Llangollen PCSO swaps his beat to take to the stage

* Karl Joseph swaps his beat for the stage and uncanny Robbie Williams Tribute Act Mike Andrews.

Well-known across town as a popular PCSO, a Wrexham man will be swapping one type of beat for another on Friday April 19 as he takes the stage at Llangollen Town Hall.  

Karl Joseph, who last year impressed Queen front-man Adam Lambert, Canadian Superstar Shania Twain and soul sensation Beverley Knight, will be supporting a highly-acclaimed tribute act endorsed by Robbie Williams himself. 

The event is the latest in the Live in Llangollen Town Hall fundraising gigs to raise money for the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod’s charity.  

It comes just 70 days before Bryan Adams takes the stage before a procession of International Stars including Simple Minds, Nile Rodgers & Chic, Jess Glynne, folk Superstars Calan, West End stars Kerry Ellis and John Owen-Jones,  and Tom Jones perform in the biggest Llangollen Eisteddfod for a generation.   

Karl Joseph, a PCSO with North Wales Police, is a familiar face across Llangollen and is fondly known as ‘the Laughing Policeman.’  

He is well known for his providing a reassuring police presence on his beat in Llangollen but also for knocking out the odd song.  

In just 10 days’ time, he will be providing a very different beat at Llangollen Town Hall. 

This time last year, Karl appeared on ITV’s Starstruck with his own tribute to Robbie Williams.  

Karl, cites his influences as Bon Jovi, Def Leppard, and many of today's Country Music stars.  

He is also a massive fan of Bryan Adams, who himself will be singing in Llangollen himself at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod on Tuesday June 18.

Karl said: “I can’t wait to take the stage at our splendid Town Hall. I love my job patrolling the local streets of Llangollen but anyone who knows me will tell you how passionate I am about performing.  

"That’s why swapping my stage from the streets of Llangollen to the stage at Llangollen Town Hall is so great. I’ll be performing a mixture of Rock, Country, Pop and Indie songs, from the 70's through to modern songs.  I can’t wait to entertain you.” 

Also performing will be Mike Andrews - “Robbie To the MAX’ – a highly acclaimed tribute act.  

Mike, from Denbigh, is one of the most accurate Robbie tributes currently available in the UK and is the only one in the world to be endorsed by Robbie Williams himself.

The show covers all of Robbie’s hits, starting off with some of his earlier hits like as ‘Let Me Entertain You‘ and ‘Millennium‘ and continuing all the way through to his more hits such as ‘Love My Life‘, ‘Candy‘ and many more. 

Robbie to the MAX with support from Karl Joseph is on Friday, April 19 from 7.30pm.   

* Tickets priced £10 are available from Llangollen Tourist Information Centre on Regent Street, Llangollen or from https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/events/live-april/

Please use promo code LIVE24 to remove the booking fee.  Limited tickets will be available on the door.

Temporary closure of Oak Street for gas mains replacement

Denbighshire County Council has notified that Wales & West Utilities will be closing the entire length of Oak Street, Llangollen, from April 29 until May 17, to carry out gas mains replacement.

There will be a temporary one-way system on the length of Chapel Street which extends southward from its junction with Oak Street to its junction with Berwyn Street. 

Northbound traffic is to be prohibited while southbound traffic will be unaffected. 

The recommended alternative route is Berwyn Street, Castle Street and Bridge Street.

Pedestrian access through the restricted section will be maintained throughout the period of the restriction.

Pengwern Community Hub's April timetable

The timetable for April at Pengwern Community Hub shows lots of new things including a Budgeting and Savings Workshop, Digital Confidence Sessions and the last three workshops with Artist Ben Davis to create a community mural.

As well as what is going on at Pengwern, there is an event called Spring in to Spring in St Collen’s on April 11 and also, from April 18, project co-ordinator Jen Naylor will be helping out with ‘Feel Fabulous’ on Thursday mornings also at St Collen's.

Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice

Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice is:

Q: I’ve just got my first payslip from a new job, I’m slightly embarrassed to say I don’t understand what all the different sections refer to. How do I know what each means and if it’s correct? 

