Legion foursome's sentimental journey to France

* Phil Stroud, David Thomas, Graham Patton and Phil Silverton at the Tyn Cot Commonwealth War Cemetery.

When Llangollen’s Royal British Legion chairman Philip Stroud visited a bar in the famous First World War town of Ypres in Belgium he left behind a very special memento of his visit.

It was a glass of beer which the ex-soldier asked the barman to put in pride of place on the top shelf behind him.

Quite simply, he says, it was so that the lads who never made it there themselves from 1914-18 could have a drink on him.

Phil and three fellow members of the town’s Legion branch recently joined their comrades from across Britain at a special ceremony in northern France honouring the fallen of the First World War.  

A decade after the end of the war in 1918 the British Legion, as it was then known, organised an expedition for veterans and widows to visit the battlefields of the Somme and Ypres before marching to the Menin Gate in Ypres on August 8th 1928.

* On parade through the streets of Ypres,
with Philip Stroud marching behind
the Royal Marine on the left.  

Exactly 90 years later, thousands of Legion representatives crossed the Channel to recreate the 1928 Battlefields Pilgrimage and visit the same battlefields.

They also paraded their branch standards and a wreath along the same route to the Menin Gate for the One Hundred Days ceremony commemorating the last 100 days of the war and representing an entire generation that served while defending their country.

Proudly taking their place in the pilgrimage were Philip Stroud along with branch standard bearer Phil Silverston, secretary David Thomas and parade commander Graham Patton.

They took with them the official good wishes of the Town Council and people of Llangollen expressed to them at a gathering in the town’s new Centenary Square before they left for France.

Philip Stroud, who himself served with the King’s Regiment, said: “We first spent some time visiting some of the war’s most famous battlefields and went on to join the parade in Ypres for the special commemorative day of August 8.

“Staying at Valenciennes, we first paid our respects at the Memorial Museum at Passchendaele and later visited Tyne Cot, near Zonnebeke in Belgium. The largest cemetery for Commonwealth forces in the world, it contains almost 12,000 graves of which over 8,000 are un-named, and is very moving.

“We also called in at a church nearby which was razed to rubble during the war but totally rebuilt afterwards bearing the badges of the British regiments who fought in that area in its stained glass windows. These include those of the Manchester and Salford regiments which interest me as I served with the Manchesters during my time in the army.

“Next stop for us was at Hill 60 where the Canadians fought and then it was on to Ypres, which was in the middle of a bitterly contested salient throughout the war.

“Next day we drove over to the Somme battlefield where it was very emotional to visit the huge red dragon memorial to the 38^th (Welsh) Division at Mametz Wood.

“Our group joined in with the singing of the Welsh National Anthem, which brought tears to more than one pair of eyes.

“Still on the Somme we stopped at the enormous Thiepval Memorial, which bears 74,000 names, and later it was on to see the impressive Canadian memorial at Vimy Ridge.”

Philip added: “We returned from France to neighbouring Belgium to revisit Ypres for the parade the next day and, along with the other Legion contingents, laid wreaths on the Menin Gate.

“That evening we called in for a drink at a small bar opposite the town’s famous Cloth Hall, which would have been there at the time of the war, and ended up with one more glass of beer than we needed for the group who were there.

“I decided to do something which I hope was a little special with it and asked the man behind the bar to put it up on the high shelf.

“My intention was to leave it there for the lads who died in the war and never made it in there for a drink themselves.

“Joining the pilgrimage was a very poignant experience. I’ve never been to the First World War battlefields before but I’d certainly like to go back there again.

“It was also good to carry with us the official greetings of the Mayor and people of Llangollen.”

* A huge crater blown by a mine on the Ypres Salient. 

* The 38th (Welsh) Division's Welsh Dragon Memorial at Mametz Wood.  

* The Llangollen group at Thiepval Memorial on the Somme battlefield.

'Fantastic' GCSE results at Ysgol Dinas Bran

* Celebratory GCSE students jump for joy.

Year 11 students at Ysgol Dinas Bran celebrated their GCSE results at the school today. 

There were good grades across all subjects with particularly strong performances in Art, Drama, Music, Biology, Chemistry and Physics where the pass-rate was high and a large number of A*/A grades. 

Over 70% of grades awarded in Physics and Biology were A* or A.

More than 70% of students passed Mathematics/Numeracy and the new Double Science qualification.

