Sion Corn tries a canal boat to reach Christmas Festival

* Sion Corn is hauled into Llangollen Wharf by his team of faithful elves.  

Sion Corn has been looking for the fastest way he can reach Llangollen to star in the town’s famous Christmas Festival this Saturday.

The Denbighshire tourist town is famed for celebrating various modes of transport like river, road, canal and steam train.

So the grand old man – he’s known as Santa Claus in English – has been giving them all a try to see which will get him there as quickly as possible so he can spend more time joining in the fun with the thousands of seasonal merrymakers who are expected to come flocking in to the big event on the afternoon of Saturday November 24.  

Latest to be given the Sion Corn transport test was a narrow boat operated from Llangollen Wharf and used more usually to provide visitors with memorable horse-drawn trips on the stunning Llangollen Canal.

Sion Corn jumped aboard and was hauled along on a test voyage by his team of three intrepid elves.

After tying up back at the wharf, he pronounced himself well satisfied with the trim craft.

He said: “It might only travel at a few miles per hour but coming into town by canal could help me bypass all the traffic on the road on what’s sure to be a busy day.

“The only problem was that my elves got a bit puffed out taking the place of the horse which normally pulls the boat – and I’ll have to bear that in mind because you have to think of elf and safety these days!”

Thousands of seasonal revellers are expected to come flocking to Llangollen for the Christmas Festival on Saturday.

Kicking off at 1pm with the famous parade which sees Sion Corn being escorted into town over the historic bridge by a colourful cavalcade of entertainers and local groups, the event features children’s fairground rides and games, circus acts, a magician, dancing and face painting.

There will also be a chance for youngsters to visit Sion Corn in his glorious grotto and put in their early requests for what they’d like to see him bring them on Christmas morning. 

During the afternoon visitors can look forward to an eclectic mix of musical entertainment from local groups on two outdoor stages and other on-street entertainment.

The fun-packed day rounds off at 5pm with the ceremonial switching on of Llangollen’s legendary Christmas lights and a firework extravaganza. 

Llangollen Christmas Festival is organised by a group of dedicated community volunteers. It costs over £4,000 to stage each year and is self-funding.

The festival aims to provide a free family-orientated event in the safety of the town centre with surplus funds being donated to Wales Air Ambulance and local community groups.

Over the last couple of years the police have estimated that the spectacular event draws over 2,000 people into town during the course of the afternoon.

For the second year the festival has teamed up with Light Up Local Food, a project aimed at promoting Llangollen-based food and drink producers.

Chairman of the festival committee Austin ‘Chem’ Cheminais, who is also the local town crier and a member of the town council, said: “With the help of the community we manage, each year, to raise just about enough to fund the event and give a little to charity.

“Last year’s festival was particularly successful, in spite of the weather, and the feedback from those attending was very positive.

“The ‘market’ feel to the event provided by Light UP Local Food was particularly commented upon and helped to attract visitors from much further afield.

“Once again we’re expecting a bumper crowd to come along and help us to give a great early start to Christmas.”

Police boss says he's been gagged on Brexit "chaos"

* North Wales PCC Arfon Jones.

A police chief has hit out after being “gagged” to try and stop him from warning people in North Wales about the threat to law and order caused by the Brexit chaos.

The region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Arfon Jones, says the National Police and Crime Council and Association of Police and Crime Commissioners has issued what amounts to a gagging order to the country’s 41 police and crime commissioners.

The latest information from the National Police Chiefs Council and APCC about policing contingency arrangements for a ‘No Deal’ Brexit are marked ‘CONFIDENTIAL’ and a warning that they are not to be shared more widely.

Mr Jones, a former police Inspector, said: “I believe that if there is anything that increases the risk of security issues then the public deserve and need to know.

“Unfortunately the Association of Police and Crime Commissioners are very much like the Home Office in that they like to try and put a security classification on this information.

“In my view it amounts to a gagging order but we have been elected and we are under an obligation to tell people what’s going on in terms of crime and policing.

