The iconic Norwegian Church café and arts centre on Cardiff’s waterfront has finally re-opened its doors to the public after a two-year closure – and it will again be run by the community which built it in the first place. The Lord Mayor of Cardiff Rod McKerlich ceremonially handed the building over to the Welsh Norwegian Society which ran a long and successful campaign to take the building back under its wing. The handover took place on Norway’s national day, 17th May, and Wales’ small Norwegian community gathered to celebrate, waving flags of red, white and blue, and singing their national anthem accompanied by the Salvation Army band.
The Lord Mayor of Cardiff Rod McKerlich ceremonially handed the building over to the Welsh Norwegian Society on Norway’s national day, 17th May 2022
Originally built in 1869 to serve Norwegian sailors visiting Cardiff, the church maintained a small congregation until 1974 when it finally closed it doors. It fell into disrepair and was finally dismantled and put into storage. Cardiff author Roald Dahl, himself of Norwegian heritage, was baptised in the church and lent his support to having it reopened. It was rebuilt in its present position as part of the redevelopment of the Bay, and has served as a popular café and arts centre ever since.
“The city council looked after the building well,” says Tyra Oseng-Rees, a Norwegian-born glass artist who now lives near Swansea and heads the society. “But it was hard for the building to maintain its particular identity and heritage while it was under council care. We wanted to breathe new life into the church as a living base and make it more Norwegian, to be a base for our community and to showcase arts and culture and food from Norway.”
That process has already begun, and under the new management the café is serving Norwegian-blend coffee, cakes and open-top sandwiches. A supplier has been found of treats from home, including pickled herring, liquorice and brunost, a soft brown cheese resembling fudge, which even the staff accept is an acquired taste.
The room formerly used for services now hosts civil weddings, meetings, events, and exhibitions, while local craftspeople have been selling their wares in the gallery upstairs. It is planned to have craft sales outside on the newly relaid terrace, which has unrivalled views of the Bay, the Mermaid Quay and the Pierhead building.
Jon Askeland, the mayor of Hordaland county, which is twinned with Cardiff and has had a long and supportive association with the Norwegian Church here, was present to witness the return of the building to the local Norwegian community.
“It’s amazing to see what the community has achieved here,” he said. “The centre provides us with a home abroad, here in Cardiff, a place we recognise and appreciate. It symbolises the long-lasting bond of friendship between Norway and Wales, and it has been given a new life.”
We are deeply saddened to report the sad but peaceful passing of our dear friend Karen Allen yesterday, 8 May 2022.
Karen was the former administrator of the Norwegian Church and a huge champion of the campaign to save it for the community. She was one of the most dedicated, passionate, warm, lovely and knowledgeable colleagues and inspired many of us. We will miss her dearly.
With winter well and truly upon us we are very excited to have some fantastic upcoming events where we can finally meet in person. Following a challenging couple of years this is excellent news now that Covid restrictions have been lifted. We very much hope to see you all so we can finally celebrate together.
AGM 2021 and the Preservation Trust
On 22nd September we hosted our annual AGM via Zoom. We are delighted to announce a reshuffle of our committee plus two new members. Tyra Oseng-Rees will remain as our Chair. Johan Butenschon Skre will remain in his role as Member Secretary, Justin Andersen is now Secretary, Craig Williams and Erin Williams are now committee members who will be taking on more of an administrative role.
We would like to welcome our new committee members. Thomas Husøy has now been elected our new Treasurer, and Marit Hermansen as our event organiser. We are so very pleased that our committee is expanding, as our membership continues to grow this extra help will be much needed.
Thomas Husøy
I am a PhD student in Ancient History at Swansea University and have lived in the UK since 2011. I have a BA from Swansea and a Master from Edinburgh. I am from Møre og Romsdal in Norway and currently live with my finance and cat in Swansea. I have previous experience as a treasurer in both the Hiking Club and the Scandinavian Society during my undergraduate degree in Swansea. I am now looking forward to the role of treasurer in the WNS.
