Ambulance service brings in new type of pain relief

The Welsh Ambulance Service has introduced a new type of emergency pain relief for patients.

Methoxyflurane, or Penthrox, is a fast-acting drug used to reduce pain in patients with a traumatic injury like a fracture, dislocation, severe laceration or burns.

The inhaled analgesic can be administered by all grades of clinicians, including Paramedics, Emergency Medical Technicians and Urgent Care Assistants.

Volunteer Community First Responders are also being trained to administer the drug in a UK ambulance service first.

Paula Jeffery, Consultant Paramedic for the Trust, said: “We are committed to delivering the very best care to patients, and Penthrox is another tool in our drug box to do this. 

“The nature of trauma means that patients can present in extreme pain, so rapid and effective pain relief is an important part of making them more comfortable.

“Penthrox is also self-administered by patients (under supervision), which enables the crew to focus on delivering treatment and taking patients promptly to hospital.”

Ambulance crews have undergone training to enable them to administer the drug, which began rollout earlier this month. 

Community First Responders are expected to start administering Penthrox from next week.

Andy Swinburn, Director of Paramedicine, said: “We’re delighted to have introduced Penthrox into our suite of pain-relieving drugs, which are undeniably important in the pre-hospital setting.

“Community First Responders in particular – who are often at scene with patients for some time before an ambulance arrives, such are the pressures on the service – have been asking for a long time for the ability to administer pain relief, and now they can.” 

Community First Responders are volunteers who attend 999 calls in their community and administer first aid in the precious first minutes before an ambulance arrives.

They are trained by the Welsh Ambulance Service to deliver CPR and defibrillation at cardiac arrests, as well as first aid and other skills at a broader range of medical emergencies.

Lee Brooks, Executive Director of Operations, said: “Volunteering at the Welsh Ambulance Service has come a long way, particularly in the last few years, and we place high value on the contribution of our volunteers.

“Having observed volunteers first-hand, it was an ambition to increase effective treatments that could be safely administered via a Community First Responder.

“I am optimistic that patients will be better supported now this is an option for our people.

“It’s why we’re delighted that our trained volunteers can now administer pain relief, improving not only the experience of patients but of volunteers too.”

Stage groups join forces for spectacular charity concert

 

* A scene from Ab Fab. Picture: Jeanette Robinson.

Using the most tuneful, colourful and downright hilarious bits from their own smash-hit shows – along with some fresh new material - all three of the town’s top stage groups are currently teaming up for the first time ever to present the brilliant Llangollen on Show at the Town Hall.

Last night’s opening performance of the history-making variety and music hall compendium was a real belter with an amazing range of talent on parade courtesy of the Operatic Society, the Twenty Club and the Collen Players.

Both the ensemble numbers and the soloists had the audience singing heartily along.   

And there’s still time to catch the second of the two shows, this evening at 7.30pm.

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.

* Twenty Club's First World War comedy sketch.

Kicking off the show in fine style is a strong Twenty Club cast with their take on a rather famous TV comedy show set, in this instance, during the First World War but which has meandered through various periods of history over the decades. And some cracking lines have the audience in tucks.

Next up comes for the Collen Players comes a powerful solo slot from Shea Ferron, fresh from his triumph as part of the John’s Boys male chorus on Britain’s Got Talent. His version of It’s Hard to Speak My Heart from the musical Parade has all the warmth and feeling for which this talented young performer has rapidly become noted.

* Shea Ferron.

A team from the Operatic brings us a fast-paced medley showcasing their singing and dancing expertise from the West End hit Six, which is based on the many wives of Henry VIII.

* We're Six! Picture: Jeanette Robinson.

Collen Players take the spotlight again with Phil Robinson doing the rousing Victorian music hall honours with a daring ditties entitled The Spaniard That Blighted My Life and Champagne Charlie.

With a voice that glitters as much as her costume Esme Sallnow from the Collen Players next does the high-stepping standard Putting on the Ritz.

* Top hat trio - Gethin Davies, Esme Sallnow and Phil Robinson. Picture: Jeanette Robinson.

The Operatic stay with their big show theme by filling the stage with the joyous tones of Flash Bang Wallop from Half a Sixpence before Twenty Club take take another turn with some clever jokes inspired by TV comedy show The Vicar of Dibley.  

* Flash, Bank Wallop What a Picture. 

The Operatic come back in force to round off the first act with the memorably rumbustious Master of the House from the Les Miserables musical. 

* Master of the House.

The Operatic also open act two with another sing-along number, the high-tempo Oom Pah Pah from Oliver.

Esme Sallnow returns for her second slot for the Collen Players, presenting Lili Marlene, the plaintive soldier’s song famously popular on both sides of the lines during World War Two.

* Oom Pah Pah.

Twenty Club’s next contribution is the Three Queens, a clever interplay of words between the monarchs Elizabeth 1, Victoria and Elizabeth II – with cheeky asides from the late Prince Philip – specially written for this show by Ian Wright.

