Yetis to gather in Llan

* Yeti cycles have a cult following.

Riders from the UK are expected to attend a gathering for owners of Yeti cycles to be held in Llangollen on August 8 and 9.

The race-bred brand has a cult like following and the yearly 'tribe' gathering continues to attract Yeti fans from a wide area who travel to take part in the meet each year.

The 2015 gathering is set to take place on the trails around both Llangollen and Llandegla, with two days of riding available on both natural and trail centre tracks.

Based at the Abbey Farm caravan site, Saturday will see riders have the option of participating in either one or two guided rides taking place throughout the day.

Both rides will head out around the natural trails of Llangollen taking in some of the best local singletrack on offer in the area.

After the ride tribe members will gather at the campsite's main bar area where a selection of Yeti retro bikes will be on display as well as the chance to discuss the day's riding.

Sunday sees the tribe meeting located up the road at One Planet Adventure, Llandegla where riders will have the chance to sample the network of way-marked trails available at their own pace as well as visit the onsite shop and café.

On display will also be a selection of new and retro Yeti bikes as well as Yeti Cycles UK staff.

* For further information, see: Facebook.com/yeticyclesuk

Bikers heading for big Llan show

The Mayor of Llangollen and town crier will welcome thousands of bikers to the Llangollen International Motorcycle Festival - LlanBikeFest 15 (www.llanbikefest.co.uk) – on August 1 and 2.

Mayor Mike Adams, who rides a Harley-Davidson Sportster, and town crier Austin ‘Chem’ Cheminais (pictured with LlanBikeFest team members Debbie Rogers and Jimmy Aspinall), will officiate at the opening of the show by seven-times TT winner Mick Grant and Carl ‘Foggy’ Fogarty MBE, the most successful World Superbike (WSB) racer of all time, at 11.00am on Saturday, August 1 .

Mike said: “LlanBikeFest promises to be an excellent opportunity to attract new visitors to the town – and a great weekend for local people and businesses. We would love to see it develop into an annual festival with even closer links the community.”

Llangollen businessman and show organiser Harry Edwards said: “The level of support for the event in the area and from the biking fraternity is fantastic. We are determined that everyone will have a good time – and we have assured the Mayor that we will be strongly urging visitors to ride sensibly and with respect for local residents and road users.”

The On The Edge Trials Stunt Display Team will be performing amazing feats of skill on both days.

 

Billed as the world’s best stunt riders, the team is led by Jack Challoner and Martin Crosswaite, who between them have won multiple British, European and world trials championships.

 

On Sunday, August 2, more than 100 classic trials machines will compete in a stage of the Northern British Bike Pre-65 Trials Championship (NBBC), as part of a championship round hosted by Llangollen and District Motorcycle Club.

Other attractions will include a TT race bike simulator, live bands, a Saturday night party,  vintage funfair, face-painting for kids of all ages by Glitterbugz and the opportunity to meet and handle some beautiful birds of prey with Rockcliffe Raptors. 

The Llangollen site has previously hosted successful bike shows – the last in 2011 – but LlanBikeFest 15 is being organised by a new team of local motorcycle enthusiasts, led by Harry.

Follow the event on Twitter at @llanbikefest and Facebook at Llangollen International Motorcycle Festival.

Book tickets and stands online at www.llanbikefest.co.uk or contact the festival office at 07960 693398 or office@llanbikefest.co.uk.

Bike event organisers reassure residents

Organisers of a major motorbike event to be staged in the town next weekend have written to residents assuring them it will do all it can to minimise any disruption it may cause.

LlanBikeFest 15 will be staged at the Pavilion on Saturday and Sunday, August 1 and 2 and is expected to attract thousands of biking enthusiasts from across the UK.

John Hutchinson, from the organising team, says in his letter to residents: “As you may know, several motorcycle shows have been hosted by the site in recent years, but this a new event, organised by a group of enthusiasts, headed by Llangollen businessman Harry Edwards and supported by the Llangollen and District Motorcycle Club.

