Invite goes out to see St Collen's future plans

 

St Collen's is encouraging people to see the plans it has for adapting the church for modern-day needs.

Last October vicar, Father Lee Taylor, unveiled an ambitious scheme to upgrade the centuries-old place of worship with the aim of making it a hub for a wider range of religious and social use.

The Genesis Programme proposals include:

* The removal of pews at the front of the nave to allow a raised platform stage to be built for worship and performance events    

* The provision of a folding kitchen to provide refreshments at cafe-style social gatherings

* Repositioning of the font to a more practical location      

* The installation of modern LED lights in the roof to highlight its historic beauty

* Fitting glass doors at entrances to allow the heavy oak front door to be left open to make the building feel more welcoming

* A new chapel for private worship where the current vestry is sited

* Replacing the traditional pipe organ with a digital version

When introducing the plan Father Lee said: “St Collen’s has for almost fifteen centuries been a place of worship for the people of Llangollen and beyond.

"The church has been cared for by succeeding generations who have seen fit to make some significant alterations to the building as its purpose has developed in a changing culture. 

“The challenge of re-ordering the church is to ensure that the church is able to reinforce its role as a focal point in the community. This means providing a building which is sufficiently flexible which the wider community can utilise for community gatherings, concerts, school performances and the like. 

“Our re-ordering project began with a community consultation process last year with an online presentation on zoom and with the distribution of questionnaires. This process is ongoing."

The latest community consultations are being held in church on the following days.

* Wednesday July 14 at 6.30pm

* Sunday July 18 at 12.15pm

The events are open to all. Refreshments will be provided. Those planning to attend are asked to RSVP on 01978 861768, or email: stcollens@gmail.com 

Denbighshire meets its affordable homes target

A target to create more affordable homes in Denbighshire has been met.

As part of its Corporate Plan Housing priority, Denbighshire County Council committed to help create 260 new affordable homes in the county between 2017 and 2022 and to date 394 homes have been delivered.

The homes have been built by private developers and in partnership with registered social landlords with the Council managing the Social Housing Grant programme, which has enabled the building of the majority of affordable homes in the county.

The council also sets the priorities for affordable housing in accordance with its Corporate Plan, Housing and Homelessness Strategy and social housing waiting list.

Between April 2020 and March 2021, 174 additional affordable homes were delivered in the county.

Cllr Tony Thomas, Denbighshire County Council’s Lead Member for Housing and Communities, said: “Housing is a priority for the council and we recognise there is an important need to make sure housing is available to suit the needs of Denbighshire residents.

“Reaching and exceeding this target early is a fantastic achievement for all those involved and really benefits residents here in Denbighshire. I would like to thank everyone for their hard work in reaching this goal.

“We will be continuing to build on this success and create even more homes. Providing more affordable homes in our communities is part of our ongoing work to ensure we can retain more young people in Denbighshire.”

Affordable housing is a mix of social housing, intermediate rental, and home ownership through shared equity and rent to own options.

The properties created are spread across the county and include a mix of traditional new build, modern methods of construction and refurbishing existing dwellings.

The Council has also pledged to support the development of 1,000 new homes in Denbighshire between 2017 and 2022, including affordable homes and 170 as council houses.

Further developments of affordable homes due to be completed include:

Awel Y Dyffryn Extra Care facility in Denbigh, developed by Grŵp Cynefin, providing 74 dwellings for vulnerable and older people, due to be completed in the autumn.

Adra Affordable development site in Meliden providing 44 homes of mixed tenure due to be completed December 2021 with the first properties now being advertised on Tai Teg, the affordable housing register for applicants.

Cartrefi Conwy development site in Rhyl providing 18 social housing apartments due to be completed January 2022

Clwyd Alyn development site in Ruthin providing 63 affordable homes of mixed tenure due to be completed May 2023

Denbighshire Housing is developing sites at Caradoc Road in Prestatyn and Tan Y Sgybor in Denbigh which will bring forward 26 social rent homes in 2022.

MP praises Eisteddfod organisers

* Simon Baynes MP next to the fabric patchwork on Llangollen Bridge.

As the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod begins this weekend, Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes praised the organisers of the festival and thanked them for the effort involved in coordinating a full digital programme of competitions and concerts streamed across the world. 

During a series of visits around Llangollen, Mr Baynes also visited the patchwork fabric artwork currently covering Llangollen bridge. 

