Poisonous weeds growing near Llan, claims councillor

See responses at foot of story

* Cllr Davies' picture of what he says is Giant Hogweed growing in
the hedgerows on the Round the Valley road in Llangollen.

A COUNTY councillor has blamed “silly” biodiversity for what he believes is a poisonous plant being able to grow in the countryside around Llangollen and which he claims is putting at risk cyclists in a major downhill race.

Stuart Davies, who represents the area on Denbighshire County Council, says he has grave concerns about the lack of verge cutting in and around Llangollen.

He said: “I have been receiving complaints about overgrown verges on side roads and I’ve found that biodiversity is the reason.

“Unelected bodies are interfering in our lives and officers are not being allowed to cut the verges until late July because of advice from these bodies.

“However, the effect of this is that side-roads such as the Round the Valley road in Llangollen have been reduced to a single lane.”

“I drove along there recently on a fact-finding mission and the overgrowth was so bad that I had to reverse for half a mile to allow a van to come through due to the passing places being overgrown

“Not only that but the overgrowth was infested with nettles and Giant Hogweed.

“The Giant Hogweed is the plant that was in the national news last week as the cause of that poor little girl’s burned hands.”

He added: “A major international downhill cycle race is taking place there at the end of the month, and competitors and spectators will have difficulty accessing the site because of the overgrowth.

“On top of this there is the danger that cyclists will brush against the poisonous weeds and suffer severe burns.

“I have spoken with county highway officers and have told them that the overgrown verges must be cut immediately.

"In the long term I am going to take this matter to scrutiny committee and make sure that these silly biodiversity issues do not impact and do not harm the majority of people who live here in Llangollen.”

A county council spokesperson said: “This is something of a perennial problem that is hotly debated in the council and communities on a fairly frequent basis.

“It is a situation where both sides of the argument are equally valid, backed up by equally balanced legislation between the need for highway safety and the need to encourage biodiversity in our rural areas.

“It is a matter councillors have discussed and debated at length through full council, at cabinet and scrutiny in order to arrive at a suitable compromise and we are aiming to cut the verges in accordance with what councillors have agreed.

“I can confirm that the verges will be cut in time for the downhill bike race.”

* Response from a llanblogger reader to this story ...

I am writing about the above article that appeared on the Llanblogger on 16/07/15 quoting Councillor Stuart Davies for blaming '''silly” biodiversity for what he believes is a poisonous plant being able to grow in the countryside around Llangollen and which he claims is putting at risk cyclists in a major downhill race.'  I would like to respond to this article:

I have lived on the edge of the ‘Round the Valley road’ or Pengwern Vale for 7 ½ years and regularly pass along the road either on foot or by car.  I know the location of the photo taken by Mr Davies and have visited the site this evening.  I can categorically state that the plant he is referring to is the native/ ‘common’ Hogweed Heracleum sphondylium found throughout the British Isles.  Rather than being the related non-native poisonous plant Giant Hogweed Heracleum mantegazzianum, the common Hogweed is indeed edible: in Richard Mabey’s book ‘Food for Free’ it is described: ‘Cooked like asparagus, the young shoots are marvellously fleshy’.  I am an ecologist (with a Masters degree in Vegetation Survey and Assessment) with over 15 years of experience: I can state that I do not know anywhere along Pengwern Vale, or indeed in Llangollen, where Giant Hogweed grows (I am of course happy to be corrected on this if any readers of Llanblogger know otherwise!).  I would suggest to Mr Davies that he checks his facts thoroughly before writing such a provocative article. 

I would like to point out another inaccuracy in the article.  He refers to the ‘Round the Valley Road’ being ‘reduced to a single lane’ by uncut road verges: I would suggest that this has nothing to do with the state of the verges, but rather that the carriageway provides a single lane, full stop; there are passing areas stationed every so often as is the case on other such minor roads across the country. 

I would also like to address what I consider to be the broader, and more worrying, tone of his comments: that biodiversity is ‘silly’ and that he will take this matter to the scrutiny committee ‘and make sure that these silly biodiversity issues do not impact and do not harm the majority of people who live here in Llangollen’.  Llangollen is a rural town situated in one of the most picturesque locations in the country of which the majority of residents are rightly proud.  It is also in an AONB, the website of which states that it embraces ‘some of the UKs most wonderful landscapes’.  In my view, biodiversity, far from being ‘silly’, is a key component of the landscape and it is something I am sure that the vast majority of people in Llangollen value and cherish.  Furthermore it is critical for the health and sustainability of future generations, something I am sure Mr Davies has a keen interest in, that biodiversity is considered to be important and of value to society.  As a councillor Mr Davies could play a key role in educating the Council and the wider public with this message to ensure that this resource is retained for future generations. 

I would implore Mr Davies, and his fellow councillors, to look at the website and campaign of ‘Plantlife’ (the national wild plant charity) on rural road verges: http://www.plantlife.org.uk/roadvergecampaign.  This states the following: ‘Rural road verges are a vital refuge for wild flowers driven out of our farmland.  In turn, wild flowers support our birds, bees and other wildlife.  We want to see road verges managed better whilst remaining safe for motorists.  Not only can it be done – it could save money as well...’  In these days of austerity is cutting road verges, particularly on rural roads like Pengwern Vale, such a high priority, particularly where poisonous plants don’t exist?!?  Mr Davies might also wish to ask himself whether he likes honey??....if we continue to lose our ‘wild habitats’ at the same pace as today and/ or continue to mismanage them, many of life’s pleasure that they sustain (such as honey), or directly provide, may in the future be only learnt about in history lessons. 

Max Ellson

Further response from Gill Thomas ...

Although common hogweed has traditionally been used as food and is not as dangerous as giant hogweed, it still contains a furano-coumarin which can cause blisters and skin pigmentation when the sap comes in contact with the skin, which is then exposed to sunlight. To avoid this problem, the advice is to wash the skin immediately with soap and water and avoid exposure to sunlight for several days. To get this into perspective, common hogweed abounds in the Llangollen area, including my own garden and I have never experienced a problem with it, but anyone attempting to remove the plants should wear gloves and eye protection. This advice goes for many plants we might come in contact with. People may be interested in an article on the subject in next month’s Llangollen News.

Further response from Max Ellson ... 

Firstly I sincerely hope that this useful discussion does not distract from the central premise of my response to Mr Davies’s article: I passionately believe that wild plants and biodiversity in general need to be stood up for more often as they provide vital services for the well being of our planet, as well as enriching people’s lives.  Referring to biodiversity as ‘silly’ is inappropriate, disrespectful and should not be considered acceptable language in 2015. 

Further to Gill Thomas's informative response however I accept that common Hogweed does contain a furano-coumarin in its sap.  It is widely accepted however that this plant cannot be considered to be dangerous to any of the same degree as the related Giant Hogweed.  The following link provides a very useful and informed summary on the issue: http://monicawilde.com/is-common-hogweed-poisonous/, which I would urge people to read.  It starts off by stating that 'Common Hogweed is not poisonous'.  There are also many websites (e.g. http://www.thebotanist.com/articles/common-hogweed) extolling its culinary uses. 

I think it is fair to suggest that some people can be allergic to common Hogweed in certain situations/ if handled incorrectly, just as they can with even Celery or Parsnips which are in the same plant family.  The first cited web-article concludes by stating that 'Common hogweed is variable in sap phototoxicity with the most cases of phytophototoxicity reports coming from people who have attacked it with a strimmer’ and further that ‘Even strimming nettles can result in minor burn spots with semi-permanent staining’.  As with Gill, I have never experienced any problems with common Hogweed; nor do I know anyone who has.  I look forward to Gill’s forthcoming article on this subject with interest.   

Finally, as Giant Hogweed is not present along Pengwern Vale, road users (including walkers and cyclists) should have very little to be concerned about if the road verges were managed for the benefit of biodiversity, as would be the case for the vast majority of roads in the British Isles. 

New Dot Cinema launches in fine style

* A packed Town Hall at the launch of New Dot Cinema.

BIG screen spectaculars are back in Llangollen after an absence of half a century.

The old Dorothy picture house in Castle Street showed its last film to a paying audience 50 years ago.

* Audience members get into
costume for the occasion.

But the movies are back following the launch of the New Dot community cinema at the Town Hall last night (Wednesday).

A group of dedicated volunteers has spent months working on the project to recreate the magic of regular picture shows.

And their efforts were rewarded when a capacity crowd lapped up every minute of the first show in a Town Hall which had been given the look of a bijou cinema of the 1930s complete with couches and shaded lamps.

The film chosen for the premiere was, appropriately, the Oscar-winning silent picture, The Artist, and there was a full supporting bill including classic shorts starring the likes of Charlie Chaplin and Betty Boop.

There was also a montage of stills pictures from Llangollen’s past supplied by the town’s museum.

The audience, who had been asked to get into the spirit of things by turning up in costume from the golden age of Hollywood, were able to enjoy a full bar plus stands offering homemade cakes, tea and coffee.

The evening was introduced by the mayor, Cllr Mike Adams, who gave a warm welcome to the project.

New Dot aims to show one speciality film a month at the Town Hall and those planned for the rest of the year include Mon Oncle by Jacques Tati, a creepy from 1962 called Carnival of Souls and a film from last year called Northern Soul.

 

 

* Charlie Chaplin on screen.

* ... and on stage.

