David pops the question before Caro Emerald concert

 

 

* David Jackson and Elise Davies.

 

A YOUNG Wrexham man perfectly captured the harmonious atmosphere of the occasion by proposing to his girlfriend before Thursday night’s Caro Emerald concert at Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

 

As an audience of thousands looked on, 28-year-old David Jackson, of Ruabon, went up on stage and down on one knee to romantically pop the question to Elise Davies, 26, who works full-time as an event co-ordinator for the festival.

 

When a shocked Elise, who had been carefully kept completely in the dark about the impending proposal, recovered enough to say “yes” the delighted crowd erupted in cheers and applause.

 

Elise, who lives in Ruabon with her future husband, said: “I had no idea David was going to ask me to marry him, especially in such a public place.

 

“I was absolutely gobsmacked when he did it and couldn’t speak for a few seconds but then I said yes because the whole thing was so romantic.”

 

The couple first met when they were both pupils at Ysgol Ruabon and eventually started dating.

 

They have been together for the past seven years and are expecting their first baby in November.

 

Elise, who has worked at the eisteddfod’s headquarters in Llangollen Pavilion for the past three years, said that although she knew David, who works as a graphic designer at a firm on Wrexham Industrial Estate, was going to the Caro Emerald concert with other members of the family, she didn’t have tickets herself until a few hours before.

 

“During the afternoon the eisteddfod’s musical director Eilir Owen Griffiths came into the office and gave some front row tickets to myself and my colleague, Sue McEvoy, which I thought was very nice of him,” she said.

 

“However, what I didn’t know was that he was actually in on the proposal thing and wanted me to have a seat from where I could easily get up on stage.

 

“Just before Caro Emerald was due to start the concert and when the place was absolutely full the presenter Sian Thomas said she had a special announcement to make.

 

“She asked David to come up on stage. I thought he was sitting in one of the rows behind me with his mum, Sue Jackson from Acrefair, and my mum Linda Davies, from Gyfelia near Bangor-on-Dee, but he appeared from behind the stage.

 

“He walked to the front and invited me to come up and join him. That was the first time I had any idea of what was going on.

 

“He gave a nice little speech about how much he loved me and then he popped the question.

 

“I said yes, of course, although it took me a few seconds to take in what was happening.

 

“The audience loved it and there was lots of clapping and cheering.”

 

Elise added: “I was absolutely gobsmacked about it all and I still can’t really believe it. In fact, it feels like it all happened to someone else.

 

“It was so romantic – but not really like David at all.

 

“But he later told me he’d actually been planning it all since last year’s eisteddfod when he was watching the Jools Holland concert.

 

“It was also so nice of him to propose at the eisteddfod because he knows Llangollen means so much to me.

 

“We haven’t named the day yet and probably won’t start planning the wedding until after our baby is born.

 

“I’d like to thank everyone at the eisteddfod who was involved in planning what was a fantastic moment for us.” 

Paraglider helped down from hills

This was tweeted by Llangollen Fire Station earlier this evening (Friday) ... 

 

7:30 tonight crews from Llangollen, Chirk and Wrexham assisted with helping a paraglider down from trees on a Llangollen mountain.

Performers' peace link-up at Eisteddfod

 

 

* Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod President Terry Waite CBE

with Ludmila Stebenkova, left, chief conductor of the Krasnoyarsk City Children’s Choir, from Russia, and Oksana Cherkas, leader of the

Barvinochok Ukrainian Dancers.

 

 

PERFORMERS from the Ukraine and Russia put aside their countries’ political differences to unite in music today.

 

The symbolic meeting between a dance group from the Ukraine and a choir from Russia came this morning (Thursday) when they performed side by side at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in which are both competing this week.

 

Eisteddfod President Terry Waite CBE, who greeted both groups of young people in their colourful national costumes, told them: “We know you have your problems at home but today you have come together in the spirit of music and dance. The future is in your hands.”

 

The historic meeting took place in the amphitheatre on the eisteddfod field and began with the 30-strong Barvinochok folk dance group from Kiev in the Ukraine going through an energetic routine.

 

Following them on stage were around the same number of young singers from the City Children’s Choir from the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk who sang two powerful numbers.

 

At the end of their respective performances members of each group gave the other loud cheers and warm applause.

 

There were encores from the dancers and the singers at the request of Terry Waite and the delighted crowd who gathered to watch.

