Judy to run half-marathon at 78 in memory of friend Sandra Woodhall

 

* Judy Smith, right, with her friend Sandra Woodhall at an event celebrating the success of the Llangollen Round Challenge last year.

A friend and fellow organiser of the hugely successful Llangollen Round Challenge is planning to run a half-marathon in memory of Sandra Woodhall who died last month.

At the age of 78, Judy Smith has registered to take part in this September’s Great North Run, tackling the 13-mile course to boost funds for Cancer Research UK, the charity for which the Llangollen Round has already raised many thousands of pounds since it began in 2012.   

The Challenge was set up by Sandra and Judy and other members of the Llangollen Ramblers group and is based roughly on the Alpine Walk Tour of Mont Blanc.

The amount it has raised for Cancer Research UK has climbed steadily from £33,000 to over £120,000 the last time it was run in 2022.

Judy said: “On September 10th I shall be running the Great North Run half-marathon, raising funds for Cancer Research UK in memory of Sandra Woodhall, who sadly died in June. 

“So many local people knew her, both as a most diligent local vet, and as a great friend. 

“She herself was passionate about Cancer Research UK, being chairman of the local committee, and in her lifetime raising more than half a million pounds for that charity.”

She added: “I’m not exactly a spring chicken – OK, I’m 78 - so that 13-mile run won’t be easy, but I wanted to do this as a tribute to her. 

“Several of the establishments around town have boxes where people can donate, including Dee Valley Vets, Pro-Adventure, Leisure Centre and the Ponderosa Cafe, or you can donate through my online Just Giving page at: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/judys-giving-page-109/

“Cancer Research UK will be very grateful for any donation you can make in Sandra’s memory.” 

* To contact Judy about her half-marathon challenge, call 01978 869364 or 07905 330788, or email: smithdinbren@gmail.com

Team looking for aspiring film-makers to help with short movie

The county council’s Working Denbighshire team are looking for aspiring film-makers in the area to help with creating a new short film which will celebrate the people they support and the work of the organisation. 

No previous experience is needed, and professional filming and editing equipment will be available to use during shooting thanks to arts and media charity, TAPE. 

Beginning on the July 25 five dedicated days are planned, which will be solely focused on both the creation of ideas, filming, and editing. The days will be divided up as follows: 

* July 25 – Decide what stories you want to tell and how the stories will look and sound. 

* August 8 and 9 – These are the production days, with filming on location and interview filming taking place. 

* August 15 and 16 – These days will be dedicated to editing and adding the finishing touches to the film. 

The film will later be used in Working Denbighshire’s promotional materials going forward. 

Steve Swindon, Founder and Creative Director at TAPE, said: “TAPE is excited to be involved in this project. We know how getting involved with something like this can be really positive for young people and lead on to other exciting opportunities in the film and creative industries."

Councillor Jason McLellan, Leader of the Council and Lead Member for Economic Growth & Tackling Deprivation, said: “This is a brilliant opportunity for any aspiring filmmakers to come and share their ideas and get the chance to use both professional filming and editing equipment for free."

Working Denbighshire is part funded through the Welsh Government Communities for Work Plus Programme which supports those most disadvantaged in the labour market to overcome the barriers preventing them from gaining employment. 

Working Denbighshire has received £3,529,632 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund.

*To get involved in the film, contact workingdenbighshire@denbighshire.gov.uk or call 01745 331438.

Latest Citizens Advice column

Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice is:

Q: I bought a pram for £400 online, but it never arrived. At checkout it said delivery would take 3-5 working days, but I never received any tracking information. I chased the seller and they said they’d speak to the delivery company, but now when I try to phone them my call goes straight to voicemail. I’ve had no response to emails either. The website I bought it through looked legitimate but now I’ve seen people posting on review sites about products that never arrived and some are saying this is a bogus seller. Have I been scammed and if so, what can I do? 

