Pentredwr wins funding for new community project

* People gather for the celebration at Pentredwr.

* An alternative use for wool by Sian Hughes.

* Harpist Tom Parry entertains.

Pentredwr and District Community Association has celebrated the completion of its National Lottery-funded project Hwb Pentredŵr which has been running for just over two years.

The funding of this project is nearly at an end but the National lottery Community Fund has seen the good work that has happened over the duration of the project and granted fresh funding for a new project, Calon Pentredŵr.  

A spokesperson for the association said: "We are absolutely thrilled with this news as the current project has been gaining momentum. 

"Our thanks go to the Lottery for the grant and to everyone who buys Lottery tickets as we would not have been able to provide the services we do without it. Look out for more information soon.

"The celebration event was extremely well attended by residents, friends of Pentredŵr, workshop providers, Eirian Pierce Jones from the National Lottery Community Fund, South Denbighshire Community Partnership Representative Jen from Hwb Pengwern, Citizens Advice Bureau representative Robert Butterton, David Sheil from the Area of Outstanding National Beauty, local county councillor Karen Edwards and many more.  

"We had an impressive display of the ongoing Hanes Pentredwr project by David Crane of Llangollen Museum and a display of Alternative Uses for Wool by Gill Britten of Gwlângollen.

"Sian Hughes gave a vote of thanks and showed the recently completed short film made at Hwb Pentredwr showing the hard work which goes into producing wool. 

"Howe’s That 3D felting company provided a felting demonstration and Jane, Jan and Terry who attend Gill’s weekly Maker Day sessions were demonstrating their spinning, weaving and knitting skills. 

"Tom Parry entertained on his harp and Marian Morris of Ceiriog Catering provided a wonderful buffet for all to enjoy. 

"The name Hwb Pentredŵr will not be disappearing, however, as Pentredwr and District Community Association have renamed the Community Centre building, Hwb Pentredŵr, so the name lives on."

Do you have what it takes to become a school governor?

A campaign to encourage more people to apply to the role of school governors has been launched.

Schools across Denbighshire are looking for skilled volunteers to become part of their governor team.

You don’t have to be a parent with a child at the school and you don’t need previous experience or qualifications as a governor. 

Becoming a school governor provides an opportunity to share your skills, gain experience in areas such as project management, recruitment and budget control whilst doing something great for the community at the same time.

Successful applicants will have the opportunity to use their skills to make a positive difference to the lives of young people in helping them to achieve their full potential at school.

Councillor Gill German, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Education, Children and Families said: “Becoming a school governor is such an important role within our schools.

“You will be helping schools to do their very best for our young people to provide them with the best possible chance in life.

“You will be making an invaluable contribution within our local communities and wider society, whilst meeting new people and learning new skills.”

Free online induction and training will be provided.

* Further information and guidance on how to apply to become a school governor can be found on our website >>> https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/education-and-schools/school-governors/being-a-governor.aspx

Llangollen 20 Club names its play for November

Llangollen 20 Club drama group has announced the play it will be presenting this November.

Members have chosen A Bunch of Amateurs, written by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman.

It's a modern-day comedy set in rural England where a struggling drama society seeks sponsorship and a has-been Hollywood actor arrives to take on the play's leading role 

The 20 Club's Chrissie Ashworth said: "Unfortunately, it's not all plain sailing and the eccentric, diverse characters of the amateurs all add to the complexity and humour of this lovely play.

"However, the 20 Club is anything but amateurish and we welcome new members both on stage and backstage for this production."

Open auditions are set to take place at 7.30pm on Tuesdays August 1 and 8 at the RAFA Club in Llangollen.

* Anyone interested should just turn up or contact the director on 07970 449843.

Simon Baynes MP to fight North Shropshire at general election

* Simon Baynes MP celebrates his new candidature with Conservatives in North Shropshire (from his Facebook page).

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has been selected to fight the neighbouring seat of North Shropshire for the Conservatives at the next general election. 

Mr Baynes is hoping to move on as his present constituency, which he took from Labour’s Susan Elan Jones in 2019 with a majority of 1,239, will disappear under boundary changes before in time for the election. 

Over the weekend he was selected as candidate for North Shropshire, just across the border in England. 

The seat had been held for the Conservatives by Owen Paterson who left the House of Commons in November 2021 after being found by the standards authority to have broken rules on paid advocacy.

The episode threw Boris Johnson's government into turmoil, as the then-prime minister tried to overhaul the misconduct system to save his MP from suspension.

At the subsequent by-election North Shropshire was taken for the Liberal Democrats by Helen Morgan with a majority of 5,925, which indicated a swing of 34.2% away from the Conservatives.

Announcing his new candidature on his Facebook page, Mr Baynes said: “I am very honoured to have been selected as the Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for North Shropshire given that, under the boundary changes, my Clwyd South constituency will cease to exist at the next general election.

“Having grown up on the Welsh borders at Lake Vyrnwy, been to school in Shrewsbury and through my work as the neighbouring MP, I know North Shropshire very well. 

“I will continue to represent Clwyd South as the MP and then look forward to being the Conservative candidate at the next general election for North Shropshire.”

Sale of popular field sparks concern on social media

* One of the agents' pictures of the field which is up for sale.

The proposed sale of a popular field close to the town has caused concern amongst local people on social media.

A post appeared last Saturday revealing that agents J.J Dell & Co of Oswestry were offering “a very rare opportunity to acquire approximately one acre or thereabouts of pasture land with road frontage situated in the town of Llangollen."

Comments about this on Facebook have identified the plot as what is known locally as Sara’s Field or Cae Hir.

The agents’ description says there is a public footpath running the full length of the land, which is being sold freehold with vacant possession through informal tender.

It goes on: “Use of land is restricted to pasture. Clawback – there is an expired Planning Permission to develop for housing. If development shall become possible within the next 20 years the purchaser will be obliged to pay a quarter of the increase in value to the seller.”

Another Facebook post giving background on the field quotes an article from the Daily Post, originally published in 2005, which says: “An action group yesterday called for the public to come up with memories of a field to save it from developers' bulldozers.

“Cae Hir, a long narrow field which overlooks the town of Llangollen, was left for the use of local people by writer Sara Pugh Jones.

“Plans to build houses on it have been thrown out, but the Cae Hir Action Group fears there could be an appeal.

“John Fowles, a member of the action group, said: ‘Before Sarah Pugh Jones died, she tried to ensure that the field would be kept for pastoral purposes. She offered it to the National Trust and to the then Llangollen Council, but they were not prepared to take it on.

"’She then left it to three local men, with a covenant that it should not be built on. The field has, however, been sold and the new owner wants to build houses on it.’”

A number of those who commented on Saturday’s post were opposed to any development of the field.

One said: “No more houses please,” and another, “they might as well take all the beauty of our fantastic town,” while another asked, “could a village green application be put on it?”

There was also talk of an action group being set up to purchase the field to save it from any future development, with one suggestion of a Just Giving page being set up to finance this.

Roadworks alerts from one.network and council

Latest local roadworks alerts from one.network are:

Willow Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 26 July - 27 July   Roadworks, Delays possible   Traffic management: Traffic control (two-way signals)   Description: TM PURPOSES ONLY. POLE IN PRIVATE   Works location: WILLOW STREET 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 Openreach.   Responsibility for works: Openreach   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: BC006MQONSAWN0KFWF3M348Y   Aber Adda, Llangollen, Denbighshire 26 July - 27 July   Roadworks, Delays unlikely   Traffic management: Some carriageway incursion   Description: MJ QUINN TO CARRY OUT THE FOLLOWING:: RENEW JOINT BOX FRAME AND COVER FOOTWAY   Works location: OPPOSITE ADJACENT BELLA VISTA ABER ADDA   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 Openreach.   Responsibility for works: Openreach   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: BC006MQONSAWN0POWF2T724G  * Local roadworks update from Denbighshire County Council is: A542 Abbey Road ABBEY ROAD until 30/09/2023 Ailwynebu/ Resurfacing DCC WORKS UNIT 10 mya/10 mph Convoy  PENGWERN COMMUNITY CENTRE CAR PARK LINK ROAD BETWEEN PENGWERN AND MAES PENGWERN 01/08/2023 03/08/2023 Gwaith Trydanol / Electrical Works O'CONNOR UTILITIES Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure  OPPOSITE BUILDING KNOWN AS GLAN YR AFON BROOK STREET 21/08/2023 25/08/2023 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure.

Judy to run half-marathon at 78 in memory of friend Sandra Woodhall

 

* Judy Smith, right, with her friend Sandra Woodhall at an event celebrating the success of the Llangollen Round Challenge last year.

A friend and fellow organiser of the hugely successful Llangollen Round Challenge is planning to run a half-marathon in memory of Sandra Woodhall who died last month.

At the age of 78, Judy Smith has registered to take part in this September’s Great North Run, tackling the 13-mile course to boost funds for Cancer Research UK, the charity for which the Llangollen Round has already raised many thousands of pounds since it began in 2012.   

The Challenge was set up by Sandra and Judy and other members of the Llangollen Ramblers group and is based roughly on the Alpine Walk Tour of Mont Blanc.

The amount it has raised for Cancer Research UK has climbed steadily from £33,000 to over £120,000 the last time it was run in 2022.

Judy said: “On September 10th I shall be running the Great North Run half-marathon, raising funds for Cancer Research UK in memory of Sandra Woodhall, who sadly died in June. 

“So many local people knew her, both as a most diligent local vet, and as a great friend. 

“She herself was passionate about Cancer Research UK, being chairman of the local committee, and in her lifetime raising more than half a million pounds for that charity.”

She added: “I’m not exactly a spring chicken – OK, I’m 78 - so that 13-mile run won’t be easy, but I wanted to do this as a tribute to her. 

“Several of the establishments around town have boxes where people can donate, including Dee Valley Vets, Pro-Adventure, Leisure Centre and the Ponderosa Cafe, or you can donate through my online Just Giving page at: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/judys-giving-page-109/

“Cancer Research UK will be very grateful for any donation you can make in Sandra’s memory.” 

* To contact Judy about her half-marathon challenge, call 01978 869364 or 07905 330788, or email: smithdinbren@gmail.com