Railway sees a successful return of steam train

* Loco 3802 at Carrog at the end of its first trip. 

Pictures by George Jones

* Martin Fuller was the driver and Step Ellwood the fireman.

The first steam train of the 2021 season ran on Saturday when the Great Western Railway locomotive No.3802 took the 10.30 departure from Llangollen through to Carrog, the first such steam hauled train since October 1 2020 on the Dee Valley line

Despite the wet weather, good numbers boarded the train for run behind 3802 and a general air of enthusiasm was abroad at the return of steam to the railway from assembled volunteers and visiting members of the public keen to join the extended a ride. 

With the heritage Wickham railcar supplementing the steam train, a 75-minute interval service was on offer for the weekend. 

The locomotive's certification was completed to the satisfaction of the ORR thanks to a lot of hard work by members of the Motive Power Department who had prepared No.3802 for its return to steam. 

For the footplate crews it was a day of re-assessment of their competence to drive and fire the engine after a ten month lay-off in operations. 

* Even a few sheep showed up to watch the first steam service go by but they soon moved out the way to allow the train to pass.

* The train slows down when some sheep appear on the line. Pictures courtesy of Peter Dickinson.  

Steam comes back to the railway today

* Locomotive 3802 is leading back the return of steam to Llangollen Railway.

Today sees the return of steam to Llangollen Railway as well as the return of trains to Carrog.

After a false start last week due to technical issues steam services will be back on the heritage line following a lay-off of many months due to the pandemic and the railway's own financial crisis from which it is now steadily emerging.

The return of steam trains was announced on the railway's Facebook page last night.

The post said: "As well as a steam-hauled service, we will also be operating a heritage railcar.

"Tickets can be purchased from the station booking offices on the day.

"Here's the timetable and fares for this weekend. Rostered locos are ex-GWR 3802 (steam) and Class 108 (diesel).

£551 million extra Covid funding for health and social services

The Welsh Government has earmarked £411 million to health and social services  towards the ongoing costs of dealing with the pandemic until April 2022 and £140m for recovery and tackling waiting times.

Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: "The COVID pandemic has had a massive impact on the NHS and social services in Wales and is still facing significant costs in dealing with it. I am therefore pleased to confirm an extra £411m for these costs, including the vaccination programme, testing, PPE, and new cleaning standards for infection control.

"The knock-on effect from dealing with the pandemic has also been huge. Waiting lists have increased by more than 33% and are now at record levels. Getting back to where we were before the pandemic is going to take a lot of time and investment in new ways of working. So we are also providing an extra £140m to the NHS for this work. 

"£100m will be used to help health boards’ recovery plans, including speeding up the treatment of those who have been waiting the longest. While £40m is for equipment and adapting hospitals and other buildings to increase capacity for routine procedures, whilst maintaining COVID safe areas.

"The money announced today is an addition to the £100m funding announced in May to support the Welsh Government’s Health and Social Services COVID Recovery Plan."

She added: "I recognise it is a huge task just to get back to where we were before the pandemic. However, we must also grasp this opportunity to adopt new ways of working and create a sustainable health and social care system that can meet the demands of the future."

Finance and Local Government Minister, Rebecca Evans, said the money was part of a package of funding to help Wales recover from the COVID pandemic.

She said: "This funding will help increase capacity in our hospitals and, crucially, help the NHS to move forward beyond the pandemic.

"The funding is part of a wider package of funding which will be spent over the coming months to help us build the fairer, greener, stronger and ever more successful Wales that we all want for ourselves and for each other."

Libraries launch new digital support

* A solo digital space at a Denbighshire library. 

Denbighshire Libraries have launched a new digital initiative to support people who need space for private online appointments.

Open again following the lifting of Covid-19 restrictions, all libraries in Denbighshire now house new solo digital spaces, thanks to funding secured from the Welsh Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund.

These rooms are private spaces kitted out with laptops to enable residents to carry out confidential online appointments, such as taking part in a job interview, a medical appointment or an online meeting via Zoom or other platforms.

Cllr Tony Thomas, Lead Member for Housing and Communities, said: “Our libraries have continued to provide an excellent service to local residents throughout the last difficult 18 months.

“I am really pleased this great initiative has been introduced to support our residents, especially as the pandemic has seen a surge towards a more digital way of life for a lot of daily communication.

“I want to also to thank library staff for their continued hard work and commitment in providing a vital service to our communities.

