Llan resident's recipe for more fresh food

* Robyn Lovelock with her 13-week-old son Harris.

A LLANGOLLEN woman reckons she has the recipe to make it easier for people in the town to get hold of fresh, locally produced food.

Robyn Lovelock, whose career has focused on rural economic development, is setting up a food assembly, which is a new retail model that enables direct trade between local food producers and registered customers.

It aims to do this through an online platform as well as face-to face assemblies like pop-up markets that open outside traditional daytime shop hours.

“Llangollen offers a great range of locally produced food and natural products - but it can be difficult for working people to buy it during business hours,” said Robyn.

“For those customers, the Llangollen Food Assembly will offer an easy, convenient and sociable alternative to supermarkets.

 

“For local producers, we hope to provide a reliable, efficient and enjoyable retail opportunity.”

Starting in late summer, the Llangollen Food Assembly will take place on Wednesdays from 6-8pm at the Ponsonby Arms on Mill Street, Llangollen.

Customers will be able to quickly pick up their order, spend some time talking with producers or enjoying the pub’s own food and drink.

Elissa Gravells, owner of the Ponsonby Arms who is offering the assembly space for free, said: “It’s an initiative I’m keen to support as it is in line with the pub’s commitment to using fresh, locally-produced food.”

So far, Nant Ucha eggs, Pen Y Lan sausages, Garth Organic produce, Llynclys Hall Farm, Llanvalley Natural Products and Red Rose Cakes have expressed interest in becoming suppliers, according to Robyn.

She said: “There’s still a lot of work to do before we launch as we want to offer a comprehensive range of products to customers.

“I’d like people keen to supply meat products, baked goods  - especially bread - dairy and fruit and vegetables to get in touch along with established businesses and people making products at home, allotment groups with a glut, or anybody just starting out with new products.

“This is a great opportunity for suppliers of all shapes and sizes, as they can adjust what they’re selling week by week and only need travel to the weekly food assembly if they’ve met their minimum order, to make sure it’s worth their while.

“The idea is catching on fast in the region, with food assemblies also being set up in Brymbo and Tanyffron.” 

Robyn added: “The average farmer in the UK only receives 9-15% of the retail price when supplying through conventional supply chains such as supermarkets.

“The food assembly model means suppliers receive over 80% of the retail price so local producers can invest more in their businesses – employing more people, extending their range of products.

“If we can find more ways to keep that money in the Llangollen area, over time we can increase the number of jobs available and increase investment in local resources – while enjoying good quality food at reasonable prices.”

* For more information, visit the Llangollen Food Assembly Facebook page or call Robyn on 07799 896108.

Food Assembly factfile 

* Customers order their local produce online and pick up their orders from a designated hosting venue every week at a set two-hour time – typically early evening to attract customers who may not be able to buy local products during working hours.

* The idea started in France three years ago and has now expanded to Spain, Germany, the UK and Italy, working with over 4,000 sustainable producers and 500,000 customers. 

* There are currently 11 assemblies up and running throughout the UK in both rural and urban areas with more than 2,000 registered customers and 80 active suppliers. 

* The Food Assembly won the title of Best British Food Initiative at the BBC Food and Farming Awards this year.

Llan goes Charles and Camilla crazy

* The Prince of Wales is greeted by the mayor, Cllr Mike Adams, and town councillors. All pictures by Jeanette Robinson.

Crowds thronged the centre of Llangollen this afternoon (Tuesday) to see the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall stop off in the town on their way to visit the eisteddfod's opening day.

The couple, who were greeted by the town mayor, Cllr Mike Adams, and fellow town council members on the steps of the library, then went walk-about in the crowd and also popped into Gwyn Davies the butchers in Castle Street to meet customers and staff.

Later in the afternoon, the eisteddfod 's traditional opening day parade, which Prince Charles had waved off from the field, came through the town led by its president, Terry Waite, in an open-topped vintage car and with the pace being set by Llangollen Silver Band.

* The Duchess of Cornwall on walk-about in Castle Street.

* The eisteddfod parade makes its way through the town centre.

* Children from Ysgol Bryn Collen are cheered on the way during the parade.

MP recalls 7/7 bombings

Susan Elan Jones MP has been recalling the 7/7 London bombings that took place exactly 10 years ago today.

