Plan for safer access to new health centre

County council highways officers have come up with a plan to make for safer pedestrian access to Llangollen’s new health centre.  

As revealed by llanblogger last week, at their recent meeting a number of Town Council members voiced concerns about how people making their way on foot to the new centre will cope with what has been described as a traffic “pinch point” where the main A539 narrows just past the Four Poster B&B.

The issue was raised for debate by the mayor, Cllr Bob Lube, who said: “Access to the centre site can be extremely dangerous and I think we should discuss this.”

Cllr Sheena Burrell said: “We have been told that access will be made safer by bringing the traffic speed down to 30mph and putting in pelican crossings.

“The possibility of a footbridge over the river has also been mentioned by some people but we have been told this would be too expensive.

“I’m really dreading it. It’s damn dangerous because everything seems to overhang the road at that point and it’s quite dark.

“It’s going to be absolutely horrendous. If you get a wagon or a bus going past there as people are walking by it’s a recipe for disaster.”

She added: “I am recommending that we invite someone here from the county council to tell us exactly what they are going to do about it.”

Her recommendation was unanimously approved by members and the town clerk was authorised to invite a representative from the county’s highways department to address a future meeting of the council on the issue.     

Local county councillor Stuart Davies later contacted llanblogger to say that he had asked county highways officers to a site meeting to discuss the safety concerns.

After the meeting he said: “I wanted controlled crossings but the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which is developing the new health centre, only talked about crossings.

"To address residents' concerns, I called for the site meeting to investigate. I was informed by our officers that the controlled crossings cannot be done because of the nature of the road there.

“What we are going to do is create `jut-outs’ in the road, which will mean that traffic travelling along there has priority one way and not the other. 

“This will have the effect of slowing the traffic down as one side stops to allow the other side to pass.

“It will have a natural traffic calming effect and I’m confident traffic will be slowed down.

“We’ll also have pink patches painted on the road to warn traffic it is approaching a slower section.  
 
“This sort of thing is doen quite a lot in Wrexham and I think this will be a good compromise for the A539.”

Try a "dry swim" to support Plas Madoc

VOLUNTEERS vying to save Plas Madoc Leisure Centre want residents to show their support by taking part in a ‘dry swim’ around the popular facility this weekend.

 

Members of the Splash Community Trust, formed to take over the running of centre from the council, have organised the event for 3.30pm on Sunday.

 

The trust has until October 1 to reopen Plas Madoc before it’s demolished, but members are aiming to get it back open for business in time for the lucrative summer period.

 

Committee member Arthur Battram said residents and supporters are asked to don fancy dress with an aquatic theme to help raise awareness of the ongoing campaign.

 

“We thought this would be a fun idea and another way of raising awareness on the continuing fight to save Plas Madoc,” said Arthur.

 

“Last time we linked arms around the centre to show our support, now we are hopeful we can give birth to a new creation run by the community for the community.

 

“This time we want to demonstrate our support in a fun way. People of all ages are asked to dress up in their swimming togs, or as fish or octopuses – anything with an aquatic theme.

 

"We will then ‘dry swim’ around the building. Breast-stroke or crawl, it’s up to you, just get those arms going!”

 

The group is asking people to assemble in the car park at 3.30pm. There will be some brief announcements before the swim starts.

Latest roadworks

The county council has given details of the following roadworks in Llangollen:

Outside Prince of Wales pub, Regent Street, temporary traffic lights to allow water works from April 28-30.

The A5, Berwyn Road, temporary traffic lights to allow demolition works from April 28-May 23.

Isherwood backs campaign to end scams

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood is supporting Age Cymru’s Scams Awareness Month in May which aims to put an end to phone, doorstep and internet scams.

 

Age Cymru research reveals that more than 2,500 scams were reported to trading standards departments in Wales between February 2012 and February 2013, yet this figure could be the tip of the iceberg as the Office of Fair Trading believes that only 5% of scams are ever reported, which means that up to 50,000 could have been committed.

 

Mr Isherwood is already supporting Age Cymru’s ‘Scams and Swindles’ campaign, which is calling for Welsh Government intervention to tackle the inconsistent provision and enforcement of no-cold-calling zones across Wales and consequently provide more older people in Wales with protection from criminals, and has raised the matter in the Assembly Chamber on several occasions.

 

He said: “I very much welcome all that Age Cymru is doing to tackle this problem which many people across Wales are unfortunately falling victim to. It is vital that we make people aware of the various scams out there which include fake lotteries, psychics and rogue builders.

 

“Figures from The Office of Fair Trading suggest people in the UK lose £3.5 billion a year to scammers, with older people who fall prey to scammers losing an average £1,200 each.

 

“When I raised the issue with the First Minister in the Chamber earlier this year, I referred to Age Cymru’s call for no-cold-calling zones and for the Welsh Government to intervene to tackle the inconsistent provision and enforcement of these zones across Wales to protect older people. He replied that his program me for government sets out plans to extend no-cold-calling zones.

 

"However, programmes and plans are no substitute for action. If done properly, no-cold-calling zones are cheaper than painting yellow lines on the road and far cheaper than dealing with the consequences of scams and swindles. Therefore, let us tackle the postcode lottery and, perhaps, consider an opt-out scheme across Wales.”

 

Gerry Keighley from Age Cymru said: “Age Cymru is working hard to ensure that vulnerable older people are made aware of the threat of scams, especially people who may be isolated, lonely or live in remote communities.

 

"We are working with dementia sufferers and their carers to bring home the dangers of scams and we are equally concerned that younger people, especially family members and younger neighbours become more aware of the threat scammers pose to older people.”

Volunteers needed to become models for a day

Volunteers fighting to save Plas Madoc Leisure Centre are calling on members of the public to become models for a day.

The recently-formed Splash Community Trust is appealing for residents of all ages to offer their help by posing as ‘magic models’ and playing a part in the popular facility’s revival.

The centre, which could be renamed sPLASh Madoc or sPLASh Magic, will close at the end of April – but the trust wants to reopen it as a social enterprise as soon as the summer.

Committee member and marketing professional Alison Roberts said: “We will be producing material to promote Plas Madoc and we want to show it through the eyes of the people who use it.

“We want to give a true reflection of the fantastic fun to be had at the centre, whether it’s basketball or badminton sessions, swimming lessons, pool parties or roller discos – there’s something for everyone and we want to highlight that.”

Alison added: “Plas Madoc – and our whole campaign – is about the people, and we want to mirror this in our future marketing initiatives.”

Volunteers are wanted at the half-term roller disco from 1pm-2.30pm on Thursday, April 24, and the pool fun inflatables session at 6.30pm the same day, when there will be consent forms for children.

Trust director Greg Ogden added: “This is another way members of the public can help us, so please come along and show your support for Plas Madoc.

“We will continue to advertise key events and dates through Facebook, Twitter and the local press, so keep your eyes peeled, and remember that anyone with fundraising ideas can email jennymiller08@hotmail.co.uk or call Jenny on 07921 659099.”

The trust is still urging people to fill in a short online survey which will help keep centre users up to date and could help with grant applications. To complete it visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PMFUTURE

Plans progress to clone fallen historic oak

The BBC is reporting today that plans are progressing to clone a 1,000-year-old giant oak tree near Chirk which was felled by high winds.

For the full story see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-27065878

Dewi chosen to star with Bryn Terfel in Sweeney Todd

* Dewi Wykes with Bryn Terfel and the two other young singers

chosen to appear in Sweeney Todd, Tom Hier and Lauren Morris.

An unknown young singer from the Vale of Clwyd has been hand-picked by opera legend
Bryn Terfel to join him on stage at this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Dewi Wykes, a 14-year-old pupil from Ysgol Brynhyfryd, in Ruthin, will play Tobias Ragg
alongside the great bass-baritone from Caernarfon and an all-star cast in a performance of
Stephen Sondheim’s Sweeney Todd, the Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Bryn Terfel said: “It was a wonderful performance, the standard one would expect for
Llangollen, and to have a 14-year-old boy there is a real bonus.

“It’s a one-off performance and I can’t wait. It will be a special day in Llangollen when we
perform Sweeney.”

Alongside Bryn making the decision was Synfonia Cymru conductor Gareth Jones and he
believes young Dewi will make a big impression: “He will bring the house down, I don’t doubt
it for a minute,” he said.

“He has one of those faces that will fill even a big stage like the Pavilion – you’re going to get
everything from him.”

A delighted Dewi, who performed two songs from the show, Miracle Elixir and Not While I’m
Around, said afterwards: “At first I was so nervous I was shaking but as soon as Bryn Terfel
started clapping I got more confident.

“I think he enjoyed it and I enjoyed it too. I just can’t get over it now. It’s like dream.
“The first person I told was my nain because she told me about the auditions.”

Dewi’s mum, Jenny, said: “It was my mum and dad, Llinos and Tyrone Powell-Jones, who
live in Wrexham, who saw about the auditions in the newspaper so it’s all down to them.

“We entered but I never thought we’d get this far, it’s brilliant and he’s had lots of support.

“At Brynhyfryd his music teacher, Tim Healey, has been brilliant, and so have Nia Wyn
Jones, from Ysgol Maes Garmon, and Ann Atkinson, as well as Ann Davies who conducts
Cor Cytgan which Dewi is a member of and who are also singing at the Eisteddfod later in
the week.”

In all over 80 young singers tried out for the three parts and these were whittled down to just
12 for the final auditions when the roles of Tobias and the show’s star-crossed young lovers,
Anthony and Johanna, were decided.

Joining Dewi on stage will be tenor Tom Hier, 20, from Merthyr, and Lauren Morris, 21, from
Solihull, who also came through the final auditions and will take their places in the cast when
the acclaimed Broadway hit is staged at the Royal International Pavilion on Monday, July 7,
the curtain-raiser to this year’s six-day Eisteddfod.

Eisteddfod Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths said: “It was a brilliant day. It was a pleasure
to be here. I think we’ve got some fantastic individuals who are going to create a fantastic
ensemble.

“I think the young performers Bryn has chosen will be able to hold their ground next to the
big stars like Bryn and Wynne Evans.

“Lauren and Tom had a real magic together and to find a 14-year-old with the talent Dewi
has was just amazing and has made my day.

“We’ve found three young up and coming stars of the future and we at Llangollen can give
them that first stage on which to shine and that was the reason for holding these auditions.”

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street by Sondheim is set in 19th
London and tells the story of the crazed barber who murders his clients and supplies the
bodies to his accomplice, piemaker Mrs Lovett.

Dewi will play street urchin Tobias Ragg who works for Todd’s rival, Pirelli (Wynne Evans)
and then for Mrs Lovett.

Sondheim’s multi-award winning classic was first performed on Broadway in 1979 and
has since been a regular production across the world and on the big screen in 2007 when
superstar Johnny Depp played Todd and Helena Bonham Carter was Mrs Lovett.

Bryn Terfel, who took the role in 2002 in Chicago, is fresh from a performance of it by the
New York Philharmonic Orchestra at the Lincoln Center in New York last month when
Oscar-winner Emma Thompson played Mrs Lovett.

He said: “That was a fair crack of the whip with lots of blood and playing this man driven by
revenge.

“It was very impressive to have Stephen Sondheim there and telling you what he thought of
the performance. It’s his favourite work and has been performed all over the world and made
into a Hollywood blockbuster.

“It will be special doing it in Llangollen and with Gareth Jones there conducting the Sinfonia
Cymru and I can’t wait.”

It will be the first time he has performed on the International Eisteddfod stage since he
opened the 2006 festival, his first appearance at Llangollen in a decade.

Sweeney Todd will be the curtain raiser to six tremendous days at Llangollen which begin on
Tuesday, July 8, with this year’s concerts featuring Dutch jazz diva Caro Emerald, American
tenor star Noah Stewart, a new work by composer Karl Jenkins, the Cape Town Opera, the
Choir of the World competition on Saturday night and legendary British rockers Status Quo
closing the event on Sunday night.

To book tickets and for more information on the 2014 festival go to the website at
www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk