MP calls for inquiry into offshore helicopter safety

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones (pictured) has backed parliamentary calls for a Government inquiry into offshore helicopter safety.

Speaking at a debate in Parliament, she said: “There are more than 18,000 people in this country who work in the offshore oil and gas industry, on North Sea rigs and so forth.

"This includes people from my home area and most other constituencies across the country. It is vital therefore that helicopter safety is paramount to protect those workers.”

Ms Jones also noted that since 2009, there have been six offshore helicopter accidents around the North Sea which have led to 33 deaths and the need for 65 other people to be rescued.

Volunteers clear vegetation for beside railway tracks

A team of Llangollen Railway volunteers have been busy clearing away vegetation from the sides of the track.

Over recent weekends they've worked on Green Lane Cutting, Pentrefellin and Deeside Halt.

One of the team, Rich Smith, said: "The amount of work that has been achieved is great to see. Deeside Halt will continue to be worked on for the next two weekends.

"It's amazing how a bunch of people from different departments of the railway most of whom have never met can come together to achieve the same goal.

"To make the railway we work so hard to keep running and looking as it should is a thing to behold.

"I'm glad to be a part of it to make the paying public appreciate the views it opens up.

"Well done to Robin for organising the whole thing and working every day on the veg cutting and to the volunteers for turning out to help."

* The pictures, showing the three sites worked on, were taken by volunteers Tom and Robin.

Charlie's cash challenges are inspired by little cousin

* In training: Charlie Reoch.

* Lilly Day, nine.

A bakery worker from Llangollen has been inspired to embark on a series of fund-raising challenges by her nine year old cousin who suffers from a rare life-limiting condition.

Quality assurance manager Charlie Reoch, 25, is kicking off her quest with the Village Bakery Half Marathon in Wrexham which is sponsored by her employers and takes place in Wrexham on Sunday, February 17.

Her brave little cousin, Lilly Day, who lives in Deal, in East Kent, is one of fewer than 30 people in the world who have been diagnosed an uncommon variant of the already rare condition, Ataxia-Telangiectasia or A-T.

It’s a degenerative multi-system disorder that affects the brain, immune system and increases the risk of cancers.

The cruel condition causes increasingly severe disability for which there is no cure or treatment.

Charlie, who joined the Village Bakery nine months ago, is in training for the popular race which will be her first ever half marathon.

It’s  attracting a record number of runners, with more than 2,700 signed up already and just a few places left.

As well as sponsoring the event, this year the Village Bakery is also providing the race headquarters at their new gluten-free bakery on Wrexham Industrial Estate.

After the half marathon, Charlie is looking for ideas for more fund-raising physical challenges.

The proceeds will be split equally between the A-T Society and Lilly’s family so they can go on a holiday of a lifetime touring Europe in a camper van.

Charlie said: “It is a very cruel condition and sadly Lilly will die young. She won't make it to her 20s - she'll make it through her teens if we're lucky.

 “Lilly is losing the ability to walk, she can't talk and she can't chew food properly. It's horrible. It gets progressively worse.

“But she'll stay compos mentis mentally, so she'll know what's happening, but her body will fail her.

“She's of an age now where she is starting to understand more. She used to say to her dad ‘Daddy next year when I'm better, can we do this and that?’. They had to sit her down and say ‘this is the best you're going to be’.

"But she's a very positive young girl and she's quite energetic and excited. She's gorgeous. She's cheeky. She's ever so funny. She's full of life, a really happy little girl. She loves playing and baking and doing everything else when she can.

“The fact she has A-AT is terribly sad. It's heart-breaking.

"Half the money I raise will go to the AT Society who fund research into treatment and hopefully a cure. They've given great support and my family during this awful time.

“The rest of the money I would like to give directly to the Day family because, while Lilly can still move and enjoy life, they want to take her on the road trip of a lifetime this summer.

“She's got an older sister, Melissa, and an older brother, Hayden, so they want to go and make memories while they still can.

"Lily is inspiring me to do this now. I don't have a plan for the other challenges but I’d welcome suggestions from people for what they'd like to see me do.

"I used to run about two years ago but this will be my first half marathon. I am in training now, the farthest I have run so far is 8k.

“If it didn't have a time limit I'd be fine but you've got to do it in 2 hours 45 minutes, so  there is just a little bit of pressure then. I need to finish. I hope it will be fine.

Village Bakery managing director Robin Jones said: “I take off my hat to Charlie because this will be her very first half marathon but she’s doing it  for a very good cause.

“This year’s race is shaping up to be the best ever and they have already got a record number of runners taking part.

"”We're now in our 24th year and we hope and pray that the weather is good for us because it's a lovely course.

“Although the race starts and finishes on the industrial estate, the course takes you through some beautiful countryside. It’s going to be fantastic event.”

* Charlie has set up a Just Giving page for anyone who would like to make a donation https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/lillys-story and for anybody wanting more information should go to the website of the race organisers  www.cutefruitevents.com

Youth Parliament member wins AM's support

A teenager recently chosen as her area’s first ever Welsh Youth Parliament Member has been backed by her local AM Ken Skates.

Talulah Thomas, 17, (pictured) will represent Clwyd South after being elected as one of the 60 inaugural members of the newly formed national body in November.

The Welsh Youth Parliament aims to empower young people to identify, raise awareness of and debate the important issues to them, and will work directly with the National Assembly to make young people’s voices heard by those with the power to make change.

“The political future of Wales rests with our youth, and our nation's young people must be engaged to ensure progression,” said Talulah, who lives in Llangollen and attends Ysgol Morgan Llwyd in Wrexham.

“I would encourage discussions within schools by starting an all-inclusive committee that will highlight the issues that are important to young voters, as their views are most important to me. I hope that this will reflect politics as an essential element of everyday life and create a bridge between the voices of young people and the Senedd.”

Talulah added: “I’m studying through the medium of Welsh, therefore will also be focusing on the importance of keeping the Welsh language going amongst the youth of Clwyd South.”

Assembly Member Ken Skates contacted Talulah after her election and the pair met last week to discuss their shared priorities for the area, which include increasing youth participation in politics and improving mental health education in schools.

Mr Skates said: “Mental health is a subject close to my heart, and I’m pleased to hear it’s high up on Talulah’s agenda. Good mental health so important, particularly for our young people, which is why I was delighted this week to see the Welsh Government commit an additional £7.1m to help protect, improve and support the mental health of young people in Wales.”

The Welsh Labour AM added: “Having met Talulah I’m confident she’ll do a fabulous job. I’m looking forward to working with her and helping her however I can.”

Plas Madoc gets major gym facility upgrade

Plas Madoc Leisure Centre in Acrefair has refurbished its large gym facility.

The centre, which is operated by Splash Community Trust, was reopened in December 2014 thanks to the actions of local people after the council closed the site as a cost-saving measures.

During this time the charitable trust has secured major upgrades to the site to boost it’s long-term viability, such as new boilers and a new roof as well as improvements to the café and sports hall.

The gym will be repainted and have a new floor laid in preparation for all new CV equipment to be installed.

The kit will be state of the art provided by Life Fitness and will provide users with the very best experience in fitness with access to large 21” touch screen monitors, providing access to Netflix and other online streaming services.

Denise Chadwick, general manager, said: “This major investment by the Splash Community Trust is a real statement about our commitment to the long term future of Plas Madoc Leisure Centre.

"Tthe new kit will provide a real bonus to our current membership and hopefully attract new members to the facility."

The gym will reopen on Saturday February 9.

* Anyone interested in  joining can contact the centre on 01978 821600, or visit its website at: www.plas-madoc.com

Twenty Club prepares to stage poignant new play

Llangollen Twenty Club Amateur Players are well into rehearsal for a world premiere play, Dinner with Otto, written by Tom George and directed by Lyn Aston. 

After it's initial showing at Llangollen Town Hall,  the play will be going on professional tour.

Dinner with Otto is set in March 1919 after the conclusion of the bloodiest conflict in history.

It tells the story of a young soldier Ben,  returning  home to his mother and friends after witnessing the atrocities of war, and now having to live with a deep sense guilt, and hopelessness for his future. 

Otto Schultz, whom he killed during the fierce battle, died slowly, on the end of Ben’s bayonet and during the time that Otto was dying the two young men realised that in other circumstances they could have been friends.

Otto asked Ben to write to his mother and told him that he will keep a seat for him at the dinner table in Hell, as that is surely where they will both end up.

Ben had promised to protect his friend, Aled, but Aled was killed, further adding to Ben’s sense of guilt.

Aled’s mother forgives him, which leaves Ben feeling even more wretched.  

His mother realises that he has many other secrets that will affect the future course of his life.

The play has a very dramatic, and to some, surprising end, but, according to director Lyn Aston, is sure to keep the audience on the edge of their seat, "willing this sad and haunted young man to survive and deal with the trauma that impact of any war has on the returning soldier. A must see piece of exceptional writing, brought  to life by a very talented cast."

* Tickets are available from:

Mair Bowen Tel:01978 822759

Courtyard Books Tel: 01978 869394

Gwyn Davies Butchers, Llangollen

Jenni's Llangollen

Online: www.skiddle.com

Llan-written novel gets its release

_{A Llangollen-based author has produced a new novel set in Lincolnshire – although he says that it was largely written at a popular café in town.}

_{Eamonn Griffin (pictured) says he penned most of the book, entitled East of England, in M'Eating Point on Berwyn Street, although it doesn’t mention Llan at all.} 

_{The noir-ish thriller was published last week by an organisation specialising in crowd-funding called Unbound.}

The book's available from Amazon, Waterstones, Hive and all other book retailers (online and offline) in paperback and ebook format, and locally may be ordered via Courtyard Books in Llangollen (an online purchase via Hive may be configured to support that shop too). 

A synopsis of the story says:

Dan Matlock is out of jail. He’s got a choice. Stay or leave. Go back to where it all went wrong, or simply get out of the county. Disappear. Start again as someone else. But it’s not as simple as that. 

There’s the matter of the man he killed. It wasn’t murder, but even so. You tell that to the family. Especially when that family is the Mintons, who own half that’s profitable and two-thirds of what’s crooked between the Wolds and the coast. And who could have got to Matlock as easy as you like in prison, but who haven’t touched him. Not yet.


And like Matlock found out in prison, there’s no getting away from yourself, so what would the point be in not facing up to other people?


It’s time to go home.


East of England blends a rural take on the noir thriller with a fascination with the British industrialised countryside that lies east of the Wolds, between the Humber and the Wash. Unlit byways rather than the neon-bright and rain-slicked city. A world of caravan parks, slot machines, and low-rise battery farms.


The flatlands of the east coast; decaying market towns and run-down resorts, and the distant throb of offshore windfarms. Where the smell you’re trying to get out of your clothes is the cigarette taint of old phone boxes and bus shelters, and where redemption, like life, is either hard-earned or fought for, one way or another.   


Author Eamonn Griffin was born and raised in Lincolnshire. 

He's worked as a stonemason, a strawberry picker, in plastics factories (everything from packing those little bags for loose change you get from banks to production planning via transport manager via fork-lift driving), in agricultural and industrial laboratories, in a computer games shop, and latterly in further and higher education.


He’s taught and lectured in subjects as diverse as leisure and tourism, uniformed public services, English Studies, creative writing, film studies, TV and film production, and media theory. He doesn’t do any of that anymore. Instead he writes fulltime, either as a freelancer, or else on fiction. 


Eamonn has a PhD in creative writing with the University of Lancaster, specialising in historical fiction, having previously completed both an MA in popular film and a BSc in sociology and politics via the Open University. He really likes biltong, and has recently returned to learning to play piano, something he abandoned when he was about seven and has regretted since.

East of England is published by Unbound Digital. ISBN: 978-1789650143

Review copies are available via Netgalley at: https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/book/155755

For details of the book, go to: https://unbound.com/books/east-of-england/