Four Great Highways drop-in to be held at Town Hall

* The access point to the railway is one of the key areas 

included in the Four Great Highways scheme.

A drop-in session is to be held at Llangollen Town Hall to provide local residents, businesses and visitors with an opportunity to view the concept design options that have been developed for the Four Great Highways scheme as a result of the recent consultation. 

The scheme is aimed at promoting and enhancing the four great ‘highways’ of Llangollen: the Llangollen Canal and World Heritage Site, the former Ruabon to Barmouth railway line, the River Dee and Thomas Telford’s historic route, the A5 Holyhead Road.

The intention is to improve the visitor experience and increase the amount of time people choose to spend in the area.

Proposed works include providing landscape and engineering improvement works to enhance accessibility and biodiversity, as well as making it easier for visitors to understand what is available in the area and how to find it.

The four key areas which have been identified are: Wharf; Access points to the Wharf, Railway and Lower Dee Mill Park; Lower Dee Mill Park and Signage & Wayfinding (including visitor information in car parks).

On Wednesday March 8, from 11am – 3pm, the project team will be present at the Spring Jobs Fair being held in the Town Hall.

They wish to give members of the public chance to see the concept design as part of Denbighshire County Council’s stand.  

The project designers from Burroughs & The Urbanists will then be joining the team from 3pm – 7pm onwards at the Town Hall, to discuss the scheme designs, and to answer any questions or queries anyone may have.

The concept designs will then be made available for viewing at Llangollen Library from the afternoon of Monday March 13 for the week, allowing people to view the concept designs at their leisure.

Further information regarding the designs will be available on our website from next week as well for those who may not be able to come along next Wednesday.  

The team will be welcoming feedback via its e-mail address regarding the design options and says it looks forward to hearing people’s thoughts and views – fourgreathighways@denbighshire.gov.uk / pedairprifforddfawr@sirddinbych.gov.uk  

Balloons are back at the Pavilion ... but just for the day

* Up, up and away goes one of the scaled-down

 balloons from the Pavilion field.

 * Another couple of balloons get ready for launch.

 * Ballooning enthusiasts gather around the field. 

Balloons are back at the Pavilion after a break of a few years.

It's now some time since a regular balloon festival was held at the Llangollen venue and eventually lost to Oswestry.

But today (Saturday) the field around the Pavilion has become a launch-pad for around 20 scaled-down and manned balloons brought in by private enthusiasts from around Britain and Ireland.

A number were already there early on and began to take off assisted by their ground crews.  

Organisers have asked us to point out this is a private event and that they are not able to cater for spectators on the field. However, they say they are happy to have people watch the balloons from the canal towpath which overlooks the field.

Roadworks alert from one.network

Latest local roadworks alert from one.network is:

Track To Groeslwyd And Rhydonnen Isaf, Llangollen, Denbighshire 06 March - 17 March   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name: Diversion   Location: Abersylio To Efenechtyd   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned

Llangollen Round wins national award for its charity support

* Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes met Llangollen Round organisers to congratulate them on the £120,000-plus they raised in 2022. From left: Nadine Isaacs from Cancer Research UK, challenge organiser Judy Smith, Simon Baynes MP and organisers Jason Morley and Sandra Woodhall. 

Organisers of the Llangollen Round Challenge have won a national award for the major support they have given to a cancer charity.

The often gruelling 35-mile run/walk through the beautiful yet tough terrain of the hills surrounding the town was launched in 2012 by members of the Llangollen Ramblers group and is based roughly on the Alpine Walk Tour of Mont Blanc.

The amount raised for Cancer Research UK (CRUK) by the challenge has climbed steadily from £33,000 to last year's total of almost £120,000 which was boosted by government returns on charity donations.

In recognition of this massive cash support for CRUK and the involvement and commitment of around 100 volunteers who run the event the Round has been selected for the Flame of Hope Award.

These national awards are CRUK's annual accolades to celebrate the achievements of its most outstanding and inspiring volunteers.  

This year they received a record-breaking 835 nominations from staff and volunteers across the country.

Judith Smith, a Llangollen Round founder and organiser, said: "We will be receiving the award at a ceremony in Manchester at the end of March, after which the Tourist Information Centre in Llangollen has agreed to put it on display for a limited time. Do go and take a look.

"We are very grateful to all of you who have offered your support in whatever context - this recognition is yours also."  

The 2022 Round attracted over 500 entries from across the UK and abroad and saw 238 walkers or runners finishing it in a single day with another 189 completing it in two. 

The event can be completed in either one or two days and also saw another record set for the route being completed in the fastest time.

A fresh record was set when the first person back at the event's Llangollen Leisure Centre base was certified to have covered the whole 35 miles in just seven hours.

The fastest woman completed it in just seven hours and 34 minutes. 

The two oldest people to complete the course were aged 90 and 87.

As usual 80 volunteers manned checkpoints along the route where those taking part were served with water supplied free by local businesses and cakes presented by home bakers in the area.

More helpers were back at base checking in participants and handing out their times.   

Llangollen Ramblers explore Kynaston's Cave

 

On a beautiful day last week Llangollen Ramblers were out exploring Kynaston's Cave on Nesscliffe Hill.

* If you would like to join them, email Judy on smithdinbren@gmail.com for a current programme. 

She said: "We look forward to seeing you!"

MP praises work of locally-based families charity

* Simon Baynes MP with (from left) Deb Whalley, Suzie Allcock, Sian Boffey and Helen Hutcheson of the Therapy Stars Foundation.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes MP attended the launch of the new charity, Therapy Stars Foundation in Penley, to hear about their work to support families of children with a long-term or life limiting condition.  

The foundation offers awards of £500 to families living in North Wales, Shropshire or Cheshire, so that children can access the therapy they need. 

These therapies include more traditional professions such as physiotherapy, occupational therapy and speech therapy, but also lesser known ones such as music therapy, equine therapy and hydrotherapy and aquatic therapy. 

At the launch Mr Baynes met trustees Deb Whalley, Suzie Allcock, Sian Boffey and Helen Hutcheson who delivered a presentation on the new charity’s work and aims. 

While the families of children with long-term and life-limiting conditions can face great financial pressure, Therapy Stars Foundation’s provision of financial awards aims to allow for the early intervention that can be crucial, along with the access to ongoing therapy.  

But the amount of work Therapy Stars Foundation can do depends on how much money they can raise - to learn more about their work, or to find out how to volunteer and support them financially, please visit: www.therapystarsfoundation.org.uk.

Speaking about the launch, Sian Boffey, co-founder and trustee of the charity, said: "We had such a great turnout at the launch of our new charity and we are excited to be able to support as many local families as possible. 

"We are keen to spread the word so that others can signpost families to Therapy Stars Foundation and also help us to fundraise as much as possible."

Mr Baynes said: “It was a real pleasure to attend the launch of the Therapy Stars Foundation and learn about their fantastic work to support children with long-term or life-limiting conditions. 

"I am grateful for the opportunity to hear first-hand the positive impact that their dedicated staff and volunteers will have on the lives of those they support. 

"I also look forward to supporting Therapy Stars Foundation in their future fundraising efforts which are so vital to ensure as many children as possible locally can benefit from the therapy they offer.” 

Latest local roadworks update from county council

Latest local roadworks update from the county council is:

BRYN MELYN RTW SUN BANK 17/04/2023 28/04/2023 Gwaith Ar Wal Gynnal/ Retaining Wall Works DCC BRIDGES AND STRUCTURE LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

A542 Chapel Street CHAPEL STREET 09/01/2023 09/03/2023 Gwaith Gwelliant/ Improvement Works DCC WORKS UNIT Un Ffordd/ One Way

Hall St Link Road HALL STREET LINK ROAD 09/01/2023 09/03/2023 Gwaith Gwelliant/ Improvement Works DCC WORKS UNIT Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

MILL STREET MILL STREET 13/03/2023 13/03/2023 Gwaith Carthffosiaeth/ Sewer Works MORRISON UTILITY SERVICES LLANGOLLEN Goleuadau Traffig Dros Dro/ Temp Traffic Lights

Former Llangollen Railway Footpath A539 LLANGOLLEN ROAD 10/03/2023 10/03/2023 Torri Coed / Tree Cutting KTL CONTRACTING LTD LLANGOLLEN

A539 Wrth / Nr Haulwen Abbey Road ABBEY ROAD 22/03/2023 22/03/2023 Adferiad/ Reinstatement ALUN GRIFFITHS LLANGOLLEN

A542 Outside property "Cip o'r Bont" MILL STREET 20/03/2023 21/03/2023 Gwaith Draenio / Drainage Works DRAINTECH SURVEYS LLANGOLLEN

Hall street Llangollen HALL STREET 09/01/2023 09/03/2023 Gwaith Gwelliant/ Improvement Works DCC WORKS UNIT Atal Parcio / Parking Suspension/Un Ffordd/ One Way