MS praises pioneering product from Glyndyfrdwy company

* From left: Lionel Clarke, Llyr Gruffydd, Mary Clarke, Tom Foules, Neil Craddock, Chris Clarke.

A pioneering process that turns waste products into a soil improver has been praised by Plaid Cymru’s Member of the Senedd for North Wales, Llyr Gruffydd.

He made his comments during a recent visit to BionerG in Glyndyfrdwy, which is developing world-leading carbon removal technology.

The company, led by Professor Lionel Clarke OBE, has developed cutting-edge technology to produce biochar - a charcoal-like substance created from forestry by-products such as wood offcuts, windfall and brash. 

When produced at high temperatures, the resulting biochar is almost entirely pure carbon and offers huge potential both environmentally and economically.

Biochar is highly valued in the agriculture sector as a natural soil improver. It can make pasture more drought-tolerant, increase soil pH levels (reducing the need for lime), and support better soil microbiology. The process itself is regarded as carbon-negative, as it effectively locks atmospheric CO₂ - absorbed by growing trees - into the soil for generations to come.

BionerG has also secured a patent for its software platform that allows users to trade the carbon credits generated by biochar production on the global market. This innovation means the technology not only contributes to the fight against climate change but also offers a new revenue stream for producers.

Llyr Gruffydd said: “It’s inspiring to see this kind of innovation happening here in North Wales. BionerG’s technology takes what would otherwise be waste from the forestry industry and turns it into something that benefits both the environment and our agricultural sector.

“This kind of carbon-negative technology has enormous potential - it sequesters carbon for generations, improves soil health, and strengthens the environmental credentials of farms across Wales. It’s exactly the type of forward-thinking enterprise we need to see more of.”

The biochar technology developed by BionerG has several advantages:

• It is cost-effective to establish and operate.
• It utilises by-products from the forestry sector that might otherwise go to waste.
• It locks carbon into the soil for generations.
• It reduces the need for lime and fertiliser, improving sustainability in agriculture.

Free storytelling session planned for Llangollen Library

A free afternoon school storytelling session will be held in Llangollen Library on Wednesday October 22 as part of National Young Storytellers Week 2025.

Final touches being put to Something for Sarah charity concert

Llangollen Operatic Society are busy putting the final touches to their forthcoming concert, "Something for Sarah," a week today on Saturday October 25, in the town hall.

It promises to be a lively evening's entertainment of song and dance from Llangollen Panto Group, the Operatic Society and their youth section, the Young 'Uns.

The idea of the concert came about with the sad passing in 2024 of Sarah Marshall who was the inspired and dedicated choreographer for all these organisations.

One of the concert organisers said: "Sarah worked tirelessly, weaving her magic into everything she did, the results of which were bright, inspired and managed to make the least confident look confident and polished, such was her talent.

"Two very worthwhile charities close to Sarah's heart stand to benefit from the proceeds, these being Friends of the Earth and Nightingale House Hospice, where she spent the last few weeks of her life."

On the night there will be a bar and a  raffle.

* Tickets £10, available from Solitaire Jewellers in Llangollen, or online at: ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety.

Long-standing Llangollen Operatic member Stella Bond passes away

* Taken backstage at the Young 'Uns production of  Joseph and his Technicolor Dreamcoat in 2018 as Stella Bond, society president, presents the Herniman Trophy for Best Performance with Cassius Hackforth and Katy Clark. 

Long-standing Llangollen Operatic Society member, Stella Bond, passed away earlier this week.

A well-known figure in Llangollen, Stella spent her childhood on a hill farm in Pontfadog before moving to Llangollen in 1967 upon her marriage to Donald Bond. 

They moved into their house on Birch Hill and it was also in that year that Don persuaded Stella to join Llangollen Operatic Society, a decision which gave her much pleasure over the years. 

She was an active cast member, appearing on stage in numerous shows, held the committee positions of treasurer, chairman and, latterly, since 2015 was the president.

Stella worked as a clerk in the National Provincial Bank, later known as Natwest. 

She was an enthusiastic member of the Inner Wheel, taking on the role of president of its local branch for a while.

A dedicated church member at St Collen's, she maintained her support and interest after declining health prevented her from continuing in an active role.

