Summer of fun returns for children and young people

A Summer of Fun is returning for children and young people in the county.

Denbighshire County Council is once again providing a range of free sporting, cultural and play based bilingual activities as part of the Welsh Government’s Summer of Fun project.

Events are taking place across the county until September 30.

Cllr Gill German, Deputy Leader and Lead Member for Education, Children and Families, said: “We are pleased to be once again supporting this great project and offering a fantastic bilingual programme of events in Denbighshire. The Council is working with a number of partners on this project and I would like to thank all those involved.

“These free activities will certainly give our children and young people something to look forward to during the summer holidays and also help support their social, emotional, physical and mental wellbeing.

“I would encourage parents to have a look at the events on offer to help their children enjoy the best possible summer this year.”

Events and activities are being arranged for children and young people aged 0 to 25.

They are designed to support children and young people to express themselves through play, offer community based interactive, creative and play-based initiatives for all ages and provide opportunities to play with friends and peers.

* To book onto one of the events or activities visit: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/leisure-and-tourism/summer-of-fun-2022/summer-of-fun.aspx

Eisteddfod enjoys a packed second day

* The Choir of E.Mikeladze Central Music School from Georgia sings at St Collen's. 

It was another packed day of activities, both on and off the field, as the second day of the 75th anniversary Eisteddfod got under way today (Friday).

Around lunchtime St Collen's Church was once again the perfect setting for a performance by international competitors - this time the Choir of E.Mikeladze Central Music School from Georgia whose young members showcased a selection of their soulful and moving numbers. 

Up on the field early in the afternoon there was a wholly different act going through his crazy paces on the outdoor Music Stage.

* Bill Brookman gives a new meaning to the word 'hotpants' on the Music Stage.

Entertainer Bill Brookman gave the sun-drenched audience a selection of mad-capped routines ranging from stilt walking to fire eating - as a finale sticking a lighted torch down the front of his pants.

Old friends from the Eisteddfod parade, drum band Karamba Samba, were out in front of the Pavilion drumming up plenty of interest from onlookers as they basked in the late afternoon sun.    

* The Karamba Samba Band play on the field.

Meanwhile, back in the town centre Centenary Square played host to a variety of acts, including a group of musicians from India who are appearing in the Eisteddfod despite problems with obtaining visas.  

Throughout the day a series of competition preliminary rounds of various competitions continued to be  held in the town with their respective finals being played out on the main Pavilion stage.

* Indian musicians play on Centenary Square.

Today's evening concert in the Pavilion is headlined by world-famous sitar star Anoushka Shankar, daughter of the legendary Ravi Shankar, and also featuring Austrian percussionist, composer, Hang-player and Björk collaborator Manu Delago and the strings of the Britten Sinfonia.    

* Anoushka Shankar headlines tonight's concert.

* For more on Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and its competitions and concerts as well as how to get to it and where to stay go to http://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/ or check out https://www.facebook.com/llangollen

Melodic duo get Eisteddfod concerts back on song

* On stage: Aled Jones and Russell Watson.

Two of Britain’s finest voices combined in perfect harmony to get Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod’s legendary evening concerts back on song after a couple of years’ pandemic break.

From the moment they bounded on to the famous Pavilion stage Aled Jones and Russell Watson were in superb form, teaming up for numbers as diverse and powerful as the sweet hymn May the Good Lord Bless and Keep You before splitting up for solos like Watson’s breathtaking O Sole Mio.

The Great American Songbook was an obvious choice for them to both to deliver a sizzling Night and Day and a stirring Shenandoha.

We stayed in the same spine-tingling vein for a medley of Where Have All the Flowers Gone and Here’s to the Heroes.

Talking about heroes it was then time to head into a gripping Impossible Dream which ended the first half.

Watson’s impeccably Neapolitan Funiculi Funicula brought us back into the second half of the packed programme and we remained in the Med for Volare which saw the duo having fun with the packed audience as they tested out our own singing skills.

A real novelty was to see Jones dueting with himself as he sung along with a 1980s film of the boy Aled sweetly performing Pia Jesu.

