Archives gives you chance to delve into your past

North East Wales Archives in Ruthin are to host a free ‘open doors’ event on Saturday September 9 welcoming all to come and explore some of the historical photographs that are held there. 

There will also be activities planned for families and children, such as Cyanotype printing with a local artist. This uses an early photography process known as Cyanotype or sun printing to create a beautiful blue toned image using inspiration from archive collections. 

There will also be a guest exhibition by local photographer Jac Williams named “Honest Agriculture”. The exhibition highlights the photographer’s lifelong project capturing evocative images of farming in North Wales.

Visitors will even get a chance to have their portrait taken by ‘The Vintage Camera lady’ who has the only street box camera in all of Wales. 

Located at the Gaol in Ruthin, the open doors event will run from 10am to 4pm and will join the more than 200 other historic sites, landmarks and hidden gems that will be opening their doors during September. 

‘Open Doors’ is Wales’ annual contribution to the European Heritage Days initiative, which invites heritage organisations, private owners, local authorities and more to open their doors or offer activities to the public free of charge during September. 

Earlier this year, North East Wales Archives, which is jointly run by both Flintshire and Denbighshire County Councils, was awarded Archive Service Accreditation. 

Archivist, Sarah Roberts said: “We are excited to be involved in Open Doors once again and have joined up with some new partners this year to make the event even better. We will have some of our favourite photography collections on display which are always a popular attraction with visitors during open days.” 

Councillor Emrys Wynne, Lead Member for Welsh Language, Culture & Heritage said: “It is great that the service is opening its doors for free to the public for this special event. The archives hold information and photographs from across the county, and beyond so it will be a great opportunity for locals to come and discover more about the history of the area they live in.” 

Artist activity has been funded by Welsh Government as part of the annual Explore Your Archive Campaign. This is a free event, except for takeaway portraits provided by The Vintage Camera Lady.

Ysgol Dinas Brân students celebrate 'very pleasing' GCSE results

 

There were scenes of joy at Ysgol Dinas Brân as Year 11s received their GCSE results this morning (Thursday). 

Many students have achieved their grades and are excited for their future and next steps in their education.

Headteacher Mark Hatch said the results were very pleasing after all the hard work that staff and students had put into achieving them. 

"'I am so pleased for all of the students that have worked so hard and gained fantastic grades. 

"The students are still suffering post pandemic from having missed so much education, however, with all the hard work and dedication of the students, staff and parents they have done so well. 

"I would like to thank everyone for the achievements and I wish all of our students the very best in their next steps, whether that be in our sixth form or college. Well done everyone!'

* Denbighshire County Council is congratulating pupils receiving their GCSE results.

Councillor Gill German, Cabinet Lead Member for Education, Children and Family Services, said: “On behalf of the Council I would like to congratulate all pupils that have received their GCSE results.

“This cohort has faced significant challenges over the past few years and they have made a tremendous effort to achieve their results, they have worked very hard to get here and overcome a lot of obstacles.

“There has been some fantastic partnership working to ensure students achieved the best results possible and pupils have received support from their families and schools. I would like to thank all those who have supported our hard-working students this last year.

“We would like to wish all learners the very best in their next steps.”

Proud Grandad

* Llangollen man Mike Edwards says he's proud of his identical twin grand-daughters, Katie and Lucy, who have both achieved 13 A-stars in their GCSEs.

The girls, pictured below, live in Wrexham and attend St Joseph’s School.

Roadworks set up at scene of electrical hatch blaze

* Roadworks around the site of the fire in the hatch on Mill Street.

Roadworks have now appeared around the site of yesterday (Wednesday) evening's fire in an electrical inspection hatch in Mill Street.

But a spokesperson for the power company carrying out the repair work says they are aiming to have the road clear again by tomorrow afternoon.

Two crews from the town's fire station were at the scene within minutes after the blaze erupted in the hatch, near to the bus stop on Mill Street (A539) just across the road from the Bridge End pub.

It is believed the fire was preceded by a large explosion which was heard across town around 7.20pm and appears to have blown the heavy metal cover off the hatch.

As firefighters tackled the outbreak using dry foam extinguishers police directed traffic around the area.

A team from the power company was also at the scene. 

* Traffic lights controlling the roadworks.

