New Llangollen Rotary club to be launched next week

A new, and “less formal” style of Rotary club is being launched next week, covering the town and village communities within the Vale of Llangollen. 

The previous Llangollen club closed its doors last June after 61 years of service.

The new club will be known as The Rotary Club of The Vale of Llangollen, and its organisers say that, like the previous club, it will continue to work to serve Llangollen and the wider community. 

The club has been set up fully acknowledging the need for change, according to a spokesperson who said: “There is an understanding that in the 21^st century, the desire to help and support others is just as great as it always has been, but there is so much more competing for our time. 

“The club has therefore been set up to be me more informal, and for members to ‘dip in and out of’ as and when your time allows. 

“There is no stipulation that you need to live within the area to become a member and we expect to attract people from all backgrounds, professions and ages. 

“Members will use their skills, experience, contacts and expertise to develop projects to improve the lives or environment of the local community or further afield.​

“You will need to be over the age of 18, and as a founder member you will have the opportunity to help to shape the club, building a team of like-minded people to work together to help and support the community. 

“It’s an ideal opportunity for business owners too. An opportunity to network, and to grow within the community. 

“Rotary is simply the umbrella under which we all gather. The club once formed belongs to the members, and to the local community.” 

The club’s inaugural meeting is next Monday, September 12, 7.15 for 7.30pm – 9pm at the Liberty Traven and Wine Bar, 20 Market Street, Llangollen LL20 8PS. 

People attending will be told a little bit about Rotary, with their ideas on how we can work together to improve the community being welcomed. 

* To find out more about the new Vale of Llangollen Rotary Club, or the inaugural meeting, you can get in touch in the following ways:

 

●      Call or text John Clifford on 07970 000542

●      Call or text: Mike Lade on 07803 038858

●      Email: valeofllangollenrotary@gmail.com

●      Go to the website www.valeofllangollenrotary.com

Roadworks alert for Regent Street

One.network has issued a roadworks alert for Regent Street, Llangollen:

Regent Street, Denbighshire 08 September - 09 September   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: 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

Follow-up meeting arranged over St John's woodland plan

 

Residents will have the chance to find out more about plans to transform an area of under-used woodland near St John’s Church in Llangollen into a 'tranquil' outdoor area at a meeting next week.

On August 26 a number of people living in nearby Green Lane were invited to an open day on the site to hear details of the Green Space project.

This is a joint initiative between the Church in Wales, which owns the land, and members of the Tidy Town Team whose hard work over a number of years has gradually been transforming the wooded site of around 1.5 acres to the point where it can be sympathetically redeveloped.

The plan is being overseen by the Valle Crucis Mission Area, the body which co-ordinates the work of 15 parish churches in the Dee Valley area, with cash from the Green Communities Project match-funded by St Collen’s Church.

According to the Mission Area, the scheme aims to benefit graveyard visitors and neighbouring residents.

If all goes according to plan the new area should be in use by next February, they say.

At the open day the Mission Area’s John Gambles listened as residents, mainly from nearby Green Lane, voiced their concerns about the affect the scheme would have on their homes, a number of which have already been aired on social media.  

Mr Gambles has now arranged a follow-up meeting for Monday September 12 at St John's Church, starting at 6.30pm.

This, he says, is for those unable to attend the open day to "find out more about the project and, hopefully, have their questions answered".  

The blueprint basically means turning a triangular-shaped piece of land between the river, the railway and the cemetery into what Mr Gambles described as a “tranquil area where people can find peace with themselves ... where they can sit, relax and contemplate.”

Also included in the scheme is extending the existed limited car parking area for graveyard visitors by the removal of a privet hedge and the planting of a line of ornamental trees to screen it from the consecrated land set aside for the extension of the burial area, the creation of a small wildflower meadow plus the fixing of posts and chestnut palings along the rider side of the site.

Mr Gambles said that a range of specialist advice had been taken on which trees within the main woodland area should be removed or saved.

There had also been expert consultation of the form the revamped woodland area would take which has meant provision for a small access point from the existing parking area leading onto a walkway – wide enough to take wheelchairs - winding of about 110 metres through the trees to a quiet area with simple oak benches.

The plan had been mooted for some time and over the past seven years the Tidy Town Team had done a large of amount of clearing and tidying of the site.

Residents who attended the open day raised a number of points of concern, including possible anti-social behaviour caused by the opening up of the area – with some pointing out that this was already a problem with alcohol bottles and other rubbish being left strewn about.

There were also fears expressed about extra traffic using nearby Green Lane during the construction period by contractors and how the area would be managed in the long term.

Mr Gambles said that although the budget for the scheme didn’t include provision for its future management, the use of CCTV could be discussed, adding: “We will try to encourage responsible behaviour and we are already working with the police and the schools. A lot of it is up to us a community.”

Addressing residents’ traffic concerns, he stressed that an agreement had been reached with the adjacent railway to use the pathway between its yard and St John’s Church for contractors’ vehicles.

There were questions for Mr Gambles about the level of consultation there had been on the project.

He said that people most affected by it in the area had been consulted as had the Town Council which had agreed with the proposals.

However, he did not rule out further consultation measures including, possibly, the setting up of a Friends of St John’s group to liaise with and update residents as the project progressed.

He stressed that the newly-created area was not intended to be part of the town’s general tourist offering but by people visiting relatives’ graves in the cemetery and by residents themselves.

MP congratulates Liz Truss on leadership victory

* Liz Truss following the result of the Conservative leadership election.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has congratulated Liz Truss on her election earlier today as leader of the Conservative and Unionist Party and the next Prime Minister.

Mr Baynes said: "Many congratulations to Liz Truss on her election as Leader of the Conservative Party and next Prime Minister - and to Rishi Sunak for his impressive campaign which I supported. 

"It was very good to attend the announcement of the result in Westminster and to see the party come together again. I look forward to strongly supporting our new Prime Minister in her vital work ahead for our country.”

 

Roadworks planned for Berwyn Street

Latest local roadworks alerts from one.network are:

Berwyn Street, Denbighshire 06 September - 07 September   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Traffic control (multi-way signals)   Description: ALTER AN EXISITNG SERVICE 3M PUBLIC...   Works location: O/S 8 BERWYN STREET   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: XY254005000326317

 

Scammers capitalising on cost of living crisis, police warn

Scammers and cyber criminals are attempting to capitalise on the cost of living crisis, according to North Wales Police.

Through the online Alert Network, say one of the latest scam e-mails pretends to be from British Gas and offers a non-existent refund of £315.

Officers advise: "Don’t click on the link in the email as it will lead to a malicious website that is designed to steal your financial and/or personal information.

"If you think that an email you received from British Gas could be genuine, you should contact British Gas using their official contact number from their website to verify the authenticity of the email."

County council roadworks alerts for town

Latest local roadworks alerts from Denbighshire County Council are:

Llangollen - Pen y Coed

Resurfacing

Road Closure

06.09.2022

12.09.2022

 

OUTSIDE 8 BERWYN STREET CASTLE STREET 06/09/2022 07/09/2022 Gwaith Nwy / Gas Works WALES & WEST

BRIDGE END HOTEL (SE) MILL STREET 10/09/2022 14/09/2022 Gwaith ar Arhosfa Bws / Bus Stop Works CYBI CYF LLANGOLLEN

A539 Wrth / Nr Bryn Howel Hotel A539 LLANGOLLEN ROAD 08/09/2022 10/09/2022 Gwaith BT/ BT Works SUNBELT RENTALS (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

AT JUNCTION WITH A5 QUEEN STREET BIRCH HILL 26/09/2022 30/09/2022 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYRFDWY (EMMA) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

OPP CLOGWYN GERAINT LLANGOLLEN GERAINT 05/09/2022 19/10/2022 Gwaith BT/ BT Works PLATINUM (DCC)