Latest local roadworks alert from one.network is:
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Barbers Hill, Llangollen, Denbighshire 12 June - 30
June Delays
likely - Diversion route Name: Diversion Location:
Barbers Hill Description:
Streetworks / License - Streetworks Responsibility
for event: Denbighshire County Council Current
status: Planned |
* With the cheque for the £4,700 show proceeds are, from left, Lee Taylor of the Collen Players, Sian Glynne-Jones of Llangollen Twenty Club and Caroline Anthonisz of Llangollen Operatic Society and The Young ‘Uns.
The all-star variety and old time music hall show staged by three
of Llangollen’s performance groups last month raised a staggering £4,700 for
earthquake survivors in Turkey and Syria.
For the first time ever Llangollen Operatic Society,
Llangollen Twenty Club and The Collen Players joined forces to present the big
show at Llangollen Town Hall over two nights on May 11 and 12.
The healthy proceeds, which came from tickets, raffle
tickets and other donations, will all 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.
The Llangollen entertainers spent months planning the
show which saw each of the groups involved showcasing their skills to packed
audiences.
The Operatic, drawing a large contingent from its junior
section the Young ‘Uns, performed numbers from the smash-hit shows Hamilton,
Six, Oliver Les Miserables and Half a Sixpence,
while the Twenty Club drama group presented comedy sketches – some
specially written for the occasion – inspired by their past hits such as
Blackadder and Absolutely Fabulous.
The Collen Players provided a taste of the Victorian
music hall shows for which they have become famous, with their founder Lee
Taylor acting as chairman for the show.
There was prize raffle on both nights with prizes donated
by local businesses which also pledged their financial support.
Phil Robinson, a spokesperson for the organising team who
also performed on stage, said: “We are absolutely delighted to have raised so
much for this very worthy cause.
“The dreadful earthquakes which hit Turkey and Syria at
the start of this year have now dropped down the news agenda but the plight of
thousands of survivors who were left without homes or possessions is still very
real.
“Performers, musicians and back stage crew drawn from
each of the three groups were thrilled to be involved in the show and we had
two fantastic nights with packed audiences on both.
“We would like to say a massive thank you to everyone who came out to support our efforts. Since the show we’ve had lots of comments from people who saw it to say how much they enjoyed the show. Now I’m sure they’ll be as happy as we are to see how much we were able to raise.
"We would also like to thank our sponsors Chip-o-Dee in Wrexham, Proximo, Britannia Movers, Kinderkey and also Llangollen Town Council for its support."
Funds are up for grabs to support educational projects in Denbighshire.
The Community Endowment Fund is looking for applications from:
Denbighshire Community Endowment Fund: http://communityfoundationwales.org.uk/.../denbighshire
Education Fund for Denbigh and Surrounding Areas: http://communityfoundationwales.org.uk/.../education-fund
Or contact the Community Foundation in Wales, on 02920 379580 or e-mail: grants@communityfoundationwales.org.uk
Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice is:
Q: We’ve booked a package holiday to Spain. It’s our first time booking this sort of getaway, and a friend recently had a terrible experience when things went wrong on a similar trip. What sort of help is available if something does go wrong?
A: Hopefully you’ll have a lovely time but if something does go wrong with your package holiday, the Citizens Advice website has lots of information about what to do if something goes wrong with your holiday and what compensation you may be eligible for.
Firstly, tell the company or travel agent you booked with as soon as possible. This way you’re more likely to be able to get it sorted quicker. If you don’t say anything until you get home, you might get less or no compensation at all.
If the holiday you went on turned out to be lower in value than the one you originally booked you can make a claim for ‘loss of value’. For example you paid for a deluxe room but only got a standard one, if it wasn't sorted out at the time you can claim back the difference in value.
You can also claim compensation for any extra money you have to spend while away, for example the hotel was a bus ride away from the beach rather than across the road as advertised. This is called claiming for ‘out-of-pocket expenses’. If this does happen make sure you keep all your receipts for things like bus journeys.
If big parts of the trip you booked didn’t happen or services weren’t provided, for example a planned two-day excursion was cancelled and no alternative was organised, you can make a claim for ‘loss of enjoyment’. You can also make this claim if something happens that causes you distress or disappointment, such as the pool was closed for the whole trip.
It’s worth noting that there’s no there’s no strict guidance on how much you can claim for loss of enjoyment but any claim you make must be reasonable. You can’t get compensation if you simply didn’t enjoy the holiday or if the problem was out of the holiday company’s control - like bad weather.
Check the information you received when you made the booking to see what you’re supposed to get. If you don’t get the service you’ve been promised, you may be entitled to compensation for breach of contract. You might also be able to claim from your travel insurance – check if your policy covers this.
If you’re still not sure what to do, call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline 0808 223 1133 or talk to an adviser online through the Citizens Advice website.
Preparations for the 2023 Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod are getting well underway with the fixing up of the international flags on the town bridge this morning (Thursday).
Workmen used a high-lift cherry picker to fix the flags to the poles and also put up the bunting which traditionally lines the bridge.
Guy Barker’s Big Band will take the stage at Llangollen as part of a high quality series of concerts which kick-off on the Tuesday evening, July 4, with Eisteddfod favourite Alfie Boe who joins forces with musical theatre super-group, Welsh of the West End.