“It is certain that whatever is put in place of our existing arrangements with the rest of Europe will be slower, more cumbersome and more bureaucratic and while I don’t think this will come as a huge surprise to anyone it does bear repeating.

“It’s one reason I would support the call by Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts for a People’s Vote on Brexit now that we know more about the effects it will have.”

Mr Jones’s North Wales region includes the UK’s second biggest roll-on/roll-off ferry port in Holyhead which deals with huge movements of people and goods with the Republic of Ireland.

He fears that security there could be seriously compromised by a hard Brexit which would mean that after March 29 next year the UK could be frozen out of up to 32 of the shared services currently used to target criminals across Europe.

Among them are ECRIS, the European Criminal Record Information Service used 539 million times by British police last year, Europol, the European Union law enforcement agency, and the European Arrest Warrant.

Mr Jones said he intends to ask for the publication of planning documents agreed by the National Police Chiefs' Council on mitigating the effects of a no-deal Brexit and a report on the visit of Lord Willy Bach, the Labour peer and Leicestershire Police and Crime Commissioner, to Brussels to discuss future policing concerns with European Union officials.

The NPCC has set up a 50-person unit to determine how to replace current European policing systems and another team is looking at the pressures on policing a hard Brexit might create.

Mr Jones added: “When we speak to Europeans about Brexit they are very worried because the UK is a big player in terms of European policing and if we crash out of Europe we will crash out of its safeguards against organised crime and terrorism.

“All these important tools we currently use for security and policing are now at risk and could soon be denied to our police forces and the public deserve to know what is being done to replace them.

“Brexit risks putting the UK and North Wales in jeopardy. Our co-operation with the rest of Europe is used to help North Wales Police guard against terrorism, serious organised crime including modern slavery and human and drugs trafficking.

“A hard Brexit will mean starting from scratch, negotiating individually with each country and using instruments that we currently use for countries outside the EU and that will mean extradition will be slower and more difficult, and criminals will evade justice and will find it easier to operate in the UK.”

Museum to hold coffee morning

Barbers back drive to boost men's mental health

Barbers across North Wales will be given a helping hand to save lives while giving a ‘short back and sides’ as part of new drive to raise awareness of men’s mental health and the male suicide rate.

Groomers from across the region are set to receive training to spot the warning signs of mental health problems in their customers, along with best practice guidance on how to listen, give helpful advice, and signpost to support services.

Launching on International Men’s Day (Monday 19^th November), the initiative aims to raise awareness of the avoidable tragedy of male suicide, which is the biggest killer of men under 45 in North Wales, and across the UK.

Statistics show that men are three times as likely to take their own lives as women, with men accounting for 75% of all suicides in the UK.

The training drive is being supported by NHS Charity, Awyr Las’ I CAN mental health campaign and led by Local Implementation Teams which include representatives from Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, local authorities and mental health charities, who are working together to implement North Wales’ first integrated mental health strategy.

It’s a cause that is close to the heart of Denbighshire barber, Mahir Soylu, who says that barber shops have an important role to play in supporting men who are struggling with their mental health.

Since opening LL19 Barbers in Prestatyn two years ago, the 31 year old has used his own experience of suffering with stress, anxiety and low self-esteem to help others.

“Barber shops provide that safe space for men to open up about how they’re feeling” he explained.

“We’re not close enough to our customers to know what is going on in their lives, but we work in close proximity to them for 15 minutes and we are literally touching them. That breaks down a barrier and brings more openness.

“I’ve had people crying in my chair. Simply asking people how they are and how they’re doing can make all the difference. I don’t often have the answers but I know I can make an impact by just listening.

“I think the training programme is an absolutely fantastic idea. It will give me a better insight into what it’s like to live with certain conditions and how I can help them.”

Sam Watson, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Head of Mental Health Service for North West Wales, said the training drive would complement work that is taking place across the region to improve mental health support.

