AM's call to bring back Llan's minor injuries unit and others

* The former Cottage Hospital whee the Minor Injuries Unit was based before its closure.

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has called on the Welsh Government to restore the Minor Injury Units (MIUs) they closed in North Wales seven years ago, including the one in Llangollen.                                                                                                                                                                              

Raising the matter with the Minister for Health and Social Services, Vaughan Gething AM, in the Welsh Parliament yesterday, Mr Isherwood said those in power were wrong to ignore warnings at the time that closures would result in additional pressure on A&E departments and GP practices, as this is exactly what has happened, and urged the Minister to consider reinstating MIUs for the communities that lost them.

He said: “According to Betsi Cadwaladr's website, there are five Minor Injury Units identified, other than A&E units, across the North Wales regional constituency. Luckily for me, one of them is in Mold, but most people aren't so lucky.

“In accordance with Welsh Government policy, in 2013 Betsi Cadwaladr closed five others - Colwyn Bay, Ruthin, Llangollen, Flint and Chirk - despite local campaigns to retain them and despite repeated warnings that this would place extra pressure on our A&E departments and GP practices. Of course, this is exactly what's happened.

“What consideration are you giving to perhaps restoring Minor Injury Units to the communities that lost them or that are accessible to them in other communities nearby?”

The Health Minister said that “Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board has established “a pan-health board group to assess the scope of minor injury services across North Wales to ensure standardisation and to reduce demand on busy emergency departments within north Wales”, but that there are many issues to consider including ensuring there are adequate staff for the units.  

Speaking after the Chamber exchange, Mr Isherwood said: “In early 2013 Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board announced that it was rushing through the closure of five Minor Injuries Units in North Wales. 

"We had repeatedly warned the Labour Welsh Government  that their NHS community bed cuts and Minor Injury Unit closures would add to pressure on A&E and GP services, but they ignored us and the chickens have now well and truly come home to roost."

Water company says 'sorry' for garden flooding

* A stills picture taken from Steve Griffin's video of water
entering one of the SG Estates properties last Sunday.

A water company has said it is “really sorry” for an incident last Sunday which led to the gardens of new homes on a Llangollen housing estate being flooded following heavy rain.

Hafren Dyfrdwy are constructing a reservoir close to the new estate being built off Vicarage Road.

The flooding problem was spotted by former county councillor and mayor Stuart Davies who on Monday emailed Denbighshire County Council officials to complain, sending a copy to llanblogger.

In it he said: “Yesterday I went for a look at the top end of the SG Estates site opposite the Welsh Water (Hafren Dyfrdwy) site in Vicarage Rd.

“Water was pouring off it, on to the road, some of it going in to the gardens of the three new big houses, some of it being deflected by the new kerbstones down the new road to Willow Hill.”

Steve Griffin, managing director of house-building firm SG Estates, says he went out to the site immediately after hearing of the problem and shot a video of the water pouring into one of the new houses.

Referring to the film, he told llanblogger: “This is what was flooding one of our purchasers’ homes on Sunday. It came from the HD (Hafren Dyfrdwy) site.

“SG staff (including myself) went to site at 8.30am on Sunday to alleviate the problem by manually constructing a temporary damn to stop the flood getting into the new home.

“I’ve sent three emails to managers at HD requesting a response to our predicament but no reply.”

A Hafren Dyfrdwy spokesperson said yesterday: “We’re really sorry to those who had their garden flooded with rain water on Vicarage Road over the weekend, after measures taken to control the surface water at our construction site failed.

“We’re working with the housing developers and those who were affected, and want to assure everyone that measures will be taken to prevent this from happening again. Again, we’re sorry for any issues caused.”

llanblogger understands from Mr Griffin that he has a site meeting today with the water company's site contractors.

Registration closed for climate emergency meeting

Registration for the public meeting on February 25 on how to tackle the climate and ecological emergency has closed.

Last year Denbighshire County Council declared a climate and ecological emergency which included a commitment to make the authority net carbon zero by 2030 at the latest and called on the Welsh and UK governments to provide assistance and resources to enable the council to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Members of the public who registered have now been sent confirmation of their place on email and will attend a meeting on February 25 at County Hall, Ruthin, between 6pm and 8pm.

This event is now full and only those who have registered and received this confirmation email will be able to attend the meeting.

For those who have not registered the meeting will be webcast live via the council’s website and questions can be submitted via https://countyconversation.denbighshire.gov.uk/project/510 or on the night via Twitter in English @DenbighshireCC or in Welsh @CyngorSDd using the hashtag #DCCClimate in English or #HinsawddCSDd in Welsh.

Older drivers' workshop planned

Denbighshire County Council is hosting a workshop for older drivers at Llangollen Health Centre from 1.30pm on Monday March 9. 

Road safety officer Rebecca Musgrave said: "We have an Older Driver Scheme available for drivers over 65.  The assessment is free for all older drivers in all local authorities in North Wales.

The workshop, which lasts for about an hour, is an informal presentation, I have set it up to encourage more drivers to partake on  the scheme and feel at ease, the assessment is not to take away your license but to keep you driving for longer." 

Festival walks filling up fast, says organisers

Organisers of this year's Llangollen Walking Festival have given an update on the state of bookings: 

They say that all the walks planned between Friday May 8 and Sunday May 10 are filling-up fast...

