People urged to protect themselves from Covid as case rates 'soar'

Wales' leading doctor has urged everyone to take steps to protect themselves from Covid-19 as case rates are surging to their highest levels in the pandemic.

Dr Chris Jones, Wales’ deputy chief medical officer, encouraged people across Wales to get their booster vaccine and follow measures to curb the spread of the virus.

The latest figures (dated up to yesterday, Tuesday) show case rates have risen sharply to more than 910 cases per 100,000 people – the highest levels since the start of the pandemic.

Some 6,000 new infections are being confirmed daily, the majority of which will be caused by the new omicron variant.

More than 54% of adults in Wales have had their booster vaccine.

Dr Jones said: "We are seeing a rapid rise in Covid-19 cases caused by omicron all over Wales. The majority of these are in younger people and we believe they would have been contracted before Christmas.

"This new variant is very transmissible – it spreads very quickly wherever people come together.

"Please take steps to protect yourself and your loved ones. This means wearing a face covering in indoor public places; keeping your distance from other people wherever possible and, if you can, reducing the number of people you meet regularly.

"If you have symptoms, self-isolate and arrange to get a PCR test.

"Please also get your booster vaccine – it’s the best way of protecting ourselves.

"Wales is at alert level two and new protections are in place. This is a worrying time but if we all work together and look out for each other, we can keep Wales safe.

"New alert level 2 measures for businesses and updated and strengthened guidance to help people stay safe at home came into effect on Boxing Day in Wales in response to the predicted omicron wave.

"The key things everyone can do to lower their risk of contracting coronavirus:

• Get fully vaccinated, including having your booster – the vaccine offers significant protections for you and for people you care about.
• Self-isolate and get a PCR if you have Covid-19 symptoms. Avoid others when ill.
• Take lateral flow tests twice a week if you don’t have any symptoms and flow before you go out or meet people. If it’s positive don’t go and arrange to have a PCR test.
• Keep your distance from others wherever possible.
• Limit the number of people you meet with, especially if you’re meeting different people in quick succession.
• Meet outdoors if you can or in well-ventilated places.
• Avoid crowded places where possible.
• Wash your hands; sneeze into tissues and keep surfaces lots of people touch clean.
• Wear a face covering, especially in crowded spaces.
• Use the NHS COVID Pass or show a negative lateral flow test result to attend large events, venues, cinemas, theatres and concert halls."

Update on campaign to set up Llangollen park run

* The new pocket park at Wenfrwdd, start point for the proposed park run.

Llangollen running enthusiast Mike Edwards has given an update on the ongoing campaign to set up a new route for a regular run linking the area's new pocket park at Wenfrwdd with the town centre.  

The park run is now a worldwide concept and there are 1,089 events around the UK.

There are currently nearly 50 park runs in Wales with established local events at Erddig in Wrexham, Bala and Dolgellau. 

The runs take place every Saturday at 9am and are free to enter. 

Mike Edwards said: "In 2019, working with the GP practice from Llangollen Health Centre represented by Dr Michael Clarke, we set up a core group to establish a park run for Llangollen. 

* Llangollen Health Centre where the regular park run would end.

"The GP practice have already registered as a Park Run Practice, which enables them to encourage their patients to become active at weekly runs to improve their health and wellbeing by volunteering, walking, jogging or running.  

"Those wishing to take part merely have to register on the Park Run UK website where they get a barcode they can print out which they produce at the end of an event and they then get a text or email giving them a time for the 5k event."

Mike added: "Locally, although matters have obviously been held back by the pandemic we have identified a route and had meetings with representatives from the Countryside Service of Denbighshire CC with a view to using the trackbed of the former railway line which runs from the health centre to the new pocket ark at Wenffrwd. 

"The funding recently made available will enable Denbighshire Countryside Services to convert the trackbed to a two-metre-wide, multi-use path and work on this will start shortly we understand.  

"The proposed route of our park run will circulate around the paths at Wenffrwd and then return to the health centre to give us a measured 5k course. Park Run Cymru have appointed a Park Run Ambassador to mentor and assist us establishing and launching our event. 

"We have a core group of some dozen individuals, some who are experienced at marshalling at local running events, but we would welcome all newcomers who wish to assist with setting up and operating the event once launched. 

"We do not have a definite date for launching the event at this time, but this is likely to be in the new year possibly in the spring."

Mike went on: "I have recently had discussions with Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes who is fully supportive of us setting up a park run for Llangollen and we are meeting with him in the new year to show him our route.

"I know from being involved with Erddig Park Run and Henley Wood, Oswestry, where I volunteer and run, that a park run once established rapidly develops a community of supportive individuals who help each other and enhance their physical and mental wellbeing. 

"Another feature of park runs is park run tourists, that is people who visit park runs aground the country to tick-off events that they have attended. This brings economic benefits to an area because people visit and often stay in the area using local hotels, B&Bs and cafes. 

"We are certain that a park run set in a UNESCO World Heritage Site and Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty attract many such visitors."

* People can find out more by following the link: https://www.parkrun.org.uk/

Police boss warns parents about online perverts

* North Wales Police and Crime Andy Dunbbobin with Carl Taraborelli and Jon Russell. 

A police boss has issued a warning to mums and dads to put parental controls on their children’s smart phones and other devices to protect them from online perverts.

North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin spoke out after hearing that two nine year old girls from the region were filmed dancing naked in a “sexually provocative way” on a live streaming app.

During a visit to meet North Wales Police’s crack team of cybercrime experts, the tech savvy commissioner was also told that sexting by school children was on the increase.

According to Mr Dunbobbin, tackling the growing menace of cyber dangers was one of the key priorities in his new Police and Crime Plan which sets out the blueprint for policing North Wales.

The Association of Police and Crime Commissioners is already tapping into the commissioner’s expertise.

They have elected him as their deputy lead for police technology and digital and deputy lead for economic and cybercrime, including fraud.

Fellow commissioners decided he was the perfect person for the job because of his background working in the technology industry.

Back in 2012 he helped ensure the London Olympics was successfully beamed across the world to an audience measured in billions.

Mr Dunbobbin said: “Technology is playing an increasingly vital role in policing so this is a hugely important area.

“The increase in online crime is a massive challenge for the police, here in North Wales and across the UK.

“The criminal fraternity and online paedophiles are becoming ever more sophisticated in the way they operate and we need to respond accordingly so we can stay one step ahead.

“It is therefore imperative that we invest to ensure we have the most up-to-date technology at our disposal so we can crack down on these online dangers.

“At the same time, educating children incredibly important. It’s important to show all youngsters how to stay safe online and not to give out personal information-  and I’m glad to say that North Wales Police are very proactive in this regard.

“But parents also have a vitally important role to play in protecting their own children from the dangers lurking online and the risks of paedophiles targeting youngsters that they can groom.

“Mums and Dads can and should set parental controls that will prevent their children accessing sites with inappropriate sexual material.

“There is a lot of advice and information available one of the most useful sites parents can tap into is the website of the National Cybersecurity Centre, www.ncsc.gov.uk

It was a message echoed by Detective Sergeant Carl Taraborelli who said: “The chances are that many parents are blissfully unaware of what their children are using their phones and iPads for whilst they are connected to the internet.

“The sending of inappropriate pictures is a growing trend amongst children, compounded by the use of technology and social media.

“It’s mainly teenagers who do this but in some cases, it can be a lot younger as well.

“Parents need to ask and check what their children are doing online and if they were to visit the National Cybersecurity Centre’s website there is a lot of advice aimed towards parents/guardians to help them, help their children keep safe from online harm.

The police do not routinely criminalise children for this behaviour and our priority is to educate and steer those children from harm.

“I know from my previous role as a detective sergeant in Child Protection however, that we used to receive regular queries from partner agencies and other officers with mobile phones belonging to children who were sending images to one another, so it is sadly an area of concern.

“The children don’t always appreciate the dangers that presents to them and the subsequent loss of control of those images once that image is out. It can often result in elements of cyber bullying and public embarrassment.

“In the most serious of cases, it can really affect those children and there have been examples where children have really struggled to cope following the effects and outcome of this type of behavior - you have to treat that extremely seriously and make sure that all the relevant support is in place in those types of situations.

“We’ve got a strong cohort of school liaison officers and cyber safety is an important part of their remit. The ideal solution is to stop this problem at source.”

* For more information parents can go to the National Cybersecurity Centre’s website, www.ncsc.gov.uk

Community Christmas lunch serves up festive cheer

* A group who had registered in advance enjoy their socially-distanced Christmas lunch in the community hall.

A team of volunteers led by Mike Connolly brought a real taste of the festive season to Llangollen by once again running the annual community Christmas lunch yesterday.

Closely observing all anti-Covid rules, they cooked from scratch and served up around 50 three-course meals plus tea, coffee or a little wine to anyone who had registered in advance.

About 20 of the meals was delivered to socially-distanced tables in St Collen's Community Hall yesterday lunchtime while the rest were taken out to people's homes by a volunteer driver starting on Christmas Eve.

Much of the food and wine, including turkey with all the trimmings, was donated by local companies.  

Rhug Estate owner makes gift of life-saving machine

* Tomos Hughes and Lord Newborough with the defibrillator unit in the Rhug Estate Farmshop car park. 

