Ysgol Dinas Bran wins award for its international work

* Becky Gittins with Andy Wallis from Ysgol Dinas Bran.

Ysgol Dinas Bran in Denbighshire has been awarded the British Council’s prestigious International School Award in recognition of its work to bring the world into the classroom.

This year marks the 25th anniversary of the award, which celebrates the achievements of schools that do exceptional work in global education. 

Bringing an international dimension into the curriculum is at the heart of the British Council’s work with schools, so that young people gain the cultural understanding and skills they need for life and work in today’s world.

At the recent 2025 award ceremony local MP Becky Gittins met Andy Wallis from Ysgol Dinas Bran to congratulate him on the school’s achievement.

She said: “Huge congratulations to Ysgol Dinas Bran for everything they have done to earn this prestigious award.

“The International School Award encourages and support schools to embed an international ethos and a whole school approach to international work. It also encourages collaboration with several partner schools on curriculum-based work and year round international activity, as well as providing a real focus on involving the local community.

“It was a pleasure to learn more about what the school has been doing to bring a real international dimension to its children’s education.”

Put your best foot forward to explore Dee Valley delights

* Snowdrops at St Tysilio’s Church. 

The Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape Countryside Rangers are leading a series of guided walks in the Dee Valley.

Crossing parts of south Denbighshire, the Dee Valley is an iconic area of truly outstanding scenic and visual quality, featuring a diverse landscape of heather moorland, limestone crags, ancient woodlands and windswept hilltops, all cut by the sweeping River Dee.

The scenic landscapes, dramatic summits and historic towns and villages have inspired folklore, literature, painting and music over many centuries.

National Landscape rangers with support from Nature for Health and also Denbighshire Housing put on regular Dee Valley guided walks, showing the work they are doing to protect and conserve the area, and guiding people to embrace the landscape and heritage which makes it so special, all while enjoying the added benefits of being outdoors.

The next guided walk be discovering the snowdrops at St Tysilio’s Church on Thursday February 6 from 1pm until 3pm. 

The meeting point will be at Llantysilio Green. Overlooking the Horseshoe Falls, St Tysilio’s is famed for its carpet of Snowdrops, thought to date from the thirteen century.

On Tuesday March 11, from 1pm until 3pm, rangers will lead a guided walk around Wenffrd Nature Reserve and Llangollen Canal. 

The reserve winds through a variety of habitats and offers beautiful views across the River Dee. The meeting place is Wenffrwd Nature Reserve.

Councillor Alan James, Denbighshire Cabinet Lead Member for Local Development and Planning, said: “Getting outdoors is so beneficial for boosting physical and mental health and I would encourage anyone to join these fantastic, guided walks by the rangers to learn about the management and history of the Dee Valley area."

* For further details and to book on to the walks please email chloe.webster@denbighshire.gov.uk

Newbridge Road repairs due to be completed in May, says report

North Wales Live is reporting that repairs to a section of Newbridge Road wrecked by a landslide four years ago are on course to be completed in May. 

Its closure and the diversions through Llangollen which it caused have brought misery to local residents and businesses since 2021.

* For the full story, see: End in sight for North Wales landslip road after years-long closure for repairs - North Wales Live

Latest roadworks alerts from the county council

Latest roadworks alerts from Denbighshire County Council are:

Hall St jct with A5 Berwyn St, Llangollen HALL STREET 27/01/2025 28/03/2025 Gwaith Ar Wal Gynnal/ Retaining Wall Works OBR CONSTRUCTION

OUTSIDE NUMBER 3 GREEN LANE 03/02/2025 07/02/2025 Gwaith Nwy / Gas Works WALES & WEST UTILITIES (D LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

NR CATTLE GRID A539 LLANGOLLEN ROAD LLANGOLLEN LL20 7UH A539 LLANGOLLEN ROAD 20/02/2025 20/02/2025 2 Way signals is required for safe pole testing works. SUNBELT RENTALS

Hall Street, Llangollen. 12/04/2025 17/04/2025 Gwaith Draenio / Drainage Works NMWTRA (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

PARKING BAY EAST STREET EAST STREET 28/01/2025 30/01/2025 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (GEORGIA) LLANGOLLEN Atal Parcio yn unig / Parking Suspension Only

GLAN YR AFON HORSESHOE PASS VIEW 10/02/2025 10/02/2025 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

O/S NUMBER 20 CASTLE STREET 07/04/2025 09/04/2025 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

A539 Verge PANORAMA WALK 03/02/2025 07/02/2025 Cynnal y Lon Gerbydau/ Carrigeway Maintenance DCC HIGHWAYS Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

County council kept busy dealing with trees felled by storm Éowyn

During last weekend’s storm Éowyn, which saw strong winds and rainy showers, the council responded to a number of fallen trees, as well as other disruptions on Denbighshire's road network.

