Kids challenge businesses to get greener

* Ken Skates AM with children at Ysgol Acrefair.

Schoolchildren and their Assembly Member are challenging local businesses to be more environmentally friendly.

Ken Skates visited Ysgol Acrefair recently after receiving letters from pupils saying what they’d like to see done to reduce littering and single-use plastic locally.

The Welsh Government recently declared a climate emergency and outlined its plans for a greener Wales for future generations, and Mr Skates said he was inspired to see so many young people who shared his passion for protecting the environment.

The Clwyd South AM said ‘we all have a role to play’ – including local businesses.

“The children would like to see local shops and businesses stop selling and using plastic which can’t be recycled,” said Mr Skates. 

“They are very clued-up on this issue, which is fantastic to see, and are only too aware of the problems it causes for wildlife.

“It was amazing to meet so many children of such a young age who want to make a difference and I would like to sincerely thank the school for inviting me in – it was a genuinely inspiring morning and made me feel very proud.”

Headteacher Rebecca Turner said: “At Ysgol Acrefair, we have been very busy exploring and developing the four core purposes of the new curriculum for Wales. As part of the work on developing as ‘ethical, informed citizens’, the children have been finding out about sustainability. They were worried to see how much of our waste isn't recyclable, including the single-use plastic straws that come with their milk each day.

“The children were really inspired by Ken's visit. They thoroughly enjoyed finding out about Ken's job and how he himself tries to be sustainable. They can't wait to see Ken again to see if he has found the answers to some of their tricky questions!”

Mr Skates also talked about what is being done at a national level to protect the planet.

The Welsh Government has committed to achieving a carbon neutral public sector by 2030 and earlier this year published Prosperity for All: A Low Carbon Wales, which sets out 100 policies and proposals to meet the 2020 carbon emissions targets.

Mr Skates added: “The Welsh Government’s decision to declare a climate emergency sends a clear message that we are determined to address climate change, which threatens our health, economy and infrastructure as well as our environment.

“It is important we all do what we can. We need collective action and government has a big role in making that happen, so we want to lead by example.”

CX-5 is 'one of the best' big SUVs on the market

* Mazda CX-5.

Mazda CX-5 road test by Steve Rogers

FINDING the right sized car can be tricky. Those you really like are either too small or too big.

This was the dilemma facing the young lady who approached me in a supermarket car park to ask if I liked my Mazda CX-5. 

She was switching from her Renault Captur to a bigger SUV and had been humming and harring over several models and was just a finger nail away from settling for the Mazda.

She had trawled the showrooms, read everything she could find about SUVs online but needed that last bit of reassurance from someone who owned a CX-5. Little did she know I only 'owned' my car for a week but we were able to have a meaningful conversation.

Having got the boring bit about what I did out of the way I had to throw a couple of options into the ring, I particularly like the Peugeot 3008 and Seat Ateca. 

She liked the look of the Pug but did not like the i-Cockpit layout, it's not everyone's cup of tea, and besides it was too small as was the Ateca.

After we skirted round a few more models it was clear she really wanted a CX-5. She particularly liked the front end styling and I wouldn't disagree there, so at the end of the conversation I was happy to say this is now one of the best big SUVs on the market and that she would not be disappointed.

So what makes CX-5 one of the best? The big three pluses are styling, quality and specification. Get those right and rivals are on the back foot, although just about everyone is on their game these days.

We can tick the styling box, it is arguably the best looking SUV along with the Alfa Romeo Stelvio, and quality has come on leaps and bounds. 

Mazda has made a big effort, not just with CX-5, but with all its new models. Sit yourself down and there is a good feel about the cabin whether it be the materials for the door cappings (often a letdown) the dashboard or the head lining. 

My GT Sport was clad in leather and looked a cut above the norm.

In this dog eat dog sales world customers demand everything and Mazda has not skimped on kit even on entry level so by the time you reach the top of the range there is nothing much left to add although heated rear seats would top it off nicely.

There is a full suite of safety features, adaptive cruise control etc, but it is the everyday aids that stand out like the head up display for speed, traffic sign recognition and navigation instructions and blind side alert, a big help when about to overtake on motorways.

