All Welsh schools to re-open on June 29

The BBC us reporting that all schools in Wales will reopen on 29 June, the education minister has said.

For the full story, see:
 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52895374

Poll starts on return of Saturday morning waste facility

* The Facebook poll created by former county councillor Stuart Davies.

A former Llangollen county councillor has started an online petition asking local people if they want to see the swift return of the Saturday morning waste recycling service on the Pavilion car park. 

The service, in which a small fleet of county council refuse vehicles parked up for a few hours to collect waste brought in by residents, was suspended early in the lockdown.

Current Llangollen county councillor Graham Timms said recently that he and fellow local representative Melvyn Mile were lobbying hard for the return of the service but were experiencing difficulties as the county had said it could not yet ensure it can be carried out observing the required social distancing.

Without the Pavilion service Llangollen people must drive over to the Ruthin recycling site, which is operating an appointments only system, to deposit their household waste.

But now ex-councillor Stuart Davies has posted a poll on Facebook which asks local people to say yes or no to whether they want to see the service resumed as soon as possible.

The online test of public opinion was posted only this morning on the Llangollen & District Noticeboard page but more than 100 people have already voted in favour of a return of the service.

Mr Davies said: "I know our two county councillors are lobbying for the return of the Saturday morning service and I thought a show of public support like this might strengthen their argument."  

Llangollen's lack of suitable waste recycling facilities rapidly becoming a hot topic.

And Clwyd South Senedd Member Ken Skates is looking into whether an agreement exists between Denbighshire and Wrexham for local people to use the Plas Madoc tip.

Since Llangollen's own recycling facility on the A539 was closed in 2007 people from this area have been using either the Wrexham site, or the "pop-up" Saturday morning waste service on the Pavilion car park. 

Both facilities closed when the coronavirus lockdown began about 10 weeks ago but the Plas Madoc facility opened again last week.

Mr Skates asked Wrexham last week if Plas Madoc could be used by local people but, as llanblogger reported earlier today, he was told this was being reserved for Wrexham residents.

Now it has been suggested that some form of agreement was reached between Denbighshire and Wrexham for Llangollen's use of Plas Madoc 13 years ago.

And Mr Skates said today he was seeking clarification from the two councils about whether this is the case.

Llangollen county councillor Graham Timms is also looking into the agreement claim, which was made by Stuart Davies.

Updates on coronavirus from Welsh Government

Latest Covid-19 updates from the Welsh Government are: 

• The Chief Medical Officer for Wales’ statement about the 21-day review of the coronavirus regulations has been published today at https://gov.wales/chief-medical-officer-statement-21-day-review-28-may-2020
• Updated – frequently asked questions about the amended coronavirus regulations: https://gov.wales/coronavirus-regulations-guidance
• Education Minister Kirsty Williams has published a written statement about the young person’s mental health toolkit: https://gov.wales/written-statement-launch-young-persons-mental-health-toolkit
• The weekly testing update is available at https://gov.wales/testing-weekly-update-2-june-2020-coronavirus
• The Office for National Statistics has today published its weekly figures about the number of deaths in England and Wales, including the number of deaths from coronavirus. These figures are different from those published by Public Health Wales as they include all deaths in all settings and cover a different time period.
• The provisional number of deaths from all causes in Welsh residents in the week ending 22 May was 692; this was 80 fewer than the previous week. Of these, there were 134 deaths involving coronavirus. This was just under one in five (19%) of all deaths, and 46 lower than the previous week.
• https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest
• Many of Wales’ local authorities are now embarking on the first phase of resuming library services – with a Click and Collect service.
• All the library services of local authorities have continued to offer resources throughout the crisis, such as e-books and e-magazines through the Digital Library. Welsh Government provided £250,000 towards digital library resources which enabled public libraries to provide additional resources during the crisis and has led to Libraries seeing a dramatic increase in the number of individuals accessing digital resources.
• https://gov.wales/libraries-introduce-click-and-collect-service
   

• Public Health Wales has today confirmed a further 67 cases of coronavirus in Wales today bringing the total number of cases to 14,121 – the real figure will be much higher.
• Sadly, there were a further seven deaths reported by Public Health Wales today, bringing the number of confirmed coronavirus deaths reported by Public Health Wales to 1,354. 

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.

Health Minister Vaughan Gething held today’s press conference – you can watch again at: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1267780527655841798

Firefighters tackle wildfire on Panorama Walk

Denbighshire Free Press is reporting online this morning that firefighters have been tackling a blaze in Llangollen overnight.

North Wales Fire and rescue Service received a call just before 11.30pm on Tuesday reporting a wildfire in Panorama Walk.

Crews have been tackling the flamed through the night.

A spokesman told the Leader the incident involves two seats of fire.

Three crews and a wildfire unit are still in attendance at the site this morning.

https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/18492374.crews-battle-llangollen-wildfire-overnight/?fbclid=IwAR089lb8cD1NOhPP4LjVuAJKnbozG_InqreM7Ly5yg-0EQz8mz-Ezqq8x08

* A picture of the fire in the distance supplied to llanblogger by Stuart Davis.

Fringe cancelled but team has other plans in mind

This year's Llangollen Fringe in its usual form has been cancelled due to the coronaviris crisis.

But the team behind the popular annual event has come up with a number of other ways to keep up interest in the arts and music festival. 

Subject to the coronavirus restrictions, this is what they plan to deliver over the summer and into next year: 

* July 17-26 - some online Fringe activities details of which are to follow 

* September 22 and into 2021 - A series of Town Hall gigs featuring the headline performers they had planned aimed at showcasing the usual eclectic Fringe mix of performances

* After July 17 - a day of entertainment on Centenary Square. This will be a free, public event and will be staged at the first available opportunity. The aim is to make this a fun day which also serves as a showcase for local talent.

In a message to supporters, Fringe organisers say: "If you, or someone you know, can provide a 20-30 minute performance ‘at the drop of a hat’, please get in touch with Chris."

Festival ticket holders are asked to either send an email to the Fringe which organisers say will result in a full refund, or let them hold onto the cash, which will mean: 

* You will be welcome to come along to all the planned headliner gigs, free of charge

* Receive 50% off next year’s Festival Ticket and

* Come along to one of the Fringe's monthly comedy clubs

The team adds in its message: "Our videographer has accumulated hours of Fringe footage over the last 10 years or so and we are putting together a compilation of highlights.  

"Is there a special moment you would like to see?  If so, and we have it recorded, send an email here and we will include it on our website.

"We thank you for your most valued support and hope you can enjoy the ‘little bit of us’ that we are trying our hardest to bring to you this year.  

"Let us all hope we can get back to normal, if that exists anymore, soon… and certainly in time for next year."

More Covid volunteers are highlighted by Cat

To mark the current National Volunteer Week, Cat Meade, co-ordinator of Llangollen Coronavirus Help Group, has turned the spotlight on more groups helping the town through the the pandemic crisis.

She says of them on Facebook:

Zero Food Waste and Food Share Llangollen 

These guys Volunteer ALL YEAR round, these past 10 weeks they have supported more and more local families, nothing is too much and they ALWAYS do it with a SMILE 

Jane Louise Tornado Kalamity Wild Stephanie Mitchell Lesley Greasley

Jane started the food parcels when we first went into Lockdown, I was messaging orders day after day and with the team they got delivered that very day.

Kirsty had the idea of the VE DAY packages, which together with our Volunteers, Steve chef The Swan Inn, Pontfadog and the lovely Pretty Vintage Tearoom and Barista Coffee we all pulled together to make it a memory for those in Lockdown.

Steph never stops delivering, always happy to help, her daughter is following in her footsteps and has started a small business making jewellery with 70% of everything sold going to the Foodshare Fund, please support.

Lesley is not only doing food deliveries and helping, she has also been preparing and cooking hot food for the vulnerable. 

The Foodshare require their own FULL TIME premises in TOWN as they are currently using the Pengwern hub, but this is only during lockdown, Pref somewhere with a kitchen facility that can become their full time base. If you can help please contact one of the ladies. 

Please join me in saying A HUGE THANK YOU TO THE LADIES THAT ARE FEEDING THIS TOWN DAILY. 

https://www.facebook.com/110793237011195/posts/251320449625139/

Food Share itself said: "Here is just *some* of the shopping we've done today to make food parcels to support people in our #llangollenfamily

Today alone, 3 unpaid volunteers have done 10 hours' work behind the scenes, and that's before we do our surplus round at 8pm.

Cat goes on: 

A big THANK YOU to Lisa Griffiths 

Lisa has been a Volunteer for 10 weeks, been with the team from day 1. I assign her tasks 4/5 days a week sometimes more than once a day, Lisa has been a PRIME volunteer assisting the elderly with shopping, picking up a list for Aldi, HB along with collecting the orders I submit for residents to Stans, collecting and delivering.

Lisa also helped in the delivery of VE Day packages and the 3,000 leaflet drop we delivered 2 weeks ago.

Any time I message (sometimes at short notice) she says YES and does it with a smile.

I have had a lot of residents comment on how friendly, lovely and helpful Lisa has been with them.

Lisa does all of this while being a mum at home, she doesnt want the limelight and is a genuine lovely lady.

Please join me in saying a BIG THANK YOU to Lisa, you have the heart of an Angel. Amazing lady.

Also on Facebook Cat has made a plea for funds to help her group keep up the good work.

She says: "Every Little Helps Llangollen. Funds are very low, please help us to keep supporting.

The link to the group's gofundme page is: 

https://www.gofundme.com/f/llangollen-covid-19-support-group?sharetype=teams&member=4053532&utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_na+share-sheet&pc_code=ot_co_dashboard_a&rcid=d4ead1c6aa73426980f4d36b658fb652&fbclid=IwAR3qnH-dNF5S5WLwHbjqiCZnl92omR52NT5acTc8S8Yz8OCy2ZRw79l73cU

LlanBikeFest 2020 is cancelled due to Covid-19

Llangollen Motorcycle Festival - LlanBikeFest – has been cancelled for 2020 because of Covid-19. 

But organisers are already planning for it to be "back with a bang" in 2021.

Billed as Wales’ premier motorcycle festival on August 1 and 2, the event was expected to attract thousands of enthusiasts in its sixth year. 

But with Wales still off limits for visiting bikers, it’s uncertain restrictions will be lifted by then. 

Traders and people who have already booked online are being given full refunds, say organisers.

Event manager Deb Rogers said: “LlanBikeFest has grown and grown since we started in 2015 as a festival for everyone who loves bikes, run by people who love bikes. 

"Its success is driven by the hard work of dozens of supporters and volunteers, as well traders, exhibitors and the public. 

"There is such goodwill towards LlanBikeFest that we are confident we will bounce back better than ever next year.”

* More details and images on www.llanbikefest.co.uk and Facebook.