Curtain goes up on My Fair Lady

* Key cast members of My Fair Lady.

A cast of almost 40 from Llangollen Operatic Society are presenting the classic musical My Fair Lady at Llangollen Town Hall from tonight (Tuesday) until Saturday.

And, according to producer Helen Belton, they can’t wait to tackle the Lerner and Loewe masterpiece based on George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion.

She said: “The story concerns Eliza Doolittle, a cockney flower girl who takes speech lessons from Professor Henry Higgins, a phoneticist, so that she can pass as a lady.

“The original Broadway and London shows memorably starred Rex Harrison and Julie Andrews but we’ve also got some exceptional performers waiting in the wings.  

“Eliza is played by talented Llangollen Operatic newcomer Esme Sallnow while two of our most experienced members, Christopher Sims and John Clifford, take the parts of Higgins and Colonel Pickering respectively. Alison Ravenscroft, who has also appeared in many of our past productions, is Higgins’ housekeeper, Mrs Pearce.”

Helen added: “The society last performed My Fair Lady around 30 years ago and a few of the people who were in it then are also in the new production.

“Back in the 80s the show proved a massive success for us and we’re aiming for a similar audience response this time.”

Musical director for the show is Leigh Mason and artistic director is Joanne Lloyd.

My Fair Lady is on at 7.30pm each evening of the run and there’s also a 2pm matinee on Saturday.

* Tickets, at £12 and £10 concessions, are available from Bailey’s, Gwyn the Butcher and Jades in Llangollen town centre as well as by phoning Stella Bond on 01978 860441 or by going online at: www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety (fee applies).

Are you entitled to Council Tax reduction?

As Council Tax bills drop through the letterboxes of homes across Wales, thousands of households could be missing out on reductions they are entitled to.

Mid Wales South East Wales North Wales Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford (pictured) has urged people to check whether they were aware of the discounts and reductions they could be entitled to.

You may be entitled to pay less council tax if:

• you believe you live on a low-income
• you live alone, or with people /children who do not pay council tax
• you are a student
• you are disabled
• you are mentally impaired
• your property is empty.

The Welsh Government is working with local authorities and third sector organisations including Citizens Advice and Age Cymru, to make people more aware of the range of support available to help them pay their Council Tax bills.

A new awareness raising campaign will be launched and a simple eligibility checker is available online. Reminders about the support available will also be sent to householders.

Professor Drakeford said: “We know that thousands of households across Wales are not receiving the support they could be entitled to with their Council Tax. There are many discounts, reductions and exemptions available and these are all listed on our new website. A few minutes of your time, could mean significant savings to your outgoings.”

Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services Alun Davies said: “Making Council Tax fairer is an essential part of our plans to reform local government in Wales.

“We’ve worked hard to ensure vulnerable households in Wales continue to receive Council Tax support as part of our national Council Tax Reduction Scheme. However, many households aren’t aware they could be eligible for the scheme or entitled to other discounts or exemptions.

"I would encourage everyone to check the website to see whether they could be paying less council tax.”

* A full list of eligibility criteria is available on the Welsh Government website at gov.wales/counciltaxhelp

Veterans called up for Glyndŵr research

* Dr Nikki Lloyd-Jones is heading the research project at Glyndŵr University.

Armed Forces leavers across the region are being sought for a project which will take their picture and tell their story.

The project is the latest development in a research venture led by Wrexham Glyndŵr University Senior Lecturer in Nursing Dr Nikki Lloyd-Jones.

Dr Lloyd-Jones spent two years on the research and is now looking for Armed Forces leavers who would have their picture taken and talk about their experiences leaving the forces to help spread the word about its findings.

A series of recommendations have been made following the research, which are intended to improve the way communities in North Wales work with veterans and those leaving the Armed Forces.

Funded by the Forces in Mind Trust, the research looked at some of the difficulties and tensions veterans can experience when living a civilian life.

With 51,000 veterans in North Wales – or nine per cent of the over 16s population – it is hoped the research can be used by local councils, the NHS, third sector support organisations and others to help support veterans in their transition to civilian life.

Dr Lloyd-Jones said: “We spoke to 30 veterans across North Wales, beginning with an open question about their life since leaving the Armed Forces. I’d like to thank everyone who took part for their help.

“These conversations were meant to reveal something about the everyday decisions participants made, to let them tell us about their experiences of moving to civilian life in their own way – and to give us an insight into some of the challenges those leaving the military might face in conversations with civilians.”

The research picked up on certain themes which came up in conversations with people who were ex-Armed Forces.  Three aspects of military identity were identified from the conversations.

These were:  “it’s drilled into you” – the way that basic training instils a sense of following direction without question and a sense of order, authority and discipline; “mission command” – a way of analysing, planning and working towards an outcome where each participant plays a role – and “we have each other’s back” – a unique bond and sense of belonging which strengthened group dynamics.

Researchers then examined challenges which people faced as they moved from the military. These included moving forward into civilian life – gaining financial security; changing pace and getting used to the lack of structure and direction faced in civilian life; and putting down roots – something many military people, used to going away on tour, found hard to get used to.

Other challenges included the way military personnel had become accustomed to ‘living the moment’ – coping with combat situations with a heightened state of alertness, dark humour and other methods which can be difficult for those outside to understand.

Finally, participants also identified the experience of being a veteran itself as a challenge – with the implications the word has of an identity between military service and civilian life.

These challenges – and the way that ex-military personnel respond to them – were then used to guide the report’s recommendations.

Dr Lloyd-Jones added: “There is a lot of work being done with the veteran community in North Wales. Our study mapped out some of the challenges that veterans perceive with the change of lifestyle and context they face leaving the military and the decisions they have to make.

“Tackling these changes isn’t just a case of veterans adapting to civilian life, however, but also about how the civilian community as a whole can adapt to - and work with - veterans.

“That means that change doesn’t just need to come from organisations in direct contact with veterans, but also from policies which take those needs into account as part of a wider framework.”

Anyone who wants to find out more about the research, including those who took part – and anyone who wants to have their picture taken and tell their story can contact Dr Lloyd-Jones on n.lloydjones@glyndwr.ac.uk

* To find out more about the Forces in Mind Trust, click here: http://www.fim-trust.org
And to see more about how Wrexham Glyndŵr University works with service leavers who want to study at the institution, please visit: https://www.glyndwr.ac.uk/en/ArmedForces/

Talks to be held on Cefn Mawr health centre

* Ken Skates AM and local councillor Ken

Bathers outside the current Caritas Surgery on Well Street.

Campaigners pressing for a new health centre in Cefn Mawr have welcomed a Welsh Government commitment to discuss proposals with local GPs.

Health Secretary Vaughan Gething has agreed to visit Caritas Surgery to meet with the practice manager, Clwyd South AM Ken Skates and Cefn councillors.

Mr Skates, who organised the meeting, said he was delighted the Health Secretary has committed to visiting the Cefn Mawr. He launched a petition in 2015 calling for the "new facility the community deserves", which was signed by more than 2,000 people.

“I’m really pleased the Cabinet Secretary for Health has responded so positively to my invitation and I look forward to welcoming him to Clwyd South next week,” said Mr Skates.

Councillors Ken Bathers and Derek Wright have previously vowed they would not stop fighting for a new facility ‘until there are spades in the ground’.

They say the only hurdle left to clear is securing funding.

“The current is not fit for purpose and it hasn’t been for some time,” said Cllr Bathers. “The community badly needs this new facility and we’ll keep on pushing for it.”

Cllr Wright said: “We have been fighting for this for a long time. As soon as funding is found it’s all systems go and patients in Cefn, Rhosymedre, Plas Madoc and further afield can finally look forward to having a health centre fit for the 21st century.”

Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board funded immediate remedial work to improve the current Cefn premises on Well Street in 2016 after agreeing the building was ‘not adequate’ and said it would also develop a plan for more modern premises.

Road closure warning

The Town Council has just published the following message on Facebook ...

Colas Limited has informed the Town Council of an emergency road closure this Sunday for tree cutting. Colas plan to close the A539 Llangollen Road from the Health Centre in Llangollen up to 1km east of the Sun Inn pub, the road will be closed in both directions from 0530am until 12noon at the very latest, access will be granted to emergency vehicles and pedestrians on foot.

Needlefelting event planned for Plas Newydd

An Introduction to needlefelting with June McLaughlin will be held at Y Caban in Plas Newydd on

Saturday April 21, from 11am-1pm.

Cost  £30 and booking is said to be essential. To book a place or for more details, call 07780 000206.

Plaid slams school closure decision

The decision by Wrexham Council to close Ysgol Pontfadog is wrong and short sighted, says Plaid Cymru – the Party of Wales.

Yesterday (Tuesday 10 April) WCBC’s Executive Board unanimously voted to close Ysgol Pontfadog in the Ceiriog Valley. The school is expected to receive its last intake in September and will finally close in the Summer of 2019.

Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru’s spokesperson for Clwyd South, said: “Ysgol Pontfadog has served the community of Pontfadog well. The communities of Pontfadog, Dolywern and Glyn Ceiriog all wish to see it remain open. The Governing Body of the federated school have supported retaining Ysgol Pontfadog, and the elected representatives representing those communities wish to see it kept open. Yet the Tory-Independent ruling Executive on Wrexham Council have decided to close the school against all local opinion. This is profoundly anti-democratic and shows a complete disregard for the communities of the Ceiriog Valley. Is it any wonder that people are losing trust in the authority?

“The decision is short-sighted in the extreme as it’s unlikely to save money in the long term and will leave the authority with what will be, once empty, a rapidly deteriorating asset on their hands. The people of Pontfadog, Dolywern and Glyn Ceiriog will be bitterly disappointed."