A close friend said of her: "Stella was one of the 'old school' - diligent, hard-working, with old-fashioned values."

She leaves a son David, daughter Mair and grandson Ryan.

Her funeral will be held at St Collen's and details will be announced shortly.

Llangollen lads cycling to Thailand have interview with BBC news website

The three Llangollen area lads - known as the Westheads - whose progress llanblogger has been following as they cycle to Thailand have hit the Welsh national headlines.

As they head deeper in Eastern Europe an interview with them has appeared on the BBC's Cymru Fyw online news site.

* For the full story, go to: Llangollen boys cycling to Bangkok - BBC Cymru Fyw

Here is a translation of the article from the Welsh in which it appears:

Three boys from the North East are currently on an unforgettable adventure, cycling from Llangollen to Thailand.

Dyfan Hughes and Louis Dennis are from Llangollen, with James Thomas coming from the Wrexham area. The journey to southeast Asia will take over a year, stopping in a number of countries along the way.

The tour began in Llangollen on 2 August, and the boys are now in eastern Bulgaria, not far from the border with Turkey.

Speaking to Cymru Fyw from the city of Sliven in Bulgaria, Dyfan explained why they are making this trip. "We have a friend called Harrison who lives in Thailand, and he recently lost his father, and we cycled to him. Harrison lived in Cefn near Llangollen and we became good friends with him." All three will be raising money for the Heart Foundation by doing this challenge.

Cycling from north Wales to the south-east of England the three camped, making the most of the fine weather.

"We crossed into the Netherlands, and then went through Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Serbia, Romania, and now we are in Bulgaria."

The plan is to cycle to Turkey in the next few days, and travel along the north of the country into Georgia.

"We're going to stay in Georgia for five months, hoping to work there. The reason we stay so long in Georgia is because it's too cold to cycle through Kazakhstan all winter.

"The hope is to work at the ski resorts, but we'll have to choose any job that's available to tell the truth. "We're trying to get a visa to enter China, but if we can't, we'll have to fly down to India." '

Everything is fine' so far. Things are going smoothly on the journey so far, and they're starting to get used to the challenge of the roads.

"So far everything is going fine. Of course, a large number of punctures, but we're able to patch those up very quickly now."

The boys weren't used to cycling before embarking on this challenge, as Dyfan explained: "All three of us were quite fit, but now we're growing!" In fact, the boys only bought their bikes at the beginning of the summer of this year.

As well as being avid supporters of the Wrexham football team, all three also play for Llangollen, so at least they're used to using their legs! The boys have a huge following on social media, with 48,000 following on Instagram (west.heads) and 98,500 following them on TikTok (@westheads).

The layout of all three is quite similar every day, following the map from west to east.

"We start cycling around 10 every morning... We're not very good at picking up to be honest. We had breakfast in the first shop we saw, and had lunch around 2 or 3 in the afternoon.

"We decide every morning where we want to go, with the intention of finding somewhere to sleep for the night by 6 at night."

Are Dyfan's parents, James and Louis, worried about them travelling so far alone?

"They used to worry a lot at first, but now they're a lot happier," says Dyfan. He went on to say that the three are constantly texting back home so that the family can find out how the trip is going.

The boys plan to arrive in Thailand in October 2026, with the hope that they will have raised a significant amount for a worthy cause. 

Collen Players to present evening of comedy, music and merriment

The Collen Players are promising a sparkling night of laughter, melody, and good old-fashioned entertainment for their next show at St Collen's Community Hall on Friday October 31.

Topping the evening's bill, which starts at 6.30pm, will be Colin Bourdiec, the ukulele maestro who pays a jolly tribute to the great George Formby.

The Chairman of Charm delights with “I’ve Never Seen a Straight Banana” and Phil “Razzle-Dazzle” Robinson tickles the crowd with “My Old Man’s a Dustman.” 

Miss Sue Stokes, billed as our Silver Songbird, will enchant with “After the Ball Is Over.”

Jayne and Clayton — the Melodious Magicians of Melody and Mirth - will provide some stupendous backing throughout the night, with Jayne weaving wonder upon the keys and Clayton conjuring cadence on the drums, this dynamic duo deliver rhythm, rapture and rollicking rejoicing.

And from the parlour to the promenade, presenting those blushing belles of banter and bloomers will be Cissie and Ada presenting a riotous rendering of corsets, cackles and common-sense, recalling the glorious gossip of yesteryear.

Deborah and Jayne - the Mistresses of Melody and Mischief - have their uproarious rendition of “I Want to Sing in Opera,” these tuneful temptresses taking to the stage with trills, thrills, and theatrical tomfoolery.

The evening is all in aid of our Roof Restoration Appeal.

* For an evening of toe-tapping tunes, hearty laughs, and a night that’ll have you whistling all the way home book at:

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on?q=hammerbeams%20and%20harmonies

Trading standards seize over 600 counterfeit items

 * Some of the fake Labubu items seized.

Following several visits across the county, Denbighshire’s Trading Standards team has successfully seized over 600 counterfeit goods from the shelves of local traders.

More than five visits that took place throughout the county and officers seized a number of items bearing the Labubu, Coca Cola and Disney trademarks amongst other well-known brands.

These counterfeit goods are often the result of social media trends that lead to the demand of the product outweighing the manufacture’s ability to supply them and are usually cheaper to buy than the genuine product.

Upon further investigation, it was clear that the seized items posed a major risk for young children as they included small detachable parts that were easily broken.

Denbighshire County Council’s trading standards team say they will continue their crackdown of counterfeit goods across the county and help educate local traders on the dangers of selling these illegal goods.

Councillor Alan James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said:

“Having come across a number of social media posts advertising the sale of Labubu dolls within stores across the county, our trading standards team wrote to all the traders concerned with general advice about counterfeit goods, specifically the Labubu brand.

“Due to the recent increase in demand of these Labubu dolls, our officers were concerned about possible rise in counterfeit products that were being presented as the genuine article when being sold in the county.

“The seizure of these illegal goods is a great result for the team and highlights the important work that our officers do in ensuring the safety of our residents when it comes to buying these goods that they believe to be a genuine product.

“It is important to remember that many of these products are only available on ‘official’ sites, and potential buyers should refrain from purchasing these items if they doubt that they are a genuine product."

* Businesses can get in touch with Denbighshire’s Trading Standards Team for advice on counterfeit products on Denbighshire' website.

New jobs and training hub launched in Llangollen with £500,000 grant

* South Denbighshire Community Partnership celebrating at Llangollen after clinching £500,000 in Lottery Funding, From left, are Gwion Tomos Jones, SDCP, Liz Grieve, Denbighshire County Council, Julian Sampson, SDCP Chair, Sally Lloyd Davies, SDCP Project Manager, and Ken Skates, Senedd Member for Clwyd South. Picture by Mandy Jones Photography.

A £500,000 lottery grant will fund a new community hub in Llangollen to help people in the Dee Valley find work, skills and training.

Social enterprise South Denbighshire Community Partnership (SDCP) will take over the town library one day a week to launch a new Development and Learning Hub in partnership with Working Denbighshire, the county council’s employment and skills arm.

The project aims to give local people easier access to job opportunities, course and support – and make sure rural communities aren’t left behind.

The plan was unveiled by SDCP Project Manager Sally Lloyd Davies at events in Llangollen and Corwen to celebrate the award of the Big Lottery Fund grant from the People and Places fund to expand its services for the next four years.

As well as managing two community centres, Canolfan Ni in Corwen and Pengwern Community Hub in Llangollen, SDCP provides a raft of services designed to “improve the health and wellbeing” of mainly older and vulnerable people in the area.

According to Sally Davies, the new funding was a “huge vote of confidence” in the work of SDCP.

She said: “It tells us that people wanted us to carry on the work we have been doing since 2010 and to continue to expand the services we offer in the Dee Valley.

“The new Development and Learning Hub will increase access to employment and training in a collaboration with Working Denbighshire to take advantage of their specialist and targeted services.

“There is a real need for this service in the Dee Valley and basing it in Llangollen will enable us to more easily link in with organisations like Coleg Cambria to provide a long-term solution to the challenge of providing upskilling and employment opportunities in the Dee Valley.

“In our work in the community we have found that the Welsh language, local heritage and culture are massively popular and we are also listening and reacting to that and seeking to expand our services.

