Eisteddfod visitor Bill will return as volunteer

* Bill Kong with his family.

A wine expert from Hong Kong who fell in love with the Llangollen International Eisteddfod is flying 6,000 miles to work as a volunteer at the festival.

 

Bill Kong, 54, was mesmerised by the intoxicating magic of the Eisteddfod on his first visit as an audience member two years ago when he fulfilled a long-standing ambition to experience it for himself.

 

He was so taken with the festival's captivating atmosphere both then and in 2014 that he’s aiming to travel back to Llangollen this July to join the small army of dedicated volunteers who make the iconic cultural event such a big hit each year.

 

Bill’s links with Britain go back over 40 years to when he attended a prep school near Bewdley in Worcestershire then a public school near Uttoxeter in Staffordshire.     

 

Later he went on to Manchester College, Oxford to study for a degree in social administration before returning to Hong Kong in 1984.

 

Bill joined the Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir for there a couple of years later after being introduced to it by a friend.

 

He recalled: “My fellow choir members used to ask what my Welsh link was and I’d tell them that it was my old prep school in Worcestershire which was quite near the Welsh border.

 

“I performed with the choir in the London Welsh Festival of Male Voice Choirs at the Royal Albert Hall in 2004 at the invitation of the London Welsh and sang with in the chorus of the Hong Kong Art Festival’s production of Tosca in in 1999, which is where I met my wife Selena.”   

 

When he’s not drinking in the joys of music Bill works, amongst other things, as a consultant in the wine business in Hong Kong and during the past 10 years has been a wine importer, educator, consultant to importers and wine judge.

 

He is also a senior training consultant for a large Hong Kong-based company specialising in risk and crisis management.

 

Bill’s 39-year-old wife, Selena Hoi Yi Fung Kong, is also passionate about music and has worked as a music educator at a school in Hong Kong for the past 17 years.

 

They have a nine-year-old son, Daniel, who is due to attend prep school in England from April.

 

Bill said: “I first came with my wife and son to Llangollen Eisteddfod back in 2013.

 

“We were very much looking forward to the visit because of my own 20 years plus with the Welsh choir and my wife’s work in music.

 

“We share our love of Welsh music and culture and have long been fascinated with such a mystical name as the International Eisteddfod. So we just had to come and discover for it for ourselves.

 

“We did not realise then how well we would be welcomed and that we would make so many friends that we would want to return year after year.

 

"Everything has been a real blessing, especially the community of new-found friends that we’ve met at Llangollen every year since.

 

“Although we have now been at the Eisteddfod for the past two years I haven’t so far done any work as a volunteer but when we come over again this summer I’m hoping to be able to contribute.

 

“Perhaps that might be by serving in hospitality, meeting performers from Hong Kong or China. I have some experience in that area after developing tailor-made workplace English courses for corporate companies in the hospitality industry back home.

 

“I could also maybe help out with the staging of the Eisteddfod as I worked as a stage hand when the Phantom of the Opera came to perform in Hong Kong in 1995.

 

“For the 160 shows I worked at `stage left prop’ and the amazing thing was that Peter Carey was Phantom on that occasion, interestingly a Welshman amongst a North American cast.”

 

Bill added: “I’d just love to be amongst the public and performers at the 2015 Eisteddfod in any capacity.

 

“One day I would also like to see my beloved Hong Kong Welsh Male Voice Choir compete at Llangollen. Last year we made great friends with the Hong Kong Police Choir and became their supporter at the Eisteddfod.  

 

“I have been mesmerised by the magic of Llangollen and what I love about coming is the total experience of the whole week.

 

“That means the music, the performers as well as the visitors and above all the hard work and dedication of all the volunteers throughout the year who make the Eisteddfod the incredible event that it has become.

 

“The young and the more seasoned have all played their part in the history of something so unique and special by participating in the legacy of the festival for over half a century. 

 

“This is what Llangollen Eisteddfod means to me and why I'm looking forward to coming for this my third year and participating even more than in previous years.”

 

Sandra Roberts, who chairs the Hospitality Committee for the Eisteddfod, said: “Bill sounds like a very interesting man who has the perfect skills for our hospitality team whose job it is to welcome competitors and visitors to the festival from across the world.

 

“His linguistic skills would obviously make him particularly useful when it comes to meeting and greeting people from China and Hong Kong and I think he would be a very valuable addition to our team of volunteers.” 

Bethan's project brings older people's memories to life

* Bethan Mascarenhas is leading a memories project in Llangollen next month.

A YOUNG storyteller from Llangollen is masterminding a special project to bring alive the memories of older people.

Bethan Mascarenhas has received funding from Age Cymru to run an inter-generational arts project at the Abbey Dingle care home in the town during May as part of a wider older people’s arts project called the Gwanwyn Festival. 

And she is looking for children aged seven to 17 to take part.

The project, based on the theme ‘I wish I knew then …’ aims to connect children and the older generation through storytelling and performance within the community.

It will be based on a series of workshops the first of which takes place on Saturday May 9, from 2-4pm, when young people will have the chance to learn journalistic skills which will enable them to gather stories from people living at the home.

At the second workshop, the following Saturday May 16 again from 2-4pm, the children will be shown how to develop their stories into a performance, which will take place a week later on Saturday May 23, from 2-4pm.

Bethan said: “The older generation with their long life experiences have tons of stories and knowledge to share with the younger generation.

“At Abbey Dingle children from the local community will be collecting and gathering stories from people living there to make an exciting performance called ‘I wish I knew then …’ and use it as a way to celebrate life and the stories that come along with it.

“The performance is open to the local community and we will be serving food and drink.

“We’d like to invite everyone to come along and share a unique experience as old and young come together to create something wonderful.”

She added: “Having children visiting the home is always an uplifting experience for the people who live here, they bring so much fun and energy which creates a wonderful atmosphere for everyone.

“I’m excited to see what work we can create and for the community.”

* Young people interested in taking part are asked to contact Bethan by emailing her at bethan_maud@hotmail.co.uk 

Tourism Minister backs Llan food festival

 

* Welsh and proud, Welsh Government Tourism Minister Ken Skates, left, and Hamper Llangollen Chairman Colin Loughlin show off some of the finest local produce.

 

A flourishing food festival is offering to showcase the products of new food and drink producers – and the appeal is being backed by the Welsh tourism minister.

 

Hamper Llangollen boasts an enviable track record as one of  the UK's most popular food events and one that has been a successful platform for innovative new food and drink from North Wales.

 

The two-day October festival has helped launch successful products like the Aberffraw biscuit, Blodyn Aur extra virgin rapeseed oil and the Dangerous Food Company’s chilli jam.

 

It is expected that this year’s 19^th annual event will again attract thousands visitors to browse over 120 stalls at Llangollen’s Royal International Pavilion.

 

That’s music to the ears of Ken Skates, the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport, in whose Clwyd South constituency the event takes place on Saturday and Sunday, October 17 and 18.

 

He said: “Hamper Llangollen is an incredible success and a great annual occasion for the Dee Valley.

 

“I’m particularly pleased that there’s a focus on encouraging new exhibitors and giving prominence to the many outstanding food and drink producers in North Wales for whom it is a fantastic opportunity to showcase their unique and delicious products.

 

“Food tourism is proving to be big business and we are delighted to welcome thousands of visitors each year, many of them from England, to see some of the fantastic landscape and heritage we have and enjoy the best of food and drink.

 

“The Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty was recently extended through the Dee Valley and visitors are able to enjoy the phenomenal hills, mountains, rivers and valleys where this wonderful food is produced.”

 

Over the years the festival has introduced the public to a range of different and innovative foods as well as boasting household names like Patchwork Pate and Halen Mon Anglesey Sea Salt among its exhibitors.

 

It has also been named one of the UK’s Top Ten food festivals by national newspaper The Independent and each year it generates over £400,000 for the local economy.

 

Hamper Llangollen chairman Colin Loughlin said: “We are very keen to hear from new producers as we have been very successful in helping launch some amazing products.

 

“We have special rates for new products and even a special section of the festival especially for them where we can give them prominence.

 

“They are the lifeblood of events like this and we appreciate the importance of making sure the event is always fresh and has something new to taste.

 

“Last year we had South African dunking biscuits and they were very successful and I’m pleased to say that they’re back again this year.

 

“We want to promote the fact that the facilities are here for producers so that they can show off their new products to an appreciative public and we are also careful to make sure that we don’t have more than two of any one kind of producer.”

 

The one area he would like to see better represented is vegetables: “Perhaps it’s the time of year but I would really like to see more of them on show in all sorts of forms and we’d love to hear from growers and indeed any new producers.”

 

For more information on Hamper Llangollen go to http://www.llangollenfoodfestival.com/

A5 roadworks "should be gone before summer holidays" says Minister

* The long-running roadworks on the A5.

Wales's Transport Minister says she aims to have Llangollen's long-running A5 roadworks completed before the summer holiday period.

Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates welcomed the news that Edwina Hart plans to speed up work on the main road near Birch Hill to boost summer trade. 

Labour AM Mr Skates, who is based in Llangollen, said: “This is an essential project which has to be carried out for the public’s safety, but of course I understand and share residents’ frustration and the concerns of local businesses who are worried the ongoing work might put people off visiting.”

Mr Skates wrote to the minister asking for something to be done to ensure the roadworks – scheduled to go on until August – are gone before the busy summer season after being contacted by constituents and talks with the Llangollen Chamber of Trade and Commerce.

In her response, Ms Hart said: “We have approached a contractor to develop and prepare emergency temporary solutions that will enable the traffic lights to be removed and we will endeavour to complete the necessary works before the summer holiday period.

“In the meantime, the traffic lights will continue to be manually controlled at peak times during busy periods to minimise delays and will be kept under constant review.

“This is a temporary position that will allow time for a permanent highway improvement to be designed and constructed in the future.”

Mr Skates added: “I welcome the minister’s commitment to helping residents and traders in Llangollen, and I am pleased she understands our concerns.

"I would like to thank her for taking up the matter so swiftly and decisively, and I look forward to the work being completed as soon as possible.”