The Clwyd South MP worked in London at the time and her office was just down the road from Edgeware Road Tube Station where six people were killed out of a total of 52 in the combined attacks on the day.

Susan Elan Jones MP said: "Unusually, on that day, I wasn't in the office as I was working at home on a research project. But right across London, there was the same eerie ambience - sounds of sirens, but virtually no vehicles moving.

"The thing that brought events home to me most was speaking to a work colleague, who had come out of the tube exit about 15 minutes before the bomb attack had taken place.

"In my view, every time politicians debate issues relating to civil liberties and surveillance, we need to do it through the prism of 7/7 and the need for proper security.

"I also believe we need to remember that people of many different nationalities. faiths and backgrounds were killed on 7/7 - and that our quest to understand people of different cultures is vital.

"This quest affects us every bit as much in North Wales as it does in London, and every other part of our country and our world."

Skates to write Labour's 2016 manifesto

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates said he was ‘honoured’ to be chosen to write the Welsh Labour manifesto for next year’s Assembly election.

First Minister Carwyn Jones asked the Wrexham-born Assembly Member to pen the party’s
pitch for May 2016 – and Mr Skates wants the public to help.

The pair will tour the country over the next few months asking people what they want to see and asking for help to shape the Wales of tomorrow.

Mr Skates said the manifesto would ‘bear the fingerprints and contain the hopes of three
million people’ from all parts of the country.

He added: “I’m both honoured and humbled to have been asked to write next year’s Welsh
Labour manifesto. It will be the boldest and most positive that any party has presented since
devolution, because it will contain the very best ideas from across the country.

“I am determined to present a visionary manifesto next year for Clwyd South, for North
Wales and for the whole of the country.  I intend to do so by calling on the creativity, ideas,
innovation and ambitions of people in every community and by travelling the length of
breadth of Wales to listen to as many as possible.”

Mr Skates will start his nationwide tour with an event in North East Wales later this month,
with details to be announced soon.

He said: “I have trust and confidence in the values of the people of Wales being the same as
those of Welsh Labour.  I want those values to underpin our future, so they should also flow
through the veins of my party's manifesto next year.

“This is an unprecedented opportunity for us in North Wales to influence the Wales we
want. It's an opportunity I hope people will embrace.”

Mr Skates was elected as AM for Clwyd South with 42.4% of the vote in May 2011, following
in the footsteps of Karen Sinclair as the constituency's representative in the Assembly. He is
now the Welsh Government’s deputy minister for culture, sport and tourism.

In December he won the ‘Member to Watch’ award  at the Politician of the Year event in
Cardiff after steering the Welsh Government's  hugely successful youth employment scheme
Jobs Growth Wales and overseeing Europe’s most ambitious broadband scheme, Superfast
Cymru, in his previous role as deputy minister for skills and technology.

Global appeal launched for Eisteddfod

 

* The Eisteddfod attracts competitors and visitors from across the world.

 

An urgent global appeal is being launched secure the future of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

 

Organisers are hoping to raise £70,000 because this year's event is heading for a financial loss as a result of disappointing ticket sales.

 

With the 70th anniversary on the horizon, they are confident the event has a bright long-term future but say they need the cash to get over their short-term difficulties.

 

Supporters wishing to make a donation will be able to do so online via the Eisteddfod's website or by using Gift Aid envelopes that will be available at all the concerts during the week.

 

This year will be the 69th year the festival will have been held consecutively since it was founded in the aftermath of the Second World War to promote peace and harmony.

 

The iconic event has now grown into one of Europe's premier music and dance events, where "Wales meets the world" and the town of Llangollen is turned into a cultural melting pot.

 

Over the years it has attracted cultural icons like Luciano Pavarotti, who first took to the Eisteddfod stage as part of his father's choir from Modena in Italy in 1955 before making a triumphant return in 1995 when he was a global superstar.

 

This year competitors are expected from as far afield as Ghana, China, Hungary, India, Jamaica, Morocco, Nepal, Slovakia and Holland as well as from across the UK and Ireland.

 

The Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall will be there tomorrow (Tuesday) when they will meet competitors taking part in the colourful Parade of Nations.

 

The appeal was announced by long-serving Eisteddfod chairman Gethin Davies who first attended the event as a young boy in 1951.

 

He said: "The Eisteddfod is an expensive festival to put on, and, like many other festivals, we have been walking a financial tight-rope for some time.

 

"By making swingeing economies in our expenditure, we managed a small surplus in 2014. 

 

"Sadly, although the economies set in motion in 2014 have continued in 2015, the disappointing sale of tickets for the concerts of this year’s Eisteddfod means that we are looking at a deficit of around £70,000 for 2015. 

 

"We are working with the Welsh Government regarding short-term assistance, but as yet they can give us no assurance of help. 

 

"Their advice was to make strenuous efforts to raise funds from our supporters in order to meet what is essentially a short-term problem. 

 

"The Eisteddfod board has submitted a three-year business plan to the Arts Council of Wales and is confident that if we can weather the present difficulties we can move into profit. 

 

"The Music Director has set out an extremely attractive concert programme for 2016 - including a household name - which we are confident will attract larger audiences, and the preliminary budget for 2016 shows a reasonable surplus.

 

Mr Davies added: "The International Eisteddfod has been a very important part of my life since 1951, when, as a small boy, I sold programmes for the Eisteddfod. 

 

"Over that period of 65 years, I have built up a treasury of happy memories of the wonderful competitors I have seen, the amazing concerts I have attended, and the incredible warmth, knowledgeability, friendliness and good will of the audience. 

 

"My children have also shared many of those experiences, and I would like my grandchildren, likewise to be able to enjoy this unique festival, and I am confident they will have that opportunity."

 

People who wish to make a donation can do so via the Llangollen International Eisteddfod's website: www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

Artist recreates Plas Newydd in fabric

 
 
 
Llangollen-based artist Jan Wallis currently has a novel exhibition of her work at the Willow Gallery in Oswestry.

Entitled Quilt Built, it’s a representation of some of the internal features at Plas Newydd – home of the Ladies of Llangollen – including wooden wall carvings and even a four poster bed, entirely in fabric and thread.

 

Memorial Hall refreshments

Members of Llangollen Methodist Church are inviting people to join them for morning coffee, light lunches and afternoon tea at the Memorial Hall, opposite the car park in Market Street, between 10am and 4pm, from July 6-11.

The hall will be open until 5.30pm tomorrow (Tuesday) and closed on Wednesday.

Llan scientist appears in government film

* Dr Davies as she appears in the film.

A Llangollen woman features in a film promoting the importance of science in Wales.

Science For Wales, produced by the Welsh Government, promotes the country's scientific achievements.

In one sequence there's an appearance by Dr Charlotte Eve Davies, who was educated at Ysgol Bryn Collen and then Ysgol Dinas Bran before earning a PhD in biology from Swansea University at the age of 24.

The daughter of Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies, she has had six papers published and has travelled extensively around the world giving speeches on her speciality which involves lobsters.

In the film she is seen aboard a boat holding up a lobster.

Cllr Davies said: "I'd like to thank all the people from Denbighshire County Council who were involved in her education and helped to make this happen.

"As can be seen from the film, we deliver a world class education system."

An example of Dr Davies’ work can be seen at: http://theconversation.com/competitive-lobsters-are-fighting-it-out-in-uks-first-marine-park-35830

Methodist Church's festival of praise

Llangollen Methodist Church is hosting a Festival of Praise on Monday, July 6, starting at 7.30pm.

It includes favourite hymns by guest performers and will be led by the Rev Philip Poole.

A collection will be held in aid of Llangollen Cancer Research UK.

Real flap outside the Town Hall this morning

LLANGOLLEN town centre was in a real flap this morning (Saturday) when a trio of 1920s style  dancers went through a hectic routine on the Town Hall steps.

The flappers were there to promote the launch of the New Dot community cinema project, which will show its first film, the modern silent classic The Artist, at the Town Hall on July 15.

* Tickets are available NOW!
£8 (£5 concessions)
Buy in person from our two official outlets:
Bailey’s Fine Foods
Town Hall Stores
Castle Street
Llangollen
LL20 8NU
www.baileysfinefoods.com
Gales of Llangollen
18 Bridge Street
Llangollen
LL20 8PF
www.galesofllangollen.co.uk
Or buy online from our friends at Llangollen Fringe:
www.llangollenfringe.co.uk

* See llanblogger's film of the dancers at YouTube on: http://youtu.be/4MBnTi4wbNY

Time again for Llan to meet the world

* Bollywood on the Dee – Indian dancers on one of the outside stages.

Thousands of people from around the world - as well as a Royal couple - will descend on Llangollen next week as it celebrates the 69^th annual International Musical Eisteddfod.

The visit of the Prince of Wales on Tuesday afternoon, will make this a special occasion as he and the Duchess of Cornwall arrive in time for one of the event highlights, the Parade of Nations.

Prince Charles will be meeting Eisteddfod officials and chatting to competitors taking part in the parade which will again be led by the Eisteddfod’s President, Terry Waite CBE.

It is the fifth visit he has made to the festival, he came with Princess Diana in 1985 and with the Duchess of Cornwall in 2006, and also on his own as a Day President in 1996 and in 2003 to a special concert in aid of the Prince’s Trust.

Over the years the event 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 has attracted cultural icons like Dylan Thomas and the great Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti, who began his international career as a member of a choir from Modena at Llangollen in 1955.

In recent years artists of the stature of Bryn Terfel, Katherine Jenkins, Kiri Te Kanawa, James Galway, Montserrat Caballe and Jools Holland have performed at the Sunday Evening Gala Concert and last year veteran rockers Status Quo brought the curtain and the house down at the finale.

Most importantly the competitors have continued to come from all over the world – this year they will be here from Canada and China, Ghana, Hungary, India and Indonesia, Jamaica, Morocco, Nepal, Slovakia, Sweden, the Netherlands and the USA as well as from all over the UK and Ireland.

This year’s event runs from Tuesday, July 7, when Prince Charles will see off the colourful traditional procession from the Royal International Pavilion to the town and back, through six days of competitions and concerts to Sunday’s spectacular fireworks extravaganza.

This year the list of concerts is led by legendary American songwriter Burt Bacharach who will perform at the curtain-raiser on Monday night while artists of the stature of Alfie Boe, harpist Catrin Finch, choirmaster Gareth Malone and singer-songriter Rufus Wainwright will take the stage during the evenings.

This year’s closing concert will be performed by Ali Campbell, the voice of multi-selling reggae artists UB40, reunited on stage with former bandmatres Mickey and Astro.

But there will also be so much going on during the day, both on the main stage as competitions take place, and on the field where crowds mingle with performers and competitors in a multi-cultural carnival of nations.

Eisteddfod Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths said: “We have another wonderful event to stage this year and with artists of the calibre of Burt Bacharach, Alfie Boe and Gareth Malone the status of the this unique event is underlined.

“The Royal visit just adds to the magic and sense of occasion andf we’re looking forward to another spectacular week this year.”

For more details on this year’s event go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/llangollen

Davies hits out over health board's turn-around plan

A LLANGOLLEN county council has branded as “idiotic” a plan by its interim chief executive to turn around the ailing Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board in 100 days.

The board was recently placed in special measures by the Welsh Government amid concerns about management failings.

A report also condemned poor treatment of mental health patients at Glan Clwyd Hospital as "institutional abuse".

Simon Dean, deputy head of the NHS in Wales and the man appointed by the government to run the board after its chief executive Professor Trevor Purt was suspended, said last week that he had given seniors managers 100 days to start making improvements. 

But Cllr Stuart Davies (pictured right), who represents Llangollen on Denbighshire County Council, predicts the initiative is “doomed to fail” and says he will demand that Wales’s First Minister Carwyn Jones considers his position when it does.

Cllr Davies has also criticised the board for failing to go ahead with an arrangement for a representative to attend the full council meeting next Tuesday to allow members to raise questions about the current situation.

He said: “I am highly disappointed that the people in charge of the Betsi are not willing to come to our meetings to answer questions about their problems. Trevor Purt had promised to attend our July meeting.

“I am particularly concerned because I wanted to seriously question them on their widely promoted 100-day turn-around plan.

“I believe this is the most idiotic idea I have heard because it will take years to turn around the deep-seated culture that is now driving the Betsi.”

He added: “They are being their usual arrogant self in not wishing to engage with councillors.

“They say on one hand they want to engage and then turn down this opportunity.

“The whole project is doomed to failure in my opinion and it is all down to the Welsh Government who are doing their usual micro-managing bit.

“I will be calling on the First Minister to consider his position when this 100-day initiative fails.”

A spokesperson for the health board said: “Professor Purt wrote out to local authorities earlier in the year, seeking an opportunity to meet with them as part of a process of public engagement to support the development of the health board’s medium term plan.  

“The July date was offered by Denbighshire County Council for this.

“However, following the decision to place the health board into special measures status, the Health Minister issued clear direction that before carrying out any such discussion the health board is to carry out a widespread public listening exercise. 

“This exercise has now started, initially with a programme of public ‘drop in’ sessions in 15 locations across North Wales, and will continue over the coming months.  

“As a result of this the health board was no longer in a position to proceed with the meeting as proposed.” 

New health centre set to open on August 24

* The new health centre which is due to open on August 24. Picture: Mike Edwards.

Assembly Member Ken Skates has praised contractors building Llangollen’s new multi-million pound health centre for delivering "what looks certain to become a huge asset" to the town.

The Clwyd South Labour AM says it’s "extremely positive news" that Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s newest facility will open on Monday August 24.

The state-of-the-art centre is being built by Brymbo-based Read Construction, which has won the praise of their AM as well as a raft of positive comments from residents and businesses in Llangollen.

Mr Skates said: “The contractors have done a fantastic job and built what looks certain to become a huge asset for Llangollen. It’s very impressive.

“The facility has taken shape rapidly over the past few months, and it’s important that something on a main route into the town like this looks good – and this certainly does.”

Mr Skates was told this week that services are scheduled to transfer to the new centre on August 24, and also welcomed the news an open day will be held for the public on July 30 to allow residents a sneak preview.

He added: “It is extremely positive news for Llangollen that Betsi Cadwaladr, local practice and Welsh Labour Government have worked together to create a modern healthcare facility fit for the 21st century and fit for the people who live here.”

Mr Skates is meeting Betsi chairman Dr Peter Higson and interim chief executive Simon Dean later this month after the Welsh Government moved to address concerns over its performance by placing the health board in special measures.

Mr Skates said: “As well as discussing my constituents’ concerns about the NHS in North Wales, I will be raising several other matters specific to Clwyd South which I am hoping for positive news on.

“The Llangollen facility will be massive for the town. It’s important we don’t just focus on what is needed now, but continue to build for the medium and long-term too.”

* The surgery has asked llanblogger to display the following notice:

NEW LLANGOLLEN HEALTH CENTRE OPEN AFTERNOON

Thursday 30 July 2015, 3 – 6 pm

Canolfan Iechyd Llangollen Health Centre
Bishops Walk
Llangollen
LL20 8RZ


Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and Dr A D Evans & Partners are hosting an open afternoon at the new Health Centre situated next to Bishops Walk in Llangollen.  This will be an informal opportunity for people to familiarise themselves with the new building, and find out more about the services that it will offer, before it opens on 24 August.

If you require any further information please contact the Health Centre on 01978 860625.

* A note from local health campaigner Martin Crumpton ...

"The news broke yesterday (Thursday) that Betsi Cadwaladr has decided not to contest the Judicial Review brought about by campaigners fighting the closure of consultant-led maternity services at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd, reported by the BBC at http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-33367737.

 

Myself and fellow campaigners are celebrating and welcome the apparent change of heart at the Board. It marks the arrival of the new Chief Executive, Simon Dean and our meeting with him around a week ago, but discussions are on-going between us to ensure this apparent change of attitude at the top is permanent and in future we, the public, will have more say in matters affecting us all, such as bringing beds back to Llangollen, ensuring safe access to the new Health Centre and improved GP availability.

 

Thanks in particular go to Marsha Davis of the #savebetsibabies campaign and Mabon ap Gwynfor of the North Wales Health Alliance."

 

 

Finally ... it's goodbye to the A5 lights

* The signs might still be there but at last the A5 is free of traffic lights.

* The sight which greeted motorists for more than half a year.

AFTER causing misery for residents and tourists for almost seven months, the temporary traffic lights at roadworks on the main A5 leading into Llangollen have now gone.

The long-delay lights, which have led to many frustrated motorists “rat running” along Birch Hill and Maes Mawr Road to avoid hold-ups, were installed around Tyn y Wern on December 12 last year by the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent after movement and distress was detected in the carriageway.   

The agent said the closure ensured the safety of highway users and allowed investigations to be undertaken to identify the reasons for the movement and to provide information for the design of temporary repair works. 

