Cwmderi Diary 2017: 17 October 2017

They think Liv is not there . . .

Tyler continues to shout for Liv, while Iolo comforts the baby; they do not think that Liv is there,

. . . but then she wanders in

but then she wanders in, clearly under the influence of something.

She tries to hug Tyler

She attempts to hug her big brother, and protests that she is not high.

Drugs are lying around

Tablets and drug paraphernalia are scattered on the table, but she says it is not hers.

“Do you think I’m stupid?” demands Tyler, but she advises him to just chill, as everything is OK, and Greta is fine.

"When was her last feed?"

Iolo is concerned that the baby is due for a feed, but Liv just wants to be left alone,

She crashes out on the sofa

and lies down on the sofa. “How could you do this?” asks Tyler.

Dai is doing some paperwork

Dai is doing some APD paperwork at home when Diane returns from shopping;

He obediently puts on the kettle

she tells him to stop grumbling and put on the kettle. She has had a note from Eileen, saying that she wants to put on an event in the vestry in memory of Courtney, to raise money for Children in Need.

"Nobody's used the vestry since the fire"

“Nobody’s used the vestry since the fire,” says Dai, and Diane continues that Megan must be intending to get the work done.

"I sense a little job for APD here!"

“I sense a little job for APD here, Diane!” Dai concludes. Then she announces that she has put their names down for the dancing competition.

Dai will have nothing to do with dancing

Dai flatly refuses; “No, nay, never!” he replies, “I’d rather stick pins in my nose! Look, it’s not happening, OK?”

“Don’t you think APD should be seen to be supporting the community?” she demands, and he points out that a lot of ideas might restore the firm’s reputation, but seeing him dance around the vestry is not one of them.

"I'm sure Roger the gardener will be willing"

Diane threatens, “All right – I will find someone else to be my partner. I’m sure Roger would be willing.” Dai is surprised that the bloke who comes over to look after the garden would do that, but she goes on, “He used to be a Salsa instructor – and as you know, he’s got plenty of muscles! I’ll phone him now.”

"All right – I'll do it"

At this point, Dai gives in; “All right – I’ll do it, if you want. Happy now?”

If Jason is working at Y Felin, who is manning the shop?

Siôn is working on his laptop in the Deri, and tells Gethin that APD is redoing the kitchen at Y Felin, and there is dust everywhere. He reveals that it cost more than he was expecting. “My old fridge is like new,” he says, “I’ve put an advert in Cwm Ni,

"No-one is interested"

“but there has been no interest. It would be a shame to throw it out.”

"Somewhere in England they have opened a community fridge"

Gethin has an idea; “I read about somewhere in England that has opened a community fridge. Local people and businesses leave any fresh food they had left over in the fridge. Anyone who wanted it could have it free of charge.”

"Oh, like a food bank?"

Siôn likens this to a food bank, and Gethin goes on, “People left vegetables, bread, fruit, perishables like that.”

"I like to know where my food has come from!"

Sara turns her nose up at the idea, telling them, “I don’t like the idea of not knowing where my food has come from,” but Gethin points out that for people in real need, it can be a lifeline.

Siôn is enthusiastic

Siôn is definitely warming to the idea.

"Yes, we'll wait here for you"

Iolo is on the phone to social services, and agrees that they will wait there until the social worker arrives.

"You have to get dressed, Liv!"

Tyler tries to encourage Liv to get dressed, but without success;

"Leave me alone"

she only wants to be left alone, as again she insists that both she and Greta are fine.

Tyler hauls her to her feet

He drags her to her feet, ordering her to get dressed, and at that moment Steve returns, much to Iolo’s dismay.

"Get out now!"

He orders them to get out now.

They look into the rules for the fridge . . .

Gethin explains the rules to Siôn – no raw meat, no eggs and no home-cooked food. Siôn is sure that the shop and café have groceries going to waste every day,

. . . and anticipate that stock will be available

and Gethin adds, “And places like the Deri, as well as food people throw away from their homes.” Siôn is becoming quite enthusiastic.

"A little bird tells me . . ."

Dai comes in and approaches Megan; “A little bird tells me the vestry is reopening for this Cwm Dancing competition,” and she confirms that the little bird is right. “It’s nice to see the chapel and the community working together,” he goes on,

"We have almost reached the target"

and Megan informs him that they have almost reached the target for the renovation fund, so it is a good idea to make the vestry a social resource again.

"And that's where APD comes in"

He continues, “That’s where I see a chance for APD to become a part of it – as a local company that has supported communal activities for many years, I thought it would be a good idea if APD did the restoration work.”

"You can hardly say you're reliable!"

Megan replies that he may be local and supportive, but can hardly say that APD are altogether reliable, as her personal experience confirms.

"It was just a blip!"

Dai protests that was just a blip after years of service, but she reminds him that there have been several blips

Megan has to be careful with the chapel's money

and she cannot trust the chapel’s money into such irresponsible hands.

"I want you to go, Tyler"

Liv tells Tyler to go and promises Steve that she did not know they were coming; he advises Tyler to listen to his little sister, but Tyler is adamant that he will not leave without her.

“She doesn’t want to go with you!” Steve exclaims,

"They don't need you – or your missus!"

“They’ve got me now – they don’t need you – or your missus!” Tyler is about to go for Steve,

Iolo restrains Tyler

but Iolo restrains him, and warns that the police are on their way, and should arrive any minute.

"Right, we're going, Liv!"

At this, Steve tells Liv that they are going, but Tyler entreats her to come home with them, and everything will be OK. He begs,

Liv refuses to go with Tyler

but she replies that she does not want him there. “I’m not leaving Greta here!” he shouts, so

"I don't want her!"

Liv tells him to take Greta with him, as she cannot afford to pay for her stuff, and she does not want the baby.

Diane is told about the community fridge project . . .

Gethin and Siôn pay a visit to Diane, and inform her that they want to open a community fridge in the business units. Gethin explains that it is like a food bank but with fresh food,

. . . but she is not in favour

but she is not sure about that, invoking health and safety. Neither does she think the units would be the best place for it;

"Surely Cwmderi doesn't need one"

“I can understand the idea in a town, but surely Cwmderi doesn’t need one.”

"Reducing commercial and domestic waste"

Siôn points out that it is not exclusively for people finding themselves in food poverty, but anyone could make use of it. It would reduce commercial and domestic waste. She is still not convinced and fears who might to go in and out of the business units, but is told that a rota of volunteers will be arranged to take charge of it.

"I shall have to talk to Anita about it"

Then she says that Anita must be consulted first,

"We have – and she's in favour"

but they tell her they have already done that, and she is in favour. Diane agrees on one condition;

"One favour deserves another"

“That you sponsor Dai and me in the dance competition – one favour deserves another, don’t you think?”

"If you want to stay, that's up to you"

Liv cannot find her shoe, but Steve is in a tremendous hurry to go: “If you want to stay, that’s up to you.”

"Please, Liv, do it for Greta!"

So she finds the shoe, and ignores Tyler’s desperate pleas for her to come with them; “Please – if you won’t do it for me, do it for Greta!”

"Come on – we're going!"

Steve tells her that it is up to her if she wants to listen to this loser, Tyler, but they need to go now.

"Please tell her I tried"

As Liv is walking out, she asks, “Please tell her I tried,” and then is gone.

The rather large fridge is positioned . . .

As they manoeuvre the fridge into position,

. . . and the Awyr Iach representatives complain

Sara comes out to complain that some people are trying to work, and DJ protests that there is no room for it.

"Diane and Anita have agreed"

Siôn replies that they have the permission of Diane and Anita.

"They hope to return her to us"

As the social workers take away Greta, Iolo tells Tyler they will carry out tests on her, and hopes that she can be returned to them.