Cinema project unveils name of first film

* Lottie Griffiths, of Lottie’s Bespoke Vintage in

Llangollen, dressed as a 40s style cinema usherette

to hand out popcorn at the launch of the New Dot

project at the town’s Pavilion.

Oscar-winning French film The Artist will be the first movie to be shown when a new community cinema has its premiere in Llangollen this summer.

The silent film, which won five Academy Awards in 2011, has been chosen to kick off the ambitious venture as it is itself about the golden age of the motion picture industry in the late 1920s.

As the launch of the project has been timed to coincide with this year’s Llangollen Fringe, details about it were given to people who gathered for the unveiling of the festival programme at the Pavilion on Monday night.  

Called New Dot Cinema, Llangollen, it aims to bring together all ages in the atmospheric setting of the Town Hall.

The first cinema event is planned for the evening of Wednesday July 15, when The Artist will have its screening.

The cinema scheme is the brainchild of a Llangollen-based volunteer group who say they are keen to bring film-going back to town.

Committee member Kirsty Burrell said: "We're a small group who've come together to run a not-for-profit community cinema, staffed entirely by volunteers.

"Any surplus funds we raise will go towards putting on future shows and improving the cinematic experience for the town.”

As well as Kirsty, the group also includes local artist Simon Proffitt who said: "Quite a few people had mentioned recently that they’d like somewhere to watch films in town, so we got together and set up a community cinema.

“The night will be run as a pop-up event in the Town Hall on Castle Street and if all goes well we’ll continue with monthly screenings.

“We see it as a social event where people can sit around, have a drink, eat some cake, see a live performance and then a feature film.

“We want it to be a really engaging, socially based community event.”

Simon added: “The Town Hall is already a beautiful old building, and we plan to show off its character with atmospheric lighting and decor. The original red velvet seats on the balcony will offer a great view of the screen and cabaret-style seating."

According to Simon, the name New Dot  was inspired by the former Dorothy Cinema on Castle Street, which is now Cafe & Books.

He said: "We wanted to respectfully acknowledge the town's original cinema that many people have such fond memories of.

"The old Dorothy was opened in the 1930s, during the heyday of cinema, by the Horspool family.

"Llangollen Museum has a good display of original film programmes and old photos from the Dorothy that has been donated not so long ago by Fraser Horspool."

At the launch event, Llangollen’s Mayor, Cllr Bob Lube, said: “The Town Council is fully behind the new cinema project.”

* More details will be available on the website www.newdotcinema.org or via facebook: /newdotcinema and twitter: @newdotcinema

AM calls for over-50s jobs support

Aled Roberts, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales and the party’s spokesperson for Education and Older People, is calling on the Welsh Government to develop a strategy which targets the improvement of skills and employability prospects of over-50s in Wales.

Commenting prior to this afternoon’s debate on Further Education, he said: “It is a sad fact that opportunities for older adult learners to attend courses at further education institutions have been steadily decreasing.

 

“Figures from the Prince’s Initiative for Mature Enterprise in Wales (Prime Cymru) show that, in Wales, the number of adults participating in part-time courses has dropped by 47%, from 90,000 to 48,000.

 

“This situation is leaving the large numbers of older adults in Wales who have no formal qualifications with no means of improving their skills if they want to get a job.

 

“The Welsh Labour Government should devise a scheme to assist adults who want to work and give them the skills they need. FE colleges are ideally placed to deliver that scheme and I believe the Government needs to put this in place as a matter of urgency.

 

“Welsh Liberal Democrats have already committed to establishing a cross-party commission to examine adult education and skills in Wales."

 

Ysgol Dinas Bran shortlisted for top award

Award-winning efforts by Ysgol Dinas Bran in Llangollen to create international links have been shortlisted for yet another honour.

The school is now in the running for the Times Educational Supplement UK Schools Award in the International (Modern Language) Category.

It is one of eight schools shortlisted and winners will be announced at the award ceremony taking place at the Grosvenor House Hotel on Park Lane, London on Friday, June 19.

The school has recently won the British Council's International Schools Award for the fifth consecutive time and the recent Comenius project looking at the state of young people's beliefs in the 21st century is being used as a model of good practice in Germany.

A booklet produced as part of the Comenius project also won second prize in a national competition, in Romania.

Students from Years 8 and 13 at Dinas Bran also attended an award ceremony in Cardiff recently to collect an award for outstanding practice for its Connecting Classrooms (BC) Lebanon project.

As part of this project, students have been hosting regular skype conferences with its partner school, located near Beirut.

There has also been a teacher exchange which it is hoped will be repeated this year. As well as skype sessions with Lebanon, the school has also arranged video links with a partner school in the Yemen.

Peter Williams, the school's International Co-ordinator, said: "The fact we have been shortlisted for a TES award in tremendous news and we are thoroughly delighted that our efforts are being recognised.

"Our work has been supported by the school's senior leadership team, Denbighshire County Council and the British Council. Our links with ECTARC, Europe Direct and the Llangollen Eisteddfod have all helped to extend opportunities to our students.

"We will keep our fingers crossed for success at the awards."