County libraries launch new tablet and Chromebook loan scheme

Denbighshire Libraries have launched a device loan scheme which will enable library members across the County to borrow a tablet or Chromebook from their local library, just like they would borrow a book.

Many services have now moved online, from banking and shopping to universal credit and applying for a bus pass, and the library service want to help residents access the online world and experience the benefits of being connected.

Using a tablet, Chromebook or smartphone also opens up the digital library service to the user, allowing library members to download books, audiobooks, newspapers and magazines 24/7.

The devices will be supplied with internet access and online courses are available if people want to learn more about the devices and services they are using, to help build their digital skills.

The County Library Service is also part of the National Databank, which offers free sim cards and data to people who are living in data poverty.

People who have access to a smartphone but are struggling to pay for internet access should contact their local library for more information.

Councillor Emrys Wynne, Lead Member for Welsh Language, Culture & Heritage said:

“This new device loan service will help people to get online and not be left behind in the digital world. I am delighted to see yet another new initiative by our libraries to support our local communities and to make sure everyone is connected.”

* For further information about the new device loan service please contact your local library.

Fringe unveils its full 2023 line-up

 * Alogte Oho and his Sounds of Joy will bring a joyful energy to the festival. 

The 26th Llangollen Fringe Festival is set to take place from July 7-15th featuring an exciting range of shows that aims to showcase the best of comedy, music, dance, workshops, and more. 

The festival has now announced a new wave of artists to join the already impressive line-up.

Headlining acts such as Henge, Half Man Half Biscuit, Mr. Scruff, Hang Massive, and Ibibio Sound Machine are already set to perform, and now festival-goers can look forward to new headlining artists including Vrï and Alogte Oho and his Sounds of Joy.

Vrï, who were the winners of the 2023 Wales Folk Music Awards for Best Instrumental Track and Best Album, will bring their contemporary approach to traditional music to the festival.

* Vrï were the winners of the 2023 Wales Folk Music Awards for Best Instrumental Track and Best Album. Picture: Jennie Caldwell.

The trio have unearthed long-lost nuggets that shed a new light on a vibrant folk tradition that harnesses the raw energy of the fiddle with the finesse of the violin, the beauty of chamber music with the joy and hedonism of a pub session.

Meanwhile, Alogte Oho and his Sounds of Joy will be bringing a joyful energy to the festival. 

The Ghanaian band is known for their fusion of traditional African rhythms and modern influences, and they will be accompanied by their cheerful choir, The Sounds of Joy. Alogte and his band are sure to take festival-goers on a musical journey of West African song and dance that will put a smile on everyone's face.

"We are thrilled to welcome Vrï and Alogte Oho and his Sounds of Joy to the Llangollen Fringe Festival lineup," said Neal Thompson, Artistic Director of the Llangollen Fringe. 

"We're always looking to bring new and exciting acts to Llangollen, and this year's festival is no exception. Both acts bring a unique and exciting energy to their music, and we are confident that they will provide unforgettable performances for festival-goers."

Tickets for the festival are available now, including festival passes that provide access to all of the main events across the nine days.

"We wanted to make it as easy as possible for people to experience the full range of events at the festival," said Paul Keddie, Chairperson of the Fringe. 

"The festival pass is an incredible value and is an offer that can't be missed."

The festival pass costs £85 and is perfect for fans of comedy, music, dance, workshops and more. 

* Festival tickets and dates and times for all concerts and events are available from www.llangollenfringe.co.uk or by calling the Fringe box office: 0800 1455 779.

Llangollen Fringe Festival is supported by The Arts Council of Wales.

Search launched for Eisteddfod peace choir singers

 

* NEW Voices choir rehearsing with conductor Robert Guy.

A search has been launched for singers from across North Wales to join a massed choir of 200 voices to call for world peace.

The performance at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod will pay tribute to the thousands of men, women and children massacred in the 1990s war in Bosnia and shine a light on the desperate plight of those currently suffering in war-torn Ukraine.

The concert, called The White Flower: Into the Light, will be held at 8pm on Wednesday, July 5, just a few days before Srebrenica Memorial Day on July 11 to remember the 8,372 Bosnian Muslims who were massacred in in 1995.

