Llangollen remembers the fallen

They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old:
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Hundreds of people packed the centre of Llangollen for the annual Service of Remembrance this morning Sunday.

 

The moving ceremony was this year given special poignance as it is the 100th anniversary of the start of the First World War in 1914. 

 

The Rev Andrew Sully, Vicar of St Collen's Church, led the service assisted by other local clergy.

 

The traditional Ode of Remembrance was read out by John Lawton, of the Lllangollen branch of the Royal British Legion, followed by the laying of wreaths by representatives of numerous local organisations and groups, including the Mayor, Cllr Bob Lube, on behalf of the Town Council.

 

As the wreath-laying was taking place the names of local servicemen who fell fighting for their country were read out.

 

Following prayers and hymns, the parade, led by Royal British Legion standard bearers and Llangollen Silver Band, proceeded through the town centre. In its ranks were various groups such as local military cadets, Scouts, Guides and Brownies.

 
 
 
 

 

* The Rev Andrew Sully leads the ceremony.

 

 

* Llangollen Silver Band heads the parade.

 

 

* The Town Council contingent in the parade.

 

 

* Ex-servicemen march down Castle Street.

 

 

 

* Guides, Scouts and Brownies in the parade. 

AM raises North Wales health concerns with Minister

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood  has called on the Welsh Government to take urgent action to address the high patient/GP ratio in North Wales and the subsequent impact on out-of-hours services.   

 

At a British Medical Association Cymru Wales briefing session in the Assembly in June, which was attended by a Mold GP, the chair of the North Wales Local Medical Committee stated that “general practice in North Wales is ‘in crisis’, that several practices have been unable to fill vacancies and many GPs are seriously considering retirement because of the current expanding workload”.

 

Raising the matter in this week’s Questions to the Health Minister, Mr Isherwood said: “While the UK Government has launched a pilot scheme for GP Surgeries in nine areas to bid for money to open from 8am to 8pm, seven days a week, Members who attended the  June 3rd briefing event in the Assembly by British Medical Association Cymru Wales and the North Wales Local Medical Committee will have heard that patient/GP ratios in north Wales have risen to 3,800:1 - double the safety rate normally recognised by the Welsh Government and health providers. How will this impact on out-of-hours services in Anglesey and more widely across the region? What urgent action is being taken to prioritise remedies to address this?”

 

The Deputy Minister for Health, Vaughan Gething AM, replied: “It is, of course, entirely appropriate that that nurse-practitioner service has the support of other medical practitioners as appropriate, and that may be for the GP service that should be available to them at all points in the out-of-hours service. So, I would not accept that the figures that he has quoted show that this is a service that is not being run in an appropriate way that puts the needs of the patient, and the needs of a patient in an out-of-hours-context service, first, and I am quite satisfied that this is an appropriate use of resource.”

 

Mr Isherwood added: “The Royal College of General Practitioners Wales ‘Put Patients First: Back General Practice’ campaign reports that real terms spending on GP practices in Wales has dropped by more than £27 million over three years and highlighted a major concern in primary care, with the average age of GPs in North Wales now over 50, described as “a ticking time bomb”.

 

The British Medical Association (BMA) Cymru Wales’ document  ‘GP Practice—A Prescription for a Healthy Future’, launched in the Assembly last month, included ‘Successive (Welsh Government) Ministers have made commitments to involve GPs in the running of NHS Wales, to expand primary care, to invest in the development of extended primary care teams and to locate those teams in modern, purpose-built centres.

 

"However, despite the good intentions, none of this happened in the way that was intended."

Santa swoops in to check festival plans

* Santa and faithful “helfer” Gorgeous George board the Wales Air Ambulance for their flight to Llangollen.

SANTA chose a high-flying way to check out the route he’ll be taking into Llangollen’s annual Christmas Festival later this month.   

He winged his way over the famous tourist town aboard a helicopter provided by the Wales Air Ambulance, the charity which will benefit from the big seasonal show on Saturday, November 29.

Santa – known in Wales as Sion Corn – always tries to find a novel way of getting to Llangollen and last year he and his trusty elves braved the rapids of the River Dee to reach their destination.

 

This year with the help of the Air Ambulance and Gorgeous George, his faithful “helfer”, he took to the skies to check the airspace over Llangollen. 

Swooping and soaring above the town they traced the route he will take before joining the traditional festival parade and later handing out presents to children waiting to meet him in the Town Hall.

However, Santa was heard to whisper to George that the helicopter was a bit slow compared to his usual magic sleigh and couldn’t even disappear!

The Christmas festival features stalls, entertainment, music, Punch and Judy and morris dancers.

The parade starts at 1pm and the Christmas lights will be switched on at 5pm followed by a spectacular fire dance and fireworks.

Details of local roadworks

The county council has given details of the following local roadworks:

A542 Abbey Road, November 13 and 14, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works; A5 Berwyn Road, November 13, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works; A5 Regent Street, November 14, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works.

Bache Mill Road, November 25-December 2, temporary traffic lights to allow electrical works by ScottishPower; A5 Berwyn Street, November 14,  temporary traffic lights to allow BT works; A5 Queen street, November 15 and 16, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works.

Oak Street, November 29, road closure to allow Christmas festivities by Llangollen Town Council; A5 Berwyn Street, November 12, stop/go signs to allow remedial works by O’Connor Utilities; A5 Berwyn Street, November 16, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works.

Fron Bache, November 9-11,  road closure to allow electrical works by ScottishPower; Geraint, November 18 and 19, road closure to allow works by Amberon; A5 Berwyn Road, near Mile End Cottage, temporary traffic lights to allow water works by Dee Valley Water.

 

A5 Queen Street, November 15 and 16, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works; A5 Berwyn Street, November 16, temporary traffic lights to allow BT works; A5 Regent Street, November 12, temporary traffic lights to allow remedial works by O’Connor Utilities; Pengwern, November 13-25, temporary traffic lights to allow electrical works by ScottishPower.

Countryside access issue raised in Assembly

The on-going dispute over off-road vehicles using the countryside around Llangollen has been cited in an exchange in the Welsh Assembly.

At a recent public meeting in the Town Hall both off-road users and residents shared their opposing views on the issue.

A follow-up meeting is due to be held soon.

In the Assembly last week North Wales Liberal Democrat AM Aled Roberts put a question to Natural Resources Minister Carl Sargeant about access to footpaths.

Mr Roberts, who attended the Llangollen public meeting, said: “Does the Minister have any intention of reviewing the statutory framework regarding access to the countryside?”

The Minister replied: “As part of the ongoing review of access, I intend to issue a Green Paper for consultation. I will look at improving the opportunities for responsible outdoor recreation together with reducing the burdens placed on local authorities and landowners.”

Mr Roberts came back: “A number of meetings have been held in the Ceiriog Valley and Llangollen areas, with Ken Skates and others in attendance, where there are problems with historic roads being blocked, to some extent, by 4x4 vehicles.

“Would you be willing to consider the complexity of the situation, because there are a lot of problems with councils not knowing exactly which routes these different roads should take.”

Mr Sargeant told him: “Yes, indeed; aside from the Green Paper with regard to seeking views on the network, that is something that I will ask colleagues across Government and my department to look at specifically. If there is a void of guidance, perhaps we should review that consideration.”

 

Christmas comes early with fun Twenty Club play

Christmas has come early for Llangollen audiences as the Twenty Club stages its rib-tickling version of the Alan Ayckbourn play Season’s Greetings at the Town Hall on three nights this week plus a matinee on Saturday.
 

Despite having been in business for over 60 years, the club has lost none of its vitality and has assembled a formidable nine-strong cast for this black-ish, often farcical, comedy by the old master which tells the tale of a dysfunctional family spending the festive season uncomfortably together in an average English suburban house.

A number of excellent new players have been recruited to strengthen the already-powerful core of established actors.
 

These include David Edgar, who gives a brilliant portrayal as man of the house Neville. He’s an electronics retailer without any energy to spare on his wife Belinda, who is played to perfection by another very useful newcomer Paula Sutton.

Fresh in the club’s ranks too is Robin Cowley, who turns in a neat performance as Neville’s pretty useless mate Eddie.
 

The role of Clive, the novelist who arrives at the house to spend Christmas with his girlfriend Rachel, Belinda’s nervy spinster sister, is taken by another new face, Mathew Oswald-Haggett, who fits it as snugly as a winter glove.

This was also the first Twenty Club appearance for Ellie De Bolla who proves a suitably nutty Phyllis, the wife of another family friend, Bernard.
 

That part – an ineffectual doctor with a penchant for pathetic puppet shows, is taken by club first-timer Christopher Sims who has already shown his on-stage prowess with the likes of Llangollen Operatic Society and brings to it a very deft comedic touch.

Twenty Club stalwart Mike Law provided a marvellous interpretation of Harvey, a cantankerous old bore who exhibits just about every “ism” in the book and also has an unhealthy habit of carrying around an armoury of knives and guns.
 

Another club favourite Liz Evans takes the part of Rachel with aplomb and experienced Twenty hand Nicola Holmwood makes a perfect Pattie, bumbling Bernard’s long-suffering missus.

The whole thing is a credit to director Natalie Evans and producer Anna Turner and the entire behind-the-scenes team deserve a pat on the back for providing a very classy setting. 

There’s nothing too complicated about the plot which revolves around a bunch of people who don’t get on all that well being forced to spend yet another Christmas together.

The interplay between them sparks lots of laughs and the end goes with quite a bang, although I’d better say no more about that because Season’s Greetings still has three more performances to go – one tonight and two on Saturday, including the 2pm matinee, and I wouldn’t want to spoil things for those who have yet to see it.

So give yourself an early Christmas present by getting along to the Town Hall to catch this stylish and very funny production. 

AM turns up heat on fuel poverty

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood chaired and spoke at the Energy Best Deal Review Event in the Assembly yesterday.

 

He also welcomed Jayne Bellis from Flintshire-based Pennysmart, the lead organisation for the North Wales Financial Capability Forum.

 

Ofgem and Citizens Advice have been working together since 2008 developing and delivering face to face consumer advice through the Energy Best Deal scheme.

 

As chair of the Cross Party Group on Fuel Poverty, Mr Isherwood provided an update on the Cross Party Group’s work to raise awareness of the problem of fuel poverty in Wales and to investigate the solutions needed to combat it.

 

Energy Best Deal is delivered in England and Wales by members of the regional Financial Capability Forums, getting people off expensive tariffs and onto the best energy deal available to them.

 

Energy Best Deal sessions are aimed at low income consumers. Front-line staff work with people at risk of fuel poverty, who can be signposted to a range of further help with issues such as fuel debt, benefits entitlement and energy efficiency.

 

The campaign aims to make people aware of the savings that can be made by switching fuel providers or negotiating with existing providers; provide information about help available from energy suppliers and government for people struggling to pay their gas and electricity bills, and inform consumers about how they might save money by using less energy and sources of advice and help around energy efficiency.

 

Mr Isherwood said: “With energy bills unaffordable for 1 in 3 Welsh households and the budget constraints on local services, the heat is on for those living in fuel poverty.

 

“Thankfully, help is out there – but it is our job to connect that help to the people who need it most.  

 

“In 2012, 30% of households in Wales were living in fuel poverty, equating to 386,000 homes. Nearly 85% of these are vulnerable households, containing a child, older person or someone with a disability or chronic illness."

 

He added: “All stakeholders – government, statutory bodies, private companies and charities – have a moral responsibility to change society to one where: children don’t have to grow up in freezing cold homes with mould on the walls; no pensioner has to wear outdoor clothing inside while shivering in one room of their home; no disabled or ill person has to suffer because they can’t afford to use the heating that will bring them some relief and people aren’t struggling to pay for energy that just vanishes through the walls, roof and draughty gaps of their uninsulated home, leaving them cold and poor.”