Lenten soup kitchen planned at Holy Cross

Ladies' tomb is blessed during diversity service

* Above and below: Father Lee blesses the tomb of the Ladies of Llangollen.

* Jazz singer Ian Shaw performs diversity-related numbers at the keyboard.

The tomb of the Ladies of Llangollen in St Collen's churchyard was blessed by the vicar during a moving service celebrating diversity this afternoon (Saturday).

The aim of the current LGBT History Month is to celebrate the lives of notable LGBT people, both past and present.

And, according to St Collen's vicar Father Lee Taylor, the town had the famous Ladies of Llangollen, Sarah Ponsonby and Eleanor Butler, who found love and joy in each other.

The special service was one of sacred and secular music, readings and poems.

Special guest was award-winning Welsh jazz singer, presenter and actor Ian Shaw who performed three numbers linked to the diversity theme, including a love story in Welsh and Come in From the Cold by folk singer Joni Mitchell.

Another guest was Chris Elsworth from Plas Newydd, their home, who gave a brief history of the Ladies.

Members of the congregation were than ceremonially anointed by Father Lee.

Later they followed him into the churchyard where he performed the tomb blessing ceremony using traditional incense.

In his sermon Father Lee said: "We should accept, embrace and love those considered to be different.

"In his life Jesus Christ broke down barriers to challenge the status quo. He was a rebel, a revolutionary and we forget that sometimes. He was concerned with raising up marginalised people.

"Being a human being and having solidarity with humans, especially those who from marginalisation, were the things that were important to Him. So I pray that we follow that same pattern and have the same priorities that He did."     

* Congregation members are anointed by Father Lee. 

Collen Players stage third successful music hall show

* The full cast take a bow at the end of the show.

From a jilted bride to a hectoring coconut stall huckster and from a pair of joshing elderly ladies to a cheeky chappy of a chairman.

They were all there is glorious colour and thrilling exuberance as the Collen Players staged their third successful Old Time Music Hall show at Llangollen Community Centre last night (Friday).

The troupe was formed late last year by the St Collen's vicar Father Lee Taylor who has a passion for the roistering genre.

The first two shows were staged during the latter part of 2019, both winning appreciative full-house audiences,

This third outing was no less successful at thrilling with a capacity crowd who sang and cheered along with the action.

As always the re-creation of a late Victorian performance venue was superb but this time enhanced with the addition of rich red backcloth curtain evocative of the era.

As always the show was expertly welded together by Father Lee in the role of verbally dextrous and sometimes naughty chairman.

Then talent tumbled upon talent from the likes of Phil Robinson who went cruising down the river and shying at coconuts, Neil Barrett and Dave Lyne with their Cissie and Ada style comedy routine, Jennifer Rose who appeared in both first a second halves with a plethora of sing-along and poignant songs, June Cook bemoaning the fact she'd be jilted at the church and Sue Stokes who gave us a treat with renderings of You Made Me Love You and Danny Boy.

Helping them all along marvellously on the keys was Owen Roberts.

Costumes, all prepared by their wearers, were once again brilliant, as was a delicious traditional music hall supper provided by Fabiano Silva. 

* All pictures by Jeanette Robinson. 

* Phil Robinson during his opening act.

* Neil Barrett and Dave Lyne do their bit of banter.

* Jennifer Rose at the microphone.

* Chairman Father Lee guides the action.

* Sue Stokes rounds off the performances.

Concern raised over quality of county's pothole repairs

* Above and below: large potholes in the carriageway on the town's famous bridge.

Denbighshire County Council has discussed the way it deals with potholes.

At its cabinet meeting last Tuesday when the issue was raised one councillor voiced his concern about the way in which repairs were being carried out.

For the full story, see the Denbighshire Free Press story at: https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/18251653.concern-denbighshire-pothole-repairs-temporary-solution/?fbclid=IwAR0zSvgQ175CVhwAlewIurKcUWtI2_Te48IWuaN9jXCfbcbWXVcpT72lEtM

Concern over potholes on Llangollen bridge

* Concern has been expressed to llanblogger about the size and depth of high-profile potholes in the carriageway on the town's famous bridge.

We have passed the above pictures which show the problem to local county councillor Melvyn Mile who is seeking an answer from county officials.

Museum takes part in history and heritage fair

Llangollen Museum will be taking part in the annual North East Wales Heritage Forum History Fair in Ruthin on Saturday, March 14.

What has become the leading destination for meeting local history and heritage groups will be taking place in Denbighshire Archives at Ruthin Gaol between 11am and 4pm. 

You are invited to come and see a wide range of displays and meet local history and heritage groups from across North East Wales.

Characters from Ruthin Gaol will be giving mini-talks and objects from around the county will be on display. Entry to the event is free and all ages are welcome.

Apart from Llangollen Museum, those taking part will be:

• Denbighshire Archives
• Denbighshire Heritage Service
• Ruthin Gaol
• Flintshire Record Office
• Denbighshire Historical Society
• Glyndwr University History Department
• Northop Heritage Group
• New Glyn Valley Heritage Trust
• North East Wales Heritage Forum
• Ruthin and District Civic Association
• Buckley Society
• Dating Old Welsh Houses
• Cefn Mawr Museum
• Rhyl History Club
• CADVAS (Corwen and Dee Valley Archaeological Society)

 * See the Facebook events page https://www.facebook.com/events/625352554947477/

AM praises progress on Corwen station project

* North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood, right, with project leader Richard Dixon-Gough on the new pedestrian crossing on the newly laid track at Corwen.

North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has applauded all those involved in a rail project which will boost the economy of the region after revisiting it and seeing first hand the progress that has been made.  

Mr Isherwood visited Llangollen Railway’s major civil engineering project at Corwen Central Station on Friday and was pleased to see that since his last visit, the team of volunteers have moved the project forward massively.

Work completed includes the infilling of a gap in the embankment and the installation of the new track complex over the former void to connect with the station loop line, a notable achievement which completes the ten-miles of line from Llangollen to Corwen.

Commenting after his visit, Mr Isherwood said: “On each visit I am always astounded by what this group of volunteers, with an average age of 68, working on a part-time basis, are able to achieve.

“They were recently awarded a runners up certificate in the Large Group category at the awards ceremony held by the Heritage Railway Association in the face of stiff competition from other railways.

“They are doing a sterling job, in often challenging conditions.  I was impressed to see that they have managed to erect three pairs of restored heritage columns since my last visit in 2018 and prepare for the installation of the final pair which will provide for an eventual canopy around the subway access stairwell. They have also recently installed heritage style lampposts and columns for the new Corwen name board.

“Only with a tour of the site does the size and scale of this project become apparent and I hope that all their efforts will be crowned with success this year when a first train arrives at Corwen.

“The accessibility of the new station to the centre of Corwen and the town's car park will provide the facilities needed to attract more people to the Llangollen Railway and encourage the prospects for local tourism from a wider segment of North Wales.

"My admiration for the project team members, who have tackled all this work over the past five years, grows following every visit I make. Without their dedication none of this would have happened."

Although a date for the opening of the new station is yet to be confirmed, Mr Isherwood was told that only the weather is now holding them back from completing the project.

Vicar features in afternoon radio show

* Wynne Evans on whose show Father Lee Taylor was featured earlier today.

The town’s vicar got an admission from radio and TV star Wynne Evans that he’s never heard of the Ladies of Llangollen.

It came as Father Lee Taylor was being interviewed earlier today by the man best known as Gio Compario in the TV adverts for the afternoon show he hosts on BBC Radio Wales.

Father Lee was on air to talk about the special service he is holding at St Collen’s this Saturday afternoon at 4pm celebrating LGBT History Month.

But Wynne also took the opportunity to ask him about his earlier claim to fame for blessing beer in pubs, his keen interest in old time music hall and how he likes to inject humour into church services.

The host said he and Father Lee had a few things in common in that both had lived in Croydon, south London and both liked beer.

* Father Lee Taylor is music hall guise. 

Father Lee explained that when he lived in Croydon before moving to Llangollen he was invited by the landlord of a local pub to bless the beer, which he did, rounding off the occasion with a “good sing” and a drink.

Asked to explain about Saturday’s service, he said: “This month is LGBT History Month during which the lives of notable LGBT people, both past and present, are being celebrated.

“In Llangollen we had two ladies who found love and joy in each other, Sarah Ponsonby and Eleanor Butler.

“So it’s going to be a great service of celebration, celebrating diversity and we’ll be blessing the tomb of the Ladies of Llangollen because they are buried in our churchyard. And after the service we’ll be having celebratory bubbles.”

Wynn told him: “That’s fantastic. Now, I’ve spent a lot of time in Llangollen and I’ve never heard of the Ladies of Llangollen.”

Father Lee explained: “They were two upper class Irish women who came to Llangollen to start a new life together and people would visit them from all over.”

“They were definitely gay were they, they were definitely together?” asked Wynne.

Father Lee replied: “Well, what is clear from their writings and from the books is that they were in a romantic relationship, so they were clearly in love together. They were committed to each other ... whether it was sexual who knows, who cares?

“But we do know they were in love with each other and that’s what we are going to celebrate on Saturday.”

He went on to explain that the ladies were visited by army officers, poets, artists and royalty, with Wordsworth describing them in one of his sonnets and Swansea Pottery making dinner services featuring them.

Asked about his life before he became a vicar, Father Lee said he had worked in pubs and a call centre but had known from the age of 12 that becoming a priest is what he wanted to do.

However, he explained that it had been a long journey and he hadn’t been ordained until he was 35.

Wynne then asked him to explain his love of music hall and he said: “It’s just a fantastic genre which lasted from about 1880 to around 1920 after which came Variety with all the old comedians like Ken Dodd and Max Miller and I just love their humour.”

“Can you merge your work in the Church and music hall? asked Wynne.

Father Lee replied: “A lot of people think the Church has a sense of humour failure but in the Bible Jesus uses comedy and satire. I do humour in church, sometimes in sermons ... the essence of Christianity is joy.”

As the theme of the programme was collections, Wynne asked his guest if he was a collector.

And he replied: “I do collect old music hall song sheets from charity shops and antique shops. I like unusual and funny songs which I like to incorporate in my act.

“We recently formed the Collen Players, a variety show in Llangollen, and we’re doing a show on Friday.

“Tickets are available and the show starts at 6.30pm. I’ll be doing some funny songs and stand-up comedy.”  

Rounding off the interview, Wynne said: “So you’ve got a show on Friday and a service on Saturday. Llangollen sounds like the place to be this Saturday.” 

* Listen to the full interview on https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000fdnf