We head back to good old music hall days for the second appearance by Shea Ferron for the Collen Players with the clever little piece She Was One of the Early Birds.

* Three Queens. Picture: Jeanette Robinson.

Then for something completely different – because that’s the very nature of variety – Twenty Club return with their own absolutely hilarious take on Ab Fabs.

And in another contrast of style it’s time for the dapper-suited Gethin Davies to perform two wonderfully intricate comic songs by the ingenious duo Flanders and Swann, namely Have Some Madeira M’Dear and the Hippopatamus Song.

This is followed by a second dotty sketch routine inspired by The Vicar of Dibley from the versatile Twenty Club.

* Vicar of Dibley sketch. Picture: Mike Jones.

There’s nothing like finishing on a big and breezy song-and-dance number and they don’t come much bigger and breezier than the Lambeth Walk from the musical Me and My Girl, presented with gusto by the Operatic joined by a strong contingent from their Young ‘Uns junior section.

* The Lambeth Walk.

Binding the whole show together with his witty introductions and asides in the manner of the music hall chairmen of old is the Collen Players’ founder Lee Taylor.

* Chairman Lee Taylor. Picture: Mike Jones. 

He wraps up by inviting the entire cast back on stage to lead the audience in a couple of choruses of music hall finale favourite Down at the Old Bull and Bush.

Excellent live musical accompaniment is provided by the soloists by Jayne Belton and Eulanwy Davies on piano and Steve Lloyd on percussion.

Much credit must also go to the large production team who have spent many hours ensuring the smooth running of the show. This includes Pamela Williams, Tracey Jones, Chrissie Ashworth, Caroline Anthonisz, Jayne Belton, Sian Glynne-Jones, Malcolm Potter, Mike Jones, Lee Taylor and Leigh Mason, James Barber. 

It all adds up to a fine night of entertainment offering three highly polished performances, in very differing styles, for the price of one - and in a great cause. You’ll be sorry if you miss it!

* Tickets for tonight's 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.

Local Senedd Member takes over as Plaid interim leader

* Llyr Gruffydd MS.

Llyr Gruffydd, who represents this area in the Senedd, will take over as interim leader of Plaid Cymru following the resignation of Adam Price, the BBC is reporting.

Mr Gruffydd says he will not stand in the forthcoming leadership contest.

His appointment was agreed at a meeting of the party's Senedd members on Thursday morning.

It will need to be rubber-stamped by the party's National Council on Saturday.

Mr Price quit followed months of difficulties in Plaid including allegations of a sexual assault and a toxic working culture and a week after a report found misogyny, harassment and bullying in the party.

In his resignation letter, he said he no longer had the "united support" of his colleagues.

Mr Price said he had wanted to resign in the wake of the report's findings, but was initially persuaded not to quit.

"You have my personal assurance that I will continue to serve my country, my constituents and our party with determination and enthusiasm," he said in a letter to party chairman Marc Jones.

MP says he was honoured to be Coronation guest

* Simon Baynes MP with Penny Mordaunt MP after the Coronation.

Clwyd Simon Baynes MP says he was honoured to represent his constituency at the Coronation of  King Charles III and Queen Camilla at Westminster Abbey last Saturday, having been successful in the ballot for 25 MPs to attend.

Mr Baynes and other MPs were seated high up in the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries, so they did not have a direct view of the service, but television screens in the gallery enabled them to watch all the proceedings.

After the Coronation, Mr Baynes had the opportunity to speak with BBC presenter Huw Edwards who was providing commentary from a nearby location. 

He says he also had the pleasure of speaking with Rt Hon Penny Mordaunt MP after the service whom he, like many others, described as "magnificent" in her role as Lord President of the Council carrying the Sword of State.

Mr Baynes said: “I was deeply honoured to represent my constituency of Clwyd South at the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and Queen on Saturday. 

"The ceremony was a magnificent and moving event with beautiful music, much of it composed for the occasion, which conveyed poignantly the deeply spiritual nature of the Coronation as King Charles III pledged to serve and protect his people.

“It was wonderful to see people from all over the country coming together to celebrate this historic moment. I am grateful to everyone involved in making this day so special and enjoyable for us all whether in the Abbey or watching on television at home. It was an experience that I will cherish for years to come.”

Find your past with your Llangollen library

Libraries around Denbighshire are giving their members the opportunity to take a look into their past through Find My Past and Ancestry. 

Access to these services is free and allow people to investigate their family background and hear the stories of generations past. 

Both services are easy to use on one of the library’s computers, and only a library card and PIN are needed to get started. The 1921 Census data is also available through the Find my Past service. 

As well as personal history, each library in the county has a section dedicated to local history books, allowing a peek into the past of the local area. 

Libraries also host meetings by local history groups, book launches and talks. 

Councillor Emrys Wynne, Lead Member for Welsh Language, Culture & Heritage said: “This service offered by our libraries is a brilliant way for people to find out more about their personal history and family tree. It is great that our libraries can offer these family history mapping software services to their members so that they can discover more about their personal history.

"Library members can also explore the history of their local area, with a wide selection of area specific books available at many of our libraries."

* For more information on the library service, please go to: https://www.denbighshire.gov.uk/en/leisure-and-tourism/libraries/libraries.aspx

Llangollen bids to be age and dementia friendly

* Llangollen Town Hall where the film will be screened on May 18.

A group of people are pursuing official Age and Dementia Friendly status for Llangollen. 

The scheme is currently administered by Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council and local bidders say they need to meet a number of criteria to gain recognition.  

They say: "We started the process before Covid but of course everything was put on hold but we have managed to set up a working group.  

"We are open to ideas from people living with dementia or carers and would be delighted to welcome anyone who wants to contribute.

"On Thursday May 18 we are screening the documentary film The World Upside Down in the council chamber in Llangollen Town Hall in Parade Street, starting at 1.30pm.  

"It is a new innovative film about dementia and communication.  Following the film there will be tea and coffee and an opportunity for discussion of the film’s main themes."

To book a place follow bit.ly/World_Turned_Upside_Down_LLANGOLLEN_1805 or email Becky at: engagement@dvsc.co.ouk or on 01824 702441.

* If you want to know more about Age and Dementia Llangollen or advice on support with dementia, Denbighshire Social Services are organising a drop-in coffee session in the Town Hall on Friday May 19, from10.30am to 1.30pm.

 

A mean machine with a feeble name!

Honda Civic drive by Steve Rogers

This is not going to go down well with everyone but I am putting it out there anyway.

It is time to give Civic a new name.

It might have suited the family hatchback of the nineties but look at it, this is a mean machine with a feeble name. Call it something that packs a punch.

There, I’ve said it, now let’s back to the usual stuff.

Hard to believe Civic is 51 years old and this is the 11th generation. Thinking about it a good time to switch names would have been 2006 when Honda shocked the motoring world with a bold new look, the Civic with the Knight Rider headlights and space age dashboard.

The design of the new model is bang on the money but the main emphasis has changed from racey looks to hybrid engine efficiency, high end technology and more safety aids.

The new infotainment system, complete with Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, is easier to use with sharper graphics, while the Garmin navigation, a bit of a pain on the old model, is now clearer and more detailed.

The real tech fest centres around the driver’s binnacle, now fully digital with a ‘pick a display’ feature. I usually switch off the lane departure alert but left it on because of the new graphics.

They amount to a tiny car sitting between two lines denoting a lane. Move outside the lane and the lines turn from green to orange as a visual warning. But the best bit is a graphic showing a car or lorry overtaking. Little things obviously please my little mind...

Tweaks to Civic’s body styling are best seen from the side. The roofline has been lowered and has a longer coupe style curve to the tailgate which is a new resin construction saving weight.

All this suggests a cramped, dark cabin, particularly in the back, yet it is anything but with generous legroom and plenty of light thanks to more glass. The lower roof is said not to affect headroom but that depends on the height of the passengers. My son is just under six feet and his head was brushing the headlining.

The roomy cabin extends to the boot, only bettered by the Skoda Octavia, so all in all Civic is a good alternative to an SUV.

Up front is classy without being overcomplicated, the standout feature a slim honeycomb grille hiding the ventilation outlets with mini joy sticks to direct the air. The textures and finishes have a quality feel and the centre console and door cards are coated in a scratch and fingerprint resistant finish. Could do with some of that on my car.

Main functions, apart from chunky switches for heating, are stored in a central nine inch touchscreen.

Civic is now hybrid only with a 2-litre petrol engine supported by two electric motors providing short stints on electric only driving at low speeds and occasionally when cruising. This should be good for an average in the mid fifties although I managed an impressive 60mpg on a 340 mile round trip. The only car to better that in the last few months is Civic’s big rival, the Toyota Corolla.

Performance is pacey with the best mid range pick up of any car in its class. Select sport mode and you will get a fake computer generated exhaust rap which some would say is silly, but brought a smile to my face and made me use it again....and again.

Matching the performance is cracking handling, well this is a watered down version of the magnificent Civic Type R so we should expect little else. Steering is nicely weighted and precise, it keeps flat through bends and the suspension, overly hard on previous Civics, is now perfectly damped making for a comfortable yet sporty ride.

The only negative note is more road rumble than expected, but that could be down to the rubber on the 18 inch low profile wheels. Things are probably a touch quieter on the entry model’s 17 inch rims.

Is this the best Civic to date? Undoubtedly yes, not the cheapest hatchback in its class, but given the generous equipment level across the range, safety features and efficiency, it is worth the money.

As for the Civic name, remember that when Honda decides to change it they got the idea from Llanblogger!

Is that a pig flying over Castell Dinas Bran...

Fast Facts

Civic e-HEV Advance

£36,470 (starts £31,040)

2-litre petrol, 184bhp

0-62mph 8.1secs; 112mph

56.6mpg combined

114g/km. 1st tax £185

Boot: 404-1187 litres

Insurance group 28