Care home visiting booth allows friends to reunite

* Olwen Lloyd and Janet Kenyon Thompson 

use the visiting booth.

A visiting booth has been installed at a Denbighshire care home.

The booth, at Dolwen in Denbigh which is managed by Denbighshire County Council, was designed and built by staff member Erfyl Jones, who is a support worker at the home.

The booth has allowed residents at the care home, who have been unable to mix since December, to reunite.

Once restrictions around visiting care homes have been changed, the booth can be used by families and friends visiting loved ones.

Dolwen residents Olwen Lloyd and Janet Kenyon Thompson were the first to use the booth after it was installed on February 11.

Cllr Bobby Feeley, the council’s Lead Member for Well-being and Independence, said: “I would like to thank Erfyl for his work designing and building the visiting booth which has been a great boost for residents. 

“It has helped residents interact with friends from different sections of the home, which for safety reasons have been kept separate.  I’m pleased to see how much joy this has brought to our residents.

“Once the regulations around visiting care homes change, this booth will provide friends and family the chance to visit their loved ones in a safe way.”

Latest column from Citizens Advice

Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice is:

Coronavirus Scams 

Q: “I’m really worried about my elderly relatives being targeted by coronavirus scams - are there any warning signs that I can tell them to look out for? What should they do if they think that something is a scam?” 

A: Unfortunately, we’ve seen an increase in scams since the beginning of the pandemic, so it’s good to be thinking about the steps you can take to help protect friends and family. 

Common scams we’re seeing are about bogus testing kits, coronavirus vaccinations and government refunds or fines. You should watch out for messages about coronavirus from unusual email addresses or phone numbers, and shouldn’t click on any links. Be aware that you won’t be asked to pay for coronavirus vaccinations - they are provided for free by the NHS. 

Here are some general warning signs to look out for: 

●      You suspect you’re not dealing with a real company – for example, if there’s no postal address

●      You’ve been asked to transfer money quickly or to pay in an unusual way – for example, by iTunes vouchers or through a transfer service like MoneyGram or Western Union

●      You’ve been asked to give away personal information like passwords or PINs

●      You haven't had written confirmation of what's been agreed 

If you think something is a scam you should hang up the phone, close the website, or shut the front door. Never feel pressured to make a decision straight away, and don’t give out personal details or money unless you’re certain that they can trust the person. If you feel threatened or unsafe you can ring 999. 

For help with online scams, contact a Citizens Advice Scams Action adviser by calling 0808 250 5050. For more information about other types of scams, visit the Citizens Advice website.  

Young 'Uns' retro spectacular cuts through lockdown gloom

* Above and below, some scenes from last night's show.

Last night a lockdowdy, rain-soaked Llangollen got a timely reminder – as if it needed it – of what a talented bunch of performing youngsters it has right here on its doorstep.

Unable to stage one of their usual entertainment extravaganzas due to the pandemic a bunch of members from the Young ‘Uns, the Operatic Society’s junior section, took over the internet airwaves to put on a riveting retrospective of their productions ranging back over the last decade.

And it cut through the gloom of a wet February Saturday evening in style.

Behind it was one of its favourite performers of recent years, Shea Ferron, who, in the spirit of an old Hollywood movie, got some of his mates from the team – present and past – to put on the show right here.

He arranged all the pretty complex technical bits to do the live streaming on Facebook while another Young ‘Uns star, Celyn Orton-Jones, helped him anchor the all-singing, all dancing 90-minute spectacular.

Professional performer Ruby Snape appeared as a guest presenter.

The team summoned up others - like them still in their late teens or early twenties – to reprise magical musical memories from smash-hit society shows such as Annie, The Vackies, Beauty and the Beast, Oliver!, Half a Sixpence, Honk, Bugsy Malone, Joseph and his Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Grease and Wizard of Oz.

Among the cast, who had been in one or more of these productions, was  Aled Morris, Katie Clark, Kamil Grzelak, Ethan Le-Cheminant, Ethan Roberts, Grace Roberts, Heledd Edwards and Cassius Hackforth, now at drama school. 

