New gallery named in memory of artist who inspired it

* Suzanne Mathieson inside the new gallery named in honour of artist Dory Ross.

A new gallery in Llangollen named in memory of the artist who inspired it will open later this month.

Liverpool-born Dory Ross died in February last year and his partner Suzanne Mathieson says creating The Dory Gallery in the former health centre in Regent Street has helped her get through the grieving process. 

When its doors open to the public on Saturday June 26 Dory's own work along with that of four other local artists will adorn its gleaming white display areas. 

The couple moved to Llangollen in 2017 after identifying the building, which started its long life as a school in the 19th century, as the perfect answer to a lack of work and display space at their former home in a renovated cottage near Caernarfon. 

Suzanne said: “Dory used to have his studio in a wooden structure we’d built next to the cottage but after a while it wasn’t really working for him. He was running out of space to work and hang his work so we started to search the internet for something more spacious. 

“We considered lots of different places, some as far away as south Wales, and when we eventually found the former health centre in Llangollen we both knew it was right for us and the sheer size of it gave us all sorts of possibilities.” 

After taking over the property around Christmas four years ago the couple got a local builder to do some extensive internal reorganisation.

They also took on a few things themselves, including exposing the impressive wooden flooring in the old surgery’s reception area which had been covered up with plywood and laminate. This large area, now fitted out with stylish white couches, forms the main body of the new gallery. 

They also created a number of equally cavernous rooms off the reception area which Dory used as his studio and display areas for his large body of work. 

* One of artist Edward Bell's images of David Bowie 

which will be on display. 

Suzannne explained that at this point it was never their intention to turn the building into a gallery, although when local people began to take an interest in the renovation work and politely ask what was happening to their old health centre a number were invited in at the weekends to have a look around and check out Dory’s work. 

He and his partner were always more than happy to explain things and to talk them through the paintings and sculptures. 

Later other local artists began visiting and discussing Dory’s work along with their own creations.

“It became quite an artistic hub. We began to hang their work up on the walls and, although I’d never done that sort of thing before, I seemed to have a knack for where things looked best. Actually a painting will tell you where it wants to be,” recalled Suzanne. 

Everything changed with Dory’s death early last year which left Suzanne devastated and everyone who knew him stunned and saddened. 

Since then she has gradually been rebuilding her life and using the time left by her bereavement - and the pandemic which followed almost immediately – to carefully plan what should be done with the building they both loved. 

And now Suzanne, with the strong support of her friends in the artistic community, has put everything in place to open what she is proud to have named The Dory Gallery in memory of her late partner.

* A picture by artist Steve Lane hangs in the gallery.

A major consideration has been financing the thoughtful conversion of the building to accept visits by the public, especially putting in place the necessary Covid-19 measures, such as a one-way system for visitors and the usual hand-gel. 

Suzanne said: “That’s where one of our friends, the local artist Edward Bell, has been a massive help.

“He is quite famous for having designed a number of David Bowie’s album covers. In July he will be auctioning off some of this artwork and has very kindly agreed to donate some of the proceeds to helping me set up the gallery. 

“I’ve also gone back to my old job of mobile hairdressing to help cover the expenses and support myself.” 

Despite the running costs, Suzanne is adamant that she won’t be charging people to enjoy the gallery and its range of exhibits from Dory and four other local artists including Edward Bell, whose David Bowie imagery will be prominently on show, Lisa Carter-Grist, Keith Roberts and Steve Lane. 

* The former health centre which now houses The Dory Gallery.

“What I’m trying to do is build a bit of a legacy for Dory. He was never too happy to put his work on show in a traditional gallery way but I don’t think he’d mind what we’re doing now,” she said. 

“I’ve created the gallery in his memory and planning it all has kept me going. 

“I think he’d be happy to know that what we created here when we took over the building has now gone further and I know he’d want his work to be recognised. 

“None of Dory’s art will be for sale but the work by the other artists will be. 

“Basically, this place is all about education and putting it together has helped me through my grieving.”         

* From June 26 the gallery is open on Saturdays and Sundays, from 10am-4pm, and for details of Monday-Friday opening call 01978 860311. 

For more details of the gallery, go to: Home | The Dory Gallery

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.

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.

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. 

Church launches urgent appeal to repair its spire

* Llangollen Methodist Church from the river side.

Llangollen Methodist Church has launched an appeal to raise at least half of the cost of urgent repairs to its famous spire.

The Grade 2 Listed building in Princess Street, opened in 1904, plays a major part in the iconic river views of the town.

But an expert inspection has revealed a programme of repairs is necessary which has been costed at £20,000.

And the church’s new Spire Appeal aims to raise £10,000 towards covering the bill.

A church spokesperson said: “The preservation of this building for both the congregation and the wider community is an important responsibility.

“ The repairs are to include the replacement of the lightning protection system as the current system has been discovered to be inadequate, the restoration and renovation of stonework and mortar on the spire and the inspection and renovation of metalwork in the spire and weather vane.

“The majority of the work required has already been inspected and assessed by Rafferty's, a firm of steeplejacks.

“The report they delivered recommends urgent action. Any additional funds raised will go towards the ongoing costs of keeping the main church building and the memorial hall functional for congregation and community use.”

There are a number of ways to support the Spire Appeal, including online at: https://app.investmycommunity.com/llangollen-methodist-church-2550.

* To find out more contact go to the church’s Facebook page at: Llangollen Methodist Church