Landmarks get lit up to celebrate big anniversary

A LUMINAIRE of iconic structures along the eleven-mile corridor of the Dee Valley’s World Heritage site near Llangollen is expected to draw thousands of visitors to the area this month.

The event runs from October 7-27 and marks the 10-year anniversary since Thomas Telford’s breath-taking nineteenth century Pontcysyllte Aqueduct at Trevor Basin was given the prestigious UNESCO World Heritage Status in 2009.

It also coincides with the hosting of the UKs World Heritage Annual Conference and AGM in Llangollen, entitled Making The Most Of World Heritage on October 7-8.

Each site is unique and is either graded, a scheduled monument or both and will be lit up by expert lighting company Enlightened of Bristol for two hours each evening from 7.30pm - 9.30pm.

The sites to be lit up are as follows:

Aqueduct, Chirk (Grade II Scheduled Monument)

Viaduct, Chirk (Grade II)

Pontcysyllte Aqueduct, Trevor (Grade I Scheduled Monument)

Dinas Bran Castle, Llangollen (Scheduled Monument)

Horseshoe Falls, Llangollen (Grade II)

Organisers believe the spectacle, that places the 126ft structure at the centre of the celebrations, will come to life under the cover of darkness and encourage locals and tourists to explore the five structures along the stretch of the Llangollen Canal from Llangollen to Chirk, within the Clwydian Range & Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.  

It is intended to extend the length of the 2019 tourism season to boost the local economy of the area.

Wrexham County Borough Councillor Terry Evans, Executive Lead Member and member of the World Heritage Status Board, said: “I am looking forward to seeing the structures lit up, further highlighting that the World Heritage Site is an 11 mile corridor and encouraging people to visit more of it.  It is great that it will be over a three week period which will give more people the opportunity to visit and see it.”

Adnan Saif, regional director at Canal & River Trust said: “The Llangollen Canal is a beautiful waterway and is a lovely place to visit throughout the year. Research shows that being next to water makes you happier and healthier and this luminaire event will allow visitors to see the canal in a different light whilst helping to celebrate ten years since it became a World Heritage Site.”

Deputy Minister for Culture, Sport and Tourism, Lord Elis-Thomas, said: “I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support this exciting project which is an excellent way of celebrating Pontcysyllte Aqueduct’s tenth anniversary as a World Heritage Site. This project is a great example of what can be achieved by working in partnership and how innovative ideas like this can help us make the most of our World Heritage Sites.”

This project would not have been possible without funding from Visit Wales and the National Lottery Heritage Fund and permission being granted from private landowners and also from Network Rail who have given their permission for the Chirk Viaduct to be lit up.

* You can keep up to date on Pontcysyllte Aqueduct special events at its dedicated Facebook page or through Twitter or Instagram.

Love Island's Niall to star in Stiwt pantomime

* Niall Aslam will star in this year's pantomime at the Stiwt Theatre in Rhos.

Love Island heart-throb Niall Aslam has been announced as the star of this year's pantomime at the Stiwt Theatre in Rhosllannerchrugog.

The 25-year-old former Love Island contestant will take the role of the Genie in Aladdin, which runs from Saturday December 7 until Tuesday December 31.

Niall rose to fame in the 2018 series of the reality show and became one of the most popular contestants of that series due to his comical nature and proved a hit with the ladies of the villa.

Since Love Island, Niall has continued his career in reality TV, modelling and has also become a proud ambassador of the National Autistic Society.

Aladdin will be Niall's pantomime debut.

He said: "I'm absolutely buzzing to perform in Wrexham's annual Christmas pantomime. I've heard only good things about the audience, so I'm confident I'll have a good time and hopefully put a smile on everyone's faces.

"I'm looking forward to all the usual pantomime banter that gets the audience going - all the 'he's behind you', 'oh yes, we are' and 'oh no, you aren'ts'. It'll be great fun."

This will be the tenth year Liverpool-based LHK Productions has produced the Christmas pantomime at the Stiwt.

Lee Kelly, producer of the pantomime and managing director of LHK Productions, said: "I'm absolutely thrilled that we've got Niall on board for our decade year at the Stiwt. He will be fabulous, and I'm confident our audiences will love him.

"Everyone who watches our panto at the Stiwt always has a brilliant time, and this year's will be no exception. We're bringing back some familiar faces and that all important pantomime magic.

"I guarantee Wrexham is in for a treat with this year's production of Aladdin."

* Tickets can be purchased via www.stiwt.com or by telephoning 01978 841300.

Young 'Uns to stage The Wizard of Oz in 2020

* Members of the Young 'Uns cast for The Wizard of Oz line up. Picture by Barrie Potter.

Llangollen Operatic Society's junior section, the Young 'Uns, have just  completed casting for their next annual production, The Wizard of Oz.

The full cast for the RSC version of the show will feature 47 talented young people from Llangollen and surrounding areas.

The new show, which hits the Llangollen Town Hall stage from Thursday-Saturday, February 13-15, 

follows on from the group's acclaimed production of  Grease in February. 

Young 'Uns have been putting on shows in Llangollen for the past 30 years.   

   

Evening performances are at 7.30pm with a Saturday matinee at 2pm. Tickets are priced at £12 with £10 concessions.

Film maker Joe frames up major business award

* Joe Clifford, second from left, middle row, with fellow winners in the North Wales Young Business Awards at Bangor University.

A young film maker with strong connections to Llangollen has scooped a major business award.

In his spare time Joe Clifford, who lives in Chirk, is an active member of the Twenty Club amateur theatre group and has had key roles in a number of their productions over the years, most recently The Flint Street Nativity and Dinner With Otto.

But Joe's day-job is running the successful Wrexham-based bespoke video production service TasteBudds - The Food Filmmakers.

And TasteBuds won one of the key categories at the prestigious North Wales Young Business Awards staged recently at Bangor University.

A total of 150 businesses from across the region attended the event, hosted by BBC presenter Sian Lloyd, which recognises entrepreneurs under-35 and firms that are making waves in the region.

The awards had the backing of a number of local businesses who helped with sponsorship.

Joe and his company won the award for Food & Beverage Business of the Year, sponsored by  The Alternative Board - North Wales.

More flu clinics planned at health centre

MP says fight goes on for pension equality

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones (pictured) and other members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women have pledged to carry on fighting for women affected by the increase in their state pension age after a High Court ruling.

Yesterday (Thursday) the High Court rejected claims that increasing the state pension age for women born in the 1950s discriminated against them on the grounds of age and sex, and that the government had failed to appropriately notify those affected.

However, Labour MP Carolyn Harris and former Conservative Government Minister Tim Loughton, co-chairs of the All-Party Parliamentary Group on State Pension Inequality for Women, said the All Party Group would continue to use all means available – including private members’ bills – “to seek justice for all the women affected”.

In a written statement the politicians said the cross-party group’s continued aim was to deliver on a series of measures proposed in April 2018.

The measures include:

- making a non-means-tested pension credit available to all women aged 63 and over from the day it is approved until they reach state pension age, which won’t be backdated.

- equalising women’s pensions, so that everyone receives a full state pension (£159 per week) regardless of the number of years of National Insurance contributions accrued.

- extending pension credit for those worst affected who have no other income or private pension available to them and are suffering financial hardship.

Plans to increase the state pension age were first announced in the Pension Act 1995 but these changes were accelerated as part of the Pension Act 2011.

Susan Elan Jones MP said: “Pension fairness matters hugely for ordinary people from our local area. I’ve worked very closely with many constituents who’ve been affected by these pension changes. I remain committed to working in Parliament with other MPs across the political spectrum who want a fair, common sense solution for women born in the 1950s.”

Keddie wins town council seat

Paul Keddie yesterday won the vacant seat on Llangollen Town Council.

Results were:

Paul Keddie (Independent) - 293

John Palmer - 276

Gillian Robertson (Independent) - 92

Turnout 22.69%