The incident coincided with a power cut affecting a number of local postcode areas, including LL208EB, LL208NU, LL208NY, LL208PN, LL208RJ, LL208RQ, LL208RY, LL208RZ, LL208SA, LL208SD, LL208SE, LL208SG, LL208SH, LL208SN, LL208SW, LL208TA, LL208TF, LL208TH, LL208UE.

A power cut warning put out by power company SP Energy Systems last night said the fault would take until at least 2am this morning to rectify. 

Today a note on the company's website said the power cut had been resolved.

The roadworks at the site, surrounding a large excavation where the hatch was located, have closed the pavement running behind the bus stop and are being controlled by temporary traffic lights at either end.

* A spokesperson for SP Energy Networks said: “There was a fault in an underground link box on Mill Street. Our engineers responded immediately and worked to swiftly and safely isolate the incident and restore supplies. 

"Our teams are onsite replacing the link box and are working hard to ensure this is done as quickly as possible to limit disruption.

"We apologise for any inconvenience and are working with our excavation service partners to ensure the works are fully reinstated and the roadworks removed by Friday afternoon.”

Council gets ready for influx of bank holiday visitors

Preparations have been made by the county council and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB for an increase in visitors to Horseshoe Falls, Llangollen (pictured above), Moel Famau and Loggerheads Country Park this bank holiday weekend. 

They say people should check ahead to see if facilities are open and where possible access quieter sites and walks as this will help avoid busy periods and parking issues. 

It is also vital that people respect the countryside and act responsibly, this means not littering, parking sensibly and only to ride bikes on routes where cycling is permitted. 

The council has introduced a series of measures at Moel Famau and Horseshoe Falls to reduce congestion in the area. 

Drivers are also asked to park responsible or risk a fixed penalty fine as parking enforcement officers will patrol during the bank holiday. 

At Horseshoe Falls, visitors coming in on a Saturday can park in Llangollen and use the Dee Valley Picturesque Bus service - https://www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyaonb.org.uk/projects/the-picturesque-bus/ 

Visitors can use Llangollen Railway to disembark at Berwyn Station to visit the falls from either Llangollen or Corwen. 

If the weather is dry over the weekend people ae urged not to have BBQs, camping stoves or campfires on the moorland areas of the AONB because of the significant risk of fire. 

Dog owners are also asked to act responsibly and keep their pets on leads when walking through the countryside around livestock especially as lambing season continues. 

* For more information on planning your trip ahead, visit https://www.clwydianrangeanddeevalleyaonb.org.uk/  and follow the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB on Facebook and Twitter.

 

Volunteering opportunities to be highlighted at Town Hall

Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council is hosting a Volunteer Recruitment Fair at Llangollen Town Hall on Wednesday September 20, from 10am-1pm.

Over 20 organisations looking for volunteers will have stalls with information on all the opportunities currently available.

* For further details, email: office@dvsc.co.uk

Firefighters tackle blaze in electrical inspection hatch

* Fire rages in the inspection hatch.

* A firefighter puts out the flames with an dry powder extinguisher.

* Police control traffic on Mill Street as fire engines stand by.

Fire brigade crews were in action this evening (Wednesday) when an electrical blaze broke out in an inspection hatch on one of the main roads into Llangollen.

Two crews from the town's station were at the scene within minutes after the fire erupted in the hatch, near to the bus stop on Mill Street (A539) just across the road from the Bridge End pub.

It is believed the blaze was proceeded by a large explosion which was heard across town around 7.20pm and appears to have blown the heavy metal cover off the hatch.

As firefighters tackled the outbreak using dry foam extinguishers police directed traffic around the area.

A team from the power company was also at the scene.

* Power company SP Energy Networks has put out a power cut warning for the area.

It says: "There is a power cut in the LL20 postcode area of Llangollen. Restoration is taking longer than expected because of the extent of the repairs required and our team are now working to get your electricity supply back on as quickly and as safely as possible by 2.00AM. 

"The latest updates can be found on our website www.spenergynetworks.co.uk. 

"We will update this message if this information changes. If you require any further help or support, please call us on 105. We apologise for the inconvenience and thank you for your patience."