The White Flower motif has been adopted as a symbol of remembrance in Srebrenica and the 11 petals of the flower represent the day the genocide began.

The theme of the concert was chosen to reflect the founding purpose of the Eisteddfod, an iconic event which was established in 1947 to promote peace in the aftermath of the Second World War.

It will feature extracts from the haunting mass for peace, The Armed Man, by renowned Welsh composer Karl Jenkins as a centrepiece of the programme.

Volunteers are needed to join the huge, specially formed choir, one of the biggest ever seen in North Wales.

They will be accompanied by the acclaimed NEW Sinfonia orchestra that will be making its debut headline appearance at Llangollen Eisteddfod.

NEW Sinfonia conductor Robert Guy has issued a call for singers of all ages  to sign up for the choir, with rehearsals due to get underway on May 13.

He said there will be no barriers to taking part in this stirring occasion, adding: “It is not restricted to those with previous concert singing experience. We are opening it up to all comers, all they need is a love of singing.”  

At the heart of the choir will be a group of keen amateur singers who belong to the hugely successful NEW Voices project already established by NEW Sinfonia.

Robert said: “It’s thanks to the huge success of our NEW Voices project that we already have a core group of enthusiastic amateur singers ready to step up and sing at Llangollen. But we need lots more singers, especially tenors and basses.

“We will need 200 voices in all so we are urging anyone with a passion for singing and a desire to take part in this momentous event to sign up quickly now.”

NEW Voices includes refugees who have settled in North Wales following conflicts or persecution in their own countries. They have found solace in singing together and made new friends through the common language of music.

Among them is a young Ukrainian conductor Polina Horelova who with her young family was forced to flee her home city of Mariupol after the Russians invaded and razed the city.

It is hoped Polina will conduct the traditional Ukrainian folk piece River Song during the concert of remembrance.

Robert added: “We are proud that NEW Voices comprises such a wide mix of musical abilities and a range of nationalities. We encompass singers from Wales, Ukraine, Iraq, Iran, Algeria and El Salvador, among other countries.

“For our White Flower: Into the Light programme we need sopranos, altos, tenors, basses and young voices too; we encourage everyone to come forward.

“There will be regular rehearsals so people need not fear that they are not good enough or lack confidence. We are here to guide them through the whole wonderful process.”

Rehearsals will be at two hubs, one in Tŷ Pawb community arts centre, Wrexham, and the other at St Asaph Parish Church. They meet on Saturday mornings from 10am-12 noon. There is also a facility for people to join rehearsals via Zoom video conferencing technology.

Llangollen Eisteddfod Executive Producer Camilla King said: “We have been thinking about doing something on this theme and scale for some time but it is only this year that the various strands have come together to create what promises to be a magical evening.

“It is heart-breaking to look back on the Bosnian war and realise that a whole cultural identity was under attack.

“As well as the relentless murdering of the population, its entire heritage was targeted, artworks destroyed and cultural icons demolished. Now just two decades later very similar monstrosities are happening in Ukraine right now.

“We wanted to put on a concert to highlight that humanity at its heart is so much better than this. We wanted to reflect the ethos of peace, friendship and cultural diversity which is at the very roots of the International Eisteddfod and is the reason why it was founded in the first place all those years ago in 1947.

“It will be a thought-provoking, contemplative evening but it will also be uplifting as it highlights important themes of hope, togetherness and overcoming division.”

Camilla added: “I am expecting demand for tickets will be high as there is no doubt in my mind that this will be a truly unforgettable evening. We invite everyone to come along and enjoy.”

* For more details about the concert at 8pm on Wednesday, July 5, visit: https://international-eisteddfod.co.uk/events/wednesday-evening/ and to sign up for the choir or get more information email at  voices@newsinfonia.org.uk and robert@newsinfonia.org.uk or call Robert Guy on 07725 050510.