This sounds like a very frustrating situation, and unfortunately scammers are always finding more sophisticated ways to trick shoppers, including having very legitimate-looking websites. 

From your letter, there are signs it could be a scam. We’ve detailed information on our website about how to spot the signs of a scam that you might find useful to check. 

As you’ve already parted with your money, the first step is to contact your bank immediately to let them know you think you’ve been scammed. 

In terms of getting your money back, a lot depends on how you paid. We have full details on our website on the routes you can take. For example, if you paid by debit card, your card provider can ask the seller’s bank to refund the money. This is known as the ‘chargeback scheme’. If you paid by credit card and the item cost more than £100 but less than £30,000 you might be able to claim under the Consumer Credit Act. This is known as a ‘Section 75 claim’. Under £100 on credit card you can’t use Section 75, but you can use chargeback. 

It’s always a good idea to report a scam, even if you haven’t got your money back yet. You can do this by contacting Action Fraud. 

It’s also worth knowing your rights as a consumer in case the seller does get back in contact and turns out not to be a scammer. If something you ordered hasn’t arrived, it’s the seller’s responsibility to get the item to you. So if they say they don’t know where the pram is, you can ask for a redelivery or, depending on how long you’ve waited for a delivery, you may be able to get a refund from the seller. We have advice on our website about how to do this. 

It’s also worth knowing that if a trader, having taken your money, refuses to deliver an item, Trading Standards may be able to investigate them. 

For more advice on dealing with suspected scams or problems with traders, call the Citizens Advice consumer helpline 0808 223 1133 or talk to an adviser online through the Citizens Advice website. Many people may need emotional support after falling victim to a scam, and we have advice on our website about how to get this too. 

Citizens Advice runs Scams Awareness campaigns aiming to: give people skills to identify scams; encourage people to share their experiences with scams; help people gain the confidence to report scams. The campaign is led by Citizens Advice in collaboration with the Consumer Protection Partnership (CPP).

Dairy farm may be looking for a sign

* The sign fixed to an old gate in the canal. 

Llandyn Organic Farm may be looking for a sign at the moment ... quite literally.

But if the owners of the dairy business based at Llandyn Holiday Park just outside Llangollen care to look in the canal not far from their base near the main A539 road they should be able to spot it.

Llanblogger was up on the canal this morning and saw the sign hanging from a rusty gate and dipping down into the water.   

How it got there is anyone's guess but we have alerted the farm to the sign's location from where they should be able to retrieve it. 

MP urges people to nominate local heroes for Welsh national awards

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes has called for people in his constituency to nominate candidates for the 2024 St David Awards. 

The awards celebrate those who give back to their communities, who are contributing towards civic life and ensuring Wales is a better place to live. They serve as the national awards for Wales. 

Members of the public can nominate people for nine different categories, which are:

1. Business
2. Bravery
3. Community Spirit
4. Critical Worker (Key Worker)
5. Culture
6. Environment
7. Innovation, Science and Technology
8. Sport
9. Young Person

The deadline for nominations is October 19. 

Three finalists in each category will be announced by judges on February 22, with those who reach this stage invited to the award ceremony itself later in the year. 

People in Clwyd South can nominate those they believe worthy of consideration via the following website: https://www.gov.wales/st-david-awards/nominate

Mr Baynes said: “The St David Awards are a fantastic way of recognising and celebrating those who contribute to civic life in Wales. 

"As MP for Clwyd South, I am always keen to highlight my constituents who go above and beyond in their contribution to our communities and these Awards are a great way to do that. If anyone wishes to nominate a resident of Clwyd South for this prestigious award, please do not hesitate to get in touch with me.”

Pengwern Hub's summer events programme

Summer holiday events planned for the Pengwern Community Hub are:

You can give blood at the Pavilion next Wednesday

 

Did you know that only three per cent of the eligible population in Wales give blood? 

The next session is at Llangollen Pavilion on Wednesday July 26. 

To book an appointment go to https://wbs.wales/LlangollenPavilion