Railway steams back in time to Victorian days

Llangollen Railway will be stepping back in time to the Victorian era over the weekend of May 13 and 14.

Visitors can experience life as it was over 100 years ago, with the sights, sounds, smells and tastes of the recreated era.

* Lighting the fire at Berwyn Station.

Victorian characters will give you a fascinating insight into different aspects of life back then on and off the rails. They can:

• Step on board one of our historic steam-hauled trains and journey 10 miles through the picturesque Dee Valley to the town of Corwen.
•  Take a look inside our Victorian station at Berwyn and discover what life was like for a Victorian stationmaster.
•  Learn new skills in the tented circus workshop and witness displays by costumed street entertainers.
• Meet "Snowdrop" the mechanical elephant - and even have a ride!
• Marvel at the sight of Queen Victoria and her royal entourage visiting the Dee Valley.
•  Witness traditional railway sights as parcels and goods are loaded and unloaded along the line.
• Explore original documents and artefacts charting the construction of our railway back in the 1860s.

Whilst it is not essential, the railway invites visitors to enter into the spirit of the occasion by wearing suitable Victorian attire.

For intrepid Victorian explorers, walking down the ramp to Llangollen station marks the start of the time-travelling adventure.

The lengthy station platforms recall the times when heavily packed excursion trains arrived at Llangollen from all over Britain from the mid-1860s right the way through until the mid-1960s.

In the Henry Robertson Suite, visitors can explore original documents and artefacts charting the construction of our railway back in the 1860s.

They can also step behind the scenes on a guided tour of the railway's workshops and see how steam locomotives are repaired and maintained.

In the Station Café & Bar there will be a range of hot and cold meals, with all products being freshly baked on the premises.

For the next stage of the trip back in time, you can climb on board one of our historic steam-hauled passenger trains for the 20-mile round trip.

Berwyn station, known as the 'Station in the Gorge', has been transformed back to how it would have appeared in 1897.

Break your journey here and discover what life was like for a Victorian stationmaster. 

Pop into the station's cosy refreshment room, where you'll find traditional light snacks and drinks.

School parties and groups can download a detailed education pack.

Working in partnership with the Llangollen Railway, the New Dot Cinema volunteers in Llangollen are screening a series of railway films on the Friday before the Victorian Weekend. These will be:

• Phantom Ride through Llangollen. Approx 2 minutes of original footage from the late 1800's, featuring the Llangollen line, filmed from the very front of a train.

• Elizabethan Express (1954, 20 mins) An entertaining documentary by British Transport Films that follows The Elizabethan, a non-stop British Railways service from London to Edinburgh along the East Coast Main Line.

• The General (1926, 67 mins) Buster Keaton writes and stars in this fantastic silent film set in 1860's America. An action-adventure-comedy now rated as one of the greatest American films ever made. Buster's character is a train engineer on the Western and Atlantic Railroad. The film was inspired by the Great Locomotive Chase, a true story of an event that occurred during the American Civil War.

The venue will be upstairs at Llangollen Town Hall in Castle Street, with the doors opening at 7.30pm. The show starts at 8pm with licenced bar and refreshments available. Tickets will be available online a month in advance and also, on the door.

Commissioner looks at Portuguese policy on drugs

* Fact finding: Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones.

A police boss says the way drug use is treated as a health issue rather a criminal matter in Portugal could also be the way forward in this country.  

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones has just been on an "inspirational" fact-finding trip to Lisbon where he met the leaders of a number of drug agencies and went out on the streets to speak to addicts.

One of the things he saw was how instead of being put through the criminal justice system the majority of drug users are offered health advice on kicking the habit and also given a sanction which can lead to a small fine if breached.   

Mr Jones, a former police inspector, spent four days filming in the Portuguese capital with a TV crew from the BBC Wales current affairs programme Week In Week Out with the costs of the trip being met by the BBC.

And what he learned can be seen in tomorrow (Tuesday, March 14) night’s episode, entitled Cop-out on Drugs, to be screened at 10.40pm on BBC1 Wales.

Mr Jones caused controversy soon after his election as commissioner last year when he called for the decriminalisation of all drugs to be considered.

He argued that if they were legalised it would take drugs out of the control of criminals and allow addicts to have more support.

Describing his “inspirational” trip to Portugal, he said: “We spent four days filming out there and I very much took the lead in doing the interviews.

