Railway gala steams in next March

Llangollen Railway’s Along Birkenhead Lines Gala will take place over three days from Friday-Sunday, March 3-5.

Featuring an intensive timetable of both passenger and mixed traffic trains, a great collection of historic steam locomotives and special attractions taking place along the line, the event has something for all railway enthusiasts and families alike, according the organisers.

The weekend marks the 50th anniversary of two significant events - the last steam-hauled Cambrian Coast Express and 50 years since the last through working from London Paddington to Birkenhead (Woodside).

Work is in hand to make this gala one of the most historically accurate and authentic steam events yet achieved.

Expect to see cameos, displays, recreations and all the appropriate paper ephemera.

In addition to the railway’s home fleet, the gala will feature a number of special visiting steam locomotives – details of which will be announced very soon! 

* Download our FREE Advanced Information booklet (first edition attached) for all the latest news on the gala from:

http://www.llangollen-railway.co.uk/event/spring-steam-gala-3rd-march/ 

Silver Band's successful Christmas Gala

* The Youth Band on stage.

Llangollen Silver Band held their annual Christmas Gala at the Town Hall recently.

The festive event, now in it's 8th year, featured performances from the Training, Youth and Senior Bands, carols and smaller musical ensembles.

Conductor Trevor Williams also announced the winner of the band's 'Young Player of the Year' award, which this year went to 14-year-old euphonium player, Elizabeth Mwale (pictured right.

Trevor said: "Elizabeth is a talented young musician who has achieved great success this year. She is also one of the first to offer to lend a helping hand with other jobs, such as helping younger players and decorating the band room."

The grand finale of the gala saw the packed audience singing and swaying along to the senior band's renditions of Christmas classics such as 'Merry Christmas Everyone' and 'Jingle Bell Rock'.

Band Spokesman, Robert Stock, said 'Our thanks go out to all players, parents and supporters of the band for attending this event. On behalf of the band I hope you all have a merry Christmas and to see you at one one of our events in the new year.'

Santa's quiz raises £353 for Air Ambulance

* The winning team with Santa.

Santa has thanked everyone who joined him at the Ponsonby for Santa's Magical Christmas Quiz.

The evening raised a staggering £353.83 with a pledge for a further £25 making a grand total of £378.83 raised for North Wales Air Ambulance.

Santa said: "Thanks to Paul and Lisa at the Ponsonby for their hospitality and John for his hard work behind the bar. The food and beer were brilliant.

"The declared winners, after a stewards enquiry, were Anon and On and On. A fantastic evening!"

County gives recycling and refuse advice

With Christmas Day falling on a Sunday this year, it happens that recycling and refuse collections in Denbighshire  can take place on the normal day of the week throughout the festive period.

Residents who normally have a collection on a Monday will receive their collections as normal on Monday, 26^th December and Monday, 2^nd January despite these days being Bank Holidays.

Subscribers to the garden waste collection service are reminded that collections will take place over the holiday period.

Full details of collection days are on the calendars which were delivered during October and November or are available on the Council’s website at: -https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/resident/bins-and-recycling/bin-collection-dates.aspx

Recycling parks:  Recycling Park facilities at Denbigh, Rhyl and Ruthin, will be open to the public as normal every day except 25 December, 26 December and 1 January. Winter opening hours are:

DENBIGH and RUTHIN: Mon – Fri 10am - 4pm. Weekend 9am - 4pm.

Recycling – Llangollen and Corwen:  Saturday recycling services at the Highways Depot, Corwen will take place as normal on Saturday 19 December. However, there will be no service at the Pavilion Car Park, Llangollen on Saturday 26 December or at Corwen on Saturday 2 January 2017.

Saturday recycling services will recommence as normal at Corwen on 7 January between 9 - 11am and at Llangollen on 14 January between 9 - 11am.

Commercial recycling and refuse collections:  Businesses services from Denbighshire County Council will follow the same unaltered pattern as the household services .

More fairy tales from Llan author Adrian

* Llangollen author Adrian Farrel's two books of fairy tales.

As his second book of fairy tales is published Llangollen resident Adrian Farrel says he just can't stop writing as new stories keep popping into his head.

Adrian's latest collection, More Tales from the Wood, contains another 18 original tales.

"Just as in my first collection, these are fairy tales with the same smell and sound of the ones with which we grew up, but they all have a twist or a satisfying ending," he says.

