Former Young 'Uns star makes West End debut

* West End debut: Cassius Hackforth.

A former member of Llangollen Operatic Society's junior section, the Young 'Uns, has made his professional West End stage debut.

Cassius Hackforth was one of the regular favourites with the group, taking leading roles in a number of its productions including the smash-hit Half a Sixpence in 2015.

He went on to study at the famous Trinity Laban stage school in London and at the weekend he made his first professional appearance in the West End revival of Tim Rice and Stuart Brayson's epic musical From Here To Eternity at the Charing Cross Theatre.

On its Facebook page the Operatic Society says: "2022 has been quite the year for Cassius, as he graduated from Trinity Laban earlier this year.

"It predictably didn't take long for Cassius to make his mark, as he reached the final of the Stephen Sondheim Society's Student Performer of the Year competition in May, and made in his West End debut in The Secret Garden at The London Palladium in August.

"You may have also seen Cassius starring in several adverts since graduating, as he appeared in a commercial for Android and interrupted the singing of none other than Ellie Goulding in an another advert for SPAR."

* Cassius Hackforth in 2016.

New acupuncture clinic opens in Llangollen

* Jo Pearson has opened her own acupuncture clinic.

J K Acupuncture is now open, providing a dedicated space in Llangollen for the traditional Chinese medicine of acupuncture.  

Practitioner Jo Pearson, whose business it is, said: “I’m so excited to finally realise my dream opening an acupuncture clinic in my home town for the community of Llangollen.  I’ve made every effort to provide a calm and peaceful environment for my patients and cannot wait to welcome people to the clinic."

Jo said: "Acupuncture is a well respected therapy that has demonstrable benefits for many health conditions such as sciatica, stress, anxiety, depression, migraines, tinnitus, asthma, fertility, Bell's Palsy and insomnia. 

"Each treatment is tailored to meet the individual's needs and seeks to treat the underlying cause, as opposed to merely treating the symptoms.  

"TCM Acupuncture is widely used alongside Western medicine with patients typically reporting health benefits including pain relief, reduction of symptoms and a general sense of wellbeing." 

* The inside of the clinic.

With a BSc (Hons) in Acupuncture, Jo is a fully qualified and licenced Traditional Chinese Medicine practitioner, with membership of the Association of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ATCM) and the British Acupuncture Federation (BAF).

She has lived in Llangollen for nearly 20 years and will be a familiar face to many having performed with Llangollen Pantomime Group and Llangollen Operatic Society. 

The clinic has daytime and evening appointments available. To book or for more information, contact Jo on:

* Tel:  07413 293408.  

* Email:  info@jkacupuncture.co.uk 

* Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100085066451166 

* Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/p/CkQrd9ttV8l/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

Roadworks planned for Church Street

 

Latest local roadworks alert from one.network is: 

Church Street, Denbighshire 31 October - 02 November   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Road closure   Description: New service required at property. Excavation of a joint bay in footway outside 5a Church Street and...   Works location: Outside 5   Public facing description: one.network has automatically assigned a category of Unclassified works to this Works based on the information available. Please note: Works Descriptions are not published by SP Energy Networks.   Responsibility for works: SP Energy Networks   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: GY002CCT971139

Bikers attend service in square to launch Poppy Appeal

* The Centenary Square service is conducted by Father Lee Taylor and the Rev Rebecca Cannon.

* Bikers gather for the Act of Remembrance.

* A bugler sounds Last Post.

* One of the bikers lays a wreath at the foot of the war memorial.

Around 20 Legion Bikers - the motorcycle branch of the Royal British Legion - attended a special Service of Remembrance in Llangollen's Centenary Square this morning (Sunday) marking the official launch of the 2022 Poppy Appeal.  

It was conducted jointly by Father Lee Taylor from Collen's Church and the Rev Rebecca Cannon.

The service included the traditional prayers, bugle calls and the minute's silence.

