Operatic picks up another amateur stage "Oscar"

* From left, James Barber, sound engineer, Elen Mair Roberts, musical director, Tracey Rawlinson, producer, Michael Jones, stage manager, Bill Cheshire, cast member, Susan Cheshire, chairman,
Colin Roberts, friend of the society, and Louisa Jones, Best Performer nominee.

Llangollen Operatic has scored another success in the amateur stage "Oscars". 

Following their success last year with two wins for the 2015 production of Sister Act, a group of eight society representatives headed off to Hereford on Sunday afternoon for the Wales and Ireland Regional Annual NODA Awards ceremony.

They had been nominated in three categories of the awards for their 2016 production of The Producers - Best Production, Best Technical/Stage Management and Best Performer, Louisa Jones for her role as Swedish blonde secretary Ulla.

The ceremony is a popular event for am dram societies and was attended by around 150 people.

Tracey Rawlinson, producer, was thrilled to step up and receive the award for district winner of Best Show.

Unfortunately, the director Nia Pickering was unable to attend having recently given birth to a baby girl just three weeks earlier.

Tracey said: "We are absolutely over the moon and so very proud to be receiving another award this year for what was a truly memorable show. This is very much for all involved both on and off stage and was another fantastic team effort "

20mph speed limit proposed for Pengwern

Denbighshire County Council is proposing a 20mph speed limit on Pengwern in Llangollen.

The council has made an order under road traffic legislation to cut vehicle speed around the area in a bid to improve safety for both pedestrians and motorists.

The proposal would apply to:

* Pengwern, from a point 10 metres south east of its junction with the A5 for its entire length.

* Horseshoe Pass View, from its junction with Pengwern for its entire length

* Min y Coed, from its junction with Pengwern for its entire length

* Maes Pengwern, from its junction with Pengwern for its entire length

* Trem y Gwernant, from its junction with Maes Pengwern for its entire length

* Tan y Coed, from its junction with Maes Pengwern for its entire length

* Trem y Ysgol, from its junction with Pengwern for its entire length

* Erw Deg, from its junction with Pengwern for its entire length

_{The newly elected Labour county councillor for Llangollen, Graham Timms (pictured), expressed his delight at the order.}

_{He said: "Reducing the speed of traffic on Pengwern has been a genuine concern of everyone for a long time.}

_{“This reduction in speed can't come soon enough. It provides the legal basis for a safer neighbourhood for residents and children.}

_{"When the new speed limits are introduced I'll be working closely alongside those living on Pengwern and the local police to make sure that motorists respects the new limits."}

_{A copy of the proposals can be inspected at Llangollen Library, and anyone objecting to the new limit has until June 21 to register their concern and their reasons with the county council.} 

Choir concert planned for June 7

llanblogger has been asked to publicise the event below on June 7 ...

Police postpone open day after Manchester attack

The North Wales Police Open day, planned for Saturday, June 3, has been postponed until September so that officers can continue to provide an increased presence across the region and support the counter terrorism effort in other parts of the country.

Chief Constable Mark Polin said: “Since the truly horrific attack in Manchester, and the raising of the national threat level to critical, members of the public will have seen increased patrols, including by armed officers,  across North Wales.

“Our Open Day is one of the highlights of the calendar for us and, based on past attendance levels, is for our local communities too. A great deal of planning involving ourselves and partners goes into it, so to postpone the event was not a decision that was taken lightly and I apologise for any inconvenience caused.

“The event is supported by a great many police officers, special constabulary members, volunteers, specialist teams - including firearms and dogs – and many colleagues from partner organisations many of whom under the current circumstances are needed out and about across North Wales providing a reassuring presence and security to members of the public. Officers from North Wales are also currently working alongside colleagues in Greater Manchester, and we have officers deployed in the city.

"I am confident that the public would expect me to put all available resources into keeping our communities safe rather than planning for, and holding the open day, in spite of the importance of the occasion. Even if the critical threat level is reduced before the event, it would be difficult to ensure that we have the resources available to guarantee a successful day, and we have left the decision as late as possible under the circumstances.

“Our thoughts and prayers remain with those who lost their lives, their families and loved ones, and those who were injured in Monday’s senseless attack.

“North Wales Police will stand together as a team with all UK forces and other agencies in the face of the current national threat, to do everything that we can to keep people safe and to provide reassurance.

“We continue to work with our Policing and Counter Terrorism partners in both investigating the Manchester attack and gathering intelligence to prevent further attacks.   We are also working closely with the other emergency services, local authority partners and our  local communities.

