Cruise liner group steams out of Llan station

* Passengers from the The Costa Mediterranea visited Llangollen station.

The first visiting cruise liner of the 2019 season berthed at Liverpool Liner Terminal last Friday and provided a boost for passenger numbers at Llangollen Railway

The Costa Mediterranea, gross tonnage 85,600 with room for over 2,600 passengers, was making its first visit to Liverpool and among the passengers taking advantage of local excursions was a coach load which headed for north-east Wales.

Visitors were brought over the hills to Carrog for a steam train trip on the heritage railway through to Llangollen.

As seen in the River Mersey the 12 decker cruise ship made and impressive sight and is due to return again as part of a series of cruises around the British Isles.

The cruise liner programme for 2019 involves visits by 57 day cruise ships with many offering excursions into North Wales.

Railway spokesman George Jones said: "The inclusion of Llangollen Railway in the itinerary for a day excursion into North Wales makes a valuable contribution to the railway and the wider economy. 

"After visiting Llangollen the party moved on to Chirk Castle before heading back to Liverpool in time for the evening sailing when the ship headed for Belfast."

Local author explores a lady's wicked ways

Was Catherine, wife of legendary Wrexham philanthropist Elihu Yale, wicked?

Whether she was or was not will never be established either way as there are no precise historical records to tell us.

For although she is referred to as such in her famous husband's will, he adds nothing to back up his scathing description of his spouse.

So her character must remain a tantalising matter for conjecture and it is precisely this conjecture which forms the foundation for a fascinating new novel by local author David Ebsworth.

He already has a formidable reputation as the spinner of compelling historical fiction on topics such  as the Zulu and Spanish Civil wars.

The Doubtful Diaries of the Wicked Mistress Yale is his seventh novel and is woven around the few facts that are known about the lady's early adult years as the wife of an East India Company official in Madras in the final decades of the 17th century.

Her action-packed story is told through the diaries which the author painstakingly constructs for her.

During this tumultuous period of empire she undergoes everything from the shattering loss of her first husband and two young children to disease right through to an attack by bloodthirsty pirates.

Her later marriage to Yale, a man she actively despises according to the author, comes out of the necessity for a woman left alone with small children in a far-away country to find a protector and provider, two roles for which the man who was eventually to be buried in St Giles' churchyard is perfectly qualified as a rising star of the company.

Many intrigues and plot twists ensue and all are presented in immaculate style by Ebsworth whose evocation of the era, right down to its flowery language, and the overheated, exotic atmosphere of
India is faultless.

As the story comes to a close we find Catherine sailing back home to England after a couple of misdemeanours of her own.

Whether so far she has been worthy of the wickedness ascribed to her by Yale is for the reader to decide.

But if they need further evidence of her character they can catch up with Catherine in the second part of the trilogy which Ebsworth has already started to create and is teased in this book.

* There are a number of buying to explore at: http://www.davidebsworth.com/doubtful-diaries-wicked-mistress-yale

List of Easter church services

llanblogger launches regular Citizens Advice column

From today llanblogger is pleased to be publishing a monthly question-and-answer column provided by Citizens Advice Denbighshire ...

Q: I’m 3 months pregnant and just beginning to show, so last week I thought I’d sit down with my manager and let them know before any speculation could take place. My manager was really happy for me, but this week I’ve been pulled aside and told they’re letting me go due to poor performance. I’ve worked here for 2 years and never had any negative feedback so I don’t understand. Could they be sacking me just for being pregnant? Is this legal?

A: It doesn’t matter how long you’ve been working for your employer, being fired because of pregnancy, or pregnancy-related issues, is automatically classed as unfair dismissal.

Although your employer said you were being sacked for poor performance, you’re right to be suspicious as this only came to light after you told your manager about your pregnancy. If your employer says your dismissal has nothing to do with you having a baby, you will need to prove that it was. You can ask your employer to send you written reasons for your dismissal.

As you have been employed for two years, your employer can only dismiss you for specified fair reasons, such as gross misconduct or persistent poor performance. Except in the most serious cases of gross misconduct, your employer will be expected to follow a fair process and show the dismissal was for a fair reason.

If you want to challenge the dismissal, you can take your case to an employment tribunal. You should first raise a grievance with your employer and contact the Advisory Conciliation and Arbitration Service about Early Conciliation. Be sure to act quickly as time limits in employment tribunals are short.

To prepare for the tribunal, gather as much evidence as possible. This includes emails with your employer about your pregnancy, previous performance appraisals, and correspondence about you being dismissed. The new Citizens Advice Discrimination Toolkit, found on their website, can help you with this.

Record-breaking time for Denbighshire business

Denbighshire’s business community has taken part in a record-breaking month.

The county council’s fourth March for Business month saw more than 530 attendees take part in 26 varied events, the highest figures so far.

Working with partner support providers, business month offered a range of training events including updating businesses on the £1bn North Wales Growth Deal, a food event to showcase local produce and a summit on town centres with industry experts.

Cllr Hugh Evans, leader of Denbighshire County Council, said: “I’d like to thank all the businesses, support providers and experts who have taken part in our biggest ever business month.

“The focus of March for Business was decided after we asked businesses what support they wanted. As a Council we listen to our business community and we are here to support entrepreneurs to grow their businesses.

“The feedback from March for Business has been really positive with businesses telling us the support provided will help them moving forward. With a difficult trading environment facing High Street retailers and uncertainty around Brexit, it is vital we continue to provide support to Denbighshire businesses so they can carry on growing the economy and creating jobs county-wide.”

Other events included a session for businesses to make the most of the Urdd Eisteddford when it is held in Denbigh in 2020, helping businesses with taxation as well as social media training.

Organisations who worked with the Council included Business Wales, the Federation of Small Businesses, the West Cheshire and North Wales Chamber of Commerce and the Development Bank of Wales.

Fiona Evans from Denbigh’s Snow in Summer, said: “March for Business is a great opportunity for businesses to attend various free events and workshops throughout to help benefit their business.

“The social media workshops I have attended have been really beneficial for promoting the shop such as the Instagram workshop, and also the Urdd event.

“I would recommend March for Business, it’s a good opportunity to network with other local businesses.”

March for Business is part of the Council’s work on developing the local economy to make sure the county’s communities are resilient and residents have access to good and services.

Hannah James, who owns Rhyl’s Clwyd Chambers, said: “There were great events at March for Business. Marketing advice is invaluable to small businesses and the events give small businesses access to quality advice at an open and applicable level.

“I would recommend businesses take advantage of the training and support provided by the council.”

Llan features prominently in new tourism film

* The Chain Bridge features in the new film.

... as does Castell Dinas Bran.

Two of Llangollen's most iconic landmarks feature in a new film promoting key tourism experiences and attractions in Denbighshire.

Launched to coincide with Visit Wales’ Year of Discovery, the film highlights key destinations across the county including the Chain Bridge and Castell Dinas Brân along with Llangollen Railway, Plas Newydd and Valle Crucis Abbey.

It also features a variety of experiences like paragliding in Llangollen, stand-up paddle boarding on the River Dee, cycling on the Horseshoe Pass, mountain biking at One Planet Adventure and kite surfing in Rhyl.

The film was launched at the recent Tourism Forum, where nearly 100 people gathered to hear from guest speakers including Urdd Gobaith Cymru and Development Bank of Wales. The Forum is held twice a year and has proven to be a huge success for tourism businesses to learn from each other and develop new partnerships.

Councillor Hugh Evans OBE, Leader of Denbighshire County Council, said: “The film really showcases the beauty of Denbighshire from Llangollen and the Dee Valley in the south to the northern coastal towns of Prestatyn and Rhyl. With the start of the main tourism season upon us and the recent opening of SC2 in Rhyl, we urge both visitors and local people to re-discover our part of North Wales.”

North Wales is fast becoming the renowned destination for being the capital of adventure and this film really highlights the varied and accessible experiences available in the county for all ages and interests.

The film received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014-2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development and the Welsh Government. It forms part of the Denbighshire Tourism Ambassador project which will be launched shortly. It aims to improve the visitor experience by providing online training modules about Denbighshire’s tourism offer.

* To view the film, please visit North East Wales Facebook or YouTube Channel -

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkPlkchN1HQ&feature=youtu.be

£2 million countryside project unveiled at Plas Newydd fair

* Visitors had the chance to meet a newborn lamb.

* An expert gives a demonstration of traditional spinning.

* A castle-shaped cake is cut to mark the launch of the OPL project. 

* Visitors to the fair are shown around the Dell. 

A £2 million five-year campaign to engage local communities with the stunning locations on their doorsteps was officially launched during a spring fair at Plas Newydd yesterday (Saturday) afternoon.

Since the 1700s people have been on inspirational journeys through the Dee Valley, across the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and Canal, along Telford’s A5, the Llangollen Railway and the River Dee. 

They came to enjoy and engage with the unique landscape and many felt compelled to recall this stunning landscape in art. 

Through a wide range of events and community activities, the Our Picturesque Landscape (OPL) project aims to engage local people to follow in the footsteps of the artists of the past and to  celebrate the beautiful and unique landscape around them. 

The team also hopes to encourage people to discover and learn about their heritage and habitats, the modern day pressures these face and how we can protect and manage them for the future.

The spring fair featured an afternoon of activities, including have-a-go at wool felting, discovering the story of wool and meeting a young lamb. 

There was also be an opportunity to try the new self-guided discovery trails round the grounds and join a guided walk and talk about the future plans to restore the Dell back to its former glory as it was in the romantic period when the Ladies of Llangollen lived at Plas Newydd. 

David Shiel, Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty officer for Denbighshire Countryside Service, explained to visitors plans to put in a viewing platform over a small section of the river which runs through the Dell, remove some of the trees from the end nearest to Brook Street to open up the view across the Castell Dinas Bran and to create a pond in another corner of the area.

During the afternoon a cake made in the shape of the castle was cut to mark the OPL project's launch.

* For more details about the OPL project or if you are part of a community group based along the Dee Valley between Corwen and Chirk and would be interested in participating in the project through art or outdoor activities, then contact our.picturesque.landscape@denbighshire.gov.uk or by phone on 01824 706163.