The bikers visit a number of parishes in North Wales as part of the commemorative event.   

Talented cast present Collen Players' latest music hall show

Pictures by Jeanette Robinson

* The cast of the music hall and variety show.

* Esme Salnow, left, and Sue Stokes.

* Phil Robinson.

* John Williams.

* Chairman Lee Taylor.

* Sue Stokes.

* Esme Salnow.

* Accompanist Owen Roberts.

A diverse array of talented performers presented Collen Players' latest old time music hall and variety show at the Community Centre yesterday evening.

Presided over as usual by Father Lee Taylor in his guise as the quick-talking Victorian music hall chairman, the show got under way with a selection of rousing songs from the era under his direction with which the packed audience sang enthusiastically along.  

First up on stage was Players' regular Sue Stokes accompanying herself on the ukelele with a rousing Knees Up Mother Brown. She was assisted by returning favourite Esme Salnow who provided the dance exertion to move the number along.

Next it was the turn of another cast regular Phil Robinson to describe in colourful terms how My Old Man's a Dustman. 

Esme was back shortly afterwards to present two songs in her own polished period style - Under the Bed and Burlington Bertie.

Right after the break and more patter plus a Max Bygraves selection from the chairman, Sue Stokes returned to the stage with My Old Man Said Follow the Van and then Phil Robinson was back to relate that plaintive cry of Alfie Dootlittle from My Fair Lady of Get Me to the Church on Time.

In his appearances John Williams provided moving versions of the standards Keep Right on to the End of the Road, The End of the Day and Roses of Picardy.

In was then time for a touch of old Hollywood-style glitz as Esme came back to sing and soft-shoe-shuffle her way through I'm Going to Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter and Putting on the Ritz.

Accompanist for the evening was Owen Roberts.

The now-traditional rousing choruses of Down at the Old Bull and Bush, ably augmented by the audience, brought the evening's enjoyable proceedings to a fitting close.    

Meeting planned to take forward Llan Parkrun

* Photograph courtesy and with thanks to volunteers at Henley Wood Parkrun, Oswestry.

Local people are being invited to a meeting at Llangollen Health Centre in Bishop’s Walk  on the evening of November 8, starting at 7pm, to discuss setting up a Park Run for Llangollen. 

A spokesperson for the group said: "We need amongst other things to set up a core group who will be responsible for establishing and launching our Parkrun. 

"We also need a team of people to volunteer on a regular basis - every Saturday at 9am once the event is launched - to marshall the course and we will also need time-keepers, bar-code scanners and people to lay out the course and clear it up after the event. It’s great community fun.

"We will explain everything at the meeting and look forward to your attendance."

Woodland trees to be felled to prevent spread of larch disease

* Foel-woodland.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) will begin to fell larch trees at Foel Woodland, near Llangollen, this November.

This is part of NRW’s Larch Reduction Strategy to help control the spread of Phytophthora ramorum, commonly known as larch disease.

NRW will then replant and establish a native woodland within the felled areas. This is part of the staged approach to the eventual removal of all larch from within the Foel Woodland.

The work will involve felling the trees with the use of a harvester and chainsaw support. The operations will begin in November 2022 with the aim of being finished by April 2023.

Once removed they will go to sawmills to be used for house building material, fencing and wood fuel.

The Foel Woodland block is located directly above the village of Pentredwr, about three miles to the north of Llangollen and clearly visible from the Horseshoe Pass.

Aidan Cooke, Senior Officer Forest Operation for NRW, said: “Felling the larch trees now allows us to adequately plan for a sensitive operation without the timing restrictions of a Statutory Plant Health Notice.

“By removing Larch trees from the Foel in stages, we will have the opportunity to re-create a diverse and resilient native woodland habitat throughout the woodland to help benefit wildlife and enhance the environment for everyone’s enjoyment.

“We will work closely with the Forestry Works Manager and the local community in Pentredwr throughout the tree felling operations to reduce the impact of the works wherever possible.”