Lord Newborough’s gift to the local community this Christmas is a Public Access Defibrillator which has been installed at Rhug Estate.

Lord Newborough, Owner of the estate, said: “The greatest gift this year is life, after everything we have been through this past year with the pandemic. 

"With that in mind I have decided to purchase a defibrillator unit from the North Wales NHS charity, Awyr Las/Keep the Beats which is working in partnership with the Welsh Ambulance service as my Christmas gift to the local community, Rhug staff, visitors and anyone else who might be travelling along the A5 and in need.”

The defibrillator unit has been installed in the Farm Shop car park and is for everyone’s use if they should ever need it.

The Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust (WAST) is part of the Save a Life Cymru campaign. They work in partnership with Keep the Beats, a dedicated fund and project within the North Wales NHS charity, Awyr Las and other organisations including the Welsh Government, other emergency services and charitable organisations. 

All are committed to supporting cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) training and public access defibrillation across Wales.

Defibrillation in under five minutes can produce survival rates as high as 50-70% (Resuscitation Council UK, 2019). 

The Welsh Ambulance Service staff can direct members of the public to the nearest location of a defibrillation unit in the event of an emergency.

Tomos Hughes, North Wales Public Access Defibrillators Support Officer for the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: “We are always grateful to those that care for their local community in this way to consider purchasing and managing the safety and maintenance of defibrillation units across Wales. These machines save lives.”   

Every year Lord Newborough holds a Christmas carol service with food and drinks. He does this as a gift to the local community and his staff and as an opportunity to raise funds for charity. 

This didn’t go ahead last year and again this year due to the pandemic and so Lord Newborough is giving the defibrillator as his gift to the community instead.

Lord Newborough said: “Your support and encouragement has kept us going this last year once again and I can’t thank everyone enough.

"May the good times and treasures of the present become the golden memories of tomorrow and may your Christmas sparkle with moments of love, laughter and goodwill. To our customers and your families, may the Christmas season bring only happiness and joy.”

* Rhug Estate is open between Christmas and the New Year. Visit the website for opening times. www.rhug.co.uk

Merry Christmas/Nadolig Llawen from llanblogger!

 

llanblogger wishes a very Merry Christmas/Nadolig Llawen to all readers

Mayor sends out a Christmas message to the town

* The Mayor, Cllr Austin Cheminais.

Town Mayor, Councillor Austin Cheminais, sends this special seasonal message to the people of Llangollen:

At this special time of the year I would like to take this opportunity to reflect on the trials of 2021 and wish you and your loved ones a very special Christmas and happy 2022. 

We are still living in extraordinary times but we’re in a much better place than this time last year.  Hopefully we’re on the journey back to “how things used to be” and 2022 will see us at journeys end.

 

We are lucky to live where we do. Llangollen is a beautiful town in a beautiful place and I believe our community throughout the pandemic has demonstrated an inner beauty. 

Llangollen has some amazing volunteer organisations and individuals and they continue to offer help and support to others. Over the last, nearly, two years it has been so heart-warming to see people working together and helping each other, going the extra mile to ensure that those most in need are helped and supported and cared for.  These thousands of group and individual acts of kindness make me proud to be part of the Llangollen Community.

 

On behalf of Llangollen thank you to everyone who has worked hard to help others overcome the multiple hurdles that have come our way over recent times. We also owe a huge debt of gratitude to all of the essential workers who have been there for us throughout the pandemic. We thank you for your dedication, help and support.

 

Tourism is the life blood of our community and plays a major role in boosting our local economy. It’s been great to see visitors returning during the second part of 2021. The resilience of our local businesses during what have been difficult times is to be applauded.  I wish them every success going forward.

 

We live in one of the best places you could possibly live, so naturally there are lots of people who want to visit, enjoy and share what Llangollen has to offer; and recently we’ve had to re-adjust to seeing our roads and town being busier than ever. I’m sure that the completion of the works currently taking in place in and around Castle Street will help make our Town Centre even better.

 

After nearly two years of not being able to host events it was wonderful to see Llangollen emerging from lockdown in recent months with Dot Cinema, The Fringe Festival, Twenty Club, Llangollen Food Festival and The Collen Players leading the way. 

It’s been great to see Llangollen’s Silver Band out and about again, as well as local bands and entertainers. Thank you to all the volunteers that work hard to promote Llangollen’s reputation as a cultural hub and festival town. Hopefully they pave the way for a return to full programme of events in 2022.

 

It’s likely that 2022 will continue to bring further challenges but, as Llangollen’s community has demonstrated, if we work together, support each other and show compassion and kindness towards others we can overcome anything.

 

Take care and stay safe!

Have a Happy Christmas and a wonderful New Year!

 

Cllr Austin Cheminais

Mayor of Llangollen