Leisure Centre's big day later this month

Llangollen Leisure Centre has asked us to showcase its forthcoming Sports Day.

It's a community event between 4.30 and 8pm on Friday June 26.  

It includes free use of the Fitness Suite, free fitness classes, football coaching by Wales and Liverpool FC player Harry Wilson, who is an ex-Dinas Bran pupil, and lots more.

Plas Newydd hosts Waterloo anniversary display

* The Waterloo display on the dining table at Plas Newydd.

PLAS Newydd, Llangollen’s own stately home, is currently staging a special display to mark the 200^th anniversary of the Battle of Waterloo.

The famous house has a connection to the battle as its most famous inhabitants, the Ladies of Llangollen, at least twice hosted visits there by the victor, the Duke of Wellington.

Lady Eleanor Butler and Sarah Ponsonby were friends of his maternal grandmother, Lady Anne Dungannon, and it was while visiting her home at Brynkinalt, near Chirk, that he called in to see the ladies at Plas Newydd.

Arthur Wellesley, as he was originally known, made his first visit there at the age of 19 in 1788 and it is believed he came a second time in the year preceding his most famous battle, which was fought in Belgium on June 18, 1815 and changed the course of European history.

In the very dining room where he breakfasted with the ladies, the house’s resident heritage assistant Jane Horovitch has arranged a display of Waterloo and Wellington mementos, including pictures of himself and other figures connected with the battle along with copies of various documents of interest.

* Heritage assistant Jane Horovitch puts out
the flags for visitors. 

Centrepiece is a large contemporary map of the battlefield.

Jane said: “I have set things up on the dining room table to reflect the fact that during the Duchess of Richmond’s ball in Brussels the night before his army marched off to Waterloo, the duke famously called for a map to be set out on the dining room table which he then studied with his generals.”

Also featured is a copy of a letter penned by the Iron Duke in 1829, when he was Prime Minister, to Sarah Ponsonby telling her that the King had been pleased to grant her a pension of £200 a year following the death of Lady Eleanor who had enjoyed the same royal privilege.

There is also a picture of a well weathered gravestone at St Sulien’s Church in Corwen bearing the name of Jacko Parry, a claimed Waterloo survivor who died at the age of 73 in 1857.

Jane, who has been part of the team at Plas Newydd for the past 23 years, said: “We wanted to do something to mark the 200^th anniversary of Waterloo because of the connections the Duke of Wellington had to the house.

“He was certainly a good friend of the ladies.

“They recorded after his first visit when he was 19 that he was `handsome, fashionable, tall and elegant’.

“We believe he came to Plas Newydd again not long before Waterloo, in either 1814 or 1815.”

The display, which will be open to visitors until the end of next week, will be flagged up outside the house by the British Union Jack flying alongside the tricolour of France whose army under Napoleon Bonaparte was defeated at Waterloo.

Skates to meet NatWest chief over closures

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates will meet a High Street bank boss later this month in an attempt to save two under-threat branches.

Labour Assembly Member Mr Skates has secured a meeting with NatWest’s regional director for Wales Mark Douglas after the company announced it would shut branches in Llangollen and Corwen later this year, leaving the latter without a single bank.

Mr Skates said: “As I have already said, I am desperately disappointed by this decision and it’s yet another example of a huge company putting profits before people. Let’s not forget it’s these very people who helped bail out the Royal Bank of Scotland, which owns NatWest.

“If NatWest will not budge on its plans to shut these two important branches in Clwyd South, then I will be demanding assurances over jobs and at that the mobile unit the company has promised will visit Llangollen and Corwen will do so regularly.

 

“I will aim to get the best deal possible for my constituents under the circumstances.”

Mr Skates, who is based in Llangollen, added: “This move has come as a real blow to many customers who aren’t comfortable with online banking and who can’t easily get to Wrexham in order to get the face-to-face service they have rightly come to expect.

 “It’s also a major inconvenience for many of the small and independent businesses in both of these key towns who frequently use their local branches to bank takings, so the very least NatWest can do is provide regular access to over-the-counter services for the loyal customers they have effectively turned their backs on.”

Mr Skates will meet Mr Douglas in Cardiff on June 24.

It's all for one at Plas Newydd

A Theatre company are busy sharpening their rapiers, practising lunges and flirting outrageously in preparation for this summer's touring production of The Musketeers, which comes to Llagollen's Plas Newydd on Friday July 31.

Off the Ground Theatre says will be overwhelming amounts of swash and buckle as the, now slightly older, heroes with a little help from Athos’ son and D’Artagnan’s daughter, charm women  - and some men -, quaff wine and fight off Spanish and Dutch spies- all in the name of France.  

This new story, written especially for the company by Daniel Cambridge, brings the Musketeers back together after they first met 20 years earlier.

And this time, the whole future of Europe is at stake as mysterious powers aim to topple the most powerful people throughout the continent. 

With full-blooded and fanciful fighting, live music and a 15-strong cast this promises to be a real summer spectacle.

Off the Ground Theatre started working on the Wirral 19 years ago and have produced over a hundred shows, featuring young talent from across Merseyside and the Northwest. 

This will be the company’s twentieth summer tour. 

The Musketeers is being directed by Chris Tomlinson and OTG’s artistic director, Dan Meigh.

Chris, who recently directed Until They Kick Us Out and assisted on A Midsummer Night’s Dream, both at The Everyman, said: “The OTG summer tour is always so much fun. 

"There is always such an exciting mix of tour troopers who have done it before and new faces who have no idea what to expect. 

"But by the time we open the first show we’re a proper company, partly due to the hard work we have to put in – there’s going to be a lot of sword play and fancy footwork we’re going to have to learn this year – and partly because we all want to put on a great show. 

"The big cast, the story and the great routines should mark this out as a bit special.”

One of the main aims of Off the Ground Theatre is to encourage talent from its native North West of England and this year’s cast recent graduates from OTG and YEP as well as university graduates gaining their first professional experience.

Booking Details:
By Phone: 0151-625-2929 | Mon from 2pm, Tue to Sat from 1pm
In Person: all venues on the night of performance
Online: www.offtheground.co.uk | Easy and secure online booking
Tickets £11, £8  (concessions), £5 (U21s)

Lime rendering at Llangollen garden

Results of Welsh national survey revealed

People across Wales remain highly satisfied with the NHS, education and with their daily lives according to the latest results from the National Survey for Wales.

 

North Wales South East Wales South West Wales The study shows that 91% of people in Wales were satisfied with the care they received from their GPs and 92% with the care they received at their last appointment at a NHS hospital.

The National Survey for Wales, which began in 2012, is based on face-to-face interviews with more than 14,000 people across Wales each year.

It collects robust, detailed information on the views and experiences of people in Wales on a wide range of subjects.

Other key results from the National Survey 2014-15 include:

• 96% of hospital patients felt treated with dignity and respect;
• 90% were satisfied with the overall service they received from the emergency ambulance service, and 79% with the time they had to wait for the ambulance to arrive;
• 81% of parents helped their children with reading and writing at least several times a week;
• 60% of people had no difficulties keeping up with their bills and financial commitments – a higher proportion than in 2012-13 and 2013-14 with 48% and 50% respectively;
• 79% think people in their local area treat each other with respect;
• 35% would like to start their own business;
• 78% of households had access to the internet – an increase from 75% in 2013-14 and 73% in 2012-13; and
• 66% walk or cycle to get around.

The survey for 2014-15 reveals people’s views on the NHS and education, where zero is ‘extremely bad’ and ten is ‘extremely good’.

The overall rating for the NHS was 6.3 and for education 6.6.  The survey found that 83% of people are satisfied with their daily lives.

Welcoming the results, Finance and Government Business Minister Jane Hutt said:  “The National Survey is a great opportunity for people to give their views on public services and the issues facing their communities.

"It paints an accurate and in-depth picture of how people across the country are experiencing the public services that are so important to us all.  It is particularly heartening to see such high levels of satisfaction with the NHS and education.

“The survey is an important resource for us and will support the delivery of public services.   Hearing the views of people across the country will help us make Wales an even better place to live, work and enjoy.”

Llangollen Eisteddfod is a beacon of hope

* Royal composer Paul Maelor.

Royal composer Paul Mealor has hailed the Llangollen International Musical Festival as a beacon of hope and peace in an increasingly troubled world.

Professor Mealor, who was born in St Asaph, says the festival brings people from all over the world together through the international language of music.

He shot to international fame after writing Ubi Caritas et Amor for the wedding of Prince William and Catherine Middleton in 2011 and also composed Wherever You Are, which became the 2011 Christmas number one for the Military Wives under the baton of Gareth Malone.

Prof Mealor will be attending the Llangollen Eisteddfod as an adjudicator for the second time this year and for the first time as a vice president of the iconic event which starts on Tuesday, July 7.

He said: “The Eisteddfod is a phenomenal and wonderful event. The whole world comes to this beautiful little North Wales town to share music and culture. Racism, hatred and conflict lose and music wins every time.

“People might have differences, whether political or cultural, but they all speak just one language when it comes to music. And it isn’t just about classical music but all sorts of genres whether it’s folk, jazz, reggae or rock. It doesn’t matter.

“This year, for example, the legend that is Burt Bacharach is performing. How is it possible that a festival in a little North Wales town can attract world stars of that magnitude?

“That’s what the International Eisteddfod is all about, it’s just wonderful. Top quality musicians and performers such as Alfie Boe, Catrin Finch, Gareth Malone and a host of other top stars will be bringing wonderful music to the stage.”

Since 2003 he has been professor of composition at the University of Aberdeen.

He said: “It’s always busy, whether working with my students or composing new music, but one of the highlights of the year is always Llangollen. It shows the best of who we are. There is always such amazing new talent on show.

“The brilliant English physiatrist, Anthony Stoor was right when he said medicine will make you live longer but the arts will make you want to live longer. Imagine a life without music what a terrible world that would be.

“I’m really looking forward to adjudicating at this year’s festival, the standard is always exceptionally high. I competed there myself as a young boy but sadly failed spectacularly.”

Prof Mealor, whose first album for Decca, A Tender Light – a collection of sacred choral anthems – spent six weeks at No 1 in the classical charts, has stressed the importance of ensuring festivals such as Llangollen Eisteddfod receive adequate funding.

He said: “People need to realise how important the International Eisteddfod is and show people the benefits it brings not just to the immediate area but Wales and the rest of the UK as a whole.

“Funding in this day and age is always difficult but the festival stands for so much and it’s vital it continues to go from strength to strength.

“I would encourage anyone who has never been to the festival to go along, even for just a few hours, and soak up what is just an amazing and unique atmosphere.

“Where else would you find people from all over the world brought together in a spirit of peace and tolerance and through a love of one common language – the language of music.”

The Eisteddfod's musical director, Eilir Owen Griffiths, said: "I am thrilled that Paul is returning as an adjudicator this year.

"Paul is a big fan of the Eisteddfod and what it stands for as a melting pot of colour and culture dedicated to the notion of harmony in every sense of the word.

"As we approach the 70th anniversary of this unique festival next year, the magic of the Eisteddfod endures and its message of peace is as relevant today as it was in 1946 in the aftermath of the Second World War."

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