Special events day marks Ladies' crafting

Plas Newydd has a new site-specific exhibition launching next Saturday, April 30 inspired by the crafting intimacies of the Ladies of Llangollen. 

The day will include a symposium at The Hand Hotel, a visit to St Collen’s Church where Eleanor Butler, Sarah Ponsonby and Mary Carryl are buried and a private view of the exhibition with drinks reception at Plas Newydd Historic House and Gardens. 

The exhibition, entitled Beloved: Crafting Intimacies with the Ladies of Llangollen, has been created by Manchester-based artist Sarah-Joy Ford after a period of artist residency at Plas Newydd. 

She says the embroidered intervention is inspired by the deep and lifelong intimate relationship between the Ladies and the extraordinary home that they created together, as well as Sarah Ponsonby’s own creative practices undertaken in the home.

The day will include a symposium hosted by Queer Research Network Manchester with three speakers at The Hand Hotel, a visit to St Collen’s Church and a private view of the exhibition with drinks reception at Plas Newydd.

Sarah-Joy Ford said: "Queer Research Network Manchester is an inter-disciplinary research network that aims to bring together researchers working with queer themes across the Manchester universities. We host regular discussion and reading groups for PhD students and organise bi-monthly events and speakers.

"This project is funded by the North West Consortium Doctoral Training Partnership through their Researcher-Led Knowledge Exchange scheme, with support from the Arts and Humanities Research Council."

Timetable of Events

Date: Saturday, April 30:

Beloved Symposium: Talks from Professor Alison Oram, Dr Freya Growley and & Sarah-Joy Ford Time: 2-4pm.

Location: The Hand Hotel, Bridge Street, Llangollen LL20 8PL.

Guided Visit to the grave of Eleanor Butler, Sarah Ponsonby and Mary Caryl: Time: 4pm - 5pm.

Location: St Collen’s Church, 8 Church St, Llangollen LL20 8HU.

Exhibition Private View and Drinks Reception

Time: 6.30pm - 10pmLocation: Plas Newydd Historic House and Gardens, Hill St, Llangollen LL20 8AW.

* You can find the full details on the Eventbrite page here https://beloved-plas-newydd.eventbrite.co.uk

Elections watchdog advises county over postal votes mistake

Polling watchdog the Electoral Commission is advising Denbighshire County Council on how to deal with a situation which has developed after it sent out the wrong advice to postal voters, llanblogger has discovered.

As we reported yesterday, the council told voters in a message last Friday that they would only be able to vote for one candidate in the county and community/town council elections on May 5.

However, in a number of wards of Denbighshire - including Llangollen - there is more than one seat to fill.

On Saturday evening the council put up a message on its website apologising for "any confusion" and stressing that in all cases the instructions on the individual ballot papers was correct and would indicate clearly how many votes may be marked. 

It also pointed people towards the council website to get more advice.

This is: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/your-council/voting-and-elections/county-council-elections-local-elections.aspx  or from the Elections Unit on 01824 706000 (Monday to Friday 8.30am-5pm), e:mail:  elections@denbighshire.gov.uk

Yesterday afternoon llanblogger asked the Electoral Commission to confirm whether it was involved with the matter.

And a spokesperson said: "We are aware of the issue relating to an incorrect information sheet included within postal voting packs.

"It is important to note that the instruction on the ballot papers themselves is accurate.

"We are in contact with the local authority to provide advice, and understand that they are taking steps to correct this error and issuing new information to affected voters.”

Denbighshire County Council has been asked to comment.

It is understood that a number of county candidates have expressed concern about the situation and how it could affect the result of the election.

In Llangollen there are two county council seats in contention with six candidates standing for them.

The candidates are:

* Butters Dawn Welsh, Conservative Party 

* Davies Stuart Arthur, Independent  

* Edwards Karen Anne, Independent 

* Jarvis Roger Welsh. Conservative Party 

* Keddie Paul, Independent 

* Marshall Sarah, Wales Green Party 

There will be no election on May 5 for Llangollen Town Council as only six candidates were announced for the 11 vacant seats. The remaining five seats will therefore have to be filled by co-option.

County council admits error in information about postal voting

Denbighshire County Council has apologised for any confusion caused by an error in information it has sent out about postal voting for the forthcoming elections.

It is understood that this information was received by local voters on Friday ahead of the elections on May 5.

But on its website early yesterday (Saturday) evening it posted: "We recently sent out all the relevant information to all those residents in Denbighshire who requested a postal vote in the forthcoming local government elections.

"Unfortunately, the information sheet in the pack contained an error, as it incorrectly stated that voters could vote for no more than one candidate. 

"However, in some county wards and for town and community elections voters may be eligible to vote for more than one candidate.

"In all cases the instructions on the individual ballot papers are correct and indicate clearly how many votes may be marked.

"If you are voting by post, please follow the instructions on the ballot paper.

"Further information is available here: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/your-council/voting-and-elections/county-council-elections-local-elections.aspx  or from the Elections Unit on 01824 706000 (Monday to Friday 8.30am-5pm), e:mail:  elections@denbighshire.gov.uk

"We are sorry for any confusion the error on the information sheet may have caused."

In Llangollen there are two county council seats in contention with six candidates standing for them.

The candidates are:

* Butters Dawn Welsh, Conservative Party 

* Davies Stuart Arthur, Independent  

* Edwards Karen Anne, Independent 

* Jarvis Roger Welsh. Conservative Party 

* Keddie Paul, Independent 

* Marshall Sarah, Wales Green Party 

There will be no election on May 5 for Llangollen Town Council as only six candidates were announced for the 11 vacant seats. The remaining five seats will therefore have to be filled by co-option.

Work planned for next week on 2020 project

Work planned for the forthcoming week on the town's 2020 project is:

• Paving outside the Town Hall
• Begin paving on the west side of the bridge
• Drainage works on the south side of Mill Street

Roadworks alert for Regent Street

 

The following local roadworks alert has been issued by one.network:

Regent Street, Denbighshire 25 April - 27 April   Delays likely - Traffic control (two-way signals)   Description: LAY NEW GAS 5M PUBLIC...   Works location: OUTSIDE NUMBER 20   Public facing description: Wales & West Utilities Ltd has not assigned a specific description to this Works. Please note: Works Descriptions are not published by Wales & West Utilities Ltd.   Responsibility for works: Wales & West Utilities Ltd   Current status: Planned work about to start   Works reference: XY254004000173258

Custodians of Dee Valley exhibition on display

* An example of the Custodians of Dee Valley exhibition.

An outdoor exhibition focusing on the ‘Custodians’ of the Dee Valley landscape is  on display in the area.

As part of Our Picturesque Landscape, the National Lottery Heritage Funded project in the Dee Valley, artists in residence Jessica and Philip Hatcher-Moore have interviewed and photographed local caretakers of the landscape.

Jessica has written vignettes about each person while Philip has taken portraits of them. These have been combined on exhibition boards to be displayed in the landscape.

Five of these boards were displayed at Wenffrwd Nature Reserve throughout October 2021 and now the full exhibition of ten boards is on display along the footpath between Berwyn station and the Chain Bridge, Llangollen.

The railway would also like to feature the exhibition at their launch event in Corwen when the station opens formally later in the year.

The exhibition will be displayed at other locations within the Dee Valley in the coming months. This partnership working will allow more people, both locals and visitors to the area, to engage with the images and stories curated by the Hatcher-Moores during their residency.

Jessica said: “I think wherever you live there is going to be an extraordinary cast of characters around you, but that feels particularly true here in the Dee Valley. As our stories show, the dramatic landscape of the area has been inspiring people for centuries, and it’s been such a joy to explore the impact it continues to have on people today.

“The biggest thing that emerged for me from these stories is how the community spirit is very much still alive in the Dee Valley – and how the landscape, with its rich social and natural history, supports it.

“We are very hugely grateful to the Our Picturesque Landscape and National Lottery Heritage Fund for giving us the opportunity to explore these stories."

“Exhibiting these photographs outdoors, in the landscape in which they were shot, adds another dimension to the work, with the interplay of light and shadows dancing across the images,” said photographer Philip Hatcher-Moore who specialises in outdoor installations of his work.

Phil Coles, Chairman Llangollen Railway Trust, said: “Llangollen Railway is very pleased to be helping the local AONB in this project and we hope this helps tourists to the area to understand more about the beautiful Dee Valley."

Town's 2020 Project is within budget, says county council

Denbighshire County Council has given llanblogger a progress report on the town's ongoing 2020 Project, explaining that it is "within budget" and due to finish by the end of next month.

There has been speculation locally that the scheme to widen pavements on Castle Street along with other modifications to the traffic system was running over budget and also behind schedule.

When llanblogger posed these questions to the council, a spokesperson responded: “The Llangollen 2020 Improvement project, which started in October, is being undertaken by Denbighshire County Council in partnership with Welsh Government and Transport for Wales.

“The project is within budget and due to be completed by the end of May.

“The scheme was developed following extensive consultation with the local community, local county councillors and Llangollen Town Council and aims to improve pedestrian access to the town as well as improving the flow of vehicles.

“This work provides more space for pedestrians and improved pedestrian crossing facilities making it easier for pedestrians to walk around the town centre, while upgraded traffic signals will improve the flow of vehicles.”

When work on the scheme began last October, the council said that it would take up to six months to complete.