He said: “I was pleased to pop along and see for myself the 60m (200ft) patchwork fabric artwork covering Llangollen bridge which was designed by international artist Luke Jerram and comprising 1m x 1m fabric squares made and submitted by local residents, fans of the Eisteddfod and the friends and families of people participating.

“This year, the festival will be held digitally, with competitions and concerts streamed across the world. As a former trustee of the Eisteddfod, I would strongly encourage everyone to look at their exciting and diverse programme of events for this year. 

“Da iawn i bob un o’r trefnwyr a phob lwc i’r cystadleuwyr!"

First train leaves station on re-born Llangollen Railway

UPDATE: With pictures and words by George Jones.

Llangollen Railway is officially back in business.

One of its supporters took this picture as the inaugural service left for Berwyn Station at 11am today.

After overcoming the problems put in its way by the pandemic and the financial crisis which led to its public limited company going into receivership, a massive effort has been put in by the Llangollen Railway Trust to get the heritage attraction back on track.

The first train with the class 108 heritage diesel railcar got away right on time.

* Guard John Doyle was on hand to wave the green flag for the driver Graham Parkin. 

At Berwyn the 15-minute stop-over allowed for passengers to enjoy the view of the gorge or sample the Chain Bridge, while others alighted to take in the walk to the Horseshoe Falls and return on a later train.

On the return trip the newly restored Dee Bridge was seen from the rear of the train.

The first train had 44 passengers on board and many came from the local catchment area - Wrexham, Chirk. Chester, Deeside, Shrewsbury, Wirral and Stafford - to show their support for Llangollen Railway Trust.

Others were holiday-makers from Norwich, Wiltshire, North Yorkshire and Leicester.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes was aboard the train for Berwyn.

He said: "It was a great pleasure to visit Llangollen Railway today on the day that they have re-opened and started running their first trains since October. I went on the train between #Llangollen and #Berwyn and back with Phil Coles, the Vice Chairman of Llangollen Railway, where I also met Ben Jackson - the Station Master at Berwyn who has worked there for 22 years.

"I had the opportunity to meet with many of the volunteers who work so hard and with such commitment to the railway.

"It’s wonderful to see the railway back in operation and it’s a great tribute to the board members and volunteers who have dedicated a huge amount of time to make this happen. And I wish them a very successful summer season."

* Simon Baynes MP, right, welcomes the train back to Llangollen.

Band plays to launch patchwork bridge and 2021 Eisteddfod

* Ifton Colliery Band plays on the patchwork-draped bridge. 

Ifton Colliery Band played a selection of tunes to officially launch the giant patchwork art installation  on the town's ancient bridge on the opening day of the 2021 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Artist Luke Jerram was commissioned to create Bridges Not Walls which has seen over 100 individually handcrafted squares of fabric, from people in the local community and around the world, draped over both sides of the bridge.

The aim is to connecting this year's festival, being held mainly online, with its physical roots by producing an ever-changing artwork depending on the angle, light and weather conditions - all of which will be reflected in the water beneath.

The artwork will remain on the bridge until August 5.

During this year's Eisteddfod, with funding support from the Welsh Government, will see the main programme presented free of charge over this weekend. 

All performances will be streamed live online via the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod website with no need to book tickets or pre-register. 

The festival aims to celebrate a broad range of genres from classical, choral, hip hop, dance and world music, as well as Luke Jerram's Llangollen bridge artwork, to connect with existing and new audiences in preparation for its physical return in 2022.

The programme comprises:

·        Tangnefedd by Paul Mealor and Mererid Hopwood

World-premiere of a new choral piece by Paul Mealor, one of the world's most performed living composers and Mererid Hopwood, renowned Welsh poet and the first woman to win the National Eisteddfod Chair. The performance will feature choirs from around the world that have successfully competed at the Eisteddfod, from the UK, US and Africa. In the Welsh language, Tangnefedd means the result of bringing together two elements in peace and harmony.

·        Home/Adref with Horizons (BBC/ACW), Rachel K Collier, Magugu and Lily Beau

A new dance track, Home/Adref, commissioned for Llangollen Eisteddfod by up-and-coming electronic producer and performer Rachel K Collier, Nigerian-born, avant-garde rapper Magugu and talented young Welsh singer-songwriter and actress Lily Beau. The track is designed to inspire the Eisteddfod international music and dance community and wider public to respond with their own moves on social media. It's also a world first of combining the English, Welsh and Nigerian Pidgin Rap languages!