 

 

 

 

 

Sainsbury's says interest shown in Llan site

Sainsbury’s has told Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates that a “number of people” are interested in taking over the site on the A5 in Llangollen where it is now intending to build a new supermarket.

The revelation has come in an email to Mr Skates from a senior official of the company.

David Mills tells the AM: “We are in advanced discussions with a number of people interested in the site.

“I am hopeful we can give you some more concrete news in August.”

Mr Skates said:  “It’s very encouraging to hear that there is serious interest in the Sainsbury’s development and that the company is in advanced talks with a number of potential tenants.

“I am hoping to have a meeting with Sainsbury’s next month, so I look forward to being able to give my constituents some more good news following the announcement regarding the Dobson & Crowther buy-out earlier this week.

“Whatever happens, we won’t be left with an empty shell.

“The Sainsbury’s building will be finished and it will be occupied, which will mean jobs created for the people of Llangollen and money being invested in the town.” 

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies, a strong supporter of the supermarket plan, said: “I am more than happy that there looks as if there will be a good outcome to this saga.

“The printworks and supermarket development was always about jobs and that was what I was elected on.

“Hopefully, the new owners of the printworks will be able to take on the old, massively experienced workforce as well as the proposed new tenants of the supermarket site being able to take on a similar amount of people as Sainsbury’s would have.

“I see that the prime objectors to the original applications have now done a massive U-turn, via a news website, on the printworks http://llanblogger.blogspot.co.uk

“How hypocritical. Are they going to do the same thing to these potential new tenants of the other site who will be offering jobs to Llangollen people?”

Response from Keep Llangollen Special ...

The latest batch of disingenuous, triumphalist and snide remarks about U-turns has appeared, attempting to mask the succession of bad decisions which led to the supermarket failure and the printworks failure. KLS has always sought to protect jobs and business in Llangollen and never once placed any at risk by making unrealistic promises

 

We said the proposed Sainsbury’s wasn’t viable. Events proved that to be true.

 

We said that Dobson & Crowther wasn’t viable in the current economic climate. Events proved that to be true as well.

 

All the rest has been character assassination, which we wholly reject.

 

What emerges clearly is the residents of Llangollen are always excluded from negotiations by old-school paternal politics. Even now, details are being kept secret from us, stifling any discussion or debate on our own future.

 

From anyone’s point of view, the first priority should be to protect – even strengthen – the heart of Llangollen, and we support any new, complementary business which provides skilled work. This has been our position from the outset and no amount of self-aggrandising spin can alter that. Uppermost in our minds should always be forward-thinking for the futures of our youngsters, a priority KLS has never lost sight of for short-term gain.

 

Chair ΞKeep Llangollen SpecialΞ

Top stunt team to perform at Llangollen bike show

The On The Edge Trials Stunt Display Team will be performing amazing feats of skill and daring on both days of the Llangollen International Motorcycle Festival - LlanBikeFest 15 – on August 1 and 2.

Billed as the world’s best stunt riders, the team is led by Jack Challoner and Martin Crosswaite, who between them have won multiple British, European and world trials championships.

Their show includes 15ft jumps up vertical walls, amazing ‘drop offs’ and a range of freestyle tricks, some of which can only be attempted by a handful of riders throughout the world.

Show organiser Harry Edwards, who is out of hospital and recovering well after a bike accident, said: “These guys are a must-see, but LlanBikeFest 15 will be a real family event with something for everyone, not just bike fans.”

Attractions will include live bands, a vintage funfair, face-painting for kids of all ages by Glitterbugz and the opportunity to meet and handle some beautiful birds of prey with Rockcliffe Raptors.

The show will be opened on Saturday, August 1 by seven-times TT winner Mick Grant and Carl ‘Foggy’ Fogarty MBE, (pictured above) the most successful World Superbike (WSB) racer of all time.

On Sunday, August 2, more than 100 classic trials machines will compete in a stage of the Northern British Bike Pre-65 Trials Championship (NBBC).

All of the bikes are at least 50 years old and will be ridden on the Llangollen Pavilion show site from 11 am to 2pm, as part of a championship round hosted by Llangollen and District Motorcycle Club.

The Llangollen site has previously hosted successful bike shows – the last in 2011 – but LlanBikeFest 15 is being organised by a new team of local motorcycle enthusiasts, led by Harry Edwards.

Follow the event on Twitter at @llanbikefest and Facebook at Llangollen International Motorcycle Festival. 

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies is supporting this event.

He said: "As a life-long biker I welcome this event to the Pavilion and hope it goes well and that we can add it to the list of annual events that are taking place at this superb venue."

* Book tickets and stands online at www.llanbikefest.co.uk or contact the festival office at 07960 693398 or office@llanbikefest.co.uk.

First woman bishop preaches at St Collen's

* The eisteddfod service at St Collen's last Sunday. 

In her sermon at St Collen’s annual eisteddfod service last Sunday, the Church of England’s first woman bishop drew a comparison between Christian worship and singing in a choir.

Llangollen’s parish church was almost full to hear the Rt Rev Libby Lane, Bishop of Stockport, (pictured below) as guest preacher.  

She explained that it was a long time since she had sung regularly in a choir but, growing up, she sang with her mother in the local choral society and at school in a chamber choir, and later on in the chapel choirs at university and theological college.

“And while my singing may not be notable, I learnt extraordinarily important values from being part of a choir,” she said.

“I learnt about mutuality. Choirs get better when they learn to be mutually dependent.

“Those with the strongest voices are not always the best choir member.

“By definition it is not possible to be a choir on your own. The capacity to listen, and take account of one another, is key to effective choral singing, I remember.

“There is something extraordinarily valuable is learning both to take responsibility for your own contribution, while simultaneously accepting responsibility for the actions of others.

“It is a lesson in Christlikeness, in living out the gospel.”

The Bishop added: “In love and obedience to God in Christ we each have responsibility for our own engagement and participation, and we all have responsibility for the engagement and participation of one another.

“Like the voices that make up a choir, what we bring will be particular to us but essential to the whole.”

The general theme of the service was “For those in peril on the sea” and all donations from the congregation went to the Mission for Seafarers. 

MP supports keeping Hunting Act unchanged

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has spoken in support of keeping the existing Hunting Act unchanged.

MPs will be voting on whether to amend the Act this Wednesday.

Susan Elan Jones MP (pictured left) said: "The message from rural Clwyd South is loud and clear - people don't want to see the bad old days of fox hunting returning. The change proposed would do exactly that by the back door.

"All of us who come from the countryside know full well that the population of foxes has to be controlled. But most of us also think that a so-called 'sport' where foxes are chased and ripped up by hounds is cruel and does not belong in the 21st century.

"I'd like to see a huge majority of MPs, including those Plaid and Tory MPs who have previously been pro-fox hunting, vote against changing the Hunting Act on Wednesday."

Hopes of new start for Dobson & Crowther

Llanblogger exclusive

* The Dobson & Crowther factory at Cilmedw.

THE new owners of a Llangollen printworks which recently went into administration say they are hoping to re-start production there “very soon” taking back many of its redundant staff.

Dobson & Crowther, which earlier this year moved into a new factory at Cilmedw,  called in administrators last month after what was described as a “challenging 18 months” for the business and made 55 of the 79-strong workforce redundant.

Llanblogger revealed on Saturday that Telford-based company, Mail Solutions Group, had bought the assets  of the company from administration.

Now, Mail Solutions’ group finance director Phil Reid has given llanblogger more information about what it has planned for Dobson & Crowther.

And his statement contains two pieces of good news for the area – that envelope manufacture could soon be resumed and that members of the previous workforce manning the machines.  

Mr Reid said: “We are still formulating plans for the building, and can’t give a definitive response.

“Suffice to say that the previous Dobson & Crowther staff had a fantastic reputation in the marketplace in relation to their manufacturing skill and customer service.

“We are therefore excited about the prospect of re-commencing envelope production activities at Llangollen.

“There are, however, several commercial hurdles to overcome.

“For instance, many of the staff made redundant by the administrator prior to our involvement with the Llangollen site may have found new jobs; suppliers, many of whom suffered bad debts when Dobson & Crowther entered administration, may be unwilling to support a new venture at the site and customers may have moved their trade elsewhere due to the uncertainty caused by the administration process.”

Mr Reid added: “Notwithstanding these issues, we are hopeful that we will indeed re-commence production at Llangollen, and create employment for many of the workers who have lost their livelihoods.

“So far, staff, customers and suppliers have been amazingly supportive, and Mail Solutions Group is looking forward to the possibility of re-starting the machines at Llangollen very soon for the benefit of all stakeholders.”

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies said: “I welcome the news from Mail Solutions and will do everything in my power to assist in any way I can to help make this happen.

“My thoughts go out to the workforce in these difficult times and I hope as many as want to can get employment again in the magnificent new factory.

"My heartfelt thanks go out to the company and I wish them well in the new venture."

* Clwyd South AM Ken Skates held extended discussions with administrators Baker Tilly after the redundancies were announced, and secured assurances that details of the workers laid off would be passed on to any buyer.

 

Mr Skates said: “I am delighted by this very positive news and hugely relieved that the hard-working employees made redundant could soon find new opportunities at the site.

 

"I’m pleased to have been able to help and look forward to the presses rolling again soon.”



* At first glance it might be interpreted that Dobson & Crowther could be reopening under new management and that jobs will be saved, all just in the nick of time:  See http://llanblogger.blogspot.co.uk/2015/07/deal-done-for-dobson-crowthers-assets.html, the latest headline is Deal done for Dobson & Crowther's assets.

