Llan panto group presents Alice in Wonderland

 

* Justine Bradey as the Queen of Hearts. 

 

LLANGOLLEN Pantomime Group is marking the 150^th anniversary of the publication of the story Alice in Wonderland with a spectacular local production.

 

Rehearsals are well underway for the annual pantomime which will take place at Llangollen Pavilion from Thursday, January 14 to Sunday, January 17.

 

Billed as the traditional story with a modern twist, the show will include bush-tucker trials and will be accompanied by a live band.

 

The script has been written by the pantomime’s director, Nico Decourt from Abbey Road, Llangollen.

 

He said: “We’re delighted to be performing Alice in Wonderland as it marks its 150^th anniversary. It’s a story which stands the test of time and brings plenty of opportunities for fun and mischief in the modern pantomime setting.

 

“The cast and crew are working really hard to ensure the audience enjoys a fabulously entertaining show once again.”

 

This is the 31^st production by the Llangollen Pantomime Group. Whole families regularly participate in the production with parents and grandparents performing alongside their children and grandchildren.

 

This year’s lead, Alice, is performed by Serena Young who is making her debut in the Llangollen Pantomime. 

 

The show runs from Thursday, January 14 to Sunday, January 17 at Llangollen Pavilion.

 

Doors 7pm, show 7.30pm, Saturday and Sunday matinee (doors open 2pm, show 2.30pm). For the first time, tickets are available online at https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenpanto and from Jades Hair & Beauty, Llangollen or Gwyn Davies (Butchers), Llangollen. You can also reserve tickets by calling 01978 860297.

Pedestrian dies in A5 collision

The Daily Post is reporting online this morning (Saturday) that a pedestrian died following a road collision on the A5 between Llangollen and Chirk last night.

For more details, see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/pedestrian-killed-in-a5-crash-10553054

Silver honour for Llan care home manager

 

* Bronwen Morris has won a silver accolade.

 

A silver accolade has gone to the oldest care home manager in Wales.

 

The prestigious honour was presented to Bronwen Morris, of Llangollen at the annual Wales Care Awards, at a glittering dinner and ceremony in City Hall, Cardiff.

 

Bronwen, 77, runs The Old Vicarage care home in Llangollen and was nominated by its deputy manager, her son, David Morris.

 

She was thrilled to receive a silver, though she said she had ‘butterflies in my stomach’ all the while the awards were being announced by BBC Wales TV news presenter Lucy Owen.

 

Bronwen said: “I was very nervous, and really thought I might not get anything as there were so many other deserving people all around me. Some of them have done such good work, I was sure I wouldn’t get anything like a silver.”

 

But the judges thought different, having been impressed by Bronwen quarter of a century’s unstinting service to her local community.

 

She took over The Old Vicarage 25 years ago with her husband of 54 years, retired accountant Brian, and they were determined to ensure their residents felt as much at home as possible.

 

Having had no formal experience in the care sector, they trained for 18 months before opening The Old Vicarage and continue to keep themselves updated with training and care home procedures.

 

Just six years ago Bronwen studied for two years for a new management qualification when she was aged 71.

 

She remains the registered care provider and proprietor of The Old Vicarage, though her son now shares the day to day workload.

 

He said: “Mum is still a very hard worker and as determined as ever to make sure all our residents’ needs are met and that they are happy, even though she is nearly as old as some of them herself now.” 

 

Bronwen believes her age is an advantage as it gives her more understanding of residents’ needs. She plays a key role in organising social activities for them and taking those who are able out to local events including Llangollen WI and the Wednesday Club. She is also a volunteer with the Parkinson’s Society and the Alzheimers Society.

 

The Wales Care Awards are run in association with Care Forum Wales, a not-for-profit organisation set up in 1993 to give independent care providers a single professional voice with which to speak on one of the most important issues of our time – how to provide better quality care for those who need it most.

 

Bronwen was presented with her silver in the Outstanding Service Award category, sponsored by Hallmark.

 

She modestly said she felt honoured to have been nominated and was delighted to receive a silver, but didn’t feel she had done anything extraordinary, except care for people in the best way that she could. Her priorities for all her residents, she said, were to ensure they are well, feel at home, comfortable, and among good friends.

 

Mario Kreft, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, said: “There are only winners here tonight so it is only fitting that the finalists will receive a gold, silver or bronze Wales Care Award.

“I trust that they will continue to inspire those around them as role models and encourage others to aspire to even greater heights in the months and years to come.

“This awards ceremony is our opportunity to pay tribute and to celebrate the talent and commitment that is improving the quality of life for thousands and thousands of people throughout Wales.

“We take our hats off to them.”

As well as David, Bronwen and her husband have another son Richard, who lives in Carlisle and daughter Liz, of Ruabon, plus eight grandchildren aged from 13 to 30.

 

Warning: Storm Desmond to hit region

The BBC news website is reporting a warning from forecasters that gales of more than 70mph could bring disruption across north and mid Wales.

For details, see:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-34997842

Rotary stages grand Christmas raffle

The Rotary Club of Llangollen is spending today and tomorrow (Saturday) in the entrance of the Co-op store in Regent Street selling tickets for its grand Christmas raffle, proceeds from which will go to various local charities.

Members will be there from 10am-6pm on Saturday.

Prizes include grocery vouchers for £100, £50 and £25 and ticket prices are £1 each.

The raffle will be drawn on Monday December 14.

Special loco heading for Llan Railway

* The Small Prairie loco No. 4566 on the Severn Valley Railway this summer.

LLANGOLLEN Railway is expecting a special visitor next spring.

Arrangements have been made for GWR Small Prairie No.4566 to attend the Spring Steam Gala which will take place over three days from Friday - Sunday April 8-10.

Featuring an intensive timetable of both passenger and freight trains, a great collection of historic steam locomotives and special attractions along the line, the event aims to offer something for railway enthusiasts and families.

Normally resident at the Severn Valley Railway, No.4566 will be travelling by road to visit the line and will be in operation alongside the railway's own home fleet.

For more details, visit the website: www.llangollen-railway.co.uk

MP explains her position on Syria bombing vote

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has issued the following statement explaining her position on last night's vote to allow the RAF to bomb in Syria:


I would like to thank all my constituents who have contacted me since the atrocities in Paris, Beirut, Sinai, Tunisia and Ankara with their views on how best we should deal with the global threat that our country and the rest of the free world faces from ISIL/Daesh.

With our security services having foiled at least seven serious terror plots in the past year and our country's threat of attack at 'severe' level, I am not surprised that most people in our area paid little regard to the argument peddled by some that we as a country are to blame for standing up for the security and defence of our nation.

I received a very wide range of opinions from hundreds of constituents regarding whether the United Kingdom be authorised to extend targeted air-strikes from Northern Iraq across the border into Syria. Some constituents felt we needed to go further than Government proposals and that the UK should send ground troops. Others expressed a purely pacifist position - against any form of military action in Syria or anywhere else in the world at any point.

But most views I received stood between these positions. Some felt we should 'stay away' yet others spoke of the need to support the UN resolution by joining France, Germany, Russia and the US in targeted air-strikes, as one constituent put it: "Labour is an internationalist party; it is right that we show solidarity with President Hollande and the people of France".  Others pointed to the logical inconsistency (a view I have long held) of supporting air-strikes against ISIL/Daesh in Northern Iraq but not across the Syrian border in Raqqa where ISIL/Daesh have their headquarters.

Both among constituents who favoured air-strikes and those who did not, there was strong support for the Vienna talks held by the international Syria Support Group and the way in which that group had brought together a wide coalition of nations. The UK is indeed now part of a coalition of over 60 nations, and it is incumbent on us to work with other countries to cut off the flow of finance, fighters, and weapons to Daesh/ISIL in Syria and Iraq.

What struck me most from communications from constituents was the very thoughtful nature of most of the emails and letters, with one constituent, who was personally against air-strikes, expressing the views of many by describing the decision as "finely balanced". Another constituent described how air-strikes had enabled the Kurds to stand up to ISIL/Daesh. Others feared that there would be inadequate ground-troops in Syria and feared that Britain might have to send ground troops (something I do not feel that we should support).


I appreciate the very considered feed-back from my  constituents. I read every single piece of correspondence from my constituents on this issue. While I was not immune to receiving some limited and unacceptable abuse, this was happily rare, compared with that received by some MPs in other parts of the country. I know most of my constituents will be aware that I do not get intimidated by any attempts of bullying, whether on social media or any other way! Any attempts to intimidate me in the exercise of my representative duty will not succeed.

