Health board vice-chair resigns, says BBC

The BBC is reporting this evening that vice-chair Dr Lyndon Miles has become the third senior figure to resign from the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board following a damning report on its "significant management failings".

For the full story see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-23153307

AM calls for action to save landmark column

Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates has called for urgent action to save one of the most iconic landmarks in North Wales.

 

Wynnstay Column, a Grade 2 listed feature of the former Wynnstay Park, was built in 1790 by architect John Wyatt as a memorial to the fourth baronet of the Williams-Wynn family. 

 

It reaches a height of 100ft and is a major landmark on the edge of the A483 and the village of Ruabon.

 

But in recent weeks residents living near the column have noticed the copper urn that sits atop the column suffering a prominent lean.

 

If left unattended, it is feared the urn could fall from the column.

 

Wrexham Council has now written to the owners of the landmark to take action to protect the column which is included on the council’s statutory list of buildings of special architectural or historic interest.

 

Mr Skates said: “The Wynnstay Column is one of the most recognisable landmarks in North Wales and seen by thousands of motorists every year from the A483.

 

“It is essential that such important components of our local heritage are retained and properly maintained. In recent months Wrexham has lost important historic treasures such as the Pontfadog Oak and I do not wish to see the Wynnstay Column lose its centrepiece urn.

 

“I am delighted Wrexham Council officers have been so swift in calling on the owners of the column to take action and I am pleased they have entered into productive talks with heritage experts.

 

“I hope we will soon see the urn corrected and this great feature restored.”

Health centre seems safe despite board's problems

* An artist's impression of the planned Llangollen health centre.

Last week’s damning report on the way the region’s health board was being run and shock resignation of its two top figures does not seem to have affected plans for a £5.5 million health centre in Llangollen.

That is the message from a press spokesperson for the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB).

A joint report by the Wales Audit Office and Healthcare Inspectorate Wales, identified significant failings and major challenges for the board.

As a result, chairman Professor Merfyn Jones and chief executive Mary Burrows both announced their resignation.

In the wake of these developments, a number of people in Llangollen began to question whether the town’s new health centre, costing an estimated £.5.5 million will now go ahead.

Only a few weeks ago board officials took over the Town Hall to present an exhibition of plans for the centre, which is to be built on the site of the derelict former River Lodge in Mill Street to replace Llangollen Cottage Hospital which was closed by the board earlier this year.

But a spokesperson for the board has now told llanblogger: “As far as we are aware, there is no change to the plan.”

Last week, the group Keep Llangollen Health Services said in a statement that the joint report on BCUHB raised “serious questions” about the legitimacy of the downgrading process which led to the axing of Llangollen Hospital.

The statement added: "If the Health Minister wants to avoid a potential catastrophe he must, as a matter of urgency, step in and suspend the current downgrading and centralisation programme. 

"These plans were nodded through without any challenge by the board members in January. Their failure to scrutinise was glaring even to lay members like us.”

Llangollen Silver Band hosts successful Party in the Garden

* Solo guitarist Jack Found delights the audience.

* Singing Ensemble Sentimental Journey present their part of the programme.

* Soloist Elizabeth Mwale sings a beautiful Welsh song.

* Llangollen Silver Band opens proceedings.

LLANGOLLEN had its own version of the Glastonbury Festival on Sunday evening.

Rather than the Stones topping the bill, it was the town’s own Silver Band and instead of acts like Example there were two excellent soloists and a singing ensemble to delight the crowd.

Over 150 people brought along deck-chairs, picnic baskets and the odd bottle of wine to enjoy Party in the Garden organised by Llangollen Silver Band in the marvellous setting of Plas Newydd, the famous home of the Ladies of Llangollen.

Rain began to fall not long after the outdoor entertainment began but it failed the dampen the enthusiasm of those who had turned up to enjoy the varied programme of music on offer.

They just put their umbrellas and kept on listening.

The band opened up proceedings with a selection of numbers from the world of movies and TV such as Spartacus from the 1970s series The Onedin Line and Aces High from the film Battle of Britain.

Llangollen Youth Band were next with a package of classics including Tonight and Lay All Your Love on Me.

First soloist of the evening was young band member and Urdd Eisteddfod star Elizabeth Mwale who presented the beautiful Welsh song SuoGan.

Llangollen Training Band followed with two numbers, Tango and Blues.

Second half of the evening’s programme began with a collection of songs from the local group Sentimental Journey.

Favourites they chose included Simon and Garfunkel’s Bridge Over Troubled Water and selections from the hit musicals Sound of Music and Carousel.

Another Silver Band youngster Jack Found, whose talent on the acoustic guitar has just landed him a place at Chetham’s School of Music in Manchester, was the next soloist on the bill, presenting two numbers, Misty and How About You?

The senior members of the band came back to round off the two-and-a-half hour programme with a stirring selection of more big film music including everything from Those Magnificent Men in their Flying Machines to Oklahoma!

Musical director brings touch of magic to the Eisteddfod

* Music magic: Eilir Owen Griffiths.

The man responsible for this year’s stellar line-up at the Llangollen International  Musical Eisteddfod is used to pulling rabbits out of hats – he’s a member of the Magic Circle.

Musical Director of the Eisteddfod Eilir Owen Griffiths is not just an acclaimed choral conductor and composer – he is also magic at getting some of the biggest stars to sign up for the world-renowned event.

The enduring appeal of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod is the calibre of artists it attracts – names like Pavarotti, Menuhin, Bryn Terfel and Lulu - and this year is no exception.

Jools Holland, Strictly Come Dancing stars James and Ola Jordan and opera singers Noah Stewart and Claire Rutter are signed up and that’s down to the Llangollen factor and the pulling power of the Eisteddfod’s young Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths.

The 31-year-old, who lives in Cardiff, teaches in Carmarthen but is born and bred in North Wales, has helped turn the event round within 18 months of his appointment.

In that time Eilir has proved himself not just an acclaimed choral conductor and composer but also magic at getting some of music’s biggest stars to sign up for the world-renowned event.

Last year Lesley Garrett, Alfie Boe and Go Compare TV ad icon Wynne Evans helped the Eisteddfod make a profit for the first time in five years.

This year Eilir has signed up another stellar lineup which also includes Cuban maestros the Buena Vista Social Club, Olympic choir Only Men Aloud and percussionist extraordinare Evelyn Glennie.

Not bad for a kid from St Asaph who cut his musical teeth performing for Women’s Institutes and chapels as part of the family ensemble headed by his father, Welsh Presbyterian minister the Rev Robert Owen Griffiths and his mum, Rhiannon.

Also on the strength were brothers Peredur, Hedd and Eilir and little sister Hannah with the young Eilir adding variety to the entertainment with a magic show.

He said: “We were a sort of Von Trapp family on the chapel circuit in North Wales for about ten years. I played the piano and violin and sang – and did magic tricks.

“My mum was a librarian and we had to go to the library after school to wait for her to finish work before she took us home. I hated reading so I headed for the crafts and hobbies section and picked up a magic book and was fascinated.

“I learned how to do tricks and I actually became a member of the North Wales branch of the Magic Circle.”


Eilir, who lives in Taffs Well, near Cardiff, with his wife, Leah, son Aaron, three, and just-born Gwenni, had a wandering childhood as his father’s ministry took to Denbigh, Pumpsaint, in Carmarthenshire, Moelfre on Anglesey, and Lixwm, near Holywell.

He was head boy of Ysgol Glan Clwyd, St Asaph, before going to study Theatre, Music and Media at Trinity College, Carmarthen, where he now teaches, before taking a Masters in Music.

His specialism now is composing and conducting choirs and his record is outstanding including the Worshipful Company of Musicians Award (2005) and in 2008 the Main Composers Prize at the National Eisteddfod of Wales Cardiff.

He has released a CD of his work, titled Y Gair, while as a conductor he has won many major prizes with his choirs, Côr Aelwyd CF1, Côr Godre’r Garth, Côr y Drindod and The Blues Choir.

He became established as a conductor-composer on a year’s exchange study in the USA at Central College Pella, in Iowa, when he conducted a piece he had composed in a church there.

