Councillor tackles fire in wood store

The Leader is reporting today how a quick-thinking Llangollen councillor tackled a wood store blaze.

To read to full story see: http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/120260/quick-thinking-llangollen-councillor-tackles-wood-store-blaze.aspx#

Latest roadworks in the area

Latest roadworks to be announced by Denbighshire County Council are: 

A5, from Glyndyfrdwy to the telephone exchange, temporary traffic lights until March 19 to allow resurfacing work. 

A5, from the Berwyn Arms to the telephone exchange,  Glyndyfrdwy, 10mph convoy until March 8 to allow resurfacing work. 

Hatchery Lane, Trevor, from the A539 to the junction opposite Trevor Mill House, road closure until March 5 to allow drainage works by Dee Valley Water.

Police hand out three anti-social orders

Police in Llangollen have recently handed out Criminal Anti-Social Behaviour Orders to three people in the town.

The details were given to members of Llangollen Town Council at their meeting on Tuesday evening by Sergeant Paul Hughes of the neighbourhood policing team.

Giving one of his regular updates on policing activity in the area, he explained how the orders – known as CRASBOs – differed from Anti-Social Behaviour Orders in that breaching one was a criminal offence.

For a breach, the maximum penalty is five years imprisonment for an adult or a two year Detention and Training Order for juveniles, 12 months of which is custodial.

Sgt Hughes said that over the past few months, his team had handed out three CRASBOs after much hard work to compile a case against the recipients.

The first, he said, had gone to a male from the Plas Madoc area who had been coming to Llangollen for around 12 months and had been the subject of numerous complaints of anti-social behaviour. mainly related to alcohol.

Sgt Hughes said he had been causing a particular problem for elderly residents in the Hill Street area.

He added: “We obtained the order against him two weeks ago and he is not allowed to enter any of the 30mph zones around the town.

“The order lasts for two years and if it is breached there will be a custodial sentence.”

Sgt Hughes said the other two CRASBOs had gone to a male and a female who had been associating with the other male recipient.

He added: “They were causing untold trouble – anti-social behaviour and drink related - and the order means that for the next two years they are not to go within 50 yards of Hill Street.”  

Welcoming the action, the mayor, Cllr Jon Haddy, said: “The problem with ASBOs is that there was no penalty if they were breached."

Anger as watchdog fails to oppose hospital closures

Ther BBC North East Wales news website is reporting this afternoon (Thursday) that patients' watchdog body the Community Health Council has decided today not to refer the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board's proposal to close several community hospitals - including Llangollen - minor injury units and X-ray departments to Wales' Health Minister Lesley Griffiths.

The decision is said to have been greeted with dismay by North Wales Assembly Members campaigning against the moves.

See the full story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-21535311

Why couldn't local bed be found for Wynn?

The Town Council is writing to regional health chiefs to ask why a hospital bed nearer than one in Mold could not be found for an elderly Llangollen man injured in an accident near his home a few weeks ago.

The issue was raised at Tuesday evening’s council meeting by Cllr Sheena Burrell who claimed the situation was a direct result of the “fiasco” of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board closing community hospitals, including the one in Llangollen, as part of a controversial shake-up of services across north Wales.

She said: “One of our best-loved characters in the town, Wynn Hughes, was recently injured in an accident and is now in hospital in Mold.

“Even with Llangollen Hospital closing, why could he not have been found a bed nearer than in Mold?

“People want to go to visit him and it would have been much easier for them to do that had he been at Chirk Hospital or even Wrexham.Mold is not even in this area.

“The closure of community hospitals has been a fiasco. Services were supposed to have been kept local.

“What we were told at the public meetings arranged by the health board was just a load of hot air and rubbish.

“At every meeting they gave the answers they knew people wanted to hear.

“This is disgusting and every fear that we had has come true right away.”

Referring to the situation at Llangollen Cottage Hospital, Cllr James Tobin said staff were now working from day to day and had not been told anything by the health board about when it would actually close.

The mayor, Cllr Jon Haddy, said: “We are now beyond the point where we can object to the health board’s policy on service changes but the implementation has not been what they said they would do.”

Councillors approved a suggestion from Cllr Burrell that the council should write to the health board asking why a bed could not be found for the injured resident she had referred to closer than in Mold.

Royal harpist's Llan dream date

The former royal harpist who enchanted Prince William and Kate Middleton at their wedding reception is looking forward to her own dream date in North Wales.

Talented Claire Jones, 28, can't wait to take the stage at the "extra special" Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, the global festival of music and dance.

Claire, who hails from Pembrokeshire, was appointed Official Harpist to His Royal Highness, the Prince of Wales in 2007.

 

She held the role until 2011, making her the longest serving Royal harpist to date.

Prince Charles was so impressed that he extended her duties for an extra year - and sent her a wedding present when she got married.

As part of her duties, Claire (pictured left) regularly performed for the Royal Family and their guests at the Royal palaces and one of her biggest thrills came when she was the star of an exclusive lunch reception for 600 wedding guests at Buckingham Palace.

Fresh out of the Royal College of Music, Claire was hardly prepared for the media clamour that would engulf her as result of the royal wedding.

She said: “Playing for Prince William and Catherine on their wedding day was the biggest performance of my life. The atmosphere in the palace was amazing and I was playing in a room with just the Royal Family, the Middletons and selected guests present.

“I was made to feel part of the occasion and not just someone brought into perform. And of course, I had the chance to chat to many of the Royals who were very complimentary.

“Catherine was absolutely amazing, stunningly beautiful she came and had a chat, not just for a minute but a full 10 minutes and this was on her wedding day when the eyes of the world were upon her.

“I suppose, being in a private room surrounded by family and with no TV cameras present she felt relaxed, she certainly gave me the impression she was completely at ease.”

Speaking at her London home, she said: “I have played on the main stage at the Llangollen International Eisteddfod once before, as part of the opening ceremony in 2007. So to go back for a gala performance will be absolutely magical.

“I grew up in Pembrokeshire and Llangollen Eisteddfod was something we all, as a family, followed. It’s a massive event. It’s something we all aspire to, so to basically have the stage to myself, will be a memorable and magical moment in my career.”

Among the other stars performing at the International Eisteddfod this year, are Jools Holland’s Rhythm and Blues Orchestra, English soprano Claire Rutter, Kiwi bass Jonathan Lemalu and the choir Only Men Aloud who shot to fame on the hit TV show, Last Choir Standing.

Claire will be performing in concert on Wednesday, July 10, with popular American tenor Noah Stewart and top percussionist Evelyn Glennie.

Despite Claire taking up the harp at the age of 10, it wasn’t her first instrument when she began studying at London’s Royal College of Music (RCM).

“The harp was my second choice and the violin my first instrument”, she says, almost apologetically, “I started learning the violin aged eight a year after I had started piano lessons.

“However, at the RCM it became clear, as I was getting more requests to play the harp, that the instrument had almost chosen me rather than me the instrument.

“My tutor, Ieuan Jones, who actually comes from North Wales and grew up very close to Llangollen, took me to one side and told me I could play the harp to a very high standard and could, in his opinion, become a soloist.

“Uniquely, I was still playing the piano, violin and harp for a long time and certainly up to the age of 18. I knew I wanted to be a soloist but just didn’t know with what instrument!”

However, getting the call and being offered the opportunity to become harpist to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, certainly helped Claire finally make the choice that she would concentrate on the harp.

Claire cherishes every moment of her four years as Royal Harpist.

She said: “It was such an amazing experience, something on a different level really. I played privately for the Queen and had at last four engagements a month, whether a private dinner parties for 100 people Prince Charles was hosting or state banquets.

“It was just such a special time in my life. And of course Prince Charles’ own harp is something to behold. He has a Victor Salvi gold leaf harp complete with dragons and his initials. I would say it’s priceless.

“My own harp, which is really top-of-the-range costs £40,000, but I did enjoy playing Prince Charles’ harp. I am very much attached to my own instrument but his gold harp, well it’s just divine.

She added: “The biggest shock after playing for the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge on their return to Buckingham Palace was the media coverage it generated.

“It was insane, I ended up doing back to back interviews with American television stations and even playing live to an audience of millions which was somewhat nerve-wracking.

“Then, of course, there was British television, French, German, Spanish even Japanese stations, it really was crazy and I was a bit unprepared for it.”

And following on from the Royal Wedding, Claire soon had wedding news of her own.

Three weeks after she played at Buckingham Palace, her long-term partner, Chris Marshall, got down on one knee and proposed to her at the base of Christ the Statue, in Rio de Janeiro.

She said: “It was so romantic. Obviously we had talked of marriage and we had agreed we would marry but I wasn’t in charge of when I don’t suppose! When we did get married Prince Charles sent us a lovely gift and a letter of congratulations.

“In fact he writes on a quite regular basis to see how I am getting on, in fact it’s my turn to write back. And Catherine sent me some personal pictures from her wedding day which I will always treasure.”

And with her husband being an accomplished percussionist and composer in his own right Claire says it’s a marriage made in heaven.

She said: “I recorded my album, The Girl With The Golden Harp, which Chris arranged and even wrote some of the music for. I am delighted with the album which reached number three in the classical music chart.

“I like to think of myself as an ambassador for my country of birth, classical music and for my instrument. And believe me, I can think of no better place to showcase all three than the Llangollen Eisteddfod stage - I really am excited and can’t wait.”

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

Former QE2 captain visits Llan birthplace

* Commodore Ronald Warwick outside Llangollen Cottage Hospital where he was born in 1940.
 

The former captain of world-famous cruise liner the Queen Elizabeth II (QE2)  this week made a sentimental journey to Llangollen to visit the place where he was born over 70 years ago.

And this will probably be the last time Commodore Ronald Warwick has the chance see it as a working unit as the town’s historic Cottage Hospital is due for the axe as part of a controversial shake-up of services across North Wales by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB).

Commodore Warwick, 72, who also captained the Cunard liner Queen Mary 2 before his retirement in 2006, was staying in the area for a few days with friends Ken and Carol Mascarenhas who run the Abbey Dingle nursing home in Llangollen.

Top of his list of places to visit was the 137-year-old hospital in Abbey Road where he was born on November 28, 1940.

Commodore Warwick, who lives in Somerset, recalled that at the time of his birth his mother, Evelyn, had been evacuated to the safety of Llangollen from her home in Liverpool to avoid the bombing of the city at the start of World War Two.

Liverpool was the home of his father Commodore William Warwick, who was also famous as the first captain of the QE2 and at the time was serving with the Royal Navy Reserve.

Commodore Warwick said: “When she was evacuated to Llangollen my mother was living at her mother-in-law’s home in Liverpool, which became dangerous because of the bombing.

“At the time I was born in late 1940 she was living at number 6 Dee Mill Place, which I believe is no longer there.

“I’m not sure whether she was living there with a family member but I know that at some stage she did live with her aunt and uncle, Rupert and Liza Crosher, at Cherry Tree Farm in the Pengwern area of Llangollen.

“I was born at the Cottage Hospital in 1940 but I don’t think my mother stayed in the area for very long after that.

“One of my earliest recollections is going back to the farm to visit my relatives at the age of five. “

He added: “While I have been staying with my friends Ken and Carol I thought I would take the opportunity of visiting the hospital.

“I think this could be my last chance of going there while it is still a hospital as I understand it is due to close soon.

“It’s sad that hospitals in general have to close. I can’t say I approve or disapprove of the plan to close the Cottage Hospital because I don’t really know much about it.

“However, it was nice to go there and see where I was born.”

Commodore Warwick, who was invited to speak to members of the local Rotary Club about his career on Monday evening, went to sea at the age of just 15 and served in various roles aboard a wide variety of ships.

After joining the Cunard line in 1970, he served in various ranks on the QE2 and was the ship’s chief officer for a number of years, which included the period when the liner was requisitioned by the British Government for service as a troopship in the Falklands Campaign of 1982.

Commodore Warwick was appointed to command the Queen Elizabeth 2 in July 1990.

At this point in his career he made Cunard Line history by sailing in command of the same ship as his father who was the first master of the QE2 before he retired in 1972.

Commodore Warwick later went on to command one of Cunard’s latest super-ships, the Queen Mary 2, from 2003 until his retirement three years later.