It looked like standard liquidation by Administrators, asset-stripping in order to pay off as many pence in the pound to creditors as possible, but Keep Llangollen Special’s research reveals a much closer symbiosis between Dobson & Crowther and Mail Solutions Group’s operations than it appears at first glance.

In fact, the Telford company’s product range would be increased, introducing more stability and the chance to expand.

Can we actually believe it this time after all the propaganda, broken promises and bogus claims that the fundamental business is “sound”? It’s easy to by cynical, but at least one victim of the job losses had been interviewed by telephone by the new company.

KLS will, as always, keep a watch and ensure everyone’s kept informed. Meanwhile, the moral of this and other recent stories is to ram it home to our elected representatives that they put themselves forward to represent us, not themselves.

Our hopes and wishes are, as always, with the former and prospective employees, and KLS would welcome the opportunity to meet with Phil Reid of Mail Solutions Group to foster good community relations with the company from the very outset. 

Martin Crumpton

 

Chair ΞKeep Llangollen SpecialΞ

 

 

Millie snaps up prestigious photo award

 

* Millie with her camera at  the Eisteddfod.

 

A teenage volunteer at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has won a prestigious national photography competition run by the Sunday Times.

 

Millie Adams Davies, from Llangollen, had her winning photograph on display at the Eisteddfod where she has been a volunteer since the age of 11.

 

The 19-year-old won the Sunday Times competition for amateur photographers with an image entitled Ladies Who Lunch, taken in La Paz while she was travelling through South America last year and has already been printed in the newspaper.

 

It is quite a coup for Millie, who was brought up with the Eisteddfod - her parents are season ticket-holders and her dad, retired local GP Dr Rhys Davies, is currently vice-chairman of the event.

 

As soon as she was old enough to get involved herself, Millie jumped at the chance to join the 800 volunteers who make sure the musical extravaganza runs smoothly every year.

 

She said: “I’ve been to the Eisteddfod every year of my life. It’s on our doorstep and Mum and Dad always took me so as soon as I was 11 I wanted to join in.

 

 

 * Millie's prize-winning picture of Bolivian women sitting

on the steps of the San Francisco Cathedral.

 

“I was an usher for my first year and then joined the floral committee who I’ve been helping ever since.”

 

In the intervening years Millie left Ysgol Y Gwernant, completed her secondary schooling at Moreton Hall, travelled extensively during a gap year and started studying medicine at Cardiff University.

 

Millie ended up spending much of last year in South America. She started by visiting her brother who was living in Chile at the time and went on to spend seven months in the region.

 

She said: “I stayed with my brother for Christmas and then I went on to Santiago to do a Spanish course for a month.

 

“After that I joined a conservation project in Peru and basically spent nearly three months chasing butterflies and catching lizards in a remote part of the rainforest you could only get to by boat.

 

“It was an amazing experience and completely different. After that I did a bit more travelling through Bolivia, Argentina and back to Chile.”

 

In the course of her adventures Millie took thousands of photographs and even had one of them printed in the Sunday Times recently.

 

She said: “I was reading the travel section, as I always do, and spotted this photographic competition. I had taken so many pictures, but my favourite was one of a group of Bolivian women sitting on the steps of the San Francisco Cathedral in La Paz so I just thought I’d send it in.

 

“I got an email at the end of the week saying I was that week’s winner and I’d get £250 vouchers to spend on photographic equipment.”

 

This comes as good news for Millie as her trusty camera took quite a beating on her travels as she went sandboarding, enjoyed mud fights, dropped it on the Machu Picchu trail and repeatedly covered it in sand.

 

Now able to buy a new one, Millie is happily planning this summer’s travels through Europe, once she has finished her ninth year as stalwart of the International Eisteddfod.

 

Once again she helped organise the floral stage arrangements that the festival is famous for as well as selling posies and baskets of flowers.

 

Millie said: “I really enjoy it. I take time out to do it every year and you always meet up with the same people again which is lovely.

 

“It’s a really good time to practice my Welsh too as I used to be fluent when I was little and then it dropped off a bit.”

 

Over her years working behind the scenes at North Wales’s premier music event, Millie has also bumped into all sorts of celebrities.

 

She said: “A lot of people like to come to the floral tent so you end up having all sorts of random chats with quite famous people like Terry Waite and people from the television.

 

“I once had to go on stage to present a bouquet to Sir Willard White which was really cool, and I got to buy a new dress too!”

 

Despite her passion for music, Millie has followed her parents’ career paths and just completed her first year as a medical student in Cardiff.

 

She said: “Mum and Dad are both medical professionals so I started out saying I wanted to do anything but that – be an astronaut even, anything just to be different.

 

“But after a while I had to give in and admit it was all I was interested in. I’d quite like to work in surgery and I’m definitely going to spend some time abroad with Medecins Sans Frontieres as I think they’re a great charity.”

 

Gethin Davies, Chairman of the Eisteddfod, said: “We’re really grateful to Millie and all the rest of our volunteers – the event just wouldn’t work without them.

 

“It’s wonderful that she has won this competition too so she obviously has a range of talents, not least in the floral department where we always have an incredible display.”

Ladies of Llan play showcased at Eisteddfod

 

 * Cast members of the new Ladies of Llangollen

play at the Eisteddfod.

 

VISITORS to Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod have been given a fascinating look at the lives of two of the town’s celebrities from the past.

 

Wrexham playwright Peter Read chose the festival to showcase his latest work, an hour-long drama telling the story of the famous Ladies of Llangollen.

 

Scenes from the production, which is due to have its open-air premiere at Plas Newydd, their former home in Llangollen, on Tuesday and Wednesday, July 21 and 22, were played out in the Denbighshire County Council tent at the festival at hourly intervals.

 

Peter Read said: “I’ve written the play especially for the performances at Plas Newydd later this month and we thought the Eisteddfod provided the ideal platform for giving members of the public a little taste of what it’s all about.

 

“Basically, it tells the story of the ladies, Sarah Ponsonby and her friend Eleanor Butler, two members of the Irish nobility who came over to Britain in the late 18^th century to find their own rural retreat.

 

“They eventually settled at Plas Newydd which became a famous meeting place for their many friends and was once visited by the Duke of Wellington as a young man.

 

“There are eight members in the cast and after its performances in Llangollen we hope to take it on tour around Wales and possibly also to Ireland where the ladies came from.” 

Success is on the cards for Llan shop boss

* Sarah Meade with her designs for Llangollen and Oswestry.

Local businesswoman Sarah Meade, proprietor of Honey Pots in Oswestry and Llangollen, is taking the chance to showcase her artistic skills by designing some postcards with local themes.

“As we have a shop in both towns, I thought it would be a nice idea to try and promote each town with postcards highlighting something that each town is known for," she said.

" I was surprised recently when I went to buy a postcard to send to a friend and found that none really exist for Oswestry.”

As a result, Sarah decided to design a postcard for Oswestry and then, because she has a shop in Llangollen as well, thought she would do something similar for Llangollen.

She now has three designs, one for Oswestry telling the story of Oswald’s tree and two for Llangollen one highlighting the musical history of the town based on the classical film “The Sounds of Music” and one highlighting the International Eisteddfod for which the town is globally recognised.

“My initial plan was to sell the postcards in my own shops but a number of local businesses have already shown an interest and I was very excited when the Eisteddfod also expressed an interest in stocking them, so that they can be sold at the event this week.”

Sarah also plans to put the designs on other products including mugs and tea towels as well as selling limited edition prints all of which (including the postcards) will be available in the Oswestry and Llangollen shops as well as other outlets that have expressed an interest.

The originals will be displayed in the shops shortly and the postcards and posters can also be viewed on the shops website www.honey-pots.com

Deal done for Dobson & Crowther's assets

* The assets of Dobson & Crowther have been bought by a Telford-based firm. 

A Shropshire-based company has confirmed that it has bought the assets of Dobson & Crowther printworks from the administrators.

Rumours about a possible deal had been circulating about the fate of the firm which moved into a purpose-built factory at Cilmedw earlier this year.

Llanblogger contacted the company mentioned in connection with a deal, Mail Solutions Group which has its head office in Telford, to confirm whether this was the case.

And we have now received an email from one of its directors, Phil Reid, which said: “I can confirm that our company, Mail Solutions Group, has indeed purchased the assets of Dobson & Crowther from that company's administrators.”

Llanblogger is now trying to gain further information about the purchase and what it is likely to mean for the Dobson & Crowther factory and its remaining workforce.

Dobson & Crowther went into administration in early June with 55 of its 79-strong workforce being made redundant.

Llangollen county councillor, Stuart Davies, said: “I heard a few days ago that there might be some good news about the future of the company.

"Now it seems that events are still unfolding and I am still concerned about the future of the workforce and the factory building.

"I am awaiting a definite update."

According to its company website, Mail Solutions Group was established in March 2000 and has evolved into a major independent manufacturer of envelopes and print in the UK and India.

From its headquarters in Telford, Mail Solutions says it offers a broad range of value-added solutions for all your envelope and print requirements, from stock envelopes and bespoke envelopes to business forms and tickets.

The website says: “The foundations of our success is the company's ongoing commitment to providing a quality product and service to each customer, which is reflected through our high levels of business retention and continued client growth.”

Comprising of five subsidiaries across two divisions, the group has over 300 highly trained employees and generates a combined turnover approaching £40million per year.