As Covid-19 restrictions have been reduced, Denbighshire residents are reminded that they can now visit their local library to browse, choose and return books without an appointment.

They will still need to make an appointment to use a library computer, book a study space and to access One Stop Shop services by phoning their local library.

Libraries are a safe place to visit with plenty of room for social distancing, limited numbers of people in at any time, and hand and equipment sanitiser available.

The solo digital spaces can be booked for use by contacting the library nearest to you by visiting https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/leisure-and-tourism/libraries/libraries.aspx

Denbighshire Leisure's guide to Sir Tom Jones' Rhyl concert

To celebrate the release of his 41^st studio album Surrounded by Time, Sir Tom Jones is returning to North Wales for an exclusive outdoor concert at the Rhyl Events Arena on Wednesday September 1.

With the gates opening at 5pm, an expected sell-out crowd of 7,000 concert goers are planning to attend the live standing concert on the waterfront to enjoy a night of music from Sir Tom and support act Megan McKenna.

Denbighshire Leisure, who run the arena, has issued a guide to the essential things people need to know ahead of the event: 

Covid Safety 

If you develop any symptoms of Covid-19, test positive or are advised via the NHS to self-isolate, please do not attend the event.

You will need to present ONE of the following two items:

1.      Proof of double vaccination, with the 2^nd received a minimum of 14days before the event

A negative lateral flow test – Registered with the NHS within 48 hours of the event.
You can order test here: https://www.gov.uk/order-coronavirus-rapid-lateral-flow-tests
and register you test here: https://www.gov.uk/report-covid19-result 

Venue address

The concert takes place at:

Rhyl Events Arena, East Parade, Rhyl, Denbighshire, LL18 3AF 

Getting there by car

Car parks nearby:

1.                Central Car Park (Underground) LL18 1HD

2.                Morley Road LL18 3HG

3.                East Parade LL18 3SG

4.                West Kinmel Street, LL18 1DA

5.                White Rose Shopping Centre, LL18 1EW

Getting there by taxi

Taxis can drop-off on the promenade close to the Events Arena. Taxi ranks are situated at the Town Hall (on Water Street) and at the Railway Station. 

Getting there by bus

Arriva Buses Wales run regular services locally and to nearby towns and villages – for route maps and timetables please visit www.traveline.cymru or download the free app. 

Getting there by train

Rhyl Station is served by Transport for Wales trains and Avanti West Coast trains, with direct services from many mainline stations. Once you arrive in Rhyl, the Events Arena is just a short 10-minute walk away from the station. 

ACCESSIBILITY

1.     The event arena is suitable for wheelchair users with friendly stewards around to assist and accessible toilets. 

WEATHER

2.      The show must go on whatever the weather so concert goers are encouraged to dress appropriately for the wonderful Welsh weather!

REFRESHMENTS

3.      A variety of food and drink will be available within the arena. You are not permitted to bring any food and drink to the event. You are permitted to bring in a sealed bottle of water. 

TOILETS

1.      Standard and accessible toilet facilities are located throughout the event arena. 

* For more information visit the Rhyl Pavilion website https://www.rhylpavilion.co.uk/events_list/tom-jones-surrounded-by-time/  or call the team on: 01745 330000.

Rhug Estate's farm tours shortlisted for top award

* Farm manager Gareth Jones shows local school children one of the chicks.

* Lord Newborough, right, and Gareth Jones give a group of London chefs a tour of the farm.

Rhug Estate’s educational farm tours have been shortlisted in the Education Initiative category of the Food and Drink Federation Awards 2021, with the winners being announced next month.

The Food and Drink Federation’s (FDF) Education Initiative Award recognises the positive work of companies with schools and colleges to encourage interest in food and drink manufacturing and help to facilitate employment opportunities for young people. 

Nominations could be for one-off events, ongoing contributions to lessons, schemes to experience the world of work or develop employability skills.

Amongst those shortlisted for the Education Initiative Award along with Rhug Estate’s farm tours are Britvic PLC for encouraging the next generation to pursue careers in STEM, Chartwells Independents for their Adventurous Food Book, the Chilled Food Association for their Chilled Education initiative, Coca-Cola Europacific partners and UK Youth for its Reach Up programme and REHIS/FSS Secondary Schools Initiative.