 

Oksana Cherkas, leader of Barvinochok Ukrainian dancers, said: “We are very happy to meet with the group from Russia today.

 

“Despite what is happening back home it is good that we can get together like this, enjoy each other’s performance and put politics on one side.”

 

Ludmila Stebenkova, chief conductor of the Krasnoyarsk City Children’s Choir, said: “It is good that we have been able to meet together in this way and come together as friends.

“This shows that music and dance comes before politics.”

 

Speaking through interpreters, Terry Waite told the two groups: “Today we have seen two peoples united through music.

 

“Over the years we have had many groups at Llangollen who have had their political differences but they have come together in performance, which is what the eisteddfod has always been about since it was first held in the aftermath of the Second World War.

 

“The future is in your hands and we hope that one day there will be more occasions such as the one we have seen today when you perform together in harmony and peace.”

 

Barvinochok from the Ukraine was founded in 1976 and today has over 500 children and young people aged from three to 23 in its ranks.

 

Dance styles the group specialises in include classical, traditional Ukrainian, modern and global culture.

 

Over the years, Barvinochok has received recognition and won awards at a host of international festivals and competitions in countries such as Russia, Hungary, Germany, Greece, France, Spain, Austria, Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Portugal, Italy and Cuba.

 

Barvinochok’s first appearance at Llangollen came in 2009 when they won a certificate of merit for taking second place to a group from Slovakia in the choreographed folk dance competition.

 

Krasnoyarsk City Children’s Choir from Russia are making their Llangollen debut.

Founded in 1971 in the 1970s, the choir regularly tours the Russia, the Czech Republic, Mongolia, Georgia, Bulgaria, Romania and the Ukraine.

 

It has also visited the USA as part of a project called Friendship Ambassadors and co-operates with the Krasnoyarsk State Academic Symphony Orchestra.

Track extension reaches Corwen railhead

George Jones of Llangollen Railway gives this latest update on the track extension to Corwen ...

"As of Tuesday, 8th July, the track extension at the Dwyrain Corwen East station site has received its top ballast. 

Thanks to consistent supplies of ballast from Penmaenmawr quarry, the top ballasting of the extension has proceeded apace and the job is complete ahead of estimates. 

The 03 shunter brought the SHARK and two tipper wagons onto the station site to spread the ballast and place ash on the north side of the station site. This is the furthest west a train has proceeded so far. .

The railhead was extended at the Corwen East station site during week ending 28th June and the stop block now sits by the access gate at the end of the phase 1 station site and the Toad mess van is in residence.  

The services of the hired in tamper machine are now needed by the end of July, when further ballast supplies will be required to top up the formation once it is aligned and packed.

In the meantime, there is plenty of spade work for the volunteer work force to fettle up the stone dropped but it may be that we can soon have another golden fishplate moment at the end of the line to celebrate the achievement. 

Estimates for the building of the temporary platform with scaffolding are coming to hand from contractors, but a start date for construction has yet to be determined. 

There also remains the matter of building the graded access ramp off the embankment onto the approach road.

However, the footpaths from the car park have now been given a top coating and the poor weather approach is complete. The nature reserve access below the station site has been seeded with wild flowers and is closed to allow for germination. 

The ‘snagging’ list continues to be worked on. The piping of culverts 25g & 25h which take surface water off the A5 has been completed and work on the road surface drainage has been tackled by Highways. Some 800 fishplates on the extension have all been greased, but further work is necessary to complete the list of items requiring attention. 

With a range of work still to be completed, the date for the start of passenger services still cannot yet be given but the recent achievement brings the opening ever nearer.

The party is standing on the old under bridge 30 which disappeared as part of the Corwen Flood Alleviation Scheme – the spot where the 03 shunter is seen in the picture above. We did get there, but it has been a real challenge.

Gorillas on the prowl at the eisteddfod

 

* Gorilla girls, Chelsea Jackson, left, and Nicha Duffey.

A three and a half tonne Uri Geller-inspired gorilla made from spoons is wowing visitors to the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. 

 

The celebrity and entertainer who was a friend of late pop king Michael Jackson challenged the team at the British Ironworks Centre in Oswestry to make it.

 

The 12ft-high (3.6m) statue is made from 40,000 spoons and has taken almost five months to build.

 

Spoons for the silverback have been donated from across the world, as well as local schoolchildren.