Report says county making progress in key areas

Denbighshire County Council has welcomed the findings of the latest Annual Improvement Report published by the Wales Audit Office.

The report shows that in 2014-15 the council continued to make progress in delivering improvements in all of its priority objectives and its track record in delivering its financial objectives means it is well placed to secure continuous improvement in 2015-16.

The key findings of the report are:

• The use of performance standards continues to promote a consistent culture of ambition across the council’s services
• Overall, the performance of social care department is strong
• The council is making good progress in committing its Discretionary Housing Payments
• Further progress has been made to improve the Welsh language capability of council staff.
• The council has improved the performance of its Human Resources service.
• The council is working hard to address the shortfall in affordable housing in the county

Leader of Denbighshire, Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, said: “Every council is facing significant challenges and in Denbighshire we are facing those challenges through careful financial and service planning and monitoring of our performance.

"This is all being done with the overarching aim of providing the best possible service to our residents.

“This report makes very positive reading and reflects the commitment and dedication of our staff to improve the council’s performance across the board and we welcome the WAO’s suggestions for improvement.

“This will offer reassurance to  residents that the council is well-placed to continue providing quality services.”

Earthquake-hit Nepalese dancers to appear at Eisteddfod

 

 

* Todd Lochhead on the Nepal stand on the Eisteddfod field.

A GROUP of young dancers from Nepal who endured the earthquakes which devastated their country will take centre stage at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod on Saturday.

 

Thanks to a major fundraising drive, more than 30 members of the Rising Culture Group from the World Heritage site of Bhaktapur, about 10 miles from the Nepalese capital of Kathmandu and around 100 miles from Mount Everest, had been planning to travel 5,000 miles to compete at the Eisteddfod this week.

 

Then their dream of coming to Llangollen suffered a huge setback when their region was shattered by two massive earthquakes within weeks in April and May, which claimed thousands of lives and caused widespread destruction.

 

But thanks to the man who has been the guiding force behind their Eisteddfod appearance and their own determination, a token contingent of five group members have been making their way to Wales this week and will now perform their traditional mahkali mask dance on the main stage at Llangollen at 1.30pm on Saturday.

 

New Zealander Todd Lochhead, the man leading the effort to bring the dancers to the Eisteddfod, first saw Rising Culture perform when he was working as a teacher at the Rising English School where they based in Bhaktapur, which is run by his friend Kapil Banebepali and his wife Chandika.

 

He was so impressed by their colourful routines, which date back hundreds of years, that he became determined they should be given an international showcase at Llangollen.

 

Since the earthquakes, 46-year-old Todd, who works as a financial consultant in Bristol, has kept in constant touch with the group and personally shared their tribulations on two visits to Bhaktapur.

 

He was shocked by the destruction on the ground which saw many homes, shops and commercial buildings totally destroyed.

 

Around 600 people in the town are thought to have died, mainly in the first quake.

 

Many people from the surrounding area sought sanctuary in the school building which was left largely untouched because of its concrete construction, sleeping in the open on matting in the courtyard and sharing meagre supplies of food.

 

Although all members of the group survived, some lost relatives.

 

But, despite what they had suffered, the group remained determined that at least some of them would make it to Llangollen.

 

And after overcoming visa problems, five of them in their twenties and early teens will appear at the Eisteddfod on Saturday.

 

Todd said: “All of them apart from one have never been out of Nepal before, so this is a great adventure for them which they are all looking forward to immensely.

 

“Every step of the way their determination to make it to Llangollen has been unstoppable.

“This will be an absolutely new experience for them.

 

“They have obviously been through some very trying times but I know they will grasp this opportunity to shine at the Eisteddfod.”

 

He added: “They are all excited about performing their mask dance, accompanying themselves on their traditional dhimmy drums and flutes.

 

“And of course they will all be wearing their fantastically colourful costumes, the origins of which go back centuries.

 

“People who see them are in for a real treat.”

 

All this week Todd has been running a stand on the field, donated by Eisteddfod organisers, selling a range of craft items, including soft toys, jewellery, pashminas and bags, to raise money for the Nepal earthquake appeal.

 

Todd said: “The Eisteddfod has been great in helping us to set up the stand.

 

“We’ve had a lot of interest from visitors and sold quite a few items, which is fantastic as every penny we raise will help people who have lost so much in the marvellous country I first fell in love with 20 years ago.”

 

Eisteddfod Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths was delighted the group is to appear.

He said: “They will be on stage just before the dance competitions begin, which is always sees the auditorium full.

 

“The work which has gone on behind the scenes to see that this group gets to Llangollen has been phenomenal.

 

“We are honoured to have them because when someone’s country has been devastated to the extent theirs has the last thing you’d expect them to do is travel across the world to perform.

 

“The fact that they have is quite magical.”

 

Comedian Silky helps spice up Llan food show

Top standup comedian Silky will swap jokes for yolks when he gives a cookery demonstration at a food festival.

 

The red hot gig at Hamper Llangollen in October will be a first for the comedian and musician who says simple egg dishes and exotic spices are among his favourite foods.

 

Silky (pictured left), a regular favourite at the Edinburgh Festival, is already familiar with the venue because he's performed his stand-up routines at the Llangollen pavilion many times.

 

“I’ve never gigged in a kitchen before, but I believe in experimenting,” said the entertainer who can play seven different musical instruments.

 

“When the organisers asked me to do a slot at Hamper Llangollen, I thought, why not? I can multi-task!”

 

It is expected that this year’s 19^th annual event on the weekend of October 17 and 18 will again attract thousands visitors to browse over 120 stalls at Llangollen’s Royal International Pavilion.

 

Supported by rural development agency Cadwyn Clwyd, the event in Llangollen’s Royal Pavilion is recognised as one of the UK's top 10 food festivals.

 

Cadwyn Clwyd’s contribution comes via the Rural Development Fund for Wales 2007-2013, which is funded through the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Government.

 

While Silky promises plenty of light-hearted banter with the crowd, he says the food itself will be no laughing matter, with high quality local ingredients to the fore.

 

Hot tips on cooking up some fantastic, original recipes are already brewing in his vivid imagination, though he is eager to point out he has no ambitions to become a professional cook.

 

“I do love cooking and I enjoy trying out new ingredients,” said the native Liverpudlian whose career in comedy was launched when a friend persuaded him to enter the BBC New comedy Awards in 1994.

 

In the years since, Silky, who now lives in Leeds, has worked virtually non-stop, performing all around the world in addition to touring the UK circuit. His stand up act including self-penned songs and music is consistently a highlight at the Edinburgh Festival and he has a huge fan base in North Wales arising from his Killforaseat comedy shows regularly staged at Llangollen Pavilion, Venue Cymru, Llandudno and Clwyd Theatr Cymru, Mold.

 

The announcement that he is to join the line-up of star turns at Llangollen’s increasingly popular annual food festival is sure to win him yet more fans.

 

Hamper Llangollen is one of the most prestigious events on the UK culinary calendar, hosting more than 100 local and international exhibitors, along with demonstrations by professionals.

 

Travelling so much through work has afforded Silky the opportunity to try out lots of different food styles. He is a big fan of Thai, Malaysian, Indonesian and Mexican dishes and says he may draw inspiration from them for his festival menu.

 

He does not adhere strictly to recipes but likes to be creative with different types of food.

 

“Lately I’ve been playing with cauliflower and I’m loving it, particularly roasted and spiced. I’m also into soups. I often make a big batch of soup and freeze some so I can have it as a nutritious light meal before or after a gig,” he said.

 

He enjoys curries and will not shy away from the hottest chillies but he never adds heat to food just for the sake of it.

 

“I like a good curry but always used to go for mild kormas, then I thought why am I limiting myself to one style? Let’s try something different. Suddenly a whole new world of spices opened up to me. But I’m not a macho spice man. I only like the heat if it adds flavour and aromas.”

 

He’s equally at home with simple dishes – eggs, mushrooms and fresh asparagus, or comfort foods like his late father’s corned beef hash.

 

He tries to avoid eating too much processed produce and likes to buy crusty freshly baked bread rather than off the shelf supermarket varieties.

 

His girlfriend of eight years is a vegan so home meals include plenty of pulses and vegetables.

 

Hamper Llangollen 2015 will also include cookery demonstrations by members of the Welsh Culinary Association, led by Graham Tinsley, who has cooked for the Queen, is part owner of the Castle Hotel, Conwy.

 

For more details about Llangollen Food Festival-Hamper Llangollen visit www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

AM secures rail commitment from Transport Minister

The Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales, Aled Roberts, has secured a commitment from the Transport Minister that the Welsh Government will be working with Merseyrail to deliver long-awaited improvements to connections between north Wales and Liverpool.

 

Mr Roberts said: “The recent announcement by the Tory UK Government that billions of pounds worth of rail improvements are being delayed or cut back has come as a blow to the people of north Wales.

 

“We have been waiting years for improved connectivity between north Wales and the north-west of England and it is important that plans for improvement to the Halton Curve are not jeopardised by the Tory decision; a recent report commissioned by Merseyrail suggested additional services to Liverpool via the Halton Curve should end at Chester rather than go through to Wrexham.

 

“I am pleased that the Minister acknowledges my concerns and that she and her officials are committed to working with Merseyrail to ensure that the necessary works go ahead despite the UK Government’s misguided decision."

 

Storytelling at community garden