AM welcomes health plans deferment

North Wales’ Liberal Democrat Assembly Member, Aled Roberts, has welcomed the decision to defer the plan to downgrade maternity services at Ysbyty Glan Clwyd and remove breast cancer surgery from the Wrexham Maelor and Gwynedd hospitals.

 

He is now demanding that the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board undertake a proper consultation on the provision of services at all three sites.

 

“Common sense has prevailed over the botched decisions on maternity and breast cancer surgery,” commented Mr Roberts.

 

"They were taken under the urgency procedure but, as the Community Health Council pointed out to the Health Minister, problems within the maternity services had been in evidence months before.

 

“Senior officials within the Health Board have raised the idea of concentrating different health services on one site so that the three hospitals in North Wales operate as one. But there has been no proper discussion of this proposal. Such a radical rethink of our health services needs to be the subject of widespread consultation.

 

“My own view is that the concept of one hospital on three sites will not work in North Wales given the geography and long distances that make travelling across our region very difficult.

 

"Many patients would be left isolated from their families unless specialist medical teams become more mobile or there is major investment in public transport.”

Landmarks aim to beef up catering operations

* Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

Canal & River Trust has invited expressions of interest for the provision of a mobile catering service for Trevor Basin and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

Trevor Basin and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct are parts of an 11-mile World Heritage site along the Llangollen Canal.

The stunning Telford-designed Pontcysyllte Aqueduct is world famous.

The site has a small visitor centre with many attractions nearby for those who come.

There are boat trips across the aqueduct, boats for day or longer hire, opportunities to explore the tunnels and towpaths or to visit the nearby National Trust properties or country parks.

As a World Heritage site, visitor numbers have increased from 2009 to 2014, and now are in excess of 200,000 each year.

Canal & River Trust says it has ambitious plans for Trevor Basin and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, focusing strongly on the visitor experience.

It is seeking a skilled and experienced catering service provider to open a mobile catering operation at Trevor Basin.

A contract period of 6 to 18 months will be offered to start with, with the possibility of working with Canal & River Trust for a longer term as they develop the site.

The trust says the successful contractor must provide a high quality daily catering service for the Trevor Basin and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.

It adds: "To be considered, contractors will need to demonstrate clearly that they have the necessary acumen, technical skills and experience of managing every aspect of a successful catering operation."

Organisations wishing to express an interest should contact Mr Radford Chancellor FCSI (Catering Consultant) on 0844 500 8350 or email radford@radfordchancellor.co.uk to request an application questionnaire.

Closing date for expressions of interest and return of the completed application questionnaire is 1pm on April 13 2015.

Appeal over boy missing from Wrexham

North Wales Police are appealing for help in tracing a 15 year old boy missing from the Wrexham area. 

Larry Berry (pictured below) has not been seen since Friday February 6. 

All enquiries to locate him have proved fruitless.

He is described as having short brown straight hair, slim build and approximately 5’6”tall.

T/Sergeant Gavin Gilmore who is managing the search said: “I am appealing for anyone who has sighted Larry, or knows of his whereabouts, to contact the police.  

"His family have had no contact with him for some 3 weeks or so and we are concerned for his welfare.  Larry has family in the Ellesmere Port, Rochdale and Wrexham areas and part of our enquiries are focused in this area.

“I’d also appeal to Larry himself to contact police to let them know that he is safe and well.”



* Anyone with any information should contact North Wales police on 101 or alternatively Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and quote S032118.

St John's facelift explained at open events

* St John's Church in Abbey Road.

A NUMBER of Llangollen people have been invited to one of three open events at which they can learn more about the £50,000 project to facelift the town’s St John’s Church.

Those connected with clubs or societies in the area and residents of Abbey Road, where St John’s is located, can go along to the church on either Thursday April 9 at 7pm, Wednesday April 15 at 7pm or Saturday April 18 at 1pm to be briefed by the vicar, the Rev Andrew Sully.  

He said: “We are holding the sessions because the major funder for this £50,000 project, WREN , a non-profit-making business  that helps benefit the lives of people who live close to landfill sites by awarding grants for community  projects, needs evidence that other town groups would benefit from the proposed improvements and potentially use our facilities themselves once the changes  are made.

