Tae Kwon-Do club's fistful of medals in top competition

* Llangollen's medal winners Harry Milne (6), Dylan Milne (14),

Lauren Milne (11) Charlotte Milne (10) and Caitlin McCourt (10).

Llangollen Tae Kwon-do Club came away with a fistful of honours from the British Taekwondo Championships in Derby.

 

Five students from the club, formed earlier this year at Llangollen Leisure Centre, won eight medals between them in the competition which is the biggest in the sport's calendar and this year attracted over 1,300 competitors and instructors from across the country including many world champions. 

 

Six-year-old Harry Milne was Llangollen's first medal winner, taking a bronze in individual yellow and green belt sparring and later adding another bronze in the team sparring event.
 

Lauren Milne (11) competing in the blue belt lightweight division won gold in individual sparring to become a British Tae Kwon-Do champion.

 

She then joined Caitlin McCourt (10) who was competing for the first time, in the team sparring event and added two more bronze medals to the Llangollen clubs tally.
 

Charlotte Milne (10) claimed a further bronze for Llangollen in her own blue belt team category. 

Finally, Dylan Milne (14) finished off an excellent year of competitions in which he had previously won many regional competitions, become Welsh and Scottish champion and also won three world titles in Italy in July.

 

He continued his winning streak by topping a very tough junior blackbelt heavyweight division to become British champion and then later added another gold medal in team sparring to take the total to eight medals from the group of five competitors who had been entered into the competition by Llangollen Tae Kwon-Do club instructor Roddie Milne.
 

The club classes are held in Llangollen Leisure Centre on Mondays 6-7pm (mixed) on Wednesdays 5-6pm for juniors and 7-8pm (mixed) and tigers classes for early years aged 3-5 in the community hall Fridays 4-4.45pm.
 

* If you are interested in any of the classes you can call Mr Milne on 07756 286203,
 or email llangollentkd@yahoo.com

County bosses aim to spend more on schools

Following a meeting yesterday to consider the latest proposals to deliver a balanced budget for 2016/17,  Denbighshire County Council's political group leaders will be making a recommendation to the full council  in January to invest more money than planned in schools next year.

 

As a consequence of the better than expected revenue settlement from Welsh Government the council aims to provide additional funding of £853k directly to schools and says it will deliver the required national level of financial protection to school budgets.  

 

The council will also be continuing to invest in Welsh Government major capital improvement programme for schools with planned expenditure  of over £50m in the next three years, it says. 

Santa's quiz back at the Ponsonby

Alex Reid leads knockout cast in Stiwt panto

* The cast of Aladdin at The Stiwt.

Judging by their reaction as the final curtain fell, what quite a few ladies who watched the panto at the Stiwt in Rhos yesterday (Sunday) afternoon want for Christmas this year is … Alex Reid.

The cage fighter and former husband of Katy Price is starring in Aladdin at the famous old theatre just up the road and delivering the knockout punch to many female members of the audience in his role as the Genie of the Lamp.

As far as Alex is concerned it’s six-pack appeal all the way.

But aside from the obvious abs the lad can actually act and sing a bit too.

Backing him up every step of the way through Old Peking is a highly talented cast which also includes Sean Smith in the title role whose main claim to fame is that he finished third in the fourth series of The X Factor a few years back.

That means he has a powerful singing voice which helps provide loads of the musical momentum to the production.

He’s also no slouch when it comes to the honed torso himself, which was of significance to the ladies if not the hordes of kids who formed the main body of the highly appreciative packed house.

Carol Mourant, also something of a panto veteran, plays Princess Jasmin with suitable finesse and a sweet singing voice.

A little lady with a particularly big voice is Lucy Edge who was the perfect Slave of the Ring and Tom Morgan completely won over the kids with his neat blend of comedy and pathos as Wishee Washee, Aladdin’s less smart brother.

No panto line-up would be complete with a nasty villain, and this one was lucky enough to have the sneering services of Cooper Randle as Abanazer at its disposal.

The show is fast-paced and colourful and, most importantly, is a barrel of laughs from start to finish.

The whole delicious pre-Christmas treat is put together with real style by Michael Jenkins, who apart from directing the show also dons the dreadful frocks and bad wigs of Aladdin’s mum, Widow Twankey, and drives things forward from the front.

And as if all that isn’t enough he’s back on stage with Wishee Washee just before the end with two cute kids to lead a bit of community singing.

What more could you want from a panto?

* Aladdin runs at The Stiwt until December 30. For details see, www.stiwt.com. Box office: 01978 841300.         

Chirk Hospital holds Tree of Life ceremony

Chirk Hospital held its Tree of Light ceremony in which the names were read out of many people who have now passed away but are fondly remembered by their family and friends.

 

It was organised by the Friends of Chirk Hospital and was very well attended.

 

It is the fifth such annual Christmas ceremony and the names were read out by Julie Fawcett, the Secretary of the Friends.

 

* Simon Baynes by the Tree of Light
 at Chirk Hospital.
 

The Vicar of St Mary’s Church in Chirk, the Rev. Matt Wilkinson, also contributed to the ceremony and the Chair of the Friends, Sybil Jones, thanked everyone for attending and supporting the hospital.  

Simon Baynes, the Prospective Welsh Conservative Assembly Member for Clwyd South, attended the ceremony and said: “The Tree of Light ceremony at Chirk Hospital was very moving and provided a moment of quiet in which to remember those who have passed away but are still present in our hearts.

 

"It means a great deal to the community in Chirk as was evident from the large number of people who attended and then stayed for a cup of tea afterwards.

"The Friends of Chirk Hospital, led tirelessly by Sybil Jones and Julie Fawcett, started this ceremony five years ago and it complements the work that they do throughout the year to raise money for improvements to the hospital. Their most recent project is the new car park without which many of us who attended the ceremony would not have been able to park near the hospital.

 

"Sybil Jones also pointed out that it was exactly 25 years ago that the rebuilt Chirk Hospital was opened by the Secretary of State for Wales which made the Tree of Light ceremony all the more special.”

Chirk turns back clock to medieval Christmas

CROWDS braved today's wind and rain to visit the latest of Chirk Castle's medieval weekends.

The castle courtyard took on a Middle Ages look as re-enactors in period costume, presided over by the colourfully dressed Lord of Misrule, strolled around stalls displaying armour or selling hot pottage, and warmed themselves beside roaring braziers.

Inside the chapel members of the re-enactment team told visitors about how Christmas was celebrated centuries ago and also performed a short medieval-style panto.

Youngsters had the chance to visit Santa Claus in his grotto, located next to the elves' workshop in the castle tower.

Inside the castle, the staterooms were wonderfully decked out in the style of Christmases past.

* The Lord of Misrule presides over the medieval scene.

* The castle courtyard takes on a medieval look.  

* Inside the chapel mummers present a medieval-style panto.  

* The nativity scene in the chapel.

* A dining room inside the castle decked out for the season.

* A cosy bedroom complete with glittering fireplace.

Carols at the Abbey warm a cold night

* Young members of Llangollen Silver Band play a carol inside the Abbey.

PEOPLE braved the chill night air to attend a pre-Christmas event arranged by Llangollen Museum at Valle Crucis Abbey yesterday (Friday) evening.

Carols at the Abbey, held under the floodlights of the ancient site, saw a programme of music provided by Llangollen Silver Band and Cor Meibion Bro Glyndwr.

To help keep out the cold there was a serving of mulled wine and mince pies.

Favourite carols including O Little Town of Bethlehem, Hark the Herald Angels and O Come All Ye Faithful were interspersed with seasonal readings such as Three Drovers, A Child's Christmas in Wales and Two Letters to Santa.

Prayers were led by the Rev Andrew Sully, vicar of St Collen's Church, Llangollen.

At the end of the evening there was a bucket collection in aid of St John's and the Silver Band.

* Members of Llangollen Silver Band provide musical accompaniment.

* Choristers from Cor Meibion Bro Glyndwr on song.  

* Llangollen Deputy Mayor, Cllr Melville Mile, gives the reading Three Drovers.