After a couple of blissful hours things were wound up very appropriately for the venue as they left us  with a memorable Calon Lan.

An already brilliant evening had started off with Terry Waite, who had been the Eisteddfod’s much-loved president for 15 years bidding the fond public farewell he had been unable to do since leaving the role in 2020 due to the pandemic.

He was on stage to be presented with a commemorative award by Eisteddfod chairman Dr Rhys Davies who is himself relinquishing his role this year.

* Dr Rhys Davies with former president Terry Waite.

County's Town Trails being updated

* Llangollen's Town Trail is being updated.

Denbighshire County Council’s Tourism Team has been updating their suite of Town Trails which aim to inspire visitors and local people to explore towns in Denbighshire.

Recently the Llangollen and Ruthin editions have been updated to highlight recent changes to the towns including highlighting the new nature reserve in Wenffrwd, Llangollen.

The Corwen edition is the next Town Trail to be updated to help promote the new railway platform for Llangollen Railway's Corwen Station and the great efforts of the volunteers in the Corwen Museum.

Councillor Win Mullen James, Cabinet Lead Member for Local Development and Planning said: “The Town Trails are a great way to explore the fantastic towns in our County as they have been carefully organised to show off the best areas and provide interesting information to visitors and local people.”

“We are so lucky to live in an area which provides rich history and picturesque scenery and this is a great way to encourage people to get out and enjoy the fresh air.”

“I am looking forward to people experiencing the new audio feature being piloted in Rhyl as I think this new modern addition will attract a wider audience of people to the trails”

The Audio walk is available via the https://www.izi.travel/ and promoted on the town trail boards. If successful, the council is hoping to replicate the same audio trail for other Denbighshire towns in the future.

MP says he is 'sorry to hear' about Boris Johnson's resignation

Welsh Conservative MP for Clwyd South Simon Baynes (pictured) has issued a statement this afternoon following today's resignation of Boris Johnson as leader of the Conservative Party, while remaining Prime Minister until a new leader is elected by the party.

In it Mr Baynes says:  "I am very sorry about the resignation of the Prime Minister as I am a strong supporter of his and consider that he has achieved a great deal for our country, particularly in getting Brexit done, the highly successful Covid vaccine rollout and his outstanding international leadership on the war in Ukraine. 

"It was a particular honour for me to be elected as the MP for Clwyd South in 2019, a seat which he stood for as the Conservative candidate in 1997 and which he has continued to visit regularly and take a great interest in ever since.

"I was very pleased to be appointed by the Prime Minister earlier this year as a Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Ministerial team at the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, a position which enables me to see the high level of legislative and reforming activity being enacted by his government.

"We will now have a leadership election campaign in the Conservative Party which I am sure will be conducted rapidly and in a constructive and courteous fashion. I wish the Prime Minister and his family all the very best for the future and thank him from the bottom of my heart for all that he has done for Wales and the rest of the United Kingdom."

* A strong supporter of Boris Johnson in Llangollen, former county councillor Stuart Davies, has this afternoon resigned from the Conservative Party over the way he says the Prime Minister has been treated.  

Mr Davies commented: "Given the way the PM has been treated by some members and some officers of the Conservative Party I feel that I have no option but to resign from the Party that I have been a member of since the 90s.

"Accordingly I have let the relevant people know that I have resigned. Boris has been a friend of Clwyd South and myself since 1997. The actions of political opportunists and some members has sickened me.

"Boris got the big things right, such as Brexit, Covid and the war in Ukraine.

"I am sad to see him go."

 

Eisteddfod's opening day has a powerful message for the world

* Leri Roberts delivers the Peace Message from the main pavilion stage.

The traditional Peace Message delivered this morning (Thursday) on the opening day of the 75^th Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod has never been more relevant than it is today with the ongoing war in Ukraine, according to a Welsh Government Minister.

Dawn Bowden, Deputy Minister for the Arts and Sport, was special guest at Llangollen Pavilion where she joined a packed audience of hundreds of schoolchildren from across north Wales listening intently to the Peace Message being delivered by young Leri Roberts from the main stage.

* Eisteddfod chairman Dr Rhys Davies with Deputy Minister for the Arts and Sport Dawn Bowden.

The poignant words were written for the occasion by staunch Eisteddfod supporter Christine Dukes and were inspired by climate change activist Greta Thunberg.

They urged young people of the world to “stand side by side, shoulder to shoulder and heart to heart” to help the world find peace.

After hearing it read out the Minister commented: “The Peace Message was amazing and it was explained to me how it has developed over the years since the first Eisteddfod at Llangollen in 1947.

* A Serbian band delight the Children's Day audience. 

“It has never been more relevant than it is today, with what’s going on in Europe now with Ukraine. It was quite amazing.”

She added: “This is my first time in Llangollen and at the Eisteddfod since I was appointed last year.

“Being Minister gives me the opportunity to see so many cultural organisations, particularly those which have had Welsh Government support, like the Eisteddfod.

“It’s been an absolutely fantastic visit. I have seen a couple of performances already and will be talking to some of those involved in the Eisteddfod during a walk-around when I will also meet some of the performers.”

* The Mushroom Man with his carved creations was a top crowd-puller.

Due to the pandemic this was the first fully live Llangollen Eisteddfod held since 2019 and, as usual for the opening, it was Children’s Day which saw hordes of young visitors taking the chance to enjoy themselves on the various attractions dotted around the field.

Venues across town were used for other Eisteddfod events, including the preliminary rounds of a number of competitions whose finals will be held on the main pavilion stage over the next few days.

* A red dragon mascot greets young visitors to the field.

A number of choirs due to compete will perform in St Collen's Church and the first of these was the Palmdale High School Choral Union from California.

* Entertainer Bill Brookman's stand was another popular stop-off point.

* Shea Ferron, dashed from the Town Hall where he had been competing in the opening rounds of the musical theatre competition, to take to the music stage on the field in his other role as children's entertainer. He is seen, centre, MCing a dance-off between two visiting teachers. Miss Dodd's on the right was the winner.

* Local singer Cassius Hackforth competes in the preliminary round of the musical theatre competition at the Town Hall.

* Palmdale High School Choral Union from California sing at St Collen's Church.

* For more on Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and its competitions and concerts as well as how to get to it and where to stay go to http://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/ or check out https://www.facebook.com/llangollen

Cat Meade launches Food Share fundraiser

* Food Share's picture of its virtually empty shelves. 

The woman who spearheaded efforts to care for the community during the pandemic has swung back into action to fill the emptying shelves of Llangollen Food Share.

Cat Meade has just launched a new fundraising effort for the local charity which has revealed its current plight on social media.

In a recent post it said: "Every week, it is a challenge to get in enough food in the hub to make up approximately 40-50 weekly food parcels benefitting approximately 60-80 people

"We currently rely heavily on public donations. If you are financially comfortable, please consider donating cupboard food or cash in person or via Paypal or bank transfer." 

In her own post on the Llangollen Support Group, which she founded, Cat has posted: "The team of volunteers at Llan Food Share work day and night/seven days a week supporting local families, the community has been great with donations, however more and more demand is required every week. 

"On seeing the recent numbers the food share are assisting locally, I've put a call out to local businesses for help.

"As always, we look after our own and I am very thankful for the support to assist our fab team at food share."

Details of the fundraiser are:

* £5 per ticket 

* 1ST PRIZE Two Nights stay North Wales Bell Tents and Campsite worth £200.

* 2ND PRIZE £50 The Three Eagles

* 3RD PRIZE £50 Gales Wine Bar

* 4TH PRIZE £40 Rose Lily Interiors 

* 5TH PRIZE £25 The Sun Trevor 

* 6TH PRIZE £20 @KELLYS CHIPPY

* 7TH PRIZE Hamper Llangollen Oggie Shop & Fine Foods 

Tickets, which are available until next Wednesday, can be purchased via Paypal or @wingetts office between 11am and 1pm Monday to Friday.

Leave request for numbers or pop into office 

Draw is on  Thursday  July 14.

Donations to food share also welcome 

Food can be taken into Llangollen Food Share  every Tuesday between 10-11am or popped in their trolley in Llangollen Co-op.