Six winners have been chosen in this year's scarecrow competition run by the Llangollen Christmas Festival Committee.
Santa was out on his rounds to do the final judging and to drop off £20 cash prizes to each of the winning creations.
He said: "Once again people have made some fantastic scarecrows which made judging as difficult as ever but I think we had some really worthy winners.
"I'd like to thank all those who put in the effort to take part."
Latest tougher measures to combat the spread of the Omicron variant of Covid-19 announced yesterday by the Welsh Government have forced Llangollen Railway to cancel its popular Mince Pie Specials train services.
In a post on its Facebook page the heritage attraction currently fighting to get back on track from its financial crisis says: "Following the Welsh Government update advising of further restrictions in Wales from the 26th December 2021, we are unfortunately no longer in a position to be able to run the Mince Pie Specials.
"For customers who have pre booked tickets we would ask you to please bear with us.
"The timing of the Government announcement means we will be unable to issue any refunds before the New Year as the office will be closed from the 24th December until the 4th January.
"More information regarding refunds will be issued in due course."
The Mince Pie Specials were featured only yesterday on the BBC TV evening news.
Latest update on the Covid-19 situation from the Welsh Government (dated December 22) is:
Coronavirus
in numbers
o
The latest figures show 2,484,739
people have received their first dose.
o
2,292,930
people have had two doses of the
vaccine.
o
To date, 1,406,629 people have had
their booster dose of the vaccine.
o
For more
information about getting your Covid-19 vaccine: https://gov.wales/get-your-covid-19-vaccination
o
Can you support
the vaccination programme? More information
for NHS staff and volunteers at: https://heiw.nhs.wales/jobs/nhs-wales-covid-19-vaccination-team-returning-healthcare-professionals/
What
to do if you have symptoms of coronavirus
Where
to find the latest information
Businesses in Wales impacted by the rapid spread of the Omicron virus will be eligible for emergency financial support under a new Welsh Government support package.
The Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, has announced the details of the £120m funding which will be available for retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism business and their supply chains affected by the move to alert level two, as announced by the First Minister on Wednesday 22 December.
Under the latest package, retail, hospitality, leisure and tourism business who pay Non Domestic Rates will be entitled to a payment of £2,000, £4,000 or £6,000 depending on their rateable value. Businesses will need to re-register their details, through a quick and easy online process, with their local authority in order to receive their payments. Registration will open via local authority websites from the WC 10th of January
The Welsh Government has decided to extend this support to non-essential retail so that smaller shops, and Travel Agents will be supported and our high streets can continue to thrive. In England, support is not available to non-essential retail.
In addition, impacted hospitality and leisure businesses and their supply chains will be able to apply for top up funding from a new Economic Resilience Fund (ERF). Eligible businesses can apply for grants of between £2,500k - £25,000, with grants dependant on their size and number of employees. The application window for ERF will open in week commencing 17th January 2022 with payments starting to reach businesses within days.
Local Authorities will also administer a Discretionary fund for business and sole traders who do not pay rates. The fund will provide £500 to sole trader and freelancers and £2,000 to employing businesses in impacted sectors. Further details to follow on business.wales.
An eligibility checker which will help businesses to gage how much they can expect to receive under the new support package will be available on the Business Wales website by the start of 2022.
Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, said:
“We fully understand the continued challenges faced by businesses, however we are facing a very serious situation in Wales. A wave of infections caused by the new, fast-moving and very-infectious omicron variant is headed our way, this means taking early action to try and control its spread – and limit the impact on Welsh businesses.
“Since the start of the pandemic, we’ve provided over £2.2bn of support to businesses throughout Wales to help them manage their way through difficult circumstances.
“We will continue to monitor the impact of the spread of Omicron on businesses in Wales, and will consider whether additional emergency funding is needed in the new year.”
Business.Wales will be updated with details, frequently asked question and support guidance.
And two metre social distancing rules are to return in public places, Mark Drakeford said in his latest update screened at 12.15pm.
Licensed premises will have to offer table service only, face masks will have to be worn and contact tracing details collected.
Outdoor events will be limited to 50, with 30 indoors.
Advice has been given to limit household mixing and use lateral flow tests beforehand, with a specific offence for having gatherings of more than 30 people.
Spectators at community sports matches will also be limited to 50 people.
Mr Drakeford announced the return to some Alert Level Two restrictions at a Welsh government press briefing.
The number of identified Omicron cases in Wales grew by 204 on Tuesday to 640.
Mr Drakeford also urged people to get vaccinated, saying this is "the most important thing we can do to protect ourselves".
"We are facing a very serious situation in Wales. A wave of infections caused by the new, fast-moving and very-infectious Omicron variant is headed our way," Mr Drakeford said.
"This new form of coronavirus could infect large numbers of people in Wales, disrupting daily lives and businesses and could cause an increase in the number of people who need hospital care in the coming weeks."
Close contacts of people who have Covid will no-longer have to self-isolate provided they have been fully-vaccinated.
They will now have to take a lateral-flow test instead.
Mr Drakeford has not gone as far as England, where people with Covid will now have to self-isolate for seven days instead of 10, providing they have a negative test result.
He said early action was needed to try and control the spread of the Omicron variant.
"As we enter our second winter of the pandemic, we have high vaccination coverage and tens of thousands of extra boosters are being given every day," he added.
"We also have access to the rapid lateral flow tests to help us all identify signs of infection without symptoms.
"Both of these, together with everything we have learned over the last two years will help to keep us safe at home without the need for new rules and regulations about mixing at home."
