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Thursday, January 23, 2025

Give a helping hand to Denbighshire birds

Can you spare an hour this weekend to help find out how Denbighshire and UK birds are doing?

From this Friday (January 24) until Sunday (January 26), the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch will once again take place.


The annual campaign that has been running for over 40 years encourages people of all ages to put aside an hour in their own garden or local park to count how many of each bird species lands nearby.


Across UK skies over the last 60 years, around 38 million birds have been lost from our skies, with popular species such as house sparrows and starlings struggling.


Denbighshire residents who are keen to lend a helping hand to local bird populations and do not have a back garden, can visit one of the many parks and nature reserves that are available across the county near their homes.



Denbighshire County Council Senior Biodiversity Officer Liam Blazey said: “Around the county you may see birds including the Long-tailed tit (who move around together in small flocks), goldfinches, starlings (who can form very large flocks over winter, and sometimes perform aerial displays called murmurations), redwings (a relative of the blackbird, who breed in the north of Europe, and visit us over winter).


“If you are having a go to support this great campaign in your back garden you might also see blue tit, great tit, and robins who are common visitors to household gardens.”


Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport and Biodiversity Champion, said: “It is so vital to keep track of the state of our local bird populations to help us help the birds that have decreased in numbers. Giving time to this survey can really help protect the future of all county and UK bird populations.”


* To submit your findings to the survey, log on to https://www.rspb.org.uk/whats-happening/big-garden-birdwatch

Sir Bryn Terfel launches search for singing stars of future


* Sir Bryn Terfel singing at Llangollen International Eisteddfod.


Opera star Sir Bryn Terfel is urging the world’s most talented young singers to bid for a title that could help them follow in his footsteps to global glory.


According to the legendary bass baritone, the Pendine International Voice of the Future competition at Llangollen International Eisteddfod is “a wonderful opportunity”.


Sir Bryn, who hails from Pantglas, near Penygroes, in Gwynedd, will headline the Eisteddfod's closing concert on Sunday, July 13, in the International Pavilion.


He plans to sing all the songs from his latest album, Sea Songs, and will be joined by the Fisherman's Friends, the acclaimed folk group from Port Isaac, Cornwall, and Welsh folk singer Eve Goodman.


But the concert will start with the final of this year's Pendine International Voice of the Future competition which has become a major highlight of the festival since it was launched in 2013.


Last year 28 supremely gifted young singers entered the competition with Singaporean soprano Shimona Rose, 29, winning the prestigious title in a thrilling sing-off against talented Welsh soprano Manon Ogwen Parry.


Once again the blue riband contest is being sponsored by the arts-loving care organisation, Pendine Park, via the  Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT) which supports cultural and community initiatives across Wales.


The winner of will be presented with the Pendine Trophy by Sir Bryn, along with a cheque for £3,000 while the runner up will receive £1,000.


The closing date for aspiring singers to enter is February 20.


Sir Bryn said: ”The Pendine International Voice of the Future competition is a wonderful opportunity for talented young singers to make a mark and it can provide a real launchpad for fledgling careers onto the global stage.”


Each entrant will be required to include an audio recording as well as proof of age with their application.


Competitors, who are aged over 19 on the first day of the competition, are required to perform a contrasting programme of up to seven minutes in length for their preliminary rounds and up to 10 minutes for the final. The programmes should include works from oratorio, opera, lieder or song and be sung in their original language.


The competitors will have to navigate the preliminary round and a semi-final on Friday, July 11, before the final competition two days later.


Llangollen Eisteddfod's Artistic Director, Dave Danford, said: "The competition was previously staged during the Choir of the World competition on the Saturday evening but we thought it would be a thrill for the young singers vying for this title and aspiring to reach the same heights as Bryn to appear on the same stage as the opera giant.


"The competition provides a good stepping stone to a professional career for young singers and so far we have received more than a dozen entries from singers for this year's competition from China and Nigeria as well as England and Wales.


"But singers have until Thursday, February 20, to declare their interest and submit their entries. Following the closing date a selection panel will consider the entries and choose the singers who will take part in this year's competition."


The ongoing success of the competition is music to the ears of Pendine Park proprietor Mario Kreft MBE and his wife, Gill, who came up with the idea.


Mr Kreft said: "The standard of the competitors in years past has been absolutely phenomenal and I have no doubt it will be just as incredibly high again this year.


"I wish all the young singers the very best of luck in this year's Pendine International Voice of the Future competition.  I don’t envy the task of the selection panel and the adjudicators as the singers are all so extraordinarily accomplished.


“As well has having the opportunity to showcase their talent, added bonus  for the competitors this year will be the thrill of appearing on the same stage as Sir Bryn Terfel, a true giant of the opera world.”


Looking forward to this year's Eisteddfod evening concert programme Dave Danford said: "The concert programme is looking great with something for everyone."


Legendary rock singer Roger Daltrey will open the 2025 Llangollen International Eisteddfod concert season on Tuesday, July 8 with an evening packed with classic The Who songs, solo hits, and his now-famous Q&A sessions, in which he opens up to the fans who have been with him throughout the decades.


The following evening a special concert will marking the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations.


Mr Danford added: "Uniting Nations: One World is a landmark concert that brings together voices from across the globe to celebrate the power of music in promoting peace, equality, and human dignity.


“The evening will feature an uplifting performance of Karl Jenkins’ One World by an international massed choir of voices, including the Stay At Home Choir.


"BRIT Award-winning and Grammy-nominated artist KT Tunstall marks the 20th anniversary of her ground-breaking multi-million selling debut album Eye to the Telescope, with a special one-off performance with live orchestra on the Thursday evening and Il Divo, the globally-renowned classical crossover vocal group perform in Llangollen for the very first time on Friday, July 11."


* The closing date for the Pendine International Voice of the Future competition is February 20 and for details how to enter and buying tickets go to https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/


Wednesday, January 22, 2025

People urged to claim financial support due to them

A Member of the Senedd and an MP are teaming up to urge their constituents to claim the financial support they’re entitled to. 

Ken Skates MS and Member of Parliament Steve Witherden say an estimated £2bn goes unclaimed benefits in Wales, and a renewed effort is under way to make sure people get the help they qualify for and maximise their household incomes.

The MS and MP spoke publicly after recently learning of a couple in Ruabon who believe they have missed out on more than 20 years of Pension Credit payments. 

A £36m investment from the Welsh Government announced last week will ensure free, confidential advice is available to guide people through the claims process through the Single Advice Fund. 

“This new funding is backed by the Welsh Government’s ongoing Claim What’s Yours national benefit take-up campaign,” said Mr Skates, MS for Clwyd South. 

“Whether it’s applying for Personal Independence Payments, Carer’s Allowance or Pension Credit, help is available through the Advicelink Cymru helpline for anyone needing assistance with their financial entitlements.” 

Mr Witherden, MP for Montgomeryshire & Glyndŵr, said: “I welcome the Welsh Government’s continued efforts to promote benefits take-up across Wales, and would really encourage all my constituents who think they might be eligible for any kind of support to take advantage of the Single Advice Fund."

Since its launch in 2020, the Single Advice Fund service has helped people across Wales secure £160m in additional income and wipe out £43.6m in debts. Last year alone, the Claim What’s Yours helpline, which is funded by the Welsh Government and run by local Citizens Advice services, helped 36,800 people resolve over 120,000 financial, housing and employment issues.

The Welsh Government is also working with local authorities and other partners to make grants and other payments such as free school meals, the School Essentials Grant and the Council Tax Reduction Scheme as simple to claim as possible.

As part of the work to streamline Welsh Benefits, a new £550,000 pilot project with data analytics company Policy in Practice is working with 11 local authorities – including Wrexham, Denbighshire and Powys – to identify and reach out to people who may not realise they’re eligible for support. 

Mr Skates said: "Ensuring people get the benefits they’re eligible for can make a real difference, especially during the incredibly tough times many in Clwyd South are experiencing at the moment. By making it simpler for people, I hope we will be able to improve their financial outlook.

“Whether you’re struggling with daily expenses, managing debt or unsure about what help is available, there is support for you.”

Advicelink Cymru Claim What’s Yours advisors are ready to help you check your eligibility for extra income and guide you through the claiming process. For free advice, call 0800 702 2020.

Royal Hotel is subject of two planning applications


* The Royal Hotel, subject of two planning applications.

The county council says it is currently considering two planning applications for Llangollen’s Royal Hotel.

The first is an application for a major development, which would involve the extension and alteration of the existing building to form 12 self-contained flats, including use of land as parking and associated works.

The second is a Listed Building Application also relating to the hotel, which has lain empty and unused for the past few years.

Notices giving brief details of the two applications, both in the name of Mavi Royal Ltd, Mr M Jones, have been posted inside the front door of the building on Bridge Street.

Both notices are dated January 13 this year and representations on the applications are invited by February 3.

Denbighshire’s planning portal shows that both applications were originally received by the council on June 10 last year, became valid last November 7 and expired on January 2 this year, with no extensions being noted.

However, a spokesperson for the council said this week: “Both applications are currently live and formally under consideration by the Local Planning Authority.

 

The notices displayed a the hotel say representations can be made by email to: planning@denbighshire.gov.uk or in writing to: Development Management, PO Box 62, Ruthin, Denbighshire , LL15 9AZ.

Tuesday, January 21, 2025

Llangollen care home hit by £20,000 Budget 'double whammy'

* Bethan Mascarenhas, who owns and runs Old Vicarage care home in Llangollen  with brother Richard

A small family-run care home in Llangollen is being clobbered by a £20,000 double whammy as a result of controversial Budget measures.

That’s the additional annual cost the  Old Vicarage Care Home says it will face because of the increase in employers’ National Insurance payments and wage hikes announced by Chancellor Rachel Reeves.


According to Bethan Mascarenhas, who owns and runs the 16-bed home with brother Richard, the extra costs “added more pressure” to the social care sector which was already facing huge funding challenges. 


She challenged government leaders to visit a care home to see for themselves the impact the chronic lack of funding realistically had on people working on the frontline. 


Bethan is backing a campaign, launched by Care Forum Wales (CFW), calling for social care to receive an NHS-style exemption from National Insurance increases or emergency financial support to stop care homes and domiciliary care companies going bust. 


In launching their Save Social Care, Save the NHS campaign, care leaders say it’s vital care homes are protected from closure, otherwise patients who are fit to leave hospital but need social care will have nowhere to go and will add to the NHS bed-blocking crisis. 


Backing the campaign, Bethan said finding the extra funding needed to cover the increase in pay and National Insurance is an additional headache to everyone involved in the care sector. 

She said: “You’ve got to remember we’re a small home, and from these Budget decisions, it’s an extra £20,000 we’ve got to find all of a sudden. 


“We’re family-run, so we will look to absorb some of these costs by doing a lot of the work ourselves in terms of managing, in terms of covering care shifts. 


“The additional £20,000 we’ve got to find might seem relatively small, but we’re a small home and we will have to look at increasing our fees to cover that. 


“That could mean the fees will go up by £24 a week, which families or individuals will have to find. 


“The extra costs will have to be included in the fees, that’s the only way you can do it, unless you are going to completely review and cut your costs. 


“We are already constantly in this battle about whether we increase our fees or do we cut costs to make care more accessible. 


“We all work to such a high standard of care that it’s almost pretty much impossible to cut costs. 


“Our wages bill , which accounts for 70 per cent of our total income, is predicted to go up by 10.3 per cent whereas Denbighshire County Council is only increasing our fees by 3.9 per cent.

 

“If you are reaching the benchmark that the Care Inspectorate and the governing body want you to reach, then you’re following the legislation, you’re offering very individual person-centred care to a very high standard, you’re keeping the environment up, providing really great activities. 


“That also means your standards are very high and therefore that means your staffing needs to be very high – and your costs go up as a result. 


“You can’t cut corners, so what do you do?  Do you decide not to provide activities?  

So, then you’ve got people in your care home bored. 


“Do you cut corners in then saying ‘well, the environment can suffer’ and then the home doesn’t look as nice as a result? 


“This is the kind of tug-of-war that you have with yourself when you are looking at reviewing things, especially when it comes to financial decisions. 


“These additional costs from the Budget will put extra pressure on the care sector. 

“And the pressures just keep building and building. 


“So many homes have already closed because of the pressures and this is just another pressure. 


“It doesn’t feel right to be putting more pressure on an already struggling industry. We are so vulnerable within the care sector because we don’t have huge margins to work within.


“Social care is run by people who genuinely want to make a difference and provide a really good service for people in later life or people who are not able to look after themselves. 


“My message to the Government would be ‘come in, work with us, see the boots on the ground and come and look at the struggles that we have, come and see it on the frontline’. 


“Our staffing costs tend to be about 70 per cent of our turnover. 


“We need people, we completely run on people and if you don’t have people, you don’t have a business. 


“It’s a 24/7 service, you have people with very complex needs and your team are the backbone of the business.  


“They set the standard and the level of care so you need a good level of staffing and you need well-trained competent staff to be able to run a good service. 


“And that is why staffing costs are so much.” 


Care Forum Wales bosses say the inevitable result of the closure of any care home as a result of the Budget measures would be vulnerable people left high and dry, piling even more pressure on beleaguered hospitals already struggling to cope and create even longer waiting lists. 


With a 1.2 per cent rise in Employer National Insurance contributions and a cut to the Secondary Threshold to £5,000 alongside the five per cent increase in the Real Living Wage to £12.60, bosses at CFW have calculated the sector in Wales faces a £150 million funding hole to plug. 


CFW chair Mario Kreft MBE is leading the group’s new campaign. He said: “The former First Minister, Mark Drakeford, described social care as the ‘scaffold that holds up the NHS’ and losing care settings would be a disaster, not just for the vulnerable individuals for whom we care and our dedicated workforce, but also for hospitals across Wales.


“The changes, which amount to a tax on care, threaten to become a national emergency which is why our campaign, Save Social Care, Save the NHS.”

“During the Covid pandemic the Welsh Government provided better emergency financial support than any other part of the UK and we need to see a similar level of support to overcome this potential national emergency.

“Local authorities and health boards need to be directed to play their part in ensuring this financial support reaches the frontline to ensure this tax on care does not cause a collapse of social care and create a hammer blow for the NHS.”

Bethan added: “With the Budget measures, it just feels like we’ve been lumbered and after a very difficult time through Covid and all the other challenges the sector is vulnerable so we need help urgently.”