Roger Daltrey heads list of stars lined up for Eisteddfod week

 

* Tuesday July 8 - Roger Daltrey.

* Eisteddfod artistic director Dave Danford launches the festival week programme at the Pavilion this morning.

International and homegrown stars from the worlds of rock, pop, opera and the West End will be among the headliners to perform at the 2025 Llangollen International Eisteddfod.

Taking place from Tuesday July 8 to Sunday July 13, the week-long festival will include evening concerts from The Who’s Roger Daltrey, BRIT Award winner KT Tunstall, classical crossover group Il Divo, West End star Lucie Jones and leading opera star Sir Bryn Terfel.

Season tickets for the festival go on sale at 10am today (Wednesday) as well as advanced tickets for Friends of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, while individual tickets go on general sale at 9am Friday. For more information go to Llangollen.net

Legendary rock singer Roger Daltrey will open the Llangollen International Eisteddfod on Tuesday July 8 with a show packed with classic hits from both his time as frontman of The Who and his acclaimed solo career.

The following evening on Wednesday July 9 will see a choral concert celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, produced in collaboration with Peace Child International.

BRIT Award winner KT Tunstall will make her Llangollen debut on Thursday July 10, performing her iconic debut album Eye to the Telescope in full, accompanied by the Absolute Orchestra conducted by Dave Danford. And the following evening, on Friday July 11, classical superstars Il Divo will bring their stunning vocals to the pavilion stage.

* K T Tunstall - Thursday July 10.

The festival’s globally-renowned Choir of the World competition will take place on Saturday July 12, with multi-award-winning West End sensation Lucie Jones performing twice during the evening.

To close the festival on Sunday July 13, Sir Bryn Terfel will perform his sea shanties and maritime folk tunes inspired the Sea Songs album in full. He will be joined on stage by special guests Fisherman’s Friends, who will also perform their own set, along with Welsh singer Eve Goodman.

* Sir Bryn Terfel - Sunday July 13.

The festival, which has taken place every summer since 1947, promotes peace and reconciliation through music and dance, and will once again welcome the world to Wales, with thousands of competitors from across the world heading to the beautiful Welsh town next summer.

In 2024 the festival co-promoted a number of additional shows outside the Eisteddfod week with leading UK promoters Cuffe and Taylor. 

This continues in 2025 with the Live at Llangollen Pavilion series taking place in the weeks before the Eisteddfod with headline shows announced so far from acts including The Human League, James, Olly Murs, Rag’n’Bone Man, The Script, Texas, and UB40 featuring Ali Campbell.

* Il Divo - Friday July 11.

Chairman of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod John Gambles said: “Our team are delighted to bring some of the world’s biggest artists to Llangollen. We have concerts that we are genuinely excited about. This includes legendary frontman from The Who, Roger Daltrey, multi-million-album-selling Il Divo, and the long awaited return of Sir Bryn Terfel with Fisherman’s Friends.

* Fisherman's Friends - Sunday July 13.

“The traditional elements of our Eisteddfod will also be in full swing including our Parade of Nations, our Children’s Day, our community project - Community Rhythm and Roots, Wales as well as a special gala concert, celebrating the 80th anniversary of the founding of the United Nations, produced in association with Peace Child International. Llangollen will once again be the place to be next summer.”

* Choir of the World - Saturday July 12.

Season Tickets for the festival will be on sale on Wednesday 11 December at 10am, as well as advanced tickets for Friends of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. Tickets go on general sale on Friday 13 December at 9am.

* Uniting Nations - Wednesday July 9.

Dave Danford, the Artistic Director of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod who has curated the concerts, said: “We’re incredibly proud to be announcing next year’s line-up for our festival, which mixes high-profile international artists with the Eisteddfod’s heritage and traditions. 

"There really is something for everybody next year, from the iconic voices of Bryn Terfel, Il Divo and Roger Daltrey, to the orchestral concerts - including a unique collaboration with KT Tunstall - to the finest Welsh talent, including Lucie Jones and Eve Goodman. There’s just so much to look forward to.”

* Pendine Voice of the Future - Sunday July 13.

* Lucy Jones - Saturday July 12.

* Eve Goodman - Sunday July 13.