Marit Hermansen
I moved from Norway to Wales in 2000 with my mother and two brothers, to live with my Welsh stepdad. The move was tough and I struggled with homesickness. I therefore decided to make a “little Norway” in Wales and holding onto as many of our weird and wonderful traditions as possible. Finding a small Norwegian community in the Norwegian Church in Cardiff has been a great comfort during the hardest times of homesickness and I look forward to getting more involved 🙂
Renewal of membership
Soon we will be sending out Paypal invoices for the renewal of membership for the forthcoming year. The cost of membership is £10, and £5 for students. Our new Treasurer will soon be forwarding PayPal invoices to those who wish to pay via PayPal. Or should you wish to pay by Bank transfer please email us for the bank details or to let us know that you have made a payment, contact@welshnorwegian.org.
Alternatively, if you wish to pay by Cheque, please make them payable to the ‘The Welsh Norwegian Society’ and send to our Treasurer please email for the postal address. Please be sure to inform us if you have changed address in the last year, so that you will receive the annual magazine. Your continued support of the society is always much appreciated, without our members we would not be able to continue with the social events that help the WNS to continue.
Upcoming Events
Christmas Tree Hunt 11am Sunday 14th November
We are very excited to announce at 11am on Sunday 14th November at Gower Christmas Tree Farm is the return of our fantastic Christmas tree hunt. This has been a very successful event in the past and has been great fun to get the children excited and ready for Christmas. For the adults, we are very grateful to our wonderful member Sol who has very kindly invited members back to her beautiful farm in Overton for a light lunch and some gløgg. Much needed after a busy morning hunting Christmas trees!
If you want to join us this year, please email us to book a space. It will cost £4 per family. This is to cover the cost of gløgg and a light snack at Sol’s house.
Private Christmas Party at the Norwegian Church 2pm-5pm 28th November
We are delighted that we have been able to open the Norwegian Church for members of the Welsh Norwegian Society for us to meet for a festive celebration. We have a limited space, and this is a booking event only. It will cost £10 per family, and this will cover the cost of cakes, coffee/tea, and soft drinks for the children.
Please email to book and you will be given an invoice that need to be paid upfront. If you have any dietary needs, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate your needs.
Festival of Light and Friendship
The Welsh Norwegian Society is planning some creative festive activities inside the church at the festival og Light and Friendship with Norwegian paper heart creations for all the family. This will be a ticketed event with pre-booking essential. At 4pom the official festival of light and friendship will start with greeting from the mayor of Cardiff council and Norwegian representatives from Vestland County, our new trustee of the Norwegian church Cardiff Bay and a visit from Father Christmas. The Church will sell waffles, lapskaus and hotdogs and there will be an opportunity to listen to some lovely Norwegian Christmas carols and yet again meet up and see the Norwegian Christmas tree outside the Norwegian Church being light up.
More information and booking will be posted shortly and it will have limited spaces due to covid restriction. For members of the Welsh Norwegian Society we are asking if there is any volunteers that can help our with the craft activities during the day. If you do, please email contact@welshnorwegian.org
WNS Annual magazine
We would like to thank all member who very kindly contributed articles to our Annual magazine. We have been able to put together a varied and interesting read. With stories from Norway and Wales, and an update on the progress of the Norwegian church and an introduction to the members of the working groups that have worked tirelessly to save the Norwegian Church. Thank you to all who contributed. The magazine will be sent out to all members and we hope you will remain as a member to the Welsh Norwegian Society.
Renewing your WNS membership
A big thank you to to all our members. The membership year runs from October each year and ends with the AGM in September, at which point we send out reminders for renewal. If you wish to become a WNS member or do not wish to receive our emails any longer; please contact us: contact@welshnorwegian.org
Membership fee is £10 for a year. A PayPal invoice is sent out annually to members for an easy way to renew. For cheque or bank transfer, please email us for details: contact@welshnorwegian.org
This newsletter is all about the May 17th celebrations 2021.
Monday 17th May, 7PM Online celebration of 17. Mai / 17th May – Norway’s National Constitution Day Email to let us know you are attending (free for members): contact@welshnorwegian.org
17. May / 17th May
As usual this time of year we are looking forward to 17th May! Unfortunately the Norwegian Church in Cardiff will not be reopening any time soon, so we have been working hard to make the online celebration something special.
It was such a joy last year, and this time we are better prepared. We already have quite a lineup ready to go including the official 17th May speech by Cato Syversen, live poetry readings and official greetings from Norway and Wales. Our highlight of the event will be a pre-recorded concert by Marita Lervik made at the Norwegian Church during the last lockdown. This concert has been made especially in celebration of our Welsh-Norwegian connection and cultural heritage (see below for info). WNS is delighted to welcome our Scottish sister societies and the Anglo-Norse Society to join us as well.
