Out of Africa: How shop owner Ron left Zimbabwe and carved out a better life for himself and his family in Tywyn
If you've ever wondered why the health and wholefood store on Tywyn High Street is called Flame Lily , here's the reason: it's named after a beautiful and delicate climbing plant with vibrant red and yellow petals that is native to southern Africa and was the official national flower of historical Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe , where it retains that national symbol status). And the man who runs the shop, Ron McCoo, grew up in Rhodesia. Ron has, however, lived in Tywyn almost as long as he lived in Africa - 43 years - and as well as being a longstanding business owner, is also a past chairman of Tywyn & District Chamber of Tourism & Commerce, and has been a Tywyn town councillor for 20 years, holding the office of Mayor on two separate occasions. Life in mid-Wales has been very different to the life he left behind in the new Zimbabwe in 1983. Three years on from the transition into an independent, black majority-ruled nation (following 15 years of rule by an internationa...