 

Mr Geller, a friend of Prince Michael, himself donated a spoon once owned by Winston Churchill.

 

The giant silver primate is spending the week at the Llangollen Eisteddfod before starting a UK tour, where it will make stops at hospices and hospitals such as Manchester children’s Hospital and Great Ormond Street Hospital in London.

 

Llangollen Eisteddfod goer Chelsea Jackson, 17, from Rhos, who is a student at Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, Wrexham, said: “I didn’t realise it was made out of spoons. I think it’s really clever and I think it’s quite inspiring. I think it will inspire young children to be more creative.”

 

School pal Nicha Duffey, 17, added: “I think it’s very imaginative, and I think it’s crazy but in a good way.”

 

Managing Director of the British Ironworks Centre, Clive Knowles, is a keen supporter of the Llangollen Eisteddfod.

 

He said: “The Llangollen Eisteddfod is something totally unique. I think it‘s a wonderful voice for humanity, full of love, and it brings people from all over the world together through music to understand each other better.

 

“We transported the gorilla to the Llangollen Eisteddfod as part of our sponsorship of the event. We’ve also provided beautiful Victorian tables, chairs and benches.”

 

Many of the spoons for the impressive sculpture have been sent from as far away as China, India, Kenya, Tahiti and Armenia.

 

Clive added: “The spoons were mostly sent in by healthy children, so they could do something to make poorly children happy.

 

"Uri challenged us to make a gorilla out of spoons, and we showed him that we were up to that challenge. Uri is just an enormous personality. He came down to the British Ironworks Centre for the unveiling of the gorilla with Prince Michael of Kent.”

Ceinwin's on a roll with her baking collection

 

* Ceinwin on the eisteddfod field with her rolling pin collection.

 

YOU might say that for the past 30 years or more grandmother Ceinwen Clark has been on a roll when it comes to collecting.

 

For, when she’s not busy working as a volunteer with the floral committee at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod she’s out at antique fairs and car boot sales up and down the country indulging her passion for collecting rolling pins.

 

Over the decades she’s been building her amazing collection, which she keeps at her home in the Denbighshire tourist town, and she’s managed to gather together over 300 in a wide range of shapes, sizes and vintages.

 

And when her hobby came to the attention of producers of the musical Sweeney Todd: the Demon Barber of Fleet Street, starring Bryn Terfel, which kicked off this year’s Eisteddfod on Monday night, she was the obvious choice to supply a suitable rolling pin to Sian Cothi as a prop to make her role as Todd’s murderous pie-making assistant Mrs Lovett as authentic as possible.

 

Ceinwen, who has been a stalwart of the eisteddfod’s floral team for over 20 years, recalled that she began her long obsession with rolling pins about 30 years ago when she was visiting a coffee morning in Anglesey.

 

She said: “I saw a very big rolling pin on show which had a hook at one end. I asked what that was for and I was told that it was to hang it up in the kitchen.

 

“This particular one had come from one of the big country houses on the island and must have been used by the resident cook.

 

“As soon as I saw it I was hooked myself. I paid something like 50p for it and haven’t looked back since.

 

“I’ve now collected over 300 pins in all shapes, sizes and sorts.

 

“Most of them are made of wood and have got all different kinds of handles on them. There are also pins which are weighted with lead inside to give you a more even rolling action.

 

“I have some special ones that are made of ceramic. I believe these were brought back home from abroad by sailors. They have people’s names inscribed on them along with scenes of the South Seas and sailing ships. I think they must date back well over 100 years.

 

“I also have quite a few smaller pins, including one with my name on it which was specially made for me by the Eisteddfod’s life president Bob Attenborough who is a friend of myself and my husband Ronald. Ronald has also been a volunteer on the floral committee for the past five years.”

 

Ceinwen, who has two sons, three grandsons and a granddaughter, added: “I have a special pin for making waffles, which has the correct honeycomb pattern on it and another that is one-handed and made for disabled people to use.

 

“Our house is now getting pretty full of rolling pins and Ronald has told me we don’t want any more of them – but I’m not sure I can stop myself buying them.

 

“The word is also getting out about my collection. At one car boot sale I go to regularly they now call me Mrs Rolling Pin and when the Eisteddfod was looking for a pin for Mrs Lovett to use to make her pies on Sweeney Todd they came straight to me.