* Edie Bens - Thursday July 10.

Good causes benefit from former Rotary Club's generosity

* Former Rotary presidents John Clifford, left, and Lee Todd hand over the cheque to Food Share's Stephanie Mitchell and Marie Mannings, right.  

Rhannu Llangollen Food Share was one of the good causes chosen to receive the remaining funds of the Dee Valley Rotary Club following its closure earlier this year.

During the recent Llangollen Christmas Festival its former presidents, John Clifford and Lee Todd, handed over a cheque for £1,663 to Food Share manager Stephanie Mitchell and volunteer Marie Mannings.

Welsh Air Ambulance benefitted to the tune of £1,663 and Llangollen Summer Fete has been given £500.

The air ambulance said: "We are incredibly grateful to you all for choosing Wales Air Ambulance Charity as one of your nominated Charities Of The Year. 

"Your support will help to keep our helicopters in the air and rapid response vehicles on the ground treating the most critically ill and injured in your local area, seven days a week." 

The international disaster relief charity Shelterbox.org was another recipient of the club's cash and was sent £1,938.

An official responded: "We are extremely grateful for you club's contribution to assist people in our responses across the world."  

Total amount given to the good causes was £5,264. 

Collen Players present an evening of festive fun this Friday

The Collen Players have a spectacular line up for their Christmas show this Friday night.

They promise a sparkling evening of festive fun at St Collen’s Community Hall.

Apart from the cast of talented local performers the special guest star is song and dance sensation Colin Bourdeic, bringing his legendary charm, rhythm, and seasonal cheer to the stage.

When: Friday 13th December

Time: 6:30 PM

Tickets: £15 (includes delicious festive food!)

Cash bar available

Don’t miss this magical variety show filled with music, laughter, and a chance to sing-along.

Book now: Call 01978 860132 or 861774 to secure your tickets.

Sun Trevor celebrates raising £30k for hospice

The Sun Trevor in Llangollen has raised more than £30,000 through their weekly pub quiz in aid of Nightingale House Hospice, and celebrated with Dennis Taylor, former World Snooker Champion presenting the team with a cheque.

* For the full story in the Leader, see: Sun Trevor in Llangollen boost for Nightingale House Hospice | The Leader

Kia Stonic - a car without confusion

Kia Stonic drive by Steve Rogers

You get the feeling the Stonic designers had a clear goal: Make it simple.

Well, they smashed it. What a joy to get into a car and not suffer 10 minutes of confusion working out how everything works.

Stonic has a touchscreen, often a source of bewilderment, but this takes no time to master with a bank of quick keys to take you into the menus. Lots of information, no trouble finding it. Better still the heating controls are separate with chunky knobs and clearly marked switches, no faffing about in the touchscreen here.

Then there is lane assist, the safety aid many drivers disable unless on a motorway. Finding how to turn it off is often akin to cracking a safe, yet Stonic has a button on the steering wheel. Simple, so why doesn’t everyone do the same?

Stonic has taken over from the discontinued Rio as Kia’s small family car and falls into the category of affordable now that 20 grand seems to be the benchmark. It was launched in 2017 as a compact SUV to take on the likes of Renault Captur, Nissan Juke and Peugeot 2008, all bloated superminis with a little extra ride height.

That tap has stopped running as the switch to electric power gathers pace. The car isn’t offered as a full hybrid but the top two models get the ‘mild’ version with a 48-volt battery that deploys and recuperates electric power to lower emissions and give a nudge to economy.

There are five models with the entry ‘2’ grade just outside the 20 grand budget but with a generous box of equipment and safety systems. If you want to pamper yourself then the GT Line S does not leave much on the table with heated front seats and steering wheel, auto dipping LED headlights, rear camera with front and rear parking sensors, navigation, and a superb digital driver display the stand outs.

The Kia will also put you in the hot seat - literally. The heated seats warm incredibly quickly to a temperature high enough to take the skin off your backside. Best to knock it down to level one as soon as it starts to warm.

Compact it might be but Stonic can accommodate a family of five as long as the children are on the lean side. There is good width across the back seat although storing luggage for five will be a stretch; some rivals offer more boot space.

Performance isn’t talked about so much these days, and GT Line S flatters to decieve. It has three drive modes, economy, normal and sport, the background colour changing accordingly with red the obvious shade for sport, not that it goes any quicker than the entry model, it just feels quicker with a change in the rev delivery. There is the option of a seven speed double clutch auto with manual change option but is a second slower to sixty than the manual, if that is important.

It sticks to the road well and that is down to a fairly stiff suspension set up, for a little more comfort look at a Renault Clio or Citroen C3.

The Stonic’s safety package is to be applauded but I have a bee in my bonnet over companies holding back some features for top models. Stonic fares well with front emergency braking across the range, but rear collision avoidance, so useful when reversing out of a parking space, along with blind spot alert that could stop you pulling into the path of an approaching vehicle or cyclist is part of the GT Line S package.

Safety is not a luxury and should be the same from top to bottom.

Stonic is a solid package, particularly with the seven year warranty, but it would be a stronger contender as a full hybrid. My average economy for the week was 44mpg, hitting 50mpg on a longer trip, but similar full hybrids I have driven have clocked 60mpg. In the end it is all down to cost and Kia is ploughing millions into its electric programme so this is probably as far as it goes for Stonic.

Yet it is cars like Stonic, offering a lot for relatively little money, that are holding people back from taking the plunge into the expensive world of electric motoring.

Fast facts

Stonic GT Line S 7sp auto

£25,810 (starts £21,255)

1 litre T-GDi 98bhp

0-62mph 12.4secs; 109mph

49.6mpg combined

129g/km. 1st VED £200

Boot: 351-1155 litres

Insurance group 9

Waste collection Christmas dates

Over the Christmas and New Year period, the following changes will be made to waste and recycling collections: 

Household waste collections (recycling, food, AHP, non-recyclable waste, garden waste)

 

• Household waste collections for Wednesday 25 December 2024 will be collected on Saturday 28 December 2024
• Household waste collections for Wednesday 1 January 2024 will be collected on Saturday 4 January December 2024
• The Council will be collecting on Thursday, 26 December, and all other household waste collections will take place as usual. Residents are asked to please make sure that bins are out by 6.30am on the day of collection.

 

Commercial waste and recycling collections

 

• Commercial waste collections for Wednesday 25 December 2024 will be collected on Saturday 28 December 2024
• Commercial waste collections for Wednesday 1 January 2025 will be collected on Saturday 4 January 2025
• All other commercial waste collections will take place as usual.

 

Bulky waste collections

 

As CAD, the company operating the bulky waste collections service on the Council’s behalf, is closing over the Christmas period, there will be no bulky waste collections between Friday 20 December and Monday 6 January. Residents will still be able to reserve collection slots during this time and collections will restart from 6 January.

 

During this time, residents can book to visit our waste and recycling parks. Details of what is accepted in our parks are available on https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/bins-and-recycling/waste-parks/changes.aspx

 

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “The festive period can produce a lot of recycling and waste as it is a celebratory time for all. From wrapping paper to bottles, there are a lot of extra items that our brilliant waste teams collect over the holiday period. We thank all residents for understanding these changes, and also thank them for their co-operation.”

 

Full details about Christmas and New Year information is on the Council’s website on https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/contact-us/christmas-and-new-year-information.aspx

 

Residents can check how to recycle items on the Council’s A-Z recycling guide online on: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/bins-and-recycling/a-to-z-recycling-guide/a-to-z-recycling-guide.aspx

MP and MS welcome £100,000 Eisteddfod grant

* Becky Gittins MP with Ken Skates MS.

The MP and Member of the Senedd representing Llangollen have welcomed a funding boost of £100,000 for the town’s flagship event.

The Arts Council of Wales has confirmed the grant for Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, which organisers say is ‘massive’ for the world-famous event.

Becky Gittins, MP for Clwyd East, said: “The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod attracts musicians and dancers from all over the world and is of huge cultural significance to our area. This investment will support an event which brings tens of thousands of visitors to North East Wales and a provides a huge boost to our local economy.

“Spreading the messages of international friendship and peace, I want to pay tribute to everyone who works all year round to make Llangollen Eisteddfod the huge success that it is.”

