Operatic stars honoured at annual meeting

On Tuesday 4^th June, Llangollen Operatic Society held its Annual General Meeting in the studio.

During the course of the meeting the new Committee was elected and two awards were presented: the John Evans Memorial Trophy, awarded to the member judged to have given the best performance in the recent production of Anything Goes, and the Diana Gay Rose Bowl, presented to the member who has made an outstanding contribution to the Society over the year.

President, Phyllis Reeves, had a difficult task in choosing the winner of the John Evans Trophy this year as there was a real abundance of talent.

However, she made a great decision in selecting Louisa Jones, who played Reno Sweeney and newcomer Paul Bailey, who played Billy Crocker, as the joint recipients.

The winners were announced by Ann Evans, widow of John and mother of longstanding member, Nia.

Unfortunately, neither Louisa nor Paul could be present at the meeting to receive the award in person but both said they were delighted and honoured to have been chosen.

The winner of the Diana Gay Bowl was Pamela Williams. This award was voted for by the membership and was presented by Paul Gay in memory of his late wife who was a talented wardrobe mistress and treasured member and friend for many years.

Members nominated Pamela for her creativity, skills and enormous patience in choreographing the main dance numbers in the annual production and for the Troupe, both this year and in previous years.

Another highlight of the meeting was unanimous decision to confer life membership on Jean Evans. Jean has been a member of the operatic for many years and during that time has made an enormous contribution both on stage and off.

Most recently, Jean has been responsible for the wonderful hairstyles, wigs and fascinators that are always completely appropriate to the period of the show and never fail to add a touch of glamour!

Thanks to all who attended the meeting, to Ann Evans and Paul Gay for presenting the awards and best wishes to the new Committee for the coming year!

Helen Belton and We believe this is a very good deal and in addition to getting an evening of great entertainment you will be making a valued contribution towards the cost of putting on what is guaranteed to be a fantastic show. If you or your company would be interested or you know of someone who would be, please inbox me or call me on 07989 985644. eople, a drink each from the bar, programmes, prominent display of your/ your company's name and the chance to display and distribute your marketing material during the evening.Louisa Jones

Publicity@llangollen-operatic.co.uk

Chain Bridge gets £50,000 facelift boost

 

* The Chain Bridge has been awarded £50,000 towards its facelift.

 

The world-famous Chain Bridge has been awarded £50,000 for restoration  and refurbishment.

 

The project will see the bridge re-opened to pedestrians using chains from the original bridge.

 

This will open up the access route between the Llangollen Canal and Berwyn Halt railway station for the first time in 30 years.

 

The grant award has been given by WREN, a not for profit business which awards grants to community, environmental and heritage projects across the UK from funds donated by FCC Environment to the Landfill Communities Fund.

 

In addition to the physical restoration works an interpretive and education plan will be prepared to ensure that the history of the bridge is well-documented and interpreted to a wide audience which will raise awareness about the bridge and its importance.

 

Meleri Jones, Grant Manager for WREN, said: “We are pleased to support the restoration of the Chain Bridge which is of historical importance for the area. We look forward to it being restored and for local residents and tourists alike to be able to cross the bridge once again."

 

The project will positively enhance the visual appearance of a structure that is currently dilapidated and unsightly and be more in keeping with the World Heritage site and other proposed improvements in the area.

 

Gareth Thomas, Clerk to Llangollen Town Council, said: "We are delighted with the grant award and this takes us a step closer to being able to re-open the bridge.

 

"We are now crossing our fingers for a positive response to an application made to the Heritage Lottery for a further £300,000 grant.”

 

Ambulances take twice target time to arrive, say reports

The BBC and other media are reporting today that ambulances took over twice the target time of eight minutes to respond to 11,000 emergency calls in Wales last year, according to latest figures.

For the full story see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-22922211

Town's food festival makes national top 10

 

* Rob Price from Cadwyn Clwyd with food festival chair Colin Loughlin and Llangollen butcher Gwyn Davies.

 

Hamper Llangollen was named in the Top 10 food festivals in Britain by a national newspaper.

 

The accolade has delighted the organisers of the popular event that will be celebrating its 16th anniversary when it's held on Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20.

 

More good news came when it was revealed the festival won a special award from Llangollen Town Council for its contribution to the commercial life of the town.

 

It's estimated the event pumps nearly £400,000 into the local economy every year with £156,000 being spent at the event and a further £234,000 being spent in the town and the surrounding area.

 

Among the first to applaud the festival was Alun Davies, Minister for Natural Resources and Food.

 

He said: “I would like to congratulate Llangollen Food Festival in their excellent achievement in The Independent's Top 10 Food Festivals in Britain, as well as gaining a special award from Llangollen Town Council for its contribution to the commercial life of the town. 

 

"Food festivals are an excellent way of showcasing the very best of Welsh produce and, I know from my visit to the Llangollen Food Festival last year, that it is a great example of this."

 

Colin Loughlin, chair of the local committee that runs the festival was also delighted.

He HehEhsaid: "I am extremely proud that Hamper Llangollen has received this fantastic recognition of being acknowledged as a top 10 food festival in the whole of the UK.

 

"We are the only North Wales festival to be honoured by the Independent.

 

"The  festival has gone from strength to strength since it was taken over by a local committee in 2011.

 

"The success of Hamper Llangollen is a mark of the quality of the people we have on the committee. Everybody is pulling their weight and the way it has come together is very rewarding.

 

"I think the magic ingredient in the success of the festival is the location, the town of Llangollen and the people who live here.

 

"One of our priorities has been to integrate better with the town by involving the school, the Llangollen Silver Band and local choirs.

 

"We're making a positive contribution the local economy. After last year's event, local traders told us they were delighted with the amount of business we brought to the town. They had a very, very business weekend.

 

"This year Graham Tinsley, the star of ITV's Taste the Nation and a former captain of the Welsh Culinary Team, will be joined in the show kitchen at the festival by the ever popular Dai Chef.

 

"They have done a great deal to raise the profile of real, honest to goodness food and their crusade chimes perfectly with our mission to promote the value of our indigenous producers who bring great taste and traceability to the table.

 

"We have a wonderful array of fantastic food producers clustered in the area and the festival is the perfect shop window for them.

 

"A food festival is so much better and more interesting than going to the supermarket because here you can sample the food and talk to the producers.

 

"Hamper Llangollen is celebrating its 16th anniversary this year and is firmly and rightly established as a major highlight in the UK's culinary calendar."

 

Robert Price, Cadwyn Clwyd's agri-food project officer, said: "In addition to many favourites, we have lots of new food producers wanting to come this year.

 

"The location of the Pavilion is absolutely  spectacular - I can't imagine that any other food festival in the UK has a more beautiful setting.

 

"It's also brilliant news for the local economy. If you buy from a local producer, all that money is recycled through the local economy and that sustains employment in our rural areas."

 

For more information about Hamper Llangollen 2013 go to: www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

Make cancer a priority, say Welsh Conservatives

Welsh Conservatives have called on the Welsh Government to make cancer a priority and improve services and treatments for patients across Wales.

 

Summing up their Assembly Debate on the Cancer Delivery Plan this week, North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood emphasised the need for Local Health Boards to publish their cancer delivery plans and ensure that cancer services are timely, person-centred and that people’s clinical and wider non-clinical needs, including access to financial advice and support, are met.

 

Mr Isherwood said: “As Shadow Health Minister Darren Millar AM (Clwyd West) stated, cancer is still the leading cause of death in Wales, and it must be a priority for Welsh Government and NHS, but the process is far from working well.

 

“It is not right that Wales has a higher proportion of people dying from cancer than the rest of the UK or that cancer survival rates in Wales are well below the European average.”

 

He added: “ As Janet Finch-Saunders AM (Aberconwy) stated, there has been a 70% improvement in cancer survival rates since 1992. One of those cancer survivors is one of my own daughters, who is now living a full and happy life, after having been diagnosed as a teenager. However, there are concerns about the implementation of the cancer delivery plan, especially with regard to early intervention, public awareness and inconsistency across Wales.”

 

Mr Isherwood also referred to the points raised in the debate by fellow North Wales AM Antoinette Sandbach AM.

 

He said: “Antoinette expressed alarm that more than 8,000 people are dying as a result of cancer in Wales every year and that cancer patients in England are five times more likely to have access to new cancer drugs than patients in Wales, while the NHS spends millions on free paracetamol, which is available for 20p at local supermarkets.”

 

Mr Isherwood welcomed the Health Minister’s statement that he will be supporting the motion and that he shares concerns over waiting times and publication of the LHB plans.

He added: “I hope that his words will now become proven actions, and that, in future, people - practitioners, patients and politicians - will all have full access to all of the information that they need and deserve.”

Latest roadworks information ...

Latest roadworks notified by Denbighshire County Council are:

A542 Horseeshoe Pass, June 17-26, temporary traffic lights to allow installation of anti-skid measures.

Outside former Jenny Jones pub, Abbey Road, Llangollen, until June 26, temporary traffic lights to facilitate scaffolding.

Birch Hill, Llangollen, until September 4, road closure to allow work by Welsh Water.

 

Road safety concerns raised over Post Office move

* The Castle Street./A5 junction.

A Llangollen resident has contacted a top roads official to raise concerns about road safety when the town’s Post Office switches from its present location to Stan’s supermarket next month.

Martin Crumpton wrote to Andy Stewart, route manager for North & Mid Wales Trunk Road Agent, which works on behalf of the Welsh Govrnment, to say: “On July 22, Llangollen's Post Office moves from Castle to the other side of the traffic lights on the A5, some 20-25m further.

“The three-way traffic lights are timed solely for cars and the junction is already hazardous for pedestrians.

“After the move, more elderly and people with poor mobility will need to cross the busy A5.

“Please investigate as a matter of urgency.”

Mr Stewart replied: “With regard to your enquiry about the traffic signal junction of the A5 Trunk Road and Castle Street, it would not be possible to introduce a pedestrian phase without causing significant delays to traffic on both the trunk and county roads both of which now exist at peak times. 

“Denbighshire CC have looked at providing a pedestrian crossing phase within the signal timings, however recent collision data does not highlight a pedestrian accident problem and this would be required to support changes.”

Mr Crumpton responded to him: “I have to say I am not only disappointed but deeply offended that there has to be a body count, or at least a significant number of A&E admissions with all their human costs, before such an obvious danger can be made safe.  

“Perhaps I’m naive in thinking that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Perhaps I just don’t feel I have the right to place a monetary value on a human life.”