A: Congratulations on the new job, hopefully you’re settling into the new role. 

There’s no need to be embarrassed about not understanding your payslip, it contains lots of information which can be tricky to get your head around but it is important to understand. Your payslip shows your pay, deductions and tax information. All employers are required to give their employees a payslip and it’s a good idea to keep them for as long as possible. 

The top left corner of your payslip is where you’ll usually find your employer’s details. Opposite this, in the middle or top right corner, should be your details. This is also where you might find your payroll or employee number, this is what your employer uses to identify you for payroll purposes. 

Next, you’ll see lots of different numbers and codes. The payment date is when your pay will normally arrive in your bank account, it can be monthly or weekly and fall on any day of the month. 

Your National Insurance (NI) number refers to your unique number. You must have a NI number to work in the UK. It’s used to make sure all your NI contributions are recorded and so you can get any state benefits you’re entitled to, including state pension later in life. 

Your payslip might show a tax period, the tax year starts in April and ends in March. The number here corresponds to the period in which you’re being taxed, eg. if you’re paid monthly, 01 will represent the tax period in April, while 12 would mean March. 

Next is your tax code. This is decided by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and is used by your employer or pension provider to work out how much Income Tax to take from your pay. Your tax code is made up of several numbers and a letter. The numbers refer to how much tax-free income you get while the letters can mean different things depending on your circumstances. You can find out what they mean on the government website. 

Make sure you’re not on an emergency tax code otherwise you’ll be taxed more than needed. 

Now to your pay and deductions. Gross pay, means how much you’ve earned before anything is deducted. Deductions are amounts taken from your gross pay, common ones include: income tax, national insurance, pension or student loan payments. Income tax is the tax you pay on your earnings to fund public services, this is something you have to pay but the amount will vary depending on your earnings. You pay National Insurance so you can be entitled to certain benefits, and it also contributes towards the NHS. 

Most payslips will add up all the deductions from your pay into a single amount to make it easier for you to see how much is taken from your pay each month. Your net pay is the amount of money you will receive after all the deductions have worked out. 

Lastly, taxable pay is the amount of your salary, to date in the current tax year, that has been subjected to tax. This will usually appear next to your net pay figure.

Llangollen Canal amongst UK's most popular visitor destinations

Llangollen Canal has been ranked amongst the most popular waterside destinations to visit in the UK, according to a story in the Leader.

The picturesque canal, which crosses the border between Wales and England, saw an average of 4,775 monthly searches on Google, which placed it fifth out of 128 waterside destinations from the Canal & River Trust.

* For the full story, see: Llangollen Canal among most Google searched UK destinations | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk)

Eisteddfod's Daffodil Flower Festival ends on tuneful note

* The Hymns and Pimm's congregation sing out. 

The Eisteddfod’s weekend-long Daffodil Flower Festival reached a tuneful finale this afternoon (Sunday) with a well-attended Hymns and Pimm’s event in St Collen’s Church.

Presided over by Father Lee Taylor, it featured a broad selection of hymns – accompanied by cups of Pimm’s – with each guest presenter connected with the Eisteddfod telling the story behind why it was their favourite. Each was then sung by the congregation.

* Father Lee Taylor opens the event.

Father Lee said hymns were like “cherished heirlooms” because they held the weight of history.

An example, he said, was the famous Welsh hymn Guide Me, O They Great Redeemer, which had been sung so well and strongly by Welsh soldiers in the trenches of World War One that it had also been adopted by their German opponents.

Welcoming people to the event, Eisteddfod board trustee David Hennigan said St Collen’s was very fortunate in its presentation of hymns by having Owen Roberts, who was accompanying the afternoon’s musical offerings, as its resident organist.

Explaining the reason for choosing his own favourite, Eternal Father Strong to Save, which has as its most famous line “For those in Peril on the Sea”, he said it was appropriate for its international element and the fact that a number of the 3,000 people from 32 different countries who would be visiting the 2024 Eisteddfod would be journeying by sea.

Former Eisteddfod chairman Gethin Davies chose Amazing Grace as his favourite because, as he explained, it reminded him of the 1995 festival when it was hauntingly sung by a girls’ choir at an evening concert.

