Carers Support Fund boosted by £250,000

A further £250k has been announced to help unpaid carers in Wales cope with the financial pressures of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Carers Support Fund, which launched in October last year originally saw £1m allocated, today (Thursday 21st January) the Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, Julie Morgan has announced an additional quarter of a million pounds to the scheme.

Open to carers across Wales, the Carers Support Fund will see grants of up to £300 being made available for a range of essentials, including; food, household items such as furniture or white goods, or electronics such as a laptop for access to support and services.

There are around 55,300 people in Wales who receive a carer’s allowance and recent research suggests that almost 40% of carers are worried about their financial situation.

Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, Julie Morgan, said: “The pandemic has added more challenges to unpaid carers across the country and I want to thank them for everything they are doing. I’m pleased to announce a further quarter of a million pounds to the fund to help more unpaid carers and their families.

“Working with Carers Trust Wales, who play such a pivotal role in delivering advice and support, the Carers Support Fund will be continued to be delivered via them.”

* The Carers Support Fund will be available up to 31 March 2021 and further information is available here carers.org/wales

County council's latest weather update

This morning's weather situation report, at 9am, from Denbighshire County Council is:

Both the rest centres at St Asaph and Ruthin were closed last night at 11am. There are no immediate plans to reopen them but we will continue to monitor the situation across the County.

SCHOOL CLOSURES

Ysgol Caer Drewyn, Corwen

Ysgol Bodfari

ROADS

Llanerch Bridge between Trefnant and Tremeirchion has collapsed – road closed in both directions with a diversion route along the A55

Many roads around the county remain impassable, therefore please drive with extreme care. As with the current travel restrictions, please stay at home unless absolutely necessary.

WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTIONS

Due to staffing issues and the current road conditions, collections are going to be severely affected today. If your collections were due today, please leave your waste out as usual by 7am for the next few days, and it will be collected as soon as the teams can get to you.

Can we remind you not to use social media to report flooding. To report a flood, please call Floodline on 0345 988 1188. For all other urgent enquiries, telephone Customer Service by calling Office Hours (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) 01824 706000. Out of Hours (5pm-9am Mon-Fri and weeekends): 0300 123 3068.

REMEMBER: Never use social media to report an emergency.

River Dee still in full flood this morning

Following days of heavy rain the River Dee is still in full flood this morning as these pictures by llanblogger show.

Thousands of gallons of angry water are still crashing against the ancient bridge as they make their way downstream.

While the level of the water in Riverside Park has gone down slightly overnight it is still slopping over the side of the retaining wall and covering the pathway nearest to the river just down from the band stand, which would present a safety risk for anyone going down there. 

Riverside Park pathway flooded by raging River Dee

In a night of severe flooding across north Wales one of the worst affected areas of Llangollen was Riverside Park where a raging River Dee gushed over the walls onto the pathway.

People took to Facebook to record the alarming scenes.

Holben Hairdressing shot the images below around midnight ...

* And the picture below of a car with its lower part underwater was posted on Facebook by Marianne Cooper in the early hours.

Thick snow falling in Llangollen

 

* At around 8.20pm tonight (Wednesday) thick snow was falling in the town area of Llangollen. Shortly afterwards it was back to heavy rain again.

Health Centre's vaccination update

Llangollen Health Centre. Has just posted a vaccination update on its Facebook page, which says:

"We are in the process of contacting all our patients aged 80 and over who have not yet had their Covid vaccine to arrange an appointment.  We’ve spoken to approximately 75% of these patients over the past couple of days and will continue to phone the remainder tomorrow.  We will be sending out letters to those we cannot get hold of.  If anyone aged 80 or over who is registered with our practice is concerned that we have missed them please contact us on 01978 860625 after 1.30pm tomorrow."

. 

Flooding update from county council

From 6pm

Heavy rain is still forecast for a few hours this evening, and there is still a lot of surface water flooding on many of our roads in Denbighshire, therefore please don’t go out on the roads unless absolutely necessary. Our teams are currently very busy dealing with issues around the County.

Can we also remind you, NOT to use social media to report flooding or to report an emergency at any time. To report a flood, please call Floodline on 0345 988 1188. For all other urgent enquiries, telephone Customer Service by calling: Office Hours (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) 01824 706000. Out of Hours (5pm-9am Mon-Fri and weeekends): 0300 123 3068.

 Weather update Denbighshire 4pm

Following a day of persistent rain (Wednesday, January 20) there are a number of road closures as well as flood alerts and warnings in place in Denbighshire.

There are currently flood alerts issued for the Elwy, Clwyd and Alyn river catchment areas.

A flood warning has been issued by Natural Resources Wales for Glasdir housing estate in Ruthin.

A flood warning has been issued by Natural Resources Wales for the Upper Dee Valley from Llanuwchllyn to Llangollen, including Corwen.

The Council is currently clearing gulleys and putting up flood warning signs in affected areas. 

The following roads are currently closed due to flooding:

A542 top of Horseshoe Pass

Ashley Court, St Asaph

Green Lane, Corwen

Graig Road, Denbigh, Denbigh (from its junction with Llwyn Goch to its junction with Cae Drain Road)

B5381, Glascoed Road/Engine Hill, Bodelwyddan

Dincolyn Junction to Mia Hall County Boundary, Dyserth

Maes y Llan, Ruthin

The following roads are passable with care:

A525, St Asaph by Oriel House

B5381, St Asaph, Lower Denbigh Road

A525 between Llanfair DC and Llysfasi

A525 Rhuddlan Road junction with Ffordd Derwen and Bryn Cwnin Road, Rhyl. The roundabout is flooded but is passible with care

Rural roads in the Eyarth area

Rural roads in the Nantglyn area

Sarn Road, Bodelwyddan

Please do not use social media to report flooding. 

To report a flood, please call Floodline on 0345 988 1188

For all other urgent enquiries, telephone Customer Service by calling:

Office Hours (Mon-Fri 9am-5pm) 01824 706000 

Out of Hours (5pm-9am Mon-Fri and weeekends):  0300 123 3068

REMEMBER: Never use social media to report an emergency.