Julie zooms in on new skills to lift lockdown spirits

* Julie streams one of her new dance classes on Zoom.

One of Benny Hill's original Angels is using her skills to use to keep people active during the Covid lockdown.

Julie Kirk Thomas normally delivers her fun dance classes in Llangollen, Rhos and Oswestry.

But during the coronavirus crisis she's learned a set of new online skills to forge them into one Zoom class every Wednesday morning at 11am.

“It’s a whole new performance area I knew nothing about,” said Julie. “You could call me a ‘virtual virgin'!"

* Julie, centre, during her time in the Hill's Angels dance troupe.

Thanks to some technical assistance from her son Morgan she was up and running in a couple of weeks. Newcomers are always welcome.

“I even have a few ex-pro dancer friends from London joining in, which I was initially nervous about, but everyone is so friendly and just there to get moving and get together – we always have a good chin-wag at the beginning and end of each class."

Julie auditioned for the Benny Hill Show at the age of 19 and it was with trepidation that she agreed when they offered her a series contract.

* Julie with Benny Hill.

She recalled: “I didn’t always feel confident when it came to the sexy stuff, but luckily Benny wrote some nice character roles for me and I ended up appearing in two consecutive series with him.

“Benny and his producer found themselves in a ratings war with Kenny Everett and his new dance group Hot Gossip, so they decided to host an audition to find girls for an all-new group. This is how the Hill’s Angels came about.

“I remember performing in one particularly raunchy dance routine, which was set in a gymnasium. The phone lines at Thames TV were blocked up with complaints from viewers, including Mary Whitehouse, a self-appointed guardian of British morals, getting on her soap box about it. She really had it in for Benny, and I later learnt contributed to his demise from our screens.”

Julie's long CV includes West End performances, roles on the big screen and features on Jeremy Beadle's Beadle's About.

A couple of years ago Julie was invited to perform at The London Palladium, in tribute for Dame Vera Lynn’s 100th birthday celebrations. Julie was thrilled to be able to finally tick off two of her wish lists: to perform on the Palladium stage and dance in front of the Queen, who attended.

More thrills came for Julie’s Strictly Fun Dance class in Llangollen, as they were invited to appear on Sky's Got to Dance featuring her oldest attendee, 96-year-old Edward.

During the lockdown Julie has been busy creating the Fun Seekers’ Club, a group of like-minded people who love music and movement. Every alternate Friday at 6pm she delivers a 45-minute dance workshop on a different theme.

* To learn more and get involved, contact Julie on danceworkshops@yahoo.co.uk.

Inner Wheel members donate goodies for women's refuge

Moira (pictured above) and Mike Gleed of Llangollen have collected a car boot full of toiletries and small gifts from members of Llangollen Inner Wheel to be donated to Wrexham Women's Refuge. 

New TV licensing scam uses Covid-19 as a hook

North Wales Police are warning the public to be aware of a new TV Licencing scam which is using Covid-19 to try to steal personal information.

Action Fraud continue to see a large volume of TV licencing phishing emails circulating, but last week they received over 70 reports of a new version of the scam. 

Minor changes to the messaging and links have been made, with some including a Covid-19 related hook to reel people in.

The emails now being reported claim that the recipient’s direct debit has failed and that they need to pay in order to avoid prosecution.

These emails display the subject header “We couldn't process the latest payment from your Debit Card - COVID19 Personalized Offer: You are be eligible for a 1 x 6 months of free TVLicence”.  

They include a link to set up a new direct debit on a website controlled by the criminals.

The end of the email also offers six free months of a TV license, and to click the link to apply the offer. The link goes to a sign in page with an online application form, providing the criminals with an opportunity to steal email logins, passwords, and personal details.

Police say that if you receive an email like this one, or any other suspicious email, report it to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) immediately by forwarding it to report@phishing.gov.uk

Police add that the NCSC’s automated programme will immediately test the validity of the site. Any sites found to be phishing scams will be removed immediately. This will help to protect yourself from fraud, as well as allowing us to warn others as well.