He has composed a Reqiuem performed by superstar Bryn Terfel, Wynne Evans and a massed choir but also works in musical theatre with students at Trinity College so his taste is varied.

The religious connection is important and he said: “A lot of my choral music is very religious and although I don’t have strong religious views I do find that I can transfer the message in religious text into music.”

He regards being Musical Director of Llangollen as a pinnacle though, because of its standing internationally and he said: “When the job came up there were two reasons I wanted to go for it – the challenge and because everyone refers to me as Eilir Owen Griffiths Caerdydd because that’s where I live but my North Wales connection is important to me.

“I also respect Llangollen more than anything else because over the years they have managed to make more of an impact than any other eisteddfod and it was an exciting thing to be part of.

“Last year the main thing was that it happened and made a profit after five years of losses which was even more remarkable because the weather was so terrible.

“Now in 2013 we’re in a much stronger position and it fills me with pride that we have turned it round in 18 months.

“Basically, I’m responsible for everything artistic in the Eisteddfod – it’s a hell of a challenge and a very difficult balancing act but from the feedback we’re getting about the concert programme is that even though it’s diverse it’s been very, very well received.

“It’s got something for everyone and it maintains the International Eisteddfod’s reputation for excellence.

“We wanted a jazz pianist and we’ve got Jools Holland, you couldn’t get better. We have James and Ola Jordan from Strictly Come Dancing and they’re performing to the music of the Buena Vista Social Club from Havana and without musicians like them there just wouldn’t be this tradition of Latin American dance.

“If you want choral music than we’ve got the best choral competition with the best choirs, certainly in the UK, probably in Europe but I won’t say the world because there is the Choir Olympics.

“But the Choir of the World for the Pavarotti Trophy is the best and most high profile competition on the choral circuit and the connection with Luciano Pavarotti is very important.

“The best of the best are still coming to Llangollen and you just would not hear choirs of this standard anywhere else in Britain.

“It’s important that it’s in Wales but what’s important is that it’s an Eisteddfod, it’s what our tradition is based on, the idea of competition, whether at Urdd level, National Eisteddfod level or International level.

“This strong tradition for our little country has become a tradition for the world because of Llangollen.”

Eilir, himself, has wide ranging tastes and is looking forward to the concerts though he expects to be too busy to catch more than snippets of them: “If I could only listen to one it would probably be Jools Holland but then I would like to take elements of them all.

“I’d take something from Evelyn Glennie, something from the Buena Vistas, something from the Verdi Requiem.

“I don’t just like classical music, I like avant garde and I like jazz and every night of the concerts should have its own USP and you can’t see what we’re putting on or the combination of artists anywhere else.

“The National Eisteddfod has the same artists every year – I don’t want that for Llangollen. I want something different and unique every year but the reality is that I won’t get to sit through any of them – except one and that’s Choir of the World

“I chair the panel of judges for that and when I was interviewed for the job one of the first questions I asked was would I be the person who actually gets to say who wins Choir of the World – and I do.

“Last year one of my highlights was announcing on the stage who had won and I’ll get to do it again this year and that’s a thrill, it’s magic.”

For more details on this year’s event go to the website at www.internationaleisteddfod.co.uk and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/llangollen

Late notice ... try a picnic in the park this evening

The weather is looking good, an evening of music and song from stage, screen and television featuring Llangollen Silver Band (senior and youth), and the choir Sentimental Journey plus other musical guests.

Bring your picnic rug and something to eat and drink and enjoy the fabulous setting.

The event starts at 6pm and will last for about two hours with breaks, if wet we will be under cover.

Tickets are available from Honeypots, the town clerks office and band/ choir members. They are £5 and under 7's are free.

Corwen station plan gets further down the line

 

* An artist's impression of how the new station

will eventually look.

* Representatives of the Corwen business community, Llangollen Railway Trust and Denbighshire County Council on site.  

 

* The site of the station.

 

Llangollen Railway Trust (LRT) has been awarded a £59,074.00 Cyfenter grant for the provision of the phase 1 station at Corwen.