Their highways teams were stationed ready on Thursday evening, working out-of-hours ready to respond to callouts.

A total of 29 calls were attended to from fallen tree reports throughout Friday and the weekend, with the teams working with local partners to quickly clear roads around the whole county. 

Along with the calls about fallen trees, a number of more minor reports were attended to along the road network.

Paul Jackson, Head of Highways & Environmental Services, said: “The highways teams were prepared for this recent spell of bad weather, and worked in very windy and unfavourable conditions to ensure that our road network stayed open and safe throughout the weather warning period.”

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “I’d like to thank our highways teams, as well as the multiple partners we work with for their quick response to a number of fallen tree reports throughout the weekend. They help keep our roads safe and secure, making sure our roads are passable.”

 

Students will continue to benefit from education grants, says Skates

* Minister for Further and Higher Education, Vikki Howells, discusses the grants with students.

Thousands of students in Denbighshire and Wrexham will continue to benefit from weekly grants from the Welsh Labour Government, says a local Member of the Senedd.

More post-16 learners in colleges and sixth forms will now receive the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) following a Welsh Government decision to uplift the household income thresholds – resulting in more families being able to apply.

EMA is a weekly grant of £40 designed to support 16 to 18-year-olds with further education costs.

Ken Skates, whose Clwyd South constituency includes parts of Wrexham and Denbighshire, said: “EMA was scrapped in England by the Tories and Lib Dems in 2011, and is retained at a lower rate of £30 in Scotland and Northern Ireland – meaning Wales’ system is the most generous in the UK.

“Currently around 16,000 Welsh learners receive EMA, which can be a lifeline for students, but starting from the new academic year in September an estimated 3,500 more will benefit.”

The threshold for households with one dependent child is currently £20,817, which will increase to £23,400 – meaning students in a household with an income of £23,400 or less will be eligible. The threshold for households with two or more dependents will also rise to £25,974 from £23,077

Last year, more than 1,000 students in Wrexham and Denbighshire received EMA, and around 3,500 across the two counties have benefited from the scheme in the past three years.

Minister for Further and Higher Education, Vikki Howells, said: “Wales already delivers the most generous Education Maintenance Allowance in the UK, helping post-16 learners to continue studying, and this change means we will now be supporting thousands more learners.

“We are very proud of our record in maintaining and increasing the Education Maintenance Allowance. We are clear that our Draft Budget is a budget for a brighter future and the uplift to EMA eligibility is one of the ways we are delivering this. The announcement means thousands more learners will now benefit from further financial support to continue their journey.”

Llangollen Railway features in two high-profile stories

* The story about the signal box planning application in Nation.Cymru.

A listed Victorian signal box in Llangollen could be turned into a wheelchair accessible wildlife viewing hub.

Llangollen Railway Trust has applied to Denbighshire’s planning department, seeking permission to build a wheelchair accessible platform adjacent to the historic signal box.

* For the full in Nation.Cymru story, see: Historic signal box could become wildlife viewing hub

And picturesque Berwyn Station is featured in an article in the Daily Express.

* To see the full story, go to: Beautiful Tudor train station next to river named as 'one of the best' in country

*Berwyn Station is featured in the Daily Express.

Dee Pizza restaurant hits national BBC headlines

* Dee Pizza is featured in a story on BBC Wales online.

Llangollen's Dee Pizza has hit the headlines on BBC Wales online for the way it has gone viral on TikTok.

The restaurant in Oak Street has surpassed 700,000 followers on the platform and their videos regularly get more than a million views.

* For the full story to go to: TikTok: How 'going viral' has changed the restaurant industry - BBC News

 

Reablement care service to expand within Denbighshire

Denbighshire County Council is expanding its Reablement Service in Adult Social Care, which helps residents do ordinary things such as dressing and cooking, by recruiting eight new staff. 

This forms part of Denbighshire’s transformation to ensure a sustainable social care service for the future, and also helps mitigate some of the financial pressures the council faces.

The new staff will be supporting people who need a hand to regain the skills to do everyday activities like cooking meals, washing, dressing, moving about the home and going out.

There are a number of reasons why people may need this support, like following a period of illness or a hospital stay. This support can last for as little as one or two weeks, but can be offered for up to six weeks if it is needed.

In addition to this support, the Care and Support Team offer longer term domiciliary support when this is required.

Darylanne, a Senior Care and Support Worker at the Council, said: “Our Reablement Service helps people to learn or re-learn the skills necessary to be able to engage in everyday activities, and to be as independent as possible. It is incredibly rewarding to see someone regain their independence and to start living their lives to the fullest.”