"I've been a fool, Iol"

Tyler says that he has been a fool; “We should have phoned the police the first time we saw Steve. I thought I could persuade her.”

"You did all you could"

Iolo assures him that he did all that he could, and that now it is up to the police, but Tyler still feels as if he has given up on Liv.

"We have to concentrate on Greta"

“Liv has made her choice – now we have to concentrate on Greta,” Iolo says.

Sara puts her complaints to Diane

Sara moans to Diane that she does not want people traipsing in and out, as they will have to lock up all their stuff.

Siôn says it is for the whole community

Siôn explains it is for the whole community, to reduce food waste and enable people to save money.

Sara predicts it will bring in the undesirables

Sara protests that all kinds of people hanging around will not help Awyr Iach – and free food is bound to be popular.

"Don't forget our deal, Diane"

Diane stresses that it is only for an experimental period, and when she sounds as if she is getting cold feet, Gethin reminds her of the arrangement they have, and spells out what it is. Diane, rather irritably, tells them that it is for Children in Need;

"But for now, the fridge stays!"

“Look, it’s a trial period to see if it works – if it doesn’t, the fridge gets taken away,” she shouts, “But for now, the fridge stays!”

Dai presents Megan with a detailed quote

In the Deri, Dai once again accosts Megan; “Here is a quote for the work of restoring the vestry. If you read it carefully, you’ll notice that I’ve given the chapel a 10% reduction – plus an extra 5% because of the problems we’ve had recently.

"It could restore the company's good name!"

“A job like this could restore the company’s good name.”

"I've given the work to someone else!"

Megan interrupts, “If you gave me the chance, I would have told you that I’ve already given the work to someone else!”

"You've done what?"

Dai looks seriously affronted by this, and she goes on,

"Carl is an excellent builder"

“Carl, Gilmor’s son, is an excellent builder, who has never let down his clients.”

"Giving work to your fancy man's son!"

Dai accuses her of nepotism; “What will the deacons say when they find out you’re giving work to your fancy man’s son?”

"I gave the work to an honest company"

Megan stands up and tells him quite plainly, “I gave the work to an honest company that will do the work for a reasonable price. I’m satisfied with my decision – so excuse me!” She goes over to join Gilmor at the bar.

"They have been very generous"

As they fill the fridge with donated items, Siôn and Gethin reflect upon the generosity of Eileen, Dani and Debbie; apparently Dani and Eileen are willing to make regular donations.

"Wait until they realise how much business they are losing"

Sara’s voice is heard from nearby, “Wait until they realise how much business they are losing.”

Gethin thinks that now they deserve a drink, so they leave, and as soon as the coast is clear,

Checking that no-one is watching . . .

DJ opens the fridge, surveys its contents

. . . DJ sinks his teeth into a sausage roll

and helps himself to a sausage roll, which apparently is very tasty.

"Greta has had to go through so much already"

Greta has been brought back to number 7; “She’s had to go through so much already,” laments Tyler, but Iolo is overjoyed that she is able to stay with them for now. They will have to go and buy nappies, wipes and other things;

"Right, I'll go now"

Iolo is only too willing to go and do the shopping now, but they wonder what is going to happen for the rest of Greta’s life.

"No stability, no family"

Tyler muses, “Back and forth between foster parents – no stability, no family.

Greta is, of course, oblivious to it all

But she’s got us, for now.”

"Ballroom Dancing for Beginners"

Diane is having trouble getting a DVD to play; “Ballroom Dancing for Beginners, volumes one, two and three,” she tells Dai,

"We haven't got money to waste on that rubbish!"

but he insists they do not have money to waste on such rubbish. He wonders how much this dance business is going to cost them, as they have a £30,000 debt hanging over them.

"We can sell the villa"

She tells him there is a way they can pay it; “We can sell the villa – be reasonable, Dai! We hardly ever use the place.”

"That is part of my retirement plans"

He replies that he has retirement plans, but she demands where else they will find £30,000. He suggests small economies like not wasting money on rubbish like these DVDs.