The command screen in the centre of the dash is the easiest to navigate in any car I have driven. It's a touchscreen, which I don't like using on the move, but Mazda get round this with a rotary dial behind the gear lever which is far safer and less of a distraction when driving.

Space was important for my young lady in the car park and I was able to reassure her on this score.

CX-5 can't claim to be the roomiest but should suit most families. At 4.550mm it is longer than 3008 and the Renault Kadjar but not quite as long as Skoda Kodiaq or Peugeot 5008 both of which offer a third row of seats which would be too much of a squeeze in the CX-5. But it is a comfortable five seater with a decent sized boot.

I liked the 40-20-40 split for the back seats, most are 60-40, and these can be easily dropped from levers in the side wall of the boot. The load area is wide and generous, and long enough to take an adult sized bike without dropping the font wheel.

Apart from the indicator stalk which only seemed to cancel on big turns of the wheel - odd one that - I am struggling for negatives. People may find the ride on the hard side but that is the norm for Mazda who make no excuse for providing a sporty, engaging drive. The big SUVs agility means it is drama free through twists and turns and nicely settled on good roads.

There was no lack of power from the 180bhp SkyActive diesel with its impressive 445Nm of torque so towing my four-berth caravan was a breeze. The extra weight of four wheel drive kept me down to just over 23mpg but the numbers would be better with the front wheel drive 150bhp diesel which would have been more than capable for my needs.

Key facts

CX-5 GT Sport+ AWD

£30,520 (range starts £21,112)

2.2 diesel; 180bhp; 6sp auto

0-62mph 9.6secs; 129mph

39.8mpg combined

145g/km. 1st yr road tax £530

Insurance group 23

Latest Citizens Advice column

Here's the latest column for the Citizens Advice Service ...

Q: About five years ago my father-in-law was the victim of a scam artist who fleeced him out of £5,000. Once he realised, he was devastated and we were able to work with his bank to get some of the money back. We thought it was all in the past but in the last six months he’s received numerous calls, letters and texts from what look like other scammers. We want to try and keep him safe as his memory isn’t the best, what can we do?

A: Unfortunately, falling victim to a scam once can increase exposure to further scams. Citizens Advice has found that, once someone has responded to a scam, their personal details can sometimes be sold onto other criminals. This then opens the door to more scam mail, emails, phone calls or home visits.

If you recognise a pattern of unsolicited calls, talk to your father-in-law’s telephone provider and see if you can get these numbers blocked or if you can get something called a ‘standalone call blocker.’ If not, register your father-in-law’s number with the Telephone Preference Service who can help you to handle unwanted marketing calls.

If your father-in-law is receiving texts it’s important that he never replies, as sometimes there can be costly hidden charges. He can report the texts to his mobile phone provider who will be able to block the number. If he’s already been stung and call cost information wasn’t given, he should report it to Phone-pay Plus.

Mail scammers can often impersonate banks, the local council, or other established and legitimate organisations. You should advise your father-in-law against responding unless he’s sure it’s legitimate and was expecting a letter. If in doubt he should contact the organisation directly to check the letter’s legitimacy. He should be careful to not just ring up the number on the letter as it could be a bogus call centre.

In addition, to safeguard your father-on-law from unwanted marketing material or junk mail, register his name and address for free with the Mailing Preference Service which will take his name off some mailing lists.

Doorstep scammers can often be intimidating, and unfortunately they commonly target older and more vulnerable people. Your father shouldn’t be embarrassed turning people away and shouldn’t let them in unless he’s expecting them. If someone comes to the door saying they are from one of his utility companies for example, he should ask to check their credentials. If in doubt, he should phone the company they represent or check online, but once again make sure to not just use the contact details they provide.

Empty properties brought back into use as homes

More than 180 empty properties have been turned into homes in Denbighshire in the past 12 months.

As part of the county council’s work on empty homes, 181 properties classed as long term empty were brought back into use for families and residents in the county in 2018/19.

The council has launched a plan to bring 500 empty homes back into use through raising awareness, taking a pro-active approach to target problematic sites and working closely with landlords.

Cllr Tony Thomas, lead member for Housing and Communities, said: “Bringing these private properties back into use helps provide homes for residents in the county, which is a priority for the Council under its corporate plan.