“The sad events of this week reinforce the need for us all to remain vigilant. Our advice remains the same, please stay alert but not alarmed and report any suspicious incidents immediately.”

The decision to postpone until September 16th was made to avoid clashes with other North Wales weekend events over the summer.

* Report anything suspicious to the confidential anti-Terrorist Hotline on 0800 789 321.  In an emergency always call 999.

Event planned for tomorrow

Friends of Llangollen Museum have asked llanblogger to publicise the event below ...

Buzz over to Plas Newydd this Saturday

Saturday 27 May  11.00  -  16.00

LLANGOLLEN BUZZ FAMILY FUN DAY

at Plas Newydd, Llangollen

Join Friends of the Earth at Llangollen Bee Friendly.

Help Chester Zoo Nature Rangers discover bumble bees, join the North Wales Wildlife Trust in their outdoor lab, join in the North East Wales Dance workshops and follow the busy bee trail.

There will be honey tasting, face painting, plant sales, pollinator themed arts and crafts and a prize for the best pollinator fancy dress!  Entries for our children's art and creative writing competition will be on display and winners judged.

Lavish festival of gardens set to open

* Eirlys Jones, left, and Clare Britton, from North

Wales Tourism and Tony Russell, the consultant

who has helped put the festival together

and is based at Plas Tan y Bwlch.

Thousands of green fingered tourists will be heading to North Wales for a spectacular 16-day festival of gardens.

A packed programme of events, ranging from behind the scenes guided tours and photography competitions to a squirrel watch and a vintage car rally will be staged as part of the Festival of Gardens North Wales.

The festival, which is being supported by the Welsh Government, is being organised by North Wales Tourism.

It will be officially opened at the beautiful Plas Tan y Bwlch gardens near Maentwrog in Gwynedd by Gardener’s Question Time chairman and former TV weatherman Peter Gibbs tomorrow, Saturday, May 27.

Last year’s inaugural Festival of Gardens North Wales brought almost 44,000 visitors flocking to the beauty spots involved and it's expected to plough up to £2 million into the region this summer.

This year for the first time there will be a Friends of the Festival Discount Card costing £5 which will include offers such as free tea/coffee and discounted admission.

According to Peter Gibbs, the festival will uncover some hidden gems of the garden world.

Peter, who was also a BBC national TV weatherman until last year, said: “A lot of people, including gardeners, don’t realise how many different gardens there are in North Wales.

“Apart from the large, well known National Trust ones there are also lots of fantastic smaller gardens and without this sort of festival they wouldn’t get noticed by the kind of people who would really enjoy them.

Peter added: “It’s a great honour to be invited to open the festival and I’m really looking forward to what should be a memorable occasion in a wonderful part of the world.

“From a weather point of view North Wales is very interesting. It has a relatively mild climate and because of the Gulf Stream doesn’t get a lot of particularly cold weather. There’s also the effect of the mountains which gives you so many different micro-climates."

Peter, who’s had his key role on Gardeners’ Question Time for over 10 years, describes himself a `very keen gardener’ and admits this puts him in a fortunate position when it comes to getting the best advice.

“I’m very lucky to have all those experts on tap and if I do have problems in my own garden I know exactly who to call on for help,” he said.

“This year the programme, which I feel very fortunate to be involved in, celebrates its 70^th anniversary which will be marked by a number of special features looking back over the years and forward to hopefully the next 70.”        

North Wales Tourism managing director Jim Jones said: “North Wales has some of the most beautiful gardens in the UK and this event is all about showing them off to as many people as possible.”  

 

More than 100 unique events are planned over the 16 days of the festival at gardens taking part including musical performances, orienteering sessions, treasure hunts, bug hunts, gardening lectures, family treasure hunts, children’s trails and plant sales.

The festival dates have been arranged to coincide with late-spring flowering displays, which will include rhododendrons, azaleas, magnolias, tulips and flowering cherries, making this one of the best times of the year to visit the great gardens of North Wales.

Jim Jones added: “This is the second year of the festival and it’s going from strength to strength.

“It’s an excellent example of what can be achieved when North Wales gets together for a particular offer – in this case its wonderful gardens.

“We have some of the most beautiful in the UK, including some real hidden gems, and this is about showing them off to as many people as possible.

“You can see our gardens separately but being able to visit them all together during the festival is amazing and the event is the perfect showcase for one of our best assets.

