AM dons high heels to highlight violence against women

 

* Mark Isherwood AM wears high heels to highlight the Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ event.

 

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood donned a pair of high heels today to help raise awareness of Welsh Women’s Aid’s ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’ event.

 

'Walk a Mile in Her Shoes' is an internationally recognised campaign that asks men the world over to take the challenge of walking one mile in high heeled shoes to help raise awareness of violence against women.

 

There is a wide range of men taking part this year, including a rugby team!

 

Mr Isherwood said: “By wearing the high heels today I think I proved that I am prepared to do anything to help a good cause! I was only in the heels for a very short time and found it difficult to walk in them, so I commend all those men who will be walking a mile, and Women’s Aid for coming up with such a fun way to get the community to talk about something that is often very difficult to discuss: gender relations and sexual  violence.”

 

For more information about the ‘Walk a Mile in Her Shoes’, log on to walkamileinhershoes.org

Denbighshire school meals now officially best in UK

Denbighshire's School Meals service is the best in the UK - and that's official.

The service was chosen as Best Performer in the Education Catering category at the Association of Public Services Excellence (APSE) Awards held in Blackpool last Thursday.

Services from across the UK submitted Data and APSE then short-listed down to Bolton, Cheshire West, Clackmannanshire, East Renfrewshire, Hartlepool and Manchester City Councils before Denbighshire were proclaimed the winners.

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for Environment, said: "We take great pride in our school meals service as it consistently performs well in terms of the healthy, nutritious and balanced meals it offers to our children and young people.

"School meals take up is on the increase, as we have devised menus that are attractive to pupils, as well as giving parents peace of mind that their children are given plenty of choice of meals in schools.

"I would like to congratulate the whole team, from the management to all the catering staff in our schools on winning this prestigious industry award. This really shows the commitment and dedication to improving the service is paying dividends."

County appoints new social services boss

Denbighshire County Council has appointed Nicola Stubbins as its new Director of Social Services.
   
Nicola is currently Head of Service - Adult Safeguarding and Well-being for Blackpool Council and has experience in both adult and children's services.

She will replace Sally Ellis who is retiring from her role as Corporate Director and Statutory Director for Social Services.
   
Councillor Bobby Feeley, Cabinet Lead Member for Health and Well-being and who is also the Older Person's Champion, said: "We are delighted that an officer of Nicola's calibre will be joining us here in Denbighshire. She has a wealth of experience in the social services field and is well placed to continue the tremendous work carried out by Sally and the team over the years.
   
"We would like to formally welcome Nicola to Denbighshire and to thank Sally for her clear commitment, dedication and leadership in our efforts to protect vulnerable people in the county."
   
Nicola said: "I am truly and honestly thrilled to be joining Denbighshire County Council. The post of Director of Social Services is a great responsibility but this is also an exciting opportunity to be part of a successful team".

Lessons must be learned from health board's failings, says AMs report

Health authorities across Wales must learn lessons from failings at the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, assembly members have warned.

Some senior managers at the board, the biggest in Wales, have already stepped down after an earlier  critical report.

In its latest report, which has just been published, the powerful assembly's public accounts committee says the new leadership now faces a "huge task".

* The Party of Wales AM Llyr Gruffydd, who represents North Wales, said: “This damning report highlights serious concerns over the breakdown of the relationship between the Health Board, its staff and the Welsh Government. In particular, there was a failure to properly hold Health Board leaders to account.

 

“The committee concluded that, had the Welsh Government properly monitored the Health Board, then problems could have been identified earlier. The laissez faire attitude of the Welsh Government towards our health service is unacceptable, and this report demonstrates that patients have suffered as a result.”

* See the full story on the BBC North East Wales website at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25305585

Tragedy in Fron

The BBC's North East Wales news website is reporting this evening (Thursday) that a three-year-old boy has died in hospital after he was found in a garden pond in Froncysllte.

See the full story at:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-24865177

Operatic presents its Christmas show

Llangollen Operatic Society will present its big festive show at the Town Hall tomorrow (Tuesday) evening.

A Christmas Cracker is a selection of seasonal songs and short sketches.

It starts at 7.30pm and tickets at £6 are available from Gwynn 's Butchers and the Tourist Information Centre in Castle Street and also on the door on the night.

Trains services in Wales "lagging behind" says report

Train services in Wales are lagging behind those elsewhere in the UK, according to a report highlighted today on the BBC's North East Wales news website.

See the full story at: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-25297609