One issue that concerns me immensely is that we must always challenge the casual racism that insinuates ISIL/Daesh is anything to do with ordinary Muslims, as it is Muslim people who have been on the receiving end of more ISIL/Daesh brutality than that of any other faith group. Islamophobia and anti-Semitism are always wrong. In an area like ours which is home to only a very small number of Muslims and Jews, I think it is particularly important that we all challenge abusive comments against people of these faiths.

Finally, I realise that Jeremy Corbyn and the Labour Shadow Cabinet have been viciously criticised by groups like the 'Stop the War Coalition' and by individuals like George Galloway for allowing Labour MPs a free vote on the decision that came before Parliament. Although I have always been open about the fact that I did not vote for Jeremy Corbyn in September's Labour Leadership election, I believe that he and the Labour Shadow Cabinet deserve heartfelt praise for that courageous decision. They acted in the spirit of the democratic socialist party that Labour is; not the narrow sect that some people would like to turn the Labour Party into.

It was that openness to allow Labour MPs to choose in line with conscience, careful consideration and constituent opinion, that led me to go into the same division lobby as Labour Deputy Leader Tom Watson, Shadow Foreign Secretary Hilary Benn and many other MPs. The key factors for me were: it made no sense to allow our RAF to undertake targeted air-strikes in Iraq but not across the border in Syria, the location of ISIL/Daesh's headquarters; and that I could not reconcile the unanimous resolution of the UN that we should take all necessary measures to counter ISIL/Daesh into a false choice between military and non-military action. The motion that MPs supported makes a clear commitment to seek to cut off ISIL/Daesh's sources of finance, fighters and weapons: it is right that it does so.

When tomorrow's Hansard is published, I would urge everyone to read the outstanding speech made by Shadow Foreign Secretary, Hilary Benn, towards the end of the Parliamentary debate. The speech well illustrates how our commitment to pluralism, freedom and the security of our nation and all those who face suffering matters in a dangerous world. 

Twenty Club auditions for gritty Lancashire classic

* Grim up north: Twenty Club is to stage Love on the Dole next spring.

FOLLOWING their second sell-out production of Fawlty Towers, Llangollen Twenty Club are heading north to 1930s Lancashire for their next production.

Love on the Dole, by Walter Greenwood and adapted for the stage by Ronald Gow, will be directed for the club by Christine Dukes and will presented next March.
The Great Depression has gripped everyone in Hanky Park, Lancashire.

Despite the joy of her recent engagement, Sally Hardcastle and her family are struggling to make ends meet.

Her brother, Harry, faces an uncertain future - out of work, a baby on the way and facing the dreaded Means Test.

When a powerful rival for Sally's affection makes his feelings known, she's offered the chance to save her family from being torn apart. But can Sally sacrifice her integrity to secure the happiness of the people she loves?

The club is looking for actors to take on a range of parts covering all ages.

Full character profiles can be found on the event page here. 

Auditions will be at on Wednesday December 9 at 7pm at The Hand Hotel in Llangollen (ask for the Denbigh Room).

To register your interest to receive more information about the audition, go to:  facebook.com/twentyclub or email contact@twentyclub.co.uk

Festive celebration at the Abbey

Free after three parking for Christmas

Denbighshire County Council has announced that the "Free After 3" parking scheme will again operate in Llangollen this year to help support the town centre in the run-up to Christmas. 

The scheme provides free parking in all council operated pay & display car parks in town centres after 3pm on a daily basis.

Llangollen car parks are also free all day this Saturday.

The scheme operates until the 31st December 2015.

Llangollen car parks involved are:

* East Street
* Hall Street
* Market Street
* Mill Street

Support urged for Small Business Saturday

 

Denbighshire County Council is urging residents to support their local businesses on Saturday.

 

The day has been designated Small Business Saturday and a national campaign has been launched to encourage people to consider shopping locally.

 

The county council is supporting the initiative and has launched its own publicity and marketing campaign.

 

Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire, who is also the Lead Member for the Economy, said: “Our teams of staff have already been out and about talking to businesses and encouraging them to display posters and we have been delighted with the response.

 

“We want to emphasise the importance of shopping locally and accessing the wide variety of goods and services that can be accessed in our own communities.  We would ask residents to help us spread the word about the campaign and lets see our town centres thriving on December 5.

 

“We hope that the council’s free after three parking initiative where people can park for free in our pay and display car parks in the town centres will also encourage more people to visit town, rather than visit out of county locations."

 

* To find out more information about Small Business Saturday, please visit: www.smallbusinesssaturdayuk.com

County gives details of its financial position

Denbighshire County Council says it continues to invest in major projects, with over £200 million either spent or planned for projects county-wide.

 

The authority says it is also protecting key services during difficult financial times.

 

Councillors meeting in County Hall, Ruthin yesterday were updated on the current budget position.

 

The council needs to save £15.7 million over two years. 

 

£7.8 million has been identified for 2015/16, with a further £5.2 million in 2016/17.  Further work is going on to identify how the council can bridge the gap.

 

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance and Assets, said: “The vast majority (82%) of the savings made so far have been efficiency or other measures which have not negatively had an impact on services to the public and that has been down to careful planning and making savings through working more efficiently.

 

“We also kept our Council Tax increase low, with the increase of 2.75% being one of the lowest in Wales and this level of increase is the working assumption for 2016/17. Residents have asked us to keep any increases to a minimum and councillors agreed this was the right thing to do."

 

At the same time as dealing with a funding cut, the council set priorities to

protect and invest in important service areas such as schools, social care and the roads and has continued to achieve this throughout the budget process.

 

Some of the headline investments:

·         £96.8 m for schools

·         £18.4 m for roads

·         £21.5 m for social care

·         £16.1 m for floods and coastal defence

·         £26.8 for  economic development and regeneration

·         £6.7 m for leisure and libraries

·         £9.3 m on other key projects.

Leader of Denbighshire, Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, said: “We are on schedule to deliver all of the savings identified for this financial year and are proposing a further set of cuts for the following 12 months.

 

“However, our approach is to trim down on services through being more efficient, identifying budgets that are historically underspent and cutting our cloth accordingly. 

 

“We are committed to protecting key services as much as possibly can and identifying savings through looking at all aspects of our services. This way of working provides confidence that the Council is working to protect public money through investing in those areas needed and saving costs through careful planning and monitoring.”

Llan councillor hits out over government funding

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies has voiced his “irritation” at the relationship between the Welsh Government and local authorities like Denbighshire.

Cllr Davies (pictured) said: “The results of the UK Government Spending Review have confirmed that the funding coming to Wales is going to increase in cash terms over the next four years.

“The revenue position will increase from £12.9bn this year to £13.3bn in 2019/20 and capital from £1.5bn to £1.6bn. The capital allocation is to increase further by 2020 to £1.7bn.

"As a local councillor I am being forced by the Labour-led Welsh Government to take part in cuts across the board in our services because they have cut our funding year on year.

"We had to find cuts of £8million last year and this year with more again next year.”

He added: “The Welsh Government continually says that its central funding has been cut, but in fact, as can be seen in the document below *, the cash funding has been increased!"

"It irritates me immensely when simple things that are the responsibility of the Welsh Government, like the yellow lines on the A5 opposite Stan’s supermarket and the extending of the speed limit on the A5 past the new print works, are promised but haven’t taken place due to so-called funding constraints.

"They seem to be able to spend money on failing airports down south, to spend millions in Cardiff and yet can’t find a few thousands to do the simple things here in Llangollen and Clwyd South.

“I would remind the local Assembly Members that it is election time next year and the public are taking note of their actions or lack of.”

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates said: “After a period of unprecedented cuts to the Welsh budget and our public services, this continues to be the slowest economic recovery in living memory. Sadly, Wales is still suffering from the UK Government’s ongoing failure to meet its own targets.

 

“Tory policies mean our spending power can’t even keep track with inflation. Overall, between now and 2019-20, there will be a real terms reduction of 3.6% on a Welsh budget which has already been cut by £1.3bn since the Tories came to power in 2010-2011.

 

"While some have clearly been misled by the smoke and mirrors offered by Chancellor George Osborne, the vast majority of Welsh people won’t be.

 

“I share the anger of our communities at the UK Government’s approach to public finance and its relentless austerity campaign, but the Welsh Labour Government continues to spend more per head in key areas such as health and education. Cuts this side of the border are forced, not a choice.

 

“It is also worth pointing out – again – that more money is spent per head in areas on things like health, roads and tourism in North Wales than Cardiff and the South East. Locally, the Welsh Government has just spent more than £4.5m on brand new state-of-the-art health centres in Llangollen and Chirk.

 

“With regard to the double yellow lines opposite Stan’s, I am continuing to push for them and the Welsh Government’s Transport Minister Edwina Hart has said several times that the work will be put forward for funding consideration in the next financial year. As always, I will pass on any news to Cllr Davies and Llanblogger.”

 

* The document Cllr Davies refers to is a letter sent by the leader of Denbighshire County Council to Welsh Public Services Minister Leighton Andrews earlier this week, a copy of which he has supplied to llanblogger. It reads:

 
Dear Minister,
 
Local Government Settlement 2016/17

The results of the UK Government Spending Review have confirmed that the funding coming to Wales is going to increase in cash terms over the next four years. 

The revenue position will increase from £12.9bn this year to £13.3bn in 2019/20 and capital from £1.5bn to £1.6bn.  

The capital allocation is to increase further by 2020 to £1.7bn.

These cash increases do not allow for inflation of course and assumptions about the 'real terms' impact are suggesting a reduction in the revenue position of 4.5% but importantly, this is over the next four years.

Given the relatively flat cash settlement from Westminster, I would urge you to support a fair settlement to local government in Wales.

Applying the same principles to the local government settlement as have been provided to Wales as a whole would seem fair. 

The justification for such a settlement would be clearly understood and important services would have time to adjust in a well organised way over the period to meet the challenge.

I would appreciate your support on this very important issue.

Yours sincerely,
Cllr Hugh H Evans OBE
Leader of Denbighshire County Council

Traffic halted to allow wide load to pass through town

Traffic along Regent Street was halted briefly by police earlier this afternoon to allow the passage of a wide load on its way towards Corwen.

 

* The escorted load makes its way through the centre of Llangollen.

* A police motorcyclist controls traffic at the lights.

Plaid candidate speaks out over Syria bombing vote

In advance of tomorrow's vote on whether or not the UK should bomb Syria, Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru spokesperson for Clwyd South (pictured), said: “The Government are itching for a war, and David Cameron wants to be seen as a war leader.

 

"I sincerely hope that our local MPs won’t fall into the trap of massaging his ego at the expense of the lives of children, mothers and fathers.

 

"Two years ago this Government wanted to bomb Syrian leader Bashar al Assad and in the process help his enemies, including Daesh (ISIS/ISIL/IS).

 

"Since then the Coalition Forces have supplied weapons to Daesh and allowed arms to be sold to other despotic regimes which in turn sell them onto Daesh. Now they want to deal with Daesh and support the despotic Al Assad.

 

“Whatever the bombast, the sad truth is that airstrikes have dire consequences. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights and the Syrian Network for Human Rights calculate that Coalition bombing has killed over 500 civilians, at least 97 of them children, in the last two months. Bombing kills, and kills innocent civilians far more than military targets.

 

“Daesh have an extreme and evil ideology. As evil as it is, you can’t bomb an ideology. Any military actions will have inevitable consequences, and bombing will only create fertile ground for that ideology to flourish. I urge our elected representatives to think logically about these proposals; to vote against escalating this conflict further; and do everything they can to secure peace in the Middle East and stop this ideology from spreading further.”

Bus passengers invited to have their say

Llangollen bus passengers are invited to two drop-in sessions at Llangollen on Tuesday December 8 to meet managers and discuss any concerns they have with the current service or proposals for the future.

 

The sessions are between 7am and 9am on a bus at Parade Street and between 11am and 1pm at Llangollen Tourist Information Centre.

A representative from GHA Coaches and a representative of Bus Users Cymru will be present to hear passengers’ views and comments.

 

Passengers can also speak to County Council officers about proposed changes to contracted bus services. Further details about the contract changes are at www.denbighshire.gov.uk/travel.

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies said: "I am pleased to see that local concerns about the problems with the bus services in Llangollen are being addressed.

"I forwarded on these concerns to the relevant authorities when they were pointed out to me and I urge people who wish to make their voices heard to take this opportunity to do so."

Llan Calender Girls become magazine cover girls

* The magazine's front cover featuring the Calendar Girls.

LLANGOLLEN’S Calendar Girls have become cover girls after being featured in a magazine spread.

The December edition of Border Life includes an article on the Valley Girls WI who have produced a 2016 calendar copies of which they are selling to raise £1,000 to be divided between Nightingale House and Hope House hospices.

The story is also showcased on the magazine’s front cover.

Instead of posing nude like their counterparts in Yorkshire a few years ago, members of the area’s newest branch of the Women’s Institute donned a range of colourful period costumes to appear alongside some famous local landmarks in their calendar.

Llangollen-based professional photographer Kim Price Evans, who took the dozen atmospheric images for the calendar, revealed that although her fellow members kept fully clothed for her shoots, the project did stem from a saucy burlesque workshop she and friend Julie Thomas, who are both accomplished dancers, did for the Valley Girls earlier this year.   * The article inside the magazine.

She said: “We went along to a meeting to do the workshop and the idea of doing a calendar came from that.

“We wanted to create something a bit different, so we decided on a calendar showing famous spots in Llangollen including the heritage railway, the Motor Museum, the Chain Bridge, Plas Newydd, Valle Crucis Abbey, the canal and wharf and the International Pavilion.

“We had members posing in each scene and we reckon we have them wearing costumes depicting most of the decades of the 20^th century, which is appropriate as the WI is celebrating its centenary this year.

“The whole thing began in the spring and has taken quite a few months to complete but it was a lot of fun to do.”         

Valley Girls WI was founded in 2013 by a small group of local thirty-somethings who shared a passion for baking, crafting and socialising.

Its president, Gail Ellson, said: “We have a target of raising at least £1,000 from sales of the calendar which will be split equally between our two local hospices.

“But, apart from supporting these great charities, we also want the calendar to be used as a tool to help market Llangollen.

“We’d like to see businesses buying a stock to distribute to their customers and people using them as Christmas or birthday presents for their friends and family.”

* Copies of the calendar are available at various outlets in town, via Valley Girls’ website at www.valleygirlswi.co.uk, or by emailing: valleygirlswi@outlook.com  

Skates backs Welsh football petition

An Assembly Member has backed a campaign started by one of his constituents to give Welsh football ‘the recognition it deserves’.

Asa Bailey, from Corwen, has launched an online petition to get Welsh Premier League teams featured in the next instalment of the popular FIFA computer game series.

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates, who is also the Welsh Government’s sports minister, was made aware of the bid this week and quickly threw his support behind it.

“It’s great that Asa has started this petition and I signed it gladly,” said Mr Skates (pictured).

“While the Welsh Premier League can’t boast the riches of the English Premier League or Spain’s La Liga, our teams compete in Europe every season and this year TNS, Bala and Newtown all won games and progressed beyond the first round.

“Our national team has entered a golden era, qualifying for next summer’s European Championships and reaching an all-time high in the world rankings, and we also have one of the best players on the planet in Gareth Bale. It’s definitely time for the game’s makers to give us the recognition we deserve.”

Mr Skates said he would be happy to send a letter of support for Asa’s campaign to the game’s makers EA Sports. To sign the petition, visit putwalesinthegame.com.

Rain fails to dampen festival's seasonal spirit

* Sion Corn arrives in town aboard a float.

HEAVY rain which fell throughout today (Saturday) failed to dampen the seasonal spirit of Llangollen’s annual Christmas Festival.

Hundreds of people joined in the festive fun as they watched events ranging across Castle Street, Oak Street and in the Town Hall.

The day began with the traditional parade which heralded the arrival of Sion Corn, the Welsh Santa, and included vintage cars, a magnificently bedecked heavy horse, a helicopter for the children’s rides and a fire engine from the local station.

Entertainment was provided by performers including a saxophone player, Llangollen Silver Band and Llangollen Male Voice Choir.

There were seasonal stalls along Oak Street while a Christmas fair was staged in the Town Hall.

Scores of youngsters lined up for the chance for a pre-Christmas meeting with Sion Corn in his grotto, which was also in the Town Hall along with children’s games.    

The switching on of the town’s more extensive Christmas lights was the prelude to a firework display which ended the day with a bang.

Proceeds from the event will once again be donated to Air Ambulance Wales. 

 

* Town crier, "Chem", leads the parade

over the bridge.

* Hoop, hoop hurray!

* A vintage car motors in.

* A magnificent heavy horse hauls a cart into town.

 

* Waves for the crowd from a princess. 

* People in Castle Street watch the parade go by.

* A seasonal stall in Oak Street.

* Mulled wine was amongst the festival fare on sale.

* A saxophone player entertains on the library steps.

* Llan Silver Band plays a seasonal selection.

* Santa's little helpers assist with his grotto in the Town Hall.

From left, Graham Platt, Carys Stallard and Phil Meyers. 

* People select a seasonal bargain at the Christmas fair inside the Town Hall.

 

 

 

* The Mayor of Llangollen, Cllr Mike Adams, hands over a gift to local schoolchildren

Daisy Jones-Neish and Dyfan Hughes who won a competition to switch on the town's Christmas lights.

 

 

* A firework display brought the day to an end.

Warning over telephone scam

Trading Standards officers in Denbighshire are warning residents to be on their guard against scam phone calls purporting to be from Denbighshire or Flintshire council.

The warning comes after reports were received that residents are being telephoned by people claiming to be from the council and are wanting to discuss a road traffic accident.

 

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for Public Protection, said: “We have been advised that there have been a number of reports nationally involving this kind of scam.

 

"Denbighshire council would never make unsolicited phone calls of this nature and we want to reassure people about this.

 

"Our advice is to put the phone down on these scammers and then report the call.

 

"If people think they've been scammed, or know someone who has fallen victim to a scam, they can get advice and report it to trading standards through the Citizens Advice consumer service on 03454 04 05 06, for the Welsh language service call 03454 04 05 05, or alternatively report it to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040, to help stop it happening to others."

 

Christmas drink drive campaign launched today

Today marks the official launch of the 2015 Think Safe, Drink Safe Christmas Campaign for North Wales.

Supported by North Wales Police, local councils and the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, it is aimed at ensuring visitors to towns across the region can enjoy a safe and relaxed night out during the festive season.

It also aims to promote safe and responsible drinking and prevent and reduce levels of alcohol fuelled violent crime and anti-social behaviour across North Wales.

During this busy period hospital A&E departments as well as police and ambulance personnel often have to deal with an additional number of alcohol related incidents that put extra pressure on already over-stretched services.

There will be a drive to encourage people to download and use the Public Health Wales free app ONE DRINK ONE CLICK http://appstore.com/onedrinkoneclick to inform the public how much they are drinking.

Superintendent Jane Banham of North Wales Police said: “We want people to enjoy the festive season, but we know from experience that at this time of year some people will come to harm due to alcohol excess and it is the emergency services and local councils who are left picking up the pieces.

“The aim of this campaign is to ensure that those who consume and sell alcohol take responsibility for their actions.

“We make a significant contribution to keeping our town centres safe so people can enjoy a good night out, but we must get the message across that people need to take greater responsibility for themselves and their friends to reduce the likelihood of them being injured, becoming a victim of crime, or being involved in violence through excessive drinking.

“North Wales Police, working with our partners, will ensure that pubs, clubs, shops and drinkers are complying with the law. Those who don’t will be dealt with robustly.

“The message is simple – think safe, drink safe.”

Cllr Hugh Jones, lead Member for Place – Communities & Partnership at Wrexham County Borough Council said: “We know that Christmas and the New Year is an extremely busy time. We want visitors to towns and villages across North Wales to enjoy themselves but we frequently find that people drink too much during the festive season. Our aim is to encourage people to have a good time, but to drink responsibly.

“Excessive drinking can affect behaviour and lead to serious consequences. Anti-social behaviour and violence will not be tolerated and anyone behaving irresponsibly will be dealt with appropriately and quickly ensuring that North Wales is a safe place to come and enjoy a night out.”

Jayne Gregory, Emergency Department Matron at the Wrexham Maelor Hospital said: “Over the festive period we know we will see a significant number of people who are either suffering from the effects of excess alcohol, or who have been injured as a result of accidents where alcohol has played a part.  However, these people do not often need the treatment offered by a major hospital emergency department.

“Putting in place support so that people can be checked out and cared for ‘on the spot’ means they can get the right level of care more quickly, helps reduce disruption in the Emergency Department and means my colleagues can concentrate on looking after those people with serious illness or injury who need urgent, possibly life-saving, care.”