“My involvement was really a direct result of the problems being experienced by people in the Rhosddu area of Wrexham where drug users’ needles are being found on the streets.

“I first met Brendan Hughes from the European Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction to get his views and then went out onto the streets of a district called Lumiar in Lisbon with a third sector, or voluntary, organisation which distributes clean equipment to problematic drug users and also does some counselling work with them.

“We also accompanied officers of the Portuguese equivalent of our National Crime Agency to a waste incinerator and watched the destruction of three tons of controlled drugs.

“Drugs are still unlawful in Portugal but this showed that decriminalisation doesn’t mean legalisation and that a lot of police resources are being targeted at supply rather than use.

“We then looked at how drug users are actually dealt with. If a police officer stops someone in the street who has cannabis on them if they have less than 10 days’ supply they are referred to what’s called a dissuasion commission which will then decide how to deal with them.

“If they are identified as a non-problematical or recreational user, as is mostly the case with cannabis and with 90 per cent of drug users in most countries, they give them information on the dangers of taking drugs and also a suspended sanction which means no action is taken against them.

“If they come back before the commission they might get a small fine which is basically the same as a speeding fine. It’s not a judicial but an administrative matter and they don’t get a criminal record.

“The five or 10 per cent who are problematical drug users get some sort of therapeutic support.

“We also spoke to Joao Goulao, the doctor who has been the driving force behind this policy and is now in charge of Portugal’s Directorate for Intervention on Addictive Behaviour and Dependency, known as SICAD.”

  

The commissioner added: “Another visit was made to a detoxification centre called Centro Taipas in one of Lisbon’s main hospitals and I interviewed a young lady who was an addict and asked how she got that way.

“One of the things which impressed me most was a visit I made to a non-government third sector organisation which calls 365 days a year on the 1,200 people in Lisbon who are methadone users.

“It has two vehicles which visit five locations twice a day dispensing heroine substitute. They have a doctor and nurse with them who hand out other prescriptions they might need for blood-borne diseases such as hepatitis.

“Generally, it’s all very joined up and the main difference with us is that it’s a health rather than a criminal approach to drugs.

“They see addiction as a disease not a crime and that is the main message for me from my visit.

“There are far more important things the police can be dealing with.

“I liked what I saw and I think it’s the way forward if the political will is there to change things around.

“It was definitely a very interesting visit and I was inspired by what I saw, although I’m equally inspired by the commitment people here show in dealing with drugs problems.”       

    

Gareth Jones, producer of Week In Week Out, said: “We put the commissioner's views to the test and I think it should make fascinating viewing, particularly in Wrexham where people are talking about drug users and needles on the streets. It’s very timely.”

* You can find out more by watching Week in Week Out, Cop-out on Drugs, at 10.40pm on BBC1 Wales, on Tuesday, March 14.

 

County has online guide to council tax

Your Money, Denbighshire County Council’s definitive guide to all things relating to council tax, has now gone live online.

The council recently set its budget for the 2017/18 financial year.

In terms of council tax, this means an increase of 2.94% for Denbighshire residents, taking into account a 2.75% increase in the county council element, as well as the town/city/community council and the Police and Crime Commissioner’s precepts.

Every year, the council produces a booklet that explains all the facts and figures behind the council tax settlement, how that money is spent and details on how to pay your council tax bills.

The booklet also gives information on business rates, small business relief discounts and what kind of support is available if residents struggle to pay their council tax.

The booklet is produced electronically and can be found by visiting www.denbighshire.gov.uk/counciltax  under the ‘How much is your council tax? section.

LlanBike Fest team completes Vietnam tour

TEN organisers and supporters of the Llangollen Motorcycle Festival - LlanBikeFest - have just returned from a 1,000-mile trail bike tour of North Vietnam.

The team (pictured below)  helped some of the country’s poorest schools with donations of cash, footballs, pens, pencils and sweets.

The boarding primary schools are in remote mountain areas, providing much-needed education for some of Vietnam’s 64 ethnic minorities.

Conwy councillor and LlanBikeFest exhibitor Andrew Wood, who owns Triumph and Ducati dealership Woods Motorcycles in Abergele, said: “Visiting the schools was one of the highlights of an amazing trip. Vietnam may be poor but the government is doing everything it can to bring education to everyone, with very limited resources. We were glad to do what we could to help.”

LlanBikeFest co-organiser John Hutchinson said: “The kids and their teachers were brilliant and incredibly grateful for our support. We take so much for granted in the West, so it was quite moving to witness how delighted they were with our gifts and donations.”