“Homes may lie empty for a variety of reasons including difficulty in tracing or establishing ownership, an inability to sell, family disputes and in other cases the property may need significant work or the owner has an unrealistic value.

“This is a positive move but we still have more work to do, the aim of this plan is to unlock the housing potential of long-term empty homes.

“We have a package of financial assistance which provides grants and loans and we also provide advice and support. However, there will be times when it is necessary to use enforcement measures, particularly in cases where owners are unwilling to engage with us.”

There are currently 636 empty properties in the county.

The council says it will raise awareness of the empty homes in the county and the role it can play in assisting to bring them forward for beneficial re-use and a range of enforcement powers could be used including compulsory purchasing properties which are causing the most harm to the area in which they sit.

The council has also issued information packs to more than 600 properties classed as long term empty. 

Siciliian cook breaks the plastic habit

* Marina Midolo with her new earthenware pots.

A Sicilian cook is ditching plastic packaging to launch a new range of classic Italian meals contained in reusable pottery dishes.

Marina Midolo, 51, will be unveiling her authentic lasagne made with homemade pasta at Llangollen Food Festival on Saturday and Sunday, October 19 and 20.

She set up her kitchen at her smallholding in Cyffylliog, near Ruthin, with the help of a development grand from Denbighshire County Council.

Initially, Marina concentrated on producing Italian sweets, cakes and savouries which are on sale at delicatessens, community shops and hotels across the region.

Now Marina is looking to expand her product range but wants to ensure there is no plastic packaging or anything else about her products that could harm the environment.

So she and her partner Peter Lamb have come up with the idea of a new reusable pottery dish that can be refilled with new meals or returned and the deposit paid at the time of purchase returned to the customer.

The idea is very much in the development stage but Marina, who grew up watching her mum and grandmother cook in Catania, Sicily, says she will be ready to launch her first pottery dish lasagne meal at this year’s Llangollen Food Festival.    

It will be her second visit to the popular event which has been named as one of the Top 10 food festivals in the UK.

Marina said: “Last year’s festival was fantastic and a real springboard that helped me get my Italian sweets, cakes and food business better known.

“My idea is to launch a new lasagne meal at this year’s festival. The meal will be prepared by me and will be sold uncooked.

“Customers can buy a pot which they then put in an oven at home for around 30 minutes and then eat the lasagne straight from the earthenware pot.

“The dish can then be returned to the point of purchase for the deposit to be refunded or the customer can keep the pot. But the main thing is there is simply no plastic packaging involved.

“We want to take it things back 50 years or more before we began blighting the environment with plastic waste.”

She added: “The biggest problem I face is how to seal the pots as I don’t want to have to cover the pots with a plastic film. However, we have found a food friendly sealant that we can use to seal the lids in place and keep the uncooked food fresh.

“The lasagne will be oven ready and made with my own homemade pasta. It will be a true lasagne made using only the finest herbs and in the traditional Italian way. Let’s just say it won’t be an Anglicised version of an Italian classic!

“Once I’ve tried and tested the lasagne then I’ll look at other dishes, traditional Italian stews and casseroles. Each will be prepared and will just need popping in the oven for 30 minutes.”

And Marina says after several experiments she has now agreed on the shape and design of her pots which will be produced by Anvil Pottery which is based in Llanrhaeadr, near Denbigh.

She said: “It’s even possible the pots could be made from clay from our own farm. We have been digging a new wildlife pond and we are testing the clay to see if it’s suitable.

“The main thing is to ensure we add absolutely no plastic waste into the environment.  The idea will be customer led, if people like the idea and are happy to use and return the pots then it will be fantastic. Of course some may want to keep the pots and use them in their own kitchens.

“Currently, my Italian cakes and sweets are on sale in delicatessens and community shops in Llangollen, Ruthin, Mold, Rhuddlan and Chester.

“I’m sure once I’ve launched the idea at the Llangollen Food Festival then community shops and deli’s will sell the lasagnes around the region. My butcher Stan Jones of Ruthin has agreed to sell my dishes from his shop.

“And we are even thinking of beginning to make our own cheese. We are contemplating having a goat herd and use goat milk to make our own Italian style cheese.

