World Heritage site looking for volunteers

The Canal & River Trust says it needs to recruit people with a range of skills to help out along the 11-mile World Heritage Site of the Llangollen Canal for the 2015 tourist season.

With the busy holiday period due to start at Easter, only a month away, a special volunteer recruitment day is being held at Trevor Basin Visitor Centre, next to the aqueduct, on Friday 6 March, 10am-4pm.

The trust is inviting you to visit the impressive structure, chat to staff and existing volunteers about the work, and discover more about the range of tasks available.

Wide variety of roles

Lynda Slater, Visitor Centre manager for the Canal & River Trust, explained: “ We want to recruit volunteers for a wide variety of roles, from helping in  the Trevor Basin Visitor Centre to being part of our ranger team looking after the waterway and engaging with boaters.

“We are looking for people who can commit a number of hours hours a week and in return we promise them a rewarding time helping people experience the beautiful Llagollen Canal and this amazing, elegant aqueduct.”

Constructed by famous canal engineers Thomas Telford and William Jessop between 1796 and 1805, Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is a grade one listed scheduled ancient monument and forms the centrepiece of the World Heritage Site. Every year it attracts thousands of visitors from all corners of the globe.

Anyone who would like to volunteer with the Canal & River Trust but cannot attend the open day, please call Lynda Slater on 01978 822912 or email Lynda.slater@canalrivertrust.org.uk.

Councillor calls for update on A5 roadworks

* The roadworks on the A5 about which Cllr Davies has called for an update. 

Llangollen county councillor Stuart Davies has called on the Welsh Government for an update on long-running roadworks on the A5 approach to the town.

A lengthy stretch down one side of the carriageway, between the bottom of Birch Hill and the Tyn Y Wern, has been completely closed and controlled by traffic lights since just before Christmas.

It is believed the closure is in connection with structural problems with the retaining wall to the riverbank which runs alongside the road at that point.  

Cllr Davies said: “I am concerned that these works have been going on now for months, with the lights being in place without anything being seen to be done until recently.

“I am also concerned that the Trunk Roads Agency is doing the mushroom thing, keeping us in the dark etc!”

He added: “I am calling upon the Welsh Government to let us know what is happening and give us a timeline as to when works will be completed.

“Easter is nearly here and these works will impinge on the start of the tourist season and deter visitors from coming this way.”

Llan outdoor instructor once trained special agent

The Daily Post has a story today (Thursday) about a Llangollen outdoor instructor who once trained a special agent named Storm.

For the story see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/llangollen-outdoors-instructor-no-idea-8772604

Locos from around Britain at railway's steam gala

* The Grange Class locomotive under construction at Llangollen.

 

SIX mainline locomotives from around Britain will be guesting at gala steam event being held at Llangollen Railway over the next two weekends.

Steel, Steam and Stars IV is being staged by the 6880 Betton Grange Society at the town’s heritage railway this Friday-Sunday and the following Friday-Sunday, March 13-15.

The society, which is a charitable organisation, is currently building a famous Great Western Railway “Grange Class” locomotive at the Llangollen workshops.

The new engine will be the 81^st of its type but the only one still running as all its 80 1936-designed predecessors are now extinct.

Bretton Grange chairman Quentin McGuinness said: “The locomotive is advancing rapidly and will be on display in the workshops throughout the event.”

He added: “The mega gala event with simultaneous beer festival is due to commence this Friday. We expect at minimum 1,000 people a day to visit.

“A whopping total of six visiting mainline locomotives, which is unheard of at most other heritage railways, from as far away as Devon, Leicestershire, Yorkshire and Lancashire, are currently arriving at Llangollen railway to take part in this extravaganza.

“The event will utilize the newly extended railway into Corwen. A trade fair will be open at Corwen Station to support the event.”

Further information is available on the Bretton Grange website: www.6880.co.uk

Most food businesses have good hygiene ratings

More than half of food businesses in Wales have been awarded the highest ratings for their food hygiene standards, a year after the UK’s first statutory scheme came into force in Wales, Deputy Health Minister Vaughan Gething announced today (Wednesday).

A new Food Standards Agency (FSA) report about the scheme’s first year of operation after legislation was passed in Wales to make it compulsory for businesses to display their ratings, shows the statutory scheme has played a major role in improving food hygiene standards and increasing consumer awareness across Wales.

Figures in the report show that 56% of food businesses achieved a five – a very good rating – in the year to November 2014.

There has been a 11% increase of five-rated premises in Wales since mandatory display of food hygiene ratings was first introduced in November 2013 (up from 45%).

The percentage of food businesses receiving ratings which mean improvement is required fell by 7% between November 2013 and November 2014, from around 14% to 7%. The number of businesses with the lowest rating – a zero – has fallen from 0.6% to 0.3%.

Ratings of about 100 establishments serving food in the Llangollen area are listed on the FSA website, the vast majority of them achieving a five.

* To check out the list, go to: http://ratings.food.gov.uk/enhanced-search/en-GB/%5E/llangollen/Relevance/0/%5E/%5E/1/1/10

Band trio play their way to glory in music festival

* From left: Elizabeth Mwale, Gabriel Tranmer and Taya Castley relax in

Llangollen Silver Band’s  newly refurbished annex during a break in Monday night’s  band practice.

Three talented young members of Llangollen Silver Band played their way to glory in last weekend’s  Oswestry  Music  Festival. 

Gabriel Tranmer, 14, a pupil of St Brigit’s School in Denbigh who plays tuba with Llangollen Youth and Senior bands, entered the competition in four youth categories and took first place in brass solo (under 16) playing the highly challenging and technically difficult The Trouble with the Tuba is …..

He also took first place in drum kit solo, first place in vocal solo (musical theatre) and third place in vocal solo (own choice).

Gabriel then went on to take part in the winner’s concert held at Christchurch Oswestry and had to  stand for adjudication against himself as winner of both the brass section and the drum kit solo.

He became overall junior winner of the festival for his tuba playing, earning himself a £100 bursary.

Elizabeth Mwale, 12, came second to Gabriel  in the under 16 brass solo section with a fine performance of the beautiful Baritone Aria by Rodney Newton. 

Punching well above her weight by entering this higher age group, Elizabeth demonstrated her fast developing musical ability and her achievement of gaining that second place and a highly commended award was a just reward.

Taya Castley, who has been playing cornet for just over 18 months,  took first place in the 12 years and under category for brass.

Playing the cornet solo Demelza by Hugh Nash, she gained some complimentary remarks from the adjudicator for her presentation.

All three players were accompanied on piano by Eirwen Jones of Llangollen, who is Gabriel Tranmer’s grandmother.

A483/A55 roadworks will take six weeks longer than planned

The Daily Post is reporting this afternoon that major roadworks at the Posthouse roundabout at the junction of the A483 and A55 will take six weeks longer than anticipated, bringing misery to motorists until early May.

See the full story at: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/a483-roadworks-posthouse-roundabout-set-8760003