There were some fantastic individual performances including a host of students who achieved the very top grades. 

Highest achiever was Emily Hudson (Corwen) who gained an incredible ten A* grades, 1 A grade and a Distinction in Additional Maths. 

Georgia Roberts (Trevor) also performed extremely well achieving 6 A* grades, 1 A grade and a Distinction in Additional Mathematics. 

There was also a fantastic performance for Amelia Orton-Jones (Llangollen) who achieved 6 A* grades, 6 A grades, 1 B grade and a Merit in Additional Maths.

There were tremendous results, too, for Aled Bates (Glyn Ceiriog) who achieved 6 A* grades, 4 A grades, 4 B grades and a Distinction in Additional Maths and Gareth McAndrew (Corwen) who achieved 7 A* grades, 2 A grades, 5 B grades and a Distinction in Additional Maths.

The following students achieved grades including six grades at A* /A or higher:

Emily Hudson (Llangollen) 10 A* grades, 1 A grade and a Distinction in Additional Mathematics
Georgia Roberts (Trevor) 6 A* grades, 6 A grades, 1 B grade and a Distinction in Additional Mathematics.

Amelia Orton-Jones (Llangollen) 6 A* grades, 5 A grades, 2 B grades and a Merit in Additional Mathematics.

Aled Bates (Glyn Ceiriog) 6 A* grades, 4 A grades, 4 B grades and a Distinction in Additional Mathematics.

Gareth McAndrew (Corwen) 7 A* grades, 2 A grades, 5 B grades and a Distinction in Additional Mathematics.

Daisy Carol (Llangollen) 3 A* grades, 8 A grades, 2 B grades and a Merit in Additional Mathematics
Chloe Leech (Chirk) 4 A* grades, 7 A grades, 2 B grades, 1 C grade and a Distinction in Additional Mathematics.

Eimear Lidd,y (Corwen) 2 A* grades, 9 A grades, 3 B grades and a Distinction in Additional Mathematics.

Christopher Harrison (Chirk) 4 A* grades, Distinction in Engineering, 4 A grades, 4 B grades and a Distinction in Additional Mathematics.

Tesni Edwards (Glyn Ceiriog) 1 A* grade, 7 A grades, 3 B grades and a Merit in Additional Mathematics.

Louis Decourt (Llangollen) 11 A grades, 3B grades and a Merit in Additional Mathematics
Sophie Smith (Llangollen) 1 A* grade, 6 A grades and 5 B grades.

Mark Hatch, headteacher, said: ‘We are really pleased for all our students.   They have worked really hard and deserve their success.

"We are looking forward to seeing many of the students back in our Sixth Form in September. 

"Great praise and thanks to the staff who have supported them and helped them achieve these excellent results."

More celebration pictures ...

Mountain fire operation is challenged

* llanblogger's picture of the fire visible from Llangollen town centre.

Former Llangollen councillor Stuart Davies (pictured below) has expressed further views about the Llantysilio mountain fire.

These come as a result of his attending the meeting in Llandegla on Monday night organised by the area's county councillor.

They are also directly in response to comments made to the Denbighshire Free Press by Dawn Beech, acting operations manager for North East Wales at National Resources Wales.

First quoting sections of her comments he then responds to them point by point:

Dawn Beech: “Mynydd Llantysilio is really important to both people and wildlife. It is home to rare birds like the black grouse, provides grazing areas for local farmers and is popular with walkers.

“We have worked with Denbighshire countryside service, RSPB and farmers over recent years to cut heather for the grouse, to improve grazing areas for sheep and to help reduce fire risk."

Stuart Davies: "It’s obvious that the action plan didn’t work. It’s a pity that they don’t do proper controlled burning, which is the time honoured way of controlling the vegetation on the moors and mountains.

"More needs to be done and quickly. One of the points brought up at the meeting is for agencies to learn from this disaster. As myself and Rhys Hughes drove home from that meeting we could see that the heather and gorse to the east of the Horseshoe Pass is overgrown, much as Llantysilio Mountain was. It is a disaster waiting to happen.

"We still haven’t had a downpour, the weather is still conducive to more fires. If it catches on that side of the road then there is 6-8 miles of mountain towards Penycae, Rhos and Wrexham that could go up.

"Fire breaks need to be put in place now! Also the vegetation needs flailing on ALL of the Horseshoe Pass verges where they meet the road. Again coming home that night, it can be seen on the south side of the downward pass right up to the road side."

Dawn Beech: “During the fire, our staff worked with North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (NWFRS) and Denbighshire Countryside Services to cut back vegetation and create fire breaks to try and stop the fire spreading."

Stuart Davies: "The question here is when? That question needs to be answered.

"The farming community offered help on day two and ten, according to my sources. Why wasn't that taken up?"

Dawn Beech: “Approximately half the mountain was burnt and the peatland areas have been particularly badly affected. NWFRS remain on site monitoring the area."

Stuart Davies: "If they had taken up the offers of help early on I would argue that half the mountain would not have been burned. Proper fire breaks as advocated by the farming community and the offer to do it would have stopped it in its tracks. Regular yearly controlled burning as advocated by conservation groups and farmers would have stopped the build-up of brash which allowed the fire to go deep."

Dawn Beech: “When we have confirmation the fires are out we will carry out a full survey of the mountain to see how we can help the area recover."

Stuart Davies: "Is that going to include putting in permanent fire breaks and making it easier to do yearly controlled burning so that we don’t have the situation of build-up of brash to allow deep seated fires to remain under the vegetation?"

Dawn Beech: “We’ll be working with the other organisations involved to carry out a review of our response.”

Stuart Davies: "Will that include listening to the farming community and taking on board their views and facilitating their actions?

"My conclusion:

"IMHO political correctness as in “we must save the black grouse and its habitat” appears to have in fact been counterproductive, the grouse “have been cooked” and the habitat destroyed.

"The farming community has lots to offer and has lots of expertise in managing hillsides and moorland. Listen to them and act QUICKLY on their advice.

"Make it easier and less bureaucratic to manage the hillside. Let the farming community do what they do best, let them husband the land.

"And finally, get in there now, cut the verges so that the fire doesn’t encroach on the roads and jump them. They had to do it anyway.

"Cut firebreaks and make the area to the east safe so that if a fire breaks out on that side it can’t reach the major conurbations of Penycae, Rhos or even Wrexham."

Stuart Millington, senior operations manager for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service is quoted in the Free Press saying: “At large scale grass and gorse fires NWFRS work in partnership with our colleagues in NRW and consider a variety of short, medium and longterm implications before implementing a tactical plan that seeks to resolve these incidents.

“This did include some work to cut fire breaks in strategic locations. Whilst we are grateful for the offer of help from local farmers, resources provided to implement this tactical plan and cut any firebreaks were provided by our partners and were considered to be sufficient." 

Photography exhibition opens in town

* Craig Colville with his exhibition material.

A photography exhibition showcasing the region’s outstanding coastline has opened in Llangollen.

The exhibition at Llangollen Tourist Information Centre, Y Capel, celebrates Visit Wales’ themed years, 2018 being Year of the Sea.

The exhibition, called Routes to the Sea, was commissioned by Denbighshire County Council and funded by the North East Wales Partnership. 

Local photographer Craig Colville has captured the area’s routes to the sea from a different perspective to create interesting and thought provoking images.

The saleable exhibition will run until the end of September and Llangollen Tourist Information Centre is open every day from 9.30am to 4pm, expect Thursdays.

Llan councillors call for mountain fire probes

Llangollen’s two county councillors have called for three separate probes into the huge mountain fire which burned on the mountainsides above the area for over four weeks.

Cllr Graham Timms and Melvyn Miles have written to Denbighshire’s chief executive, Judith Greenhalgh, calling for two enquires involving a number of agencies plus an investigation as part of the council’s own scrutiny process during which councillors can raise questions about the issue.

In their letter to the chief executive, the two councillors say:

“The devastation of wildlife left in its wake spreads over a huge area of our ward and also includes the neighbouring wards of Llandegla and Bryneglwys. The work that the AONB, Highways, streetscene etc. have done alongside the North Wales Fire Service is to be commended, with many officers in all the services working very long and unsociable hours. 

However, now that the fire is nearly out, it is time to begin reviewing the response to ensure that we can learn from what has happened. It is the most serious and long-lasting moor fire in Wales for many years. The actions taken by the services dealing with the fire need to be reviewed to ensure that the correct response was instigated and that we can learn how to deal with future incidents to ensure that the best response possible happens. 

We would like to ask for two separate enquiries.

1. A Denbighshire County Council inquiry that considers our response to the events. This would cover a range of issues in both the response made to the events as the incident unfolded and actions that could be taken to prevent future fires taking place.

2. An inquiry possibly led by the fire service involving AONB, NRW and DCC to discuss the timeline of the response, the factors behind decisions over the four weeks of the fire, representations made by the groups involved and whether different decisions could have enabled the fire to be controlled more quickly leading to less damage to the environment and the economy. 

We believe that there should be councillor involvement in both enquiries and that the local community and stakeholders should also be asked to contribute. It is only by having an open and transparent process that we can be certain that we can learn the lessons from this fire and hope that another similar fire can be prevented from occurring again.”

Cllrs Timms and Mile also want the process to include a third examination at one of DCC's scrutiny committees to “give everyone a chance to ask questions about the procedure and hopefully learn what can be done to prevent such an incident in the future”.

Information sought on stolen tanker

Local Neighbourhood Watch members have been alerted to the theft of tanker (pictured) from the Llangollen area yesterday (Sunday). 

* If anyone has information that could help, they are asked to call 101 quoting OWL Cymru/W117991.

Council survey seeks views of carers

There is still time for carers in Denbighshire to have their say on what support would help them.

Denbighshire County Council is asking the county’s 11,600 carers to tell them how support can be improved in the survey which is part of its work to build independence and resilience in communities.

Cllr Bobby Feeley, the council’s lead member for Well-being and Independence, said: “Carers provide a lifeline through unpaid care and support to family members or friends who have a disability, illness or mental health condition.

“Caring can be a hugely rewarding experience but sometimes carers find it challenging to take care of their own well-being whilst caring.

“Supporting carers is a priority for the council and we want them to tell us how support can be improved - not just from social services but from other areas in the Council such as leisure services, libraries, housing and education.  

“I would encourage adult carers in Denbighshire to take part in this survey.”

* The survey for carers aged over 18 closes on August 31 and you can take part via https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/AdultCarers

Man rescued after Glyn Valley fall

* NEWSAR's picture of the incident in the Glyn Valley yesterday.

North East Wales Search and Rescue (NEWSAR) was called to deal with an incident in Glyn Ceiriog yesterday.

Its Twitter feed says:

	NEWSAR @newsar
CALLOUT: Earlier today the team was asked by North Wales Police to assist with the rescue of a man who had taken a tumbling fall down a steep slope near Llanarmon DC in the Ceriog valley. We arrived alongside the Wales Air Ambulance

Bell ringer will be remembered at St Collen's

* Betram Prewett in whose memory the peal

will be rung.

On 1st September a group of bell ringers from Hertfordshire will ring a peal (5040 changes with no repeats) on the bells of  St. Collen's in memory of Bertram Prewett (1878 - 1915). 

He was one of the finest bell ringers of his era and on 13th September 1907 he and a group of friends rang a peal at Llangollen while on a bell ringing tour of the area. 

He was brought up in Bushey, Hertfordshire, and was a post office clerk until he enlisted in the army in early 1915. 

He was killed in action, shot through the throat, on 31st August 1918 and is buried in France.

This information was kindly provided by Alan Regin, who received an MBE in the January New Years Honours for his work in developing the Roll of Honour  of bell ringers killed during WW1, of whom approximately 1,400 are known.

Anyone who would like to know more about bell ringing is very welcome to come along to any practice night. 

These are held on Wednesday evening between 7.30p.m and 9.00p.m. in the church tower.

* The bell dedicated to Bertram Prewett and others,

which is part of a ring of bells, dedicated to bell ringers who lost their lives in WW1, at St. George's Memorial Church, Ypres, Belgium.

* One of peal plaques which are displayed at

churches in Llangollen, Oswestry and Chester.

Message from Music in Llandegla

Despite rumours to the contrary,  Llandegla All Styles will go again on - 

        MONDAY 20th AUGUST  2018

AT The MEMORIAL HALL LLANDEGLA

     SINGERS and MUSICIANS NIGHT

    8pm     

RAFFLE

The prevailing weather forecast suggests that the previous decision to hold the event outside was somewhat over ambitious for Llandegla in August, so we will be in the Memorial Hall, (no BARBQ's), but feel free to bring any refreshments you require.

