Biggest parade in years kicks off Christmas Festival

Special llanblogger report and pictures

* The firework display lights up the town.

* Town crier Chem leads the festival parade into town over the bridge.

The biggest parade in years, featuring everything from a penny farthing bike to a Rolls Royce and a cavalcade of vintage tractors to a tuk tuk, kicked of this year's Llangollen Christmas Festival in fine style watched by a huge crowd.

And later the mayoress of Llangollen - now probably better known as Big Brother housemate Sarah Griffiths - assisted the mayor Cllr Aled Morris, rounded off a great day by switching on the town's Christmas lights.

As the rain held off things began early with the opening up of a wide array of around 30 stalls and a traditional children's ride in Market Street, which were all kept busy throughout the day.     

Centenary Square saw stalls showcasing the contribution of local community groups and outside the Tourist Information Centre there were more stalls manned by  charity and community groups.

The square also housed a programme of musical entertainment and morris dancing displays.

 

Throughout the day there was a treasure hunt involving many of the town's shops.

The big festival parade came through just after 1pm, starting at the Pavilion and heading into town along Abbey Road, Castle Street, Bridge Street, Chapel Street, Oak Street and back onto Castle Street stopping off outside the Town Hall. 

 

During the afternoon the Town Hall was the scene of children’s entertainment with Sion Corn’s Grotto, circus school, face painting, balloon sculpture, bouncy play and morris dancing, all of it free of charge.

 

Just after darkness fell came the highpoint of the switching on of the Christmas lights by the mayor and mayoress followed by a massive fireworks display touched off from the hill overlooking the town which lit up the sky and delighted the crowds.

All the proceeds from the festival will go to local charities and good causes.

* Llangollen Silver Band sets the parade tempo.

* A vintage car delights the crowds.

* A brewery dray hauled by two magnificent horses came in all the way from Stockport to join the parade.

* The first of many decorated tractors thunders in.

* In contrast came youngsters on their scooters.

* A WW2 Jeep and veteran car were next in line.

* A penny farthing cyclist followed by a colourful tuk tuk.

* Back on foot for the morris dancers.

* A couple of cute four-legged friends clip-clop in.

* Sion Corn in his sleigh greets the crowds on the bridge.

* One of a group of vintage tractors in the parade.

* Cheering occupants of a tractor-pulled trailer.

* A vintage Rolls Royce brings up the rear of the parade.

* Saying it with stilts.

* Market Street was temporarily closed to allow the stalls to be set up.

* A street performer plays in Market Street.

* The hook-a-duck stall does a brisk trade.

* Clywedog Steel Band plays in Centenary Square.

* A colourful bunch out collecting for the Christmas Festival.

* The mayor and mayoress, Cllr Aled Morris and Sarah Griffiths, are greeted by town crier Chem outside the Town Hall.

* The mayor greets Sion Corn at the Town Hall.

* Karl Joseph performs in the square.

* Chris Burton performs a Beatles medley with a Christmas flavour.

* The mayor and mayoress switch on the lights.

* The fireworks display. 

... and at the end of the day some long bus queues home

Llangollen ready for its annual Christmas Festival today

* The massive fireworks display that brought last year's Christmas Festival to an end.

Llangollen's annual Christmas Festival, all completely free and with proceeds to local charities, is today (Saturday) and here is the full programme of events:

 

10am

 

Christmas Market – Approximately 30 Stalls

 

Market Street - The majority of stallholders will be local crafters

 

Centenary Square – Local community groups

 

Outside Tourist Information Centre – Local charity and community groups

 

Throughout the day - Treasure hunt around town

 

12am – 5pm

 

Musical entertainment and morris dancing in Centenary Square

 

1pm

 

Christmas Festival Parade, starting at the Pavilion and heading into town along Abbey Road, Castle Street, Bridge Street, Chapel Street, Oak Street and back onto Castle Street stopping outside the Town Hall. 

 

1pm

 

Town Hall - Open children’s entertainment with Sion Corn’s Grotto, circus school, face painting, balloon sculpture, bouncy play, morris dancing. All free.

 

5pm

 

Switching-on of the Christmas lights (Town Council) Fireworks

Llangollen's MP votes in favour of assisted dying Bill

The House of Commons has approved at second reading a bill to allow some terminally ill people to end their lives with medical assistance in England and Wales.

A total of  330 MPs voted in favour of the Bill while 275 voted against.

Among those who supported the legislation was Clwyd East's Labour MP Becky Gittins whose constituency includes Llangollen.

Roadworks notification for A539 near Sun Trevor

Denbighshire County Council has issued the following notification of forthcoming roadworks in the area:

Collen Players' present their Christmas show next month

 

Urgent appeal launched to save historic roof of St Collen's

* The magnificent medieval hammer-beam roof of St Collen’s.

* A medieval carving of an angel which adorns the church’s ceiling.

* Genesis Project leader Suzanne Evans looks at the historic ceiling.

St Collen's Church has launched an urgent funding appeal to save its internationally-famous medieval roof from decay and possible loss.

Llangollen's parish church has put out the call to the community for help with repair and conservation after being told that Cadw, the Welsh Government’s historic environment service, is unable to contribute.

The church itself is one of Wales’ cherished historical treasures and its magnificent medieval hammer-beam roof dating back to the 16th century is acknowledged as a masterpiece of craftsmanship.

Yet concerned church officials say this architectural gem, visited and enjoyed by hundreds of people from across the world every year, faces a critical moment as it is in urgent need of conservation.

Suzanne Evans, who leads the Genesis Project which is currently overseeing the re-ordering of St Collen’s to make it fit to meet the needs of the 12st century, warns: “Without prompt attention the roof is at serious risk of decay and we risk losing an irreplaceable piece of Welsh history that has weathered many centuries.

“The roof at St Collen’s is no ordinary structure. It is an extraordinary testament to the skill and vision of our ancestors. Its timber beams have watched over centuries of Welsh tradition and storytelling, and have housed the bardic voices of our past.

“With its hammer-beam architecture—a technique popular during the medieval period and seen in few places across Wales—the roof is as much a monument to our cultural identity as it is an architectural wonder.”

She added: “Each beam and carved detail echoes the lore of our forebears, standing as a symbol of community, resilience and the artistic heritage that has defined Wales.

“But now the beauty and history of this roof are at risk. Years of exposure have weakened its timbers, and urgent conservation is required to prevent irreversible damage.

“The cost of preserving this heritage is beyond the means of the church’s current resources, and Cadw has confirmed that they are unable to contribute to the essential funding needed to preserve it.

“We have therefore launched a community fundraiser to rally support to save this historic roof for future generations.

“The goal is to raise money to fund the conservation work required to stabilise and restore the structure, ensuring it remains a fixture of Welsh heritage for centuries to come.

“This appeal calls upon the people of Wales, heritage enthusiasts, and supporters worldwide to step forward and help safeguard a piece of history that belongs to all of us.

“This is a unique opportunity to unite for our shared past, to protect the spirit of the bardic tradition, and to secure a lasting legacy for our nation.

“Every contribution, however small, will bring us closer to preserving St Collen’s. Let us come together to restore, protect, and celebrate this invaluable link to our cultural identity.

“Donations can be made through the JustGiving page at: https://www.justgiving.com/page/suzanne-evans-1731940087347 and we invite everyone who holds Welsh heritage close to their hearts to support this cause and help us save an amazing piece of Wales for the generations to come.”

Skates says re-opening Newbridge Road will be 'invaluable'

Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates has said the reopening of Newbridge Road will prove "invaluable" after a frustrating four year wait. 

* For the full story, see the Leader at: Newbridge Road reopening will be 'invaluable': Ken Skates | The Leader

New National Park would 'build on all that's best' say campaigners

* Front cover of the report from the Campaign for National Parks and supporters.

The creation of a new National Park in North East Wales provides an important and timely opportunity to build on all that is best about the existing Designated Landscapes in Wales and maximise the benefits of designation.

That’s the message from the Campaign for National Parks in a new report focused on the new National Park plan for North East Wales which includes Llangollen.

It has been produced by the Campaign, which is a registered charity, in conjunction with the Alliance for Welsh Designated Landscapes and a range of supporters including the Friends of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley, North Wales Wildlife Trust, the National Trust, Ramblers Cymru, the World Wildlife Fund and the Royal Society for Protection of Birds.

The 27-page report says: “We believe that this new National Park, the first to be designated in Wales for over 60 years, should be an exemplar for nature, climate and people.

“This new National Park can build on the existing model of National Parks, whilst recognising the challenges of today and the opportunities to do some things differently that sets the standard for future designations.”

However, the report adds that delivering this ambition will only be possible if the right supporting framework is in place which supporters believe should include:

·    * Increased funding: A commitment to new and ongoing funding at a level which will enable the new National Park to achieve its full potential whilst ensuring that there are no detrimental impacts on the existing Designated Landscapes in Wales.

·    * Modernised governance arrangements which ensure that those involved in making decisions about the new National Park are representative of both the local population and the wider population of Wales and have the necessary skills.

·    * A single planning authority: A dedicated National Park Authority (NPA) with responsibility for both plan-making and planning decisions across the whole of the newly designated area.

·    * An emphasis on species recovery: A programme of support which focuses on reintroducing lost species and reversing the decline of vulnerable ones.

The report's narrative adds: “Whilst we recognise that some of the above will require legislative changes in the longer term, every effort should be made within the existing National Parks framework to achieve as much progress as possible without delaying this designation.

* The report is available on the Campaign for National Parks website here 

One of a series of special consultation events being held by Natural Resources Wales (NRW) on the National Park proposals is planned for Llangollen Town Hall on December 10, from 3-7pm.

Santa's Fun Trail to feature in Saturday's Christmas Festival

* Santa Bear with the special Fun Trail badge to look out for.

A game specially with youngsters in mind will be a key feature of this year's Llangollen Christmas Festival which takes place next Saturday, November 30. 

Like last year, there will be lots of characters for the players in the Fun Trail to discover displayed in the windows of various businesses around the town.  

There will be more windows than ever in the game this year and characters are all cuddly toys.

As some of the shops already display toys, to distinguish Santa Bear's friends from any other toys they'll all be wearing the special Fun Trail badge as modelled by Santa Bear himself in the picture above.

When the players have found as many as they can, they can take their form back to the Town Hall to claim their own Fun Trail badge and a small prize.

FESTIVAL PROGRAMME

 

10am

 

Christmas Market – Approximately 30 Stalls

 

Market Street - The majority of stallholders will be local crafters

 

Centenary Square – Local community groups

 

Outside Tourist Information Centre – Local charity and community groups

 

Throughout the day - Treasure hunt around town

 

12am – 5pm

 

Musical entertainment and morris dancing in Centenary Square

 

1pm

 

Christmas Festival Parade, starting at the Pavilion and heading into town along Abbey Road, Castle Street, Bridge Street, Chapel Street, Oak Street and back onto Castle Street stopping outside the Town Hall. 

 

1pm

 

Town Hall - Open children’s entertainment with Sion Corn’s Grotto, circus school, face painting, balloon sculpture, bouncy play, morris dancing. All free.

 

5pm

 

Switching-on of the Christmas lights (Town Council) Fireworks

Festival chair Austin “Chem” Cheminais, said: “Llangollen Christmas Festival is organised by volunteers from the community who freely give their time and expertise to organise and run the event. It is not a Town Council event, although they do support us.

 

“The festival is a not-for-profit community event aimed at local people. We aim to make the Christmas Festival a totally free event, with no charge for activities or entertainment.

 

“We are funded through fund raising events, donations, sponsorship, a raffle and grants when available. Annually the group has to raise about £4,000 to fund the event."