“These facilities are basically a disabled toilet and improved kitchen area.

“At the moment St John’s offers a flexible, carpeted space for meetings but without a toilet and refreshment-making facilities we’re rather hamstrung. 

“We have therefore found the building a difficult venue to ‘market’ to potential user groups and its use by non-church groups has been limited.

“Yet it does have real potential and we know from the  number of people who approach us for meeting-space in St Collen’s Community Hall that these improvements will make St John’s a place that might be in use a couple of times in the week as well as on a Sunday.”

In his invitation to the open events, Mr Sully says: “You might not have the time to come to one of these open events. If this is the case but you’d like to support us nonetheless, could I ask you to write me an email or note of recommendation to our funders saying simply how your group might benefit from our venue and facilities if they were improved, or else saying more generally that you support our proposals and think they are a good idea and that we are moving in the right direction.”

Wine and nibbles will also be served at each open event.

* Mr Sully can be contacted at: The Vicarage Abbey Road Llangollen  LL20 8SN, by phone on 01978  860231 and 07779 418036, or by email at:

andamary@sullystallard.fsnet.co.uk

 

 

Isherwood backs extended airport rail link

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood is supporting proposals to extend rails services between North Wales and Manchester International Airport.

 

Arriva Trains Wales (ATW) has made an application to Network Rail to extend nine weekday and 11 Saturday North Wales – Manchester Piccadilly services to Manchester International Airport (MIA) but this has been declined.

 

ATW intend to now make the case to Office of Rail Regulation, who will ultimately make the decision.

.

Mr Isherwood, who has long been calling for improved transport links in the region, has written to ATW to confirm his support for these additional services and their negotiations with the Office of Rail Regulation.

 

He said: “At the moment there are very few direct services from North Wales to Manchester Airport so these ATW proposed services are a major enhancement.

 

“As the North Wales Economic Ambition Board (NWEAB) have stated in their response to the proposals ‘Current rail services from North Wales to MIA are inadequate and not an effective alternative to road transport,  yet the large majority of the population and concentration of business is within easy access  of the railway. There is a significant opportunity for modal shift from road to rail if  more frequent services to MIA were available and this is consistent with the environmental agenda.’

 

"Having extended services from Manchester Airport to North Wales would not only be a huge benefit to the people of North Wales, but it could also help attract more visitors to this part of the world, boosting the local economy."

Details of Holy Week at St Collen's given

St Collen’s Church has given details of its special events during Holy Week 2015:

Palm Sunday:

9.30am – Communion at Trevor Chapelry

11.00am –meet at St John’s, Abbey Road at 10.45 for procession with donkey through Llangollen to the Parish Church

6pm – Taizé Prayer around the Cross in the Upper Room

Wednesday:

10.30am – St Collen’s  Church- Holy Communion followed by film at 11.30am in the Upper Room:  The Passion-part One

6.00pm – Llantysilio Church - At the House of Simon the Leper –Service of Anointing,  followed by BOOK CLUB in the Upper Room at 7.30pm

Maundy Thursday:

5.00pm – St John’s Church - Solemn Eucharist and Stripping of the Altar followed by PASSOVER SUPPER in the Community Hall at 6pm

Good Friday: 

9.30am – Trevor Chapelry

12noon –St Collen’s – The Passion – Part 2

2-3pm: Last Hour of the Cross in St Collen’s Church

Holy Saturday:  

7 pm –St Collen’s - The Easter Ceremonies – service of light and reaffirmation of baptismal vows

Easter Day Holy Communions:

St Collen’s: 8am, 11 am and 6pm

Llantysilio and Trevor Chapelry 9.30am

St John’s, Abbey Road: 6pm.

Renowned American choir heads for Llangollen

 

* The Azusa Pacific University Chamber Singers.

 

An internationally renowned American choir are looking forward to having a true taste of Welsh hospitality.

 

The Azusa Pacific University Chamber Singers from California are heading to Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod in July and will be staying with local families rather than booking hotel and guest house accommodation.

 

The 37-strong choir are among the world's choral elite and their track record includes winning the International Competition for Choirs in Austria in 2013 as well as singing at a host of iconic venues including Sydney Opera House and the Vatican.

 

In the early days of the Eisteddfod’s near-70 year history with very limited local commercial accommodation this was commonplace but in recent years it has become increasingly rare.

But the talented Californians were determined they wanted the full traditional Eisteddfod experience and have asked if the choristers can stay with local families.

 

Michelle Jensen, the Azusa Pacific University Chamber Singers’ conductor, said: “We thought it would be fabulous if we could find families willing to host our students during their stay in Llangollen.

 

“We felt it would give students an additional opportunity to immerse themselves in a different culture and experience life in North Wales.

 

“I realise it might be difficult to find 37 host families for our six graduate and 31 undergraduate students who will be in Llangollen but we would be delighted to hear from anyone willing to host any of our students or help with meals.”

 

And there was good news this week for the choir as Alwenna Hughes, from Wrexham, the Eisteddfod’s accommodation organiser, confirmed that she would be able to find them places in the Wrexham area and conveniently near each other.

 

She said: “We don’t put as many up in homestay as we once did. At one time about two and a half thousand would stay with families but we still have plenty of loyal providers and it’s nice to keep the tradition going.

 

“They will be sure of a warm welcome and I’m sure that both they and the families they stay with will enjoy the special experience of the Eisteddfod week.”

 

Michelle added: “After our success at the International Competition for Choirs, we were invited to several exciting competition and performance opportunities for our next tour.

 

“I decided that in order to make the best decision for the ensemble, I needed to do extensive research which included travelling to Ireland and Wales, specifically to experience the Llangollen International Eisteddfod first hand.

 

 “And as the competition developed the combination of international cooperation and the high level of artistic excellence was compelling. By the time we left North Wales, we knew that participating in the Llangollen Eisteddfod was our goal for our 2015 tour.

 

“We have been accepted to compete in six categories: Mixed Choir, Youth Choir, and Open Division, which are all Choir of the World categories, as well as Adult Folk, Cultural Showcase and a small group of 12 from the ensemble will compete in the Vocal Ensemble category.

 

“We are so looking forward to competing at Llangollen and savouring that special Welsh hospitality.”

 

The choir have previously toured Australia, Austria, the Czech Republic, Germany, and Italy and have performed at iconic venues including Sydney Opera House and the Vatican.

 

Gethin Davies, Chairman of the Eisteddfod, said: “I met Michelle when she came over last year to ‘test the water’. At the beginning of the week she had an open mind about Llangollen and other possible festivals but by Saturday she was totally convinced that this was the place to come.

 

“We’re always delighted to have high quality choirs taking part in our choral events and so the Azusa Pacific University singers would always be welcome.

 

“It is lovely though that they want to go back to the traditions of the Eisteddfod from its early, post-war days and stay with local families, just as choirs like the Modena Choir with the young Luciano Pavarotti, the Obernkirchen Choir and so many others did over the years.

 

“I’m sure they will find that the welcome here is as warm as ever and that they will thoroughly enjoy their time in Llangollen.”

 

The Aszuza singers won’t be the only Americans performing at this year’s event with this year’s Monday night concert curtain-raiser featuring legendary singer-songwriter Burt Bacharach.

 

Other stars this year include the UK’s top tenor, Alfie Boe, who will sing songs from the Musicals at the Thursday evening concert, one of the highlights of another packed week which will begin on Tuesday with Children’s Day and the Parade of Nations, led by Eisteddfod President Terry Waite before the evening Heart of Llangollen concert featuring a galaxy of international talent.

 

Wednesday’s programme will include a new competition for the International Young Musician of the Year as well as the Children’s Choir of the World while Thursday’s competitions will see another first, the International Voice of Musical Theatre Trophy.

 

Friday’s Open Category for choirs will showcase styles like gospel, barbershop, jazz, pop and glee styles and will also see the International Voice of the Future decided with the prize including the chance to sing at one of the evening concerts the following year.

 

The Blue Riband event, the Choir of the World for the Pavarotti Trophy, is decided on Saturday night as well as the Open Dance competition and Sunday sees the Eisteddfod let its hair down for Llanfest before the climactic final concert by reggae stars UB40.

 

* To book tickets and for more details on the 2015 festival go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk