Llangollen Pantomime Group to host meet and greet session

 

Scouts to start new Squirrels section for fours and fives

The 1st Llangollen Scout Group is starting a new provision for four and five year olds called Squirrels.

It aims to help young people gain skills for life at a time when it matters most and where it’s most needed.

Group leader Roger Cragg said: "There are plenty of reasons to get stuck in, as Squirrels gives young people the chance to make friends, have fun outdoors, learn new things and earn badges through fun activities.

"We have a Leader ready to run the section and three new helpers but are looking for more, ideally another three or four.

"Squirrels will be meeting on a Monday afternoon at 4.30 in the scout hut, starting in the autumn term.

"There will be a meeting on Monday August 24 if anyone interested in helping." 

* More information on Squirrels is available from: https://www.scouts.org.uk/squirrels/ https://scoutscymru.org.uk/be-a-scout/squirrels/

If you are interested in helping out or know anyone who might and would like to know more, get in touch with Roger Cragg at: gsl@llangollenscoutgroup.org.uk or call 07985 334357, or Lucy at: Squirrels@llangollenscoutgroup.org.uk or call 07951 262424, or you can follow the link on the Squirrels page of the group's website at:  https://www.llangollenscoutgroup.org.uk/squirrels/

Dyfan and his Westhead mates will be cheering on Wrexham tonight

Being in a hospital bed over 5,000 miles away isn't going to stop top fan Dfyan Hughes rooting for Wrexham as they take on Cardiff in the capital tonight (Monday). 

Eighteen-year-old Dyfan from Llangollen was seriously injured in a collision with a lorry as he and his two fellow Westheads were making their way through China on one of the final legs of their mammoth cycling trip from north Wales to Thailand earlier this month.  

And in their latest online update on his recovery this afternoon mates 19-year-old Louis Dennis from Garth and James Thomas from Wrexham are pictured with Dyfan - and one of his nurses - as they say: "We will be supporting the reds on from the hospital wards of Chengdu tonight! Huge first game come on the town!"

The dynamic trio are making their 10,000-mile odyssey in memory of Tony Edge, the father of their friend Harrison, who died following a heart attack in 2024. 

In the collision Dyfan sustained serious injuries to his scalp, neck and legs.

Despite this, he's been fighting his way back to fitness with Louis and James giving regular updates on his progress from his bedside.

In their latest full message they pledged: "We don't know when we're going to touch down in our final destination of Chang Mai but one thing's for sure - we are going to get there together."

Late last week they announced that they'd passed the £50,000 fundraising milestone in aid the British Heart Foundation.

* llanblogger is recording the lads' adventures along the way. To follow the journey on their social media and make a donation, go to: https://linktr.ee/westheads 

Care homes 'national treasures' we can't lose says sector boss

* Mario Kreft. 

Small community care homes in North Wales are “national treasures” that the nation cannot afford to lose, a social care champion has warned.

Mario Kreft MBE has used his place among the UK care sector’s most influential leaders to urge the new Welsh Government to protect care homes at the heart of their communities.

The Care Forum Wales chair said his inclusion in Care Home Professional magazine’s 2026 Power List came at a crucial time, with a new Plaid Cymru government in Cardiff and plans for a National Care Service placing the future of independent providers in the spotlight.

The call also chimes with Plaid Cymru’s pledge to champion homegrown Welsh small and medium-sized businesses.

Mr Kreft believes that the care homes and services rooted in local communities across Wales are exactly the kind of enterprises the new government has promised to cherish and support.

He said: “With the new Plaid government in Cardiff, there is an opportunity for a new beginning to highlight the fantastic work done by small and local businesses who provide the backbone of social care in Wales.

“The average size of a care home in Wales is 40 beds and the vast majority of them are owned and run by people, many of whom live in their local communities across the nation.

“The Prime Minister has spoken negatively recently about private equity funded care homes. I don’t agree that’s an issue in Wales where the typical example is a family-run operation with one or two homes.

“These dedicated people are proud to live in their community and serve their community, creating jobs, providing vital services, without which the NHS would cease to function.

“They are family-run Welsh businesses and it’s been heartening to hear that the new Welsh Government see the importance and value of homegrown  companies like this.

“That’s why it was pleasing to be named by Care Home Professional among this small group of people who are providing or are involved in social care.”

Mr Kreft, who is also the owner of the award-winning Pendine Park care organisation which has nine homes in North Wales, was awarded the MBE for his contribution to social care in Wales and was honoured with a Recognising Achievement Award by the Welsh Government at the St David’s Awards for his innovative work in health and social care.

“I have always stood up for small independent businesses because we started with just one care home with 14 beds so I could look after my grandparents and Gill’s granddad,” he added.

“We’re now one of the top five companies in Wales but we are tiny when compared with some of the giant organisations in England.

“Some of these big organisations are run by friends of mine and they are doing incredibly well but I think there is a specific issue for Wales with a new government that is not yet persuaded by the arguments to support independent care businesses  and is seeking to create a national care service.

“We need to demonstrate that the independent sector in Wales is an important part of that solution, whether care homes and home care companies are run by private companies or charities.

“The most important thing is that the people of Wales are caring for their own people, creating many local jobs.

“These are real community assets, rooted in their own communities and we have always in Care Forum Wales, and I have personally, been interested in supporting the little guy.