Temporary road closure to allow work on new water main

* The section of Vicarage Road to be closed to allow work on the new water main.

Denbighshire County Council is to make a temporary order prohibiting traffic from a length of Vicarage Road in Llangollen for just over a month to allow the laying a new water main.

The order, which will be effective from June 15 and last until July 20, will prevent traffic using Vicarage Road from its junction with Hill Street in a westerly direction for a distance of about 160 metres.

The order is necessary to facilitate the installation of a new water main, the transfer of services and the abandonment of the existing main by Amey Utilities.

A signposted alternative route will be via Willow Street, Hall Street, Hill Street, Bache Mill Road, Grange Road to Bank Farm and Fron Bache.

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the period of closure.  

Skates urges people to "stay home and stay local" this weekend

As another bank holiday approaches Minister for the Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates (pictured) has been urging people to stay home and stay local.

The Minister, said: “Although it goes against our normal welcoming nature, we’ve been asking people to please stay home. We want nothing more than to welcome visitors to enjoy our wonderful scenery and attractions but to protect our NHS and keep people safe – stay home. “We are all acutely aware of the impact Coronavirus is having on the tourism and hospitality sector. As the industry remains closed to help stop the spread of the virus, we are also doing all we can to help the industry at this difficult time.” The Minister has this week announced that the Economic Resilience Fund eligibility checker will be available for new applications by the middle of June, allowing companies time to prepare their applications.   This will enable access to the remaining £100m of the £300m already approved and allocated to support micro businesses, small and medium enterprises and large businesses. Phase 2 of the Fund will operate in the same way as Phase 1 but with an update to the micro scheme.   This will enable limited companies who are not VAT registered to access the Fund, something which many small businesses, especially those in the hospitality sector, have been calling for.  Mr Skates said: "Our tourism industry is at the very foundation of our economy and plays such an important part in many communities across Wales. "Many businesses have adapted to help their communities and the NHS – by accommodating key workers and vulnerable people or running food delivery schemes for local hospitals.  “Although the sector has been hit hard by this crisis, it’s brilliant to see the welcome and caring nature of the industry still shining through – even these difficult times.” The Minister has said that the package of support offered by the Welsh Government is the most generous for businesses anywhere in the UK including: £100 million in loans to more than 1,000 businesses through the Development Bank of Wales; A £400 million Economic Resilience Fund grant scheme – which for phase 1 has received more than 9,500 applications, with over 6,000 offers already made to date worth over a £100m; Non-domestic rates based grant support for small businesses and businesses operating in the retail, leisure and hospitality sectors, awarding to date 51,100 grants worth more than £626m. A total package of £1.7 billion worth 2.7% of GDP. The Minister concluded: “The rules don’t change because it’s a bank holiday, lifting restrictions now would risk increasing spread of the virus, which could endanger more lives and cause longer term disruption and hardship for our visitor economy.  Along with the industry, I look forward to welcoming people back - but not now – later.”

MP welcomes extension of mortgage payment holiday

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has welcomed news that the Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak, in conjunction with the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), has extended the mortgage payment holiday for a further three months for homeowners struggling to pay their mortgage due to Coronavirus.

The availability of a three-month mortgage holiday was first announced by the Chancellor in March as part of the package of support for individuals, businesses and the economy. 

Since then over 1.8 million mortgage payment holidays have been taken up.

Lenders will contact their customers next month about extending their mortgage holiday for a further three months.

Simon Baynes said: “This is good news for people and families in Clwyd South struggling to pay their mortgage due to COVID-19. 

"Everyone’s circumstances are different, and where homeowners can pay some or all of their mortgage, they should work with their lender on a plan. 

"But I want every resident in Clwyd South to know that this mortgage holiday support is available for a further three months if you’re still struggling.