Latest updates on the coronavirus situation from the Welsh Government (Dated December 21) are:
·
204 more
cases of omicron confirmed in Wales today bringing total to 640 cases: https://phw.nhs.wales/news/public-health-wales-statement-on-cases-of-omicron-variant-of-coronavirus-in-wales/
o 60,508 cases in the UK: https://twitter.com/UKHSA/status/1473324700860399620
·
The Welsh
Government is making £5.25m available to assist Wales' arts organisations,
museums, libraries and independent cinemas through the winter months, the
Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden has announced: https://gov.wales/525m-cultural-winter-stability-fund-established
o https://gov.wales/525m-cultural-winter-stability-fund-established
·
Sporting
events will be played behind closed doors from Boxing Day in Wales to help
control the spread of the new omicron variant: https://gov.wales/sporting-events-be-played-behind-closed-doors-omicron-cases-rise
·
Social
care staff will receive the Real Living Wage in Wales as part of a package to
support the sector the Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan has
announced.
o A key pledge in the
Programme for Government, the implementation of the Real Living Wage is the
first step in to raising wages, esteem and recognising staff for their
extraordinary contribution to the coronavirus pandemic.
o https://gov.wales/social-care-staff-earn-real-living-wage
and https://gov.wales/written-statement-real-living-wage-social-care-workers-wales
·
Check if
your proof of COVID-19 vaccination is valid for travel to Wales: https://gov.wales/check-if-your-proof-covid-19-vaccination-valid-travel-wales
o Travel to Wales –
testing and isolation: https://gov.wales/travel-wales-covid-19-testing-and-isolation
o Travelling to Wales if you are fully
vaccinated: https://gov.wales/travelling-wales-if-you-are-fully-vaccinated-coronavirus
·
Latest
summary of advice from the Technical Advisory Cell: https://gov.wales/technical-advisory-cell-summary-advice-10-december-2021
·
Guidance
for boarding schools, colleges and universities for students arriving from red
list countries: https://gov.wales/guidance-boarding-schools-colleges-and-universities-about-under-18s-arriving-red-list-countries
· Guidance for childcare and playwork: https://gov.wales/guidance-childcare-and-playwork-coronavirus
Coronavirus
in numbers
·
The latest
figures published by Public Health Wales show there were 2,375 newly-reported
cases of coronavirus, bringing the total to 562,333 confirmed cases of
coronavirus in Wales since the start of the pandemic.
o There were six deaths
reported by Public Health Wales. The total number of deaths reported by Public
Health Wales is 6,522.
o These figures are updated daily at: https://public.tableau.com/app/profile/public.health.wales.health.protection/viz/RapidCOVID-19virology-Public/Headlinesummary
·
The number
of people who have received a Covid vaccine in Wales is published every
weekday by Public Health Wales.
o The latest figures show
2,483,556 people have received their first dose.
o 2,291,345
people
have had two doses of the vaccine.
o To date, 1,356,249
people have had their booster dose of the vaccine.
o For more information
about getting your Covid-19 vaccine: https://gov.wales/get-your-covid-19-vaccination
o Can you support the vaccination programme? More information for
NHS staff and volunteers at: https://heiw.nhs.wales/jobs/nhs-wales-covid-19-vaccination-team-returning-healthcare-professionals/
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.
·
If you are
fully vaccinated or aged five to 17 and live with someone who has Covid-19 or
has symptoms you must self-isolate until you have a negative PCR test.
·
If you are
not fully vaccinated and someone you live with has Covid-19 you should
self-isolate for 10 days.
·
Guidance
about self-isolating: https://gov.wales/self-isolation
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.
Where
to find the latest information
·
Wales is
at alert level zero. More information is available at: https://gov.wales/coronavirus
·
Staying
safe this Christmas: https://gov.wales/staying-safe-christmas
·
Our latest
Coronavirus Control Plan, setting out the longer-term plan for Wales is
at: https://gov.wales/coronavirus-control-plan-autumn-and-winter-2021-update
·
Information
about coronavirus is available on the Welsh Government’s website at https://gov.wales/coronavirus
and https://llyw.cymru/coronafeirws
·
For
more information about getting your Covid-19 vaccine: https://gov.wales/get-your-covid-19-vaccination
·
Can you
support the vaccination programme? More information for NHS staff and volunteers
at: https://heiw.nhs.wales/jobs/nhs-wales-covid-19-vaccination-team-returning-healthcare-professionals/
* The winning entry for the Christmas Card Competition from Seren Brierley of Ysgol y Gwernant.
Clwyd South MP Simon Bayne, has congratulated the 2021 winner and runners-up of his Christmas Card Competition and thanked everyone who took part.
Mr Baynes launched the competition on November 3 to design his official card and received a large number of pictures from primary school pupils in his constituency who were excited to showcase their artistic talents.
Mr Baynes said judging the competition was a difficult process due to the high standard of entries, however has congratulated the winner, Seren Brierley of Ysgol y Gwernant, and the two runners-up, Romany Roberts from Rhosymedre Community Primary School, and Rhys Jones from Ysgol y Gwernant.
Seren received a £20 book token and Romany and Rhys received £10 tokens as prizes.
The winning design has been sent to the Prime Minister Boris Johnson and other public figures in Government and beyond, with the designs from the runners-up featured on the back of the card.
Mr Baynes said: “I was delighted to hold the Christmas Card Competition and would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who took part and congratulate the winning entries.
"The standard of entries was extremely high and it was very difficult to decide on a winner. However, I would like to congratulate Seren Brierley on her excellent design and also Romany Roberts and Rhys Jones on being runners-up.
“I was extremely proud to present the Prime Minister with the winning Christmas card design and to showcase the wonderful talent we have here in Clwyd South.”