Ken Skates, MS for Clwyd South, added: “I was honoured to be asked to announce one of the biggest coups in the Eisteddfod’s illustrious history earlier this year when Sir Tom Jones was unveiled as the headline act in an incredible bill.

“I’m a proud vice-president of the event and its importance to our area and specifically the local economy cannot be underestimated – we’re talking millions of pounds every year.

“I was only too happy to write a letter of support for the Eisteddfod to the Arts Council of Wales earlier this year, so I’m delighted it has helped.”

Last year’s event boasted huge names such as Manic Street Preachers, Katherine Jenkins, Madness, Bryan Adams, Kaiser Chiefs and Paloma Faith.

Organisers say they will be announcing ‘the most ambitious festival’ yet on Wednesday (11th).

Across Wales, 60 arts organisations are set to benefit from an additional £3.6m in funding thanks to a Jobs Protection and Resilience Fund set up by Arts Council of Wales and supported by the Welsh Government.

Mr Skates said: “I’m proud of the major financial support the Welsh Government has given the Eisteddfod in recent years, and swift action by the Welsh Government and Minister Jack Sargeant to support the sector has no doubt helped benefit the Eisteddfod this time.”

John Gambles, chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, said: “We are delighted to have received a significant amount of money from the Arts Council of Wales.

“The Llangollen International Eisteddfod, like other similar festivals, has seen a dramatic rise in costs and this money will allow us to move forward with our most ambitious programme yet. This news is massive for our festival and shows that Arts Council Wales and the Welsh Government remain committed to ensuring that festivals like ours don't just survive but thrive.

“We are looking forward to announcing our most ambitious programme yet next week for our festival in 2025. We'd like to thank our local MP Becky Gittins and Ken Skates MS for their continued support, not just with this successful bid but with their ongoing support to ensure that our peace festival continues to benefit Llangollen, Denbighshire and the wider North Wales region."

Traffic lights control section of Abbey Road as fallen tree is dealt with

A short section of the A542 Abbey road just past the Plas Derwen apartments on the way out of Llangollen was been temporarily closed this afternoon (Monday) to allow workers to remove a tree felled by the recent storm. 

The county council's highways team later this afternoon gave the following update: "At short notice and for safety reasons we have had to arrange for two way traffic lights near Bryn Meirion, Abbey Road, Llangollen due to a fallen tree resting on low lying power cable. 

"Scottish Power have been contacted and will be at the location tomorrow hopefully to undertake any necessary works and then the tree can be removed."

Llangollen Museum now owns its Parade Street building

* The parade street building, currently undergoing major work on its roof, is now actually owned by the museum.

Last Friday Llangollen Museum completed the purchase of its Parade Street building from Denbighshire County Council. 

The museum now truly belongs to the local community and is moving ahead with a programme of planned improvements with the intention of being able to open again at the beginning of March next year.

 

A museum spokesperson said: "We are grateful to all of the organisations that have helped support us via grant funding, but especially to the Denbighshire Key Fund, run by the Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council, which provided the funding for the building purchase.

 

"We are always looking for new volunteers. If you have a spare day or half day in the week, are interested in the history of Llangollen and the surrounding area, or just like chatting to and helping people in the community and visitors, then please do help us keep Llangollen Museum open for everyone.

"Please contact our manager Gill Smith on 07516 023524, or email to gilliansmith2@hotmail.co.uk"

Storm fells large tree at Plas Newydd

A llanblogger reader has sent in a picture of the damage done at Plas Newydd by yesterday's Storm Darragh.

They said: "Walking the dog this morning there is a massive tree fallen across the paths as you go down into the Dell in Plas Newydd. Also lots of broken branches around the gardens."

* Let us have any pictures you have of storm damage in the area.

An emergency services update issued this afternoon says:

Update on #StormDarragh

The weather situation is improving today across North Wales, however, there is still a yellow weather warning for wind in place across the area until 6pm this evening.

A multi-agency response to clear fallen trees and debris from roads and other public areas has recommenced this morning.

Approximately 11,000 properties remain without electric at this time. Please contact 105 if you need assistance and are vulnerable without power to your home. Engineers are out across the area working to bring the power back as soon as possible.

We would like to remind the public to take care whilst out and about today as there is a risk of falling trees and roof tiles, which may have been affected by the storm.