Latest county council roadworks alerts

Latest roadworks alerts from Denbighshire County Council are:

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 05/05/2023 Gwaith Ar Wal Gynnal/ Retaining Wall Works DCC BRIDGES AND STRUCTURE LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Wrth / Nr DALMORE ABBEY ROAD 22/05/2023 24/05/2023 Gwaith BT/ BT Works

A542 Market St, Llangollen MARKET STREET 15/05/2023 17/05/2023 Gwaith Llinellu / Lining Works DCC WORKS UNIT

Parade St, llangollen PARADE STREET 15/05/2023 17/05/2023 Gwaith Llinellu / Lining Works DCC WORKS UNIT

Abbey Road ABBEY ROAD 19/06/2023 30/09/2023 Ailwynebu/ Resurfacing DCC WORKS UNIT. No traffic management to be on site 01/07/23 - 12/07/23 due to International Eisteddfod Confoi 10 mya/10 mph Convoy

A542 Chapel St, Llangollen CHAPEL STREET 15/05/2023 17/05/2023 Gwaith Llinellu / Lining Works DCC WORKS UNIT

Castle St, Llangollen CASTLE STREET 15/05/2023 17/05/2023 15/05/23 Road Lining/stop go DCC WORKS UNIT

Newbridge Road 'open before year-end' MS told

* Damage caused to the road by the 2021 storms. 

Wrexham Council still aims to have Newbridge Road reopened ‘before end of year’, the local Member of the Senedd has been told.

The road was shut as a result of a landslide caused by severe storms in February 2021, leaving motorists heading between Chirk and Cefn Mawr no alternative but to use a long diversion route.

Clwyd South MS Ken Skates has made repeated representations to the council on behalf of local residents, who have regularly voiced their frustration about the lack of progress and public updates.

It is now more than a year since the Welsh Government announced a £2.8m grant to repair and reopen the key local route following a campaign for funding by Mr Skates and local councillors Frank Hemmings and Derek Wright, who represent Chirk North and Cefn East respectively.

Wrexham Council said that while the current procurement phase is taking longer than expected, ‘we do not envisage this situation will have any significant impact on the overall project timelines’.

In an email to Mr Skates this week, the council said: “Currently we remain within the procurement phase of the Newbridge project, and although this is taking a little longer than initially envisaged the project team here has been actively engaged in associated accommodation works on those preparatory matters whilst procurement passes through the necessary commercial discussions.

The council’s invitation to tender for the design and build (D&B) contractor was uploaded to the Welsh Government’s Sell2Wales portal in mid-February, with five potential contractors identified.

“During the tender period contractors were able to ask questions relating to the technical and legal detail of the tender, this included a mid-tender ‘clinic’ attended by some of the above contractors,” the council’s update continued. “Responses to questions were uploaded onto the portal in accordance with the tendering process for all contractors to view.

“Following this, consideration has been given to how the terms of the future contract can be adapted to ensure the best outcome for the council, whilst offering an opportunity for the D&B contractor to submit a competitive bid and attracting their commercial interest.

“Much of the recent work on our procurement process has been centred on the apportionment of ‘risk’ in contract terms. This has been proving a difficult balance and one we need to manage through the detail of carefully. Whilst the revised tender process will slightly extend the procurement phase, the potential contractors have already had an opportunity to study the technical data so we do not envisage this situation will have any significant impact on the overall project timelines. We still aim to have road open before end of year.”

Mr Skates said: “The Welsh Government announced a grant of £2.8m to Wrexham Council for vital repairs to the B5605 at Newbridge in April 2022. The matter has been in the council's hands since, and I share residents' frustrations. I will continue to press the council to urgently reinstate this key route and to communicate regularly with the public over progress to keep local people informed.”

The council’s statement concluded: “Whilst this is a relatively small engineering project, there are technical difficulties in providing the solution. We are currently not forecasting any significant delays nor cost issues at this stage, but engaging and maintaining commercial interest is vital.

“In the meantime, preparatory works are progressing. Details have been finalised for progressing the various ecological surveys and licences required for the scheme. This survey work is scheduled to start during May with the reports and licencing finalised by mid-June. This will avoid any delay to the likely construction phase of the repair.”

MP speaks in Commons on Government support for families

* Simon Baynes MP speaks in the House of Commons debate.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes spoke in the House of Commons debate on the cost of living earlier this week. 

He welcomed the Government’s extended Cost of Living support which, he said, will mean 9,100 families in his constituency will receive £301 from the Government through the latest Cost of Living Payments beginning from this week and £900 in total for 2023-4. 

They would also receive the Government’s Disability Cost of Living Payment worth £150 again this year. This direct support was part of the Government’s £94 billion package of Cost of Living support.

Mr Baynes said that in addition to means-tested cost of living support, the Energy Price Guarantee was continuing to help keep household energy bills as low as possible – ensuring the typical family pays no more that £2,500 for their energy bills until the end of June this year.

During the debate Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said: “The best thing we can do to help people’s money go further is deliver on our priorities to halve inflation and grow the economy.

“But we’re also here to help people through these tough times, which is why we’re holding down energy bills, freezing fuel duty, increasing Universal Credit, and giving £900 payments to low income and vulnerable families - all in part funded through windfall taxes on energy profits.”

Commenting in the House of Commons, Mr Baynes said: “I am delighted that 9,100 families in Clwyd South will receive £301 from the Government as the latest cost of living payments begin to be sent out. This is part of a much larger programme by the Government to support vulnerable people in these difficult times.

"Indeed, the Cost of Living package to help the most vulnerable has been worth £94 billion. A key part of this is addressing inflation – we expect inflation to halve by the end of this year, so the issues that we have at the moment will mitigate themselves, and we will see inflation come down later in the year.”

Details announced of Corwen station official opening

Four days of special celebrations will mark the fanfare official opening of the new Corwen station during the first week of June.

A highlight will be the arrival of a special steam train carrying coachloads of VIPs along the line from Carrog to see the formal opening ceremony on Friday June 2. 

There will also be a public gala event, an intensive timetable of services hauled by steam, diesel and railcars over three days, special exhibitions and the unveiling of a special commemorative model.

The opening will bring passenger rail services back into the heart of Corwen after a break of many decades.

It also marks the culmination of years of hard work by volunteers and staff of Llangollen Railway, millions of pounds of investment and the triumph of the heritage attraction over the massive setbacks of liquidation and pandemic. 

The formal opening event on June 2 will be performed by Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill, chairman of both Network Rail and the Heritage Railway Association.

Trains that day are scheduled to be hauled by Kitson 0-4-0ST “Austin 1” – one of the original Llangollen Railway steam fleet - top and tailed with visiting Austerity No 68067. 

* Kitson 0-4-0ST 'Austin 1', one of the original Llangollen Railway steam fleet, will be on duty on June 2.

June 3 and 4 will see a two-day gala event when an intensive public timetable will operate a three-train service of steam, diesel and railcar workings, each train working two return trips to Corwen a day. 

Locomotives and railcars are expected to be drawn from Austerity 68067, Class 31 No 31271, Class 47 1566 and Classes 104, 108 & 109 DMU. 

A range of attractions are planned in Corwen including model railway layouts in the town's community centre and museum.

Liverpool Model Railway Society will be exhibiting a layout entitled Corwen Through the Ages in the community centre and there is a 4mm scale model of sections of the Llangollen Railway in the museum. 

Dapol and Rails of Sheffield will also be making an announcement about a forthcoming new 4mm scale model that should be of great interest to both Llangollen Railway and GWR fans alike.

There will also be a display of heritage memorabilia in the Henry Robertson suite at Llangollen station across all four days of the event. 

A talk will be given on the evening of June 1 by renowned local archaeologist Fiona Gayle MBE entitled Denbigh, Ruthin & Corwen Railway in the Vale of Clwyd. Approximately 50 tickets at £5 each will be available. 

A vintage fire engine will also be on display at Llangollen station. 

LR Trust manager Tom Taylor said: “We are all tremendously excited at the prospect of seeing Corwen station opened for its first public trains. 

"This represents the culmination of many years of hard work by a small, but extremely dedicated team of volunteers. 

"We are all very proud of what they have achieved through some very challenging circumstances. We are also very grateful to all those who have supported the project financially, including grants from the Welsh Assembly and UK Governments. 

"Our local authorities and MPs have also supported us from the get-go. From June 3 all our services will be running to Corwen and we look forward to welcoming passengers, friends and volunteers to our superb new station as well as putting Corwen back on the railway map, where the town very much deserves to be."