Lord Newborough, owner of Rhug Estate, said: “I am truly honoured that our farm tours have been chosen to be shortlisted for this Award by the Food and Drink Federation. 

"I believe it is part of our job as custodians of this countryside to impart the knowledge we have to the next generation. I feel it is vitally important to spread the word about how important organic farming is to providing a better, more sustainable and healthy future. 

"I am horrified by newspaper articles that state children do not know where their food comes from. I want future generations to know that the way we farm reduces the carbon in the atmosphere and reduces the effects of global warming.”   

Lord Newborough has been welcoming groups to visit and tour the organic farm for many years. Educational groups of all ages are welcome from Methrin (pre-school) to U3A (University of the Third Age). 

A tour of the farm fits into all levels of the curriculum. Student vets are also welcomed on the farm and agricultural college groups are invited back year after year. Rhug also has groups of chefs and fellow farmers that come to tour the organic farm.

According to Lord Newborough, the tours can be an eye-opener as to how removed consumers are from the production of the food they eat and the level of knowledge can vary vastly. 

A regular question involves wanting to know the differences between the bison on the farm and buffalo and why can’t bison produce milk. Then there are the children who sadly think their meat comes from the supermarket and do not realise how eggs are produced.

Rhug Estate’s farm manager Gareth Jones takes almost every group around the farm and no matter how much knowledge the groups arrive with he has a gentle way of explaining food production whether he is talking to famous chefs or primary school pupils.

The award-winning writer, broadcaster and journalist Jay Rayner will host the Food and Drink Federation’s Awards Ceremony on Thursday September 16 at the Royal Lancaster, London, when all the award category winners will be announced.

Now that Wales is at Alert Level Zero Rhug Estate says it hopes to be able to start providing education tours of the organic farm once again in the near future.

One Hundred Knights reveals its future plans

* The Royal Hotel is operated by One Hundred Knights.

North Wales-based hospitality and leisure operator One Hundred Knights has announced it is set for further expansion in 2021. 

The business is responsible for operating The Royal Hotel, which dates back to 1752, plus wedding venue Tyn Dwr Hall and the Three Eagles Bar & Grill. 

It says that enabling works are continuing at The Royal and that there are plans to open a new restaurant this autumn.  

Knights Construction Group began restoration works at The Royal in July of this, starting with structural works to secure the river wall beneath the hotel footprint. 

One Hundred Knights says new locations have now been identified to further develop the leisure portfolio “bringing new jobs and additional prosperity to the region”.  

One Hundred Knights MD Matt Jones said: “There are big plans happening, the silver lining to what has been a tough year is future growth. 

“We’re enormously proud of our company culture, the community of people we work with and the businesses we operate. Armed with a winning formula, we plan to open more hotels and restaurants in the next five years.” 

The team behind the hospitality group of companies say it has used the previous 12 months to plan for a successful comeback, alongside devising new strategies for growth under the One Hundred Knights brand and development of its senior management team. 

Matt Jones said: “Following a substantial period of progressive growth we have restructured the senior management team to ensure dedicated support in key areas across finance, commercial and marketing. This will prove integral to the team in driving commercial success, with our sights firmly set on further development and rapid expansion.” 

Yvonne Jackson, CEO of Condor Hotels, has been appointed to the One Hundred Knights board of directors to support plans to refurbish and re-launch The Royal Hotel. 

A business consultant, she has over 30 years of hospitality experience, having held senior management positions at 4-star deluxe hotels. 

Since the lifting of restrictions wedding venue Tyn Dwr Hall, which is now in its fifth year of trading, has enjoyed its first full month of weddings, whilst the Three Eagles was recently awarded a 2021 Trip Advisor Travellers Choice Award – its second since the start of trading in 2018. 

“As our reputation grows, so does our confidence in what we can achieve as a group. This is a truly exciting time for One Hundred Knights and our team,” Matt Jones added.

“We will open our new restaurant in the autumn and look to identify further opportunities for new restaurant ventures in the coming 12 to 18 months. 

"Enabling works on The Royal Hotel have already begun in earnest. A full refurbishment and renovation will take place before a newly-realised Royal Hotel is opened to guests in late 2022. 

“The boutique 4* experience will offer something incomparable for the area and entice a broad market to visit the town and surrounding areas whilst providing additional investment for the local economy. 

“From there we see One Hundred Knights will become as a dominant force, with further properties in the coming years both regionally and on a national scale.”