In this collection you can meet the Fisherman who stubbornly refuses to be in debt to the wizard, you can enter the Chocolate Shop that is only sometimes there, and you can see inside the world of The Shapeshifter.

You can also learn the difference between a gnome and pixie, and why you should never confuse either of them for a faerie.

Some stories, like The Little Mermaid and The Emperor's New Clothes, give a new slant on familiar tales, but most of the stories just seem to be familiar because the essence of a good fairy tale is so deeply ingrained in all of us.

Adrian adds: "These stories are like those by the Grimm brothers or Hans Christian Andersen, but a whole lot more fun.

"We don't need sanctimonious or pious tales in today's world. What we need are stories that reflect how life is or how it should be. That is what I have tried to achieve, although sometimes you may have to sit back and let the subliminal message sink in."

And Adrian, whose day-job is with telecommunications companies standardising how the Internet works, is continuing to write.

He says: "I seem to be at my most creative when I am travelling for work. On a recent trip to Korea I managed to complete three new tales, so it looks like I am well on the way to book three!"

"Tales from the Wood and More Tales from the Wood are available in Llangollen from the Courtyard Bookshop and from Zingiber.

They can also be bought online from Amazon or direct from the publisher at http://www.feedaread.com/

Christmas carol concert staged at the Town Hall

* Llangollen Silver Band provides musical accompaniment for the carol concert.

Churches in Llangollen came together for their annual Christmas carol concert at the Town Hall this evening (Sunday).

Favourite carols, including Once in Royal David's City and Come All Ye Faithful, were interspersed with seasonal songs and readings.

Providing musical accompaniment was Llangollen Silver Band and there were selections from the newly-formed Youth Choir and the singing group Stage to Stage accompanied by a three-piece band.

The evening came to a rousing finale with I Wish It Could be Christmas Everyday and Merry Christmas Everybody.

A collection was taken on behalf of the charity Embrace the Middle East.

Police boss slams report into North Wales force

* North Wales PCC Arfon Jones.

The latest inspection into North Wales Police has been blasted as "inaccurate, wasteful and stressful" by the man elected to hold the Force to account.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones, a former police inspector, claims the report published by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary fails to recognise the work done by the Force to improve.

The report, by HM Inspector of Constabulary Wendy Williams, follows one last year which rated North Wales Police as ‘good’ but this time says it ‘requires improvement.’

But Arfon Jones doesn’t believe the headlines of the report are supported by its findings and content.

He adds that seemingly continuous inspections are actually getting in the way of North Wales Police doing their job and requires a team of three including two police officers to work on them full-time and diverts others from their duties.

According to Mr Jones, HMIC take no account of the priorities which saw him overwhelmingly elected as Commissioner earlier this year.

It is the second such report in two years and for the first time included an assessment of how well Forces tackle the problem of abuse of authority for sexual gain by members of its workforce.

This year’s report found that North Wales Police was good at treating the people it serves with fairness and respect but has limited capacity to seek out and assess intelligence about potential corruption and could do more to recognise the signs of ill health involving mental health issues, including stress at work.

Arfon Jones said he was pleased that HMIC had recognised that NWP is good at treating people it serves with fairness and respect and had acknowledged and commended the significant efforts of North Wales Police officers and staff.

But he added: “I don’t believe the ‘requires improvement’ judgement reflects the tremendous work carried out across North Wales on a daily basis to keep our communities safe and they should not be disheartened by this report.

“North Wales Police is the most improved Force in England and Wales in terms of victim satisfaction and I don’t believe the headlines of the report are supported by its findings and content.

“The reference to a ‘drop in performance’ since 2015 is inaccurate as it is not comparing like for like – the subject areas of the 2015 inspection were not a part of the inspection this time round.”

He was also critical of the number of inspections being carried out, their expense and their focus and he said: “The Force is having to make a significant amount of investment of both time and resources just to respond to the inspection regime.

“The public of North Wales would be surprised by the sheer volume of inspections and the level of resources being diverted from the front line just to prepare for these inspections.

“HMIC continue to highlight areas they believe require investment without any apparent appreciation of the competing pressures, including financial pressures, that we face.

“The irony is not lost on me that they express concerns on the area of stress at work with no apparent awareness of the stress caused by their inspection regime.

“It’s particularly frustrating that the Police budget is being top sliced to fund HMIC’s significant growth in resources.

“But they fail to give any consideration to the priorities that I set out in my Police and Crime Plan.

“The legislation is clear. I hold the Chief Constable to account and HMIC should let him get on with delivering an efficient and effective police service that the people of North Wales deserve.

“I appreciate that it is important to have a system of rigorous appraisal of the Force but it should not be to the detriment of our vital frontline services.”

Advice on safe toy buying this Christmas

Denbighshire Trading Standards are reminding businesses and shoppers to help keep children safe by selling and buying toys that are deemed safe.

David Smith, Lead member for Public Realm in Denbighshire said: "Trading Standards officers across the county keep watch for unsafe toys being sold or imported.  Officers regularly inspect shops to check that toys on sale meet current safety legislation.

“Retailers must only supply toys which are safe and meet stringent safety standards.  If the toy is labelled with the ‘CE’ mark it means it meets the requirements of the Toys (Safety) Regulations."

The advice is:

·        Don’t buy toys without a genuine “CE” mark

·        Always buy from reputable shops and traders

·        If buying over the internet, buy from reputable web sites to reduce the risk of being supplied with unsafe and possibly counterfeit toys

·        Look for safety signs in addition to the “CE” mark (e.g. the British Toy and Hobby Association ‘Lion mark’)

·        Don’t let children play with broken toys as they may no longer comply with safety standards

·        Don’t forget to keep older children’s toys away from the toddler or baby

·        Always remove plastic bags before giving a toy to a child

·        For electrical products, always ensure the plug is a three-pin, made to BS 1363. If it doesn’t include this information, then don’t buy the product.  Any safety advice should be always be in English, and should advise on both charging the product and how to use correctly.

Councillor Smith added: “Toys are generally much safer than they used to be, but there are still non-compliant toys being sold which is why Trading standards is offering the following toy safety tips to keep your children safe.”

* For advice on your consumer rights call the Citizens Advice Consumer Helpline on 03454 04 05 06 or 03454 04 05 05 for Welsh Language.  Reporting an online fraud can be done on the Action Fraud website.

Go-ahead for Vicarage Road homes scheme

* The Vicarage Road site.

After a lengthy debate county planners earlier today gave the go-ahead to a controversial scheme to build 95 homes on land off Vicarage Road in Llangollen.

And the area's Assembly member Ken Skates says he is "bitterly disappointed" by the decision.

The scheme, by Castlemead Group Ltd, raised a storm of protest from people in the area who objected mainly to the extra pressure they feared would be put on access roads to the 3.7 hectare site.

But, following negotiations, Castlemead agreed to upgrade Willow Street before construction begins.     

The site incorporates land originally granted planning permission in the late 1990s which has an existing planning permission for 50 dwellings.

The scheme proposes a mix of terraced, semi-detached and detached dwellings.

And a condition of today's approval was that 10 per cent of these are affordable homes rather than the four originally proposed.  

An officers’ report to the planning committee said there were around 100 objections to the application on the grounds of the impact on existing roads, insufficient infrastructure to serve the development and the extra burden it would place on local schools and health services.

The report, which recommended the application for approval, goes on to show that a number of these concerns have been addressed.  

It says: “The proposal includes upgrading of an existing access road to the site (Willow Street).

“This upgrade is proposed to take place prior to the construction of any dwellings.

“Separate parking spaces are proposed to be provided within the site for seven adjacent dwellings (1-7 Castle Buildings). It is proposed that the site will be accessible from both Willow Street and Hill Street.”

The report points out that current pupil numbers for the two primary schools serving Llangollen  - Ysgol Gwernant and Bryn Collen - indicate both are at capacity. But it adds that the developer is to make a contribution of £172,000 towards education provision.

Officers also say that there is no evidence to suggest that the development as proposed would lead to a requirement to build additional healthcare facilities or improve the newly built health centre. On this basis no contributions have been sought from the developer.

The report adds: “A development of this scale will inevitably lead to increased levels of noise and disruption for occupiers of neighbouring properties.

“However, having regard to the scale, location, separation distances and design of the proposed development in relation to the existing site and neighbouring properties, it is not considered that the proposals would be so unreasonable in terms of impacts on residential amenity to justify refusal of permission.”


* Clwyd South AM Ken Skates, who has previously raised concerns over the development, said he was ‘bitterly disappointed’ with the decision and would fight for safeguards for residents.

He added: “People have been worried about this development in its various guises for a long time, which has been conveyed to the council in no uncertain terms. I asked for an urgent meeting with the developers earlier this year, but they weren’t interested.

“I’m bitterly disappointed with this, as I know many others who raised serious concerns will be.”

Boost for job-creating business grant

* Dominic Haynes and Llyr Jones of the Dangerous Food Company.

A business grant which has already helped scores of businesses to create jobs has been increased.

Denbighshire County Council’s Business Development Grant scheme has awarded more than £71,000 to 17 Denbighshire firms since April.

The cap of the grant has been raised from £5,000 to £10,000 and the limit on applicants’ annual turnover has increased from £250,000 to £500,000.

The scheme, which forms part of the council’s Economic and Community Ambition Strategy, offers funding to new and existing businesses to create employment, improve business competitiveness and create a vibrant local economy.

Cllr Hugh Evans OBE, leader of Denbighshire, said: “Raising the cap for our business grant scheme will allow us to help even more firms in Denbighshire.

“The scheme is a funder of last resort, so by the time an applicant approaches us they have already tried to secure other sources.

“The scheme has already had a real impact, directly helping to create 19 jobs and safeguarding another 17.

“Doubling the maximum grant and the turnover limit will enable us to directly release additional business investment and expansion within the county. 

“This will lead directly to the creation of additional employment opportunity for local residents that otherwise would not be realised.

“I would encourage eligible businesses in the county to apply for a grant before the end of the financial year.”

Dominic Haynes and Llyr Jones, who launched St-Asaph-based Dangerous Food Company less than three years ago, used a £2,300 grant from Denbighshire County Council to purchase a walk-in fridge which enabled them to quadruple their order capacity and expand.

The grant has also been expanded to include businesses looking to exploit digital technology to help stimulate local innovation, improve competitiveness and help reach new markets.

* For more information or to apply for a Business Development Grant of up to £10,000 from Denbighshire County Council visit Denbighshire.gov.uk/business or contact 01824 706896.

Church stages Christmas tree festival

Llangollen Methodist Church is currently staging its annual Christmas Tree Festival.

The colourful collection of trees, pictured below, has been made by schools, clubs and businesses in the area.

Visitors are invited to vote for their favourite festive creation.

The church will be open for tree viewing next Saturday (December 17) from 10am-3pm and Sunday between 12.30pm and 3.30pm.

Filmstar bear's terrific response

AN ART teacher has been overwhelmed with the response to her one-of-a-kind teddy bear which has been spreading festive cheer in Denbighshire.

Sarah Chapman, aged 57, from Llandegla, created Carys, the six-foot bespoke bear which stars in Denbighshire County Council’s Christmas shopping video.

The two-minute  film has been produced to showcase the wide range of local shops in the county and as well as telling the story of Carys’ magical journey, features a family completing their Christmas shopping in Denbighshire with all gifts bought from local traders.

Making the bear took Sarah 50 hours, seven metres of material and 10kg of stuffing.

The mum-of-two started making rag dolls and soft toys when she was still at school near Brecon, South Wales, and now runs her handmade teddy bear business, Bilberry Bears.

Sarah said: “I have done a lot of different jobs over the years and never had any formal training as an artist.

“A few years ago I had the inspiration to make individual fabric bears.

“I’m slowly building up the business, it is just me, there is no big production line.”

Sarah was approached by Frozen Moon Productions, who produced the film on behalf of the Council, to make a bear costume modelled on one of her creations.

She said: “I was pleased to be asked but I went into a panic, I’ve never made a 6ft bear costume before.

“It was very stressful but the reaction has been fantastic. People love Carys and everyone says the video is fantastic. It is a really heart-warming story and it supports local businesses which I love.

“I have been overwhelmed. I have had a lot of lovely responses. People have been showing a real interest after the film.”

Sarah, who has been teaching art at St Mary's Catholic Primary School, Wrexham, for 12 years also writes poetry and makes greeting cards.

She said: “It is great to work with the children. I love it. I learn as much from them as they do from me.

“They have seen the film and all the children have said they love it.”

Leader of Denbighshire, Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, said: “This is a fantastic film with a heart-warming story and a really important message – shop locally this Christmas.

“All the businesses featured are based in Denbighshire and the film shows the huge range of products and services available.

“As a Council we want to see local businesses succeed as this ensures money spent locally stays in Denbighshire and helps create a thriving economy.”

More than 50 children, from Rhyl, Prestatyn, Ruthin, Bala, Corwen, Denbigh and St Asaph, aged six – to 17 from Denbigh Stagecoach also performed in the film.

For a chance to win Carys, who has now been transformed into a smaller bear, visit Denbighshire County Council’s Facebook page or to view the clip visit the Council’s YouTube page.

Campaigner slams Llan housing plan as a "travesty"

A proposed development of nearly 100 houses at Vicarage Road Llangollen would be a “travesty” and fail to meet the needs of local people, says Mabon ap Gwynfor who has campaigned against it.

He slams the scheme, which is recommended for approval subject to conditions when it is considered by county planners next week, in a Daily Post article published today.

* For the full story, see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/huge-llangollen-housing-development-would-12288762

Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner voices Brexit fears

* Ann Griffith, Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales.

Fears are growing that North Wales could become a more dangerous place as a result of leaving the European Union.

The latest warning has come from Ann Griffith, the Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner for North Wales, who says the Brexit vote has raised worrying questions about the implications for fighting crime and security.

Among her concerns is the potential damage to the European Police Office, known as Europol, which contributes to more than 13,500 cross-border investigations every year.

Life could also be made more difficult for other joint investigation teams from agencies like Eurojust which tackle a range of crimes from terror to child abuse.

Another worry is whether the UK will still be a part of the European Arrest Warrant agreements that allows for the most wanted criminals to be returned promptly.

The agreement was introduced 2002 in response to a growing threat from international terrorism and a recognition that extradition procedures were complex and time consuming.

Ms Griffith said: “Brexit wasn't sold to us with all of the information available -  very little was said about the implications for policing and security about which there are very serious concerns.

"Unfortunately, the vote to quit the European Union leaves us with more questions than answers in all areas of governance and we are facing a period of huge change and uncertainty.

"But one thing that remains the same as it applies to policing and security, is the fact that the sharing of intelligence and cooperation between countries will remain vital in understanding the movement of criminals and domestic and international terrorism into the future.

"What you have is years and years of hard work and preparation gone into creating agencies and agreements that may be dashed as a result of Brexit.

"We're very aware now in North Wales how cyber-crime is the biggest emerging crime problem that we have - it's across Europe and indeed across the world.

"The majority of crime doesn't happen on the streets anymore and our frontline is now online.

"Europol was established in 2009, and one of its main function is cyber-crime cooperation.

"If the cooperation with Europol an Eurojust is to continue, it will come at a price because it is likely we will have to pay a lot more to benefit from the work of these agencies.

"I am also particularly worried about the possible loss of the European Arrest Warrants which currently means that most wanted criminals can be returned promptly.

"Before the European Arrest Warrant, extradition arrangements could take up to 10 years whereas now we're talking about people being able to be transferred within a matter of weeks.

"There is a huge amount of legislation to be worked through as a result of the Brexit vote but it is vitally important that security and policing are given priority by the UK Government.

"Keeping people safe has got to be our priority," she added.

Transport chiefs keep on eye on 64 bus route

Problems with the operator which could affect a bus service into Llangollen are being kept under review by the county council.

The problems affect the 64 service from the Ceiriog Valley to Llangollen via Chirk.  

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies said: “More disruption is on the way but Denbighshire’s passenger transport team are keeping on top of the situation and are ready to pick up any slack if necessary.

“I understand from them that Wrexham council is securing a successor but in the event that they cannot find a new operator for the contract we will resume our minibus operation from Parade Street to Pengwern.”

* For the full story, see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/rjs-wem-banned-operating-wrexham-12276072

Joshua wins top care award

A rugby-playing dad who devotes his time to help turn around the lives of young people in a children’s home has been presented with a top care award.

Josh Wilson, 25, from Llangollen, (pictured) scooped a silver trophy in the Exceptional Newcomer category of the Wales Care Awards 2016, run by Care Forum Wales.

The keen sportsman has been described as a role model for the youngsters he supports at a specialist therapeutic children’s home in Ruthin by encouraging them to strive for the best and keep active through sport.

The home is a six-bedroom unit for young boys aged 11-18 with complex behavioural and emotional difficulties who are given intense support to help them succeed in education and employment.