“One of many examples is Meryl Welsby who has run a care home in the rural community of Pentrefoelas in Conwy and has been providing care for more than 30 years.

“That’s a vital community resource that has and to grow to around 30 beds to be sustainable, homegrown service – it’s s exactly the kind of company that Plaid Cymru are talking.

“We are blessed in Wales to have lots of services close to people’s homes in their communities so you don’t have to travel far to visit your loved ones.

“But if they are not properly supported within a National Care Service they will not be able to survive – and once they are gone, they are gone.

“Nobody is going to build a new 30 bed home in rural area because it would not be financially viable whoever is running it – because costs of gone up and regulation is more onerous.

“We see cases time and time again where people are moved by the NHS and I know of one person from North Wales who was recently placed in a home in Bristol. It’s utter madness. What is the sense of taking people from their community.

“I’m all in favour of  anybody developing new services but it’s critically important that we don’t lose the vital services we already have.

“My message to the First Minister, as Plaid said in its manifesto,  is that Welsh companies should be cherished and supported because they provide investment and jobs, along with vital services in the case of social care. I would suggest that he should look at the sector in that light.

“Predominantly, people in Wales who need care need state support through local authority or health board funding.

“I hope, with colleagues, to be able to convince Plaid Cymru that supporting these national treasures is a very sensible thing to do, whichever way you look at it.

“So we are urging Plaid’s Senedd members to visit their local care homes and speak to the residents and staff who work in them and understand first hand how it alleviates pressure on our hospitals.

“This is about local people living and working together in their communities providing essential services that underpin the NHS in Wales.”

 

Llangollen Food Share helps children in school holidays

* School lunch parcels being prepared by Food Share helpers.

 

Llangollen Food Share have been providing food support for children during school holidays since July 2023. 

During that time enough food to make 12,749 packed lunches (to date) has been given out to families needing support in our local area.  

 

Food Share’s manager Steph Mitchell said: “School holidays put a huge extra strain on the family budget meaning that some families are ‘in crisis’ and don’t have enough money to meet these extra demands.   

"We have responded by helping struggling parents to provide food for their children’s lunches. Our weekly lunch parcels for children have enough food to provide five lunches per child.”

 

“If you are one of the many local families struggling to make ends meet then please get in touch with us to see how we can help.” 

During term-time all primary school children and around 30% of secondary pupils receive free school meals. But in July 2023 government support for meals during the school holidays was removed, meaning that the extra cost of lunches falls on parents. This puts extra pressure on family budgets for the 12 weeks of school holidays each year.

* The contents of a school holiday lunch parcel.

 

Steph added: "We are grateful to local donors who have helped us to fund this extra service offered by Llangollen Food Share. Tesco Stronger Starts (Blue token scheme) has also supported this activity.

 

"We continue to receive positive feedback about the impact that our School Holiday lunch parcels has. See feedback below from one parent in July 2026:

 

“'I cannot thank the team at Llangollen Food Share enough. Without their help, my son and I would have struggled immensely throughout the summer holidays. Their support is priceless and is appreciated beyond words. Thank you so much guys, you truly are an invaluable godsend.'” 

 

Llangollen Food Share is a registered charity that has been responding to food poverty locally for the last seven years. It raises much of its money locally, with over 30% of its income coming from members of the community, organisations and businesses. It also relies on the help of 25 volunteers who together give over 120 voluntary hours per week.

 

Food Share says: "Can you help us to ensure that no-one locally goes hungry? If so, contact us at: www.llangollenfoodshare.org.uk/donate, email: info@llangollenfoodshare.org.uk , or call: 07538 894449    

A5 closed at Glyndyfrdwy following collision

This was posted around 3.30pm today (Saturday) by police:

Llangollen Inner Wheel announces programme for 63rd year

As it embarks on its 63rd year, the Inner Wheel Club of Llangollen has announced its new programme:

The first event was installation of Cheryl Furney Brown as the President. The event took place in the beautiful garden of one of our members.

Although this is the first time for Cheryl to take up the role of President in Llangollen she is a long-standing Inner Wheel member, having already served as President of the Inner Wheel Club of Wrexham before joining us here in Llangollen. She was also recently President of the Rotary Club of Wrexham.

Cheryl has prepared an interesting programme of events including talks on Chester Cathedral, Llangollen Railway (by Station Master Mandy Towers), flower painting and herbal medicine. We will also have some fun experiencing Chair Yoga.

We will celebrate Christmas, Inner Wheel Day in January and St David’s Day in March with special events.

We have one special fund-raising event planned, an Afternoon Tea Dance with live music at Llangollen Town Hall on Monday, May 17th, 2027. The proceeds will go to Air Ambulance Cymru. Watch this space!!

We are part of a world-wide women’s organisation and we have always supported good causes not only here in Llangollen but throughout Great Britain and many parts of the world. Recently we have focussed on helping the people of Ukraine and supporting African based charities such as Mary’s Meals and African Adventures.

Membership is open to all women over the age of 18. If you are looking to join a friendship group with a purpose then why not give it a try. We meet once a month at various venues in the town. If you would like to know more, contact the Membership Secretary on 01978 869285 ???? or 07816 286436. Alternatively, email: enid.law@froncastell.co.uk