Bryn's Sweeney triumph kicks off Eisteddfod

* Bryn Terfel in Sweeney Todd at the opening concert at the

International Musical Eisteddfod in Llanfgollen.

Bryn Terfel and a star-studded cast gave this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod a brilliant and bloody launch last night with a sensational Sweeney Todd at the Royal International Pavilion.

The great bass-baritone was making a return to the Eisteddfod stage for the first time since 2006  and Terfel and a cast that included Welsh opera stars Wynne Evans and Shan Cothi produced a garishly gothic performance of Stephen Sondheim’s Broadway smash hit, sponsored by Pendine Park.

Alongside the big names were unknowns plucked by Terfel from auditions to perform alongside him and seizing their big chances were 14-year-old Vale of Clwyd schoolboy Dewi Wykes, Solihull soprano Lauren Morris, 21, and tenor Berwyn Pearce, great-nephew of another Welsh legend, Sir Geraint Evans.

It made for a sensational start to the six-day Eisteddfod which began on Tuesday  with the Parade of Nations led by Eisteddfod President Terry Waite CBE.

A delighted Byn Terfel said: “I’m absolutely thrilled I’m able to appear at the 2014 International Eisteddfod. I’m a proud Welshman and the International Eisteddfod is unique, the atmosphere, the colour, the audience, even the flowers, it really is a very, very special event.”

Eisteddfod Musical Director Eilir Owen Griffiths said: "It is a dream come true that we achieved something so spectacular as Bryn has performed this work in Carnegie Hall, Royal Festival Hall and now Llangollen. I'm so proud.”

Eilir has had him in his sights since he was appointed ahead of the 2012 event. He added: “The idea of Bryn doing Sweeney Todd at Llangollen stems from a discussion I had with him in June 2011 after a concert I did with him at Aberglesni Gardens when he premiered my Reqiuem.

“Bryn and I are friends and we were both staying the night and he invited me, my wife and our little boy, Aaron, for breakfast the next day.

“At 9am there was a big bang bang on the door and there was Bryn standing there and he said, ‘Do you remember I’m cooking breakfast this morning?’

“I said we’d be there in ten minutes and round we went to find Bryn with the frying pan ready and he cooked breakfast while we discussed him bringing Sweeney Todd to Wales.

“A few months later I was appointed Musical Director and one of my first calls was to Bryn’s agent to ask if he could do it in July 2012 but she said the first July day available was in 2014.

“So I’ve been so excited for three years and I’ve been planning for it since then. This is my third International Eisteddfod and I’ve been very passionate about doing this with Bryn with an all-Welsh cast and with young people from Wales.”

Latest update on railway's Corwen project

Llangollen Railway says a notable occasion came on June 25 when the first loco-hauled train visited the new Corwen station site – although it was only the ballast train.

In its latest official update on the Corwen extension project the railway says that ballast train was propelled by diesel shunter 03162 and nevertheless made an impressive sight.

The update goes on: “A continued famine of supplies of recycled ballast from Crewe frustrated the top ballasting of the track during June. 

“The issue has been resolved by placing an order for 1,000 tonnes of new stone from the quarry at Penmaenmawr, although it does come at increased cost.

“However, immediate delivery of stone by lorry to the yard at Carrog commenced and the ballast train began running again on the extension west of Bonwm from June 23.

“These daily deliveries allowed for the ballast train to work through to Corwen East as stone was dropped west of Bridge 28A.

“It is anticipated that the ballasting will take four weeks to complete, to be followed by the hiring in of a tamper machine which will clearly take completion of the exercise into August.”

On the Corwen East station site, the update says: “As of the end of June the volunteer work force began laying the final panels of track which will take the railhead through to the gated access for the site.

“Unfortunately, the prospect of the wooden temporary platform being erected by local contractors did not proceed as planned. The contractors have now withdrawn from the project and alternative methods for platform erection are being explored to provide a quick fix for this essential facility.

“In addition, the erection of the graded access ramp off the embankment is to be tackled as a volunteer led option, once the railhead is secured.

“The site of the accommodation building for the station has to be determined to allow for a concrete base to be cast, whilst the actual steel framed building is on order from the Railway’s engineering department.

“Solar powered lighting for the station is being investigated as the cost of a mains supply to the site is beyond the available budget.

“As of the end of June agencies for Denbighshire County Council were preparing the footpath below to station site which will allow access via under bridge 29 to the adjacent nature reserve. Top coating of the footpath through the Corwen Common area to the town’s car park is also proceeding.

“Attention continues to be given to the list of snags, large and small, on the length of the extension in preparation for the final inspection. With a range of work still to be completed, a date for the opening remains elusive at this stage.

“Local representatives at the Community Liaison meeting on June 25 were told that an autumnal option for a first passenger train in the Dwyrain Corwen East station is a possibility, if progress is maintained.”

Reports of mystery noise in the area

Sean Jones from Trevor has been in touch this afternoon (Monday) to say:

"Just been looking for any news on what might be behind the loud bangs being heard at the Trevor/Froncysyllte end of the Dee Valley. 

 

"It has been heard for over a week pretty much every day.  Just in case you have an idea I thought I would jot an email to you.

 

"Is it a Bird Scarer, blasting in a quarry or road building or just gun shot?"

 

* If anyone has any idea about what's causing the noise, please get in touch with llanblogger.

Save Plas Madoc group to hold public meeting

The volunteer-run group formed to save Plas Madoc Leisure Centre will hold its latest public meeting later this week.

On Saturday at 11am, the Splash Community Trust will provide an update on its plans to reopen the popular facility as a social enterprise.

And organisers are calling on residents to show their continuing support by turning out in force at Air Products Social Club in Acrefair.

Chairman Darrell Wright said: “It’s a chance to keep members of the public and supporters up to date with what’s happening. People might think it’s gone a bit quiet recently, but there’s still a massive amount of work going on behind the scenes.”

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates, another of the trust’s founder members, added: “We have enjoyed fantastic support from the public so far, and I would ask you to stick with us while we continue with our efforts to save Plas Madoc.

“It can’t be done overnight and we still need to raise a huge amount of money, but as long as the will, the enthusiasm and the support remain then we have every chance of reopening the centre and achieving something amazing.”

The trust’s most recent fundraiser, a race night, was held at the Old Black Horse in Rhostyllen on Friday and raised almost £600.

Co-organiser and Splash Community Trust director Greg Ogden, from Trevor, said: “The race night went really well and was another success in financial terms. I would particularly like to thank the landlords Keith and Wendy and the locals in Rhostyllen who dug deep to help us raise as much as possible.”

To donate to the trust through its new PayPal account by visiting https://t.co/VlqCYUVROU. Alternatively, call Jenny Miller on 07921 659099 or email jennymiller08@hotmail.co.uk.

Campaigner's alternative health services plan

* Martin Crumpton wants to see the River Lodge site turned into a big car park. 

A LLANGOLEN campaigner has come up with his alternatives to current plans for the future of health services in the town.

Martin Crumpton says that instead of selling off the former Cottage Hospital in Abbey Road to a housing association it should be retained by the health board and used as the base for a range of health services currently fighting for space at the GP centre in Regent Street.

And he reckons the site off Mill Street where the old River Lodge is now in the final stages of demolition should be used not for a £5 million new health centre as planned but as the large car park which Llangollen needs.


Mr Crumpton’s suggestions come in the preface to a public petition which he is asking the area’s residents to sign before sending it off to health and council chiefs.

The petition form is headed “Save Our Surgery” and has a link from his Facebook page.
 

In it he says: “This is our chance in a lifetime to solve the parking problem.”
 

Mr Crumpton’s plan is to:

· Reopen the Cottage Hospital, (pictured right) complete with beds and the second floor brought back into use.    

· Relieve pressure on the Regent Street health centre by moving ancillary service such as district nurses, minor injuries unit, phlebotomy and physiotherapy back there.

 

· Make the River Lodge site into the large car park “Llangollen needs”.
 

He claims the advantages are that current GP surgery stays within walking distance for the majority of patients, “unlike the new site” and that the traffic pinch point problem where Mill Street narrows and makes for a “dangerous access” to the new health centre site, “simply disappears”.

Mr Crumpton says further benefits of his plan are that turning the River Lodge site into a big car park will “stimulate business and tourism in Llangollen, creating jobs and wealth” and that Llangollen “gets what it needs instead of what outsiders think we should have”.

The petition can be seen at: https://www.dropbox.com/s/8bf6wa3xly4wa40/AAposter.pdf

Opera star Rhys stops off in Llan during his 200-mile charity trek

*   Rhys Meirion accepts a donation as he arrives on Llangollen Bridge to be greeted by town crier Austin Chemenais, right 

*   Rhys addresses the crowd in front of the Town Hall.

* TV presenter Iolo Williams, centre wearing hat, was among the walkers
accompanying Rhys Meirion.

* A guitarist plays on the steps outside the library to welcome Rhys  to the town.

Welsh opera star Rhys Meirion stopped off in Llangollen this afternoon (Sunday) during his 200-mile sponsored which aims to raise £250,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance.  

Now in its third year, the Walk On celebrity challenge is being spearheaded for 2014 by Rhys who is official ambassador for the air ambulance.

He and his band of supporters are walking from Colwyn Bay to Cardiff and are due to complete their marathon trek next Saturday.

Arriving in Llangollen after walking via Llandegla and the Horseshoe Pass, they were officially greeted by the tolling handbell of town crier Austin Chemenais.

 

A large crowd was waiting to meet the walkers and addressing them from a stage area set up outside the library Rhys said: "It's been pretty tough going but it's all worthwhile when we you receive a welcome like this."

He added: “It has been an honour and a privilege to accept the invitation to become an ambassador for the Wales Air Ambulance.

“From the moment I accepted I have been considering ways in which I would be able to contribute to their huge effort in raising the money needed to ensure that this invaluable service is available to the people of Wales.

“This year we are doing a 200-mile coast-to-coast walk to link Colwyn Bay to Cardiff  travelling via the magnificent border counties."

The project was launched with a gala concert at Venue Cymru on Friday and the walk started at Eirias Park, Colwyn Bay on Saturday morning

The walk continued through Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog, Welshpool, Newtown, Llanidloes, Builth Wells, Brecon, Merthyr, Aberfan and on to Cardiff.

Along the way Rhys is being joined for sections of the route by some of Wales’s top musical acts, sports personalities and celebrities and some international stars too.

Among those accompanying him today was TV nature presenter Iolo Williams.

Idris the Dragon moves into town

* Fringe directors Graham Timms, Paul Keddie, Robert Jaques and Sara Roberts with Ken Skates AM and  sculptor Matt Baker.

Idris the Welsh Dragon was unveiled yesterday by Ken Skates, Llangollen's Assembly Member.

The big red beast was made by local sculptor Matt Baker and is on display opposite the lawn opposite Royal Hotel.

The to-metre-high dragon has been constructed as part of the Llangollen Fringe Community Arts project run by artist Jan Murray.

Two Llangollen Fringe art exhibitions are also now open and will continue until the end of August.

Y Capel on Castle Street has an exhibition of artists and photographers who live in the Dee valley,
organised alongside Denbighshire Exhibition and Arts Project Coordinator Siân Green.

The Llangollen History Museum hosts an exhibition that includes work from groups who have worked with Jan Murray in the community.

Both events will continue until the end of August.

Jan has been working with local schools to produce poetry, paintings and model dragons for display during the main Llangollen Fringe festival period from July 17-27.

Another 90 dragons have been made and will join Idris on the lawn in 10 days time.

Art has always been a large part of the festival with Damien Hirst and Tracey Emin having visited the town in the past. But now the focus is on community involvement.

There are three exhibitions this year as well as the street art that will be seen around the town.

The main festival includes a huge range of events and aims to live up to the unofficial Fringe motto of "something for everyone".