Hwb Petredwr celebrates a major milestone

* People enjoy the celebratory event.

A sunny Friday recently marked a milestone in the ongoing story of Hwb Pentredwr, as people gathered to celebrate the near completion of the centre’s exterior renovations.

Here project coordinator Siân Hughes describes the event:

"With the weather lending its blessing, the day became more than a mere event—it blossomed into a joyful testament to the spirit and resilience of our community.

The warmth in the air was matched only by the camaraderie on display, as neighbours, friends, and supporters came together to mark this moment of transformation. 

We were also treated to a wonderful buffet provided by Marian Morris and her helper in the kitchen, Linda. Thanks to Mr. John Picket, the oldest member of our community, who untied the opening ribbon to conclude the ceremony. Our deepest appreciation also goes to Arwel Davies, whose vision as our architect has shaped the transformation and also to the Lloyd Jones contractor team whose efforts have brought about a remarkable renewal, and we are profoundly grateful for your contributions.

None of this would have been possible without the steadfast generosity of our funders. The Community Facilities grant, provided by the Welsh Government, formed the cornerstone of our financial foundation for this renovation. We are deeply grateful for their belief in our vision. 

Supplementing this primary support, we were fortunate to receive funding from the Cronfa Fferm Wynt Coedwig (Clocaenog Forest Wind Farm Fund), Bryniau Clwyd a Dyffryn Dyfrdwy (Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Natural Landscapes), and the Cronfa Gymunedol y Loteri Genedlaethol (The National Lottery Community Fund). Each of these contributions has left an indelible mark on our centre’s future.

* Part of the renovated Hwb Pentredwr.

Equally, we must shine a light on the local efforts that made these dreams a reality. Our own Cymdeithas Gymunedol Pentredwr a'r Cylch (Pentredwr and District Community Association) fundraising events demonstrated the power of collective action. Every raffle ticket purchased, every cake baked, and every hour given brought us one step closer to our goal.

Of course, at the heart of all we do are our volunteers. Their tireless commitment—often unseen, but never unnoticed—forms the backbone of Hwb Pentredwr’s success. Whether painting walls, tidying grounds, or welcoming visitors, they bring energy, kindness, and an unwavering belief in the value of shared space. Without them, the centre would not merely struggle; it would falter.

As we look upon the renewed exterior of Hwb Pentredwr, we see not just improved facilities, but a living symbol of what a determined community can accomplish. This transformation is proof that when people join hands with purpose and gratitude, remarkable things happen. Any ideas from people re outdoor activities they would like to see or run would be welcomed.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to everyone who has supported, funded, and believed in our journey. The renovations may be nearly complete, but the story of Hwb Pentredwr—and the community that shapes it—continues to unfold, brighter than ever."

 

Two stretches of A539 could revert to 30mph this week, says story

Two roads commonly used by people from this area - the A539 Llangollen Road, Trevor and the A539 Llangollen Road, Acrefair - are amongst the 52 in Wrexham which will have been reverted back to 30mph by the end of this week, a councillor has confirmed to the Leader 

* For the full story, see: https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/25346935.wrexham-council-issue-update-roads-reverting-30mph/

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Police find lock-knife in A5 vehicle search

A post on the North Wales Police Facebook page this morning (Wednesday) says:

"Officers from the #NeighbourHoodPolicing team recently had cause to stop a vehicle travelling along the A5 whereby checks led to officers searching the vehicle under stop search powers, specifically Section 1 of PACE - The Police and Criminal Evidence Act 1984. 

"The search was positive and a lock knife was seized, resulting in a male being arrested and interviewed. 

"No good reason or lawful authority could be provided as to why the lock knife was in their possession in a public place, and the offence was fully admitted to with appropriate action then being taken. Possessing a knife can have devastating consequences for individuals and communities alike and will always be dealt with with the seriousness it deserves. 

"If you have any concerns in your area, you can report this via the appropriate #NorthWalesPolice channels or confidentially and anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800555111."