“We have a really good working relationship with Denbighshire Council and are looking to develop services by using Llangollen library as a hub on the days when the library is closed and that alongside our base at Pengwern Community Hub gives us a strong presence in the town.

“We can back that up with our transport services to help people from Corwen and Edeyrnion travel to Llangollen.

“That is helped by the renewed funding for our transport programme and now with this grant we have the staff, the centres and the contacts to help and support the people of our communities.

“People want to work with us at SDCP because they know we can get the people in – not just Denbighshire Council but many other providers and working with them brings huge benefits to our area.”

The award has been welcomed by Clwyd South Senedd Member Ken Skates, the Welsh Government’s Minister for North Wales, Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru’s local Regional Member of the Senedd, and by Liz Grieve, Head of Housing and Community Service at Denbighshire County Council.

Ken Skates said: “SDCP has done phenomenal work in securing this significant grant by putting together such a strong and compelling bid and we are already seeing the benefits of it in this community.

“It’s a perfect example of how community funding can reach into every part of the UK and bring about beneficial change in how people interact with each other and offer them a range of services and opportunities that are life-enhancing.

“What they are doing is not just benefiting the physical health of the people of the Dee Valley but also benefits them mentally and spiritually.”

Llyr Gruffydd attended the event in Corwen and said: “It was great to join SDCP and local residents to celebrate this huge vote of confidence in the power of community enterprise.

“When the public and private sectors withdraw services it’s often the local community that steps in to fill the void. SDCP has not only done that, but it has also gone further in empowering local people and communities to do even more.

“This is the start of a new and exciting chapter for communities across south Denbighshire, and I look forward to supporting SDCP and its great work for years to come.”

Liz Grieve added: “One of the reasons SDCP is so successful is that they do what it says on the tin and it’s all about South Denbighshire, its communities and partnership working.

“SDCP are great at maximising what they can get for their communities and they work with everyone and support everyone in a way that makes this part of the county thrive.

“From our point of view it’s a great partnership and SDCP have done a great job in getting this funding and will do a great job in carrying out their work.”

Llangollen residents Beryl Pugh Jones and Anne Davies attended the Llangollen launch event and Beryl said: “SDCP provide an excellent service, especially for those of us who couldn’t get out because there was no transport.

“But now they have given us a new lease of life with their transport and shopping services and their staff are marvellous, considerate, passionate and kind.

“It’s really good they have got this new funding because there’s something for everyone, no-one is left out.”

Anne added: “SDCP have started to develop services and now with the new funding they can do even more and they’re full of ideas – their community transport is a godsend.

“It’s really exciting for Llangollen and because we’re close to Wrexham its important that we’re not forgotten by Denbighshire and SDCP gives us a voice in the county because there are huge needs here as well.”

SDCP, founded in 2010 with a remit to combat rural poverty, has helped local people claim millions in unpaid benefits, forged strong partnerships with Denbighshire County Council, the Citizens Advice service and banking services, introduced community transport schemes along the Dee Valley, run a meals on wheels service and lunch clubs and even pioneered hydro-electric power schemes.

The events in Corwen and Llangollen showcased some of the services currently being provided by SDCP and its partners including health and social care, financial advice and support, transport, including bus and electric car services and hire, and health and fitness activities, story-telling, craft work and art classes.

* For more about South Denbighshire Community Partnership and about their work in the community go to www.canolfan-ni.org or https://www.facebook.com/SouthDenbighshireCommunityPartnership or call 01490 266004.

Mother tells her own story to Leader for Baby Loss Awareness week

 

* Last night Castell Dinas Bran was specially lit up for an hour to mark the end of Baby Loss Awareness Week by Orb Sound and Lighting.

For Baby Loss Awareness Week (October 9-15), a brave Llangollen mother has shared her story with Leaderlive to raise vital awareness for others.

* To see the full story, go to: Llangollen mother determined to raise baby loss awareness | The Leader

Council plans to be build car park near cemetery, says story

A story in North Wales Live says a council is planning to build a car park at a cemetery in Llangollen after residents complained about traffic issues. 

It adds that Andrew Ford of Denbighshire County Council has applied to the council’s planning department, seeking approval for the proposals on Vicarage Road.

* For the full story, go to: New car park for Denbighshire cemetery after complaints from residents | North Wales Live

Details given of former town clerk Ian Parry's funeral

* Ian Parry and his wife Cerys.

Details of the funeral of Llangollen's former town clerk, Ian Parry, have been given by his family.

Ian passed away peacefully on October 2.

His funeral will take place at St Collen's Church in Llangollen at 1.30pm on Wednesday October 29, followed by a wake at the nearby Hand Hotel. Meanwhile, there will be a service of committal for the family at Wrexham Crematorium

Ian grew up in around the Cefn Mawr and Acrefair area and started in local government from almost day one of his working life, taking a job with Wrexham Council.

After a period in local government London he and his family moved back to Wrexham in 1997 and, for a short time, Manchester before he was appointed as Llangollen's town clerk.   

Outside work, Ian took on voluntary roles with the town's Christmas and food festivals.

After being diagnosed with prostate cancer back in 2010 he recognised the need for a local group where people could come together for advice and companionship, and with the late Mike Law set up the Llangollen Prostate Support Group. This is still running today, currently has a membership of 40 and would love to welcome more to it.

Ian is survived by his wife Cerys and his two sons, Ross and Ryan, along with his grandchildren Jay, Aaron and Sophie.

Llangollen lads cycling to Thailand head into bear territory

* The lads paid a visit to a Bulgarian barber shop for some much-needed haircuts.

It was time for a haircut, battling through heavy rain and trepidation about entering bear territory as the three Llangollen area lads cycling to Thailand ventured deeper into eastern Europe on the latest leg over their epic road trip.

Known collectively as The Westheads, Dyfan Hughes, 17, James Thomas, 18, and Louis Dennis, 18, had never ridden a bike further than the shop near their homes when they set out on their 18-month quest to reach Asia.

Once there they aim to meet up with their friend Harrison who moved to Thailand six months ago after his dad died from a heart attack and to raise money for heart research. 

Day 66 of their video log shows a shot of Louis' pedal dropping off as they entered Bulgaria.

Next day there was a visit to the local barbers for some much-needed haircuts before they were back in the saddles and completing another 60 kms.

Day 68 saw the lads enduring what one of them described as "biblical" weather which left them with sodden shoes and, later, some further bike trouble. They were also contemplating finally parting ways with the mighty Danube river which they have been following for the past five weeks. 

Day 70 marked 10 weeks since they left Llangollen, a stop-over at a Bulgarian town named Veliko Tarnovo and their arrival at the foot of some steep hills known to be inhabited by bears, which they decided to tackle in daylight rather than as darkness was falling.

* To follow the journey on their social media and make a donation if you wish go to: https://linktr.ee/westheads

Llangollen riverside pub goes up for lease

A waterfront pub in Llangollen is now up for lease as its current owners look to retire, says a story in Leaderlive. 

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has been instructed to sell the lease for Benson's Hotel for £90,000.

* For the full story, go to: Llangollen's Benson's Hotel looking for new owners | The Leader

Local roadworks update from Denbighshire County Council

Latest local roadworks update from Denbighshire County Council is:

Junction of Chapel Street and Regent Street, until 25/10/2025, Gwaith Nwy / Gas Works GTC, Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Jct Heol Esgob MILL STREET, 27/10/2025, Gwaith Torri Coed / Tree Cutting Works

A539 Brook Street, Llangollen 03/11/2025 - 27/03/2026, Active Travel Improvements from the A5 up Brook Street, towards Ysgol Bryn Collen / Y Gwernant, Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

Jct Grange Road BACHE MILL ROAD until 26/10/2025, Gwaith Nwy / Gas Works GTC

(carriageway)O/s 12 To 16 Maesmawr Road, Llangollen

MAESMAWR ROAD 10/10/2025 Change MH Cover Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Inner Wheel Club of Llangollen has busy start to its 62nd year

The Inner Wheel Club of Llangollen has had a busy start to its 62nd year.

At the first meeting, Mike Adams from Chapel St Coffee gave the members an interesting talk on all aspects of coffee growing and brewing.

Pat Evans, the Club Treasurer, presented the end of year financial report – the Club had donated a total of over £1,200 to five international charities, 13 UK charities and 10 local charities, including Llangollen Food share, St Collen’s Roof fund and Llangollen Pantomime.

The first charity event of the new year, the annual MacMillan Coffee Morning, was a great success.

On Sunday October 19 the 62nd Charter will be celebrated with a lunch at the Hand Hotel, when the speaker will be Becky Gittens MP. Friends and guests are welcome.

In November, the Club will be involved in Orange the World, a special worldwide initiative that focuses on ending violence against women and girls. It is hoped that other organisations in the town will want to join members in this initiative.

Inner Wheel is a worldwide organisation for women who enjoy fun and friendship, whilst supporting good causes. In Llangollen members enjoy working together to raise money with a series of small events within the busy Llangollen social calendar.

The Llangollen Club meets monthly and the committee have arranged an interesting programme of speakers and entertainment. New members are always welcome, if you think you would be interested, phone or text 07816 286436 for more details.

Kia Picanto is small but perfectly formed

Kia Picanto drive by Steve Rogers

It might be small but there is a big personality under the skin of the Kia Picanto.

This tiddler is the least expensive car I have driven in I don’t know how long, yet it had everything I needed, well I wouldn’t have minded heated seats but for less than £17k I can forgo that small pleasure.

Kia which, by the way, has just had its best ever September sales and is now the UK’s third most popular brand, is one of the few companies still building small cars, there is not enough profit in them, so they deserve a cheer for carrying on.

And make no mistake, Picanto is seriously good value for money even if you buy this basic model. Actually, basic is a bit of an insult because Kia has laid just about everything on a plate for Picanto 2 (the UK doesn’t get number 1, it is just for the home market).

Auto dipping headlights, air conditioning, all round electric windows, navigation, parking sensors and a crystal clear rear camera are all standard, not to mention a good handful of driver safety aids.

The spec is so good I thought I had been given a middle grade model, the only giveaway was the manual air conditioning which brings me to another satisfying chapter in the Picanto story.

Modern cars are generally complicated, some a nightmare. They have so much technology you spend an age working out how everything works before daring to drive away, and then you have to remember everything. Well relax, Picanto is like being on a stress free holiday.

Everything is nice and simple. Okay there is no keyless entry or start button, and there is a handbrake (rare these days) but this is part of the joy of Picanto. Slip it into gear and off to go. I even liked the chunky heating dials, one with five clearly marked options and the other with blue or red for temperature. You can have digital, but that is up a level.

Even the touchscreen is a doddle to master, helped by a row of quick keys for radio, navigation etc. The menus are clearly marked and the response razor sharp. My only gripe was the frequent loss of DAB radio signal.

Picanto is into its third generation and the latest update has brought it in line with Kia’s bold new design, the slimline vertical headlights and end to end light strip at the rear are a strong statement.

It also has a new digital driver display and again everything is clear with a steering wheel button to select additional information on the state of play with the car.

The range has been slimmed down, the 1.2 litre petrol dropped so it is just the 3-cylinder one litre option. If interested then get in now because the price is going up £630 for the 2026 model.

The one litre is not the quickest off the mark and would be trailing rivals like its Hyundai i10 cousin, which is turbo charged, and the Toyota Aygo X but it never bothered me and I was impressed with the engine’s flexibility, easily pulling from low revs. It is a five speed box and there is an automatic option. The good news is mid fifties to the gallon.

Space in a car this size is only ever going to be adequate so a tall passenger will be scrunched up in the back seat. For me Picanto is ideal for a couple wanting to downsize and whose children have flown the nest or as a second car for a young family.

The suspension is on the firm side so it is a bit of fun on twisty roads but back seat passengers will feel the bumps more than in the front because they are sitting over 14 inch wheels.

Another small car drawback is road noise - small wheels, short wheelbase, so you will need to pump up the radio volume when cruising.

But what is not to like about a car that is great value, very well equipped with low running costs, especially insurance. For those craving more creature comforts then go up the range, the most you will spend is 20 grand.

Picanto is small, but perfectly formed. I loved it.

Fast facts

Picanto 2

£16,065

1-litre petrol; 63bhp

0-62mph 15.4secs; 90mph

54.3mpg combined

116g/km. 1st tax £440

Insurance group 4

Boot: 255-1010 litres