“The festival has been extensively marketed and we expect to attract thousands of visitors not just from around the gardens but also from a much wider area including other parts of Wales as well as the North West and Midlands of England.

“Last year’s inaugural festival was a major success and brought over 43,000 people through the gates of the gardens involved.

“Welsh Government figures show that the average spend per day visit to Wales was £39 last year, which means the festival had the potential to bring a total of over £1.7 million into the local economy. 

“This year that figure could be even higher with the festival lasting longer and involving more gardens, which is great news for North Wales.”

He added: “We have an exciting, fascinating and entertaining programme of events and activities lined up, which means that every morning, afternoon and evening there will be at least one special event happening in or more of the gardens.

“We are also very lucky to have Peter Gibbs, who hosts the iconic Gardener’s Question Time on BBC Radio, to open the festival at Plas Tan y Bwlch on Saturday May 27, which should be a brilliant occasion.”   

Special advisor to the festival once again is gardens guru Tony Russell, renowned as one of Britain’s leading experts on trees and shrubs who also makes regular appearances on the BBC’s Gardener’s Question Time.

He said: “Having launched the festival in 2016, I am delighted to see it develop and grow into such an exciting event.

“For 2017 there are even more gardens involved and between them they will be running in excess of 100 special events.

“Having worked in horticulture for over 30 years, I can honestly say there is nothing quite like the festival held in any other part of Britain.

“North Wales has some of the finest gardens in the UK and the festival is a way of telling the world all about them.”

Gardens taking part in the festival from the county of Gwynedd are: Plas Yn Rhiw at Pwllheli, Caerau Uchaf in Bala, Treborth Botanic Garden in Bangor, Crug Farm Plants in Caernarfon, Parc Glynllifon in Caernarfon, Aber Arto Hall in Llanbedr, Plas Glyn y Weddw in Llanbedrog, Plan Tan y Blwch near Maentwrog, Portmeirion in Penrhyndeudraeth, Plas Brondanw at Penrhyndeudraeth, Nanhoron in Pwllheli and the Ffestiniog and Welsh Highland Railways. 

In the county of Anglesey it’s Plas Newydd in Llanfairpwll and Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens in Menai Bridge.

In the county of Denbighshire it’s Plas Newydd in Llangollen, Bodrhyddan Hall Gardens in Rhyl, Nantclwyd y Dre in Ruthin and Dibleys Nuseries near Ruthin.

In the county of Powys there’s Powis Castle and Gardens near Welshpool, the Centre for Alternative Technology at Machynlleth and The Dingle Garden near Welshpool.

Taking part from the county of Wrexham are Chirk Castle near Chirk and National Trust Erddig near Wrexham.   

Gardens from the county of Conwy involved in include Bodnant Garden at Tal y Cafn and Gwrych Castle in Abergele which will be open on May 27, 28 and 29.

Highlights of the Festival of Gardens North Wales:

• In Wrexham, throughout the festival the National Trust is holding Big Bug Hunt where visitors can look for big cuddly bugs in the house and cast their eyes over some creepy carvings outdoors by international chainsaw artist Simon O’Rourke. Both parts of the hunt take place daily from 10am to 5pm in the garden and 12.30pm to 3.30pm in the house.
• In Anglesey there is a Red Squirrel Walk at Plas Cadnant Hidden Gardens in Menai Bridge on June 4, starting at 2pm.
• In Powys there is the Dig a little Deeper event at Centre for Alternative Technology, Machynlleth. Running each day from May 27 to June 4 between 10am and 5pm, it includes tours, activities, trails and workshops. The festival coincides with school holidays so there will be lots of garden inspired activities for kids and families.
• Among the highlights in Conwy is the Dawn Chorus Walk at Bodnant Garden near Colwyn Bay on May 29, starting early from 5.30-7.30am at a cost of £20. It includes a magical tour of the garden at dawn, including an exclusive viewing of the Laburnum Arch and expert birdwatching advice. A full Welsh breakfast will be available afterwards at a cost of £5.
• In Gwynedd there is a vintage car rally at Parc Glynllifon, Caernarfon from 10am-5pm on Sunday June 11.
• Highlight in Denbighshire comes on Sunday June 11 with the annual plant fayre at Bodrhyddan Hall.  

This year for the first time there will be a Friends of the Festival Discount Card costing £5 which will include offers such as free tea/coffee and discounted admission. For more information about the festival go to www.gardensnorthwales.co.uk