Josh, who is employed by Branas Isaf and formerly taught swimming to children aged three to 12 at Corwen Leisure Centre, collected his silver award at a glittering ceremony at City Hall in Cardiff.

The awards acknowledge the hard work and exceptional performances of those in the care sector.

“I feel like I’m putting something back and making a difference. When I come back from work I feel happy, it’s very rewarding,” said Josh, who combines his challenging role as a support worker two days a week with his responsibilities at the family business, Ty Canol Caravan Park in Llangollen.

“My family are proud and my mum is especially proud.

“When you drive home at the end of the day you always think about what you’ve done with the kids and what I would’ve liked to have done better.

“I love working there. The whole team is brilliant and my manager has done a lot for me. I’ve come a long way since joining the team.

“I’d never worked in care before. I was in the deep end quite quickly but I wouldn’t have had it any other way as it meant I learnt very quickly.”

Josh, who also worked in Corwen and Llangollen Leisure Centres as a fitness instructor after leaving school, plays competitive rugby for Chester Rugby Club, which is in North Division 2, has a talent for communicating with children and inspiring them to succeed.

The new dad, whose daughter Azaia Wilson, was born a year ago, has already won the national and regional Newcomer of the Year title in the Caretech Awards in November.

Josh, who attended Ysgol Dinas Brân, said the most satisfying aspect of his job was watching the youngsters’ progress and reform their behaviour through sport and other goal-driven work. The home has even created a squash league to build their self-confidence.

One of his most notable achievements was seeing a young boy for whom he was a key worker move on from the home and flourish.

“I feel like I’m a role model to them. I always tell them what the score was in the rugby. I’m trying to inspire them and keep them active by encouraging them to the gym,” said Josh, who is in the completion stages of his QCF Level 3 in Caring For Children and Young People.

“I’ve recently had a child myself and it’s put a different perspective on things. I’m much more empathetic.

“You have your bad days but I’m level-headed and can deal with most things thrown at me. You want to see the lads do well.

“I would like to continue working with young people in the future. I play rugby and I look after myself and the kids look up to me. I try to work on their self-confidence and you develop a bond.”

Nominating Josh for his award, registered manager Leanne Bennett said: “Josh is a very well-liked and respected member of the team at Pant Glas and nothing is ever too much trouble for Josh. He is eager and enthusiastic in his role and works exceptionally well both lone working and in a team.

“He has a good morale which impacts on others and his can do attitude is infectious to his colleagues. Josh is an asset to our team and I feel he has a brilliant career ahead of him.”

Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said the standard of entries was extremely high.

He added: “There are only winners here tonight so it is only fitting that the finalists will receive a gold, silver or bronze Wales Care Award.

“I trust that they will continue to inspire those around them as role models and encourage others to aspire to even greater heights in the months and years to come.

“This awards ceremony is our opportunity to pay tribute and to celebrate the talent and commitment that is improving the quality of life for thousands and thousands of people throughout Wales.

“We take our hats off to them.”

Eisteddfod welcomes Albanian VIPs

* Albanian Peace Ambassador Fitim Mimani, left, with

Eisteddfod chairman Rhys Davies and Susan Elan Jones MP next to the olive trees.

Llangollen Eisteddfod leaders welcomed a group of VIP visitors from Albania on Friday.

Visaret E Gores, a group of dancers and musicians from the country competed at this year’s festival. 

Accompanying them was Fitim Mimani, the Albanian Peace Ambassador, who was greeted by Eisteddfod’s President Terry Waite, Llangollen Mayor Cllr Mike Adams and festival officials.

The group stayed at homes in Overton where they were warmly welcomed by local residents and became firm favourites with everyone they met.

The dancers gave impromptu performances on the field when passers-by were encouraged to join in with their colourful routines.

Since then, Mr Mimani has been back to Llangollen to investigate how additional groups from Albania can take part in the Eisteddfod.

He is now planning to return once more, with five Albanian dancers and musicians from a group called Qypryllinjte E Roshnikut.

A groups from Albania visited Llangollen last week and after lunch in the Corn Mill there was a short ceremony during which gifts were exchanged and Mr Mimani presented the Eisteddfod with three established olive trees which will be planted on the Pavilion field next spring.

Among those attending the ceremony was Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones, Eisteddfod’s competitions officer Merle Hunt and festival volunteers.

Skates backs today's Small Business Saturday

* SFTW owner Clare Rhodes with Ken Skates AM

and Oliver Edwards. 

Assembly Member Ken Skates is encouraging people in his constituency to support their local shops on today's Small Business Saturday.

The Clwyd South AM, who is based in Llangollen, visited his local high street and urged shoppers to spend on their own doorstep.

“Llangollen is a superb example of a high street which boasts a fantastic array of independent shops, cafes and other firms, and the aim of Small Business Saturday is to showcase them and encourage people to use them,” said Mr Skates.

The AM stopped by SFTW Barbers on Abbey Road, owned by Clare Rhodes.

“It is businesses like SFTW which are the lifeblood of our communities, and this is one of many in the town that I can personally vouch for as a customer.”

Clare took on 18-year-old Oliver Edwards, from Chirk Bank, earlier this year and says she agrees with the ethos of Small Business Saturday.

Clare said: “I always do my best to support other small high street businesses, I think we all try to help each other. The benefits of shopping local are obvious, not least because the money stays local. I hope everyone will get behind this campaign.”

Mr Skates added: “Research shows that for every £1 spent with a small or medium-sized business 63p stays in the local economy, compared to 40p with a larger business.

“Small Business Saturday is a fantastic concept and I hope residents in Llangollen and throughout Clwyd South will join me in supporting it – especially at Christmas.”

Operatic's Christmas show in a real cracker

A talented cast from Llangollen Operatic Society polished up a whole stockingful of comic gems to present a delighted audience with a glittering pre-Christmas present at the Town Hall last night (Friday).

Their seasonal offering, entitled Comedy Tonight, does exactly what it says on the tin, serving up a varied selection of excerpts from some of the most hilarious TV shows of the past interspersed with stand-alone sketches and songs.

This feast of fun has everything – from a couple of hilarious helpings of ‘All Allo featuring that naughty hidden sausage routine and an acrobatic French Resistance girl to a rip-snorting recreation of the late great Victoria Wood’s legendary ditty of marital frustration, Can’t Do It.

Shining in both ‘Allo Allo tributes is Operatic stalwart Bill Cheshire who has just the right mixture of bashfulness and bawd to bring the wartime bar owner Rene startlingly back to life, and in the first knock-about snatch from the show he’s aided and abetted by a gendarme who’s so good he could really be French (actually, Nico Decourt genuinely is).

Bill’s back as a French landlord from a different era when he takes centre stage in Master of the House from Les Mis.

The superb chorus backing him and the setting – especially Bill’s fabulous Napoleonic military costume – makes the whole roistering experience a real highlight of the show.

But then there are many more, including Chris Sims’s gob-smackingly good portrayal of Victoria’s Wood’s Can’t Do It with its cheeky cascading lyrics and the re-visiting of the unforgettable Two Soups sketch which in the original saw doddering waitress  Julie Walter making real a hash of serving a couple of hapless diners.

Here Robin Crowley – who also directs the whole show – brings his own touch of hilarity to the piece.

Llangollen's neighbouring Twenty Club recently had a smash-hit run with another TV comedy icon, The Vicar of Dibley, with Louise Cielecki in the title role.

So with Louise being link woman for the night it would have been a sin for her not to revisit the crazy Gloucestershire parish in company with that man Chris Sims again and the marvellous Carys Stallard all of whom ensure that its sparkles anew.

Louise also works with her old sparring partner from their days in the society’s Young ‘Uns junior section, Nathan Lloyd, to present some delicious slapstick moments.

Talking about the Young ‘Uns, a group of them kick off the evening with a selection of numbers from their forthcoming production of Bugsy Malone led by its two stars, Cassius Hackforth and Celyn Orton Jones.

Helen Belton is the show's one-woman orchestra and it's amazing the musical power she can produce from just an electric piano.

The whole entertainment experience is the brainchild of Tracey Rawlinson and she deserves a round of applause as loud and strong as the production won from the audience at the end of a couple of hours of rib-tickling fun on its first of two nights.

If you want to get the Christmas snowball rolling in fine style why not see if you can grab yourself a couple of tickets for tonight’s closing performance as I believe there might still be a few left. 

They’re £8 (£6 concessions) and you could try the usual outlets of Gwyn Davies butchers, Jades Hair and Beauty or Baileys.