Cyfenter is a project administered by Mentor Môn, financially supported by the European Regional Development Fund and Denbighshire County Council, that provides financial investment for social enterprise in north west Wales.
 

Announcing the outcome of the successful application for funds to Corwen community and business leaders, LRT chairman Jim Ritchie said the award will allow the railway to go out to tender for work for the installation of concrete foundations for the platform at the phase 1 station site, to be known by a bi-lingual name as Dwyrain Corwen East.

The platform timber sections will be constructed in the railway’s own workshops and will be delivered to the station site for erection once track is in place later this year.

Looking at the prospects for further track extensions, Mr Ritchie said that the rail head would shortly be extended to the location at Bonwm Bends.

 

There after, once base ballasting is complete, the track will extend towards over-bridge 28 near Plas Derwen.

 

Repairs to the brick arch of the over bridge will be undertaken by contractors.

 

It was envisaged that track laying will continue beyond the bridge into the station site during the autumn of 2013.

However, Mr Ritchie also noted that there were potential impediments to this schedule.

 

In particular, the need to rebuild under bridge 29 to allow pedestrian access to the site of a nature reserve on the north side of the Dwyrain Corwen East site and, also, for under-bridge 30 to be incorporated into Denbighshire County Council’s Corwen Flood Relief scheme, at the western end of the station site.

 

Completion of both of these schemes was a priority need if work on the station was to proceed to schedule. 

Llangollen Railway Trust still needs to raise funds to complete the Phase 1 project.

 

Thanks to the grant aid, some recent generous donations and other fund raising activities, the current need is to raise an estimated £78,000, much of which would be needed to ballast the extended track before trains can operate.

 

Subject to these needs being met, Mr Ritchie announced that the first train for invited guests and supporters would arrive at Dwyrain Corwen East on March 1, 2014, which is appropriately St David’s Day.

Mr Ritchie said: “The Railway is delighted to be awarded the European Regional Development Fund Cyfenter grant aid that will allow the construction of Dwyrain Corwen East station in the next few months.

"This phase 1 station is just a few minutes’ walk from the town centre and we look forward to bringing visitors to the town next year. We will also be offering subsidised transport for local residents between Corwen and Llangollen for those who wish to take advantage of the extended railway.

"Whilst recent donations and this grant reduce the total amount of money needed to complete the extension, we continue to appeal for more financial support to reach Corwen by the St David Day’s target next year.”

Denbighshire County Councillor Huw L Jones said: “I am pleased and grateful that the grant aid application by Llangollen Railway Trust has been successful.

 

"The availability of this financial assistance will help secure the completion of Phase 1 of the railway project. The return of trains to the town is eagerly anticipated by the residents and businesses.

 

"The expected spin-off in visitors numbers attracted to Corwen by the railway will boost recognition of the town as an important centre for tourism and we must be ready to cater for them.”

For the Corwen Business Association, Norman Jones said: “The news of the grant aid from Cyfenter for the building of the Dwyrain Corwen East station is very welcome in assisting towards completion of the railway line.

"Corwen was a railway town of some importance to North Wales prior to the Dr Beeching cuts to the railway network in 1965, but since then it has been in slow decline.

“The return of trains, especially from an established heritage railway, will be an important step forward in the future regeneration of Corwen.

 

"Already we have businesses set up in town, or expected to move in, on the strength of the Llangollen Railway’s extension to Corwen and we can confidently expect economic growth and job opportunities to flow from the railway’s arrival.

"This benefit has happened elsewhere when heritage railways have extended their lines and similar advantages will accrue here from increased tourist numbers. We must be prepared to grasp the new business opportunities which will arise when Corwen is recognised as the new terminus for the extended heritage line in the heart of the Dee Valley now set within a designated area of outstanding natural beauty.”

 
Plans of the Dwyrain Corwen East station and photographs will be displayed in the promotional caravan to be sited in the Corwen town car park during the Llangollen Railway’s forthcoming classic transport weekend on July 5/6.

It is planned that vintage buses will operate between Glyndyfrdwy and Corwen bus interchange to bring visitors to see work on the line’s extension.