County lifts computer restrictions

Denbighshire County Council has announced that restrictions imposed on access to webmail addresses from public access computers in the county’s libraries have now been lifted.

The precautionary measures were introduced following the recent cyber issues, to mitigate any potential risks to Denbighshire’s systems. No security breaches had been reported with the Council’s systems.

Whilst access to all webmail is now enabled for libraries (public access) and schools,   the Council is urging people to remain vigilant. Suspicious e-mails should not be opened and should be deleted immediately. People should also avoid opening links sent via an e-mail and should not open any suspicious attachments.

All new incoming e-mails from hotmail.com, hotmail.co.uk, outlook.com, gmail.com, NHS.net, NHS.co.uk and NHS.uk will now be allowed through the system.

 

Trading Standards issues telephone fraud warning

Denbighshire Trading Standards Section are warning residents to be on their guard after they received a report of a telephone fraud from a resident of the county.

The consumer had received a call from a male stating that he was from a Claims Advisory Group and that a £2860 PPI refund was due.

Unusually, the consumer was advised that they would have to pay a release fee in ‘iTunes vouchers’ .

These would be collected by a representative of the company called ‘Craig White’ who would attend their home later that day to drop off the cheque. 

The calls were received from a Manchester telephone number beginning with 0161. Luckily, the consumer realised this was a scam and hung up on the caller.

Denbighshire Public Protection Manager,  Emlyn Jones, said: “This is one of a number of telephone scams we are receiving calls about at the moment.

“In this case we have identified that a further telephone call is received and the ‘I Tunes’ voucher codes are requested over the telephone and then no delivery is made and no money is received.

“We are urging residents to be extremely wary of any unsolicited phone calls and never give out personal or banking details.”
 

Trading Standards is issuing the following consumer safety advice:

• Consider making your phone number ex-directory.
• Register with the Telephone Preference Service
• Don’t give out any personal information unless you are the one who made the call and you are certain of the identity of the person you are speaking to.
• Don’t give out your credit card or bank card details to strangers on the telephone.
• NEVER tell somebody your bank PIN number, even if they claim to be the bank or police. If the caller is genuine they will never ask for this information.
• Don’t give out information which may infer that you live alone, are older or vulnerable.
• Never send money to anyone who claims to have a prize or refund for you.

Please remember that if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

* If you have received such calls and need further advice or guidance or have been a victim of such a call, please contact the Citizens Advice Consumer Service on 03454 040506 for the Welsh language line please ring 03454 040505, or alternatively you can report the scam to Action Fraud on 0300 123 2040.

Plas Newydd news for June

Saturday 3^rd June

Llangollen Rotary Club Garden Fete

Plas Newydd is again host this year to the popular Rotary Club Garden Fete.  Come along for a fun afternoon out with the family with many stalls and entertainment. 

Monday 12^th June    18.30  -  20.30

Myths & Legends Talk Part 2 with Gill Smith

The Myths and Legends  talk with Gill Smith on Wed 26th April was very well attended  and very informative.  As a result a second was requested and this is now arranged for Monday 12^th  June.  This date was chosen as it is the special day of the Warrior Princess Gwenllian. 

Wednesday  14^th June   14.00  -  16.00

Give Bowling a go

Meet at Plas Newydd.  Come and try your hand at bowling in the magnificent setting of Plas Newydd with the Friends of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley and the AONB Officer. 

Friday 16^th  June   10.00  -  12.00

Meet the Gardener Tour

Meet Plas Newydd.  Find out the secrets of the gardens at Plas Newydd with a tour of the grounds with the gardener.

Strong male voice choir line-up for eisteddfod opener

* Colne Valley Male Voice Choir return to sing at this year's 70th eisteddfod. 

A male voice choir that performed at the first ever Llangollen International Eisteddfod in 1947 will sing alongside two of Wales’ most prolific male voice choirs at the event’s 70th anniversary opening concert on Monday July 3.

Colne Valley Male Voice Choir will join Froncysyllte (Fron) and Rhosllanerchrugog (Rhos) male voice choirs, to perform with the Canoldir Male Voice Chior, Cory Brass Band, conductor Owain Arwel Hughes, euphonium soloist David Childs and Voice of the Future 2015 winner Meinir Wyn Roberts.

Including operatic choruses, classical favourites and some of Wales’ best known hymns, the show is jointly sponsored by Denbighshire County Council and Hamper Llangollen.

Fron Male Voice Choir, like the Eisteddfod, celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.

Formed in 1947, inspired by the inaugural International Eisteddfod, its history reflects that of the festival with many of its members coming together after returning from war.

Remarkably, two of its original members still sing with the choir.

Joining the Fron is Rhos Male Voice Choir, one of the most successful in Wales and 2015 winners of the male voice choir section at the International Eisteddfod.

The Rhos has also enjoyed a unique hat trick of wins when it took first place in the male voice choir competitions in The Llangollen Eisteddfod, the National Eisteddfod and S4C’s Côr Cymru in 2013.

Colne Valley was the first male voice choir to take the stage at the 1947 event and they remain one of the festival’s most prolific competitors.

The choir boasts six wins – including a hat trick in 1960, 1961 and 1962 - five second and two third prizes, in 23 competitive visits.

Canoldir, a Birmingham-based male choir that was formed on St David’s Day in 1966 by a group of Welsh exiles and some English friends, completes the opening concert’s male voice line-up.

The impressive line up will perform under the baton of Owain Arwel Hughes who has conducted and recorded with many of the world’s leading orchestras.

Eilir Owen Griffiths, Music Director of the International Eisteddfod, said: “The line up for our Monday night opening concert is simply phenomenal and perfectly combines the Eisteddfod’s history and heritage with world class musical talent." 

Bob Jaques, from the organising committee of concert co-sponsor Hamper Llangollen, said: “What a fitting start to the International Eisteddfod’s 70th Anniversary concert schedule. We are looking forward to an evening of rousing classical music and powerful Welsh hymns to get us in the mood for the rest of the week.”

* For more information or to purchase tickets for the 70th anniversary Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, including Llanfest, go to: www.Llangollen.net

David looks back at a dangerous age in new book

Local author invites llanblogger to review his latest novel

David Ebsworth has produced a new all-action novel which manages to deliver a fascinating history lesson into the bargain.

Despite the rising popularity of books with a military history theme, works about the Spanish Civil War of the late 1930s are still not all that common.

And consequently our knowledge of this episode of blood-letting which presaged the Second World War tends to be perhaps a little sparse.

But Until the Curtain Falls by Ebsworth, who already has a handful of historical fiction novels covering periods from the Dark Ages to the Zulu War to his credit, goes a long way to correct this imbalance.

* Author David Ebsworth.

While displaying all the nail-biting drama and plot twists of a classic spy or detective story, it also tells us much about the epic battle of fascism v socialism which is its backcloth.

The book is actually a sequel to the author’s earlier novel, The Assassin’s Mark, which placed left-wing journalist Jack Telford right in the heart of the conflict leading to the rise to power of the dictator Franco who went on to rule Spain with an iron hand until his death in 1975.

In the first novel Telford finds himself in plenty of trouble when a press facility trip to the war-torn country designed to show Franco’s Nationalists in the best possible light takes some seriously sinister turns.

Until the Curtain Falls, set in the closing stage of the war in the autumn of 1938,  takes the plot on from there and places Telford in some even more perilous predicaments.

But he’s no plastic James Bond figure and doesn’t always manage to escape unscathed. Although Telford must at times turn into a killer it’s a reluctant one and in one stomach-churning episode in which he is tortured by a fascist henchman he ends up with a life-changing injury.

The plot roars its way across a Spain where both the landscape and the people are  deeply scarred by civil war – always the most wounding of conflicts – and, thanks to some meticulous research, every step of the way the detail against which Ebsworth sets the action is little short of superb, right down to the correct-for-the-period price of the tickets when Telford spends a night at the theatre.

Every key character is magnificently drawn and the dialogue entirely believable.    

The book pulls no punches either when it comes to its references to Britain’s less than glorious influence on the war which was a dress rehearsal for the much larger conflict destined to erupt in September 1939.

In every sense this book is a cracking read and also an absorbing backward glance at a very dangerous age.

* Until the Curtain Falls is published by Silverwood Books at £10.99. For more information, go to: http://www.davidebsworth.com/until-curtain-falls

Careers in adventure sports up for grabs

* Bodyboating on the River Dee.

Adrenaline junkies are being given the chance to start a new career in adventure sports.

A unique training opportunity is being offered to increase the number of outdoor sports instructors in Denbighshire’s Dee Valley to meet rising demand.

Denbighshire County Council and Cadwyn Clwyd are contributing funding to provide subsidised training sessions on paddle sports, white water rafting and first aid courses.

Antony Fleming-Williams, aged 32, one of the owners of Llangollen-based adventure sports company Bodyboating, said: “The course is an amazing opportunity and offers fantastic value for money for anyone wishing to start or further their career in the outdoor sector.

“I would encourage anyone who wishes to further their employment prospects to sign up.”

Mr Fleming-Williams, who lives near Llangollen, previously ran a cocktail bar in Sheffield and managed restaurants across the UK before moving to the area seven years ago.

He said: “It is a very exciting career. It is a lifestyle choice. I get to spend a lot more time outdoors doing things I enjoy. It is the best career choice I ever made.”

The course, comprising of six sessions, will offer training for new instructors as well as upskilling current qualifications.

Carolyn Brindle, the Council’s lead officer for business support & local growth, said: “The Dee Valley provides the picturesque backdrop to a host of outdoor activities.

“The coming together of tourism businesses under the Dee Valley Active group has enabled them to work together and see each other as assets to the area rather than competition.

“As the group further promotes the destination as an area for outdoor activities, they are mindful they need the capacity to deliver.

“These training courses offer those who enjoy outdoor sport and are looking for a career change the chance to take that all important first step.”

The project was funded by the Council’s Tourism Growth Plan and Cadwyn Clwyd secured  funding through the Welsh Government’s Rural Communities - Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Support and advice has also been provided by the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB.

Donna Hughes, Cadwyn Clwyd’s business partnerships officer, said: “We are delighted to have secured this funding to help individuals take the first step into a career in outdoor sports.”

* For more information or to book contact Ceri Lloyd on 01824 712757 or e-mail ceri.lloyd@denbighshire.gov.uk

Operatic's new show previews at Eagles Meadow

* From back left, Operatic performers Justine Bradey, Helen Benton, who plays Violet, Shea Ferron, 14, who plays Josh. Front from left, Rachel Bingham, Alison Ravenscroft, Biba Baksh-Jones and Lauren Tynan prepare for their 9 to 5 preview at Eagles Meadow.

Shoppers were given a sneak preview of a blockbuster musical in Llangollen.

The music of country legend Dolly Parton had customers dancing and tapping their feet at the Eagles Meadow Shopping Centre in Wrexham.

They were entertained by member of the cast of the hit show, 9 to 5, which will be performed by Llangollen Operatic Society at the Town Hall between Tuesday, May 23, and Saturday, May 27.

The show, set in an office in early 1980s New York, charts the journey of three downtrodden women who are brought together in unlikely friendship by their mutual frustration with their "sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot" of a boss.

The score is signature Dolly Parton and includes catchy songs with a country and western feel, a couple of big belters and some more poignant numbers.

This is perfectly complimented by Patricia Resnick's witty book, which will certainly have audiences chuckling all the way home.

All the cast members come from the Llangollen and Wrexham areas.

According to direct Robin Cowley, they've worked exceptionally hard learning the 20 iconic songs from the show.

He said: “It’s an amazing story and really good fun. It’s about stereo types, the CEO of the company is a misogynist, egotistical and hypocritical man. The story revolves around three women, Violet, Doralee and Judy and their desire to get even with their boss, overthrow him and lead the company they work for in a much better way.

“And of course they get their dream and introduce change including job share, flexi working and day care. It’s a fun story and a really lively show with a lot of laughs along the way.”

Robin, who trained as an actor at a London theatre school but now works as an insurance salesman, added: “We are delighted that the management of Eagles Meadow have yet again supported us as a society and allowed us time and space to give shoppers and visitors a little taster of the show.

“It’s a real help and we have had a great deal of interest from people keen to hear more about the show. It also gives the cast the chance to perform some of the dances and songs they will be performing on stage before big audiences.

“And during the show Dolly Parton does make an appearance, even if it is part of a projection. So we can rightly claim Dolly is coming to Llangollen!”

Helen Belton, who hails from Wrexham but now lives in Llangollen, plays Violet, one of the lead roles in 9 to 5.

She said: “There is a really good twist at the end of the story. It’s quite a complex story with so many songs and harmonies we have had to perfect. And my character is in all but two scenes so I’m on stage a great deal.

“I’m also enjoying working with Shea Ferron, who is just 14. He plays my son, Josh, in the show. This will be his first show although he is moving up form Llangollen Operatic Society’s Young ’Un’s where he gained lots of experience.”

Helen who works as a private music teacher and community council clerk, added: “I’d encourage anyone who enjoys good music and theatre to get a ticket and come along and see the show.

“The cast involves people aged 14 to almost 60. We have put a great deal of work and effort into the show. Robin is a fantastic director and the fact he trained professionally to be an actor really shows.

“This is my third show with the Llangollen Operatic Society. I’ve previously played Yum Yum in the Mikado and Nettie Fowler in Carousel. I’ve also performed in several other productions with other companies.”

Shea Ferron, 14, a pupil of St Joseph’s School Wrexham, was thrilled to get the call and to have been cast in 9 to 5.

He said: “I really enjoy it. I’ve been in a number of productions with the Young ’Un’s, the youth arm of the society but this will be my debut with the full society. I’ve really enjoyed rehearsals and I’m just looking forward to getting on stage now.”

Eagles Meadow manager Kevin Critchley said: “We are always keen to help community initiatives and Llangollen Operatic Society have been at Eagles Meadow several times to promote their shows.

“It’s always good to give out shoppers and visitors something a little bit different as part of their shopping experience and there is no doubt the 9 to 5 numbers proved very popular. We wish the 9 to 5 cast every success with their new show which I ‘m sure will be a big hit.”

* For tickets to 9 to 5 call Ticket Line on 07814 959680 or visit the Ticket Line website at www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety