Ambulance death sparks call to re-open Cottage Hospital

* A call has been made to re-open the Cottage Hospital

following an ambulance death in Swansea.

NEWS of claims that a woman in her 70s died while waiting in a queue of ambulances outside Morriston Hospital, Swansea, have sparked a plea by a health campaigner to re-open cottage hospitals including the one in Llangollen.

Martin Crumpton launched a campaign to save the town’s Victorian community hospital from closure last year.

But his demands were ignored by the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, which ran it, as they pressed ahead with a £5 million scheme to build a new health centre further along the A539 on the site of the demolished River Lodge in Mill Street.  

In the wake of the death of Sonia Powell from a suspected heart attack in an ambulance outside the Swansea hospital, Mr Crumpton has written to a list of senior health board figures calling for cottage hospitals, including the Llangollen building, to be brought back into use.

He says: “It’s finally happened, as you’ve all heard on the news – a needless, avoidable death caused directly by bed shortage.

“Each and every one of you knows it will happen in your area, on your watch, and there’s no defence that you’ve weren’t warned.

“Starting with Llangollen, please reopen the cottage hospitals. It is the only decent thing left to do so I urge you to convene an emergency, extraordinary board meeting and make the appropriate announcement.

 

“I’m sure the public will give you a grace period if they can see their message has got through.”

 

Mr Crumpton adds: “I’ve seen the queues. I’ve spoken to the crews. It’s only a matter of time now, and it’s regrettable in the extreme that you’ll carry the blame for your predecessors’ disastrous decisions.

 

“If nothing else, the poor, grieving family may draw some degree of comfort that their loss wasn’t entirely pointless.”

Flu jabs on offer at Llan Health Centre

Flu vaccination clinics will be held at Llangollen Health Centre on Saturday 4 October from 9.00am, Wednesday 15 October from 5.15pm and Thursday 13 November from 5.15pm.

 

You qualify for a flu vaccination on the NHS if you:

* Are 65 years of age or over

 

* Have a chronic disease such as heart, renal, liver, neurological or respiratory disease

 

* Have diabetes

 

* Have had a stroke or TIA

 

* Are in receipt of a carer’s allowance  or  are the carer of an elderly or disabled person whose welfare may be at risk if the carer falls ill

 

* Are pregnant

 

* Are a community first responder

 

* Are a member of a recognised voluntary organisation  which provides planned emergency first aid at organised public events.

 

To book your appointment please ring the Health Centre on 01978 860625.

Tapas and Prosecco evening raises £1,200 for church

* Guests enjoy the fundraising evening.

The Tapas and Prosecco night at St Collen's Community Hall last Saturday was a great success, raising around £1,200 towards the cost of facilities at Llangollen's Welsh language church, St John's in Abbey Road.

The Rev Andrew Sully, Vicar of St Collen's who organised the evening, has expressed his thanks to all who supported the event and in particular to Crawford Davies who did the cooking and his mum, Sue Cheshire, who was his very able sous chef.

* A Peace One Day Service will be held at 3pm on Sunday, September 21, in St John’s Church, followed by tea in the Peace Garden.

Chain Bridge talk planned for Monday

Chain Bridge @chainbridge2014 has just tweeted that Dr David Gwyn will be giving a talk on the subject of Llangollen's Chain Bridge within a wider World Heritage Site setting at Llangollen Town Hall next Monday, starting at 7pm.

Stand-up comedy returns to Pavilion

Llangollen Pavilion plays host to a night of stand-up comedy this Friday, September 19.

Following sell-out shows earlier in the year, Llangollen Comedy Club returns to the venue after its summer break with a line-up of acts fresh from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.

Opening the show will be Irish comedian Andrew Ryan (below left). Having made his comedy debut in 2008, he has since performed two shows at the Edinburgh Fringe and boasts TV appearances on BBC Three's Russell Howard's Good News and Edinburgh Comedy Fest Live 2014.

North West favourite Mick Ferry (right) will be headlining the show.

One of the most sought after comics on the circuit, Mick was voted Best Live UK Stand Up 2013 at the UK Comedy Awards.

Alongside appearances on BBC One's Michael McIntyre's Comedy Roadshow, he has written for John Bishop's Britain and supported the likes of Sean Lock, Peter Kay and Al Murray on tour. 

As well as performing his solo show in Edinburgh this August, Mick starred alongside Phil Ellis in the critically acclaimed 'Funz and Gamez', which won the coveted Panel Prize in the 2014 Fosters Comedy Awards.

Introducing the acts will be regular host, Silky, who will also present some up-and-coming talent from the comedy circuit in the middle section of the show.

Event organiser Paul Brown says: "We've been overwhelmed by the response to Llangollen Comedy Club since we launched back in January, with several sell-out shows. All of the acts have commented on how fantastic the Llangollen audience are.

 

"This month's show is another cracking line up. I'd encourage anyone who has never been to a gig like this to come along and experience live comedy for themselves - it really is a brilliant night out."

Doors open at 7.30pm and the show starts at 8pm. Tickets, priced £9, are available from Llangollen Pavilion and Gales of Llangollen or online at www.llancomedy.co.uk.

Independent councillors' successful conference

The first conference for independent councillors in Wales was held recently at Llandrindod Wells where over 60 delegates attended.

In a statement, Cllr Hugh H Evans, leader of the WLGA Independent Group, said: "Whilst there was a broad discussion, there was a consensus of opinion and concern on the impact of the present cuts faced by local government on residents and our communities, the impact of the Williams Report and the changing nature of politics in Wales together with the impending threat to local democracy. 

"As independent councillors represent over half of the population of Wales, agreement was reached that we invite the new Minister for Local Government for urgent talks on the future of service provision in Wales. 

"It was agreed Independents could substantially improve the political landscape in Wales by working closely on the national agenda, in encouraging new members, and give serious consideration to standing at the next Assembly elections." 

Fundraisers go extra mile for Plas Madoc campaign

* Cyclists (l-r) Anthony Roberts, Darrell Wright, Cliff Bennion,

Colin Hayward and Greg Ogden. Colin was the team’s designated driver and

back-up, transporting equipment and preparing food etc.

A team of fit fundraisers have raised around £2,000 for the reopening of Plas Madoc Leisure Centre by cycling more than 300 miles.

Splash Community Trust chairman Darrell Wright and director Greg Ogden joined Anthony Roberts and Cliff Bennion for the gruelling team trip from North East Wales to Birmingham

The challenge began in the early hours of September 4, with Darrell and Greg setting off from the Trevor basin and Anthony and Cliff leaving from Llangollen.

Greg said: “At first there were good tracks, a light mist steeling over the canal and wildlife stirring – it began beautifully. However, things got tougher after we passed the Lion Quays.

“The terrain was uneven and there were several miles of boggy ground, it got very precarious in places and we had to do everything we could to avoid falling in the canal!

“However, after some minor scrapes, a puncture and a few wrong turns, we completed a combined 322 miles and we are estimating that between us we’ve raised around £2,000.”

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates (left), a founder member of the Splash Community Trust, also ran the Erddig 10k on Sunday to raise money for the campaign to reopen Plas Madoc.

The Trust is holding a public meeting at Air Products Social Club in Acrefair at 7pm on Thursday (September 18) after Wrexham Council recently said it was minded to support the volunteer-run group with a £50,000 cash injection.

Darrell said: “There is a lot to discuss and a lot of planning and hard work still to come, but we are now finally in a position to look to the future with optimism.

“I would call on anyone who wants to play a part in Plas Madoc’s future to come and show their support. Despite the fantastic progress we’ve made, we cannot succeed without the help of the public – and we’ll need it now more than ever.”