Ann Lloyd, Head of Service for Adult Social Care & Homelessness Service, said: “Being able to live as they wish in their own homes is vitally important to our residents, and we want to do everything possible to help them with this.

"With the right support at the right time, we can help residents have a better chance of maintaining their wellbeing, as well as stay independent in their own homes for longer.

We are looking for people who want to help residents gain skills, to help them to remain living independently at home, to come and join our team, and discover the rewarding role of caring for those who need our help."

Councillor Elen Heaton, Lead Member for Health and Social Care, said: “Residents who have just arrived home from hospital or treatment often need some support in adjusting back into domestic life, needing help with everyday tasks such as cooking, cleaning or maybe help with doing their shopping.

"A successful Reablement Worker has good communication skills, empathy and most of all a real commitment for helping those who need it. I’d urge anyone who feels this way to come and join our passionate and caring team.”

* The full job description and details of how to apply can be found here:

https://workfor.denbighshire.gov.uk/tlive_webrecruitment/wrd/run/ETREC107GF.open?VACANCY_ID%3d127371Dvif&WVID=7576912FL1&LANG=USA

For an informal chat about these roles, candidates can visit Hafan Deg, War Memorial Court, Grange Road, Rhyl LL18 4BS between 4:30-5:30pm on Thursday throughout January and February.

Energy company serves up fish and chips on town car park

                                                                               

* The fish and chip van sets up on the Market Street car park earlier this afternoon.

A mobile fish and chip shop is spending this afternoon (Saturday) serving portions of food to people on Llangollen’s Market Street car park.

The service has been laid on by local power provider SP Energy Networks (Scottish Power) which says on its website that for those without power as a result of Storm Éowyn hot meals are being provided via food trucks at a number of locations.

Most of these are in Scotland, which was worst hit by the storm, but also on the list was Llangollen where, between 1 and 4pm, the food van was to be parked up outside the town’s Food Share office.

On its own Facebook page Food Share posted: “Free fish and chips for people without power in Market Street car park outside Food Share.

“500 portions when they’re gone, they’re gone ... please spread far and wide so that people find out about this. This is provided by Scottish Power.”

Just after 1pm a queue was forming outside the truck as people began to collect their meals.

* Llangollen Food Share's Facebook post.

Trevor Hall features in sumptuous country house weekend

* The facade of historic Trevor Hall.

An historic Llangollen mansion features in a sumptuous £1,500-a-head long weekend aimed at book-lovers who also like to travel.

An organisation called Strong Sense of Place has a podcast, a website and a section dedicated to “travel and the books we love”.  

It has just sent details to potential travellers of a “Top Secret Very Exciting Project,” it says it has been working on behind the scenes and is billed as a “modern take on the traditional manor house weekend”.

Describing 18th century Trevor Hall on the outskirts of Llangollen, the blurb says: “Together, we'll make ourselves at home in this historic Georgian mansion surrounded by the picturesque North Wales countryside.

“We'll talk about books, share gourmet meals in the Great Hall, play parlor (sic) games, ramble in the Welsh hills, listen to stories by candlelight, and be dazzled by an illusionist from London.”

Clearly aimed at visitors from the United States, the weekend begins in Manchester on a Thursday where the group will take over a boutique hotel in the city center (sic), enjoy an evening pub meet-up and spend the night.

* The drawing room at Trevor Hall.

Next day the group visits the Elizabeth Gaskell House in Manchester for a private tour of the Victorian villa where the author wrote her classic novel North and South and entertained literary friends like Charlotte Brontë and Charles Dickens.

Later they move over the Welsh border to Llangollen – “a charming historic town on the River Dee in North Wales” and their destination of Trevor Hall.

There, the itinerary includes games and conversation in the drawing room, formal dinners in the Great Hall, cocktail party and full afternoon tea plus, on the Saturday night, a séance show with an illusionist from London..

The weekend also includes a guided walk along the Llangollen Canal.

Menus at Trevor Hall, according to Strong Sense of Place, have been designed in collaboration with Welsh caterers Chris and Amy Yapp.

“Their carefully crafted meals feature Welsh specialties — Glamorgan Sausage Rolls, Welsh Lamb Lolly Pops, Laverbread, Welsh Cakes, Bara Brith — and local ingredients, including salted butter, honey, and produce from local farms,” says the description.

Cost of the four-day weekend, for which there are two choices of dates next October, is $1,850 US dollars per person, double occupancy, or around £1,518.

* For more information on the weekend, go to: Spend a Bookish Weekend with Us in a Country Manor House

St David's Day concert at the Stiwt

 

Local health board has worst A&E waiting times in Wales

The Health Secretary for Wales has outlined ways in which Betsi Cadwaladr Health Board, which covers Llangollen, is looking to reduce waiting times after new figures showed it had the worst A+E waiting times in the country. 