AM praises railway's Corwen project

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has praised all those involved in a rail project which will boost the local economy after revisiting it this week and seeing first-hand the tangible progress made since his last visit.

Mr Isherwood (pictured) visited Llangollen Railway’s major civil engineering project at Corwen Central Station to meet the Railway’s Chairman, Liz McGuiness, Project Leader, Richard Dixon-Gough, and active railway volunteers, and was extremely impressed by the work which has been carried out over the past eight months   

He said: “So much has been achieved in the months since I last visited this magnificent project, with the water tower installed on prepared footings, the walls up for the former Weston Rhyn signal box, the temporary Station Building re-roofed and externally painted, and much more.

“The temporary station at Dwyrain Corwen East has brought in people despite its out of town location and Corwen Central Station, located near to Corwen town centre, should attract more with its car park and bus interchange. With the engagement of local businesses, the station could make a major contribution to the town’s regeneration as a visitor and business destination.

“There is also the potential for more use of the T3 Barmouth bus as a means of bringing in visitors and offering connections with Bala for the other nearby heritage railway.

“The temporary platform is due to be taken down in November, and it is hoped that the new terminus at Corwen can be open for Easter 2019."

Mr Isherwood added: “Speaking in the Assembly Chamber only last month,  I referred to the further contribution that heritage railways can make to our local and regional economies in Wales. I highlighted the final episode of Channel 4’s Great Rail Restorations series, operating its time train on Llangollen Railway, promoting the wonderful railway setting between Llangollen and Carrog, and now going to Corwen as well. I also noted that we still need a joined-up tourism offer with through ticketing, enabling regional visitors to extend their stays and have the fantastic time we know they can have.”

Liz McGuinness, Chairman of Llangollen Railway, said: " We are very excited about the prospects for the new station at Corwen opening in 2019. There is still a lot of work to do to complete the new station, but we are hopeful that, with continued support for the project, trains will terminate close to the town centre early in the new season on a date to be announced."

Gas pipe company want your views

Wales & West Utilities, the company that look after the gas pipes in Llangollen, want people in this area to connect with them and give them their views on their services.

You can have your say before their consultation closes today, Friday.

* Go to http://www.pipeuponline.co.uk to find out more.

Ysgol Dinas Bran celebrates "fantastic" A level results

* A level students jump for joy at their results.

Delighted A level students celebrated "fantastic" exam results at Ysgol Dinas Bran today.

Overall the pass-rate at A level (grades A*-E) was a very pleasing 98%, with over 80% of grades awarded at A*-C, well above national averages. 

Among subjects, Design and Technology, Art and Design, Drama, Geography, History, Maths, PE, Music, Spanish and Psychology all had 100% pass-rates at A*-C. 

There were some outstanding performances from students. 

Julian Gonzalez achieved four A* grades, achieving an A* in Music this year while in year 13, A* in Physics and Further Maths last year when in Year 12 and an A* in Maths while only in Year 11. He will now continue with his studies in Maths at St John’s College, Oxford University. 

Mae Morgan achieved A* grades in Maths and Physics and A grades in Spanish and Biology; Mae will now study Nursing at Southampton University. 

Barra Liddy also took three of his A levels whilst in Year 12, achieving four overall including an A* and two A grades. Barra will now study Music and Sound Recording at the University of Surrey. 

Connor Stalham achieved a clean sweep of A grades in his three subjects  - Biology, Physics and Mathematics.  Connor will now go on to study Theoretical Physics at York University.

Other students who achieved two A grades or more were:

Grace Broadbent  two A grades, one B grade, two  C grades*
Imogen Fernehough   two A grades
Ffion Hughes two A grades, one B, one C
Millie Harrison two A grades and a B grade
Joe Richardson  two A grades and a B grade
Osian Williams  two A grades and a B grade
Annie Ward  two A grades, two C grades 
*- Grace both took a number of her qualifications whilst in Year 12.

Early indicators suggest that the vast majority of students who applied to university have been successful in their first choice applications.

Headteacher, Martyn Froggett, said: "We are delighted with these fantastic results.  A levels are hard exams;  the students have worked hard and deserve their success.  We wish them well for the future, whatever their chosen route. 

"A big thank you also to all the teachers for their tremendous work and support of the students.”

The county council says early indications show approximately 99% of students have been successful in achieving the Level 3 threshold, which is a slight improvement on the previous year.

Approximately 77% of students achieved A*-C grades and there have been some excellent individual achievements across all schools with approximately 23% of students achieving A* and A grades.

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Denbighshire's Cabinet Lead Member for Education, Children and Young People, said: “We would like to congratulate all students on their individual results and we wish them every success in their chosen pathway.

“These results highlight the continued focus we have on education and is testament to the commitment shown by everyone concerned.

“The results reflect the years of hard work and dedication of students and the tireless support of their teachers in preparation for the examinations and shows that pupils make strong progress over the course of their education.  

“Denbighshire has a consistent focus on ensuring that children and young people achieve well and once again highlights our belief that “every child really matters” as was noted in the recent Estyn Inspection.  

“Education remains a top priority in the County and we are extremely pleased to see the majority of schools in Denbighshire continue to improve performance.”

The local authority extends sincere congratulations to every individual student achieving this summer and wishes them well in their future endeavours.

Llan's new vicar introduces himself

From Father Lee Taylor:

It was announced this week that I am to be the Vicar of Llangollen, Llantysilio and Trevor and I am really looking forward to getting to know everyone in and around these communities in the months and years ahead. 

* In his spare time Lee Taylor is a member of the

British Music Hall Society. 

I appreciate this opportunity to say a few words to introduce myself before I move to Llangollen later this year. 

I was born and brought up in Bolton, Lancashire. I studied theology at the University of Wales, Lampeter where I was also organ scholar and choirmaster.

When I left university I worked at a busy call centre for the gas and electricity supplier Norweb Energi. I had the delightful task of working in the customer complaints department. I was one of those mysterious people at the other end of the line who put you on hold and force you to listen to a pan-pipe rendition of Greensleeves!

At weekends I worked evenings at a local Working Men’s Club playing a selection of schmaltzy tunes on the organ before the main bingo session. 

I moved to London in 2002 to take up the post of Deputy-Head Verger at Southwark Cathedral. During my time in London I also worked as a volunteer chaplaincy assistant at Guy’s & St Thomas’ hospitals. 

In 2010 I left London to train for ordained ministry at Ripon College, Cuddesdon.

I served my curacy (the initial clergy job) in Leigh-on-Sea. One of the most challenging projects I took on during my curacy was a visit to India in 2014 with a group from the parish. We worked at an orphanage and volunteered at the various Mother Teresa institutions around Calcutta that are run by the Missionaries of Charity. 

I am currently Associate Vicar of Croydon Minster. During my time in Croydon I have worked hard at establishing partnerships with various organisations, business and charities around the town.

Working with the community is at the heart of my priestly ministry as I believe that the work of God thrives and flourishes in community.

One of the most exciting mission and community ventures that we did as a church was a beer blessing ceremony at our local pub, The Dog & Bull. This event not only brought together a wide section of the community but it also signalled the open and welcoming face of the church in the heart of the community.

I have to say at this point that I am no stranger to inns: my mother ran two pubs in Wigan where I used to serve behind the bar, play the piano and chat to the regulars. It was great fun. 

What will I bring to Llangollen? I consider myself to be an engaging and creative person with a good sense of humour and a down-to-earth approach. This probably stems from my love of Music Hall and my experience of performing ‘turns’ on the amateur stage. I am a member of the British Music Hall Society and I'm currently pursuing an informal study on the theology of humour. 

I also enjoy playing and composing music, ballroom dancing, the arts, hiking, and keeping fit.

One of my priorities in ministry is to be a visible witness to the gospel in the ‘public square’ and to be available to anyone in need. I am greatly looking forward to my move to Llangollen and to serving all sections of this wonderful and vibrant community. 

Wishing you peace and joy.

Father Lee Taylor

Ex-councillor speaks out on mountain fire

Former county councillor for Llangollen Stuart Davies (pictured) gives his personal view of the reasons behind mountain fire which has been burning on Llantysilio Mountain for many weeks.

When I was a lad many years ago it was normal to burn gorse and heather, I used to as a little boy with my Grandad, he had a hill farm in Cheshire.

Since then the tree huggers and bunny lovers have taken over.

The management of places like the Horseshoe Pass has stopped the type of burning we used to do,

consequently we have the build up of what I call brash and the undergrowth gets denser.

This collects year on year and then when a natural fire occurs, instead of it being a "flash" fire it becomes a deep rooted one that hangs on and on in the deep undergrowth.

NRW (National Resources Wales) are the culprits!

They don't allow anyone to do anything there!

Denbighshire County Council, when I was a councillor, wanted to do stuff such as cut the verges and widen them a bit - no, no and no the officers said.

Farmers would like to burn as they used to do every year. Controlled burns keep the rubbish down, gets rid of nasty insects such as ticks and promotes the growth of tender new shoots which grouse graze on!

I notice a few weeks in to the burn that NRW was doing its handwringing bit, ooh the poor black grouse!

Well, if they did or had allowed more regular controlled burning instead of doing the PC bit it is my opinion that the fire would have been well out by now!

https://www.gwct.org.uk/blogs/news/2016/march/heather-burning-new-research-raises-important-questions/

Brightest and best digital innovators sought

A leading awards ceremony is looking for the brightest and best digital innovators across the region.

The Digital Futures Awards, taking place this Autumn, form part of the annual Digital Futures conference – now in its third successful year at Wrexham Glyndŵr University.

The awards, sponsored by industry leaders and delivered in partnership with Big Ideas Wales and Wrexham Enterprise Hub, celebrate those who have been at the cutting edge of the digital marketing and online business revolution.

This years’ awards have five categories and are open for entries until October 8, when a shortlist will be drawn up in preparation for the Digital Futures conference and Awards Ceremony, to be held in the University’s Catrin Finch centre on October 25.

The categories are for:

·        Digital Marketing Campaign – sponsored by NXT Web.  This award is for those who have innovate in a digital marketing campaign, whether this is launching a new business or product or boosting charity fundraising to the next level. Judges are looking for creativity and a focus on timescales and impact.

·        Digital Marketing Company – sponsored by FSB. This award is for a digital marketing company which has driven growth for businesses and clients, or a skilled individual or team who have secured proved results for clients.

·       Online Business – sponsored by NatWest Cymru – An award for any online business which need celebration, whether it’s through boosting the work/ life balance of staff or improving the satisfaction of customers.

·       Successful Brand – sponsored by Wrexham Glyndwr University. This award celebrates the power of digital media for boosting a brand. Judges are looking for innovative examples of how brands have been exposed and gained attraction through the power of digital.   They are particularly keen to hear from small brands as well as larger brands.

·       Digital Young Person under 25 – sponsored by M-SParc: This award is an open category, looking for a young person who has used digital tools and media to enhance their work – whether this is a project, hobby or business idea. Judges welcome a wide range of submissions – whether this is a blog, vlog, a twitter campaign, or even an app creation.

Judith Alexander, Enterprise Champion at Wrexham Glyndŵr University, said: “For individuals and businesses, adapting to the digital revolution – and harnessing the opportunities it offers- is vital.

“That’s why so many of our courses here at Wrexham Glyndŵr University place it at the forefront of what they do, and why we host events like the Digital Futures Conference and ceremonies like the Digital Futures Awards. I’d like to thank all the sponsors for lending their support to the awards, and all the speakers taking part in the conference. Those speakers are industry leaders in their fields – and we want the awards to recognise the emerging talent our region has to offer too.

“If you are from Wales, Cheshire, Wirral or Shropshire and fit the bill for one of the categories, we would love to hear from you.”

* Anyone interested in finding out more, or making a nomination, can email Judith on j.alexander@glyndwr.ac.uk

Denbighshire ranks as sixth best council in Wales

The Public Accountability Measures 2017-18 published by Data Cymru on behalf of the Welsh Local Government Association, shows that Denbighshire ranks sixth out of the 22 councils in Wales.

The data enables local authorities to present their performance to the public and allow the public to hold local authorities to account.

Authorities are judged on their performance on a number of key indicators including corporate services, education, environmental services, housing, leisure and culture, planning, highway services, public protection, social care and waste – although Waste and Social Care data has not yet been published by the Welsh Government.

Councillor Julian Thompson-Hill, the council’s lead member for Finance, Performance and Strategic Assets, said: “This data shows that despite the challenging environment within which local government continues to operate, the council is working hard to provide the best possible service to our residents.

“Denbighshire ranks second in Wales for sickness absence amongst its staff, second for the most food establishments that meet hygiene standards, and third for highway cleanliness.”

“We returned 52 empty homes into use, ranking us fourth in Wales, and library use is among the best in Wales with just over 529,000 visits in 2017-18. Leisure visits also rank highly, at more than 852,000.”

