Town Council seeks public support for initiatives

The Town Council is seeking the public's support for two important community initiatives it is running.

The first is the Llangollen Community Cafe event on August 29 at the Town Hall.

The event will be an open door drop in session between 11.00 am and 3.00 pm, preceded by Cittaslow Llangollen AGM at 10.00am.    

Ken Skates AM, Susan Elan Jones MP, the Town Mayor Cllr, Major Mike Adams, and Cllr Sheena Burrell, chair of Cittaslow Llangollen have all agreed to host tables. 

Town clerk Gareth Thomas said: "Please come and have a coffee, put your ideas and concerns on the table and try to find workable solutions to issues that matter to you.  Don't miss out on your chance to help plan for the future of the town."

At them August 29 event the Town Mayor will launch this year’s Community Support Grants for
Voluntary Organisations.  

Working with Cittaslow Llangollen, the Town Council is offering Community Support Grants to fund facilities, equipment and activities that are important to the local community. 

These awards must benefit members of the community in general and are limited to the geographic area of the Llangollen Town Council electoral boundaries.  

Town clerk Gareth Thomas said: "It has been proven over the years that small cash grants can really make a big difference in helping communities get schemes and projects started.

"The Town Council are keen to support projects that will make Llangollen more innovative, safe, welcoming, supportive and caring, business friendly and accessible."
 
The Community Support Grants are funded under the Town Council participatory budgeting fund and therefore as in previous years the Residents of Llangollen will help the Council, and Cittaslow Llangollen, decide how this money is spent and a residents voting event which will take place on the Monday October 19 in the Town Hall. 

Application forms for the scheme will be available after the launch date.

The total cost of each project should not be greater than £500 and lower-cost projects are encouraged to maximise the number of projects that can be helped. 

Your project should be capable of being finished, and your grant paid to you, by or on February 29, 2016 and the closing date for applications is September 30.
  
If you have in the past been a recipient of a grant from the Town Council or would simply like to have a presence at the Community Cafe then space is available.
 
* For more information on either of these two initiatives contact the town clerk, Gareth Thomas, on 01978 861345, or by email at: llangollentc@btconnect.com

Record GCSE results for Dinas Bran

* Girls jump for joy after receiving their GCSE results.

Delighted students celebrated record results at Ysgol Dinas Brân today. 

Overall, 68% of students achieved the ‘gold standard’ level 2+, an increase of 8% on results in 2014, and the highest number ever achieved by the school. 

Additionally, 100% of students achieved the level 2 threshold or the equivalent of five A*-C  GCSE passes.  Both figures are well in excess of national averages.

Over 80% of grades awarded in English and over 70% of grade in Maths were at grade C or better. 

More than half the grades awarded in Biology, Chemistry, Music,  Additional Maths, ICT, Physics, Small Animal Care and Art and Design were at A*/A.

Many students performed beyond their wildest dreams. 

Jessica Brown from Llangollen achieved an amazing 11 A* grades plus a Distinction in Additional Maths. 

Elinor Barnett achieved an incredible eight A* grades (as well as three A grades and a Distinction in Additional Maths) as did Declan Clifford (with two A grades and a Distinction in Additional Maths).  Both students are from Llangollen.

Other high-achieving students included:

Elinor McSorley* (from Glyndyfdrwy) - seven A* grades, three A grades, one B grade, Distinction in Additional Maths.

Andrew Melville* (Chirk) - six A* grades, four A grades, one B grade, Distinction in Additional Maths.

Taliesin Boswell (Glyn Ceiriog)  - five A* grades, six A grades, 1 B grade.
     
Bethan Morris* (Llangollen)  - five A* grades, six A grades, Distinction in Additional Maths.

Charlie Hackforth* (Corwen) - five A* grades, six A grades, Distinction in Additional Maths.

Adam York (Glyn Ceiriog) - five A* grades, three A grades, Distinction in Additional Maths
Niamh Connaughton  (Llangollen)  Four A* grades, six A grades, one B grade.

Jamie Turner (Glyn Ceiriog) - three A* grades, seven A grades, one B grade, Pass in Additional Maths.

Stephen McAndrew* (Corwen) - three A* grades, five A grades, two B grades, one C grade,  Pass in Additional Maths.

Chris Tipuric* (Llangollen) - three A* grades, three A grades, three B grades, one C grade.

*  Elinor, Andrew, Bethan, Charlie, Stephen and Chris all sat their exams in 2014 at the age of 15, as students on a fast-track programme. They are all now in the middle of their A level courses and received their AS results last week.

Julian Gonzalez, a fast-track Year 10 student, followed up his recent win in the piano solo section at the National Eisteddfod with a fantastic set of GCSE results including eight A* grades.

Julian will now go on to take his AS levels next year.  Bethany Carol, another Year 10 fast-track student achieved nine A* grades.

Pupils across Denbighshire are celebrating excellent examination results this year, says the county council.

 

Early indications show that approximately 66% of students have achieved A* - C grades which is in line with the national figure. Approximately 85% of pupils have achieved 5A* - C or equivalent which continues a trend of achievement in excess of 80%. 

 

Overall, early indications show that achievement in Denbighshire this year reflects the national picture.  There have been some outstanding personal successes.

 

Councillor Eryl Williams, Cabinet Lead Member for Lifelong Learning, said: “These results are very pleasing and I would like to congratulate all students who have achieved the grades needed to further their education with support from their teachers.”

* Julian Gonzalez receives an excellent set of results.

* Jessica Brown with her results.

* A group of Dinas Bran boys celebrate their results.

Fringe bosses delighted with expanding audience

DIRECTORS of the Llangollen Fringe say they are delighted with the “developing and expanding” audience that the festival is attracting.

Bosses of the annual multi-media arts event have just met to review this year’s 18^th Fringe which was held over 10 days at the end of last month.

Director Graham Timms said: “Whilst it is always a huge risk to for a small festival to invite such big stars to take part, we are delighted with the developing and expanding audience.

* The Lee Thompson Ska Orchestra who
appeared at this year's Fringe. 

“This year showed yet again the wonderful support of a local audience and those who come from much further to be here in Llangollen during the festival. 

“The opportunity to see artists like 9 Bach, the Felice Brothers, Lee Scratch Perry and Lee Thompson in small intimate venues is a rare treat. 

“Analysis of the pulling power of the festival revealed a big increase in the average distance that people travelled to this year’s events.

“An average journey of 34.7 miles this year compares very favourably with a 20.9 mile average journey in 2013 and a 28 mile journey in 2014.

“We are delighted that we continue to attract people who live a long way from Llangollen who then enable the festival to make a greater effect on the economic prosperity of the town as well as adding to its rich artistic and musical life.”

Mr Timms added: “The total value of individual internet sales rose by 50 per cent on the 2013 figure, going up from an average total of £33.45 to £47.03 over just two years.

“Whilst success cannot just be measured in pounds, we are delighted that the cultural offering of the festival enabled us to have a secure financial future as we begin looking at the programme for next year.”

Fringe directors want to know what people think about the festival and say they are particularly interested in how they can develop in new ways to continue to draw more people into music and the arts for 2016.

They can be contacted by email at: contact@llangollenfringe.co.uk, or by telephoning 0800 1455 779 with any ideas or suggestions.

AM demands answers over rail bridge

Network Rail has been urged to ‘get a move on’ and open a completed footbridge funded by the Welsh Government at Chirk Station.

Assembly Member Ken Skates (pictured) has demanded answers as to why the bridge – part of a £2m project to improve access – is still closed to the public.

Mr Skates, Welsh Labour AM for Clwyd South, wrote to Network Rail chief executive Mark Carne way back in June to ask what was going on, and was told the delay was because CCTV cameras needed to be in place. 

Mr Skates said: “The company said it was ‘working hard with Arriva Trains Wales to achieve this more quickly’, but no timescale has been given.

"It’s hardly surprising that people are getting fed up with waiting – this is taking far too long.

“The Welsh Labour Government has invested £2m in Chirk Station and local residents and commuters still aren’t able to utilise the improvements we’ve paid for.”

The funding was part of a project which saw £12m injected into five stations across Wales.

At Chirk, the money has delivered a ramped footbridge, providing access for disabled people on platform one (trains travelling northbound) for the first time. The work also includes creating an accessible drop-off point, disabled car park spaces and improved signage. 

Mr Skates said: “After I wrote to Network Rail over problems with the station’s car park – which was only half-open – it was quickly resolved. I would urge the company to get a move on and show the same efficiency with this matter.”

He added: “This is an excellent project and I’m delighted that the Welsh Labour Government has been able to reward those who have campaigned hard for investment and improved access, such as the brilliant Friends of Chirk Station. It’s a shame we can’t see the results.”

Businessman Graham Greasley, who runs Gateway Heritage Tours, said he recently had to help an elderly lady and her grandson haul three huge cases up the station steps to the car park because there was no alternative.

Graham said: “They had come up from South Wales and were traveling around the UK for several weeks. She commented that it was very poor, and I had to agree.

“Here we are in the peak holiday season, with lots of visitors arriving and the bridge and ramp is still not open. And what about disabled access to the Chester platform?

“It's absolutely disgusting it’s still closed – Network Rail should get sorted.”

Operatic to stage new season social

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Ruby wedding party raises £1,000 for air ambulance

 

 
Llangollen's town crier has something to shout about after he raised £1,000 for the Wales Air Ambulance at his 40th wedding anniversary party.

Austin “Chem” and Jane Cheminais (pictured left) held their ruby celebration for relatives and friends in the Town Hall.

The party was a great success with bar profits and a collection raising £1,000 for the air ambulance.

Chem said: "Jane and I would like to thank everyone for their generosity and for making our evening really special."

* The couple pictured below  in 1975, the year they were married.

New school wins AM’s praise

Assembly Member Ken Skates has paid tribute to a head teacher and her staff after a new school’s first Estyn report was published.

Welsh-medium Ysgol Bro Dyfrdwy in Cynwyd, near Corwen, was established in 2013 following the merger of Ysgol Maes Hyfryd and Ysgol Llandrillo.

Estyn inspectors visited the school – based at the old Maes Hyfryd site – in June and published their report this week, rating both current performance and prospects for improvement as ‘good’.

Mr Skates, Labour AM for Clwyd South, (pictured left) praised the work done by head teacher Eirian Owain, who was previously head at Maes Hyfryd, and her team.

He said: “This is an extremely encouraging first report, which highlights a high standard of teaching and the school’s excellent leadership and management over the past two and a half years. It’s also very pleasing to see the inspectors note the care and support the children receive every day.

“Mrs Owain and her staff have overseen great changes and have still managed to ensure the children receive a high quality education. I’m sure the parents will be delighted with this.”

The Estyn report notes that:

* Nearly all pupils make good progress in their learning and produce work of a good standard

* The vast majority concentrate well in lessons and show interest and pride in their work

* Most pupils use language effectively and confidently 

* The children’s behaviour is praiseworthy and they are extremely respectful

* Teachers lead effective and interesting lessons that motivate pupils to learn 

* The school provides thoroughly for pupils who have additional learning needs 

Inspectors also said ‘there is a very strong feeling of teamwork among the staff’ and that ‘members of the governing body have a strong commitment to their responsibilities and contribute consistently to setting a strategic direction for the life and work of the school’.

Mr Skates added: “It’s brilliant to see so many key strengths identified by the inspectors and the future looks bright for Ysgol Bro Dyfrdwy and the children of Cynwyd. It’s a fantastic report.”