* For the full story, see: Betsi Cadwaladr have worst waiting time figures in Wales | Denbighshire Free Press

Latest county council roadworks roundup

Latest roadworks roundup from Denbighshire County Council is:  

PARKING BAY EAST STREET

28/01/2025

30/01/2025

Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY

Atal Parcio yn unig / Parking Suspension Only

 

Verge

PANORAMA WALK

03/02/2025

07/02/2025

Cynnal y Lon Gerbydau/ Carrigeway Maintenance DCC HIGHWAYS

 

A539

GLAN YR AFON

HORSESHOE PASS VIEW

10/02/2025

10/02/2025

Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (DCC)

Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

 

NR CATTLE GRID A539 LLANGOLLEN ROAD LLANGOLLEN LL20 7UH

A539 LLANGOLLEN ROAD

20/02/2025

20/02/2025

2 Way signals is required for safe pole testing works. SUNBELT RENTALS (DCC)

 

40M DOWN FROM ALFRYN

GEUFRON

27/01/2025

29/01/2025

Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY

Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

 

Hall St jct with A5 Berwyn St, Llangollen

HALL STREET

27/01/2025

28/03/2025

Gwaith Ar Wal Gynnal/ Retaining Wall Works OBR CONSTRUCTION,

 

OPP 10 Regent Street JNC QUEEN STREET AND CHURCH STREET

BROOK STREET

14/01/2025

26/01/2025

Gwaith BT/ BT Works SUNBELT RENTALS (DCC)

LLANGOLLEN

Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Latest weather update from the county council

Llangollen councillor Karen Edwards has forwarded to a llanblogger the latest update on the weather from Denbighshire County Council.

It says: "Following on from the last update, there is no change to the amber warning in respect of Storm Éowyn for wind, which is still effective from 06:00hrs through until 21:00hrs on Friday 24 January.

"However, a further two yellow weather warnings have now since been issued for strong winds and heavy rainfall over the weekend period. 

"The warning for wind is valid from 08:00 through until 15:00hrs on Sunday 26 January, with winds expected to be 50 to 60 mph quite widely, and possibly increasing to 70 mph around some exposed coasts and on higher ground. 

"The second weather warning relating to heavy and prolonged periods of rain is effective from 08:00hrs on Sunday 26 January through until 06:00hrs on Mon 27 January, with rainfall totals of between 10-20mm expected quite widely and possibly as much as 30-50 mm over higher ground, which could lead to surface water flooding issues before conditions are expected to improve on Monday morning.

 

"Preparations are in hand in advance of the arrival of Storm Éowyn with additional teams being placed on standby, external contractor support has also been arranged to assist with any tree related and surface water flooding issues, where necessary."

A statement from SP Energy Networks says:

Bad weather is expected from 24th January and could affect some of our operational areas.  

Whilst power cuts are rare, we have extra teams working both now and over the weekend to support any faults that may come in. 

To help us keep your communities safe, we’ve prioritised workloads which include postponing planned works and redirecting the teams to be on standby, to preparing contractors who support us with digging and tree felling. 

We will have our local Emergency Action Control Rooms open and ready to respond to events as they unfold. 

How you can help your community – remind them to be prepared for a power cut: 

* Have the national 105 emergency helpline on hand – it’s best to keep this on the fridge or saved in the contacts on your mobile phone. Report any power cuts immediately and we will keep you updated by text or voice alert messaging whilst our engineers are working to restore your power.

* Store a battery or wind-up torch – leave this somewhere you can access easily so you can use the torch to check on the fuse box and make your way around the house safely.

* Beware of fallen power lines – power lines may have fallen so beware of this when venturing out of your home. Always treat them as live and report them right away by calling 105.

* Keep your mobile charged – having your mobile phone charged means you can call for support if needed. It’s also worth having an analogue phone as this doesn’t run off the main electricity supply.

* Keep the heat in – if your power does go out, your heating might not work so keep extra blankets nearby and close window shutters, blinds, or curtains to help keep the heat in.

We also have a Priority Services Register for customers who may need extra support in a power cut. Find out more here. 

Click here for the latest information and updates about known power cuts in your area or visit our X/Twitter channel @spenergynetwork. 

Remember: If there are cables on or near the ground, please keep clear of them. These may still be live and able to conduct electricity through damp ground or metallic objects. If they are in roads or on footpaths, firstly dial 999, please stay on site if you can, tell the police and help keep passers-by well away, then also call us to advise and we will dispatch a team. 

Give a helping hand to Denbighshire birds

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

Sir Bryn Terfel launches search for singing stars of future

* Sir Bryn Terfel singing at Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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