Please send us a quick email to let us know you are joining the celebrations online (free for members): contact@welshnorwegian.org
St. Hans midsummer camp out will not be going ahead at its usual venue. We are very optimistic that both May 17th and St. Hans will go ahead face to face next year!
17th May concert
Marita Lervik is a soprano from Bergen, Norway, currently in the final year of her MMus degree at the Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama.
As a special treat for our members we have had a concert with Marita professionally recorded in the main room of the Norwegian Church in Cardiff.
Through the concert she explores the journey of the Norwegian seafarers who came to Wales, through music by Norwegian and Welsh composers. Accompanied by pianist Sharon Richards, this concert is recorded in the 151 year old Norwegian church in Cardiff, which served as place of worship for the Norwegian sailors and a home away from home. The programme is a musical representation of the seafarers’ journey starting in Norway, travelling past England and arriving in Wales.
It consists of a variety of classical pieces for voice and piano by Norwegian, Welsh and English composers.
Edvard Grieg:
Norge (Norway) Op. 58 1 Hjemkomst (Homeward) 2 Til Norge (To the Motherland) 3 Henrik Wergeland 4 Turisten (The Shepherdess) 5 Udvandreren (The Emigrant)
Roger Quilter:
4 Songs of the Sea Op. 1 1 I have a Friend 2 The Sea-Bird 3 Moonlight 4 By the Sea
3 Songs of William Blake Op. 20 1 Dream Valley 2 The Wild Flower’s Song 3 Daybreak
Morfydd Owen:
Spring 4 Flower Songs: 1 Daisy’s Song 2 Speedwell 3 To Violets 4 God Made a Lovely Garden
Both flags have been generously donated by a member of the public and the Welsh Norwegian Society. They were made by Red Dragon Flagmakers www.reddragonflagmakers.co.uk. They are a fantastic Welsh business and we can highly recommend them. The flags are really high quality, they were very knowledgeable and we received excellent customer service.
We have to share the sad news that Ebba Lovering, one of our founder members, passed away on Tuesday 26th January 2021, with her family by her side.
Ebba’s contribution to the Welsh Norwegian Society and the Norwegian Church in Cardiff was exceptional. She will be sorely missed by many of us, not just for all her voluntary work, but for her great warmth, kindness and good company.
We send Shuna, Neil and all the family our heartfelt condolences.
Here is the article about the 25th anniversary and Ebba, from the Autumn 2020 magazine:
This mini concert is a part of Festival of Light and Friendship 2020 which has happened due to a cooperation between Cardiff Council, the Norwegian Church preservation Trust, the new Vestland County region in Norway and the Welsh Norwegian Society.
Join us online this coming Sunday 29th November, to celebrate the lighting of the Christmas tree outside the Norwegian Church in Cardiff. This will be followed by a mini Christmas Concert by singer Marita Lervik, singing Norwegian traditional classics like Deilig er jorden and Stille natt.
In these difficult times, it’s uplifting to know there will once again be a Christmas tree with lights outside the Norwegian Church; some light in the darkness. This has happened as a result of cooperation between Cardiff Council, the Welsh Norwegian Society and the new Vestland County region in Norway.
Obviously, we can’t gather at the Norwegian Church this year, so Cardiff Council have kindly funded the production of a video to launch the lighting of the Christmas tree. The video will be launched at 5pm on Sunday 29th November, with guests watching from Norway and across the UK.
So join us this Sunday 29th November The Welsh Norwegian Society will gather for a social event starting at 4.30pm, and then we will watch the launch of the tree lighting video together at 5pm.
After the tree lighting we hope you will stay on for a special treat! Singer Marita Lervik has recorded a mini Christmas Concert for us that will be accompanied by photos from previous WNS Christmas events.
Link to the event and further info will be sent by email to all paid members. We are aware that some of our members do not receive emails or find Zoom challenging to use, and we are sorry that these are our only options at present. If you would like help to set up Zoom on your computer or phone, please email one of our committee members or contact@welshnorwegian.org.
Please note:For safety reasons there will not a live event to light the tree on Sunday, to avoid crowds gathering at the Norwegian Church. Instead, the video will be pre-recorded and launched on Sunday. The Christmas tree will then remain lit through the festive period as a beacon of hope in Cardiff Bay.
These are transformative times that offer challenges, but also opportunities for positive change. We ask for your support and participation at our AGM to help us move forward and serve our members in the best way possible. As with our other 2020 events, the AGM will take place on Zoom. This means that members from every corner of Wales, and even from Norway, can participate. We hope to see you there!
WNS is making a splash
Our meetings and events are great for people with a Norwegian connection to socialise and take part in Norwegian traditions, but in the past few years we have also played a key role in influencing what Cardiff Council does with the Norwegian Church Arts Centre and the surrounding area. This very meaningful work has paid off and we are hoping to strengthen our committee this year as we enter the next important phase with the completion of the feasibility study and make plans for how WNS will operate in the “new normal”.
WNS thrives from members involvement and there is room for the committee to grow
Tony Parry is stepping down as treasurer and we have had another member nominated to take his place, but we also need someone with a talent for organising events, write content for newsletters and assist in other matters. If you think you or another member can contribute to the WNS committee, please contact us on contact@welshnorwegian.org before the AGM. The rest of the current committee has agreed to stay on unless there are objections or other members are nominated for their roles.
WNS AGM 2020 Agenda
Welcome
Approval of minutes from AGM 2019
Chair’s Report
Treasurer’s Report
Members Secretary’s Report –
Update on the future of the Norwegian Church
Voting on new committee
Autumn Programme
These will be approved at the AGM unless there are objections. Any objections or comments can be emailed to us: contact@welshnorwegian.org.
For your privacy and safety you have to sign up for the meeting on Eventbrite and you can do so up until the day before the AGM. It is completely free and we ask that you add 1 ticket for every person so that we have a rough idea of numbers.
If you have any questions about the AGM, the WNS committee or the work we do, please do not hesitate to get in touch:
We are very excited to share with you this questionnaire, published by Gareth Kiddie who is conducting the feasibility study of The Norwegian Church in Cardiff. Please take 5 minutes to fill in the questionnaire and share it with anyone you know that has an interest in the building or Cardiff Bay.
Photo taken December 2019 at the 150th celebrations by Bjarte Brask Eriksen of Hordaland
Norwegian Church group invites public views on its future.
A number of organisations with an interest in the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay have come together to conduct a feasibility study regarding its future. Headed up by the Welsh Norwegian Society, the partnership is now seeking the views of the local community.
Tyra Oseng-Rees, Chair of the Society, explained what they were looking to achieve: ‘The Norwegian Church is an established charity run by the Cardiff Council. Earlier this year the Council gave their support to our proposal to conduct a feasibility study that would explore the future community use of the Church, and in June we commissioned an experienced consultant to conduct the study. Now we are at the stage where we would really like to find out what people think, most especially the residents of Butetown and The Bay, but everyone else that has an interest in the Norwegian Church in Cardiff and beyond.’
The Norwegian Church is an iconic landmark and one of the few remaining heritage buildings dating back to the heydays of Cardiff Docks and Tiger Bay. Built in 1868, it originally stood alongside the wharf at Bute East Dock, and was at that time clad with corrugated iron. For over 100 years the Church provided a place of sanctuary and a ‘home away from home’ not just to seamen from Norway, but the other Scandinavian countries
and Baltic States too. In 1987 the Church was carefully dismantled when the Bute Tunnels were being built and in 1991 building work began to reassemble the Church in its present position overlooking Cardiff Bay. Today the Church remains as much loved building and visitor attraction, but its future is uncertain.
Tyra further commented ‘We can see that it’s been a challenge for the Council to keep the charity going and to ensure that the Norwegian Church meets its objectives – which are largely concerned with maintaining the Church as a museum and public visitor attraction. We are therefore looking to explore all options for the future, and take a fresh approach to this challenge. Please help us by completing our short questionnaire survey and making your views known. Our priority is to ensure that the Church can be used and enjoyed by everybody for generations to come.’
Note to editors: Queries regarding the Feasibility Study can be addressed to Gareth Kiddie of GKA Community Regeneration Consultancy – email: gareth@gka.org.uk
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Welsh Norwegian Society 