Corwen platform completion underway

As of last Saturday volunteers from Llangollen Railway were preparing to extend the upside platform wall at the new Corwen station to complete the east end after a further section of track had been laid on the loop line.

The remaining length of platform wall is to be built up using the easi-blocks as the base, with the overhang blocks to follow.

Work is alongside the end of the track - for the moment pending installation of the points.

Railway spokesman George Jones said: "We're getting there but there's still lots to do and continued support is needed to see the project complete as a facility ready to accept trains this summer.

"Donations to the project CCRD remain welcome by Paul Bailey, at 'Dolwen', Bryn Eglwys, Corwen LL21 9LY."

Firefighters tackling fire in Trevor

NORTH WALES Fire and Rescue Service are tackling a fire near Trevor Hall in Llangollen, the Leader online is reporting.

Three appliances, from Wrexham and Llangollen, are currently battling the blaze that is raging just off Trevor Hall Road towards the entrance of the luxurious Trevor Hall country house.

The incident was first reported to the emergency services shortly after 8.30am on Monday, June 3, and is still ongoing.

* See the story at: https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/

It's 'Llan or bust' for canal man Phil

* Phil's canal boat Seren.

* Phil Thane at the helm of Seren.

* Phil Thane has plotted the course of his canal journey from Bedfordshire to Llangollen.

A former local town councillor will cast off tomorrow (Tuesday) on a three-week canal boat trip to reach Llangollen in time for next month’s International Eisteddfod.

Phil Thane moved down to Potton in Bedfordshire just over two years ago and has since rebuilt an elderly boat named Seren.

Phil, who is a technical author by trade, is writing a blog on the voyage through the canal system for the Waterways World magazine - and he’s also going to keep llanblogger readers up to date on his progress, which involves 316 miles and 232 locks - each way.

Eisteddfod team learns how to use lifesaving machine

* Jo Davies of Welsh Hearts demonstrates the use of a defibrillator.

* Eisteddfod Friends group chairman Barrie Potter

 tries his hand at CPR on Donald the dummy.

A person suffering a cardiac arrest has a 70% chance of survival if a defibrillator is used on them in the first few minutes after being struck down.

That was the message to a group of volunteers and staff at Llangollen International Eisteddfod as they received their training in the use of this vital piece of lifesaving equipment, an example of which is now available for the use at their Pavilion headquarters.

The defibrillator, housed in bright yellow casing and fixed to the front wall of the building, was recently donated to the eisteddfod by the charity Welsh Hearts.

And on Friday morning around 20 members of the eisteddfod team received expert instruction in its effective use from Welsh Hearts representative Jo Davies, a retired cardiac nurse.

She told them that someone hit by cardiac arrest - where the heart stops pumping blood around the body - has a 70% chance to staying alive if a defibrillator is used on them within four or five minutes.

Ms Davies also explained she had two other messages for someone using one of the electrically-powered and computerised machines for the first time - the huge shock they emit to re-start the heart cannot possibly make a patient any worse off than they are already and a it will not allow somone to be shocked unless they are desperately in need of it.

She went on to demonstrate on a dummy known as Donald the exact process of putting a defibrillator swiftly into action and also the correct way to perform CPR -  cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) the manual application of chest compressions and ventilations - which should also be used alongside it.

Eisteddfod chairman Dr Rhys Davies, who was at the training session, said: “We are extremely grateful that Welsh Hearts donated the defibrillator to the festival which welcomes thousands of visitors and competitors each year from across the world.

“I would also like to thank the charity for staging this very instructive training session because as a doctor I realise how important it is for as many people as possible to be aware of how to use this fantastically useful piece of equipment.”

SML's public consultation campaign rounds off in style

*Chris Burton plays on the SML stand in Centenary Square. 

The last in the current series of public consultation exercises by the team of volunteers putting together Llangollen’s contribution to the county council’s next Local Development Plan was held in Centenary Square yesterday (Saturday) and was a big success.

Shape My Llangollen (SML) was formed last year at the behest of the Town Council to produce a 'place plan' for Llangollen.

The idea is that this plan, when approved and endorsed by the Town Council, will feed into the new emerging Local Development Plan being produced by Denbighshire County Council.

The plan will cover topics such as the natural environment, built environment, economy, and community and is a genuine opportunity for some grassroots democracy.

