New book of Llangollen group pictures set for launch

* The new book is due for launch later this month.

* The Christmas Festival Committee pose for their picture.

 

Images of over 100 local groups have now been captured for a book recording the rich pattern of everyday life in Llangollen. 

The glossy 144-page work will be officially unveiled to members of the local public – many of whom are featured in it – at a launch ceremony later this month. 

Meanwhile, some of the pictures appearing in the book can be seen at an exhibition which is running at the town’s museum until May 3.  

The book, entitled Llangollen Community, is the brainchild of local man Simon Collinge who has directed the project while Llangollen-based cameraman Andrew Gale has taken the pictures. 

They have been working steadily away since late last year and the pictures have all been taken in the muted style of Old Masters painters such as Rembrandt and Frans Hals.  

Simon said: “We are producing the book as we felt it was about time that a documented pictorial history of these groups was recorded for posterity – it also seemed rather a fun idea.” 

He and Andrew thought originally that there would be about 50 groups from the area needing to be photographed but the final tally was over 100 groups, societies and organisations.  

These included outfits as diverse as Llangollen Silver Band and the Christmas Festival Committee. 

Simon added: “The book is now back from the printers - all on schedule for revised launch date of  Thursday, April 25 at Llangollen Town Hall, starting at 7.30pm. 

“We’ve invited Courtyard Books, Llangollen Library and the museum to bring along copies of their local Llangollen history books to make this a literary evening to remember.”

Llangollen stars in new fantasy thriller novel

Llangollen features prominently in a new e-book in which the villains are a breed of malevolent fairies intent on world domination.

And its author has explained how the idea for the fantasy thriller The Last Changeling came to her in a dream. 

Fiona Maher, who writes under the name of F R Maher, said: “We’ve had wizards and vampires, and I wondered what other supernatural beings would appeal to readers. 

“After a dream, I came up with the idea that it would be fairies - not the cutesy pink confections of modern cartoons, but the ancient malign creatures that haunted the forests, and stole children. 

“I called them metahominids - literally 'other men' - and I ask what if population pressure meant they started moving out of the country, and began invading our city spaces, like urban foxes? 

“What if we've been at war with them for centuries and the evidence was all around us? 

“If myxamatosis hadn't been developed for rabbits, but to spray on the barrows, the metahominid strongholds?”

Hero of the book is a young policeman named Watkin who gets caught up in a battle between a secret government department and metahominids in Kew Gardens.

In the melee, he is injured, and believes he has been involved in a UFO incident. 

However much he tries to find out what really happened, the government organisation, D9, evades all of his investigations. 

Dispirited, he gives up that line of research, and returns to his interest in UFOs. 

Watkin travels up from London to investigate the Beings of Bodfari, a legend that has been linked to UFO activity. 

En route, he stops off in Llangollen of which the author gives a vivid description taking in a number of well-known local sights and businesses such as Dinas Bran Castle, the Corn Mill, the station, the florists in Oak Steet and the Watkin Williams store in Regent Street. 

Coincidentally in Llangollen at the same time as Watkin is a D9 operative, travelling under the name of Sarah Deakin.

Her weapon of choice is a meaty survival knife, which she has brought to Llangollen to have its edges laced with silver - a lethal metal to all metahominids – at a local jewellers shop.

The author knows Llangollen well because although she lives on the Wirral, she works in the town and has been associated with the area for the past 30 years.  

The Last Changeling can be seen at http://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Changeling-Enigma-Wars-ebook/dp/B00B90EIRQ/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1365110490&sr=8-1&keywords=the+last+changeling

Latest Buy Local day planned for April 12

The Keep Llangollen Special (KLS) campaign group is arranging the latest in its series of Buy Local days in the town next Friday April 12.

The group is distributing printed flyers to residents in Llangollen to encourage them to support their local independent business.

KLS chair Mike Edwards said: "We are inviting everyone to support Llangollen's traders and get quality, personal service and value for money.

"You will be making an important contribution to the local economy."

If any business needs copies they can contact Mike Edwards at chair@keepllangollenspecial.org.uk

Railway extension plan hits the headlines

 

* The current edition of The Railway Magazine in

which the Corwen extension article features. 

 

 

The current (May2013) edition of The Railway Magazine features a 5 page article about Llangollen Railway's plan to extend the line all the way to Corwen.

 

Compiled by Cliff Thomas as part of the magazine's Lazarus series - railways brought back from the dead - it looks at the recent history of the project, current status and the prospects of finishing phase 1 to Corwen East.

 

The article features numerous pictures of trains, mostly on the extension, as it currently exists to show what is in prospect when the line is operational on its full length.

 

Railway spokesman George Jones said: "Let's hope it attracts the rail fans and brings in some much needed donations to allow for completion in 2014."

 

Mr Jones explained that extracts from the article will be put on show as part of the Corwen exhibition in the coach at Llangollen Station.