Work to temporarily strengthen the retaining walls started on the June 1 but the lights have now been removed in time for the start of the International Eisteddfod next Monday.

The disruption caused by the work and the claimed lack of information about it to residents given by the agent have come under fire from local politicians on a number of occasions. 

* Reader Mike Edwards has sent us a copy of correspondence he's had with Welsh Transport Minister Edwina Hart, which deals with the town's other roadworks on the A5, outside the supermarket development site. 

It says: "We also committed to reopen the A5 at the food store development before the peak summer season.  Works affecting the A5 will be suspended for the week of the Eisteddfod with the road reopening on Friday 3 July. The signals will be reinstated on 13 July to allow for final surfacing works and will be removed by 17 July."

* However, it wasn't all plain sailing because throughout today (Thursday) there have been new - but shorter - temporary lights near the Tyn y Wern ...



 

 

* Sign of the times: The traffic light warning sign lies bedside the A5 this morning (Thursday).

ChildLine pioneer heads new victim help service

 

* From left, Deputy PCC Julian Sandham and PCC Winston Roddick

with staff of the new Victim Help Centre.

 

A WOMAN who worked on the original ChildLine founded by Esther Rantzen and went on to head the charity in Wales in now running a new service to help victims of crime.
 

The fully bilingual Victim Help Centre, established by the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Winston Roddick CB QC, went live on July 1 and aims to improve the way victims of crime are looked after in the region.
 

The centre creates a one stop shop for victims by bringing together the support services of North Wales Police, the Witness Care Unit of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the former Victim Support organisation.
 

Each victim will be given a response specifically tailored to their situation.
 

From its base at police headquarters in St Asaph the integrated service will cover the whole of North Wales.
 

Mr Roddick, along with his deputy Julian Sandham, paid a visit to the centre and described it as “a triumph for North Wales.”
 

In charge of the dozen staff and 30 outreach volunteers operating the service is Julie Elliott who joined the original Childline team in 1987 as a counsellor soon after it was set up by TV presenter Esther Ranzen  to provide a free confidential phone service on which young people could talk over issues such child abuse and bullying.
 

In 1994, Julie joined the staff of Childline Cymru when its North Wales base was in Rhyl and helped establish its bilingual service.
 

Eight years later she was appointed as director for the entire Wales organisation, taking control of 25 staff based at both the Rhyl and Swansea headquarters in South Wales along with about 300 volunteers throughout the country.
 

Julie recalled the early days with Childline and said: “I was privileged to work alongside Esther Rantzen for 25 years as part of the team.
 

“She is a very committed and professional person who is also very child centered.
 

“It was a masterstroke to set up the Childline service. All the experts told her it couldn’t be done but she proved them wrong.”
 

Julie believes that the new North Wales Victim Help Centre has much in common with Childline.
 

She explained: “They are both about helping and empowering the people who use the service and making a difference to their lives.
 

“Since the Police and Crime Commissioner announced his plan to open the centre earlier this year we have been busy getting everything ready for going live.
 

“We have 12 staff in the centre who have all been trained to the very highest standard to deal with any situation they might have to deal with from the victims who get in touch with us.       
 

“Outside the centre, we have a network of about 30 volunteers in communities across North Wales, which works as an outreach team.
 

“Where a person has been the victim of domestic violence, for instance, they can help with things such as moving them out of the home where the abuse has taken place.
 

“They can also give assistance with contacting employers and schools, writing letters, making insurance claims and claims for criminal injuries compensation.
 

“The six victim care officers based in the centre come from a range of previous jobs such as the education field and other care organisations and a number are criminology graduates.
 

“They have been training hard for the past six weeks and they just can’t wait to begin the service.”
 

One of victim care officers poised to offer help and advice is 22-year-old Jasmine Jones from Llanfair PG on Anglesey.
 

After obtaining her criminology degree from Bangor University she worked with Young Carers Gwynedd and sees her role at the centre as an exciting new challenge.
 

Jasmine said: “This is a really positive step in my career and I’m really looking forward to the job.
 

“We’ve all been training very hard and learning to handle every type of situation.
 

“I see my role as providing a sympathetic ear to victims and signposting them to the people can give them the most appropriate help.
 

“It’s fantastic to be part of such an important new service which is a first for North Wales.” 
 

After touring the centre and meeting staff, Winston Roddick said: “It’s a real triumph for us to have established a victim centre of this kind and it starts from scratch.
 

“It’s a huge undertaking and has been a real challenge but meeting them I’ve seen the enthusiasm there is for it amongst its staff.
 

“And when you bring enthusiasm and understanding to a serious problem you solve it and that’s what they’re going to do.”
 

Mr Roddick added: “There are a lot of victims out there whose problems need care and attention of the kind that only a centre of this sort can provide.
 

“We are taking a huge step forward in demonstrating how concerned it is for the well-being of victims.
 

“We want them to feel confident that they can come forward and share their concerns and seek help because if they don’t do that then nobody can do anything for them.
 

“The experience our new manager Julie Elliott brings to the job from Childline is highly relevant because while adults can have difficulty in making complaints about the kind of matters to be dealt with in the centre, it’s more difficult to get children to articulate what’s happened to them.”
 

The new victim help service is available from 8am-8pm Monday to Friday and 9am-5pm on Saturdays.
 

* It can be contacted by Freephone on 0300 3030159, by email at: northwaleshelpcentre@victimsupport.org.uk, or via the websites www.victimhelpcentrenorthwales.org.uk (English) or www.canolfangymorthiddioddefwyrgogleddcymru.org.uk

 

Tennis club aims to rally new members

A Denbighshire sports club is aiming to capitalise on Wimbledon fever – and has enlisted the support of the local Assembly Member.

Corwen Tennis Club wants to net some new members during the next two weeks, when British eyes will be on 2013 champion Andy Murray at SW19.


Clwyd South AM Ken Skates is also hoping to be able to serve up some good news after asking Tennis Wales what help and support is available to help the club improve its facilities.

Paul Hughes, who recently took over as manager of the club, said: “Wimbledon is the ideal opportunity for us to try and recruit new members and I’m confident the performances of stars like Andy Murray will inspire people, particularly the younger generation.

“We’re going to have some fantastic weather during the next fortnight, so it’s the perfect time to dust off your old racket or give tennis a try for the first time.”

Labour AM Mr Skates, who is also the Welsh Government’s deputy minister for culture, tourism and sport, said: “Exercise and having an active lifestyle is a subject close to my heart, so I would love to see more people in Clwyd South take up tennis this summer.

"We might even have a future Wimbledon champion on our doorstep!

“I have written to Tennis Wales to see what support they can provide to help the club expand and upgrade its facilities, which in turn would help attract more members.”

Mr Skates visited the club on Friday (June 26) to meet Mr Hughes.

He added: “I would love to help the club grow and improve in any way I can, and will update Paul as soon as I have any news from Tennis Wales.”

AM backs fight against scammers

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood is backing a campaign aimed at preventing people being rushed into hasty decisions by scammers and to end victims being hushed into silence by a sense of shame, foolhardiness, or weary acceptance.

 

Scams Awareness Month 2015 (SAM15) will take place in July with the theme "Don't be Rushed, Don't be Hushed.”

 

Figures from the Office of Fair Trading suggest people in the UK lose £3.5 billion a year to scammers, with older people who fall prey to scammers losing an average £1,200 each.

 

Mr Isherwood (pictured left), who is already supporting Age Cymru’s ‘Scams and Swindles’ campaign to generate more protection for older and vulnerable people and their call for no-cold-calling zones, has previously called on the Welsh Government to tackle the inconsistent provision and enforcement of these zones across Wales to protect older people.

 

He said: “It is vital that we make people aware of the various scams out there which include fake lotteries, psychics and rogue builders.

 

“More than 100,000 people in the UK are known to be on the infamous postal scams “suckers’ lists” and the number may be far greater.

 

“At least 50,000 scams were committed against Welsh people in one recent 12-month period and many vulnerable people in Wales are still paying large amounts for shoddy or non-existent work to rogue traders. Hopefully this latest campaign will make people more aware and reduce the number of victims.”

 

Gerry Keighley from Age Cymru said: “Age Cymru is working hard to ensure that vulnerable older people are made aware of the threat of scams, especially people who may be isolated, lonely or live in remote communities. We are working with dementia sufferers and their carers to bring home the dangers of scams and we are equally concerned that younger people, especially family members and younger neighbours become more aware of the threat scammers pose to older people.”