News

An invitation to reflect on the diverse religious and cultural heritage of Wales

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

The heritage team at the Norwegian Church Arts Centre invite the members of the Welsh Norwegian Society to attend its upcoming heritage conference.

On April 9th, we are organising part two of a conference event for our heritage project. The first part took place in November with the theme “South Wales Port Communities: Heritage and History.” It will now be followed by the event “The Diverse Religious and Cultural Heritage of Wales.” The event is co-organised with Cardiff University and Llafur.

The event is due to start at 10:30, and those who are interested can register for the event on this link: https://fixr.co/event/the-diverse-religious-and-cultural-heritage-of-wal-tickets-334507467

Events in 2025

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

We apologise for the lack of communication and absence of events so far in 2025. Thank you for your patience. We just haven’t yet been able to build a calendar of events this year. Like all voluntary societies these days, we are short of volunteers to take on the duties (and rewards!) of organising and communicating activities. The big calendar events of the year – Norwegian national day, the midsummer party and the Festival of Light and Friendship at Christmas – absorb a lot of our capacity. We would welcome help with those, and/or the much less taxing monthly get-togethers. We have use of the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay; we can also travel and meet up elsewhere, as we did in Abergavenny last year. But it is always helpful to have a focal point – a speaker, a topic, an activity (such as cooking, crafting or learning the language) to bring people in. We know there is interest but cannot meet the demand with the existing resources. If you’d be willing and able to take on some of the load – however little – we’d love to hear from you. This is the 30th anniversary year of the WNS and we’d very much like to keep going!

It is exceptionally late notice – but we have decided to hold an informal get-together at the Norwegian Church tomorrow, Sunday 16 March, at 2 pm. All are very welcome.

Fellow members have promised to bring Norwegian books to swap or borrow.  

There is also talk that it is Scandinavian week at Lidl – so a great chance to pick up snacks and sweets.

Finally, we have confirmed with the church that this year’s national day celebrations will go ahead, with a small difference to the usual schedule, but one which will bring us more into line with the typical Norwegian practice. 17th May being a Saturday this year, we will celebrate in the morning, meeting at the Millennium Centre at 10.15, with a flag parade to the Church at 10.30 and speeches and flag raising at 11.00.

We will ask the church caterers to put on a Norwegian-themed menu. We hope to be able to put on a concert with the church’s new house quartet and perhaps some activities for children. 

We hope to see you tomorrow, on 17th May or at one of the other yet-to-be-scheduled events. If you can help, please let us know!

Med vennlig hilsen

Your WNS committee

A toy troll in the Norwegian church in Cardiff

Membership dues 2024-25

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

It’s that time of year again when we rattle our collecting tins and ask you for your annual membership fees. These remain a very modest £10 per year and will cover all the society’s expenses until next October.

We will be sending out frighteningly formal invoices via PayPal which you can pay online via PayPal or bank transfer – all details are provided.

We do understand that electronic methods don’t suit everyone, but using this system cuts our costs and enormously reduces the admin at our end. Do feel free to pay by cash or cheque if you prefer.

A view from the gallery of the Norwegian Church in Cardiff of the Christmas service

Festival of Light and Friendship 2024: Sunday 1 December

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

It is the highlight of this part of the year for us and for growing numbers of people who come to join in our celebration of international and intercultural friendship – and to throw some light into the even-darkening days.

Come and join us at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff Bay where the Norsk cafe will be open all day for food and drinks.

The Salvation Army Band will again play a selection of British and Norwegian carols from 4 pm.

At 4.30, we will welcome our official visitors including the new Lord Mayor of Cardiff and representatives of Vestland County Council and, we hope, from Norway’s Embassy in London.

There’ll be some short readings in English, Welsh and Norwegian, some carol singing and lighting of lights on the tree and throughout the church.

The cafe will remain open until 6 for further refreshments.

Christmas decorations at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff

Decorate the Christmas tree – Saturday 23 November

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

We like to make sure that the church and the large Christmas tree that will stand proud throughout the many concerts and celebrations that take place over the holiday season reflect Norwegian tradition and culture – and so we ‘pynte’ or decorate them in a traditional style. There is no tinsel on a Norwegian Christmas tree!

Do come and join us on Saturday 23 November at 2.30 pm.

All are welcome.

We’ll bring the decorations – and supply coffee and cake.

Come with cheer and conversation!

Autumn meetings, 2024

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

Welcome back! Of course, you may not have been away, but it is a Scandinavian tradition to disappear and make the most of the short period of long summer days, enjoying ‘friluftsliv‘ – life outdoors.