“As always, if there’s anything I can do to support you, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with me by email at simon.baynes.mp@parliament.uk.”

Coronavirus updates from Welsh Government

Latest coronavirus updates from the Welsh Government are:

• The maximum fine for repeated breaches of the coronavirus lockdown rules in Wales will rise from £120 to £1,920, First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced.
• The increased fines are being introduced ahead of the bank holiday weekend and they follow a request from the four police forces in Wales and the Police and Crime Commissioners for increased penalties to help deter people from repeatedly breaching the stay-at-home regulations.
• https://gov.wales/fines-increased-repeat-coronavirus-lockdown-breaches-wales
• A new made-in-Wales antibody test is being introduced throughout the UK to tell whether people have had coronavirus.
• Wales – and the rest of the UK – will roll out the new-style blood tests, including those produced in Pencoed by Ortho Clinical Diagnostics (OCD).
• The company is one of a number to produce the antibody tests for the UK – it became involved after responding to a call to action to help with the coronavirus response from the First Minister and Life Sciences Hub Wales.
• https://gov.wales/new-made-wales-blood-test-coronavirus
• Health Minister Vaughan Gething has approved £650,000 to fund a new system to allow GPs, paramedics and other healthcare professionals to get immediate specialist advice when reviewing and treating patients.
• The Consultant Connect app has been fast-tracked for use in NHS Wales to help deal with the Covid-19 outbreak and support primary care in the long term to offer better advice and guidance to patients.
• https://gov.wales/new-app-provide-specialist-advice-gps-seconds
• £30m will be invested in improving public transport and encouraging economic growth, Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates has announced.
• Wales’ 22 local authorities were invited to submit proposals to Welsh Government’s Local Transport Grant funding to deliver projects which will:
• support economic priorities for jobs and growth
• reduce economic inactivity by delivering safe and affordable access to education, key services and employment, particularly for those living in disadvantaged or rural communities
• connect communities
• encourage active and sustainable travel
• improve public transport reliability and reduce journey times
• https://gov.wales/substantial-investment-improve-public-transport-and-support-economic-growth-announced
• How Wales created 19 new field hospitals in less than eight weeks… https://gov.wales/how-wales-created-19-new-field-hospitals-less-8-weeks  
• Professional sport and coronavirus https://gov.wales/written-statement-professional-sport-and-coronavirus
• The Wales Tourism Business Barometer 2020 https://gov.wales/sites/default/files/statistics-and-research/2020-05/tourism-barometer-coronavirus-covid-19-impact-survey-wave-3-2020.pdf

• Public Health Wales has today confirmed a further 166 cases of coronavirus in Wales today bringing the total number of cases to 12,846 – the real figure will be much higher.
• Sadly, there were a further nine deaths reported by Public Health Wales today, bringing the number of confirmed coronavirus deaths reported by Public Health Wales to 1,247.

Where to find the latest information

• Public Health Wales provides a daily update about the number of cases of coronavirus in Wales. It is available at: https://phw.nhs.wales/news/public-health-wales-statement-on-novel-coronavirus-outbreak/
• Information about coronavirus is available on the Welsh Government’s website at https://gov.wales/coronavirus and https://llyw.cymru/coronafeirws
• Queries about support for businesses, including about eligibility for the Economic Resilience Fund? Visit the Business Wales website https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/
• If you can help the effort to produce PPE in Wales please visit https://businesswales.gov.wales/news-and-blogs/news/provision-critical-equipment-and-personal-protection-equipment-ppe
• The Welsh Government holds a daily media briefing about coronavirus. These are on-the-record, on-camera and routinely supported by a BSL translator. They will be held at 12.30pm every week day. They are live-streamed on our @WelshGovernment Twitter channel and are broadcast live on BBC One Wales and S4C.
• Dr Andrew Goodall, chief executive of NHS Wales, held today’s press conference – you can watch again at: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1263431858894721024