Take a journey through time at Castell Dinas Brân

* Go back in time at Castell Dinas Brân. 

Families will have the chance to experience a rich slice of Llangollen history this July.

They can join the Our Picturesque Landscape team for a day of fun at which they can go back in time to discover the history of Castell Dinas Brân through the ages.

The event will be a celebration of how the historic landscape has attracted visitors to be inspired by the beautiful Dee Valley in art and poetry for centuries and will showcase the project’s important restoration work that has taken place over the last few years.

Alongside the historic ruins at the summit of the hill, two of the main tourist attractions from centuries past were a Victorian tearoom and a Camera Obscura, allowing visitors to view the outstanding landscape from this ingenious structure. 

The Our Picturesque Landscape project will be showcasing its very own portable camera obscura on the day, alongside a Victorian sweetshop.

Visitors will also find plenty of family friendly activities including portraits with a vintage camera, friendly donkeys, drop-in and bookable art workshops, immersive actors and traditional games.

The event is on Saturday July 1, from 12-4pm at the Castell Dinas Brân ‘Pancake’. 

* what3words location: milder.lake.pranced

The event and activities are free of charge to attend. 

North Wales Opera Studio presents tale of love, obsession and jealousy

 

* The cast of Carmen take to the Town Hall stage during rehearsals.

A host of talented performers take to the stage at Llangollen Town Hall next Saturday evening to present the opera Carmen.

The performance, on June 24 at 7pm, comes under the banner of North Wales Opera Studio (NWOS) which was founded by professional opera soprano and teacher Anne Williams-King and David Bartleet, an opera singer, teacher and agent, to give the stars of tomorrow the opportunity to receive top-class training and performance experience.

* Another dramatic moment from Carmen.

Anne said: "Our professional team has years of experience in the world of opera and train people from when they’re just starting out until they’re ready to go into the big wide world of opera."

Carmen, a searing depiction of a woman who craves love but creates obsession and jealousy, is one of the most popular operas ever written.

Bizet‘s Spanish-inflected score is bursting with passionate melodies and famous numbers such as Carmen’s seductive ‘Habanera’ and Escamillo’s ‘Toreador Song.’

Members of the cast are Carmen (Anna Luigi), Don Jose (Mark Jenkins), Escamillo (Kiefer Jones), Micaela (Hazel Neighbour), Frasquita (Katherine Nilsbird), Mercedes (Charlotte Killingly), Remendado (Julio Cancio), Dancairo (Gareth Blake), Zuniga (Simon Edward Willshire), Morales (Gareth Blake) and Lilas Pastia (Leigh Mason).

Chorus members are Lizzie Clifford, Eve Marie, Grace Worrall, Leigh Mason, Emma Williams, Selana Kong, Simon Willshire, Gareth Blake and Julio Cancio.

Carmen is directed by Anne Williams-King with David Bartleet as assistant director. Music director and accompanist is Andrew Charity and costumes, hair and makeup are by Katherine Nilsbird and Lizzie Clifford.

Stage management is by Josh Hubbard and lighting by Jack Shimmin with special thanks from the directing team to John Clifford for arranging transport.

* Tickets are available at the door or online: http://www.ticketsource.co.uk/north-wales-opera-studio

Dinas Bran pupil joins campaign to 'save nature'

* The Senedd building in Cardiff where the petition was being handed in today.

A Year 7 student from Ysgol Dinas Bran has joined 2,000 members of the public and 350 organisations in calling on the Welsh Government for urgent measures to protect nature.

The pupil, named only as Grace, is amongst those handing in a petition at the Senedd today (Tuesday) demanding action after a United Nations report revealed one million species are at risk.

The event was led by a group of young people, including Youth Climate Ambassadors for Wales and was the culmination of months of campaigning by over 350 organisations across Wales, who say urgent action is needed to establish an independent watchdog, to speed up nature’s recovery.

During Great Big Green Week, 10-18th June, Climate Cymru toured around Wales in an electric vehicle, collecting hundreds of letters and messages from communities, children and young people, which left at the seat of the Welsh Government in Cardiff. 

In her message, Grace says: “Nature means everything to me. It means life, being able to live happily, being able to not stress about our future, being safe on our own planet, being…us, and who we’re meant to be.”

BBC presenter, Iolo Williams, said: “It’s fantastic to see this upswell of support across Wales for the protection of nature. We all know how critical it is for our health and wellbeing, for the future of our children and grandchildren, and for the sheer wonder of it. 

"Now, we need the Welsh Government to take the real action that this campaign is calling for. We need deeds, not just words. It’s important that politicians hear that we care about nature and how much of society wants to see nature thrive. I support Climate Cymru’s campaign to make that happen and I hope you, your business, or group can get behind it too.”

The letters and messages demand: “urgent action for nature including legally binding targets for nature's recovery and restoration, and an independent environmental watchdog” were presented on a giant scroll and hundreds of leaves. 

The Nature Positive campaigners believe this letter from organisations such RSPB Cymru, WWF Cymru, the Wildlife Trust Wales, community, faith groups, schools and individuals, to be the largest ever sent to the Welsh Government. 

Vale of Llangollen Rotary has new president

New president of the Vale of Llangollen Rotary Club is Lee Todd (pictured), co-owner of a local supported living company.

From July 1 all 34,000-plus Rotary clubs in over 200 countries will have a new president for the year ahead. 

And Vale of Llangollen has welcomed 46-year-old Lee, who has been a resident in Llangollen for the past three years.

Originally from Exeter, he has been in the care sector since the age of 18, working in the NHS. 

He is currently a co-owner of a supported living company along with his wife and fellow owners. 

He has been a member of the Rotary Club for the past seven months and to be awarded the title of president is seen as a great achievement after such a short while.

Lee said: “It is a great honour for me to be taking on the role of president for the year 2023/24. The club is based in the town where I live,  so this will help enable me to connect with the local community along with our team of Rotarians and our community team.

"We welcome new members from all walks of life who have a desire to contribute to our local community.

"I hope to increase engagement with the club through social media and by word of mouth as this will reinforce the Rotary’s brand and showcase the opportunities that come with it. 

"We will grow the Rotary by way of membership, completing local projects and in our ability to provide a meaningful service."

He added: "My key aims over the next year will be to try and attract the younger generation to Rotary and increase membership.

 

"I want the community to talk to us and share their ideas on how we can help and offer support where needed. 

"I aim to recognise smaller charities struggling for funds, increase our involvement in the community and I would like to engage the young people from our local schools to get involved and to learn more of what we do.

"I am looking forward to the challenges and getting the Rotary name into the community, with more and more projects both locally and internationally."

* For more information on the club, contact Kurly Marwaha at: secretary.llangollenrotary@gmail.com, valeofllangollenrotary@gmail.com, @valeofllangollenrotary on Facebook or see www.valeofllangollenrotary

Roadworks planned for Aber Adda

Latest local roadworks alert from one.network is:

Aber Adda, Llangollen, Denbighshire 21 June - 23 June   Roadworks, Delays unlikely   Traffic management: Traffic control (give & take)   Description: Long Comm pipe Renew 25mm Job in Footway (6mm Bitmac (Tarmac) )   Works location: O/S BUILDING KNOWN AS HOMELEA   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 Hafren Dyfrdwy.   Responsibility for works: Hafren Dyfrdwy   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: ZU0028102/000060514151

Latest local roadworks alerts from council

Latest local roadworks alerts from Denbighshire County Council are: 

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

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

A539 Ponsonby Arms MILL STREET 10/07/2023 11/07/2023 NMWTRA

A539 OUTSIDE PROPERTY KNOWN AS 'GWENALLT' ABBEY ROAD ABBEY ROAD 14/06/2023 20/06/2023 Gwaith Dwr / Water Works HAFREN DYFRDWY LLANGOLLEN

A542 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

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

Llangollen's new park run gets underway

* Park Run volunteers at the test event the previous Saturday.

Llangollen's first and Wales's 70th Park Run was held yesterday (Saturday).  

A total of 249 people lined up at the start to run, jog and walk the 5k course which runs from Llangollen Health Centre out to the Wenffrwd Pocket Park looping around and returning to the centre with a short section of out and back. 

A team of local volunteers helped put the event together and co-events directors Mike Edwards and Michael Clarke have thanked everyone who took part for giving up their time to ensure the event went ahead.

Mike Edwards said: "I was run director this morning and thank the GP practice, Stephen Johnson, the owner of Llandyn Caravan park whose land the route goes over, and the Countryside Service of Denbighshire Council for allowing us to us their land. 

"I also thank Welsh Athletics, Parkrun Cymru, the GP practice and the Friends of Llangollen Health Centre who provided financial backing for the event to be established."

Parkrun is now a regular weekly event, starting at 9am every Saturday, in which people can volunteer, walk, jog or run to improve their health and wellbeing, please see: home | Old Railway Trail parkrun, Llangollen | Old Railway Trail parkrun, Llangollen