We usually congregate at the Norwegian Church in October for a social gathering. Sadly, we have had to cancel the event planned for Sunday 20 October as no one was available to run it, due to work and study commitments.

We will be back for the highlights of the year in the run-up to Christmas.

Decorating the Christmas tree at the Norwegian Church in Cardiff

On Saturday 23 November we will meet to decorate the Christmas tree in the church with traditional Norwegian decorations, some of them hand-made.

The Festival of Light and Friendship at the Norwegian Church

And then on Sunday 1 December at 3pm we will hold our annual Festival of Light and Friendship.

Save the dates, and please join us at one or both of those events!

AGM 2024: Sunday, September 22nd

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

It’s that time of year again when we meet to reflect on the past year of activities and plan the year ahead.

We’ll be holding our Annual General Meeting at 2.30 pm on Sunday 22 September at the Norwegian Church.

All members and potential members are warmly welcome.

We’ll end as usual with coffee and cakes and informal chat.

The Norsk cafe will of course also be welcome before, during and after for a wider choice of refreshments

New batch of students from Vestland arrive in Cardiff

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

It was a great pleasure for WNS to join in welcoming the latest batch of visiting students from Vestland in Norway to Cardiff. They come to spend a year at Cardiff and the Vale College in an association that goes back around thirty years, during which time many firm friendships have been made.

The Deputy Lord Mayor of Cardiff, Cllr Helen Lloyd Jones, welcomed the group in a ceremony at the Mansion House. Kate Keohane, the new Historical Outreach Officer at the Norwegian Church, pictured front left, talked about the long history of Norwegians in south Wales and the Norwegian Seamen’s Mission, which established churches in Cardiff, Barry, Swansea, and Newport, and ran community activities and social services.

Bethan Winter and Kevin Burden of the WNS spoke about the current community of Norwegians and friends of Norway in Wales, and invited the visiting students to make themselves at home at the church, as Norwegians have done in Cardiff for 150 years.

We hope to see the students at our social events and, in between times, in the Norsk cafe at the Norwegian Church.

Midsummer arrives early: let’s celebrate!

by Kevin Burden, posted in News

We’re holding our ‘midsummer’ barbecue and party early this year, but we’ll be keeping the St Hans traditions alive. 

Midsummer is an important time of the year in Scandinavia, when the days are long and the sun shines late into the evening – an important annual respite from the long nights and grey days of the winter! Like their fellow Scandinavians, Norwegians throw a big party on or around the summer solstice, typically 21st June, referred to as the Festival of St Hans (who is known in English as John the Baptist). 

It typically features bonfires (often on the beach), eating, drinking, and music-making. We will have a fire pit, barbecues, gentle games and other activities for all ages, and perhaps a bit of music too.

Our venue

Our venue is a private garden in south-west Gower, kindly made available for our use by a member. The address and directions will be shared with members after booking. Please park carefully to allow others freedom to leave at any point.

What to bring

Please bring your food and all crockery and cutlery for your personal use, including cups or mugs for drinks. You might like to bring a cushion and/or blanket, and perhaps games.

We welcome you to bring music instruments if you play any.

We will arrange for barbecues, provide wood for the bonfire and charcoal for the barbecues, and tea, coffee, squash and cake.

If you have a vegetarian diet and wish to avoid cross-contamination by meat, please bring a (disposable) barbecue for your personal use.

Travel

The venue is not easily reached by public transport, but we do not want to let that stand in the way of any member wishing to join us. Please contact us at contact@welshnorwegian.org or via Facebook and we will try to hook you up with someone travelling from Cardiff or Swansea.

Accommodation

There is space on the grounds for three tents or small campervans to pitch. Please reserve a space when booking. There is an outside toilet, but no shower facilities. There are of course many other accommodation options on the Gower, including at the nearby Skysea Caravan and Campsite https://www.porteynon.com/.

Weather

We all hope for and expect good weather in June – but this is Wales! Two years ago we had to postpone because of heavy rain; last year we couldn’t light a fire because of an extended hot and dry spell. If bad weather is forecast and we are forced to cancel, we will let you know as soon as we can, and refund your tickets.

Booking

Tickets cost £8 per adult and £4 per child, which goes to cover the cost of wood and charcoal, refreshments, and liability insurance cover for the private home.

There is no additional charge to camp, but please reserve a space when you book.

This is a members-only event, so please ensure at least one of your party is a paid-up member of WNS. You can take out or renew membership (£10/year) on the booking form. Ticket sales will remain open until the event, but it really helps your volunteer committee to know expected numbers so we get in sufficient supplies.

Please book now!!!!!

Visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/summer-barbecue-and-party-tickets-906275182467 .