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Sunday, March 26, 2023

Roadworks planned for Barbers Hill

Latest roadworks alert from one.network is:

 

Barbers Hill, Llangollen, Denbighshire


27 March - 07 April

 

Delays likely - Diversion route

 

Name: Diversion

 

Location: Barbers Hill

 

Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks

 

Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council

 

Current status: Planned

 

 


Saturday, March 25, 2023

Latest roadworks alerts from county council

Latest local roadworks bulletin from Denbighshire County Council is:

A542 Wrth / Nr Haulwen Abbey Road ABBEY ROAD 31/03/2023 31/03/2023 Gwaith Carthffosiaeth/ Sewer Works ALUN GRIFFITHS CONTRACTOR

JUNCTION OF QUEEN STREET FRONT SIDE BIRCH HILL 31/03/2023 31/03/2023 Adferiad/ Reinstatement FOREST TRAFFIC SERVICES LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Wrth/ Nr GLASFRYN ABBEY ROAD 27/03/2023 29/03/2023 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY LLANGOLLEN

O/S GARDD GERRIG TO THE TOWER TOWER ROAD 24/04/2023 19/05/2023 Gwaith Nwy / Gas Works WALES & WEST (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

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


Free school meal information for parents and guardians

Denbighshire County Council has welcomed news that the Welsh Government are continuing to make funding available to make free school meal payments for eligible pupils for the Easter and Whitsun school holidays, in response to the cost of living crisis.

This will enable the council to make arrangements for these payments to be made for the forthcoming Easter holidays (3rd April to 14th April), Whitsun week (29th May to 2nd June) together with the May Bank Holiday and the Coronation Bank Holiday.

Parents / guardians are being informed that the payments will be made based on eligibility for Free School Meals. The payment for the Easter holidays will be made on the 3rd April.

This is completely separate to the roll out of Universal Primary Free School Meals which has seen Reception age children and Year 1 pupils being able to access free meals this school term.

Councillor Gill German, Cabinet Lead Member for Education, Children and Families, said: “We welcome this announcement of the extension of this funding as it will provide further reassurance to some families, given the cost-of-living crisis. We want to make sure all children receive a proper meal and this payment, made directly into bank accounts of eligible parents automatically, will help with this cost.”

* For more information go to: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/education-and-schools/grants-and-funding/free-school-meals.aspx

Friday, March 24, 2023

RAFA Club features in national magazine profile

Llangollen RAFA Club has featured in an RAF national news magazine ahead of its sold out ABBA Tribute concert this weekend. 

The profile on the club, which also recently had a disability ramp installed for wheelchair access to its outside green, is below:



Stage groups unite in show for earthquake survivors

For the first time ever three of Llangollen’s most popular amateur stage groups are joining forces to present an all-star variety and music hall show to raise funds for the earthquake victims of Turkey and Syria.

Llangollen Operatic Society, Llangollen Twenty Club and The Collen Players are combining their considerable talents to stage Llangollen on Show for Turkey and Syria at Llangollen Town Hall over two nights on Thursday and Friday May 11 and 12.

All proceeds will go to support the Disaster Emergency Committee in which 15 of the UK’s top charities have come together to supply a lifeline to thousands of survivors of the earthquake which devastated southern and central Turkey and northern and western Syria on February 6.

Organisers say it will also be the perfect way to celebrate the coronation of King Charles III which will have taken place the previous weekend. 

The Llangollen entertainers have spent months planning for the big show which will see each of the groups involved showcasing their skills to audiences of up 250 on each of the two performances.

The Operatic, an all-singing and dancing outfit, will perform numbers from the smash-hit shows Hamilton, Six, Oliver Les Miserables and Half a Sixpence,  while the Twenty Club drama group will present comedy sketches – some specially written for the occasion – based on their hilarious past hits such as Blackadder and Absolutely Fabulous.

The Collen Players plan to provide a taste of the rip-roaring Victorian music hall shows for which they have rapidly become famous, with their founder, Lee Taylor, acting as chairman for the show, which starts each night at 7.30pm. 

There will be a bar and prize raffle on both nights and a number of local businesses have pledged their financial support.

Tracey Kempster Jones, one of the show’s organisers, said: “Llangollen is famously bursting with entertainment talent and this will be a historic occasion because never before have all three of Llangollen’s main stage groups come together to put on such a show.

“Almost as soon as all of us heard about the dreadful earthquake in Turkey and Syria we know we had to do something.

“Each of the groups taking part will be presenting an act based around their particular speciality, be it something from their past musical productions from the Operatic, selections of the stage comedies which the Twenty Club does so well, or the rousing sing-along material with which The Collen Players please their audiences.

“We’ve had some really dedicated people working on the show, both on stage and behind the scenes, and we’re counting on our respective regular audiences and others to come along to support this fantastic cause and have a great night into the bargain.”

* Tickets for the show, priced at £12 (no concessions) are available online at www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety, or from Courtyard Books, Llangollen, and the Llangollen Oggie Shop in Caste Street or on the door on the night. Demand is expected to be such that organisers advise on booking early.           

New look for Llangollen's Riverside Park



* The new-look mini golf area.

Development work will give Llangollen’s Riverside Park a refreshing new look.

Contractors are working on a raft of new features for the site. 

The work has been made possible through the Welsh Government’s Brilliant Basics funding round for 2022/23 that is available to enhance parks and recreational spaces.

Brilliant Basics is a fund to deliver basic small-scale tourism infrastructure improvements across all of Wales in order to ensure that all visitors have a positive and memorable experience throughout all aspects of their stay.

A new 9-hole bespoke mini golf is due to be finished end of March with holes representing places and features of interest within Llangollen and the Dee valley.  

This will include an active travel interpretation map for the area and replaces the old course at the site.

New play equipment for the 5-12 year old age range will be installed early April.  This will include multi-use climbing frame and basket swing.

Work is underway at the bandstand to install electricity power points to increase opportunities for entertainment along with seating block created in to the bank area for spectators.

Green infrastructure has been introduced sat the park with trees to create shade, wildflower planting and shrub planting around the park.  A green space area will be extended by introducing grass up to and around the blocked dragon area.  

Paul Evans, Plas Newydd site manager, said: “While planning this work, we worked closely with Llangollen Fringe along with Llangollen Parks Community group and  Llangollen Town Council, who both provided some of the match funding towards the project. 

"We look forward to all works being complete very soon.”

Cllr Win-Mullen James, Lead Member for Local Development and Planning, said: “It is great to see this work underway at the Riverside Park and I look forward to seeing people enjoying the end result. I am also pleased to see the green environmental work taking place alongside a fantastic new play area for youngsters.”

Thursday, March 23, 2023

Hard-hitting crime drama gives Llangollen pupils taste of justice



Iwan Garmon from Theatr Clwyd as  'Darren' the defendant is led into court watched by Ysgol Dinas Bran pupils. 


* 'Darren' faces justice in the shape of with 
Celia Jenkins as the magistrate. 


* Pupils hear the story of 'Darren' and his mum 'Caitlin' played by Georgia Griffiths.

A teenager groomed by a vicious county lines gang to become a drugs supplier has been sentenced to 18 months in youth custody.

Magistrates heard the 16-year-old called Darren was forced to sell illegal drugs after he started taking drugs himself and fell into debt.

He was caught when he was seen passing drugs to another person at a party and was arrested. Police officers found him to be in possession of MDMA or Ecstasy, a Class A controlled drug.

When he appeared before Wrexham Magistrates Court he pleaded guilty to a charge of possessing drugs with intent to supply. The youngster also admitted possessing a bladed article, a knife.

There were emotional scenes at the court as Darren was led away to begin his sentence.

But although based on real events, this was actually a drama workshop organised as part of the pioneering Justice in a Day project and 'Darren' was actually actor called Iwan Garmon.

It was organised by the North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT) with the aim of giving young people a taste of how the criminal justice system works and the devastating effect crime can have on families and the community.

The day-long workshop, created by actors and creatives at Mold-based Theatr Clwyd, was attended by 40 Year 10 students from Ysgol Dinas Bran in Llangollen as part of their BTEC in Public Service course. 

PACT project manager Dave Evans said the aim is to give young people a taste of how the criminal justice system works and the devastating effect crime can have on families and the community.

He said: "The purpose is to educate young people about the criminal justice system and the consequences of crime. In addition it helps prevent them becoming offenders and equally importantly the victims of crime.

"The feedback we have had from schools and some of the case studies we've done with young people over the years and how they've benefitted from the workshops has been quite profound."

He added the scenario presented during the day-long course was nothing like how crime is portrayed on television and elsewhere.

"This is absolute real life," said Dave.

Real life magistrate Celia Jenkins told the students the project aims to get the message across to young people that crime "really isn't worth it"

She said she became a magistrate about 20 years ago and now sits on the bench about once a week hearing all manner of cases.

Answering questions from the youngsters, she said: "Every case starts in the Magistrates Court. Some are so  serious we have to send them to  Crown Court but we deal with all manner of cases. Some of the worst ones I have dealt with have involved young people."

Pupil Jasmine Wright, 15, sat alongside Ms Jenkins and played the role of a magistrate in the workshop.

She said: "I've learned a lot about how the justice system works and the difference between adult and youth courts.  More time is spent on youth justice so they don't do it (offend) again.

Her classmate Bradley Richards said: "I knew a few things about the justice system before but didn't know the things the court took into account which is to try and help the offender."

Megan Bowen, also 15, added the course could lead to her becoming part of law enforcement at some point in the future.

"I've had my eyes on becoming a police officer and maybe I'll look into it a bit more," she said.

Another Ysgol Dinas Bran student, Emily Curtis, 15, said. "The best part of today was being in the courtroom, just sitting there listening and seeing what happens and how they get sentenced and how the whole system works."

Written and directed by Emyr John, Theatr Clwyd's creative engagement associate and the son of a former North Wales Police Superintendent, he said Justice in a Day was created to help educate young people about the consequences of crime.

He said: "The actors tell the story. Students decide what they think the sentence should be but we have a real magistrate to deliver what was the actual sentence and explain why the court came to the decision it did.

"Darren is sent into youth detention for 18 months and we look at what happens and his experiences while locked up.

"It's about talking to young people in a way they can understand and in their own language. It also helps explain what can happen if they get involved in crime and how it affects not just them but their whole family and friends."

Among those present was North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin. He said the scenario was typical of the threat posed to young people by criminal gangs.

"The Justice in a Day project is an ideal way to teach young people all about how the justice system works and how committing criminal offences can destroy the lives of victims and offenders.

"It's really important that we educate our children but you have to get the presentation right and all credit to the actors here from Theatr Clwyd who have pitched it at just the right level.

"The young people here today are really getting involved and all the knowledge that's being shared raises their awareness of what could happen to them in a way we couldn't do in a classroom setting."