Plans finalised for Llan Christmas Festival

Members of the Llangollen Christmas Festival Committee are now very busy finalising arrangements for this year's event, which will be on Saturday 30th November 

 

The Festival will start with Sion Corn’s arrival by steam train at the station and then he will accompany a parade  led by the Llangollen Silver Band through the streets to the Town Hall.

 

The Parade will start at the station at 1.00pm and proceed along Castle Street then into Market Street, East Street, Parade Street and then back to the Town Hall where Sion Corn will have his Grotto.

 

It is also the intention to close Oak Street from 10.00am to 6.00pm where street entertainment, market stalls, music and dancing will be available. 

 

Sion Corn’s Grotto will be in the Town Hall where children will be able to visit him and receive a small gift.

 

To avoid waiting a long time in a queue to see him arrangements are being made for tickets to be sold in advance at half hour time intervals. Those tickets will be available from the Town Hall Office and Tourist Information Office.   

 

Although the Festival Committee has received generous donations from some local businesses, to whom the group says it is extremely grateful, more funding is required to ensure a successful Festival so anyone wishing to make a donation should contact the Town Hall office on 01978 861345.

 

Funds have been raised from a Car Boot Sale, Sponsored Climb up Snowdon, contributions from an Abseiling event in Llangollen and it is the intention to hold a sponsored car wash with the help of the local Fire Service (date to be arranged) and also a Quiz Night in the Town Hall. Collection boxes have been placed in various locations in the town and these have raised well over £200 in the past but it is hoped that this sum will grow by the time of the Festival. 

 

A Raffle is being held once again and over 20 prizes have been donated so the Committee hopes everyone will be digging deep in their pockets and buying lots of tickets which will be on sale very soon. 

   

Arrangements are being made for lots of musical entertainment during the day provided by the Silver Band and many local choirs taking part.

 

There will be children's funfair rides, climbing tower, Punch & Judy shows, circus acts, Morris dancing, a storyteller, a facepainter and lots more to entertain you during the day until the Christmas Lights are switched on about 5.00pm followed by a Laser Light show or Firework display.

 

Once again pupils from Ysgol Bryn Collen and Ysgol Y Gwernant will be entering competitions and the winners will be invited to switch on the Lights. 

 

Pitches will be available at various locations across the town for those who bring their own Market Stalls at a cost of £25 and anyone interested should contact Gareth Thomas on 01978 861345. 

 

All net proceeds from the Festival will be donated to Hope House Children's Hospice. 

We're taking a short break

llanblogger is taking a short break.

We'll be back online in just over a week's time to bring you all the latest in news and views from Llangollen and the surrounding region.

Clubs invited to apply for cash boost

Corwen and District Angling Club has received a community chest grant to continue the  work they have done encouraging new junior members to participate in the sport.

And the county council says every club in Denbighshire will be eligible to apply for a similar cash boost.

For the past four months Corwen Angling Club has taken groups of children to fish at Chirk Fishery for one day a month so that the kids can enjoy uninterrupted coaching.

The parents are invited and food is provided for them in addition to the children - this is all free of charge and all the kids are given free membership to the club.

The club will also be holding fly tying days at the Recreation Pavillion in Corwen over the winter free of charge.

A series of junior fishing competitions have also been arranged for next year in conjunction with Bala Angling Club.

This will be on a monthly league basis and will be over a 6 months period and the intention is to develop the skills of these kids to a high level of competence and the ultimate goal would be for some to represent Wales on the International fly fishing stage.

Corwen Cricket Club, and Henllan Football Club both also benefited from a recent community chest grant as they plan to introduce two new junior teams this year.  Corwen cricket club received the full £932 they requested for coach education, training costs and equipment and could still apply for another £568 for further costs this year too.  With two more meetings remaining in the current financial year the panel has over £30,000 still available and clubs are encouraged to apply, subject to their meeting the appropriate criteria.  For full lists of criteria go to http://denbighshireleisure.co.uk/grants.html#Denbighshire or pick up a leaflet from your local leisure centre.  Every club in Denbighshire will be eligible to apply for a community chest grant of up to £1500, every 12 months for separate projects.

Warning over cold call computer scam

Denbighshire Trading Standards is renewing its warning to residents to be extra vigilant following  reports of  telephone calls from a company falsely claiming to be a Manager from “Windows Computer Software in London” .

The cold callers are telling residents that their computers security is threatened and go on to offer free security checks.

If the initial sales pitch is successful, the victims help the fraudsters gain remote access to their computers via visiting a website called www.ammyy.com.

By visiting the site and downloading the legal software, it gives the scammers access to your computer and potentially to personal information that you may have on the computer,  for example account log-in information and bank details, all of which could be used to commit fraud.

Emlyn Jones, Denbighshire’s Public Protection Manager said: “Residents should be aware that neither Microsoft or its partners make unsolicited calls to charge for computer security or fixes.  If individuals need check then they should go to the official Microsoft website.”

   Trading Standards is offering the following advice to consumers:

§        Be suspicious of unsolicited calls related to a computer or other security problem, even if they         claim to represent a respected company
§        Never provide personal information, such as credit card or bank details, to an unsolicited caller
§        Do not go to a website, type anything into a computer, install software or follow any other         instruction from someone who calls out of the blue
§        If you can, take the caller’s information down and pass it to the authorities, but if you are         uncomfortable with the caller, simply put the phone down.
§        Use up-to-date versions of your operating and application software
§        Make sure security updates are installed regularly
§        Make sure the firewall is turned on and that anti-virus software is installed and up to date
§        If you have any concerns about your computer, take to a local/ reputable expert to check it out

To help reduce the number of unsolicited calls, consumers can register for the Telephone Preference Service on 0845 070 0707.

For further information or to report such a call, residents can contact Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 08454 04 05 06 or 08454 04 05 05 for the Welsh language service

Doggie treats for pampered pooches

* Pupcakes...canine chef Sharon Ludgate with Lola the Lab and the Christmas treats for pampered pooches.

Christmas is coming early for pampered pooches in North East Wales - with a range of doggie treats being launched at a food festival for humans.

Canine chef Sharon Ludgate, 34, will be unveiling the new festive cakes and biscuits made for dogs at the popular Hamper Llangollen event being held on Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20.

According to Sharon, from Penyffordd, near Buckley , in Flintshire, who started her company, Pupcakes, earlier this year, her products are also suitable for human consumption. 
 
She said: “I’m absolutely delighted and so excited to have been invited to attend the Hamper 2013 Llangollen Food Festival, it’s such a massive honour and privilege.

“I’m so looking forward to launching my Christmas range at the festival, I can’t wait.
“I’m launching three new specially flavoured Christmas cakes for dogs, apple and cinnamon, ginger and cranberry.

“On top of that I’ll be showing off my new doggie advent calendars filled with 24 little bone-shaped treats and Christmas stockings for dogs which are crammed full of a variety of treats.”

Sharon started Pupcakes with the help of her nine-year-old daughter, Emma, and her partner Scott, after spotting a gap in the market.

She explained: “We had a beautiful Labrador dog called George who was sadly a bit overweight. Most people know you shouldn’t give dogs chocolate but most commercially produced treats are still packed with sugar and fats, none of which does a dog a great deal of good.

“Emma and I used to make treats for George using wholemeal flour, fresh vegetables but no raw meat. It was all very healthy stuff and George used to love them.

“When George died of old age we took on a two-year-old golden Labrador called Lola. She was a rescue dog and grossly overweight when we got her.

“She has now lost a huge amount of that excess weight and really enjoys our healthy treats.”

She added: “I spent a year researching recipes before we launched Pupcakes and everything I make we taste-test ourselves, including Scott, who also looks after all the accounts and all the other admin tasks that comes with running any business.

“We now make a range of birthday cakes for dogs in a number of flavours including beef, chicken, minty lamb, peanut butter, cheese and carrot. Plus we make little biscuit bone-shaped treats which are hugely popular with my regular customers.

“I think people like what we do because they know we only use good wholesome ingredients and when we say there is no sugar and reduced fat in our products, people know they can trust us.”

Pupcakes is registered with Wrexham County Borough Council and Sharon labels all her products with a breakdown of their fat, sugar and protein content.     

She said: “It means customers know what they are getting and trust that the product they are giving their pets is first class.

“The ingredients are all hand-picked and fresh, the cakes and biscuits are perfectly suitable for human consumption too. In fact Scott really likes them!”

Sharon, who works closely with Trelogan-based North Clwyd Animal Rescue Centre, says she got the idea of introducing a Christmas range after feedback from customers.

She said: “Our doggie birthday cakes are proving ever more popular as are our biscuits. But customers have started asking for cakes and special treats for other special events such as Halloween and pet pamper evenings.

“That gave me the idea to introduce a Christmas range and I have had a lot of interest already from regular customers.

“I spent months perfecting the Christmas recipes and getting it just right. I’m really happy with the range and particularly like our advent calendars, I just think they are superb.”  
Sharon, has also just learned Pupcakes has been named BizMums Best New Business 2013.

She said: “I was amazed to learn some of my customers had nominated me for the BizMums award. I don’t know who nominated me but I’m so grateful to them.

“BizMums is a social enterprise that supports inspiring mums in business. It’s fantastic to be recognised in this way, especially as it is something of a new business idea. I've only just found out I have won and don't even know what the prize is yet although I know I get a special plaque.

“I’m now concentrating on getting ready for Llangollen where I hope to meet lots of dog owners wanting to treat their pets by giving Santa something special to pass on this Christmas.”

This year's Hamper Llangollen is being supported by the rural development agency, Cadwyn Clwyd.

 

Cadwyn Clwyd’s contribution came via the Rural Development Fund for Wales 2007-2013, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Government.

 

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 and we're delighted that Pupcakes will be joining us this year.

 

"Although Sharon's products are designed with dogs in mind, they are also perfectly fine for people to eat. She's created a new food based business which is contributing to the local economy.

 

"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

Skates welcomes job creation figures

FIGURES showing the creation of 8,672 job opportunities across Wales – including 568 in Wrexham and Denbighshire – have been welcomed by Clwyd South AM Ken Skates.

Mr Skates hailed the success of the Welsh Labour Government’s Jobs Growth Wales programme, which was set up in 2011 and has seen 6,896 of the positions filled – 544 since 10 August this year.

 

The ‘flagship’ scheme was set up to tackle a key issue that young people face in their search for jobs – how they can secure the work experience employers require.

 

As well as creating job opportunities for unemployed people aged 16-24, the posts created by Jobs Growth Wales are new positions and can therefore help Welsh businesses grow.

 

Commenting on the figures, Mr Skates said: “Jobs Growth Wales is one of the Welsh Government’s flagship programmes and it’s fantastic to see that it continues to go from strength to strength.

 

“It’s clear to see from the statistics Jobs Growth Wales is working and is making a real difference to young people's lives. Our absolute priority in these still-challenging economic times is to stand up for the people of Wales, creating jobs and enabling growth, and the ongoing success of this programme proves we’re doing just that.”  

Walk arranged to mark facelift of historic landmark

* An old picture of the Jubilee Tower.

A special walk is being arranged to mark the official opening of refurbishment work at one of the Clwydian Range's most historic landmarks.

Denbighshire and Flintshire Councils have worked together to develop a programme of works to reconsolidate parts of the Jubilee Tower at the summit of Moel Famau.

Parts of the tower have deteriorated over recent times and access onto the tower has become increasingly difficult.

The Jubilee Tower was built in 1810 to commemorate the Golden Jubilee of King George III. The original 120ft tower, set on a broad base, blew down in the 1860s and the remains have slowly deteriorated ever since.

Major repairs were carried out in 1969, but since then it has received very little attention – despite being one of the most visited spots in both counties – getting over 200,000 visitors every year.

In 2009 Flintshire and Denbighshire Councils, with support from the Clwydian Range AONB commissioned specialist conservation architects TACP to examine the condition of the building and to make recommendations for its repair and reconsolidation.

Now, with support from the Heritage Lottery Fund through the Heather and Hillforts Project, work has taken place.

The walk delegation will leave the Pen Barras car park at 2pm on Friday, 4 October for a leisurely walk to the Tower, where the new staircase to the tower will be officially opened.

David Shiel, Senior Countryside Officer for the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB, said: "A careful study of the tower had identified key areas in need of repair and reconsolidation. Specialist stone masons have used traditional techniques to carefully repair the stone work and construct a new spiral staircase onto the tower.  

"This is the first time in over 40 years that any significant work has taken place at the Tower. We have been really please to find that so much of the original monument had survived underneath the rubble.  

"It has been a painstaking job to expose these parts of the tower that have lain buried for so many years. You can really get a sense of the original scale of the building."

Cllr Carolyn Thomas, chair of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB and chair of Flintshire County Council, said: "It is excellent news that we have been able to carry out this important work.

"The Jubilee Tower is such an iconic landmark for the Clwydian Range and many of the communities of both Flintshire and Denbighshire - but we have perhaps taken it for granted over the years – despite it receiving over 200,000 visitors every year very little has been invested over the last 40 years in safeguarding the fabric of the building.

"It's great that we are in a position to celebrate this work and to look forward to welcoming thousands people to this historic feature over the coming years."