The warning adds that postcodes affected are: LL208EB, LL208NU, LL208NY, LL208PN, LL208RJ, LL208RQ, LL208RY, LL208RZ, LL208SA, LL208SD, LL208SE, LL208SG, LL208SH, LL208SN, LL208SW, LL208TA, LL208TF, LL208TH, LL208UE

Reference Number: INCD-2085980-i

Llangollen man helps pioneer £1.5m cancer 'pre-treatment' scheme

A Llangollen man is helping to pioneer a national £1.5m campaign to help Welsh cancer patients prepare for their treatment.

Former county councillor and town mayor Stuart Davies (pictured) has been appointed as a patient and public involvement representative for Cardiff University’s new I-Prehab prehabiltation scheme.

The university’s School of Healthcare Sciences, which is running the project, says prehabilitation helps people prepare for cancer treatment through helping them to eat well, be in the best possible physical condition and supporting mental health and emotional resilience.

This, it claims, can lead to fewer treatment complications and better recovery.

The funding from the National Institute of Health Research (NIHR) Health and Social Care Delivery Research fund, will enable work to produce and evaluate a toolkit called I-Prehab.

This will support cancer workers to raise awareness and encourage participation in prehab services for cancer patients.

The researchers aim to work with patients, carers, cancer workers, and cancer service managers to develop the I-Prehab toolkit to overcome access barriers and provide tools to support adherence, particularly for those from socially deprived and ethnic minority communities.

Cardiff’s Professor Jane Hopkinson said: “Patients and the public will play a key role in this work. Patient and public contributors will be involved throughout the research including data analysis, design of methods, patient facing documents, impact plan and effective sharing of information.

“By working with our partner organisations, we aim to make I-Prehab available across Wales and the UK in the future.”  

Of his involvement in the project Stuart Davies said: “After being diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer 14 years ago and being chucked in at the deep end of treatment with little preparation, I realise that a concerted effort to promote prehab, driven by a concerted study, can help people on their journey to get better.

“Better understanding of the data driven by better research can deliver better outcomes.”

He added: “My job is to make sure that we in North Wales make our voice heard so that our views are taken in to account.

“As a former Denbighshire county councillor I have contacted the council and their top team officers who have promised to engage with us on this.

“Members of the public who wish to have their views known can contact me on my email address skipperstu15@gmail.com”

Ramblers hit the heights of Offa's Dyke walk

A few of Llangollen Ramblers reached the summit of Penycloddiau on their last Offa's Dyke walk.  

The next walk, on August 31, includes Moel Famau.

And, according to organiser Judy Smith, there's still time to join in. 

She said: "We'll be pleased to see you."

* For more information, email Judy on smithdinbren@gmail.com.  

Solution in the bag for town's covered-up traffic lights

                * The bagged-up traffic lights at the A5/Castle Street junction.

Transport officials have explained what is to happen with Llangollen's now-famous "bagged" traffic lights at the junction of the A5 and Castle Street.

The signals have been covered by an orange sack on the Regent Street side since a programme of improvements was carried out by the North and Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent (NMWTRA) at the start of this year.

Drivers and pedestrians have complained about the confusion this has caused.

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards has been working on the case and has now received an update from NMWTRA.

She has been told: "As part of the review process that was initiated after the ‘bagging’ of the signal head, our designers have been reviewing the operation of the signals and tabling additional measures which the Welsh Government could consider in order to maintain safety at the junction and also assist with reducing congestion. 

"This process is now almost complete and a final set of design measures will hopefully be signed off in the coming weeks. 

"The main proposal within the design package will be the permanent removal of the signal head which is currently ‘bagged’. 

"In addition to this, a site trial of additional detection equipment will take place this week. It is hoped that this trial will determine whether above ground detection, as opposed to the conventional ‘loops’ which are located in the road surface, would benefit vehicular movements through the site. 

"Once our designers have the full results from the site trial, we will be in a position to be able to complete the design and procure an installation contractor to implement the proposed changes." 

Llangollen man and son in double triathlon challenge for dementia charity

* John Palmer, left, and son Nic are in training for their double triathlon challenge.

A Llangollen man and his son are planning to each do a triathlon in memory of the their wife and mother who died from the effects of dementia earlier this year.

John Palmer and his son Nic, who lives in Glyndyfrdwy, are looking for sponsors for their tough double challenge early next month.

In their joint gofundme page, which is already attracting steady support, Nic says: "Mum died earlier this year after succumbing to the long terms effects of dementia. 

"This despicable condition robbed her of her love for life and us of a wife, mum and nain.

"As a family, we have always enjoyed spending lots of time outdoors and finding adventures.

"Dad and I decided to take on a challenge in mum's memory and have signed up to each do a triathlon to raise money for Alzheimer's Research UK in the hope that one day this awful condition can be eradicated."

Nic goes on: "On September 3rd, Dad will be doing a sprint triathlon at Ellesmere and I will be doing the Bala Standard Triathlon at Bala Lake on the same day.

"Thank you in advance for your contribution and we are training hard to do Mum proud."

Nic is going to be doing an Olympic triathlon which consists of a I.5 km swim followed by a 40 km bike ride and a 10 km run.

John, in deference to his age, is taking on a speed triathlon which is a 7.5 km in Ellesmere lake followed by a 25 km bike ride and a 5 km run.

He said: "In march of this year my wife Lyn and Nic’s mother died from dementia.  

"While she died peacefully holding my hand she was first diagnosed in 2013.  

"More and more people and their families are living with dementia. We want to raise money for Alzheimers Research to help find a way of finding a cure for the disease.

"Training is going pretty well. Most of the swimming has been in a pool but more recently we have been swimming in Lyn Tegid, which came as a bit of a shock - wetsuits essential.  

"Cycling has given me a sore bum. How the Tour de France guys do it day after day amazes me.  

"I run quite regularly anyway so that is not so much of a problem but of course that remains to be seen on the day.  I'm sure the dog will be glad when it’s over."

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. 

It funds world-class pioneering scientists to find preventions, treatments and a cure for dementia.

* To sponsor Nic and John, their gofundme page is at: https://gofund.me/99c861be

New Nissan X-Trail is big step forward

Nissan X-Trail drive by Steve Rogers

This is the new face of X-Trail. Not quite a wow moment but a big step forward on what has gone before.

Some would say it’s about time Nissan gave its largest SUV a bit of TLC. It was a trailblazer when it first appeared on our roads 22 years ago, a bruising 4x4 that was not afraid to get its tyres muddy on the most challenging of surfaces.

Then Nissan had a lightbulb moment and came up with a new style of car, a smaller SUV that drove like a family hatchback. Enter Qashqai and we all know what happened next.

The dust has settled on that chapter and Nissan’s focus is very much on the new electric age. Remember it got in early with the Leaf and is pushing hard with Ariya, the latest electric model.

And that is where this new X-Trail comes in. As well as picking up some styling cues from its very elegant sister, the big SUV shares a lot of electric technology but still has a petrol engine. By the way, there is no diesel option.

Topping the range is e-4ORCE. In case you don’t get it straightaway, that is Nissan’s novel name for electric four wheel drive. How does it work? There are two electric motors, one on each axle, powered by batteries which are charged by a 3-cylinder 1.5 litre engine.

Acceleration is swift, similar to an electric car, but because there is a powerful turbo charged engine emissions are still pretty high at 152g/km.

Regenerative braking is on hand with the e-pedal the most aggressive, bringing the car to a virtual stop. It slows to a creep but why the car cannot came to a dead stop, like a Volvo, is a missed opportunity.

Once you get the hang of it the car can be slowed sufficiently without using the brake pedal, harnessing power for the batteries and saving on brake wear, so a few tweaks will make this a fully beneficial system.

Apart from an electrical spark what else has happened to X-Trail? Quite a lot, in fact it is new from the ground up, sitting on a bang up to date Qashqai platform and eye catching design, particularly head on where the stylists have gone to town on the swooping grille and headlights.

The new chassis has done good things for handling which has come on leaps and bounds with a big reduction in body roll, in fact it has almost been eliminated, and a more comfortable ride from the new suspension.

Inside is a tale of two X-Trails. It is a five model range but the first two are sort of the poor relations and do not get all the high tech so it might be worth starting at N-Connecta which has a central 12.3in touchscreen and the excellent digital binnacle with its plethora of easy to find information. A driver’s head-up display is a bonus and is one of the best I have come across.

My Tekna model is another step up the ladder and has quality fixtures and fittings and is knocking on the door of the premium boys but the improvements do not match Mazda’s new CX-60 which is also better on economy.

X-Trail is a big car and everything in it is big. The door bins are big and take a two litre bottle although the cup holders in the centre console are too big and need the pop out inner holders found on many rivals

This is a roomy five seater with a good sized boot, but not class leading. The rear seat slides fore and aft but is mainly to gain access to the optional third row. I wanted to stow the boot cover under the floor but it is pretty crammed down there so no luck with that.

Tekna is just one off the top rung and is packed with equipment and all the toys we love, and  has just about every safety aid available.

X-Trail has been living in the show of Qashqai for well over a decade but has come in from the cold with this substantial update. It won’t be first choice for a lot of buyers because there is a lot of good opposition to contend with but now stands a much better chance.

Fast facts

X-Trail Tekna e-Power, e-4ORCE

£46.075 (range starts £32,890)

1.5 litre turbo; 211bhp

0-62mph 7.2secs; 111mph

42.2mpg combined

152g/km. 1st tax £635

Boot: 485-1298 litres

Towing capacity 1650kg

Insurance group 31

Skates calls for action on 'greedy' north Wales fuel prices

A Senedd Member is calling on the UK Government to end the North Wales Tax on the region’s motorists. 

Clwyd South MS Ken Skates has highlighted the inflated costs of fuel along the A55 from Deeside beyond Conwy – and wants UK Ministers to step in where the ‘toothless’ Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has failed to protect taxpayers.

“There have been various news reports in recent months about the CMA warning supermarkets over petrol pricing, which has been a long time coming. But nothing has changed,” said Mr Skates.

“There continues to be an island of high prices in North EastWales from the border with England where prices are consistently more expensive than can possibly be justified by the pandemic or the war in Ukraine, the two go-to excuses of the Westminster Government.

“This is something I, and many others, have been frustrated about for a long time. The industry claims price differences are due to competitive circumstances – for example, the lack of competition on motorways leads to increased prices – and to buying decisions. Some chains buy at fixed prices which apply for several weeks to protect against oil price increases, whereas others buy at cost.

“I can understand and appreciate the latter, but my concern is with the competitive element. My strong belief is that there should be tighter controls over prices, but this is bound up in competition law which is non-devolved and rests with UK Government Ministers. Drivers on motorways are a captive market, so it’s only fair that they should be protected from inflated prices. Likewise motorists living in remote places where there are few fuel stations.”

Mr Skates pointed out that people in North Wales are already having to deal with the highest energy bills in Britain, with fixed daily charges more than £120 more a year than in the East Midlands. 

He continued: “If you compare high volume supermarket sites, for example, where the cost difference for a 35,000-40,000 litre delivery from the Stanlow depot is negligible, they really are taking advantage of North Wales motorists. 

“Sainsbury’s charges 8-10p more in Rhyl than Wrexham, and Morrisons charges 8-9p more in Rhyl than Runcorn. In fact, if you’re in Rhyl, you’d have to drive at least 30 miles to find lower prices. 

“Asda, the gatekeeper of this gauntlet of greed along the A55, sets the tone by charging around 7p more at Queensferry than it does in Runcorn. How can these hikes be justified? 

“The CMA has been utterly toothless, and successive UK Government Ministers have failed to act. You’d have thought they’d show an interest once they finally had some MPs in North Wales, but we’re still waiting – and we’re still paying the price.”

Roadworks alerts from the county council

Latest local roadworks alert from Denbighshire County Council is:

OPPOSITE BUILDING KNOWN AS GLAN YR AFON BROOK STREET 21/08/2023 25/08/2023 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

A542 O/S BUILDING KNOWN AS GLASCOED BACHE MILL ROAD 21/08/2023 25/08/2023 Goleuadau traffig i reoli traffig ar lwybr amgen / Traffic signals to control traffic on diversion route HAFREN DYFRDWY (DANIEL) LLANGOLLEN Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

Rotary get busy installing bug house at Old Vicarage

 

* Rotary President Lee Todd and Rotary Community Team members Steve Todd and June Claybrook install the bug hotel.

Vale of Llangollen Rotary and the Rotary Community Team have installed another bug house. 

This time it's in the gardens of The Old Vicarage, a residential day and respite care home in Llangollen.

The aim is to help our pollinators as part of a Rotary International operation.

The bug houses are sponsored and made by 1st Enable Ltd of Chester and its team.

Operation Pollination recognises the importance of pollinator habitat both restored and maintained on public and private lands. 

Through collaboration and outreach, an interconnected mosaic of pollinator habitat interspersed between public and private land will be developed to stabilise and increase populations of pollinator species throughout the area.

Pollinators play a vital role in flower and plant reproduction: 80% to 90% of all plants depend on them to reproduce.  

A Rotary club spokesperson said: "As pollinator advocates, we recognise the need to help reverse the unintended consequences of human activities in urban, suburban, and rural landscapes and help to establish a mosaic of vibrate pollinator habitats throughout the Vale of Llangollen.

"If you have a small area of ground in the Llangollen you think would benefit from a bee garden please get in touch."

The club welcome individuals and couples of 18+ from the local community who want to be people of action.  

It normally meets at St Collens Community Hall in Regent Street, Llangollen on Monday evenings at 7.30pm.

* For more information, contact: president.llangollenrotary@gmail.com or see www.valeofllangollenrotary

Dementia group gets cash to spread word about it work

* PCSO Barry Jones hands over the PACT cheque to John Palmer and Angela Williams of Llangollen Dementia outside the town's police station.  

A local organisation which supports people caring for those with dementia has received a cash boost from a North Wales Police community Fund to help spread the news about its work.

Llangollen Dementia has organised a number of events to promote awareness of the help it can give to carers, their parents and partners.

But often the word doesn't get our about it has to offer.

Now the group has received a £90 from the Police and Community Trust (PACT) which provides grants to local groups to support their projects.

Llangollen Dementia spokesperson Angela Williams said: "We will use the money, for which we are very grateful, to produce a thousand leaflets giving details of our work and future events promoting Llangollen as an official dementia-friendly town. 

"In the near future we will be distributing these information leaflets across the town."

* For more further details about Llangollen Dementia, call 07515 051696, or email: Llandem175@gmail.com. They will then ensure that you receive information by leaflet or email, whichever you prefer.    

Female dies following last weekend's collision near Glyndyfrdwy

A female has died following a crash on the A5 near Glyndyfrdwy last weekend.

A story in the Denbighshire Free Press this afternoon (Friday) says the crash took place at approximately 8.45pm on August 12, with two casualties transferred to hospital with “life-threatening” injuries.

Sadly, a female passenger, who was travelling in a dark-coloured Audi A8 vehicle, has since died.

* For the full story, see: https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/23732762.person-dies-following-multi-vehicle-crash-denbighshire/?ref=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR0hkznS9sRWLhWsWq2lhyNySf9bjQym9GTL5krP6SThPYaHKpVVt6k0yZQ

Politicians speak out about eisteddfod's financial plight

* A scene from this year's big eisteddfod parade.

Politicians have reacted to news earlier this week that Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is facing a “dire” financial situation.

As llanblogger exclusively revealed, a crisis meeting was held at its Pavilion headquarters on Monday evening at which over 60 grassroots supporters were told by officials that last month’s 2023 festival had made a substantial loss.

This was coupled with an announcement that the executive producer, Camilla King, had been made redundant.

Ideas to secure future of the 76-year-old event were put forward at the meeting and are now being considered by trustees who are working on a survival plan which will include a fundraising campaign.

Politicians on both sides of the political divide have responded to the eisteddfod’s financial plight.

Simon Baynes, Welsh Conservative MP for Clwyd South, said: “I was saddened to hear the news from the Eisteddfod.

“ I am doing my best to help in finding ways forward for this iconic cultural event in Clwyd South.”

And Ken Skates, Welsh Labour Senedd Member for Clwyd South, said:  "This was the first completely in-person International Eisteddfod since Covid, so it was always going to be a challenge to bounce back immediately.

“Hopefully the right support will be available to help the event return to full strength and become fully sustainable."

An official statement on the executive producer’s redundancy from eisteddfod chair Sarah Ecob said: “Camilla is leaving with the thanks of all Board Members and Chairs of the Committees.  

“She has been Executive Producer since September 2021 and steered the festival since the COVID-19 pandemic.” 

And of the general financial situation she said: “The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has been severely impacted by the aftermath of the Covid pandemic and by the current cost of living crisis.  

“Like many other cultural organisations, the Eisteddfod is facing an extremely challenging future due to our financial situation.  

“The Board and the Committee Chairs have met to discuss emergency actions to try to stabilise our organisation.  We have taken the very sad decision to make our Executive Producer redundant and we will shortly be launching a major fundraising campaign to safeguard the Eisteddfod’s future.  