·      Catrin Finch and Guests

A new musical composition exploring the peace message with internationally renowned harpist and composer Catrin Finch, pioneering beatboxer and rapper Mr Phormula (Ed Holden), British Asian musician and tabla player Kuljit Bhamra, Eliza Marshall and Nick Ellis on Bansuri, Lee House, electronics and RAV drum and the refugee and asylum seeker Oasis One World Choir, from Cardiff.

·       Beth Yw Heddwch?/What is Peace? schools project

Project exploring children's thoughts about peace through the written word, dance, movement and drama sessions involving 1,000 pupils from three schools from Rhyl, Llanberis and Llangollen. A creative video will be produced and an exhibition of postcards expressing children's views about peace will be displayed throughout the town.

·       Peace Pavilion Programme

A thought-provoking programme of talks and activities with Academi Heddwch Cymru exploring peace and peacebuilding. The programme includes ‘The Peace Lecture' given by Begoña Lasagabaster, UN Women Chief of Leadership and Governance Section; ‘The Art of Peacebuilding'; ‘Peace Poems' and much more. For young people, this series includes virtual cultural exchange and the Young Peacemakers Awards ceremony. [https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/o/academi-heddwch-cymru-33667861775]

This year's digital Llangollen Eisteddfod will feature videos of the world premiere performances, many filmed in the town itself. 

Betsan Moses, interim chief executive of the Llangollen Eisteddfod for 2021 said: "Llangollen Eisteddfod was founded on the idea of bringing peace and this year's cultural programme expresses what it stands for; peace, creativity and togetherness. 

"We're looking forward to sharing a varied and inspiring programme of events online this weekend, with an array of world-class performers across musical and artistic genres and exciting new commissions to delight both existing and new audiences across the globe.

"And we're hugely excited about Bridges, Not Walls which celebrates everything Llangollen's much-loved Eisteddfod stands for, as well as offering us a physical connection with this beautiful town for this year's online event and attracting visitors over the summer."

Artist Luke Jerram said: "From the moment I saw it, Llangollen Bridge struck me as incredibly powerful, both physically and symbolically. 

"The message and celebration of peace is at the heart of the Llangollen Eisteddfod and so this historic bridge, one of the seven wonders of Wales, makes the perfect canvas. As Sir Isaac Newton once said, 'We build too many walls and not enough bridges.'

"From Israel to the USA, we are at last exploring the possibility of building bridges rather than walls."

Former Dinas Bran teaching assistant helps recruit for ambulance service

* Helen Pritchard.

A mechanic who switched gears on her career to join the Welsh Ambulance Service is encouraging others to apply for a role.

Helen Pritchard, 42, of Bala, was a mechanic and later a teaching assistant at Ysgol Dinas Bran in Llangollen before joining the ambulance service as an urgent care assistant.

The mum-of-three is now training to become an emergency medical technician and has ambitions to qualify as a paramedic.

She is encouraging others to apply for a role with the service.

Helen said: “I’d always wanted a job in the ambulance service but I thought there’d be no point in applying because I hadn’t done well at school – I didn’t have a single GCSE.

“I was a mechanic for several years before I pursued a Level 3 Diploma in Child Development, and I actually sat my GCSEs in the school where I worked as a teaching assistant.

“As soon as I had those under my belt, I was in a position to apply to the ambulance service – and here I am.”

Helen joined the service in 2020 as an urgent care assistant in Bala, and is now training to become an emergency medical technician so that she can work alongside paramedics to deliver life-saving care in the community.

She said: “It was the fast-paced nature of the role which attracted me.

“I was also a first aider at the school, and felt proud to have the skills to be able to care for the children who were ill or injured – and sometimes the adults too.

“I love it at the Welsh Ambulance Service, and everyone has been so helpful and welcoming.

“My advice to anyone thinking about applying for a role is that it’s never too late in your career.

“Whatever your background and whatever you’ve done previously, it really doesn’t matter – I’m proof of that.”

Visit the NHS Jobs website to search for jobs at the Welsh Ambulance Service.

To train as an Emergency Medical Technician like Helen, follow the link to apply for vacancies in North Wales: https://bit.ly/3qW92Ao

* The closing date is this Sunday July 11.

Paper features story on rogue speed camera near Llan

The Daily Post has featured a story on a traffic speed camera near Llangollen which went rogue and began snapping motorists at speeds as low as 9mph.

It says that scores of drivers passing the fixed camera, on the A539, complained their vehicles were being flashed despite travelling well below the 50mph speed limit. 

* For the full story, see: The 'rogue' North Wales speed camera that's flashing motorists - even ones travelling at 9mph - North Wales Live (dailypost.co.uk)