She said: “There have been a number of successful initiatives to encourage people to talk about their mental health, but it’s also vital that people have the skills to listen effectively and provide helpful advice.

“We’re working hard to improve the mental health services we provide, but we also recognise the crucial role that people in communities across North Wales can play in supporting each other.

“The training programme is the first step towards building resilient communities which are empowered to take ownership and responsibility for making changes to improve people’s lives. This is critical if we are to reduce the rate of death by suicide and prevent mental ill health.”

The training programme is set to be rolled out more widely next year and Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board are encouraging anybody interested in getting involved to register an interest by contacting them at bcu.info@wales.nhs.uk.

The free and confidential C.A.L.L Mental Health Helpline is available 24/7 to provide emotional support and signposting to local services. Call 0800 132 737, text ‘Help’ to 81066, or visit www.callhelpline.org.uk.

Splash praised by Welsh Government Minister

From left, Splash Community Trust chair Stella Matthews;

Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and

Public Services, Alun Davies AM; Clwyd South AM Ken Skates

and Splash director Ray Prescott.

A leisure centre used by people from Llangollen and nominated for a national award has been praised after a visit from a Welsh Government Minister.

Alun Davies AM, Cabinet Secretary for Local Government and Public Services, was given a tour of Plas Madoc Leisure Centre recently.

Stella Matthews, chair of the Splash Community Trust, which runs the centre said: “It was wonderful to welcome the Cabinet Secretary to Plas Madoc and we’re very grateful to him for taking the time to visit and for his interest.

“He was very impressed with the strides we’ve made in the past four years, which is a testament to our brilliant team, the staff, volunteers, the board and the local community.”

Mrs Matthews will represent Plas Madoc Leisure Centre at the UK Social Enterprise Awards in London on November 28 after being named Social Enterprise of the Year Wales last month.

Local AM Ken Skates was a founder member of the volunteer trust set up to save Plas Madoc after Wrexham Council voted to close it down in 2013.

He said: “From facing the prospect of being demolished to being the pride of Wales and in the running for a UK-wide award in such a short period is incredible. The volunteers, board and members of staff who run Plas Madoc are a credit to our area and they deserve all the plaudits.”

Twenty Club to stage fun play on seasonal theme

* A scene from the Flint Street Nativity to be staged this week.

The Twenty Club Amateur Players of Llangollen are performing The Flint Street Nativity from Thursday-Saturday (November 22-24) at the Town hall this week.

It's an hilarious comedy written by Tim Firth of Calendar Girls fame.

Mizzis Horrocks' class of seven and eight year olds is about to perform their nativity play at Flint Street Junior School for the proud mums and dads - and the occasional social worker.

Squabbles arise when Gabriel wants to play Mary, the Star grumbles he's not a proper star like they have at NASA, Herod won't stop waving to his mum and dad and the subversive Innkeeper is determined to liven up the traditional script. And then the stick insect escapes ...

The children are played by adults, who later play their parents so the set changes accordingly to reflect the difference in scale.

It’s an ideal alternative to the usual Christmas fare with original lyrics set to the tunes of the usual Christmas carols.

It was first performed to critical acclaim at the Liverpool Playhouse.

Director John Clifford said: "The performances promise to be of an excellent standard, as expected from The Twenty Club.”

* Performances begin at 7.30pm each evening and tickets, at £8 and £6 concessions, are available from Courtyard Books, Gwyn Davies butchers, Jenni's or Mair Bowen on 01978 822759, or via Skiddle.com

Poppy volunteers gather for commemorative picture

A large number of the volunteers who lovingly crafted then fixed over 3,000 poppies to the rear wall of Llangollen's Centenary Square to mark the 100th anniversary of the World War One Armistice gathered for a commemorative picture there this morning (Saturday).

It was taken by photographer Alasdair Mackin who runs locally-based Celtic Camera and specialises in everything from family and baby portraits to stag and hen parties.

* For more details, go to: www.celtic-camera.co.uk or info@celtic-camera.co.uk