 

“I was glad to help but I thought I’d have a bit of a joke with it. The first one I offered Sian was very big and so heavy she could hardly lift it up.

 

“When she told me it was much too big, I brought out a tiny one which she said was too small. But all the time I had a medium pin hidden behind my back and when she saw that one she said it was just right.”

 

Ceinwen actually does do lots of baking, which means she regularly uses pieces from her vast collection.

 

“As we grow our own fruit at home I make lots pies from things like rhubarb, apples and raspberries,” she explained.

 

“My favourite pin to roll the pies is the one my mother had years ago but I do use other ones too because it would be a shame not to with so many at home!”

 

Ceinwen obviously has the collecting bug because, apart from the rolling pins, she has also amassed hoards of old fashioned flat irons, glass fishes, cobbler’s lasts, models of red double decker buses and, perhaps most unusual of all, glass eyewash vessels. 

St Collen's to hold Eisteddfod service

To mark the 2014 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, St Collen’s Church is holding a special Festival Service at 11am on Sunday, July 13.

It will be a service of music and prayers, focussing on St Francis of Assisi.

 

 

Traditional Eisteddfod parade delights Llan crowds

The traditional opening parade for Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod was held yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon when thousands of cheering onlookers watched it travel from the field, through the town and back again.

The parade was led by Eisteddfod President Terry Waite who was aboard a vintage dray wagon loaned for the occasion by Llangollen Brewery.

Also in the parade, along with colourful contingents representing the countries appearing and competing in the festival, were the Mayor and Mayoress, Bob and Margaret Lube, who were carried in a 1926 Vauxhall supplied by Llangollen Motor Museum.

* Eisteddfod President Terry Waite greets the crowds from the back of a Lllangollen Brewery dray.

* A school contingent passes by.

* Mayor and Mayoress Bob and Maragert Lube aboard a 1926 Vauxhall car.

Bryn's Sweeney triumph kicks off Eisteddfod

* Bryn Terfel in Sweeney Todd at the opening concert at the

International Musical Eisteddfod in Llanfgollen.

Bryn Terfel and a star-studded cast gave this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod a brilliant and bloody launch last night with a sensational Sweeney Todd at the Royal International Pavilion.

The great bass-baritone was making a return to the Eisteddfod stage for the first time since 2006  and Terfel and a cast that included Welsh opera stars Wynne Evans and Shan Cothi produced a garishly gothic performance of Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway smash hit, sponsored by Pendine Park.

Alongside the big names were unknowns plucked by Terfel from auditions to perform alongside him and seizing their big chances were 14-year-old Vale of Clwyd schoolboy Dewi Wykes, Solihull soprano Lauren Morris, 21, and tenor Berwyn Pearce, great-nephew of another Welsh legend, Sir Geraint Evans.

It made for a sensational start to the six-day Eisteddfod which began on Tuesday  with the Parade of Nations led by Eisteddfod President Terry Waite CBE.

A delighted Byn Terfel said: “I’m absolutely thrilled I’m able to appear at the 2014 International Eisteddfod. I’m a proud Welshman and the International Eisteddfod is unique, the atmosphere, the colour, the audience, even the flowers, it really is a very, very special event.”

Eisteddfod Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths said: "It is a dream come true that we achieved something so spectacular as Bryn has performed this work in Carnegie Hall, Royal Festival Hall and now Llangollen. I'm so proud.”

Eilir has had him in his sights since he was appointed ahead of the 2012 event. He added: “The idea of Bryn doing Sweeney Todd at Llangollen stems from a discussion I had with him in June 2011 after a concert I did with him at Aberglesni Gardens when he premiered my Reqiuem.

“Bryn and I are friends and we were both staying the night and he invited me, my wife and our little boy, Aaron, for breakfast the next day.

“At 9am there was a big bang bang on the door and there was Bryn standing there and he said, ‘Do you remember I’m cooking breakfast this morning?’

“I said we’d be there in ten minutes and round we went to find Bryn with the frying pan ready and he cooked breakfast while we discussed him bringing Sweeney Todd to Wales.

“A few months later I was appointed Musical Director and one of my first calls was to Bryn’s agent to ask if he could do it in July 2012 but she said the first July day available was in 2014.

“So I’ve been so excited for three years and I’ve been planning for it since then. This is my third International Eisteddfod and I’ve been very passionate about doing this with Bryn with an all-Welsh cast and with young people from Wales.”

Latest update on railway's Corwen project

Llangollen Railway says a notable occasion came on June 25 when the first loco-hauled train visited the new Corwen station site – although it was only the ballast train.

In its latest official update on the Corwen extension project the railway says that ballast train was propelled by diesel shunter 03162 and nevertheless made an impressive sight.

The update goes on: “A continued famine of supplies of recycled ballast from Crewe frustrated the top ballasting of the track during June. 

“The issue has been resolved by placing an order for 1,000 tonnes of new stone from the quarry at Penmaenmawr, although it does come at increased cost.

“However, immediate delivery of stone by lorry to the yard at Carrog commenced and the ballast train began running again on the extension west of Bonwm from June 23.

“These daily deliveries allowed for the ballast train to work through to Corwen East as stone was dropped west of Bridge 28A.

“It is anticipated that the ballasting will take four weeks to complete, to be followed by the hiring in of a tamper machine which will clearly take completion of the exercise into August.”

On the Corwen East station site, the update says: “As of the end of June the volunteer work force began laying the final panels of track which will take the railhead through to the gated access for the site.

“Unfortunately, the prospect of the wooden temporary platform being erected by local contractors did not proceed as planned. The contractors have now withdrawn from the project and alternative methods for platform erection are being explored to provide a quick fix for this essential facility.

“In addition, the erection of the graded access ramp off the embankment is to be tackled as a volunteer led option, once the railhead is secured.

“The site of the accommodation building for the station has to be determined to allow for a concrete base to be cast, whilst the actual steel framed building is on order from the Railway’s engineering department.

“Solar powered lighting for the station is being investigated as the cost of a mains supply to the site is beyond the available budget.

“As of the end of June agencies for Denbighshire County Council were preparing the footpath below to station site which will allow access via under bridge 29 to the adjacent nature reserve. Top coating of the footpath through the Corwen Common area to the town’s car park is also proceeding.

“Attention continues to be given to the list of snags, large and small, on the length of the extension in preparation for the final inspection. With a range of work still to be completed, a date for the opening remains elusive at this stage.

“Local representatives at the Community Liaison meeting on June 25 were told that an autumnal option for a first passenger train in the Dwyrain Corwen East station is a possibility, if progress is maintained.”

Reports of mystery noise in the area

Sean Jones from Trevor has been in touch this afternoon (Monday) to say:

"Just been looking for any news on what might be behind the loud bangs being heard at the Trevor/Froncysyllte end of the Dee Valley. 

 

"It has been heard for over a week pretty much every day.  Just in case you have an idea I thought I would jot an email to you.

 

"Is it a Bird Scarer, blasting in a quarry or road building or just gun shot?"

 

* If anyone has any idea about what's causing the noise, please get in touch with llanblogger.

Save Plas Madoc group to hold public meeting

The volunteer-run group formed to save Plas Madoc Leisure Centre will hold its latest public meeting later this week.

On Saturday at 11am, the Splash Community Trust will provide an update on its plans to reopen the popular facility as a social enterprise.

And organisers are calling on residents to show their continuing support by turning out in force at Air Products Social Club in Acrefair.

Chairman Darrell Wright said: “It’s a chance to keep members of the public and supporters up to date with what’s happening. People might think it’s gone a bit quiet recently, but there’s still a massive amount of work going on behind the scenes.”

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates, another of the trust’s founder members, added: “We have enjoyed fantastic support from the public so far, and I would ask you to stick with us while we continue with our efforts to save Plas Madoc.

“It can’t be done overnight and we still need to raise a huge amount of money, but as long as the will, the enthusiasm and the support remain then we have every chance of reopening the centre and achieving something amazing.”

The trust’s most recent fundraiser, a race night, was held at the Old Black Horse in Rhostyllen on Friday and raised almost £600.

Co-organiser and Splash Community Trust director Greg Ogden, from Trevor, said: “The race night went really well and was another success in financial terms. I would particularly like to thank the landlords Keith and Wendy and the locals in Rhostyllen who dug deep to help us raise as much as possible.”

To donate to the trust through its new PayPal account by visiting https://t.co/VlqCYUVROU. Alternatively, call Jenny Miller on 07921 659099 or email jennymiller08@hotmail.co.uk.

Campaigner's alternative health services plan

* Martin Crumpton wants to see the River Lodge site turned into a big car park. 