* If you have any concerns regarding the scheduled works please contact North East Wales’ Forest Operations Team via email on ForestOperationsNE@cyfoethnaturiolcymru.gov.uk.

Forester is up there with the best off-roaders

Subaru Forester drive by Steve Rogers

Let’s face it, you don’t see many Subaru Foresters around yet this car is up there with the best off roaders money can buy, its sophisticated all wheel drive system capable of handling conditions many drivers would be afraid to attempt.

The brand is best known for its rally winning Imprezza which was also favoured by the cops because tearaway drivers couldn’t get away from it.

Subaru would prefer that side of the business was confined to its proud history preferring to concentrate on more economic, environmentally friendly cars. The new Solterra, for instance, is an eye catching electric car so the company has definitely drawn a line under its wild side.

Forester has been around for 25 years but has never enjoyed the success of more illustrious rivals. It is not that Subaru models are not liked, there are just not enough showrooms to get customers interested.

Which is not the case if you travel further afield. I have just spent some time on the east coast of Canada and over the border into Boston where Subaru models, particularly the XV Cross Trek, are as common as Tim Horton doughnut cafes. And it is much the same story in Nordic countries although the clue there is snow!

On the surface Forester should stand up to scrutiny against any of its medium sized SUV rivals. It is a roomy, solidly built, well equipped car that can go anywhere and pretty much do anything.

The permanent symmetrical all wheel drive system called X-Mode has gained legendary status making Forester far and away the most capable off roader in its league. If you are a caravanner worried about the cost of diesel then Forester is a good option and has the best towing capacity of any hybrid SUV.

Is it over engineered for our needs? Money no object punters who spend £90k on a Range Rover don’t care about paying for off road technology that will never be used, but lower down the chain nearly 40 grand for a Forester is quite a slab against £33,000 for a basic Honda CR-V.

The real point here is that Forester, along with its siblings, is engineered for markets that need the highest level of off road ability but it does not deserve to be ignored  by UK drivers.

That said there is a lot more to the car than its ability to traverse rocks, greasy drops and the like. It has been given a mild facelift with a redesigned grille and light signature but more significantly is built on a new platform which has made it more engaging to drive and improved passenger comfort.

With the diesel engine dropped the only power unit is the trusty 2-litre flat four Boxer mated to a CVT gearbox that works better than most, a rarity these days. Economy was always its Achilles heal but things have improved with the addition of hybrid power.

I was expecting no more than low thirties at best and was gobsmacked when it pumped in a 46.3 on a 340 mile round trip. Where did that come from?

The cabin trim has a quality feel and at first glance the layout is pleasing with touchscreen and clear tactile switches for the heating controls. But a closer look revealed areas that are outdated.

I like my switches, especially to work the heating rather than scrolling though a touchscreen, but the centre console is awash with them, and there are more.  Below and to the right of the steering wheel is a bank of eight whose symbols cannot be read so they need to be memorised. This is not good.

What is good is the Eyesight safety system. This was ground breaking when introduced in 2016 using two cameras built into the rear view mirror to monitor and take evasive action in an emergency. That has three new functions including recognizing the edge of the road and grass when the lane departure system is activated.

The problem for Forester is that it is not seen as a fashionable alternative to more trendy rivals like Mazda CX-5, Toyota RAV4 or Honda CR-V but is certainly underrated and deserves the title as an off road maestro.

Fast facts

Forester e-Boxer XE Premium

£40,895 (starts £37,895)

2-litre petrol; 164bhp

0-62mph 11.8secs; 117mph

41.9mpg combined

Road tax £155

Insurance group 23

Boot 509-1779 litres

Towing 1870kg

NatWest to close Castle Street cashpoint next month

* The cashpoint in Castle Street set to be closed.

Operators NatWest have confirmed to Clwyd South MS Ken Skates that they are decommissioning their cashpoint in Castle Street.  

They say the move comes after they failed to reach agreement with the landlord of the property in which is its located.  

Mr Skates says he is "extremely disappointed" and will be making further representations to the company. 

An official statement sent to Mr Skates said: "We have retained an ATM in Llangollen since the closure of the NatWest branch in 2015. 

"With the lease up for renewal, we entered into negotiations with the landlord but unfortunately were unable to reach an agreement, and as such, a decision was recently made to remove the ATM, with the new space created being utilised by the existing building tenant, Trespass. 

“Before making our decision, we undertook a review of the area’s free cash access. With the Barclays ATM on Castle Street, the ATM at Co-op on Regent Street, as well as the Post Office on Berwyn Road, we felt the community still had good free access to cash, even with our ATM being removed. 

“The NatWest mobile bank also visits the community on Fridays between 11.30am-12.30pm in the Market Street Car Park where customers can withdraw cash, pay in cash, as well speak to our team about their banking. 

“The ATM will remain in use until around 13 November, before the decommissioning starts. 

“I appreciate however that some of your constituents may find this disappointing.”

Twenty Club to stage classic Vicar of Dibley show

* From left: Mrs Cropley (Heather Wolffson), Alice Tinker (Bev Maier) and Frank Pickle (Arwel Jarvis).

The Twenty Club drama group  of Llangollen are well into their rehearsals for the iconic Vicar of Dibley play, having performed a different selection of episodes some years ago. 

This much-awaited second series includes Dibley on Air and the Second Coming, in which the Dibley nativity play with a difference goes all rather wrong. 

According to director Chrissie Ashworth, the cast are enthusiastic and hard working and aiming to provide lots of laughs and good humour on the way.  

She said set building is going on apace and the club is applying its usual attention to detail to ensure that everything is spot-on and in keeping with late 1990s/2000 period in which the show is set. 

"Everybody loved the warm-hearted, vivacious vicar and her unworldly yet lovable verger," explained Chrissie, "and the actors are really stepping up to the mark, making sure that they are as close to the original characters as possible. 

"Who can help but have a soft spot for the likes of Jim (no no no no), the unkempt sex-starved farmer Owen, the precise boring Frank who harbours a wistful secret, mad Mrs Cropley with her offerings of unusual combinations in her bakes, the lovable simplistic Hugo with his overbearing father David complemented by Geraldine Grainger the Vicar and her adorable verger Alice Tinker.

"They are all her just waiting to entertain you, so do make a note in your diary and come along.  A good time with non stop laughter guaranteed."

The Vicar of Dibley will be staged at Llangollen Town Hall from Wednesday November 16t Saturday November 19 at 7.30pm with a matinee on the Saturday at 2.30 pm.

Stage play is by Ian Gower and Paul Carpenter adapted from the original TV series by Richard Curtiss and Paul Mayhew-Archer with kind permission of Tiger Aspect Productions. 

* Tickets  - £12 and £10 concessions - are available online at: ticketsource.co.uk/llangollentwentyclub or from Courtyard Books, Llangollen Oggie Shop or Jenni in Market Street. Tickets also available from cast and crew members, and at the door, subject to availability. 

New Rotary club collects first unwanted bras for recycling

* Llangollen Co-op's Mandy Hughes with the bras collected there.

* David Gough and the bra collection at Llangollen Nisa store.

The new Vale of Llangollen Rotary has collected its first unloved, ill-fitting unwanted bras from the Co-Op and the Nisa (Stans) supermarkets in town.

Both stores have been hosting pink Against Breast Cancer Bra Bank bins near the doors where the underwear can be deposited. 

The Rotary club says it doesn't matter what condition the bra is in but they need it to be laundered. 

The initiative aims to keep these valuable textiles out of landfill, helps support the Against Breast Cancer charity in the UK and also families in Africa.

The collected bras will go to a recycling company in the UK to get sorted and baled to start a new life in Africa such as Togo, Ghana and Kenya.

Here the bales are bought by the African women to support small businesses for the women to help their families by selling them on local markets.

Rotary says new bras are impossibly expensive to make and buy in places like Africa. 

One of the unexpected gains of the initiative, now that these bras are affordable in town markets, is that more women are now wearing bras and sexual assault has gone down.

Many of the bras are resalable as they are. Some are taken apart by the African women and remade as cottage industries. The ones that are not reusable in the sorting process in the UK are broken down and recycled as cotton waste and metal. 

Against Breast Cancer have teamed up with a UK recycling company who help small businesses in Africa. The recycling company are donating £700 to cancer research for every tonne of bras collected, 

Vale of Llangollen Rotary is ready to welcome individuals and couples of 18+ from the local community who want to be “people of action”.  

A spokesperson said: "We normally meet face-to-face, at the Liberty Tavern, 20 Market Street, Llangollen on Monday evenings at 7.30pm and meet in the bar. Alternatively, people can join the meeting from wherever they are via our Zoom account connection."

* The club has another introductory meeting at Liberty Tavern tonight (Monday) starting at 7.30pm.

Guest Eiri Jones will make a presentation on the importance of soil, and how healthy soil is part of the solution to the challenges we face as a global community. And how we as conscious human beings can be part of the solution. 

* For more information on what their new style of Rotary has to offer contact Mike Lade on 07803 038858, valeofllangollenrotary@gmail.com or see www.valeofllangollenrotary.com.

Latest Citizens Advice column

Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice is: 

Q: The cost of things just keeps going up. The food shop doesn’t stretch as far and my bills just keep getting higher. I’ve made cutbacks and, at the moment, I’m just about managing but I’m really worried about how I’ll cope as it starts getting colder. What should I do? 

A: You’re not alone in struggling with rising costs, but it’s important to know there is support available. 

If you’re finding it hard to stay on top of bills, make sure you know what money you’ve got coming in and out each month. Citizens Advice has an online budgeting tool that can help with this. 

It’s also worth finding out if you’re eligible for any benefits or support with your energy and living costs. On the Citizens Advice website there’s a benefits calculator, advice on how to reduce living costs and information on other ways to increase your income. 

The good news is there is help with rising energy bills. From October 1 2022, there’s a limit on gas and electricity prices for most households - this is called the Energy Price Guarantee and will be in place for two years. 

From October you’ll also get £400 off your electricity bill. This is called the Energy Bills Support Scheme. 

You don’t need to do anything to get the money and you won’t have to pay it back. The money will be paid in six instalments, you’ll get £66 in October and November followed by £67 in December, January, February and March. 

You should automatically receive the energy discount if you pay by direct debit, standard credit or payment card. 

If you have a prepayment meter that isn’t a smart meter, you’ll get the discount via vouchers or as an automatic credit when you top up at your usual top-up point. Your supplier will let you know how they will issue it. 

If you have a smart prepayment meter, the credit should be automatically added to your meter.

If you can’t pay your bills, speak to your energy supplier as they have a responsibility to help you come up with a solution. 

Remember, if you need personalised support, contact your local Citizens Advice or call our Adviceline on 0800 144 8848.

Local MP again backs Sunak in Tory leadership race

* The Tweet by Simon Baynes yesterday.

Clwyd South Conservative MP Simon Baynes says he is once again backing Rishi Sunak in the latest Tory leadership race, as he did in the last contest back in July.

In a Tweet on his own page yesterday Mr Baynes said: "I am backing @RishiSunak in the leadership election: he has the energy, experience and compassion to be an outstanding Prime Minister."

He also supported the former Chancellor in the last summer's leadership campaign and explained on his Facebook page at the time: "I have decided to back Rishi Sunak as I think he is the best placed in terms of ability and experience to be Prime Minister." 

BBC News reports this morning (Sunday) that Rishi Sunak is well ahead of his rivals in the contest to be the next PM, with at least 129 Tory MPs now backing him.

The BBC’s tally of public declarations of support currently has 55 MPs for Boris Johnson and 23 for Penny Mordaunt - candidates need 100 by Monday.

MP praises success of town's country market

* Simon Baynes MP with (from left to right) Marjorie Crosbie (Chairperson), John Weedon, Marian Williams (Market Manager) and Joan Sneyd (Secretary).

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes recently visited Llangollen Country Market at the Memorial Hall in Bridge Street and praised its success. 

He met with Marjorie Crosbie (Chairperson), Marian Williams (Market Manager), Joan Sneyd (Secretary) and many other stall holders and people who were enjoying the market. 

The market currently takes place on the last Friday of the month from 9.45am-12.45pm and offers seasonal fruit and vegetables, local goods, art, crafts, cakes and much more. The next one is due to be held on Friday October 28.

Mr Baynes said: “It was great to visit the Llangollen Country Market and I would like to extend my thanks to Secretary, Joan Sneyd, for inviting me. 

"It was fantastic to see the success of the market, meet with stall holders and see the variety of stalls that the market has to offer. 

"Everything sold there is home made so it provides a great outlet for people's craft, growing and culinary skills.  This is also a fantastic opportunity for the community to come together and I would strongly recommend a visit."

Steve highlights his three of the best new cars

* No. 1 - MG4 EV. 

* No. 2 - Lexus NX450H+ F Sport Takumi.

* No. 3 - Genesis GV60 EV.

Steve Rogers samples three 'brilliant' new cars

It is rare for me to award top honours to a car company two years running but it has happened.

This was the annual event run by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders when motoring journos get the chance to compare like for like from a variety of car companies. Last year my drive of the day went to the MG HS plug-in hybrid and the Chinese-owned company has done it again, with a car that is even better.

The MG4 EV is a brilliant budget busting electric car, and with a cost of living crisis and fuel prices through the roof it could not have picked a better time to arrive.

Check this out. A family hatchback the size of a Ford Focus or Volkswagen Golf with eye popping styling for a fiver under £26,000. An electric VW ID3 or Kia Niro EV will set you back an extra 10 grand. The trim quality right through the MG does not measure up to its well known rivals but it is plenty good enough and there were no creaks or rattles on the car I drove.

The entry SE goes with a 51kWh battery that is good for 218 miles, move up to 64kWh SE Long Range and it stretches to 281 miles. At £28,495 this is still bargain of the century territory. A fast charge from a public 150kW post will top the car up to 80 per cent power in 35 minutes.

Performance is on a par with the rest of the leccy pack with sixty coming up in brisk 7.5 seconds and although my drive was brief there were no complaints on the handling, comfort and steering front.

Equipment level from entry level is more than adequate with climate control, all round electric windows, automatic LED headlights, rear parking sensors, DAB radio, Apple CarPlay and Android Auto connections.

Even the all singing and dancing top of the range Trophy at £31,495 is a steal and will provide such luxuries as wireless mobile charging, 360 degree parking camera and powered seats.

I cannot think of any other electric car that comes close to the MG4 for value for money with few sacrifices and should be a shoe in for European Car of the Year.

Second slot goes to the new Lexus NX450H+ F Sport Takumi plug in hybrid, a hugely sophisticated car drawing on the decades of experience of parent company Toyota. What they don’t know about hybrid power is not worth knowing.

Power comes from a 305bhp 2.5 litre petrol with 43 miles of electric driving available and emissions between 20-26g/km.

It has a beautifully crafted cabin, is brilliant to drive but you will need to find £62,450.

Completing my top three is the Genesis GV60 EV. Launching a luxury brand in Europe, even if it does have the might of Hyundai footing the bill, is a huge challenge but the fledgling company is building a strong range.

Two things grabbed my attention: Phenomenal acceleration - FOUR seconds to reach 62mph,  50-75mph 2.5secs, from two electric motors with a total output of 480bhp, and a range of 289 miles.