“We will continue to build on this performance to ensure that we serve the residents of the county.”

Last year the Council adopted its Corporate Plan to create a significant and lasting difference to the people and communities of Denbighshire and improve services.

The plan will see a proposed investment of £135 million and aims to support young people, protect the environment, create resilient and connected communities, and improve housing in Denbighshire.

New vicar chosen for Llangollen, Llantysilio and Trevor.

The Bishop of St Asaph has announced the appointment of a new priest for Llangollen, Llantysilio and Trevor.

The Reverend Lee Taylor (pictured), who is currently Associate Vicar of Croydon Minster in the diocese of Southwark, will move to Llangollen later in the autumn to take up the post left vacant by the departure of the Rev Andrew Sully for Llandudno a few months ago. 

A date for a service of licensing and welcome will be announced in due course.

The decision was announced during yesterday’s Sunday morning services and it follows an interview process which took place on Friday July 29. 

The Bishop of St Asaph, the Rt Revd Gregory Cameron, has asked people to remember Lee, the people of Llangollen, Llantysilio and Trevor, and Valle Crucis Mission Area in their prayers as he prepares for this new ministry.

Fears soldier's farewell message could be disappearing

* Berwyn station where the message is scrawled beneath the bridge.

The BBC is reporting today that there are fears a World War One soldier's farewell message scrawled on the stone work of the bridge near Berwyn station could be lost due to damp.

* For the full story, see: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-45163110

Police say only contact us in emergency

UPDATE ...

North Wales Police can now announce that the power outage at one of their sites in St Asaph is now restored and normal service has been resumed.

Paul Joyce, Superintendent of Operational Support Services said “I would like to thank the public for their support during the time of the power outage and I would also like to thank our staff, both frontline and behind the scenes for working tirelessly and professionally to ensure that we still provided high level public service during this time.”




North Wales Police have suffered a power outage at one of their sites in St Asaph.

They are asking the public to assist them by only contacting them regarding emergency calls and avoid contacting the police for non-urgent calls during this time.

Paul Joyce, Superintendent of Operational Support Services, said “We prepare for this type of event and our business continuity plans have been activated in order to continue to operate effectively and keep disruption to a minimum.

"Engineers have been instructed and are on route to rectify the issue as soon as possible."

New safety course for landlords

Rent Smart Wales, the registration and licensing authority for all landlords and agents with property, has developed a new fire safety course for landlords.

Developed in conjunction with Wales’ three fire authorities, including North Wales, the online course aims to increase landlords fire safety knowledge and make them aware of their legal obligations to ensure their tenants and properties are protected from the potentially devastating effects of fire.

The course, available on the Rent Smart Wales website, is the first online Continuing Professional Development course to be offered by the scheme and provides more in depth information on fire safety than the basic responsibilities covered in the mandatory training course for all self-managing landlords in Wales.

Cllr Lynda Thorne, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities at Cardiff Council, the single licensing authority for Rent Smart Wales, said: “I’m really pleased to see Rent Smart Wales delivering added value for landlords through this new online course which is free to access.

“We all know that the effects of fire can be devastating. But most fires are preventable so it’s essential that landlords, agents and tenants are aware of their fire safety responsibilities.”

The online course takes around one hour to complete and covers nine topics including general landlord duties, fire safety, gas safety, electrical safety and furniture and furnishings safety. The course also includes information about fire safety in Houses of Multiple Occupation, fire safety equipment and risk assessments.

Landlords must complete a short assessment at the end of the course to pass and the result forms part of their training record with Rent Smart Wales.

Paul Scott, Head of Business Fire Safety for North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, said: “It’s so important that everyone is aware of their fire safety responsibilities – we all have a role to play in keeping our communities safe.

“By supporting the development of this free and easy to access course we hope that landlords will take the time to learn more about how to provide the safest level of accommodation possible, in turn helping to protect the residents of our region.”

Cllr Thorne added: “The purpose of Rent Smart Wales is to drive up standards in the private rented sector in Wales, helping landlords to be aware of their obligations and ensuring tenants are also aware of their rights and own responsibilities. This course provides the assistance that landlords and agents have been asking for, an easy access resource where straight forward, up-to-date information can be accessed.

“Rent Smart wales hopes to develop additional courses in the future to continue to meet the sector’s needs.”