FRIDAY MAY 8th:
• Offa's Dyke Path Challenge Walk 20 miles - coach to start.

ONLY 2 PLACES LEFT

• NEW History Walk - Llangollen's Mills a fascinating walk through local history.

ALREADY HALF FULL

​• Nordic Walking* FREE with instructors from Erddig Nordic Walking Group.

​BOOKING-UP FAST

SATURDAY MAY 9th:

• Wilderness Walk 15 miles and Steam Train Ride back.

ALREADY HALF FULL

• Steam Train Ride and Dee Valley meander 8 miles.

ONLY 4 PLACES LEFT

• 5 Ugly Sisters Walk 14 miles - bus to start. 

BOOKING-UP FAST
​
​• World Heritage Site Walk to the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct 8 miles with Hazel, our friendly botanist.

ALREADY HALF FULL

To book, go to: https://www.llangollenwalkingfestival.co.uk/choose-a-walk.html

Region's Tory MPs welcome HS2 decision

The seven Conservative MPs across North Wales have welcomed the Government’s confirmation that the HS2 project will proceed.

A spokesperson said: "The Prime Minister reaffirmed this government’s commitment to the delivery of HS2 as part of the levelling up of the regions within the UK.

"The economy and life of North Wales are critically dependent upon its East West links – for business, tourism, leisure, international travel, higher education, specialist health care and much more.

"Therefore we completely endorse the Prime Minister’s statement that ‘many in the north [are] crying out for better east/west links instead of improved north/south ones.’

"It is vital for the development of North Wales that plans for its own faster railway service are now included in the scoping and planning of High Speed North. That starts now by ensuring that the Crewe Hub is configured accordingly within HS2.

"We will be pressing Ministers in the Welsh and UK governments for guarantees that this provision will be made.”

Young 'Uns produce Wizard performance in land of Oz

* The dazzling stage line-up for the Wizard of Oz. All pictures by BARRIE POTTER

llanblogger review

A riot of colour and talent fills the Town Hall stage as the Young ‘Uns present their 30^th anniversary production of the Wizard of Oz this week.

This is the second time that the Llangollen Operatic Society’s junior section have danced down the Yellow Brick Road, the first occasion being when they chose this as their inaugural big show in 1991.

Unfortunately, I wasn’t around to see how they staged it back then but I can say for sure that this one, which runs from tomorrow (Thursday) until Saturday, is by far their most colourful  to date as it shines likes a beacon of warmth and joy through a murky winter’s night.

Thanks to some backstage wizardry every scene – from the farmlands of young heroine Dorothy Gale’s Kansas farm to Munchkinland and the Emerald City – is brilliantly lit in an array of dazzling hues which perfectly set off the shades of the inventive costumes and backdrops.

And, after all, that’s what this piece of phantasmagoria is all about as we accompany Dorothy on her journey through the crazy landscapes of her dreams.       

It’s not just the magnificent settings that stand out because the kids in the huge cast also bedazzle with their performances.

Grace Roberts is a sympathetic Dorothy interpreting her considerable part with precision and flair.

She receives some memorable backing from all the key characters.

Katie Clark as the Wicked Witch of West is at times so scary that she even puts the wind up the audience. Her performance is enhanced by her incredible costume and the atmospheric green aura cast around her by those brilliant lighting people.

Ethan Roberts makes a stunning and perfectly believable Wizard of Oz while some memorable portrayals come from Ethan Le Cheminant as the Tinman without a heart, Matthew Humphreys as the Scarecrow who is minus a brain and Aled Morris as the Cowardly Lion.

They all put their heart, souls and plenty of guts into it.

Connie Richardson shines as Glinda the Good Witch of the North while Bea Lermite as a splendid Mayoress of Munchkinlnand.

Naturally, Dorothy needs her faithful dog at her side throughout her adventure and little Florence Catley is just great as Toto.     

Wizard of Oz is of course set in the good old US of A and what’s particularly striking is how all those with speaking parts manage to retain a high quality Stateside accent throughout. And that’s something which isn’t always the case with this show.

Dancing around the key characters and adding to the way that Technicolor has been brought so marvellously to the Llangollen stage is a small army of lively and well disciplined youngsters in the chorus who get through a whole wardrobe of magnificent costumes during the show.

Behind the scenes is a production team led by producer Pam Williams and including assistant producer Dee Smith and co-directors Robin Crowley and Jo Lloyd, who should all be proud of this show. 

On the whole it’s a wizard of a performance completely worthy of the Young ‘Uns’ landmark anniversary.

Evening performances begin at 7.30pm and there is a Saturday matinee at 2pm.  

* Tickets are £12 with £10 concessions. They are available locally from Gwyn the Butchers, Jades Hair and Beauty, Llangollen Oggie Shop and Stella Bond on 01978 860441.

* Connie Richardson shines as Glinda the Good Witch of the North.

* Katie Clark is a scary the Wicked Witch of West. 

* Off to see the wizard are, from left, Florence Catley as Totot the dog, Grace Roberts as Dorothy, Aled Morris as the Cowardly Lion, Matthew Humphreys as the Scarecrow and Ethan Le Cheminant as the Tinman. 

* An atmospheric group of dancers on the chorus line.