“That could be my next project but I want to launch the non-plastic earthenware pots first at the Llangollen Food Festival and I’m sure the idea will prove popular.

“I’m just so looking forward to exhibiting at the Llangollen Food Festival again. I have been attending a few food festivals but Llangollen is a favourite.

“It’s got a great atmosphere and a fantastic range of products on display. I loved it last year and I’m excited about this year’s event.”

Llangollen Food Festival committee member Phill Davies says the event is the perfect launchpad for Marina’s classic Italian lasagne served in an environmentally friendly pottery dish.

He said: “It’s a brilliant idea and I’m sure visitors to this year’s food festival will support Marina’s plastic free initiative.

“It’s such a simple idea but one that should be taken seriously. We all need to think more about plastic waste and the damage we are doing to the environment and this idea perfectly addresses the waste plastic issue.

“And of course Marina’s customers also get to taste the authentic taste of classic Italy too.”

He added: “This is what the Llangollen Food Festival is all about, new innovative ideas and products and the opportunity to try some amazing dishes and products that our exhibitors bring to Llangollen.”   

   

* For more information about the Llangollen International Food Festival please visit www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

Library's special reading event for children

* Join Mama G as she goes on an adventure 

into space launched from Llangollen Library. 

Denbighshire libraries are calling for children to sign up to read six books this summer as part of Space Chase, Summer Reading Challenge 2019.

The challenge asks 4-11 year olds to borrow and read any six library books over the summer. 

The theme for the 2019 Summer Reading Challenge is Space Chase, inspired by the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing.

Children will team up with futuristic family The Rockets for an exciting space mission as they track down books nabbed by a mischievous band of aliens. 

As children read library books for the Summer Reading Challenge, they will receive special stickers, some with mysterious smells. By adding these stickers to their collectable mission folders, young readers will help the Rockets solve clues, dodge asteroids and discover the missing books, having lots of fun and adventures along the way.

To take part in Space Chase, all children need to do is sign up at their nearest library, where they will be given a collector folder to keep a record of their Summer Reading Challenge journey.

Space Chase and runs until the end of September. 

There’s a whole programme of events and activities planned at Denbighshire libraries for families over the summer to celebrate the Summer Reading Challenge, including storytimes with a difference with Mama G, craft and making sessions and lego clubs.  Just contact your local library to find out how to take part.

Cllr Tony Thomas, Denbighshire County Council’s lead member for Housing and Communities, said: “The Summer Reading Challenge is one of the highlights of the year for us.

“We love welcoming thousands of children into our libraries to take part. Last year 30% of 4-12 year olds in Denbighshire took part – three times the Wales average. It’s free, it’s fun and it’s for everyone – and it’s a great way to encourage children to read over the holidays, to discover new authors and books, and to develop a lifelong love of reading and books.”

Sue Wilkinson, CEO of The Reading Agency, said: “At The Reading Agency, we tackle life’s big challenges through the proven power of reading. We know from our research that families and children love taking part in the Summer Reading Challenge, and we are proud to have been running the Challenge for twenty years this year. 

"The space theme has been chosen to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the first moon landing. Last summer, children worked with illustrator Adam Stower to come up with ideas for the Space Chase adventure, and we hope the Challenge will inspire all children to use their local library and to read lots of great books throughout the summer and beyond."

Jack Found coming home to play the Fringe

Musician Jack Found and his band will be playing the Fringe with the Dub Pistols on Saturday July 20.

Originally from Llangollen, Jack is now based in London and will be playing a series of major festivals this summer including Kendal Calling and has other dates in the next few weeks in Glasgow, Inverness, Newcastle, Sheffield, Leeds and London where he has been asked to play the prestigious Sofar Sounds. 

A new track, Spanish-ish, will be released just before the Fringe and will be played by Jack and the band on the Janice Long show on Radio Wales in session on July 22.

Jack said: “It’s great to be playing in Llangollen again, we played Llanfest last year to a great crowd, and I'm looking forward to returning to play with the Dub Pistols. 

"I’ve always loved attending events at the Fringe and think I first performed there when I was only nine. I’ll be playing different songs now though!"

Links:

https://www.instagram.com/foundjack/

https://www.facebook.com/jackfoundband/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9r24LQU3LU

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5EMX4mZqctU