Leaderlive is reporting this afternoon (Friday) that a woman has died following an incident at Chirk Aqueduct, police have confirmed.
Emergency services were called to the incident this morning.
Police said surrounding paths were closed and urged people to avoid the area.
* For the full story, see: Woman dies in incident at Chirk Aqueduct, police confirm | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk)
* Last year’s winner baritone Emyr Lloyd Jones.
Twenty-five of the
world’s finest young singers will be heading to North Wales to compete for a
prestigious international prize.
Entrants from five
continents will be battling for the title of Pendine International Voice of the
Future at the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.
It will be the first
full festival since before the Covid-19 pandemic and it all gets underway on Tuesday,
July 4, when thousands of international competitors will once again be flocking
to the Dee Valley town where “Wales meets the world”.
The Pendine
International Voice of the Future competition is celebrating its 10th
anniversary and is being sponsored by the arts-loving care organisation,
Pendine Park, via the Pendine Arts and Community Trust (PACT) which
supports cultural and community initiatives across Wales.
In the past decade the
contest has become one of the Eisteddfod's major highlights and Camilla King,
the festival’s executive producer, said the aim was to advance the careers of
the world’s most gifted young singers.
Last year’s winner,
baritone Emyr Lloyd Jones, from Bontnewydd, near Caernarfon, was dubbed the new
Bryn Terfel after his powerhouse performance.
He will be returning to
Llangollen to take part in a concert called The White Flower: Into the Light
where he will be sharing the stage with ‘Lleisiau Llan’, a massed choir of 200
voices brought together specially for this concert, and the NEW Sinfonia
orchestra.
Camilla King said: “The
Pendine International Voice of the Future has become a very popular competition
and the 43 entries we received this year is one of the highest number we've
ever had.
"The standard is
again very high, and although at the selection stage you can determine a
promising singer, hearing someone live is an altogether different and more
thrilling experience. We knew that Emyr (Lloyd Jones), last year's winner, was
talented we watched his application video, but seeing him on stage blew the
judges and the audience away.
"There’s something
about the human voice heard live, and witnessing someone’s stage presence which
you just can’t capture on film, and this is one of the things thatmakes this
competition so exciting," she said.
The selection panel
have whittled down the entrants to the 25 singers who hail from Wales and
Scotland as well as further afield from Canada, South Africa, China, Korea,
Australia and the Philippines.
They will have to
navigate a preliminary round on Thursday, July 6, and a semi-final the following
day before the final competition on the famous International Pavilion stage on Saturday,
July 8.
Competitors, who are
aged between 20 and 32, are required to perform a contrasting programme of up
to seven minutes in length for their preliminary round and up to 10 minutes for
the final. Camilla said the programmes must include works from oratorio, opera,
lieder or song and be sung in the original language.
Eisteddfod officials
have agreed to a significant change in the competition with three singers set
to take part in the final rather than the two last summer.
"We're having
three singers in the final this year. It was such a strong final last year and
the audience enjoyed it so much that we thought why not give the platform to a
third finalist," said Camilla.
The winner will be
presented with the Pendine Trophy, a solid silver salver, and a cheque for
£3,000 as well as having the opportunity to perform in concerts at the
Eisteddfod and other venues. Meanwhile, the runner up will receive £1,500.
The International
Accompanist competition, which is linked to the main singing competition,
carries a prize of £1,000.
Pendine Park proprietor
Mario Kreft MBE said: "The standard of the competitors in years past has
been absolutely phenomenal and I have no doubt it will be incredibly high again
this year.
"I wish all 25
young singers all the very best in this year's Pendine International Voice of
the Future competition. I do not envy the task of the adjudicators as the
singers are all so extraordinarily accomplished."
The prize will be
jointly presented to the winner by Nia Davies Williams, Pendine Park’s
musician-in-residence and Sarah Edwards, the organisation’s
artist-in-residence.
Looking forward to this
year's Eisteddfod, Camilla said: "We have a new improved outdoor site, the
ever popular Everbright Parade of Nations will be back and will be bigger and
better than ever, this time finishing on the Eisteddfod Maes with a massed song
and dance number, with town spectators invited to come onto the field with free
entry, and some exciting new competitions on our closing Sunday, meaning our
competitor experience offers even more.
"The concert
programme is looking great, with Alfie Boe kicking things off on the Tuesday
evening, along with Britain's Got Talent semi-finalists Welsh of the West End.
They will have a solo set in the programme and will present their version of
the rock-opera Nia Ben Aur.
"And on the Friday
well known jazz musician and conductor, Guy Barker with his 17 piece Big Band
will collaborate with top soloists such as Tommy Blaize, lead singer on
Strictly Come Dancing, and soul and jazz musicians, Clare Teal, Giacomo Smith
and Vanessa Haynes.
* For tickets or for more on Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod and its competitions and concerts go to www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk or check out www.facebook.com/llangollen
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Volunteers are teaming up to take part in the latest clean-up of the River Dee tomorrow (Saturday) evening.
Organisers have put out the word on Facebook about the event and they say: "The Clean Up is here! Bigger, better and more inclusive then ever.
Latest local roadworks alert from Denbighshire County Council is:
A539 Ponsonby Arms MILL STREET 10/07/2023 11/07/2023 NMWTRA. Traffic lights.
Full Extent TRACK FROM VALLEY ROAD TO TYN CELYN WOOD 17/06/2023 18/06/2023 Digwyddiad ar y Priffordd/ Event on the Highway GRAVITY EVENTS UK LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure.
OUTSIDE NUMBER 12 CHAPEL STREET 11/07/2023 13/07/2023 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works SEVERN TRENT WATER (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure
Junction of Chapel St and Bridge St Llangollen LL20 8NW BRIDGE STREET 03/07/2023 03/07/2023 Gwaith BT/ BT Works SUNBELT RENTALS (DCC) LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure
Full Extent TRACK FROM VALLEY ROAD TO TYN CELYN WOOD 08/07/2023 09/07/2023 Digwyddiad ar y Priffordd/ Event on the Highway GRAVITY EVENTS UK LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure
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
|
Regent Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 16 June - 18 June Roadworks, Delays likely Traffic management:
Traffic control (multi-way signals) Description:
Hogans patching works – Night time 18:00 – 02:00hrs under 3 x way traffic
lights. Amberon TM Works location: A5
Llangollen - Junction with Castle Street Public facing description: one.network
has automatically assigned a category of Unclassified works to this Works
based on the information available. Please note: Works Descriptions are not
published by NMWTRA/SWTRA. Responsibility for works:
NMWTRA/SWTRA Current status:
Planned work about to start Works reference: PD50123145102811691 |
* Simon Baynes MP with Kerry Evans a regular user of the Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust.
Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes joined the Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust for a trip across Pontcysyllte Aqueduct to celebrate their 40th anniversary.
The Trust, which provides day trips for disabled and disadvantaged people of all ages, runs solely through donations and the hard work of volunteers, including its 21 skippers who have all been trained by the Trust itself.
Every year the Trust hosts over 100 trips on its latest boat the Lady Winifred.
The Trust's first boat was built by the Cammel Lairds apprentices in Birkenhead as part of the Rainbow Trust and launched in 1985 by Sir Harry Secombe.
The Lady Winifred has a hydraulic lift to enable wheelchair users to board and also has wheelchair friendly toilet facilities and plenty of space within the boat to move about and enjoy the panoramic views of the Dee Valley.
During the visit Mr Baynes met with the President of the Trust, Colin Burman, and the Chairman, Tom Lewis, the only remaining founders of the Trust, as well as other volunteers and supporters and discussed the importance of the Trust’s work in ensuring access to Llangollen’s waterways and the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Mr
Baynes also had the opportunity to meet Kerry Evans, a wheelchair user, who
demonstrated the hydraulic lift that is used to allow people in wheelchairs to
board the Trust’s specially built boat, the Lady Winifred, before journeying
with them across the world famous Pontcysyllte Aqueduct.
Speaking about the Trust’s work, Colin Burman, President of the Trust, said: “It has been a pleasure to see so many disabled and disadvantaged people over the years enjoy a day trip on the Llangollen Canal, they can relax and enjoy the view from our specially built and designed narrowboat, and after boarding they can unwind as they go over the World Heritage site the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and travel on the beautiful Llangollen Canal as part of their day trip on Lady Winifred.”
Following his visit, Mr Baynes said: “It was a great pleasure to visit the Vale of Llangollen Canal Boat Trust during its 40th anniversary year and to learn about the fantastic work they have been doing for forty years to allow disabled and disadvantaged people to enjoy Llangollen’s canal.
“The Trust enables those who wouldn’t ordinarily be able to access our waterways to enjoy them in safety and comfort whilst also showcasing the Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the beautiful Dee Valley. I look forward to following their continued work and wish them all the best for the next forty years.”
One of Llangollen’s best-known personalities, former local vet and charity organiser Sandra Woodhall, has died at the age of 80.
One of her most memorable achievements was as a founder of the Llangollen Round Challenge, an often gruelling test of endurance in which hundreds of people from across the UK and abroad run or walk their way around a 35-mile circuit of the hills surrounding the town.
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.
Sandra was born in the USA of an American father and brought up in the Home Counties.
She qualified as a vet in London and came to practice and live in Llangollen in the late 1970s.
The practice was based at Siamber Wen and Sandra retired in the late 2000s.
She and her husband Richard have two children and three grandchildren.
Sandra was chairman of CRUK in Llangollen for 20 years during which time she set up the Llangollen Round Challenge, which is held every three years, with her friend Judy Smith.
Paying tribute to her, Judy said: “Perhaps her greatest legacy was the Challenge and she was just fantastic to work with on that one.
“I have truly never known anybody more reliable in that if we decided to do something, she never ever forgot or delayed - she'd have it done before you had time to turn round. Sandra was a really remarkable person.
“She knew and was friends with so many people in the town. She was what I would call a people's person, she had empathy with people, and from her early days as a vet in town to her later commitments in so many different fields, she always inspired people's respect and loyalty. Sandra was remarkable and a great loss to Llangollen.”
Sandra was a member of Llangollen Inner Wheel and also on the Floral Committee of the Llangollen Eisteddfod.
* Llanblogger will try to bring readers details of the funeral when they are given.