“We want to make this an annual, family-friendly festival which will be enjoyed by local people as much as the motorcycling fraternity, and bring real benefits to the Llangollen community.
“We are very much aware of our responsibility to minimise any disruption to local residents and businesses, so noise on site will be strictly controlled and we will be actively urging motorcycling visitors to ride respectfully and responsibly, especially along Abbey Road and through the town.”

Details of attractions and activities at the festival can be found at www.llanbikefest.co.uk and on Facebook, but here’s a summary of what’s happening on site:

Date	Time	Activity
Friday, July 31st	10.30am >	Some activity on site as exhibitors, clubs and traders arrive to set up.
Saturday, August 1st	9.00am – 6.00pm	First day of show. 11.00am official opening by Mayor of Llangollen and celebrity guests. Trials riding and stunt displays throughout the day. Some live music inside the Pavilion. Commentaries over PA system.
Saturday, August 1st	7.30pm – 12.00	Main showground closed. Live music inside the Pavilion only.
Sunday, August 2nd	9.00am – 5.00pm	Second day of show, including trials riding and stunt displays throughout the day. 11.00am – 2.00pm: Pre-65 trials bikes visit and leave site. Some live music inside the Pavilion. Commentaries over PA system.
Sunday, August 2nd	5.00pm – 10.30pm	Exhibitors, clubs and traders leave site.

 

Operatic's Young 'Uns to perform Honk! next year

* Members of The Young 'Uns during their performance in the RAFA Club. 

LLANGOLLEN Operatic Society’s junior section, The Young ‘Uns, has announced that its next show will be the musical Honk!

With music by George Stiles and book and lyrics by Anthony Drewe, it is based on the story of The Ugly Duckling by Hans Christian Anderson.

The recipient of an Olivier Musical Award, this heart- warming show was first performed by The Young ‘Uns 13 years ago and members are now excited about reprising it with a new cast and crew. 

Producer Pamela Williams said: “We are all really looking forward to getting started with this show.

“It’s incredibly funny and is guaranteed to charm all who come to see it.

“We are actively looking for children aged 11-18 who would like to join in the fun, particularly boys, as some of previous members have now left us to move on to university.

“We currently have a waiting list for 6-10 year olds but anyone wishing to join should please still get in touch so we have your contact details for the future. 

“Similarly, we would love to hear from anyone, of any age, who might be interested in getting involved on the production side, designing and building the set, organising and making costumes or helping in some other capacity. It’s always great to get new faces on board.” 

Honk! will be performed at Llangollen Town Hall from February 4-6 next year.

Over the past five weeks, members of The Young ‘Uns production team, assisted by friends of the society, have run a series of workshops for children aged 6 to 11 years, with the aim of developing performance skills and building confidence.

The workshops included drama games, group story telling through mime, character development and singing and culminated with a performance of songs and more for family and friends on the evening of Monday July 13 at Llangollen RAFA Club. 

Every child was rewarded with a certificate for their teamwork and commitment.

The team involved in the workshops and performance included Pamela Williams, Dee Smith, Helen Belton and Alison Jarvis.

Adventure centre marks 10th anniversary

New buses out of Llan launched

The Welsh Liberal Democrats’ Young Person’s Concessionary Bus Fare scheme for 16, 17 and 18 year olds will be launched in September 2015, it has been announced today at the same time as new T3 buses linking Llangollen and Corwen to Barmouth are launched – a route saved by local campaigners.

 

From September nearly 3,500 young people in Denbighshire will receive a one-third discount on all of their journeys by bus, including the TrawsCymru network of longer-distance services.

 

In September 2014 the Welsh Liberal Democrats agreed to allow the Welsh Government’s annual budget to pass in exchange for funding for a range of key Welsh Liberal Democrat policies, including almost £15m for a Young Person’s Concessionary Bus Fare scheme.  The scheme will be available to 112,000 16-18 year olds in Wales.

 

North Wales’ Liberal Democrat Assembly Member Aled Roberts said: “We used our influence in the National Assembly to ensure young people will have their very own bus pass. 

 

"Because of the Welsh Liberal Democrats, people aged 16-18 will now have the help they need to take advantage of work and training opportunities on offer.

 

“In North Wales 24,363 16-18 year olds will be able to travel using discounted fares. Once again we have shown that a vote for the Welsh Liberal Democrats is a vote for Lib Dem polices to be put into practice.

 

“As always, we see today a Welsh Labour Government trying to claim credit for a policy they have been forced to implement. 

 

"Let us be in no doubt, this excellent scheme is only becoming a reality because of the Welsh Liberal Democrats.”

 

He added: “I would also like to welcome the new T3 buses – a route that was only saved as result of local campaigners collecting signatures for an Assembly petition when Arriva Buses had proposed that it be cut – a campaign that was supported by myself.”

Excellent prognosis for Eisteddfod says new chairman

 

* New Eisteddfod chairman, Dr Rhys Davies.

 

A doctor who's taken over the helm of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod says the prognosis for the future of the iconic festival is excellent.

 

Dr Rhys Davies was elected chairman at an extraordinary general meeting succeeding Gethin Davies who has stepped down after many years' service.

 

During this year's event a £70,000 appeal was launched to cover predicted losses due to disappointing ticket sales - and more than £40,000 has rolled in already.

 

Planning for next year's event is underway and classical singing sensation Katherine Jenkins has been announced as the headline star of the opening night when she will perform all the arias from the opera, Carmen.

 

Rhys, 59, a well-known local GP in Llangollen like his father before him until his recent retirement from daily practice, said: “In medical terms I’d say that the Eisteddfod is in recovery and the prognosis is excellent.

 

"We're very much looking forward to our 70th Eisteddfod next year and it's shaping up to being one of the best ever."

 

Born and bred in Llangollen where he still lives, Rhys says he has been coming to the annual festival every year since he was a “babe in arms”.

 

His late father, Dr Jack Davies, practised as a GP in the town for 30 years from 1955 and for many years the family home was just on the edge of the Eisteddfod field at Dolafon Villas, close to the old Cottage Hospital.

 

Rhys, who now lives with his family at Pentrefelin House since his parents passed on in the mid 1990s recalled: “We were so close to the field at Dolafon that we could just step out of our garden and into the Eisteddfod.

 

“From being a little boy I volunteered at the festival, as a messenger, programme seller, an usher and steward.

 

“University and my job took me away from the area for some years but I still returned each year for the Eisteddfod until I returned to live and work Llangollen in 1984 – eventually becoming senior partner at the local GP practice.

 

“In those days we used to provide medical cover for the festival but we haven’t done that for some time now.

 

“I became a member of the grounds committee and eventually its vice-chairman.

 

“Recently I was co-opted onto the board of the Eisteddfod and earlier this year I became vice-chairman.”

 

Rhys added: “I’m taking over as chairman from Gethin Davies following his retirement. Gethin has done an excellent job.

 

“With our well reported financial problems I know it’s not the easiest time to be coming in as chairman but I’m looking forward to the challenge.

 

“To ensure that Llangollen goes from strength to strength, I’ll be working very closely with our chief executive, our musical director, the standing board and, crucially, our small army of 800 volunteers without whom the Eisteddfod just couldn’t happen.

 

“We have a three-year plan and we will also be working with the Welsh Government and other organisations to obtain further financial support.

 

“The appeal we launched just before this year’s festival has already had a good response and we have lots of other ideas for raising money.

 

“The response we’ve had from our volunteers has also been amazing and very humbling for me.

 

"The announcement of Katherine Jenkins as the star of our opening night has caused a huge amount of excitement and tickets are selling like hot cakes - I'd advise anybody who wants to be there to buy their tickets as soon as possible."

 

Rhys, who is married to Ann, a nurse, and has a grown-up son and daughter, stressed that conditions under which the Eisteddfod had to operate were very different now to its early days almost 70 years ago.

 

He said: “Back in 1947 when the Eisteddfod was first held there wasn’t anything else like it.

 

“But over the years things have changed and we now face stiff competition from many other festivals in terms of attracting competitors, the very best performers from around the world and audiences. We need to market the festival afar, but also to potential audiences within an hour or so of Llangollen.

 

“However, we have to go in the face of that competition and continue to secure the future for what is a truly unique festival.

 

“I will be doing my very best to see that happens so that the magic of the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod lives on for many generations to come.”