The hymn How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds was selected by Alison Jarvis and Eisteddfod deputy chair John Gambles picked I, the Lord of Sea and Sky.

Long-time Eisteddfod volunteer Bill Kong chose and sang a version of Anfonaf Angel in the original Welsh.        

There was another solo performance from his wife Selana, a trust board member, who sang Give of Your Best to the Master in Chinese.

The afternoon came to a close with the singing of The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended.

All of the weekend’s special events were held to support the Eisteddfod’s own charity and included a concert on Friday evening and the decoration of St Collen’s on a Daffodil theme by the festival’s floral committee.

* David Hennigan chooses his hymn.

* Gethin Davies.

* Alison Jarvis.

* John Gambles.

* Bill Kong.

* Selana Kong.

Latest local roadworks alerts

Latest local roadworks alerts from one.network are:

Berwyn Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 08 April - 10 April   Delays likely - Temporary one-way   Name: Berwyn Street, Llangollen   Location: Hall Street   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned       Hall Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 08 April - 10 April   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name: Diversion   Location: Hall Street   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned

Nightingale House to host spring coffee morning

 

Eisteddfod's Daffodil Festival blossoms with brilliant evening concert

 

* A duet from soloists Shea Ferron and Clare Harrison.

The weekend’s Daffodil Flower Festival in support of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod blossomed into life at St Collen’s last night (Friday).

Thanks to the efforts of the Eisteddfod’s floral committee the church has been decked out with a profusion of spring blooms including, at the back, an enormous daffodil wave with yellow flowers of all shapes, sizes and materials created by schools and organisations in the community.

It was the perfect setting for the opening event – a concert showing off the combined talents of the Carrog-based Lleisiau’r Afon Ladies Choir conducted by Leigh Mason and soloists Shea Ferron and Clare Harrison accompanied by pianist Owen Roberts.

It was the choir who got the show underway with three Welsh songs to set the ideal tone for the evening.

* Lleisiau’r Afon Ladies Choir conducted by Leigh Mason.

Well-known young local entertainer Shea Ferron’s first set included the three numbers he sang so successfully in last year’s musical theatre competition at the Eisteddfod, including You’ll Be Back from Hamilton.

The choir came back with more beautifully-crated Welsh folks including the very lively Deryn Y Bwn. 

Soprano Clare Harrison stepped up to present a stunning version of Let the Bright Seraphim by Handel and was later joined by Shea for a memorable duet of The Prayer.  

There was more from the choir before soloist Clare returned a lightly jazzy Can’t Help Loving That Man from Showboat and others.

At last year’s Llangollen Eisteddfod Shea memorably hit the headlines when he climbed up on the Pavilion stage during an evening concert to belt out Bring Him Home from Les Miserables with his singing hero Alfie Boe.

The whole brilliant evening reached its grand finale when the choir backed both soloists with a storming One Day More from Les Miserables.

* Festival events continue today (Saturday) when the daffodil wave and the other stunning floral displays go on show to the public inside and outside the church throughout the day. 

The Community Hall is also open from 10am-4pm today and tomorrow with stalls, refreshments and prize raffle. Free entry.

The weekend’s programme comes to an end on Sunday when, from 3pm, Father Lee Taylor leads a free Hymns and Pimm’s choral concert of favourite hymns in the church. 

Father Lee says: “All are welcome, regardless of belief or background, to come together and celebrate the joy of singing. 

“Research shows that singing has numerous benefits, including boosting mood and promoting a sense of well-being. 

“Come hear the stories behind some of our most beloved hymns and discover how they have inspired and uplifted individuals on their spiritual journeys.”

Llangollen takes top 10 spot in list of UK's best inland towns

* Horse-drawn boat trips helped propel Llangollen to a top spot in the Which? list.

Llangollen takes one of the top 10 spots in a new list of the UK’s best inland towns.

With its 79% it wins seventh place overall out of 94 towns and villages ranked by consumer champion Which? 

It is also the top Welsh town in the list, which is based on feedback from over 9,000 holidaymakers with rankings worked out according to scenery, food and drink, tourist attractions and value for money.

Which? said of Llangollen: “From canal boat cruises to horse-drawn boat trips, as well as its annual International Musical Eisteddfod festival, there’s plenty for visitors to enjoy.”

Claiming the top spot is Wells, in Somerset which scored 83% overall and at the other end of the scale is Gretna in Scotland with a score of just 49% for bottom spot.

* For the full story, go to: Britain's best inland towns and villages have been revealed — did yours make the cut? (msn.com)

Health authority responds to question about nearest minor injuries units

* Oswestry Minor Injuries Unit at the town's health centre, Picture: Whitchurch Herald.

A health authority has responded to a question about the minor injuries units which  Llangollen people can use.

These units (MIUs) are staffed by experienced emergency practitioners who are supported by health care assistants but not doctors.

The query about Oswestry MIU, which is located at the town’s health centre, arose when a local social media user revealed that they had received excellent treatment there for an ankle injury sustained over the bank holiday weekend.

Their Facebook post described how they were first advised by the health information service 111 to attend hospital accident and emergency.

But not wanting to face a long wait for an x-ray the person contacted their GP a few days after the injury and was told they could visit the Oswestry MIU, which they did and received “excellent” treatment there.

But they then questioned why 111 didn’t advise them about the Oswestry service.

Llanblogger raised the issue with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) where a spokesperson said: “We publicise our Minor Injuries Units on our website here: Minor Injury Units - Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (nhs.wales)

“We’ve also make regular posts on social media directing people to their local MIU.

“The nearest MIUs to Llangollen are Mold, Holywell or Denbigh.”

Llanblogger checked out the suggested link and found that, actually, Oswestry is listed as the nearest MIU for the central Llangollen postcode area at just under nine miles distant. Then comes Mold (13.9 miles), Denbigh (18.1 miles) and Holywell (20.8 miles).

* From the link provided by BCUHB giving closest MIU's to Llangollen.

According to the BCUHB website, patients attending one of these units will be assessed and treated as quickly as possible. If their condition cannot be dealt with at the Minor Injuries Unit, then they will be referred to their GP or nearest Emergency Department or to another appropriate service.

Injuries dealt with at MIUs include:

• Minor injuries in adults
• Minor injuries in children
• Human/ Animal Bites
• Minor burns
• Minor head injuries/ scalp laceration
• Ear/ nose foreign bodies
• Limb injuries
• Minor eye injuries
• Insect stings

The website adds: “Minor injury units cannot treat patients who have collapsed, chest pain, breathing problems, abdominal pain, alcohol related problems, drug overdose, gynaecology problems, health conditions normally seen by a GP such as minor illness, mental health problems, dental problems, neck injury, chest or back injury.

“MIU's are a walk-in service and no appointment is required and NHS 111 Wales is the first port of call of course. However, if the patient is still unsure it is better to telephone the MIU, to allow us to put the patient in the right place, at the right time first time.”

Oswestry MIU is located at the health centre in Thomas Savin Rd, SY11 1HS.

* Details for Oswestry MIU from the Shropshire Community Health Trust website.  

Grants available now from Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council

 

Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC) now have grants available for 2024/2025. These are:   Youth Led Grants Dementia Aware Community Grant  Welsh Church Act Grant  The Youth Led Grants Scheme supports a small range of volunteering projects and activities that are led and carried out by young people. The applications are selected and recommended by a panel of young people aged 14-25. Grants are available up to £2,500 (Closing date: Friday 31st May 2024) For more information and to apply Dementia Aware Denbighshire Community Led Grant has been enabled by funding from the Welsh Government Regional Integration Fund. It will give Voluntary and Community Groups, Third Sector Organisations, Social Enterprises and Small Businesses (less than 100 employees) who operate in Denbighshire the chance to apply for up to £5,000. Individuals can also apply for grants up to £500. Grants are available for events, activities and training sessions, which can raise awareness about dementia and encourage people to turn awareness into action and improvement in their communities. (Closing date: Friday 31st May 2024) For more information and to apply The Welsh Church Act Grant offers grants of up to £500 for local constituted organisations (including registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, community groups who have been constituted for more than six months, parish or community councils, community interest companies, social enterprises, and uniformed groups). Other entities can be considered at the discretion of our volunteer led Grant Panel. (Closing date: Friday 31st May 2024) For more information and to apply

 

Eisteddfod will be saying it with flowers this weekend

* Floral committee members arrange the daffodil wave at the back of the church.

Members of the floral committee have spent the day decking out St Collen’s Church with a wave of daffodils and other colourful displays ready for a packed weekend of special events to support this summer’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. 

The programme begins tomorrow (Friday) evening with a a choral concert from 7pm featuring the Lleisiau’r Arfon Ladies’ Choir led by Leigh Mason, Clare Harrison accompanied by Owen Roberts and songs from the musical theatre by Shea Ferron. 

Tickets from £10 are available from Llangollen Tourist Information or online at www.llangollen.net 

Please use promo code LIVE24 to get the £3.25 booking fee off your purchase. Discount is applied at the checkout.where a small booking fee applies.

Events continue on Saturday when the daffodil wave, including daffodils of all shapes and sizes crafted by schools and local organisations, and other stunning floral displays go on show to the public inside and outside the church throughout the day. 

* Specially for the floral festival, the famous Eisteddfod crest has been brought over to the church from the Pavilion where it is normally on display.

The weekend’s programme comes to an end on Sunday when, from 3pm, Father Lee Taylor leads a Hymns and Pimm’s choral concert of favourite hymns. 

Father Lee says: “All are welcome, regardless of belief or background, to come together and celebrate the joy of singing. 

“Research shows that singing has numerous benefits, including boosting mood and promoting a sense of well-being. 

“Come hear the stories behind some of our most beloved hymns and discover how they have inspired and uplifted individuals on their spiritual journeys.”

* As part of the Daffodil Flower Festival at St. Collen's this weekend, local bellringers will be ringing a quarter peal (45 minutes continuous ringing) on the afternoon of Sunday, 7th April, before the songs of praise service at 3.00pm.

* The LLs from the Eisteddfod branding have been decorated with flowers outside the church door.

Event devoted to saving endangered curlews planned for Town Hall

Three internationally-acclaimed experts are to speak at a meeting in Llangollen Town Hall on April 10 on the theme of saving the UK’s endangered curlew population.

The celebration event, which is free to attend, has been organised by wardens from the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to draw attention to what one of them, Rhun Jones, describes as a “catastrophic” decline in the species over the past couple of decades.

It will be the culmination of a day devoted to crafting and guided walks. 

Rhun said: “We have lost 80 per cent of the birds in less than 20 years. There are now only about 400 left and we are losing them at the rate of six per cent a year.

“There’s a variety of reasons for the loss, including development, fragmentation of habitat, predators and possibly also global warming.”

The problem will be addressed at the Town Hall meeting later this month by the three experts, including Mary Colwell, the founder and director of Curlew Action who has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the plight of the species, conservationist David Elias, author of the book Shaping the Wild, and Dr Rachel Taylor, senior ecologist at the British Trust for Ornithology.

“We are very lucky to have three such eminent experts joining us for the event in Llangollen, which will also feature entertainment from the male voice choir Cor Meibion Bro Glyndwr and also, we hope, some poetry readings on the theme of saving the curlew,” added Rhun.

* One of the electrified fences is set up to protect a curlew nesting area.

He explained that the local AONB was closely involved with Curlew Connections Wales, a two-year conservation project funded to the tune of £1 million by the Welsh Government, which was concentrating of three particular areas of the country where the species is most at risk of extinction.

One of these – along with Montgomery and the Brecon Beacons, is the South Clwydian Mountains where the AONB is co-ordinating the work of a band of around 15 dedicated volunteers to identify likely curlew habitats.

Once a nesting site has been pinpointed, working in close co-operation with local farmers, electrified fences of about 3ft high are set up around them to protect chicks by warding off ground predators such as badgers, although they remain vulnerable from airborne attack from the likes of crows.

If the chicks can be protected in this way for the first crucial few days there is a much greater chance that they will survive into adulthood.  

This work, which is going on during the current nesting season from now until July, and much more will be highlighted at the Town Hall meeting on April 10, where doors open at 6.30pm ready for a 6.45pm start.  

* More info on the Curlew Recovery Plans can be found on this website.

Eisteddfod's Snowman stars to perform again in Wrexham

* NEW Sinfonia and NEW Voices perform at the packed Snowman concert last December.

Two acclaimed musical groups who last played to a sell-out Christmas fundraiser for Llangollen Eisteddfod will team up again for an inspirational concert in Wrexham this Saturday.

NEW Sinfonia Orchestra will partner with the NEW Voices once more for the musical event which rounds off a three-day exhibition of music and visual art centred around stories of war and displacement in the Eagles Meadow shopping centre.

In the run-up to the concert the centre’s refugee Hub - a vacant unit which has been turned into an exhibition and concert space - has been hosting a free exhibition curated by its members which includes interactive activities, guided tours, awareness workshops, craft sessions and a café and shop.

For the concert members of the hub will be joining the orchestra and the choir, which are both Wrexham based, plus guest soloist Ukrainian soprano Khrystyna Makar to perform a programme of music centred around tales of displacement interspersed with the poems and stories from refugees.

The project aims to raise awareness of the realities of being a refugee today in the UK and raise funds for UareUK, a Wrexham-based, grassroots humanitarian movement dedicated to helping refugees and those fleeing war and persecution.

New Sinfornia, NEW Voices and Khrystyna Makar last performed together at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod's highly successful Snowman fundraising concerts last December.

The concert’s co-artistic director and orchestra leader Rob Guy said: ‘NEW Sinfonia and UareUK have a track record of working together for the benefit of everyone, particularly those who are most vulnerable in our home.

“We are proud to provide a platform for people who have fled war and persecution, and give everyone a chance to connect through music.

“This project, which will culminate in this concert filled with high quality music, has been unlike anything we’ve ever done before.”

Refugee Hub leader Jane Townend said: “We hope to take this project to other cities to spark conversations and raise awareness whilst providing a platform for people who have fled their home country to express themselves both as human beings and to share their experiences. Through sharing art and music we can come together to find common ground and learn about one another.”

* To buy tickets to the concert, go to: https://www.newsinfonia.org.uk/event-details/music-and-humanity

Bad Girls the Musical set for Llangollen breakout

Bad Girls the Musical is coming to town courtesy of Llangollen operatic society. 

Based on the smash-hit TV series back in the 1990s, it takes place inside a women's prison, Larkhill. 

Its inmates are a colourful, diverse, unpredictable collection of women and the show is fast moving with comedy in bucket loads. 

An evil prison officer who has no scruples, aided by his lazy, unfeeling female sidekick, gives this musical its storyline. 

It also has its darker side with confrontational issues being dealt with in a very sympathetic manner, thanks to the clever writing.  

It's raunchy in places, as you may expect in a female prison and these scenes will not fail to have the audience laughing, says director Chrissie Ashworth. 

She added: "Wonderful, show-stopping musical numbers make this show full of energy and oompah.

"Tickets are going well, so do be sure to get yours and come along for a truly memorable show. "

* Bad Girls is on at Llangollen Town Hall from Wednesday May 22 to Saturday May 25 with a matinee on the Saturday.

Promotional videos by Llangollen businesses go viral

Marketing videos made a Langollen eatery have gone viral on social media.

With the help of students from Wrexham University, Street Pizza & Kebab, based on the corner of Castle Street, have created a series of hysterical films to promote their business which have reached over a million shares and views on social media.

* For the full story, go to Leader Live: https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/24225081.llangollen-street-pizza-goes-viral-delicious-parody/?ref=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR3tVgwfgRTwfVLLAxAnaCv2FDU_UsWwkARTl_h8CDLxC1ljX_rmvj1kdMo_aem_ASDv2cOAqHXhH5HwUMIXcdq3PE0Sl30CBQz0pxmH3vITdCtEmEF5k0Hdho2UphuMESQNlmyNbJtmCOE6IfBWUYkc