“We’d like to thank Camilla for her outstanding work at our festival and wish her well for the future.  We would like to thank our customers, volunteers, staff, competitors, performers  and funders who make the Eisteddfod such a special event every year…with their help we can ensure the Eisteddfod continues to be central to cultural life in Wales and continue its role in promoting peace in an uncertain world.” 

At Monday’s meeting eisteddfod vice-chair Chris described the financial situation as “frankly dire” with inflation, the cost of living crisis and the aftermath of the pandemic all taking their toll on last month's 2023 eisteddfod. 

He added that the people running the eisteddfod knew they must now "move very quickly" to ensure that enough money was generated to keep it trading. 

Ysgol Dinas Bran students celebrate "excellent" A-Level results

There were great scenes of happiness at Ysgol Dinas Brân today as sixth form students celebrated receiving their A-Level results. 

According to headteacher Mark Hatch, results are excellent, with early indications that nearly all have achieved their first choice in the next step of their career pathway, whether that be university or an apprenticeship scheme.  

He added: "We are extremely proud of all of the students and their achievements and I would like to wish them all the very best on their next steps. 

"We have many students going on to university, but we also have students with great apprenticeship opportunities. 

"I am just so pleased for all the students and would like to thank the staff for all their efforts and for the support of the parents."  

* Denbighshire County Council has congratulated pupils receiving their A-level results.

Councillor Gill German, Cabinet Lead Member for Education, Children and Family Services, said: “On behalf of the council I would like to congratulate all pupils that have received their A-level results.

“This cohort has faced significant challenges over the past few years. They have made a tremendous effort to achieve their results, they have worked very hard to get here and have overcome a lot of obstacles.

“There has been some fantastic partnership working to ensure students achieved the best results possible and pupils have received support from their families and schools. I would like to thank all those who have supported our hard-working students this last year.”

“We would like to wish all learners the very best in their next steps.”

* Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has congratulated A Level students across his constituency on achieving their results today. 

Students throughout Wales have received their A Level grades this morning. Statistics from UCAS show that 72% of 18-year-olds from Wales have secured their first-choice university, up 1% on last year. In total, 15,660 students in Wales have been accepted onto university courses since results were revealed. This figure is up on the pre-pandemic figures from 2019, but down on last year’s results.

 

Mr Baynes, speaking earlier today, said: “A Level results day is often one of the most important days in a young person’s life. It is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication to studying. I congratulate all students on their results today.”

 

If students have narrowly missed a grade, schools and colleges will assist if they believe the results should be reviewed. In addition, those who have missed out on places at their preferred university can also make use of the Clearing system, which helps tens of thousands of students each year to find a place at a university of their choosing.

Further details of the Clearing process can be found on UCAS’ website at: https://www.ucas.com/

Official sources comment on rumours of housing asylum seekers at White Waters hotel

* The White Waters Country Hotel on the A5.

The local MP and the county council have commented on rumours that asylum seekers could be housed in Llangollen’s closed-down White Waters Country Hotel.

There has been speculation this week on social media that the UK Government might be planning to accommodate refugees in the former four-star hotel in Berwyn Street that closed in 2019.

One Facebook post suggested the building might soon be taking in “international visitors,” while another said: “Does anyone know about supposed plans for the White Waters Hotel in Llangollen regarding being used as accommodation for 'asylum seekers', please?”

It is understood that the Home Office would have to notify the local Member of Parliament well in advance if it had any plans to accommodate asylum seekers within their constituency.

But Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes said this week: “I have not been informed by the Home Office of any such proposal.”

The Home Office would also need to notify the local authority. However, a spokesperson for Denbighshire County Council said:  “The council is not aware of any hotel in Denbighshire accommodating asylum seekers and we haven’t had any notification through official channels.”

White Waters, which stands of the main A5 and has a commanding view of the River Dee, has stood empty since closing down four years ago.

In 2021 it was on the market for £1.5m.

Also in 2021 an advert appeared on social media for a chef for what seemed to indicate a take-over by new owners but which came to nothing.

Stolen beehives located just a few miles away, says story

Beehives that were stolen from a Llangollen business have been found just three miles away, according to a story in the Leader.

* For the full story, see: Stolen beehives from Llangollen business have been found | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk)