Senedd Member tries out new-style PE lessons

* Ken Skates MS shapes up during the school PE session.

A Member of the Senedd took part in a programme which transforms the way PE is taught in primary schools. 

Ken Skates, MS for Clwyd South, visited Ysgol Y Waun in Chirk on Thursday (July 14) to see how staff are supporting the health and well-being of pupils through an initiative called real PE. 

He first observed a Key Stage 2 PE lesson with Year 6 during which the children were supported by real PE videos to improve their physical skills and develop their coordination. Mr Skates then participated in a Key Stage 1 lesson when children practiced their balancing skills. 

He said: “The children were great at helping to coach me when I took part, and they were so welcoming. I really enjoyed the session. It’s great fun and really and strips PE back to basics.”  

Year 2 teacher Beth Cornford said she has seen an improvement in the children’s cores since the introduction of real PE at Ysgol y Waun. 

She added: “Children can now sit without fidgeting as much! I have also seen an improvement in their skills such as handwriting, which all comes from having a better posture.” 

The programme, created by Create Development, has a ‘child-centred approach’ and aims to support pupils to become physically literate by developing their Fundamental Movement Skills (FMS) – agility, balance and coordination.  

Mr Skates added: “PE is a fantastic vehicle not only to improve the children’s health, fitness and well-being, but also to develop a range of personal, social, physical and creative abilities that transfer outside the PE and sporting environment. I was hugely impressive with the real PE lessons and it’s clear that the children have really taken to them.” 

Mr Skates and the Create Development team thanked teacher Amy Roberts, the school’s health and wellbeing lead, for organising the event.

Summer events lined up at Valle Crucis Abbey

Valle Crucis Abbey is playing host to a number of activities over the next few weeks.

A Medieval Fun day is lined up for this weekend, July 23 and 24. 

The Prince’s Retinue will be doing some archery demonstrations and a faux melee. Medieval Fun Day | Cadw (gov.wales)

The Abbey also has some guided tours on the same weekend. Valle Crucis Guided Tours | Cadw (gov.wales) 

There are also two more Guided Tour events planned.

Neither of these events are ticketed, you just pay the usual addition fee of £4.80 for an adult.

Free – Members of Cadw, Historic Scotland, English Heritage or Manx Heritage

Free – Under 5

£3.40 – Under 18, students and Armed Forces

£4.60 – Over 65

£15.80 – Family

Also planned is an outside theatre production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream by the Duke’s Theatre Company on Tuesday August 2 at 7pm. VALLE CRUCIS ABBEY, LLANGOLLEN, LL20 8DD @ 19:00 | TheDukesTheatreCo (thedukestheatrecompany.co.uk)

Details of prices are on the website. However, please note that the information on parking on the website is wrong. There will be parking provided by the campsite.  

Abbey Opening times –

Thursday – Monday – 10:00-17:00

Closed Tuesday & Wednesday.

Keep an eye on water usage in hot weather, says supplier

With an amber weather warning for extreme heat in place for this area, Welsh Water is asking customers to be help them keep the water flowing by being mindful of how much they use.

During the recent spell of warm weather, the company has already seen demand for water soar to near record levels.  

This extra demand makes it a challenge to get water through the pipes fast enough and also drains the water quicker from the reservoirs and rivers that supply the water.  

This is especially important as between March and April, rainfall across Wales was only 50% of the long term average while between March and May it was just 60%. 

Welsh Water usually treats and supplies about 800 million litres of clean water a day to its three million customers - roughly the same amount needed to fill 320 Olympic-sized swimming pools. 

Over the past days, Welsh Water has seen demand increase by 25% which meant it has had to supply an additional 198 million litres of water per day.

In popular tourist areas such as Pembrokeshire, the demand for water is also exacerbated by the volume of people visiting the area.  Wales is already a popular destination, but with a lot of people still choosing to holiday in the UK this year, the number of people visiting is again set to be high.

In response to the warm weather, the company sys it has ramped up production at its water treatment works.  It has also deployed its full fleet of water tankers to move water around the system to try and keep the levels topped up where demand is highest.

The company also claims to be doing everything it can to cut losses from the system and has teams working across the country finding and fixing leaks as quick as they can.  Their teams are currently fixing between 500 and 600 leaks per week.  Customers can also help by reporting a leak to the company as soon as they spot one. 

To help customers play their part and identify simple ways they can save water around the home and in the garden, the company is offering handy hints and tips.  These include:

• Don’t leave the tap running while washing hands or brushing teeth
• Take a shower instead of a bath.
• Wait until the washing machine and dishwasher are full before putting them on.
• Don’t fill the paddling pool to the top – and when you’ve finished, use the water on the plants in the garden.
• Don’t use a sprinkler on the lawn to keep it green – the colour will soon come back once it rains.
• Use our ‘Get Water Fit’ calculator to help with hints and tips on how to save both water and money – there are even free products available if you sign up.

Businesses are also being asked to make an extra effort not to waste water, particularly caravan parks, golf courses and farms. Even making small reductions in the amount of water a business uses has the potential to make a big difference in helping Welsh Water to keep water flowing this summer, with the added benefit of reducing a business’ water bills and helping it protect the environment.

Local MP appointed government minister

* Simon Baynes MP in his Ministerial office at the Home Office.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has been appointed to a Ministerial role as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office.

He said: “I am very honoured and delighted to have been appointed by the Prime Minister as Minister for Justice and Tackling Illegal Migration. 

"I am very much looking forward to delivering on the Government’s commitments in the Ministry of Justice and the Home Office as well as continuing to work hard for the people of Clwyd South as their local Member of Parliament.”

Packed programme on offer in 25th anniversary Fringe Festival

Organisers say the 25th anniversary Llangollen Fringe Festival which kicks off next Friday, July 22, offers a great line-up of performers, workshops and activities.

Here are details they have supplied of the programme:  

"Friday 22nd – Comedy featuring some top-quality jokers headed by Paul Sinha who not only knows everything there is to know, but tells great jokes as well.  Saint or Sinha – you decide? Note to Festival Ticket holders - please email Paul with your preferred seating position for the Comedy - Front, Middle, Back or Balcony.  Thanks Saturday 23rd – World Music from The Turbans.  They may be London-based, but their canvas is drawn from traditional near-eastern and eastern-European styles.  This is music for all ages, so bring gran and the kids and treat yourself to the celestial glow of some truly vibrant music.  I saw them a couple of years ago and they were great! Perfect for a Saturday night and guaranteed to get you dancing! Monday 25th – And now for something completely different and also something of a coup for the Fringe, because Roger Eno hasn’t been a prolific live performer of his Ambient music over the years.  But he’s going to perform some for you.  I would call his music mesmeric if I knew what that meant, but I think you’ll find yourself transported to another and better place while you’re listening to it.  Don’t let this one pass you buy, let it pass through you instead. Tuesday 26th – The evening for all you aspiring hipsters and cool cats out there, but anyone who loves great music is welcome as well.  If it’s a Tuesday then it must be Jazz, because Tuesday is Jazz Night at the Fringe.  The Zoe Gilby Quartet are cool and sophisticated players of both original material and some well-known jazz standards as well.  A great live band, satisfaction guaranteed and with special guests So What Now what could possibly go wrong? Wednesday 27th – Right it’s midweek and time to “get down” to “fractured rock and roll at its best”. Warmduscher first got together at the end of 2014 and have been on an upward trajectory ever since.  Iggy Pop no less, the Godfather of Punk graced their 3rd album with his presence.  If you’re looking for some Ramalama and a Shindig this is the band for you, or maybe you’re looking for a “mix of in-your-face-punk and sinister electronica” again Warmduscher will deliver.  Hot stuff indeed.  Supported by Red Telephone, a band from Cardiff who make layered neo-psych at-rock combining angular guitars, Kraftwerkian-inspired rhythms and New Wave-tinged synths all mixed with masses of melodic melancholy..   Thursday 28th – And tonight we have for you one of the most important figures in the history of Folk Music, a man who has inspired Paul Simon and Bob Dylan no less, and countless others as well.  Martin Carthy, for it is he, has been interpreting traditional songs in an innovative way since he first heard Lonnie Donegan playing “Rock Island Line”.  The music of the common people kept relevant and fresh for modern times.  And, as if that wasn’t enough, he will be accompanied by his daughter Eliza Carthy who is of course a star in her own right.  Mark Radcliffe described her in my presence as “a force of nature” and he was spot on. Friday 29th – If the Carthy’s have retained a youthful outlook, Talisk actually are youthful and this shows in their energetic and powerful live performances.  Hailing from Scotland they draw on influences from all over for their folk-based music and their fusion of concertina, fiddle and guitar is enthralling.  Winner of countless awards – you’ll be kicking yourselves if you don’t come along and see why!  Saturday 30th – Is it Saturday again already? But what a finish this promises to be to the 2022 Fringe Town Hall and as always with the Fringe something a little different.  Ebony were one of the first Steel Bands to be formed in the UK, their latest project has been to take the classic electronica of Kraftwerk and turn it into, well…something else.  Anyway, check in with your doctor if they don’t get you smiling and leaping about with gay abandon in what promises to be a fabulous finale show. Okay that’s a lot about the main performances, but don’t forget that the Fringe is about so much more than them.  There’s a jam-packed programme of fun and exciting activities and workshops that will cater for all ages from 1 to a 101 so even I can join in. Wow, I wish I lived in a place that put stuff like that on…hang on I do, it’s called Llangollen and it’s part of the Fringe. Please follow the link below and find out what’s on offer, you’re bound to find something whether for yourself, the kids or your mum. There’s art, poetry, music, archaeology, walking, singing, dancing, story-telling, circus, jewellery making and much, much more. Llangollen Fringe Workshops - Llangollen Fringe Festival We are so looking forward to seeing you all at Llangollen Fringe 2022, 22-31 July. P.S. Don’t forget to check out the entertainment being provided by our friends at Gale’s Wine Bar throughout the Fringe."

What's On at the Pengwern Community Hub

 What's on at the Pengwern Community Hub this month:

Warning over lighting fires in open after blaze in Pen Coed Wood

* The station's narrow 32M1 appliance used to deal 

with the fire in Pen Coed Wood.

Llangollen Fire station is warning about the dangers of lighting fires in woods after its crew were called to tackle a tricky underground blaze in Pen Coed yesterday (Friday) morning.

And it is calling for extra caution with extremely high temperatures predicted for the next couple of days. 

A post on the station's Facebook page says: "09:40 today 32M1 attended a fire in Pen Coed Wood, Llangollen. 

"The fire had crept underground popping up in a different place. Crews used a high pressure lance to create a fire break and extinguisher the fire. 

"32M1 is our narrow access vehicle and can get to places the fire engine couldn’t. It can travel up to fires on hard standing ground. 

"Please take care when lighting fires in woods they can spread very quickly in these dry, warm conditions. 

"Please take extra care over the weekend as temperatures a set to rise to over 30 degrees."