Railway's Santa Special gets underway

Llangollen Railway's Santa Special season has begun and on Sunday 3 December one of the Santa trains was seen passing Berwyn with engine No.5199 working hard on the climb past the Dee Gorge.

Trains operate at weekends through to Christmas Eve and from Boxing Day the Mince Pie Specials will run.

Live weather updates from Llan area

 ... see live updates below

* Regent Street at 10.20am. 

* The snowy scene this morning looking towards Castell Dinas Bran. 

11.04 UPDATE: Llan Leisure Centre closed for the day due to snow.

More from Wrexham.com ...

So to get all technical but there is some thick stuff on the way http://www.wrexham.com/news/snow-falling-in-wrexham-area-updates-141456.html …pic.twitter.com/WxIu1OJ0it

10.55 UPDATE: Tweet from Arriva Bus Wales ... SERVICE UPDATE: Due to bad weather in the Wrexham Area (Snow) the following services are currently affected: Service 3/4 – 7/8 - 10/11/11A - 12/12A - 26/27 - 5 - For further details click on the following link... https://goo.gl/d1j7Wb 

10.50 UPDATE: From Wrexham.com ...

* Just had official note from @colegcambria "We are closing our Yale, Bersham Road and Llysfasi sites at 11am today because of the weather”

There are now over 40 schools closed or partially closed in Wrexham due to the snow.

10.40 UPDATE: 23 of the county schools are closed for the day. • 3 of the county libraries – Denbigh, Llangollen and Corwen are closed for the day. •The Horseshoe Pass is closed but most other routes are passable with extreme care. #denbighshiresnow

* Horseshoe Pass.

Posted on Facebook by Ponderosa Café about 9.50am Friday.

10.30am UPDATE: Ysgol Bryn Collen now closed.

10.10am UPDATE:

Ysgol Gymraeg y Gwernant

and Ysgol Dinas VBran are both now closed.

Llangollen awoke to a thin covering of snow this morning (Friday).

Further showers are forecast throughout the day and perhaps into tomorrow.

Traffic through town appears to be flowing freely and no local school closures are being reported so far on the county council website, although schools are shut for the day due to the weather in other parts of the county including Llandegla.

We're ready for the snow, says council

Denbighshire County Council is reassuring residents that it is prepared for the wintry weather predicted for later this week.

A yellow warning for snow and ice is in place from 12.05am on Friday through until 6pm on Saturday. The Met Office is warning that heavy snow showers may cause some disruption to some services.

The council says its highways team is geared up and will be gritting the county’s roads when freezing temperatures are predicted. 

The council has salt stocks at its three depots and teams will be working around the clock to keep the main A and B roads open, as well as roads connecting villages.  

The team is also receiving regular, detailed weather forecasts and will respond if there are any unexpected changes to weather forecasts or any significant snowfall.

In the event of any school closures, the latest information can be found on the council’s website: www.denbighshire.gov.uk

The council is advising people to continue monitoring weather forecasts on television, radio and online, as well as in the local press and social media. 

Any specific information relating to Denbighshire will be placed on the council’s website and through its social media channels.

Our community cinema in the frame

A volunteer from New Dot Cinema Llangollen shares some insights into the role of programmer with the popular community organisation ...

* New Dot volunteers Keiron Preston or James Rush in the frame.

Programming is one of the most critical roles at New Dot Cinema Llangollen.

Any of the volunteers who want to can pitch a film for screening.

Much as we'd love to just put forward our favourites, we have to think about what our customers might want to see.

It's all trial and error - as we've found out from month to month - and in 2018 we're developing a programme of the best new independent films and some old classics.

Our programming committee of seven meets twice a year to plan the next season.

Everyone brings three or four suggestions that can be films that are British, independent, archive, foreign language, classic, documentary or fine art.

Then we go through each one, look at trailers, listen to the pitches (which can be quite impassioned) and try and draw up a shortlist.

Everyone is then encouraged to go watch the shortlisted films in the hope that we can whittle down the list!

We'd love to show more Welsh films so if anyone has any suggestions, please let us know via our Facebook page.

Although we're a not-for-profit run solely by volunteers, it's important for us to stay in the black.

To give some idea of costs, licences for most feature length films have a minimum cost of around £100 per screening with a maximum of 35% of ticket sales.

Our programmers also need to consider if licences are available and if they're affordable. This can lead to some serious detective work.

For new films, we have a lot of help from the Independent Cinema Office (ICO), an organisation that hosts Screening Days a couple of times a year.