All Natural Resource Wales sites remain close today for public safety.

Superintendent Alwyn Williams said “I would like to thank the public for heeding the advice of the Emergency Services during Storm Darragh. Your support has allowed us to dispatch resources to incidents and areas most in need and provide an effective emergency response during difficult circumstances. 

“I would also like to thank all the staff from all agencies that are still out working to help with the recovery of the storm today. Whilst the situation is improving homes are still without power and flood alerts and warnings are still in place so please take care whilst out and about today.”

Follow updates on social media from:

• Met Office (weather)

• Natural Resources Wales (floods)

• Traffic Wales (roads)

• Local authorities (local disruption)

• North Wales Fire and Rescue Service (fire and flooding updates)

Tribute to Dave Roberts who died last month

 

* Dave in 1969 when he was 21.

A well-known figure in Llangollen, David Ian Roberts, known to many as Dave, passed away peacefully at Wrexham Maelor Hospital on November 29, aged 75. 

He succumbed to complications arising from a kidney infection and diabetes.

Born on December 5, 1948 in Wrexham, Dave attended Grove Park Grammar School for Boys before pursuing higher education at Birmingham University, where he earned a degree in French. 

As part of his studies, he spent a transformative year at Toulouse University, developing a deep appreciation for French culture and language. Although Dave initially planned to become a teacher and attended Alsager teacher training college, he discovered that teaching was not his calling.

Dave's life took an exciting turn when he moved to London, where he worked as a researcher at the Royal Air Force Museum in Hendon. This role allowed him to explore his lifelong interest in aviation. 

* Dave with his beloved dog Gus.

On returning to Wrexham, he took up a creative role with David Winter Cottages, repairing and painting intricate cottage ornaments. It was during this time that his talent for painting scenery came to the fore, and he began working with Grove Park Theatre in Wrexham.

In 2005, Dave moved to Llangollen, where he became an active member of the local community. He joined the Twenty Club drama group, continuing his passion for detailed scene painting for theatrical productions. 

Dave was also a gifted photographer, often seen with his beloved dog, Gus, capturing the beauty of Llangollen town, and the surrounding areas. His love for music saw him photographing live bands at The Sun and serving as the resident photographer for the Twenty Club, where his work was cherished.

Dave's artistic talents, warm presence, and kind-hearted nature endeared him to all who knew him. He will be deeply missed by his brother Peter and his many friends in Llangollen, Wrexham, and beyond.

A celebration of Dave’s life will be held in Llangollen, where his love for art, photography, and music will be remembered. The date and time will be posted during the coming days.

His family and friends say they take comfort in the joy and creativity he shared with the world. 

Latest local roads weather update

Latest roads update from the North and Mid Wales Road Traffic Agent is:

Update 7/12 - Strong winds and heavy rain are making the roads impassable. A483 Dee and A5 Ceiriog viaduct remain closed due to high winds. Heavy rain has closed the diversion route A539 Ruabon to Llangollen and on the A5 Froncysyllte.  

 

We have issued messages to strongly advise that people do not travel in this area.

 

Latest updates will be provided via www.traffic.wales, X and Facebook.

* North Wales Police have just posted:

#StormDarragh advice is still to avoid travelling if possible - but if you are thinking of travelling please be aware that there are several locations along the A55 that have been impacted by the storm and may be impassable. Plan ahead by following Traffig Cymru Gogledd a Chanolbarth Traffic Wales North & Mid

Latest weather update from SP Energy Networks

Llangollen County councillor Karen Edwards has passed on he latest local weather update she has received from SP Energy Networks:

Currently, across the Manweb area, we are seeing a large number of faults coming in - mainly in North and Mid Wales as we experience wind gusts of over 90mph in some areas.

Safety is our number one priority. At the moment trees are down and roads are closed across numerous locations hampering efforts in accessing our assets and whilst we have engineers deployed across the region, they are currently unable to work at height due to the extreme weather conditions.

We are restoring supply to as many customers as possible from our network control centre, and once the weather situation improves and we can move our teams safely, we will commence the remainder of the repairs and restore your power. Our teams are also prioritising support for vulnerable customers from the Priority Services Register.

If you’d like to check specific postcodes, you can use the Postcode Checker here. Simply search your postcode and view the map to see more details along with an estimated restoration time.

Our advice to customers experiencing a powercut:

*Stay warm by keeping extra blankets nearby and closing your window shutters, blinds or curtains to help keep the heat in and the draught out

*Keep your fridge and freezer doors closed as much as possible. The food in your freezer should stay frozen for up to 48 hours

*Beware of fallen power lines. Power lines may fall due to high winds so beware when venturing out of your home. Do not approach them, call 105 to report a fallen power line

For up-to-date weather info visit The Met Office website here https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

Weather doesn't halt Pengwern's light switch-on

Like so many events this weekend the wet and stormy weather affected the annual Christmas lights switch-on at Pengwern yesterday (Friday) evening. 

Despite the heavy rain, Santa turned up at The Green to illuminate the tree but the planned carol singing to the accompaniment of Llangollen Silver Band was moved the the nearby Hub. 

Eisteddfod celebrates £100,000 funding boost

* Chair of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod John Gambles with local MS Ken Skates a Vice-President of the festival and strong supporter.

Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has welcomed a huge funding boost as they prepare to launch their iconic festival on Wednesday December 11.  

The Arts Council of Wales have confirmed that the Llangollen Eisteddfod will receive £100,000 for the iconic festival that has promoted peace and reconciliation through music and dance since 1947.

 Organisers  say this is “massive” for the world-famous event. 

John Gambles, Chair of the Llangollen Musical Eisteddfod, said: "We are delighted to have received a significant amount of money from Arts Council of Wales from their resilience funding pot. The Llangollen International Eisteddfod, like other similar festivals has seen a dramatic rise in costs and this money will allow us to move forward with our most ambitious programme yet. 

"This news is massive for our festival and shows that Arts Council Wales and Welsh Government remain committed to ensuring that festivals like ours don't just survive but thrive.

 

"We are looking forward to announcing our most ambitious programme yet next week for our festival in 2025. We'd like to thank our local MP Becky Gittins and Ken Skates our local MS, for their continued support not only with this successful bid, but with their ongoing support in ensuring that our Eisteddfod, that has existed since 1947, continues to benefit Llangollen, Denbighshire and the wider North Wales region."

Becky Gittins, MP for Clwyd East, said: “The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod attracts musicians and dancers from all over the world and is of huge cultural significance to our area. This investment will support an event which brings tens of thousands of visitors to North East Wales and a provides a huge boost to our local economy.

 

“Spreading the messages of international friendship and peace, I want to pay tribute to everyone who works all year round to make Llangollen Eisteddfod the huge success that it is.” 

 

Ken Skates, MS for Clwyd South, added: “I was honoured to be asked to announce one of the biggest coups in the Eisteddfod’s illustrious history earlier this year when Sir Tom Jones was unveiled as the headline act in an incredible bill.

 

“I’m a proud vice-president of the event and its importance to our area and specifically the local economy cannot be underestimated – we’re talking millions of pounds every year.

 

“I was only too happy to write a letter of support for the Eisteddfod to the Arts Council of Wales earlier this year, so I’m delighted it has helped.”

 

Last year’s event boasted huge names such as Manic Street Preachers, Katherine Jenkins, Madness, Bryan Adams, Kaiser Chiefs and Paloma Faith.

 

Organisers say they will be announcing ‘the most ambitious festival’ yet on Wednesday (December 11).

 

Across Wales, 60 arts organisations are set to benefit from an additional £3.6m in funding thanks to a Jobs Protection and Resilience Fund set up by Arts Council of Wales and supported by the Welsh Government. 

 

Mr Skates added: “I’m proud of the major financial support the Welsh Government has given the Eisteddfod in recent years, and swift action by the Welsh Government and Minister Jack Sargeant to support the sector has no doubt helped benefit the Eisteddfod this time.”

 

Jack Sargeant, Minister for Culture, Skills and Social Partnership said: “The arts sector makes a vital social, cultural and economic contribution to our society, enriching our communities and inspiring future generations.

 

“I’m therefore very pleased that, despite financial pressures, we’ve been able to support some of our most cherished and talented arts organisations with this extra, immediate funding, to improve resilience amid ongoing challenges.”