaster.

-A lot of the volunteers

-of the Corus disaster...

-..come in to see the children.

-It's nice that they can come in to

-see children in the same situation.

-Children who may have had

-similar injuries...

-..who have to cope with scars.

-Some of them aren't visible scars...

-..but they know they're there.

-It stays with them for years.

-It's a healing process

-taken step by step.

-The Physiotherapy Unit is next door.

-It's an important part of the

-recovery process for burns victims.

-Menna, I've come down to see what

-happens here. I know you're busy.

-What happens in this colourful area?

-This is the burns unit.

-Jamie's being treated for burns.

-He has to learn how to use

-his muscles all over again.

-To aid his recovery,

-we're using the multi-gym...

-..to build up movement

-in his shoulders, hands and arms.

-Physiotherapy is a crucial part

-of the treatment.

-People start physio very quickly

-after an accident.

-We all work together

-to choose the best treatment.

-If they leave it too long...

-..they'll get stiff

-and risk having contractures...

-..which will result

-in further operations.

-If you can avoid that,

-patients need to keep moving...

-..and get back

-to living as normal a life again.

-As the sun sets,

-our visit to Morriston...

-..comes to an end

-in the town's rugby club.

-What's the history of this club?

-How old is it?

-It was established in 1876.

-It must have been

-one of the first clubs in Wales.

-One of the first.

-They were supposed to be part

-of the first meeting in Neath...

-..which saw the formation

-of the WRU...

-..but I don't think

-the Morriston contingent arrived.

-They stopped off in Skewen for a

-pint and didn't reach Neath in time.

-We weren't there at the beginning.

-It looks

-as if it's changed since then.

-How many teams play here?

-We have a first and second XV.

-We also run a youth team.

-We also have teams at every

-age group from 8-16 years old.

-Two years ago,

-we started teams from 4-6 years old.

-About 100-150 children train here.

-Are they local boys or do they have

-to travel long distances?

-Most of them come from

-Morriston Comprehensive School.

-They've grown up together. They've

-come through the age grade teams.

-They all enjoy each other's company.

-What do you feed them here?

-Some of them are huge.

-We have a sausage special

-in the bar on Saturdays.

-They have sausages and

-sometimes chips after every game.

-There's a secret ingredient

-in those sausages.

-Come with me.

-# Somewhere Beyond The Sea #

-That was wonderful.

-That was wonderful.

-

-Whoa!

-Look at the control

-you have over them.

-Gerald, how are you then?

-You're Morriston Big Band's MD.

-So they tell me, anyway!

-They call me all sorts of names.

-I'm sure many people won't

-have heard of Morriston Big Band.

-Too much emphasis on singing,

-Gerald?

-Definitely.

-Are there many Welsh speakers

-in the band?

-No. Only Cen.

-Where's Cen?

-Where's Cen?

-

-We're slang Welsh.

-Everything's slang.

-And swearing, of course.

-There's one man over there

-who plays the keyboards...

-..I think he speak Welsh.

-Can I have a chat with him?

-Can he speak?

-Don't bother him too much!

-Don, how are you?

-I recognize your face.

-I've seen you on TV!

-We're used

-to the Welsh music tradition.

-Big band and jazz

-aren't part of that tradition.

-Not really. Choirs

-are a strong part of the tradition.

-Jazz is developing all the time.

-We've performed regularly recently

-in weddings.

-We also do charity work.

-# We'll kiss just like before #

-You have an amazing repertoire.

-Over 600 songs.

-How do you remember them all?

-They're all numbered. The band

-manager has numbered them all.

-We rehearse different songs

-when we get together.

-We're here every Tuesday night

-for two hours.

-If we have a gig coming up,

-we have an extra rehearsal...

-..to make sure

-the programme is ready.

-Ceinfryn's almost asleep.

-There's a spare seat over here.

-Hello.

-I'm coming to sit next to you.

-They call you Cen

-but you have a wonderful name.

-Do I?

-Tell us what it is.

-Tell us what it is.

-

-Ceinfryn.

-It's a lovely name.

-You're very experienced.

-You're very experienced.

-

-Am I?!

-That's what they say.

-You've been playing for years

-in first-class bands.

-Tell us about them.

-I was with Ystalyfera Brass Band

-for years.

-It's a real pleasure

-for you to be here.

-It's more of a pleasure for me

-to be here than in a brass band.

-Lovely.

-Ceinfryn, I'll let you get on

-with the rehearsal. What's next?

-Swing it, boys. Off you go, Gerald.

-Thank you very much.

-Here you go, boys.

-You've worked hard.

-A drink for everyone.

-Cheers.

-S4C Subtitles by Simian 04 Cyf.