Operation launched to cut motorcycle accidents

An operation which is aimed at reducing motorcycle related deaths and serious injuries on the roads of North Wales is being launched this weekend to coincide with its 10^th anniversary.

And one of the roads it will focus on is the A5.

 

Launched in 2003, the annual Operation Focus will run from early April until early autumn and will see police officers out and about stopping and talking to bikers to educate them about the dangers, and to also prosecute those who ride dangerously.

 

 

Historically high numbers of motorcyclists descend on North Wales due to the challenging nature of the roads in areas of outstanding natural beauty such as Snowdonia.

 

Motorcyclists are more at risk of being killed or seriously injured in a road traffic collision than any other road user, representing 1% of road traffic but accounting for 18% of all fatalities.

 

During 2012 there were a total of 63 serious collisions involving motorcyclists with a notable increase in the number of riders from outside the Force area.

 

Officers hope to reduce this figure by encouraging riders to take responsibility for their safety and the safety of other road users.

 

Police will patrol the roads where collisions are most common, which include the A494, A5104, A5, A470 and the A487.

 

Throughout the operation Bikesafe representatives will also be out and about speaking to riders and promoting the Bikesafe initiative, which offer free workshops in North Wales (subject to booking fee).

 

Chief Inspector Darren Wareing, who is in charge of North Wales Police’ Roads Policing Unit said: “Operation Focus is one of many campaigns and initiatives that we run throughout the year targeting high-risk road users. It is not about alienating the motorcycling community – it is about education and enforcement.

 

“Whilst the vast majority of motorcyclists ride appropriately, some riders choose to use the roads as a racetrack, committing serious breaches of road safety legislation, such as speeding and riding dangerously thereby putting themselves and other road users at risk of death or life changing injury.”

 

“We are committed to keeping people safe on the roads of North Wales. This isn’t about catching bikers out, we want them to enjoy the roads but most of all we want them to ride safely and responsibly.

 

“Responsible riders are welcome to visit the area and take in the stunning scenery and landscape, but even they face risk of death or serious injury by underestimating the risk posed by fatigue brought on by a combination of driving long distances and concentrating on navigating challenging and unfamiliar routes.

 

“I would also urge bikers to take the opportunity to enhance their skills through training and attend the free Bikesafe workshops. Bikesafe is an accredited scheme which is run nationally by police forces which aims to reduce motorcycling casualties.

 

He added: “We will continue to target, with a view to prosecution, all those that ride or drive dangerously, at excess speed, overtake on solid white lines or commit any other road traffic offences.”

 

The operation is expected to run from Easter through to early October.

 

Further details regarding the free Bikesafe workshops are available via the Bikesafe website

.

Birch Hill to be closed to through-traffic for three weeks

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water is set to begin survey work on its wastewater network on Birch Hill, Llangollen.

The work will start on Monday 8 April and is set to take three weeks to complete. 

While the work is ongoing it will be necessary to close Birch Hill to through traffic.

However, access will be maintained for residents, according to Denbighshire County Council.

The council has informed residents and visitors that from Monday the alternative route available for traffic is via Birch Hill, the A5 (Queen Street to area boundary) and Maesmawr Road, and will be sign posted accordingly.

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the period of closure

Welsh Water Communications Manager Jill Roberts said: “We appreciate the disruption work such as this can cause but these measures are necessary to ensure the safety of road users, pedestrians and our workforce.  We would like to thank people in advance for bearing with us while the work is ongoing.”

Welsh Water is investing heavily and working hard to ensure top quality services to all the communities it serves. The company is investing £1.5 billion in its water and sewerage network between 2010 and 2015.

It is a ‘not-for-profit company’ which has been owned by Glas Cymru since 2001. Welsh Water does not have shareholders, and any financial surpluses are reinvested in the business for the benefit of customers.

Welsh Government help with council tax bills

Council tax reduction schemes are now operating in Wales to assist 330,000 households in paying their bills.

 

The new schemes replace council tax benefit which has been abolished by the UK Government as part of its welfare reform agenda.

The coalition government has also cut the funding available for replacement schemes by at least 10 per cent.

Welsh Ministers have repeatedly challenged this reduction in funding and remain profoundly concerned about the financial implications of the welfare reforms for some of the most vulnerable people in Wales.

The Welsh Government has taken on responsibility for developing new arrangements to support households in Wales in meeting their council tax bills. Extensive work has been undertaken with local government to minimise the impact on claimants and to ensure the new arrangements are viable and affordable.

For 2013/14 the Welsh Government is also providing an extra £22m to support local authorities in providing all eligible claimants with their full entitlement to support, despite the shortfall in funding transferred from the UK Government.

Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Local Government said:"In collaboration with local government, we have introduced schemes to provide vital financial assistance to approximately 330,000 households in Wales. The additional funding we have provided means some of our most vulnerable individuals will be protected from the UK Government’s cut in funding for council tax support."