They offer film societies and community cinemas, previews of a curated selection of unreleased films.

New Dot tries to send at least one representative to each event. It's an intensive experience, but we've found it important to never programme a film we've not watched.

We have to remember not to shout about all the great new films before the release date though, as there's a press embargo on them.

New Dot Cinema Llangollen's next programme is out soon, covering January - July 2018. We screen films once a month at Llangollen Town Hall on Castle Street LL20 8NE (next to the library / tourist information centre.) New volunteers are always welcome. More information at www.newdotcinema.org or Facebook/Twitter @newdotcinema

* New Dot's next screening comes tomorrow (Friday) night with Tangerine (15)

The Christmas film is a riotous, huge-hearted tale of a working girl who tears through Tinseltown on Christmas Eve searching for the pimp who broke her heart. It shatters casting conventions and its filmmaking techniques are up-to-the-minute, but it’s an old-fashioned comedy at heart — and a pretty wonderful one at that.

Doors open at 7.30pm, film starts at 8pm. Tickets: £8, £6 conc. Buy them from Baileys, online (with no booking fee) or via the Facebook page or on the door.

Operatic present cracker of a Christmas show

* A scene from Christmas Eve in the Parlour from the second half of the show.

* A duet from Simon Orton-Jones and Helen Belton.

* Members of the chorus belt out a seasonal number.

* A powerful solo performance from the Young 'Uns' Cassius Hackforth.

* The Young 'Uns on stage together in the first half of the show. 

Llangollen Operatic Society delivered an early Christmas present at the Town Hall last night, lovingly wrapped in enthusiasm and talent.

First on stage for their seasonal show, Mistletoe and Merriment, were over 30 members of  the society’s junior section, the Young ‘Uns, who served up a delicious taster for their forthcoming show, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, which runs from February 8-10 next year.

They set the perfect pace and style for the whole evening with a selection of songs from the production, including Any Dream Will Do, Jacob and Sons and Close Every Door.

Star atop the Christmas tree was young Cassius Hackworth as Joseph but, as always with this group, there was strength in depth as strong and thoughtful backing came from the entire ensemble.

Cassius stayed on stage – and did a quick change of character and pace – to present the World’s Greatest Dad from another hit show, Elf. He was followed by another Young’Uns gem, Shea Ferron, with a moving delivery of Walking in the Air from The Snowman.

It was then time for the society’s very useful chorus to let loose with songs from Home Alone 2, White Christmas, Polar Express and Meet Me in St Louis.

There were some strong duet and solo numbers, such as O Holy Night (Cantique de Noel),  Prayer from Quest for Camelot and When a Child is Born, by Helen Belton – also the show’s musical director – Jo Lloyd, Simon Orton-Jones and Daniel May.  

As last year, links between the pieces were hilariously provided by Louise Cielecki and Nathan Lloyd – both former Young ‘Uns members – who doubled up with their own interpretation of Baby It’s Cold Outside.

Spotlight next fell on keyboard wizards David Evans and Jayne Belton who set toes tapping within the large and appreciative audience with Jingle Bells and Sleigh Ride.

The chorus was back to end the first half with a poignant Happy Christmas (War is Over) and rousing Jingle Bell Rock.

Second half of the show was given over to a play written and directed by Lyn Aston entitled Christmas Eve in the Parlour, a seamless selection of comedy sketches on a seasonal theme.

At various points this featured the Cielecki/Lloyd double-act, Marcus Ansloos, Clare Wall, Sue Griffiths, Lizzie and John Clifford, James Reardon, Katie Clark, Joanne Lloyd, Tony Jones, Jan Bellis plus other society members who had already appeared in the first half – all neatly accompanied on electric keyboard by Chris Sims.

The evening was suitably rounded off with the audience joining in enthusiastically with A Partridge in a Pear Tree and a selection of carols. 

If this colourful and brilliantly performed show didn’t get you in the Christmas spirit it’s hard to know what will.      

Concern over proposal to develop community garden plot

* Community gardeners on their plot. 

Concerned volunteers running Llangollen Community Garden claim Denbighshire County Council has agreed to gift its vegetable plot to a private developer in return for unspecified improvements to Plas Newydd.

Last month the council's Asset Management Group decided to gift the 0.5-acre plot for housing on the basis that the developer will carry out works to nearby Plas Newydd.

Founders of the garden, which was established in 2012, say they received just four days’ notice ahead of the decision, which is due to be ratified on  January 11.

They claim that although they have requested to buy the land themselves, the council has said it is not prepared to commission an independent valuation of the site.

One of the gardeners, Warren Davies, said: "There was no consultation and we have put so much work into this project, an investment of thousands of hours of volunteer work.

“It is hard not to feel disillusioned. The council is an elected public body and we feel passionately that it needs to be accountable to that community. We do not believe they have met their responsibilities under the Well-being of Future Generations Act.”

The community garden is attended by local volunteers every Saturday morning throughout the year. It has attracted more than 75 gardeners since it began and welcomed 120 local children.

Labour, Conservative and Plaid politicians have all spoken out on the issue. 

_{Graham Timms, the Welsh Labour county councillor for Llangollen, said:  “There has been a huge reaction to the possibility of the community garden losing their current site adjacent to Plas Newydd and I have received lots of emails urging me to take action.}  

_{“The community garden has made a substantial contribution to the wellbeing of the town over the last five years. They should be proud of their achievements in providing a wide range of opportunities for lots of adults and children in Llangollen.} 

_{“Over the last few years Denbighshire, in common with councils across the country, has suffered from a huge loss in funding due to the austerity programme of the Government. This means that It has had to explore ways of using its assets that would never have been considered in more normal times.}

_{“Whilst I understand the duty of the council to maximise the value of its assets, I fully understand the valuable contribution that organisations such as the community garden play.}  

_{“Local residents can be assured that I will do everything I can to ensure that the community garden has a long term future.  I will be presenting the views of all those who have contacted me about the community garden at the meeting in January when it meets to reconsider the issue.”} 

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones said: “I urge Denbighshire Council to liaise to take into consideration the community wellbeing of both current and future generations. Community wellbeing needs to be protected wherever possible.”

Clwyd South AM Ken Skates said: "I completely support Susan’s call for Denbighshire County Council to work closely with the community garden group towards the overall wellbeing of the community with a view to bringing this matter to a satisfactory conclusion.”

Mark Isherwood, Conservative AM for North Wales, said: “All councils should acknowledge that meaningful dialogue between public services, communities and individuals – and consideration together of all options – is crucial before decisions are made affecting community assets and local services, not only because Welsh law requires this, but also because it produces better outcomes for all."

Plaid's North Wales AM Llyr Gruffydd said "The community garden in Llangollen was a piece of wasteland before the community garden got their hands dirty and turned it into a fantastic community resource, which educates children and adults alike.”

"There are plenty of other parcels of land in the area that are more appropriate sites for development and there's no reason for a committee of unelected people to decide the future of such an important community resource."

The group is appealing to Denbighshire Council to save the Community Garden, and has set up a petition which can be found on their Facebook page and website.

A spokesman for Denbighshire County Council said: “The developer has offered an alternative location for the community garden, but this offer has been rejected.

“The council has continued to engage with the Community Garden and are trying to be open and transparent with them. To this end the Community Garden have been provided with all the reports associated with the proposal.

“The council has also committed to providing a revised report for the next meeting of the Asset Management Group in January, when this group will review the decision made at the November meeting, reflecting on the additional information and supporting documentation provided by the Community Garden.

“The Group will then decide whether to progress with the proposed exchange or follow a different course of action."

Ysgol Dinas Bran tops school meals picture contest

The catering team at Ysgol Dinas Bran have come out top of the class in a national competition for the most mouth watering pictures of school food.  

As part of activities for this year's 25th National School Meals Week Dinas Bran entered a competition for school caterers across England and Wales called #cookeditmyselfie which encouraged them to send in pictures of the food they prepare and serve daily.

The online competition took place on Twitter @NSMW and hundreds of photos were sent in showing what modern day school food looks like.

A judging panel, including last year’s winner, looked at every picture and Ysgol Dinas Bran was named as the winner and took the prize of £500 worth of equipment or marketing support.

Emma Williams, catering manager at the school, said:  “We have been heavily involved with #cookeditmyselfie this year.

"Not many days have gone by in the past few months where we haven’t posted a meal. The pictures show what we do every day, the food is great and the pupils love it. We use lots of local ingredients and prepare the food with love and passion."

Councillor Julian Thompson Hill, Cabinet Lead Member for Finance Performance and Strategic Assets at the county council, said: “This competition gave school catering teams across the country the opportunity to showcase their service and the pictures submitted by Emma and her team at Dinas Bran were not of food or dishes devised specially for the competition – they were of food and dishes served on a daily basis.

"Emma has a highly motivated and dedicated catering team and the Denbighshire School Meals Service and Denbighshire County Council are rightly proud of their achievements."