The 10-strong team of friends, including seven from North Wales, two from England and a Canadian, spent two weeks riding mainly dirt roads in the Vietnamese mountains bordering China, crossing bamboo bridges and fording rivers along the way.

Now they are back preparing for the Llangollen Motorcycle Festival, which is at the town’s Pavilion on Saturday August 5^th and Sunday August 6^th.

On-site attractions will include hundreds of bikes, displays, stunts, demonstrations, trade and club stands, plus beer, bands and evening entertainment in Llangollen Town. There will also be a charity raffle in aid of Wales Air Ambulance.

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

Day tickets are £10 on the gate or online at www.llanbikefest.co.uk with children 15 and under free, or contact the Festival office at 07960 693398, office@llanbikefest.co.uk. Club stands and exhibitor bookings are free.

Website aims to create stronger communities

llanblogger reader Mike Edwards is amongst the first Llan residents to join a new website which aims to create stronger communities.

Here he explains how it works.

NextDoor has evolved from a website called Street Life and is an application for smartphones to encourage stronger Community ties as follows:

Its a private social network for you, your neighbours, and your community.

Nextdoor’s mission is to provide a trusted platform where neighbours work together to build stronger, safer, happier communities, all over the world. And it's free.

People are using Nextdoor to:

• Borrow a ladder for example 
• Organise a Neighbourhood Watch Group
• Track down a trustworthy babysitter
• Find out who does the best paint job for example in town
• Ask for help keeping an eye out for a pet
• Find a new home for an outgrown bike or similar
• Finally call that nice person down the street by their first name

 

In many ways, Nextdoor and Streetlife are very similar. Both are neighbourhood platforms, whose goal is to connect neighbours and build stronger communities.

However, there are a few small differences that you should be aware of:

• Nextdoor is more local and private in scope
• Nextdoor offers you the opportunity to invite your neighbours
• Nextdoor is self moderated by neighbourhood Leads
• Nextdoor has a real name policy
• Nextdoor has Community Guidelines, which keeps things friendly
• Nextdoor requires address verification of all members
• Nextdoor has groups, for book clubs, running clubs or anything you like

It can be downloaded on the App Store or Google Play.

Search for youngster to sing alongside Sir Bryn Terfel

A search has been launched to find a talented young singer for a once-in-a-lifetime chance to perform with Sir Bryn Terfel and two other global opera stars.

The renowned bass baritone (pictured) will be starring with Lithuanian tenor Kristian Benedikt and Latvian soprano Kristine Opolais in the classic opera, Tosca, at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod this summer.

The concert on Tuesday, July 4, is being sponsored by the arts-loving care organisation Pendine Park and will help celebrate the festival's 70th anniversary.

Organisers are now looking for talented boy sopranos or trebles to audition for the opportunity to join the world class cast in the role of the Shepherd Boy. 

Open auditions will be held for the young hopefuls at the Llangollen International Pavilion on Saturday, April 15.

The candidates will be asked to perform two pieces, “I give you sighs” from the third act of Tosca and one of their own choosing.

The concert will be one of the highlights of what organisers promise will be a festival packed with high quality entertainment, including jazz singer Gregory Porter and Welsh rock legends, the Manic Street Preachers.

Later in the week on Thursday, July 6, Sir Bryn and Pendine Park will be joining forces again as sponsors of the Voice of the Future Competition to find the world's best young singers when the finalists will be competing for the Pendine Trophy and a cheque for £6,000.

But first comes Tosca which is a dramatic love story set against a backdrop of lust, political intrigue and murder. 

The opera tells the tragic story of singer Floria Tosca, played by Kristine Opolais, and her fight to save her lover. Benedikt takes the role of her lover, Cavaradossi who is fleeing from Sir Bryn’s sadistic police chief, Scarpia.

The acclaimed Welsh National Opera Orchestra conducted by Gareth Jones will accompany them.

The festival's musical director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, said: “Building on the success of Carmen and Sweeney Todd, this is another adventurous project for the Eisteddfod to undertake. Under the direction of Amy Lane the production will include stunning video work and subtle staging to bring this wonderful opera to Llangollen.

“By combining the excellence and expertise of Welsh and international talent, the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is bringing opera to a much wider and diverse audience.

"We are grateful to Pendine Park for sponsoring the Tosca concert and for their generous support for the Voice of the Future competition later in the week.

"This shows how Pendine’s support helps bring both existing world class opera performers to the Llangollen  stage but also acts as a platform for launching the careers of the stars of tomorrow."
 
Pendine Park proprietor Mario Kreft MBE said: “We are delighted to be sponsoring this performance of Tosca, which I am sure will be a magical experience, given the stellar array of operatic talent.

“The festival is particularly close to our hearts. Music and the arts are an important part of our enrichment programme and we genuinely believe that they improve the quality of life of our residents at our Wrexham and Caernarfon care homes.

“It's promising to be a truly unforgettable evening of world class opera, right on our doorstep here in North Wales and starring our very own Sir Bryn Terfel. It's going to be a very special night and one not to be missed."

For more information about the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and to book tickets go to  www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

Paedophiles should feel `full force of law' - police boss

A police boss has hit out at suggestions that online paedophiles shouldn't be prosecuted in some cases.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner  Arfon Jones was responding to comments by the Simon Bailey, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for child protection, who believes only offenders who pose a physical risk to children should face a criminal sentence.

According to Mr Bailey, the head of Operation Hydrant, the nationwide inquiry into historical child sexual abuse, the police were struggling to cope with the huge number of criminals looking at indecent images of children online and should concentrate resources on what he described as high risk offenders.

Mr Jones (pictured), a former police inspector, said: "Any offences that involve the sexual degradation of children are heinous. They are among the most serious crimes dealt with by the police and should be punished accordingly.

"Every time an indecent image of a child is viewed it is tantamount to the abuse being repeated over and over again.

"One of the things becoming clear is that many of the people looking at images like these are also creating them so they are also guilty of contact offences with children.

"In my opinion, anybody caught committing offences of this nature should feel the full force of the law and be prosecuted.

"There are strict sentencing guidelines for in relation to crimes perpetrated by paedophiles and they should be adhered to so that the right punishment is imposed and will more often than not involve custodial sentences.

"Of course, there should also be support in place to rehabilitate offenders once they have been punished.

"For example, the Circles of Support scheme works with sex offenders in North Wales has been particularly successful.

"The COSA programme sees members of the community volunteer to work with offenders and since it started in North Wales in 2007 none of the offenders taking part has gone on to re-offend.

"My only concern with COSA is that, while in South Wales it is funded centrally by the National Offender Management Service, we have to pay for it ourselves here in North Wales."

"Protecting children is one of my most important responsibilities and it will be a priority in my new Police and Crime Plan which will be published soon.

"North Wales Police are already leading the way and the force has established a Paedophile Online Investigation Team (POLIT) to tackle the emerging threat of child sexual exploitation via the internet.

"They work alongside the force's Cyber Crime Team and High Tech Crime Unit based in St Asaph.

"Online child sexual exploitation is a vile crime committed by dangerous and devious people who come from every section of society and often appear to be leading outwardly respectable lives.

"I’m pleased that we’re investing so many resources in tackling online sexual exploitation because the care of children is the most important thing we do.

"Paedophiles are becoming increasingly sophisticated so it is vitally important that we respond accordingly with a team of our own experts catching those committing these types of crime and bringing them to justice.

"This problem isn’t going to go away and we need to concentrate on raising awareness, education and reducing harm and I think there is some excellent work being done to reach this priority.

"I’m very happy to support the force in providing as much resources as needed to ensure that children, wherever they may be in the world, are safe."

Soup kitchen sessions at Holy Cross Rooms

A series of weekly Lentern soup kitchen sessions are to be held at the Holy Cross Rooms in Llangollen in aid of famine relief in Africa.

Starting from tomorrow, they will take place every Friday up to and including April 7 in the meeting rooms which are at the end of the alleyway opposite the library in Castle Street.

Sessions begin with a coffee morning plus stall starting at 11am with soup being served from 12noon until 1.30pm.

Town's newest antiques fair to be staged

* A water colour of Llangollen in days gone by.

SELLERS from across North Wales and the Marches will be coming to Llangollen later this month for the town’s newest antiques fair.

Taking place at the Hand Hotel (pictured below) on Sunday, March 26, the fair will showcase the wares a select number of dealers from the region.

Staged in two rooms of the historic hotel in the town centre, there will be a wide range of items on sale including quality antiques, collectables including militaria and coins, decorative and vintage homewares.

The fair opens from 9.30am until 3.30pm and there will be refreshments available in the hotel.