#StopKnifeCrime #KnivesTakeLives 

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Railway rocks 'n' rolls back to the 60s

* Steam-hauled passenger trains run during the weekend.

Llangollen will be full of Hippies, Teddy Boys, Mods and Rockers this weekend as Llangollen Railway shakes and grooves its funky stuff back to the 1960’s on August 2 and 3.

The ever-popular 1960’s Weekend is one of several that the railway is running this summer as it approaches it 50th anniversary of reopening and celebrates the 200th anniversary of railways. 

The 60’s Weekend has a packed programme of events and attractions for the whole family to enjoy. Children travel for £5.

A busy timetable of steam, diesel and railcar trains, all of which would have been seen at work around the country in the 1960’s, is planned.

Heritage Crosville bus tours from Corwen also run approximately every hour each day.

A noisy re-enactment of the 1960’s protests against the line closure takes place at 11.40 at Glyndyfrdwy and at 12.35 at Llangollen each day. Bring a placard and be ready to shout for your railway.

There will be live music and DJs on Llangollen station with a Saturday 2nd August Evening Dance. DJ Dave 'Boss' Griffin will be rocking through Saturday evening and LR Volunteer Harry Barber’s Band will headline, playing a range of 1960’s hits. Entry is £10 (£5 for railway ticket holders). 

Also featured is a Pop-Up Pub at Llangollen station, serving Wrexham Lager and a selection of Welsh real ales from Magic Dragon, Hafod and Purple Moose, wines, and soft drinks. A fish and chip van will be visiting for the evening on Saturday evening.

An evening railcar service will take passengers from all stations to Llangollen for the dance and return to all stations to Corwen later in the evening to get everyone home.

Tours of the engine sheds at Llangollen in return for a £5 donation towards locomotive restoration and upkeep is another attraction.

An impressive display of vintages vehicles at Glyndyfrdwy station will be on parade. The station tea room and Porter’s Bar will also be open 10-5, serving refreshments and a selection of bottled beers and wines on both days.

The chance to drive a diesel shunting locomotive at Corwen station and see an exhibition all about Dr Beeching is planned.

Goods loading demonstrations will take place at Llangollen throughout the weekend. 

Visitors are strongly encouraged to join in and dress up in 1960’s outfits. Hippies, Mods, Teddy Boys and Rockers are all welcome.

The 1960’s saw monumental political, social and technological change. The railways in Britain were no different, seeing the end of steam locomotives, the birth of the famous "double arrow logo" and the controversial closure of a third of Britain's rail network, masterminded by BR Board Chairman Dr Richard Beeching and controversial Transport Minister Ernest Marples. The Ruabon-Barmouth railway was one of the victims of the Beeching Cuts, closing at the end of 1964. The closure of rural railways was extremely unpopular and attracted considerable resistance from the communities about to lose their transport links. 

Demonstrations were not uncommon and LR volunteers, dressed in period clothes and bearing placards, will recreate anti-closure protests at Glyndyfrdwy station over the weekend. Thankfully volunteers worked for nearly 50 years to rebuild 10 miles of the abandoned line between Llangollen & Corwen, with the first trains running in 1985 and a brand new station at Corwen finally opening in June 2023.

* Mandy and Joe in 60s gear ready for the weekend.

The event is being organised for the second time by mother-and-son team Mandy Towers and Joe Walker, who both volunteer on Llangollen station. 

Joe said: “We'll be showcasing our railway as it would have been in the 1960s. The decade was a very changing time for the nationalised 'British Railways', as steam locomotives were being phased out and replaced with new diesel and electric traction. Many main lines were being electrified, whilst many branch lines were being ripped up following Dr Beeching's 'Reshaping of British Railways' Report.” 

"The event is being organised by myself, my mum, Mandy and friends and fellow volunteers Suzanne and Mike Cocking. We are all very passionate about the Llangollen Railway and the fashion, music and technology of the 1960s, so it's great to be able to link our interests together collectively in a way that tells the story of our line to our visitors.

"This year, we are celebrating 50 years of the Llangollen Railway as a reborn preserved railway run by volunteers following closure in 1965, as part of the national 'Railway 200’ celebrations.”

Mandy said: "Our very own Berwyn station has recently been voted Britain's most scenic railway station, and our entire Railway is an authentic representation of a typical Welsh branch line. The charm and character of our rural stations, blended with a number of reenactments during the '60s Weekend, as well as vintage cars, local musicians performing the grooviest hits of the Swinging Sixties, heritage bus tours, re-enactors and educational exhibitions will really bring our Railway to life.

"There will also be the chance to drive one of our heritage Diesel Locomotives, and take a tour of our fascinating engine sheds, where our dedicated volunteers maintain and restore our fleet of Steam and Diesel locomotives.

"There will also be a well-stocked Real Ale Bar, and our Saturday Evening Dance at Llangollen, which will feature a Live Band and Disc Jockey performing the best hits of the decade!"

* Visitors can find out more and book tickets on the Railway’s events webpage: https://llangollen-railway.co.uk/1960s-weekend/.

Latest news from Llangollen Museum

* Two items that were auctioned at Plas Newydd, as illustrated in the sale catalogue of 1932.

Here is the latest news from Llangollen Museum:  

It is now five months since the Museum re-opened its doors, following the installation of the new roof and other improvements.

The new exhibition featuring items from an archaeological dig by the Clywdian Range Archaeolgy Group at a rare Bronze Age ritual site in Bryneglwys, is now on display. 

Also on display, in our item of the month cabinet is a Mesolithic hand axe found by Gill Henry. The hand axe is still being researched, but so far it is considered to be at least 7,000 years old. Axes like these would’ve been an important tool in the everyday lives of the people of the period, with the flint possibly being imported from elsewhere.

 

Other donations over the last three months include items from Dafydd Rowlands Hughes, featuring, amongst other things, printing blocks used for the Llangollen Advertiser, sales catalogues for Plas Newydd (1932), Llantysilio Hall (1933), Bryntysilio (1939), Abbey Dingle (1948) and Bache Issa (1953), and an embossing stamp for the Llangollen General Cemetery Company.

 

Sally Knight’s talk on May 28 about her grandmother, one of the early pioneering female pilots, attracted a good audience, as did Humphrey Gibson’s presentation on June 25, about coal mining in Denbighshire. We would like to thank them both for their fascinating insights into these stories. Sadly, Lisa Smith’s talk on the July 28, about the Role of Women in Anglo Saxon Literature, had to be postponed. Watch out on our Facebook page for the re-scheduling of this.

August 27 will see Sam Thomson giving his third and final talk about the Romans in Britain – this time looking at the Decline and Fall. Sam’s first two talks proved very popular, so do come along and discover how the Roman domination in Britain and Wales ended. 

On September 24 Peter Dickinson will be talking about the anniversary of the heritage railway at Llangollen and, on October 29 Dr Pauline Clarke will give a presentation entitled the Material Culture of Offa’s Dyke. Talks will all start at 7pm. Tickets for all are £3 at the door, refreshments will be provided.

 

July in the gallery hosted a collection of paintings from the Pen y Cae Art Group. August is featuring a display of work by the Llangollen Art Group, followed by an exhibition by Llangollen Railway in September, to tie in with the heritage railway anniversary celebrations. The October exhibition will be another photography exhibition by Emma Petruzzelli.

 

Other work that has been recently completed at the Museum includes the installation of a new CCTV security system and the laying of new tarmac on the car park (many thanks to Cefn Mawr Driveways for doing such an excellent job and to the Lottery Heritage for the funding). 

Over the next month, we will be fitting security fencing on either side of the Museum building and installing some external storage in the corner of the car parking area, utilising funds granted by the Clocaenog Wind Farm Fund. The next three months will also see the installation of a new noticeboard on the front of the Museum, the fitting of a new, or rejuvenation of the existing, front entrance door and a total website rebuild.

 

Unfortunately, the setting up of the Young Archaeologist’s Club has been delayed for a few weeks more. The Clywd and Dee Valley YAC has now been officially approved by the Council for British Archaeology.  

Training courses in First Aid and Child Protection are in the process of being arranged for all of the leaders and the first meeting should be around the end of September. YAC members take part in all sorts of exciting, hands-on activities, such as excavation, working with artefacts, visiting historical sites and undertaking experimental archaeology. Emails are being send to schools and groups, but, if you are interested in joining, please email cdv.yac@gmail.com. 

 

We had a special visitor to the Museum in mid July. Martin Horspool, one of the grandsons of the Horspool family who opened the Dorothy Cinema in Llangollen in 1932, was visiting from New Zealand. He came in to look at old photos of the cinema that had been given to the Museum many years ago by he and his brother. 

As he was looking at the photos he was reminiscing about his childhood and naming people in the photos. All this was of real interest to the curators on duty, He was also looking for newspaper articles about his mother who was a very good singer and had competed in the National and International Eisteddfodau. Through searching our archives, we were able to find a piece on his mother in an old Llangollen News. The Museum was really pleased that he took time out to come and visit us.

 

If you would like to find out more about any of your relatives and where they lived in Llangollen or, the surrounding area, then call in and speak to one of the Curators or email the Museum on enquiries@llangollenmuseum.org.uk.

For all of the latest information about what is happening at the Museum, do keep an eye on our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/p/Llangollen-Museum-100057657969751/.

If you want to be more involved with the history of the area, and become a volunteer at the Museum, please contact our manager Gill Smith at gilliansmith2@hotmail.co.uk or on 07516 023524.

 

 

Police appeal for information on A5 collision

A man has been taken to hospital with serious injuries following a collision on the A5 at Llangollen today, Monday 28th July, according to North Wales Police.

In Facebook post at just before 6pm they say: "Emergency services attended the Berwyn area shortly after 11:40am following a report of a three-vehicle collision which involved a black Kawasaki ZZR motorcycle, a Swiss registered campervan and a red heavy goods vehicle.

"The motorcyclist was subsequently taken to hospital with serious injuries. 

"The road remains closed whilst investigations are ongoing."  

Sergeant Alun Jones of the Roads Crime Unit said: “I am urging anybody who witnessed the collision or was travelling along the A5 near to Berwyn prior to 11.40am and has dashcam footage to contact us."

“Additionally, anyone who has footage of the motorcyclist, who was travelling southbound in company with another three motorcycles, or the HGV or campervan to contact us.”

* Anybody with information that could assist the investigations should contact North Wales Police via their website or by calling 101, quoting reference number C115191.

Police appeal follows damage to Corwen signal box

Police are appealing for information following an attack on a signal box on the Llangollen Railway line.

Posted on the Conwy & Denbigh Rural Facebook page last Friday lunchtime, it says: "We are appealing for information following a report of criminal damage to the signal box at the railway in Corwen.

"The incident has happened sometime overnight and this morning.

"We are appealing for any witnesses and are keen on speaking with anyone that may have information. If you can help, please contact us via the the web chat on our website by calling 101, quoting reference number C113907."

A railway spokesperson said: "After some serious problems last year, we had installed CCTV around the station and signal box and things had settled down.

"The signal box at Corwen is not yet commissioned, so it won’t affect train operations, but it will put efforts to reinstate a signalling system at Corwen back. 

"It also diverts resources away from other important projects so is very sad news indeed."

Charity that aided grandmother, 80, is 'one in a million'

 

* Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair caseworker Amanda Derbyshire (left) with Judith Williams at her home in Penrhyn Bay.

 

A retired teacher with arthritis and heart problems has been given a new lease of life by an agency that’s helped clients secure £1 million in unclaimed benefits.

Grandmother Judith Williams, 80, is one of more than 5,500 people who was supported over the past year by Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair which serves a vast area, stretching from Llangollen to Llanfairfechan.

The not-for-profit organisation, a subsidiary of the Grŵp Cynefin housing association, assists people aged 60 or over in privately owned or rented properties.

The aim is to help them continue to live safely, warmly and independently in their own homes.

Over the past 12 months the charity, which covers the whole of Conwy and Denbighshire, has helped 276 people increase their welfare benefits income by a total of £931,813 and helped find funding for life-changing improvements, adaptations and advice.

Caseworkers helped Judith Williams secure the higher rate weekly Attendance Allowance of £110.40 after their inquiries revealed she was missing out on the benefit she was entitled to claim.

And the agency also funded key improvements to the former music teacher’s home, which she shares with husband Gwilym, 83.

Mrs Williams, from Penrhyn Bay, got in touch with Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair after suffering a fall at home.

They  fitted rails to the couple’s front and back doors and made improvements to the front steps.

Rails were also fitted on the stairs, in the hall and the porch, and in the downstairs toilet, and Care & Repair staff designed a renovation of the upstairs bathroom, turning it into an easy-to-use wet room with safety rails.

Though the couple paid for the bathroom work privately, the agency organised VAT and labour costs exemptions.

According to Mrs Williams, the organisation is “one in a million”.

She said: “I fell by the gate trying to bring the bin in. I fell backwards, and two ladies who were passing, one was actually a paramedic, helped me up.

“They insisted I went to A&E because I had banged my head.

“The following day the neighbour across the road advised me to phone Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair.”

Mrs Williams, who taught music at Ysgol John Bright in Llandudno, said she was delighted the improvements had allowed her to remain in the house she had lived in for 38 years.

She said having the extra safety measures gave her more confidence around the house, especially when she looks after daughter Bethan’s children Megan, four, and Ifan, two.

Mrs Williams, a talented pianist who performs with Côr Alaw in Colwyn Bay, said: ”We look after our grandchildren on two days a week and they keep us busy around the house.

“You lose confidence after a fall, so having the rails helps, it makes me feel safer.

“I can’t bend then come back up without feeling breathless and dizzy, so it’s important to have the rails to hold onto. We had the front steps done, because they were high, and we had had two falls on the steps.

“The bathroom is just transformed now, it’s fabulous. It has a walk-in shower and handrails to help me.

“I was getting really bad at trying to climb over the bath for the shower, the shower was over the bath before.

“Without all their help, I don’t know how many falls I would have had. The workers who came here were brilliant, and every night they were cleaning up after themselves, I didn’t have to do a thing.”

Mrs Williams said she had never even heard of the Attendance Allowance, let alone that she was missing out on it.

She said she used the funding to pay for a cleaner and to have her ironing done.

Caseworker Amanda Derbyshire was pleased they had been able to make such a difference to Mrs Williams’s life, and said the support offered was typical of the work the charity can do.

She said: “It all helps with independence and staying at home, which is what we all want.

“It’s about staying at home as long as possible, staying somewhere where you want to be.”

As well as contacting the NHS falls teams who gave advice, they got in touch with a local charity to give guidance to Mrs Williams, who is hard of hearing, on amplified telephone systems.

They helped the couple successfully apply for a Blue Badge parking permit, and the organisation even got the fire service involved, contacting them to check the Williams’s smoke alarms.

The fire service replaced the couple’s smoke alarms and gave safety advice.

Amanda said many people were not aware of the benefits they were missing out on, such as the Attendance Allowance.

She said: “The Attendance Allowance is a non-means tested disability benefit for people of state pension age and they can claim for it if they’re having difficulties with day-to-day personal care tasks.

“A lot of people don’t want to see themselves as disabled or having difficulties but I always say it’s worth applying, because it can open the doors to other things such as Pension Credit.”

Chief Officer Lynda Colwell added: “We also provide vital advice and guidance to help older people manage their energy use, reduce bills, and stay warm—especially important during colder months.

“Our work goes beyond the physical home; we support people to remain in their communities, which is crucial for their wellbeing and social connections.

“A key part of our service is reviewing household income to ensure that older people are not only heating their homes but also able to afford nutritious food.

“We help them access the benefits they are entitled to, which can significantly improve their quality of life and reduce feelings of isolation and loneliness. This holistic approach is at the heart of everything we do.”