SML is therefore engaged upon a far-ranging consultation exercise contacting groups and individuals to seek their views on any issues which affect or concern them so that they can have an input into the plan.

Over the past month or so the team has been hosting a series of consultation events to introduce themselves to the public and to get their views.

The first of these was held on May 7 at Llangollen Health Centre when throughout the day team members spoke to scores of people to gain their feedback.

The second successful session was held outside the Co-op store in Regent Street on May 13 when, again, SML gained lots of useful responses from shoppers.

The third question-and-answer session was held outside the Home Bargains store, next to Aldi, on May 23 and it was once again a huge hit with those who took part.

To round off the process in style, the final session was held in Centenary Square yesterday.

And scores of people called in at our stand to answer a set of simple questions related to the town’s future.

Just to give the event a party atmosphere there was some great live music from guitar man Chris Burton throughout the day. 

SML chair Phil Robinson said: "We'd were delighted by the response we had from residents and also visitors to the town.

"The four consultation sessions have produced some fantastic answers from the people who were kind enough to spare us a few minutes of their time.

"This feedback will be invaluable in preparing our final report by the autumn and we’ll be back on the road later in the summer to give people the chance to have a look and comment on our findings.

"As far as we know this is the largest and most exhaustive consultation process which has ever taken place in Llangollen.

“The whole consultation process has been a fantastic example of the people of this town having their say on some vital issues and I'd like to thank everyone who has contributed so far.

"Hot hot topics hve been parking and traffic problems but people have also oned a host of other things to us."

The questions SML is asking are:

1. What makes you happy about Llangollen?

2. What makes you sad about Llangollen?

3. What makes you mad about Llangollen?

4. How would you make Llangollen better?

5. How would you spend £10,000 for Llangollen’s future?

People who were unable to make it to the meet-the-public sessions can fill in one of the question sheets which are available in the Town Hall office.

D-Day 75th anniversary ceremony this morning

* British troops storming ashore in Normandy on June 6, 1944.

Llangollen branch of the Royal British Legion is to hold a Remembrance ceremony to mark the 75th anniversary of the the D-Day landings in Centenary Square this morning (Thursday).

The standards of the branch and the RAFA Club will be on parade from 10.45am and the ceremony will include the sounding of Last Post and Reveille, the traditional two minutes' silence and the laying of wreaths on the 1939-45 memorial.

A short service will be conducted by Father Lee Taylor of St Collen's.

D-Day, on June 6 1944, was when the Allies launched an invasion across the beaches of Normandy to begin the liberation of Europe from the occupation of Nazi Germany.

New Welsh medium support for Ti a Fi playgroup

* Llinos Davies with the toddlers at Llangollen Ti a Fi.

* The new toys (above and below).

The babies and toddlers at Llangollen Ti a Fi playgroup have welcomed their new support officer, Llinos Davies, from Welsh language organisation Mudiad Meithrin.

Ms Davies has recently joined Mudiad Meithrin, previously enjoying a career as a manager within the library service covering Ruthin and Denbigh.

Playgroup volunteer Jen Sandford said: "Llinos has only just joined us but she's already a big hit with the children and parents who come here. 

"She brings her own craft activities and leads us in traditional Welsh nursery songs and storytime at the end. People are mainly English first language here, but we really want to try and pick up bits of Cymraeg that we can use at home with our little ones."

Llangollen Ti a Fi has also recently benefited from grants towards new toys funded by Cittaslow Llangollen and Mudiad Meithrin. 

New additions include a new play kitchen, a wooden indoor climbing triangle (by Gwynedd-based Triclimb) and ride-on, bouncy animals. The volunteers who run the group made a concerted effort to source toys made from wood and other natural materials where possible, ideally sourced locally.

This long-standing baby and toddler group meets once a week, during term-time, at Glanrafon Chapel's school room on Princess Street, Llangollen LL20 8RD. 

Children are welcome with their parents or carers, from ages 0 - 4 years. Each session runs from 9am - 11am and costs £1.50 per child for those over 6 months (additional children 50p). The first visit is free and includes a healthy snack and tea / coffee for the adults.

* More information can be found on Facebook, @TiAFiLlangollen or get in touch via Messenger: m.me/TiAFiLlangollen , Mudiad Meithrin's website is www.meithrin.cymru