Apart from providing the online audience with some fantastic memories of the shows many of them had been lucky enough to see live, the cast also clearly had a great time getting together with old friends to relive some of the highlights of their recent performing past.

But then having a cool time with your mates and entertaining people into the bargain is what the Young ‘Uns has always been about.

Now Shea and the team has led the way maybe the adult Llan Operatic Society should think about doing a similar thing for some of its more recent shows. Just a thought.   

* You can still catch the show, here: https://www.facebook.com/Llangollen-Operatic-Young-Uns-428765077289488/videos/123892546292344

Fundraiser in memory of Dai Davies reaches over £2,000

* Dai Davies has pysiotherapy at Nightingale House last year.

According to a story in the Denbighshire Free Press, a fundraiser in memory of a much-loved Wales goalkeeper has raised more than £2,000.

Dai Davies, who had who run a natural healing centre in Llangollen, died aged 72 on February 10, following a battle with cancer.

* For the full story, see: https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/sport/19101868.dai-davies-played-50-times-wales-also-played-wrexham/

Welsh Government's coronavirus update

Latest coronavirus update from the Welsh Government (dated yesterday) is:

• The First Minister has today set out the results of the latest three-week review of the coronavirus regulations in Wales.
• He has confirmed Foundation Phase children will return to school in a flexible and phased way from February 22
• And he has set out a roadmap for future considerations in the next three-week cycle if the public health situation continues to improve: https://gov.wales/lockdown-continue-further-three-weeks-pupils-return-school
• Written statement: https://gov.wales/written-statement-review-health-protection-coronavirus-restriction-no5-wales-regulations-2020-1
• Watch the First Minister’s press conference: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1362737563211943941
• Education Minister’s message to parents and teachers: https://twitter.com/WG_Education/status/1362662487921942529 

• The Welsh Government has published an update to its Coronavirus Control Plan which takes account of vaccination and the emergence of new variants: https://gov.wales/coronavirus-control-plan-alert-levels-wales-coming-out-lockdown
• The latest summary of advice from the Technical Advisory Cell is published at https://gov.wales/technical-advisory-cell-summary-advice-15-february-2021
• Operational guidance for schools: https://gov.wales/operational-guidance-schools-and-settings-support-limited-attendance
• Housing Minister Julie James has published a written statement about the Public Health (Protection from Eviction) (Wales) (Coronavirus) Regulations 2021 https://gov.wales/written-statement-public-health-protection-eviction-wales-coronavirus-regulations-2021-18-february
• Julie Morgan, Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services, has published a written statement about The Coronavirus Act 2020 (Suspension: Local Authority Care and Support) (Wales) Regulations 2021: https://gov.wales/written-statement-coronavirus-act-2020-suspension-local-authority-care-and-support-wales

Coronavirus in numbers

• The latest figures published by Public Health Wales today show there have been 533 newly reported cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 200,989 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.
• Very sadly, there were 16 deaths reported by Public Health Wales today. The total number of deaths reported by Public Health Wales is 5,205.
• These figures are updated daily at: https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary

• The number of people who have received a Covid vaccine in Wales is being published every weekday by Public Health Wales.
• The latest figures show 839,065 people have received their first dose
• And 25,433 people have received two doses of the vaccine
• https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary
• If you think you’ve been missed off the vaccine appointment list: https://gov.wales/get-your-covid-19-vaccination-if-you-think-you-have-been-missed

What to do if you have symptoms of coronavirus

• The symptoms of coronavirus are a high temperature, a new, continuous cough and a loss or change in smell or taste.
• If you have symptoms of coronavirus, however mild, you must self-isolate at home for 10 days from when your symptoms started.
• Guidance about self-isolating: https://gov.wales/self-isolation-stay-home-guidance-households-possible-coronavirus
• Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.
• You should arrange to have a test to see if you have coronavirus once you are self-isolating. You can book a test at https://gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-covid-19-test
• You should continue to isolate while waiting for a test result.
• Got a question about what to do if you’ve got coronavirus? Visit https://gov.wales/self-isolation-stay-home-guidance-households-possible-coronavirus 

Where to find the latest information

• Information about the new national measures in place in Wales is available at: https://gov.wales/alert-level-4 and the roadmap in and out of alert levels is at: https://gov.wales/coronavirus-control-plan-alert-levels-wales

• Information about coronavirus is available on the Welsh Government’s website at https://gov.wales/coronavirus and https://llyw.cymru/coronafeirws
• Questions about Covid-19 vaccines? Visit: https://phw.nhs.wales/topics/immunisation-and-vaccines/covid-19-vaccination-information/ and https://gov.wales/vaccine-coronavirus
• Want to join Wales’ vaccination team? https://gov.wales/join-covid-19-vaccination-team
• If you think you’ve been missed off the vaccine appointment list: https://gov.wales/get-your-covid-19-vaccination-if-you-think-you-have-been-missed
• Information about support for businesses is available at the Business Wales website https://businesswales.gov.wales/coronavirus-advice/
• The Welsh Government holds a regular media briefing about coronavirus. These are on-the-record, on-camera and supported by a BSL interpreter. These are held at 12.15pm, broadcast on BBC One Wales and live-streamed on our @WelshGovernment Twitter channel.

o   The First Minister held today’s press conference. You can watch again at: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1362737563211943941

o   Slides used in today’s press conference: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1362739135723626506

Former mayor takes vacant town council seat

* Former mayor Stuart Davies will fill the vacant council seat.

Nominations for the by-election to fill the vacancy created by the resignation of former Cllr George Hughes on Llangollen Town Hall closed at 4pm today.

According to the county council's elections office, there was just one person applying to stand in the election which was due to be held on Thursday March 18.

That being the case Stuart Arthur Davies, of Tyn-Y-Ffridd,  Fron Bache, Llangollen, Denbighshire, LL20 7BP (Independent) now automatically becomes a councillor.

Mr Davies is a former Denbighshire county councillor for Llangollen and also a former mayor of Llangollen.

Stay-at-home rules stay as youngest children go back to school

Stay a home restrictions will continue in Wales as the youngest pupils begin returning to school from Monday, First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed this afternoon.

From Monday 22 February, children aged three to seven will begin returning to schools in a phased way, while some vocational learners on courses that require practical learning, will return to college.

Following the latest review of coronavirus restrictions, the Welsh Government also announced some minor changes to the current rules:

• From Saturday 20 February, four people from two different households will be able to meet outdoors for socially distanced local exercise. This doesn’t apply to private gardens.
• From March 1, the law will be changed to allow licensed wedding venues, such as visitor attractions and hotels, to re-open but only to perform wedding and civil partnership ceremonies.
• Sport Wales will make arrangements for more of our talented athletes to resume training and playing.
• With more people living and working in older people’s care homes being vaccinated, we will look again at our guidance for care home visiting.

The First Minister said:

I know the last few months of lockdown have been a huge challenge for so many of us, but I want to thank everyone for the way we have worked together as a team to drive infection rates down.

As coronavirus cases fall, and our successful vaccination programme protects more people every day, there are reasons to be optimistic.

Our youngest learners will begin going back to school from 22 February and, if the situation continues to improve over the next three weeks, we hope more primary school children and older students will be able to return from 15 March.

We are also able to make some very modest changes to the regulations from 20 February as we take some very cautious steps to relax some of the strictest lockdown restrictions we have all been living with for so long.

We are seeing encouraging green shoots as we move into spring, with better weather and brighter days ahead, coronavirus cases falling and our amazing vaccine roll-out continuing at pace. We have seen, however, time and again the world over, just how quickly the situation can deteriorate in a matter of weeks. But, if we work together to keep Wales safe, we will see more elements of normal life returning.

The next three-week review of the regulations will also consider the restrictions around non-essential retail and close contact services.

The Welsh Government’s traffic-light Coronavirus Control Plan has been revised to take account of the emerging new variant strains of the virus and the impact of the vaccine programme.