AONB partners up for carbon offsetting project

* Walkers enjoy Moel Famau.

A sustainable adventure tour operator has partnered with the Clwydian Range & Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty on a carbon offsetting project.

Ruthin-based Adventure Tours UK has committed to plant one tree for every person that travels on one of its small group adventures or tailor-made activity holidays.

Almost two acres of land within Moel Famau Country Park has been designated for the new native woodland project.

Over the next three years the firm will assist the Clwydian Range & Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to plant a range of native trees including Birch, Oak, Rowan, Holly, Hazel, Hawthorn, Cherry and Elder.

This new woodland at Tyn-y-Pistyll is expected to create an important habitat for a number of native wildlife species.

Claire Copeman, co-founder of Adventure Tours UK, said: “As a responsible tour operator we recognise carbon emissions are a major factor affecting climate change.

“We don’t believe carbon offsetting is a silver bullet, we must all reduce our carbon emissions if we are to halt the climate crisis we are heading toward. But we do believe tree planting to mitigate carbon emissions is a positive step to take.

“That’s why we have committed to plant one tree for every person that travels on one of our small group adventures or a tailor-made activity holiday. And because we’ve done our carbon measurements, we know one tree is far more than is needed to offset the emissions of one of our low carbon adventure holidays.”

Cllr Tony Thomas, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Housing and Communities and Chair of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley AONB Joint Committee, said:  “We are delighted to be supporting this project along with the AONB and Adventure Tours UK. Small woodlands provide many benefits to wildlife and are an important tool in fighting climate change and this project can help to sequester up to 400 tonnes of carbon per hectare.

“As a council we have already achieved a lot, we have reduced carbon emissions from our buildings and fleet by 15 per cent since 2017, the council now only uses renewable electricity for its own buildings after switching to a renewable only energy provider and we are on course of reaching our target of planting 18,000 additional trees by 2022.”

In 2019 the council declared a climate change and ecological emergency and the council’s Climate and Ecological Change Strategy which covers the years 2021/22 – 2029/30 sets out how it aims to become Net Carbon Zero and Ecologically Positive by 2030.

Coronavirus update from Welsh Government

 

Latest coronavirus update from the Welsh Government, dated yesterday, is:

• Updated guidance – supported living and coronavirus: https://gov.wales/supported-living-guidance-coronavirus
• Easy read guidance: https://gov.wales/supported-living-easy-read-guidance-coronavirus
• Covid vaccination programme – stock and distribution statistics: https://gov.wales/covid-19-vaccination-programme-stock-and-distribution
• Latest results of the Covid Infection Survey (antibodies data): https://gov.wales/coronavirus-covid-19-infection-survey-antibodies-data-17-23-may-2021
• NHS beds, admissions and hospitalisations during the pandemic: https://gov.wales/nhs-beds-admissions-and-hospitalisations-during-coronavirus-covid-19-pandemic
• The latest statistics on testing in Wales: https://gov.wales/testing-data-coronavirus-covid-19

Coronavirus in numbers

• The latest figures published by Public Health Wales today show there have been 223 newly-reported cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 213,411 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.
• There were no deaths reported by Public Health Wales today. The total number of deaths reported by Public Health Wales is 5,570.
• 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 2,190,460 people have received their first dose.
• And 1,291,699 people have completed their two-dose course 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 must have a test on day one and day eight if you have been told to self-isolate by NHS Wales Test Trace Protect.
• 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

• Wales has moved into alert level one. More information is available at: https://gov.wales/restrictions-7-june-2021   
• 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
• 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 weekly Ministerial press conference on Mondays – these are televised on S4C and broadcast on our social media channels – this is in addition to the 21-day coronavirus regulation review press conference, which is led by the First Minister.

Further inspection due before decision made on town hall tree

* The town hall tree which is due for a further inspection.

Experts will continue their examination of Llangollen’s famous town hall tree in the next few weeks before a final decision is made on its fate, says the county council. 

A major row has blown up since it was revealed that the acacia on Castle Street was being examined to gauge its healthiness. 

Over 400 people have so far signed a petition started by Scott Felton which accuses “a group of town and county councillors of wanting to see the last remaining, perfectly healthy street tree in the main thoroughfare felled to make way for new vanity paving.” 

The new town centre paving is being proposed by the Llangollen 2020 group whose chair, County Councillor Graham Timms, recently said in a statement to llanblogger that the decision on the future of the tree was not in the group’s hands. 

Last Friday Denbighshire Council workmen were seen exposing the roots to begin an examination of the tree. 

The story has featured prominently in local papers and social media. 

Today (Wednesday) a spokesperson for the county council told llanblogger: “There is no decision as yet as to the future of the tree. 

“We are still in the process of organising an aerial inspection of the tree by a qualified arborist.

 “This should be happening in the next few weeks. 

“A health report of the tree will subsequently follow the inspection, upon which the future of the tree will be determined.”

Skates seeks renewed assurances about town's Barclays bank

* Clwyd South MS Ken Skates.

Clwyd South Senedd Member Ken Skates has contacted the Barclays banking chain seeking fresh assurances about the future of its Llangollen branch.

In October 2019 he was told by Barclays that the branch - the last remaining high street bank in his constituency - would remain for at least another two years.

According to a story in the Leader, he has once again made the case to keep it open.  

* For the full story, see: https://www.facebook.com/477565668939623/posts/4613480875348061/

Railway calls for volunteers to help with re-opening

* The Austin 1 engine in its new lined-out paint scheme. An example of volunteer effort to get the loco ready for a period on hire at Somerset and Dorset Railway at Midsomer Norton. Picture by Iain Ross.

Llangollen Railway has put an urgent call for volunteers to help it re-open for business after emerging from its financial crisis.

On March 1 the railway's Public Limited Company (PLC) went into receivership with debts of around £350,000.

A number of the railway’s assets were sold off in an online auction.

But the separate Railway Trust, which remains completely solvent, has led a major fundraising campaign to buy as many of the assets as possible and get the railway up and running again. 

In a recent social media message to supporters the railway’s operations director Mike Williams said: “Our stations, yards, infrastructure and sufficient rolling stock are ready to rise back like the Phoenix."

And in a fresh message railway chairman Peter Edwards sets out the challenges facing the heritage attraction as it races to run trains again later this summer, including recruiting enough unpaid help to hit the re-opening deadline.

He said: "Summer has officially started and Llangollen Railway Trust (LRT) has the opportunity for productive outdoor work on the various sites along the railway. 

"After an eight-month shut down, the challenge to return the railway to an operational condition is immense and calls for considerable manpower resources.

"Now that the auction of PLC assets is complete and LRT has the key equipment secured, the Permanent Way team is planning the restart of work on the Dee Bridge and subsequent essential work in Berwyn Tunnel and at Glyndyfrdwy. 

"There is a three-week lead time on starting this, so work should be able to start at the end of June."

He added: "There are many other outstanding jobs to be getting on with, and in line with previous messages from board members, many of these will have to be tackled by volunteers - there’s no way we can fund staff or contractors to do them. 

"There are vacancies for key roles that need to be filled, and in the short term we are asking for volunteers to take on those responsibilities.

"Vacancies for volunteers exist in all operating departments, motive power, carriage and wagon. permanent way/signals, stations and the Trust's office all allowing for many different skills to be catered for by those with time to spare."

* New volunteers will need to be Llangollen Railway Trust members for insurance reasons and Maureen Theobald is the liaison officer c/o Llangollen station.

Welsh Government's coronavirus update

Latest coronavirus update from the Welsh Government, dated yesterday, is:

Public Health Wales has today published an update about the delta variant: https://phw.nhs.wales/news/81-new-cases-of-delta-variant-since-3-june-as-localised-community-transmission-occurs/

·         Health Minister Eluned Morgan has made a statement to the Senedd about the latest public health situation in Wales: https://record.assembly.wales/Plenary/12305#A65960

·         Latest summary report from the Technical Advisory Cell: https://gov.wales/technical-advisory-cell-summary-advice-1-june-2021

·         Social distancing guidance for everyone in Wales: https://gov.wales/coronavirus-social-distancing-guidance 

·         All over-18s will be offered a Covid vaccine by the start of next week, First Minister Mark Drakeford has confirmed as he praised the people behind Wales’ world-leading vaccination programme.

o   Wales expects to reach 75% take-up for first jabs across all priority groups and age groups a month ahead of target – the original milestone was the end of July – as the nation’s vaccination programme continues to go from strength to strength.

o   The focus will now move to maximising vaccine coverage for all by ensuring everyone is offered a second dose by the end of September and that no one is left behind.

o   https://gov.wales/no-one-left-behind-wales-incredible-vaccine-programme-moves-forward

o   Updated Vaccine Strategy: https://gov.wales/covid-19-vaccination-strategy-update-june-2021

o   Watch the First Minister’s press conference: https://twitter.com/WelshGovernment/status/1401863417980358656 