Organiser Rob Bellis, of Nook Antiques in Llangollen, has already had a positive response ahead of the inaugural event.

He said: “We’ve had a great deal of interest and are now fully booked in terms of stalls so there will be plenty on offer for collectors or those looking for something interesting or quirky for their home.

“We’ve got some great sellers coming from the west coast of Wales who will be bringing a range of good antiques, some good local dealers, including a couple who make regular trips over to France to source their very interesting stock, and a number of specialists in things like militaria, treen, linens and coins.

“The Hand is a great venue, with its own gardens overlooking the River Dee so it should make for a very good day.”

Admission to the fair is 50p per person.

Parking at the hotel is limited so patrons are asked to use the nearby public car parks when appropriate.

County issues rogue callers alert

Denbighshire residents are advised to be alert following reports of rogue callers impersonating council tax officers.

One man turned up unexpectedly at a house in Prestatyn and stated that he was investigating council tax arrears owed by a previous resident.

No person of that name is known to have previously lived at the address. The householder acted prudently and refused entry to the caller before reporting the incident to North Wales Police and Denbighshire Council the following day.

The caller was driving an unmarked white van and was wearing a lanyard with an identification card which was not shown. He failed to introduce himself and left no paperwork at the address.

A representative from the council tax service has confirmed that no employee of the service was in the area at that time and explains that council employees are instructed to always wear identification, hand it over for inspection and will always leave details of who they are.

The council says it has also received reports of other incidents  in the Rhyl, Prestatyn and Dyserth areas. The first relates to a lone male who stated he was from a money saving website who is believed to be trying to sell insurance, but information on this is limited.

The second incident relates to a group of males knocking door to door selling cleaning products and small knick-knacks, again information is limited on these individuals.

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for Environment, said:  “The council is committed to tackling those involved in rogue calling crime and will use all means at our disposal to ensure they are swiftly brought to justice.”

“Rogue traders usually turn up announced, claim to be respectable tradespeople when they are not and use a range of deceptions to gain personal information which they later misuse or charge inflated prices for sub-standard or unnecessary work.

“However, an effective way of preventing these incidents from happening in the first place is by raising awareness of the problem and advising members of the public on what steps they can take to better protect themselves from falling victim.

"We would recommend that you never engage anyone who turns up at your door and never give them money up front or disclose any personal or financial information. We would also caution against keeping large sums of cash in your own home.”

* More information about how to protect yourself against bogus callers can be found on the Trading Standards section of the Denbighshire County Council website: www.denbighshire.gov.uk

Twenty Club next presents The Entertainer

The Twenty Club has announced that its spring production will be state-of-the nation classic, The Entertainer.

Written in 1957 by playwright John Osborne, the story of struggling music hall comedian Archie Rice is acknowledged as one of the best-written plays of the last century.

Its enduring appeal was highlighted recently by the success of a West End production featuring Kenneth Branagh in the iconic role originally made famous on screen by Laurence Olivier (pictured).

Despite its age the play remains remarkably relevant with its examination, through the use of a dysfunctional family and the background of the Suez Crisis, of the state of the British nation.

The Twenty Club production is being directed by Barry Cook who made his directorial debut with Love on the Dole, and features David Edgar in the challenging role of Archie Rice.

The Llangollen group, founded in 1947, will be hoping to repeat the success of their previous production, The Vicar of Dibley, which played to full-houses and standing ovations on each of its four performances.

The Entertainer tells the story of Archie Rice’s family at a time of collective and personal crisis.

Archie’s father, a successful music hall comedian from the 1930s, despairs at what is happening to this form of popular entertainment.

His son, Archie, beset by money problems, struggles to invest in yet another doomed show and has turned to the device of using motionless nude female performers in an attempt to boost audiences.  

One son, Frank, has refused to do National Service and has spent time in prison because of this. Another has enlisted in the army and is currently fighting in Egypt. His daughter, Jean, has returned unexpectedly from her work in London with news of a broken engagement.

The play is imaginatively staged, with Archie’s performances to diminishing audiences interconnecting with his personal and domestic worries.

With a simple but stylish set, the play features songs specially written for the production.

The Entertainer will be performed at Llangollen Town Hall on Thursday March 30, Friday March 31 and Saturday April 1. Doors will open at 7pm with curtain-up at 7.30pm.

Tickets will be available at the door, if spaces are available on any of the three nights, but anyone wishing to attend is advised to book in advance.

An evening out with the Twenty Club also includes a grand raffle, refreshments on sale and the services of a wine bar.

Tickets are available from: Courtyard Books, Llangollen; Gwyn Davies, butcher; Special Thoughts and Mair Bowen on 01978 822759.
                            
They are also available online.

Volunteering event at the health centre tomorrow

llanblogger reader Mike Edwards has sent details of a volunteering event at Llangollen Health Centre tomorrow, Tuesday March 7, from 10am-12.30pm.

For details, please follow the link: https://mercury.postlight.com/amp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fartisans-collective.org.uk%2Fvolunteer-opportunity%2Fdenbighshire%2F

AM opens Llan's new health and fitness centre

* Clwyd South AM Ken Skates cuts the ribbon to open Verve in Market Street.

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates officially opened Verve, Llangollen's new health, fitness and wellbeing centre yesterday (Saturday) morning. 

Facilities at the Market Street centre include an exercise studio, rehab and personal training gym and three treatment rooms.  

Physiotherapist and pilates tutor Susan Wallace of Get Moving Keep Moving said: “We are delivering a number of group exercise classes, including pilates, yoga, MMA, exercise for the mature mover, Feldenkrais and children's yoga.  

“We are planning to add further traditional exercises classes. However as a physio with a fitness and personal training background I am keen to add specialist rehabilitation classes and, linking with the health centre, provide GP referral, falls prevention, back care etc.

“Our treatment rooms are bringing together a host of experienced therapists currently practising in Llangollen and include physiotherapy, chiropractic and acupuncture.  Our gym will be used for rehabilitation and also small group personal training.”  

Visitors to an open morning watched Mr Skates cut the ribbon to declare the new facility open.  

Chamber can help with business rate concerns

Llangollen Chamber of  Trade and Tourism says it can help local firms with business rate headaches.

Secretary Ian Parry said: "Many people cannot have failed to notice the issue regarding the revaluation of business rates and the potential serious impact a significant rise in rates will have on businesses.

"The chamber has been looking at the Valuation Office Agency’s website and has collated a great deal of information about the changes affecting many businesses in the town.

"We have urged our members to check their new valuations as soon as possible but some businesses don’t seem to be aware of the issue and may subsequently be shocked when they discover the impact the revaluation may have on their business.

"All are urged to look up the Valuation Office’s website or contact David Davies, our chair on 01978 860557, myself on 01978 449365.

"We can provide some help, advice and information to anyone who may need some assistance in trying to obtain the appropriate information. 

"The chamber also has professional contacts who may be able to provide assistance in dealing with anyone wishing to appeal against the new valuations.

"There is the possibility of arranging a presentation by one of these professionals on the whole process of business rates.

"Again, contact me if you feel you would like to appeal or would be interested in attending a presentation."

Llan company wins coveted gold service award

* Peter and Lesley Carol celebrate their gold Feefo win at the shop.

ProAdventure of Llangollen has won a Feefo Gold Service award, an independent seal of excellence that recognises businesses for delivering exceptional experiences rated by real customers.

Created by Feefo, Trusted Service is awarded to businesses that use Feefo to collect genuine ratings and reviews.

A badge of honour, this accreditation remains unique as all the awards are based purely on the interactions with verified customers.

This feedback has been collated by the Feefo review platform, with the accolades being awarded based upon performance.

ProAdventure met the criteria of collecting at least 50 reviews between January 1 and December 31 2016, and achieved a Feefo service rating of between 4.5 and 5.0. (Currently 277 Reviews with a 4.7 average for ProAdventure).

Boss Peter Carol said: “It’s a real honour to receive this award from Feefo. To be recognised for delivering exceptional experiences to our customers is a great achievement.

"We’ve been working hard to ensure our customers receive the best service possible, and being able to listen, understand and respond to their needs has enabled us to improve our offering in 2016. We’re looking forward to another successful year ahead."

ProAdventure has grown out of Peter Carol’s 30 years of experience of working in outdoor adventure training and holidays and Lesley Carol’s 30 years of customer service experience.

Peter is highly trained and qualified in leading and coaching in the outdoors, and ran an outdoor adventure activity business for 25 years.

Lesley Carol has spent all of her life adventuring. She has expeditioned in the UK and Chile and has qualified as a Canoe River Leader. She also trained as a Mountain Leader and Nordic Walking Coach and holds the Gold Duke of Edinburgh Award.

Andrew Mabbutt, CEO of Feefo, said: “We would like to offer our congratulations to all the winners of this year’s Feefo Trusted Service award. We are so proud that so many businesses are putting customer service first.” 

“We have been working closely with all our customers to build trust and transparency online, and ultimately helping shoppers buy with confidence and make better decisions.” 

Feefo is a ratings and reviews, and customer analytics platform. It collects genuine, purchase-verified reviews on behalf of over 3,000 businesses.

Feefo ensures that all feedback is authentic, by matching it to a legitimate transaction; we believe this is the best way to combat the rising issue of fake reviews.

Dream Oz trip is prize for eisteddfod competition

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has partnered with one of the world’s biggest cultural festivals to offer musical theatre hopefuls the chance of winning the trip of a lifetime. 

The winner of the 2017 International Voice of Musical Theatre competition will be awarded an international medal, £1,500 and a trip to Australia’s Gold Coast to perform in The Musicale – the Gold Coast annual Eisteddfod’s showcase of rising musical theatre talent.

* Last year's winner Gareth Elis.

The 2017 winner will follow in the footsteps of Carmarthenshire singer and actor, Gareth Elis, who took the title of Voice of Musical Theatre 2016 and performed as a soloist in 2016’s Gold Coast Musicale. 

The Musicale follows seven weeks of competition featuring over 70,000 singers and dancers, most of them under 20, and including 350 bands and orchestras, 175 choirs, almost 1500 dance groups and over 3,000 solo dancers. 

Llangollen eisteddfod musical director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, said: “To be able to offer this incredible opportunity to a rising star of musical theatre for the second year running is wonderful, especially as we celebrate our 70th anniversary and the Gold Coast Eisteddfod marks 36 years of festivals. 

“Following the Gold Coast Eisteddfod’s visit to Llangollen in 2015 and International Eisteddfod winner, Gareth Elis’s performance at The Musicale last October, we have discovered such synergy between our two festivals. 

“The passion for music, performance and nurturing young talent is apparent both in North Wales and in Australia. The International Eisteddfod has always been about forging international links and friendships and we’re hugely grateful to the people at the Gold Coast Eisteddfod for this wonderful offer.   
  
“Our flourishing relationship will ensure that the Voice of Musical Theatre competition, which was introduced in 2015, will grow in popularity and attract singers from all over the world, adding to our already strong hand of prestigious solo competitions.” 

Judith Ferber, the Gold Coast Eisteddfod’s General Manager, said: “We are extremely excited to see the talent that the 2017 International Voice of Musical Theatre competition will reveal.  

“Working with an event that shares our ideals of friendship, passion for music and performance and allows us to open doors for new and exciting soloists is a pleasure and an honour. 

“We are also proud to be forging international links and raising global awareness of the Gold Coast Eisteddfod at its talented performers and competitors. We look forward to welcoming 2017’s winner to our Eisteddfod Musicale Concert on Sunday, October 15.” 

* Entries for the competition will close on Friday March 3.

Hopefuls can apply on the Eisteddfod competitors website http://eisteddfodcompetitions.co.uk/. 

For the preliminary round competitors are required to perform two contrasting musical theatre songs within eight minutes, with all music sung in the original language.

For the final, competitors will be required to submit a contrasting programme of up to 10 minutes of music.

Welsh business rate changes explained

llanblogger reader Mike Edwards points out that while there has been a certain amount of hysterical reaction to the revaluation of business rates - mainly in the South of England - a useful article from In Brief, the National Assembly research service blog, clarifies he situation in Wales.

The link to the article is: https://assemblyinbrief.wordpress.com/

* Mike also points out details of a Wrexham business event: https://wales.business-events.org.uk/en/events/winning-and-keeping-customers/

Cost of new house sparks call for more council homes

Denbighshire should re-start building council houses to answer local demand.

This was the call from Cllr Arwel Roberts, Plaid Cymru group leader on the county council, after a new housing development in Llangollen saw its first house go up for sale at £390,000. 

The development of 90 houses on Vicarage Road has been a bone of contention in Llangollen for several years.

The development was given the go ahead late last year but, even though many councillors and campaigners called for a greater number of affordable housing, the amount of homes deemed “affordable” was limited to 10%.

The first plot of land is Plot 1, a five bedroom detached family home, and has been put on the market for £390,000.

Cllr Roberts (pictured) said: “We have consistently called for more affordable housing not only in Llangollen but throughout Denbighshire.

"We don’t want to stop development, but we would like to see development that is sensitive to the local community, and which meets demand instead of creating a demand.

“Rightmove notes that the vast majority of houses bought in Llangollen last year were terraced houses, and the average price was £128,000.

"Furthermore the average weekly household income for the Llangollen area is £500 a week. As a consequence it’s clear that there is little local demand for such expensive executive homes.

"There are families in Llangollen crying out for affordable family homes, but they are being priced out of the market.

“We spoke up to increase the number of affordable homes, but were frustrated by the council’s inability to do this.

"This is why we are saying that Denbighshire Council should start building council houses once again. The council is here to serve the people and they are demanding good-quality affordable housing. We should respect that and look at what we as a council can do.”

Chamber is looking for Llan legends

* The Chamber of Trade is looking for Llan legends such as the annual eisteddfod.

Llangollen Chamber of Trade is asking local businesses and residents to become involved with the  Year of Legends 2017, a Visit Wales project. 

The main focus will be on culture and heritage, encompassing landscapes, sport and adventure, food and drink and enterprise.  

Llangollen is a legendary town with many stories to tell and the chamber is putting together lists including festivals, people, places and landscape.

As a town, Llangollen is especially legendary for festivals with over 20, from Faeries to Fringe and from the renowned International Eisteddfod to Hamper Llangollen. 

Ian Lebbon, vice chairman said: “We would welcome suggestions and involvement with this project as the Year of Legends is both a celebration and an opportunity to attract more visitors to our town. 

"Do you have a special story, photograph, film footage or memory of a legendary person or event, if so we would like to hear from you.

"Or maybe you would like to help plan specific events such as maps, information and events to promote legendary walks around Llangollen, legendary food experiences giving visitors a chance to sample the best local produce, storytelling sessions, local legends linked with our festivals,leaflets and short films for our website, pop up, exclusive events and activities in your community or in an amazing location.
 
"This is a great idea to provide focus on our town, bringing together a wide range of events and activities under the Year of Legends theme."
 
* If you would like to become involved or contribute to this project, please contact the chamber of Trade at  LlanCTandT@hotmail.co.uk, or drop off your contributions at the Town Hall Office.

If you would like to speak to someone about the project then contact chamber secretary, Ian Parry, on 01978 449365 or 07785 541445.

Twitter @LlangollenCTT @DiscoverDenbs 
http://www.visitwales.com/latest-news/2016/december/year-of-legends-2017

Direct debit scheme for garden waste launched

Denbighshire County Council has launched a Direct Debit payment option for its subscription garden waste collection service.

Whether renewing an existing subscription, or registering for the first time, residents can now opt to pay by a single annual direct debit payment, as well as via the  internet, telephone or face to face payment methods.

The launch of the direct debit payment option means the council can offer its lowest subscription rates to residents who cannot, or prefer not to, use the internet.

The annual cost of a fortnightly garden waste collection service remains £22 (or £34 for the enhanced service) for those who subscribe using the internet.

The cost for residents who choose to pay over the telephone or at a Council One Stop Shop remains £24 (or £36).

Direct debit mandate forms are being sent out to residents with all subscription renewal reminders sent by post.

Residents who receive renewal emails can obtain a mandate form by contacting Denbighshire’s Customer Service Centre, from Council One Stop Shops or by sending an email to gardenwaste@denbighshire.gov.uk or gwastraffgardd@sirddinbych.gov.uk.

Councillor David Smith, Lead Member for Highways & Environment, said: “Denbighshire County Council is committed to keeping the cost of the garden waste service as low as possible. The efficiency of the direct debit process allows us to offer our lowest prices to even more residents. For many it will also remove the worry of having to remember to renew their subscription every year.”

Notes on Payment Options & Rates

Direct Debit/Internet Costs: -

·         STANDARD SERVICE £22.00 per year (26 collections of 1 x 140 litre bin)

·         ENHANCED SERVICE £34.00 per year (26 collections of 2 x 140 litre bins)

https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/cy/preswyliwr/biniau-ac-ailgylchu/gwastraff-gardd.aspx

https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/resident/bins-and-recycling/garden-waste.aspx

Telephone/Face to Face Costs: -

·         STANDARD SERVICE £24.00 per year (26 collections of 1 x 140 litre bin)

·         ENHANCED SERVICE £36.00 per year (26 collections of 2 x 140 litre bins)

Customer Service Centre: Cymraeg :01824 706100, English: 01824 706101