Wednesday will see The White Flower: Into The Light, a concert of remembrance for the fallen of Sarajevo and Ukraine, featuring the NEW Sinfonia orchestra with soloists from Bosnia, Wales and Ukraine, with works including extracts from Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man culminating in the Eisteddfod’s traditional message of peace and hope for the future of all nations
The popular procession of international participants and celebration of peace takes place on Thursday, followed by Flight, a new theatrical work by visionary artists Propellor Ensemble, inspired by migratory patterns in nature and humanity.
Saturday features the blue riband event, the Choir of the World competition for the coveted Pavarotti Trophy, and also Dance Champions and the Pendine International Voice of the Future 2023.
There is a new look to the final day of the Eisteddfod on Sunday with an all new live final which sees rising vocal stars battle it out to claim the title Voice of Musical Theatre, and a new song-writing competition for emerging voices in contemporary popular music.
On the field, community bands, brass, silver, wind, compete, and audiences can choose their winner of the new Eisteddfod Dance Off.
As well as the concerts, each day features a full programme of competitions in the Pavilion and a line-up of stalls and exhibitions on the field along with the competitors from around the world, many in colourful dress while three open-air stages run a stream of live performances.
There will also be lots of entertainment on the outside site including workshops, talks, international showcases, outdoor theatre performances and circus skills.
* For tickets or for more on Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and its competitions and concerts as well as how to get to it and where to stay go to www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk or check out www.facebook.com/llangollen
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At yesterday's Prime Minister’s Questions, Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes celebrated the recent Britain’s Got Talent performance of Rhos-based choir, the Johns’ Boys Male Chorus.
He asked the Deputy Prime Minister, Oliver Dowden MP, to join
him in congratulating the choir on their magnificent performance as well as the
work of other community choirs in Clwyd South and across the UK who bring
pleasure to singers and audiences alike.
Mr Dowden congratulated Johns’ Boys on their success in BGT, noting that choral music is one of the UK’s greatest contributions to global culture.
He praised the "fantastic achievement" of the choir in reaching the semi-final of the competition commenting that
he is sure Johns’ Boys will continue to entertain and engage communities for
many years to come.
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Speaking at Prime Ministers Questions, Mr Baynes had said: “Wales is the land of song and there is no better example of this than Johns’ Boys Male Chorus from Rhos in Clwyd South who have performed magnificently in the recent series of Britain’s Got Talent, moving Bruno Tonioli and the other judges to tears.
"Would the Deputy Prime Minister join with me in congratulating the choir and also the many community choirs in Clwyd South and across the UK who bring such pleasure to the singers and audiences alike?”
The Deputy Prime Minister responded: “Choral music is possibly one of our greatest contributions to global culture and really do join my Honourable Friend in congratulating Johns’ Boys Male Chorus for their fantastic achievement in reaching the semi-final of Britain’s Got Talent and I’m sure they will continue to entertain and engage communities for many years to come.”
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A North Wales MS has called on the region’s troubled health board to publish a ‘sobering’ report into its accounting issues.
Speaking in a Senedd debate about Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) yesterday, Clwyd South MS Ken Skates (pictured) said the Ernst & Young report ‘has caused enormous interest in north Wales and has undoubtedly further damaged public trust in the organisation’.
BCUHB is currently seeking legal advice over publication. Mr Skates said it should be a case of ‘when’ and not ‘if’ – and believes BCUHB has a duty to rebuild public trust.
He told the Senedd: “Firstly, we should recognise that NHS staff in north Wales, as across the whole of the United Kingdom, do amazing work each and every day. As others have already said, the health board in north Wales is in special measures, but so too are more than 20 health boards in England, I believe, and that can be in no small part due to pressures resulting from years of austerity.
“But the designation of special measures status should not undermine our support or commitment to the NHS. Surely it’s those American health insurance companies and private health providers who are most excited and gleeful about so many English health boards, along with Betsi Cadwaladr, being in special measures. I believe that nobody in this Chamber wants them to realise their ambitions and take apart our precious NHS.
“The Ernst & Young report has caused enormous interest in north Wales, and information emerging from it has undoubtedly further damaged public trust in the organisation.
“The report is owned by the board, and the board must rebuild public trust in the organisation. To build trust, you must provide the truth and be transparent. The board should not be asking for legal advice over whether to publish the report, but instead seek legal advice over when and in what form it should be published, in a form and at a point that will not prejudice any disciplinary action that may have been initiated or may yet be initiated.
“Finally, I’d also urge the board to publish the legal advice it received, so the public can enjoy maximum transparency.”
Health Minister Eluned Morgan said: “The audit committee of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board, on advice from the Welsh Government, commissioned Ernst & Young to undertake a forensic review of accounting management after Audit Wales qualified the health board’s accounts for 2021-22 and identified internal control failures.
“This was not our report, so I can’t ask for it to be published. This report was commissioned by the health board, so any decision to publish any or all of the report is a matter for the health board.”
Ms Morgan said that if the legal advice to BCUHB is to publish the report ‘in full or in part, that is what they will do’.
She added: “The report makes very sobering reading, and sets out some really serious failings in financial control at the health board. It did not find any evidence that anyone has personally benefited from these actions, but it did amount to extremely poor accounting practices. I have received assurances from the interim chair and interim chief executive that the health board has developed, and is implementing, a financial control action plan that responds to the issues raised in the EY report and Audit Wales findings.”
The Minister said her department is working closely with the health board on the development of a financial governance and management action plan as part of the special measures framework.
She added: “North Wales Police has yet to confirm whether it considers there are grounds to launch an investigation into claims made in the report. I know the police have had early discussions with NHS counter-fraud service and the health board and that the health board is co-operating. I would expect them to act in a transparent and honest manner, should the police decide to investigate.”
