Health help available over bank holiday weekend

THE Welsh Ambulance Service is reminding the public about the alternative help that is available across Wales before calling 999, ahead of the Easter Bank Holiday.

NHS Direct Wales, Pharmacies, GPs and Minor Injury Units are just some of the alternatives that are being highlighted to the public during the Easter break, at a time when the Welsh Ambulance Service can normally experience a higher demand in calls to its service.

NHS Direct Wales is both an online website service and 24hr telephone advice line.

Health advisors are able to advise callers or visitors on the best pathway to suitable treatment for medical conditions, give information on local NHS service opening times and help you make sure you can get your repeat prescriptions over the holiday.

A NHS Direct Wales spokesperson said: “Over the bank holiday some pharmacies may be open for limited periods or closed completely so if you take any prescribed medication it is important you order repeat prescriptions in advance. If you are going away, remember to pack enough medication for the length of your holiday.”

If you run out of your medication and need a repeat prescription, you may be able to get an emergency supply from a pharmacy that is open, which will cover your medication needs for five days if -

• It is impossible to see a doctor

• It is a genuine emergency

• It is not a controlled drug (e.g. morphine, methadone)

It is always a good idea to keep your GP Out of Hours service number to hand. If you are going to be away from home make sure you find out what health services (including GP out of hours) are available in the area.

You can also purchase over the counter remedies from your pharmacy for minor ailments after seeking advice from a pharmacist rather than making an appointment with your GP for a prescription. Before you dial 999 for an ambulance, we would ask that you remember:

• If you are feeling unwell and you are not sure what to do, please call the NHS Direct Wales service on 0845 46 47 and speak to a nurse adviser for information and advice, available 24 hours a day, every day.

• If you are deaf or hard of hearing call the NHS Direct Wales textphone number on 0845 606 46 47.

• If you have a medical emergency such as loss of consciousness, difficulty in breathing, suspected heart attack, heavy blood loss, serious injury or severe burns call 999.

• Sending an ambulance to a call that is not an emergency could delay the response to a seriously ill or injured patient.

• Patients with minor illnesses or injuries who arrive at hospital by ambulance do not receive faster treatment.

Tall tales day at aqueduct a towering success

* The canal World Heritage site which hosted the family fun day.

Tall tales were told when Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal World Heritage Site hosted a family fun day on Tuesday.

Ruth Moore-Williams, folk singer and story teller, enthralled visitors with her canal ditties and wild words of the waterways. She also played her antique instruments.

A range of community craft and food stalls sold their wares and Explorers, the children’s education arm of the Trust, staged activities for youngsters of all ages.

Amongst VIP guests were the mayor and mayoress of Llangollen, Bob and Margaret Lube.

Visitors became amongst the first to see the newly-refurbished grade II listed twin dry docks, which have been restored as part of an £88,000 project funded by the European Rural Development Programme, Wrexham County Borough Council and public donations to the Canal & River Trust.

Dating back to the early 19^th century, the docks were in need of vital repair work to seal leaks in the chamber walls, remove vegetation, replace and repair posts and fences.

The project has included improvements to public access, painting and masonry repairs, and new paved pathways near the visitor centre. The covered dock is currently leased by boat hire company Anglo Welsh and is still used for boat repairs.

Lynda Slater, visitor centre manager at Trevor Basin, said: “The fun day was a fantastic celebration to mark the end of the refurbishment and landscaping work and the start of the main summer season.

“Each year the magnificent Pontcysyllte Aqueduct attracts more than 200,000 visitors as word spreads of this stunning engineering masterpiece. Opened in 1805 and designed by Thomas Telford and William Jessop, it is the highest, longest aqueduct in the UK.”

* The mayoress of Llangollen, Margaret Lube, at the event.

 

* The ladies from Trevor and Garth Community had a successful day selling cakes and local produce. 

Work on Sainsbury's store starts "within days" says report

The Daily Post is reporting today (Wednesday) that work is due to start in the next few days on the planned new Sainsbury's store for Llangollen.

For the full story, see: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/llangollen-sainsburys-could-open-christmas-8957787

AM welcomes help for water customers

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has welcomed Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water’s innovative new social tariff, ‘HelpU’, aimed at helping the company’s most disadvantaged customers.

 

From  April 1 it will be offering annual savings of up to £250 or 55% on the average household bill.



* Mark Isherwood AM.

Average household incomes in the area served by Welsh Water are almost 13% lower than the rest of England and Wales with some substantive areas being 20% below the average. 

 

To help combat this, Welsh Water’s new ‘HelpU’ tariff, which will benefit those on total household income of less than £12,500, has been developed with support from the independent consumer watchdog CCWater, the Welsh Government and Community Housing Cymru.

 

It is aimed at helping more customers than ever before who genuinely struggle to pay their water bills, with independent research showing that over 75% of the company’s customers support the new tariff.
 

Mr Isherwood, who attended Welsh Water’s briefing session on the new tariff in the Assembly last week, said: “We often speak to constituents who are struggling to make ends meet. As a result, I welcome this latest initiative by Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water which is aimed at helping even more of its customers who struggle to pay their water bills.

 

"I’d urge anyone who is worried about their water bills or wants to know what help is available to contact the company so that they can get the help they need as soon as possible.”

 

* Customers wishing to apply for help to pay their water and sewerage bills can visit dwrcymru.com or phone Welsh Water on 0800 052 0145. More details on who is eligible and other sources of support are available on the company’s website. 

 

Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water Chief Executive, Chris Jones, said: “As a company owned on behalf of its customers, we are proud to be leading the way by launching a new social tariff that will, for the first time ever, help over 100,000 households on the lowest incomes so that they are able to pay their water bills.

 

"This is also a win-win for all our other customers as it will help us to keep down the level of costs as a whole, and so if customers are genuinely struggling with their water bills, we’d urge them to contact us to see if we can help.”

 

Operatic seeking Sister Act sponsors

* Operatic members recently staged a Nun Run to raise money for their

production of Sister Act.

Llangollen Operatic Society has put out the call for businesses to sponsor its forthcoming production of the smash-hit musical Sister Act.

The show will be given its North Wales premiere by the society at the Town Hall between April 21 and 25.

Operatic spokeswoman Louisa Jones said:  “Sponsorship of a performance costs £125 and includes four prime viewing seats, four drinks of your choice from the bar, four programmes and the opportunity to advertise and distribute marketing material in Llangollen Town Hall.

“We currently have openings on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings and the Saturday matinee performance.”

She added:  “Ticket sales are looking good and we have group bookings from as far afield as Shipley in West Yorkshire, so this is a great opportunity for a local business to promote themselves whilst enjoying an evening of great entertainment. “

* Anyone who is interested can contact Louisa on 07989 985644, or e-mail louisa.jones@live.com

Major Ruabon development approved

A multi-million pound development scheme for Ruabon has been given the go-ahead by Wrexham planners.

For the full story, see the Daily Post at: http://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/multi-million-pound-ruabon-development-given-8951048

Road closure sparks message to traffic chiefs

* The road closure on the A5.

Mike Edwards, of Llangollen Cittaslow group, has written to Wales traffic chiefs about the long-running road closure on the A5 on the eastern approach to Llangollen.

In the emailed letter, copies of which he has sent to Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones and AM Ken Skates, he says:

"I understand that you have recently distributed an information leaflet to `certain"residents' in the vicinity of the A5 closure in Llangollen.

I feel it is disrespectful to all residents of Llangollen and the Dee Valley that the carriageway on this section of road has been closed since November, 2014 and only now have you given selected people information on why this action was taken.

You will no doubt have appreciated that this is a tourist and commuter route through Llangollen and used by residents travelling South towards Shropshire and the motorway network beyond Shrewsbury. The closure is causing unacceptable delays for residents which will be compounded next weekend when the holiday traffic intensifies coming to and through Llangollen, now we are in British Summertime.

It is further difficult for residents because the A539 Mill Street which provides access and egress to town from the other side of the valley has been and will be subject to temporary traffic control where BCHUB are constructing a new Medical Centre(I appreciate that this highway is under the control of Denbighshire CC). Minor routes through the Pengwern Vale are also subject to closures denying access to and from The Ceiriog Valley.

My main complaint is that you have taken actions to close a Public Highway without consulting nor advising residents in our Community why this action has been taken causing immense disruption for residents many who work outside the valley.

I fully expect a jargon riddled reply, but would be pleased to hear your explanation in the hope that it will be helpful to the people of Llangollen and the Dee Valley. I hope that your reply will provide useful information particularly how long this issue is likely to take to resolve bearing in mind that the International Eisteddfod is only  three months away. These issues must be causing great difficulties for the Emergency Services!"