·         How to get a vaccination if you think you’ve been missed or you have changed your mind: https://gov.wales/get-your-covid-19-vaccination-if-you-think-you-have-been-missed

 

·         A new £3m fund is being set up to provide respite and short breaks for Wales’ small army of unpaid carers, Deputy Minister for Social Services Julie Morgan announced: https://gov.wales/new-ps3m-respite-fund-launched-give-unpaid-carers-well-earned-break 

Coronavirus in numbers

·         The latest figures published by Public Health Wales today show there have been 22 newly-reported cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 212,640 confirmed cases of coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.

o   There were no deaths reported by Public Health Wales today. The total number of deaths reported by Public Health Wales is 5,570.

o   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.

o   The latest figures show 2,185,427 people have received their first dose.

o   And 1,270,606 people have completed their two-dose course of the vaccine.

o   https://public.tableau.com/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection#!/vizhome/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary

o   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

·         The Office for National Statistics (ONS) has today published statistics on provisional weekly deaths, including deaths involving Covid-19, for the week ending 28 May 2021. 

o   The cumulative number of deaths involving Covid-19 occurring up to the latest week was 7,892.

o   Of these, there were three deaths involving Covid-19 in the latest week. This was less than 1% of all deaths, and four fewer than the previous week. Numbers are relatively low and will be subject to fluctuation.

o   There have been a total of 4,973 excess deaths (12%) above the five-year average during the pandemic to date (since 7 March 2020).

o   The numbers reported by ONS are different from those from Public Health Wales because of different reporting methods and timing.

o   https://www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/birthsdeathsandmarriages/deaths/bulletins/deathsregisteredweeklyinenglandandwalesprovisional/latest

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

o   Do not go to a GP surgery, pharmacy or hospital.

o   You must have a test on day one and day eight if you have been told to self-isolate by NHS Wales Test Trace Protect.

o   You can book a test at https://gov.wales/apply-coronavirus-covid-19-test

o   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

·         Wales has moved into alert level one. More information is available at: https://gov.wales/restrictions-7-june-2021   

·         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

·         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 weekly Ministerial press conference on Mondays – these are televised on S4C and broadcast on our social media channels – this is in addition to the 21-day coronavirus regulation review press conference, which is led by the First Minister.

City status will honour Queen's 70 years on the throne

* The Denbighshire town of St Asaph gained city status in 2012.

A Civic Honours competition has been launched across the UK today to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee in 2022.

Rare awards will grant winning towns and cities with city status and Lord Mayor or Provost status for the first time in 10 years.

Local authorities in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland can enter the competition and make a case for why its area deserves to be granted one of these honours. 

Minister of State for the Constitution & Devolution, Chloe Smith, said: "The Civic Honours competition is an opportunity to promote your hometown and win an honour for it that will last for all time. I encourage entries from local authorities in every part of the UK, from vibrant towns and cities with distinct identities, history, and sense of community.

"The brilliance of the United Kingdom is rooted in diverse and unique communities brought together by a shared sense of civic pride, so I have no doubt the competition will be fierce - but success will be a historic moment of celebration for the winners, which will take its place within Her Majesty’s Platinum Jubilee."

Culture Secretary, Oliver Dowden, said: "As we look forward to a year of celebration, growth and renewal in 2022, this prestigious competition will inspire civic pride in communities right across the UK.

"It’s a great opportunity for towns and cities in every corner of the country to showcase their heritage and tell us more about the people and places that make their local area so unique - and a fitting tribute to Her Majesty’s reign in her Platinum Jubilee year."

The competition will close on December 8, 2021 and full entry guidelines and an application form have been published on GOV.UK.

All valid entries will receive individual consideration on their merits, before recommendations will be made by ministers to Her Majesty The Queen. The number of awards made across the UK, Overseas Territories and Crown Dependencies will depend on the strength of the applications received.

As part of the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, four awards were made to Chelmsford, Perth, St Asaph and Armagh - one for each part of the UK. 

After five attempts, Sunderland was deservingly awarded City Status in 1992 to mark The Queen’s Ruby Jubilee, and has now been a city for 25 years. Business leaders, councillors, MPs and the whole of Wearside agreed at the time that their new prestige would mean greater prosperity.

Her Majesty The Queen will be the first British monarch to have reached 70 years on the throne.