A LLANGOLEN campaigner has come up with his alternatives to current plans for the future of health services in the town.

Martin Crumpton says that instead of selling off the former Cottage Hospital in Abbey Road to a housing association it should be retained by the health board and used as the base for a range of health services currently fighting for space at the GP centre in Regent Street.

And he reckons the site off Mill Street where the old River Lodge is now in the final stages of demolition should be used not for a £5 million new health centre as planned but as the large car park which Llangollen needs.


Mr Crumpton’s suggestions come in the preface to a public petition which he is asking the area’s residents to sign before sending it off to health and council chiefs.

The petition form is headed “Save Our Surgery” and has a link from his Facebook page.
 

In it he says: “This is our chance in a lifetime to solve the parking problem.”
 

Mr Crumpton’s plan is to:

· Reopen the Cottage Hospital, (pictured right) complete with beds and the second floor brought back into use.    

· Relieve pressure on the Regent Street health centre by moving ancillary service such as district nurses, minor injuries unit, phlebotomy and physiotherapy back there.

 

· Make the River Lodge site into the large car park “Llangollen needs”.
 

He claims the advantages are that current GP surgery stays within walking distance for the majority of patients, “unlike the new site” and that the traffic pinch point problem where Mill Street narrows and makes for a “dangerous access” to the new health centre site, “simply disappears”.

Mr Crumpton says further benefits of his plan are that turning the River Lodge site into a big car park will “stimulate business and tourism in Llangollen, creating jobs and wealth” and that Llangollen “gets what it needs instead of what outsiders think we should have”.

The petition can be seen at: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8bf6wa3xly4wa40/AAposter.pdf

Opera star Rhys stops off in Llan during his 200-mile charity trek

*   Rhys Meirion accepts a donation as he arrives on Llangollen Bridge to be greeted by town crier Austin Chemenais, right 

*   Rhys addresses the crowd in front of the Town Hall.

* TV presenter Iolo Williams, centre wearing hat, was among the walkers
accompanying Rhys Meirion.

* A guitarist plays on the steps outside the library to welcome Rhys  to the town.

Welsh opera star Rhys Meirion stopped off in Llangollen this afternoon (Sunday) during his 200-mile sponsored which aims to raise £250,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance.  

Now in its third year, the Walk On celebrity challenge is being spearheaded for 2014 by Rhys who is official ambassador for the air ambulance.

He and his band of supporters are walking from Colwyn Bay to Cardiff and are due to complete their marathon trek next Saturday.

Arriving in Llangollen after walking via Llandegla and the Horseshoe Pass, they were officially greeted by the tolling handbell of town crier Austin Chemenais.

 

A large crowd was waiting to meet the walkers and addressing them from a stage area set up outside the library Rhys said: "It's been pretty tough going but it's all worthwhile when we you receive a welcome like this."

He added: “It has been an honour and a privilege to accept the invitation to become an ambassador for the Wales Air Ambulance.

“From the moment I accepted I have been considering ways in which I would be able to contribute to their huge effort in raising the money needed to ensure that this invaluable service is available to the people of Wales.

“This year we are doing a 200-mile coast-to-coast walk to link Colwyn Bay to Cardiff  travelling via the magnificent border counties."

The project was launched with a gala concert at Venue Cymru on Friday and the walk started at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay on Saturday morning

The walk continued through Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Welshpool, Newtown, Llanidloes, Builth Wells, Brecon, Merthyr, Aberfan and on to Cardiff.

Along the way Rhys is being joined for sections of the route by some of Wales’s top musical acts, sports personalities and celebrities and some international stars too.

Among those accompanying him today was TV nature presenter Iolo Williams.

Idris the Dragon moves into town

* Fringe directors Graham Timms, Paul Keddie, Robert Jaques and Sara Roberts with Ken Skates AM and  sculptor Matt Baker.

Idris the Welsh Dragon was unveiled yesterday by Ken Skates, Llangollen's Assembly Member.

The big red beast was made by local sculptor Matt Baker and is on display opposite the lawn opposite Royal Hotel.

The to-metre-high dragon has been constructed as part of the Llangollen Fringe Community Arts project run by artist Jan Murray.

Two Llangollen Fringe art exhibitions are also now open and will continue until the end of August.

Y Capel on Castle Street has an exhibition of artists and photographers who live in the Dee valley,
organised alongside Denbighshire Exhibition and Arts Project Coordinator Siân Green.

The Llangollen History Museum hosts an exhibition that includes work from groups who have worked with Jan Murray in the community.

Both events will continue until the end of August.

Jan has been working with local schools to produce poetry, paintings and model dragons for display during the main Llangollen Fringe festival period from July 17-27.

Another 90 dragons have been made and will join Idris on the lawn in 10 days time.

Art has always been a large part of the festival with Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin having visited the town in the past. But now the focus is on community involvement.

There are three exhibitions this year as well as the street art that will be seen around the town.

The main festival includes a huge range of events and aims to live up to the unofficial Fringe motto of "something for everyone".

Opera star passes through Llan on his 200-mile walk

A Welsh opera star will be passing through Llangollen during his sponsored 200-mile walk down the country which aims to raise £250,000.  

Now in its third year, Walk On is a celebrity challenge in aid of the Wales Air Ambulance.

This year it is being spearheaded by international opera star Rhys Meirion, (pictured right) who is official ambassador for the air ambulance and will be trekking from Colwyn Bay to Cardiff.

Rhys and his supporters are due to walk over Llangollen bridge at around 1pm this Sunday.

He said: “It has been an honour and a privilege for me to accept the invitation to become an ambassador for the Wales Air Ambulance.

“From the moment I accepted I have been considering ways in which I would be able to contribute to their huge effort in raising the money needed to ensure that this invaluable service is available to the people of Wales.

“The plan this year is a 200-mile coast-to-coast walk to link Colwyn Bay to Cardiff  travelling via the magnificent border counties."

The project was launched with a gala concert at Venue Cymru yesterday (Friday) and the walk started at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay at 8.30am this morning (Saturday).

Due to be completed over eight days, the route goes through rural Conwy to Llansannan, over to the Vale of Clwyd, through Ruthin, Llangollen, Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Welshpool, Newtown, Llanidloes, Builth Wells, Brecon, Merthyr, Aberfan and on to Cardiff.

The walk will have eight overnight stops at some of Wales’ most iconic hotels and there will be entertainment and fundraising activities at each evening stop.

Along the way Rhys will be joined on certain sections by some of Wales’s top musical acts, sports personalities and celebrities and some international stars too.

They include former rugby player Robin McBryde, comedian and chat show host Tudor Owen, and professional soprano Sioned Terry.

Stop "penny pinching" over rail services says AM

North Wales Liberal Democrat AM Aled Roberts has called on the Welsh Government to reinstate the original investment to dual the Wrexham to Chester line.

 

His call was made following the announcement of additional investment by the UK Government in Merseyside which opens up Liverpool and John Lennon Airport to direct rail services from North Wales.

 

“While the Welsh Government has bought Cardiff Airport and invested in proper rail dualling schemes in South Wales they have penny pinched in North East Wales so that only two-thirds of the Wrexham to Chester line will be dualled,” says Aled Roberts AM.

 

“This partial dualling will not allow for extra train services to run across the border into England from Wrexham and Flintshire even though a major announcement by the Coalition Government will improve connectivity between Liverpool, Cheshire and North Wales.

 

“The reduced scheme on which the Welsh Government is spending £41m provides only one extra train per 2 hours. This additional train is allocated to an additional service between Holyhead and Cardiff rather than improving services between North East Wales and Liverpool.

 

“The Welsh Government has concentrated on improving the Holyhead to Cardiff service which is worthwhile, but for a few £million more they could have allowed six more trains per hour to use the Wrexham to Chester line. That would offer the possibility of direct services to Liverpool or Manchester.

 

“More cross border services have even been demanded by Labour MPs in debates in the House of Commons and all the evidence suggests that the vast majority of people in North Wales are more interested in travelling across the border for work in preference to travelling to South Wales.”

Stage is all set for 2014 Eisteddfod

*Status Quo, Rick Parfitt and Francis Rossi.

Thousands of people from around the world will again descend on the little town of Llangollen next week as it celebrates the 68^th annual International Musical Eisteddfod.

The event where Wales welcomes the world and which began as a festival of peace in the aftermath of the Second World War has grown into one of Europe’s premier music and dance events.

It is one of Wales’s cultural star attractions and has brought international icons like Dylan Thomas and the great Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti to a quiet corner of the Dee Valley.

Pavarotti, in fact, began his international career as a member of a choir from Modena at Llangollen in 1955 when he and his father stayed with a family in Froncysylte.

In recent years artists of the stature of Jools Holland, Katherine Jenkins, Kiri Te Kanawa, James Galway and Montserrat Caballe have performed at the final Sunday Evening Gala Concert.

And this year the standard remains as high as ever with the curtain-raiser for the main event on Monday, July 7, seeing the great Welsh operatic bass-baritone Bryn Terfel returning to Llangollen to lead a star-studded cast in a performance of Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway smash hit Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

*
 Bryn Terfel.

It is the first time Bryn Terfel has appeared at Llangollen since 2006 and he’s excited at the prospect: “I’m absolutely thrilled I’m able to appear,” he said.

“I’m a proud Welshman and the Eisteddfod is unique, the atmosphere, the colour, the audience, even the flowers, it really is a very, very special event.

“Being offered the opportunity to return to the International Eisteddfod is an honour and I look forward to seeing everyone at Llangollen which, without a doubt, for me, will be a highlight of 2014.

“The International Eisteddfod committee and team of volunteers who work so incredibly hard really do put together something very special, year after year and they are to be applauded.”

Terfel will be joined on stage in Sweeney Todd by three unknown young singers he has hand-picked for starring roles, tenor Berwyn Pearce, soprano Lauren Morris and 14-year-old Dewi Wykes.

Berwyn, 26, from Cilfynydd, near Pontypridd, is the great-nephew of another opera legend, Sir Geraint Evans, while Lauren, 21, is from Solihull and Dewi from Llangynhafal, near Ruthin, in Denbighshire.

They were chosen from over 80 young singers at auditions in Cardiff and Llangollen and Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths said: “It’s one of our roles at the Eisteddfod, to provide chances for young talent to flourish and there can be no bigger opportunity than to sing alongside a legend like Bryn Terfel.

“Berwyn is a class act who will bring a special presence to the role, Lauren has a real magic about her and to find a 14-year-old with the talent Dewi has was just amazing.

 

“We’ve found three young up and coming stars of the future and we at Llangollen can give them that first stage on which to shine.”

 

He is also thrilled Bryn Terfel will appear at the 2014 festival. He said: “Bryn Terfel is Wales’ brightest musical star and the Eisteddfod is always a richer event when he is able to honour us with his presence.

 

“It has been difficult finding space in his every busy concert diary and I’m just grateful we have been able to arrange, what will be the opening event of the 2014 festival.”

The Eisteddfod continues through a vibrant six days of concerts which will feature Dutch jazz diva Caro Emerald, American tenor Noah Stewart, a new work by acclaimed Welsh composer Karl Jenkins for his 70^th birthday, an appearance by the chart-topping singing brothers, Richard and Adam Johnson, from Holywell, in Flintshire, and star artists from China, South Africa, Venezuela and Latvia.

* Caro Emerald.

What’s more the curtain will come down on this summer’s Eisteddfod with an appearance by legendary British rockers Status Quo who will perform on the Sunday night, July 13.

Most importantly the competitions have continued to attract entrants from all over the world – this year they will be here from Australia, China, Costa Rica, Ghana, India, Indonesia, Jamaica, Madagascar, Morocco, Nepal, Trinidad, the USA and Zimbabwe as well as from all over Europe and the UK.

The blue riband of those competitions is the Choir of the World for the Pavarotti Trophy which takes place on Saturday night in the Royal International Pavilion and there will also be a competition to find the dance champions of 2014 and to top the evening off Richard and Adam, who shot to fame on Britain’s Got Talent, will appear as special guests.

This year’s event runs from Tuesday, July 8, when the colourful traditional procession through the town will be led by Eisteddfod Patron Terry Waite, through six days of competitions and concerts to Sunday’s spectacular fireworks extravaganza.

On the Tuesday night at the Eisteddfod there will be a galaxy of international talent at the Carnival of Nations concert.

Outside the Royal International Pavilion on the field colourful competitors from around the world join thousands of visitors who can enjoy live music from the S4C Stage, join in with dance workshops or just soak up the heady atmosphere and world-class competition.

For more details on the 2014 festival go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

River Lodge - latest demolition picture

This picture provided today (Thursday) by llanblogger reader Phil Meyers shows the extent of demolition work on the former River Lodge on the A539 approach to Llangollen, with the bulldozers having bitten deeply into one of the main buildings.