Wow factor interior styling backed up by high quality materials and trim which it should be with the Fun model costing £71,445 (more than two MG4s). 

Have your say on new two-counties well-being plan

The Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board (PSB) have produced a draft Well-being Plan for the region and want to hear people’s views on the chosen objective and the approach to be taken.

The PSB is a collaboration between public and voluntary sector organisations who are working together to improve economic, social, environmental and cultural well-being in the region. 

Every five years, following an assessment of local well-being in its area, the PSB has to agree objectives for the benefit of its communities, and the steps it proposes to take to meet them.

The draft outlines the content of the PSB’s future Well-being Plan for 2023 to 2028, where the Board will focus on making Conwy and Denbighshire a more equal place with less deprivation.

This document provides only the outline of our plan, and it is through this consultation that we are seeking you views on the direction we are taking and the steps that we propose to take, which will then better inform a final version that we will approve in the Spring, 2023.

To share your views on the draft Well-being Plan, please visit the link: https://conwyanddenbighshirelsb.org.uk/draft-local-well-being-plan-2023-2028/ .

To request a paper copy, please get in touch through the contact us page.  Alternatively, you can also send any comments or suggestions on the Well-being Plan to countyconversation@conwy.gov.uk, or phone 01492 574059.

* For more information on the Conwy and Denbighshire Public Services Board (PSB), please visit https://www.conwyanddenbighshirepsb.org.uk/about-us/

Stunning new film highlights case for change at St Collen's

* A drone camera aerial shot of St Collen's place at the heart of the town featured in the film.   

Stunning aerial shots of St Collen's Church and the surrounding town of Llangollen feature in a new film just premiered on Youtube.

It was commissioned by the team leading the scheme to adapt the historic place of worship to meet the needs of the 21^st century and who invite people to get involved.

The Genesis Project had a professional film-maker create the short video in which priest-in-charge Father Lee Taylor warns how St Collen's - dating back to the 7^th century - could share the same fate as places of worship across Britain which have been forced to close, unless it makes a number of changes to create a more “flexible and inclusive” building for community use.

* Father Lee Taylor outlines the case for changes to the church. 

The project team is currently putting together an application for a substantial amount of Heritage Lottery cash to pay for the adaptions.

To a background of ecclesiastical music and interspersed with shots of the church plus stunning aerial sequences filmed with a drone camera, Father Lee stands in front of the altar and says: “The church dates back to the seventh century when Collen came here and parts of it are at least 13^th century.

“It has got some amazing architectural features such as the medieval hammerbeam roof and the legendary Ladies of Llangollen’s tomb in the churchyard.

* The magnificent medieval hammerbeam roof.

“But we have to move forward in order to meet the social and spiritual needs of the 21^st century and to do that we need to make some very big changes.

“Over the decades the Church generally has seen a downward trajectory in attendances and this has meant that a number of churches in Wales and in England have had to close.

“We don’t want that to happen here at St Collen’s, so what we propose to do is make a few alterations to the fabric of the building, taking away pews to make a space for a stage platform which will enable us to host more plays, concerts and school nativities and bring in more sections of the community.

“There is also a desperate need for toilet facilities and better heating and lighting to generally allow the building to have more flexibility and inclusivity, allowing people to feel part of this building when they visit.”

* An aerial shot of the tomb of the Ladies of Llangollen in the churchyard.

He adds: “The church has always been the focal point of the community and is always here to serve the needs of the community.

“We very much want our community in Llangollen to get involved with the Genesis Project. We’d love to hear from you – tell us what you think about it, whether you’d like to get involved.

“We very much want to see all organisations and groups coming into this building - which is your building – and using and using it to its full potential capacity.”

* Anyone wanting to find out more about the project or to become involved with it is asked to email the project team at: genesisteam1300@gmail.com

* The film can be viewed on Youtube at: https://youtu.be/7HFpmclaElI