Pupils asked to post a message to create a better future

Denbighshire pupils are being asked to post a message through time to help create a better future.

Young people have to imagine we have moved ahead to 2050. Each are asked to send a postcard back to their younger selves to explain how climate change is potentially impacting on their lives.

Those taking part are encouraged to imagine what has been done over the years to help the environment and reduce climate change, the impact of new technology on people and the environment, how animals are surviving in the future and the effects of the weather.

Denbighshire County Council declared a Climate and Ecological Emergency in 2019 and committed to seeking to become a Net Carbon Zero and Ecologically Positive Council by 2030.

Cllr Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “Pupils across Denbighshire have a really good understanding of how climate change is impacting on their lives. They have great ideas and carry out a lot of good work themselves to try and support tackling climate change.

“We want to open the floor to them through this competition to really listen to how they view climate change and help us learn more about what we can do working together.”

“We are asking every pupil taking part to imagine what they would say to their younger self or a relative for them to take action now and change their behaviour for the good of our environment.”

Schools taking part will be provided with a postcard template to use.

The winning pupils and schools will be revealed on December 12.

Winners will have the chance to read their own postcard to Elected Members of Denbighshire County Council, help their school receive a talk from the County Council's Biodiversity Team and a collection of plug plants to help create or improve a wildflower area and a selection of environmental books for the school.

The competition is also supported by the Centre for Alternative Technology (CAT) zero carbon Britain. CAT is an educational charity dedicated to researching and communicating positive solutions for environmental change.

* For information on the competition is available here -  https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/education-and-schools/schools-competition-postcards-from-the-future.aspx

Council urges residents to apply for Cost of Living schemes

Denbighshire County Council is working through applications for the Cost of Living Discretionary Fund and the main Cost of Living Scheme on behalf of Welsh Government.

Already a total of 4312 payments worth £495,195 have been made for the Cost of Living Discretionary Fund to qualifying residents in Band E who pay by Direct Debit.

An application form for more qualifying residents will be available from September 21 for this fund and will stay open until March 31, 2023.

For the main Cost of Living Scheme, a total of 27,014 of £150 payments have been made to qualifying residents, totalling to a value of £4,052,100.

The main Cost of Living scheme closes on the September 30, 2022 and a large number of qualifying residents have still not applied, so the council is urging those to complete an application form as soon as possible to ensure they receive their payment.

Councillor Gwyneth Ellis, lead member for finance, performance and strategic assets said “The council is working very hard to process these payments as supporting our residents is a key priority in the current economic climate.”

“We want to urge all those eligible for support and have still not applied, to do so. Those who are unsure whether they are eligible should use the council website to check requirements before it is too late.”

* For further details about the two schemes available please visit the Council’s website via - www.denbighshire.gov.uk/cost-of-living

'Moving performance' of man's life journey comes to Community Hall

* Phil Okwedy will speak at St Collen's Community Hall on September 30. 

Cardiff-born dual-heritage storyteller Phil Okwedy has created a moving performance about his life journey, based on a collection of letters from his father to his mother.  

And he will present to an audience at St Collen's Community Hall on Friday, September 30, at 7.30pm.

Phil was brought up in foster care and never lived with either of his parents.  He only found the letters after both his parents had died. Phil’s father came to Wales from Nigeria.

This performance piece, The Gods are All Here, skilfully weaves myth, song, folktales and legends of the African diaspora with Phil’s personal story, uncovering his experiences of growing up as a child of dual heritage in Wales during the 1960s and 70s.

Phil said: "In sharing this show, my intention is that it resonates with other people, with their individual family stories, but also with the audience as a whole, because it is by working together that we ensure that equality, justice and freedom are experienced by all. 

"It is important to me to bring this work to Llangollen, which prides itself on being ‘Where Wales welcomes the world’ because of the International Music Eisteddfod held here every year since 1947."  

Tree expert to give illustrated talk at Glanrafon

Professor Julian Evans will be returning to Llangollen to give the second in his series of illustrated presentations entitled God’s Trees on Saturday September 24 at Glanrafon Chapel in Princess Street, Llangollen. 

Professor Evans is a forest scientist and author of God’s Trees – trees, forests and wood in the Bible. 

He is a Commissioner of the Forestry Commission (England), a past president of the Institute of Chartered Foresters and has published numerous books and scientific papers.

The illustrated talk will begin at 5pm and will last for approximately 45 minutes.

Contact coedclwyd@gmail.com for further details, or to book a place.

Copies of God’s Trees will be available for purchase.

Local roadworks update from county council

Latest local roadworks notified by Denbighshire County Council are:

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.

OPPOSITE CLOGWYN GERAINT LLANGOLLEN GERAINT until 19/10/2022 Gwaith BT/ BT Works PLATINUM (DCC) LLANGOLLEN

Cyffordd / Jct A539 LLANGOLLEN ROAD SUN BANK 03/10/2022 07/10/2022 Gwaith BT/ BT Works MJ QUINN'S (SCOTT POWELL) LLANGOLLEN Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights.

Town's showbiz vicar to appear on Hattie Jacques TV documentary

* Hattie Jacques at the height of her career.

Llangollen’s showbiz vicar is due to make another national TV appearance tonight (Saturday). 

Fresh from his guest spot on the BBC’s Song of Praise just a few weeks ago, Father Lee Taylor, priest-in-charge of St Collen’s, will this time pop up on a Channel 5 documentary about much-loved comedienne Hattie Jacques, starting at 8pm. 

He is among family, friends, fans and co-stars who will chart the highs and lows of her career. 

Father Lee is a leading light in the Victorian music hall revival and regularly chairs and appears in the variety shows staged at London’s famous Players’ Theatre, known as the home of British music hall. 

In Llangollen he also founded the Collen Players which presents music hall shows at the Community Hall. 

And, as he will recall on screen, it was there that Hattie Jacques, who went on to huge acclaim as a star of the Carry On films, had her start in show business more than 70 years ago. 

* Father Lee Taylor in his music hall guise.

The theatre in Bloomsbury Way dates back to 1936 when it was co-founded by Leonard Sachs, the tongue-twisting, gavel-wielding compere of smash-hit TV series The Good Old Days in the sixties and seventies. 

Since then it has become the venue most associated with the music hall revival, attracting legendary entertainers such as Hattie Jacques, Ian Carmichael, Clive Dunn, Daphne Anderson, Maggie Smith, Marion Grimaldi, Margaret Burton and Sir Peter Ustinov who in 1996 became its honorary president.

Father Lee said: “The Player's Theatre was the launch pad for Hattie Jacques's career. It is where she made her first stage debut, developed her persona, formed many acting partnerships, met her lover Major Charles Kearney and her future husband John Le Mesurier. 

“During the Second World War nearly all London theatre closed but not The Players! The Players moved from its Covent Garden location to the basement premises at No. 30 Albermarle Street. 

“It is here where Hattie's brother, Robin, was working as a lift operator and cloakroom attendant. He introduced Hattie to The Players while she was working as a Voluntary Aid Detachment Nurse. Hattie fell in love with The Players and would regularly attend the 'Late Joys' as well as help out backstage.

“It was in the summer of 1944, at the age of 22, that Hattie had her first audition with Leonard Sachs. She sang Call Round Any Old Time , a song originally sung by music hall performer Victoria Monks, and A Little of What You Fancy Does You Good, a song popularised by Marie Lloyd.

 

“She sang in the style of Marie Lloyd which impressed Sachs as he was on the lookout for just the right person to perform in the style of Lloyd. He hired her on the spot. That was a Thursday afternoon. The following Monday night Hattie was on the bill at The Players' Theatre.

“Hattie was a hit with the audience. They loved her warmth, energy, comic timing and her teasing glances. Hattie would also interact with the MD  - a six-piece band consisting of one pianist and five absentees - adroitly making innuendo over the short musical interludes in the score.

 

“The audience would chant, 'We want Hattie!' and she soon became known as 'The Queen of The Players' or 'Queen of The Joys'.

“Hattie performed in many pantomimes, plays and revues at The Players up until the 1960's. She appeared regularly as The Good Fairy in The Sleeping Beauty in The Wood. The Times reported that she was most definitely one of the 'funniest fairies' to be seen on the stage!” 

Llan Inner Wheel has first meeting of new season

* Above and below: Inner Wheel members at their latest meeting.

Llangollen Inner Wheel held their first meeting of the season on Wednesday evening. 

The meeting started with a minute silence in remembrance of the Queen. 

The President, Enid Law, welcomed members and guests, Karen Davies, President of Inner Wheel GB and I, Melanie Nichols, Administrator of IW London Office, and speaker, a representative of the Welsh Air Ambulance. 

The meeting was held in St. Collen's Community Hall where members enjoyed a good buffet supper.

* A poster for the Inner Wheel's coffee morning later this month in aid of the Macmillan Cancer Charity.