Eisteddfod friends to host coffee morning at Memorial Hall

A coffee morning in aid of Friends of the Llangollen International Eisteddfod (FLIME) will take place next Tuesday, September 5, between 10am and 12noon, at the Memorial Hall in Market Street. 

Now in its 50th year, FLIME has raised over half a million pounds, which it has donated to the Eisteddfod and has helped fund prize monies, events and most recently shared sponsorship with the local Rotary Club of the White Flower Concert - a highly acclaimed event celebrating peace, commemorating the fallen in the Balkan Wars of the 1990s and showing support to Ukrainian friends.     

A FLIME spokesperson said: "Our world-famous Eisteddfod needs your support to keep it going. Croeso i bawb. The coffee morning is welcome to all."

Irish TV series to feature Ladies of Llangollen's story

* The story on GCN featuring the tale of the Ladies of Llangollen.

The famed Ladies of Llangollen will feature in a new six-part series about Ireland’s greatest love stories, Scéalta Grá na hÉireann, on an Irish TV network this September.

That's according to a story on the website of GCN, a free resource for the LGBTQ+ community.

The story says:

"Returning for its second season, the show will share the accounts of six new captivating and heartbreaking Irish relationships, set on the backdrop of some of the most historic events, including the 1798 Rebellion, Easter Rising, Irish War of Independence and American Civil War.

Among the stories featured in the new TG4 series will be that of Lady Eleanor Butler of Kilkenny Castle and Sarah Ponsonby of Woodstock House, Inistioge, also better known as the Ladies of Llangollen.

After their introduction in 1768, through family connections, the pair formed a lifelong bond, resulting in their emigrating to Llangollen in Wales in 1780, where they lived together for the rest of their lives.

The episode will explore how, despite their families’ aristocratic standing, the couple broke the social norms of their time and overcame many obstacles in order to be together.

Defying societal expectations and refusing to conform to traditional gender roles, their story caused a huge controversy at the time but has endured the ages to become an inspirational tale of undying love and unbreakable courage.

The ladies’ journey is not the first LGBTQ+ relationship to be explored by Scéalta Grá na hÉireann, as a previous series featured the tragic tale of Oscar Wilde and Lord Alfred Douglas."

* The new series will launch on Friday, September 8, and will be available to watch on TG4 and online.

Broken wrist changes plans by Judy (78) to run half-marathon

* Judy Smith, right, with her friend Sandra Woodhall at a Llangollen Round Challenge event.

A broken wrist has put paid to a Llangollen woman's plan to run a half-marathon in memory of her friend who died earlier this year.

At the age of 78, Judy Smith had registered to take part in this September’s Great North Run on September 10.

She aimed to tackle the 13-mile course to boost funds for Cancer Research UK in memory of her late friend Sandra Woodhall.

Together they had founded and organised the famous Llangollen Round Challenge which has raised many thousands of pounds for Cancer Research UK since it began in 2012.   

But Judy has had to change her plans after suffering a broken wrist.

She said: "Unfortunately, I've managed to break my wrist falling over at the Erddig Parkrun on Saturday.  

"I have a lovely purple plaster on my arm but I think the Great North Run at the end of next week would not be a good idea.  

"I have therefore switched my entry to the Great South Run on October 15.

"It's 'only' 10 miles as opposed to a half marathon, but I do hope you'll still feel able to support me in memory of Sandra."

"I thank all those who have already supported me at this time."

* The link to support Judy is: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/judys-giving-page-109  

Training going well for John's charity challenge - apart from a puncture

 

* John Palmer, left, and son Nic are in training for their double triathlon challenge.

Training is going well for a Llangollen man taking part in a triathlon event this weekend in memory of his wife who died from the effects of dementia earlier this year. 

On Sunday morning he will compete in a sprint triathlon in Ellesmere, just over the border in Shropshire.  

And at the same time as he grapples with the gruelling event his son Nic, who lives in Glyndyfrdwy, will be doing the Bala Standard Triathlon at Bala Lake.

Both father and son are raising money for Alzheimer's Research UK in memory of Lyn, who was respectively their wife and mother.

John said training was going well for both of them - apart from a slight hitch with a puncture as he practiced the cycling part of the triathlon between Chirk and Ellesmere last week.

"When I got the puncture I had no alternative but to walk the bike all the way back to Chirk," he said.    

Nic is going to be doing an Olympic triathlon which consists of a I.5 km swim followed by a 40 km bike ride and a 10 km run.

John, in deference to his age, is taking on a speed triathlon which is a 7.5 km in Ellesmere lake followed by a 25 km bike ride and a 5 km run.

He said: "In march of this year my wife Lyn and Nic’s mother died from dementia.  

"While she died peacefully holding my hand she was first diagnosed in 2013.  

"More and more people and their families are living with dementia. We want to raise money for Alzheimers Research to help find a way of finding a cure for the disease.

"Training is going pretty well. Most of the swimming has been in a pool but more recently we have been swimming in Lyn Tegid, which came as a bit of a shock - wetsuits essential.  

"Cycling has given me a sore bum. How the Tour de France guys do it day after day amazes me.  

"I run quite regularly anyway so that is not so much of a problem but of course that remains to be seen on the day.  I'm sure the dog will be glad when it’s over."

Alzheimer's Research UK is the UK's leading dementia research charity. 

It funds world-class pioneering scientists to find preventions, treatments and a cure for dementia.

* There's still time to sponsor Nic and John on their gofundme page at: https://gofund.me/99c861be

Changes announced to number 5 bus service from September 24

Changes to the number 5 bus service between Llangollen and Wrexham will come into effect from Sunday September 24.

This will include:

• Revised intermediates to improve punctuality
• Morning journeys from Llangollen to Wrexham to operate five minutes earlier to improve punctuality 
• The 06:40 Llangollen to Wrexham journey will now timed to arrive into Wrexham at 07:18 to connect with the 41 Wrexham to Wrexham Industrial estate service departing at 07:25.

The alterations to the service and a number of others operated by Arriva as a result of changes to the way the Welsh Government supports bus services after Covid.

These have resulted in revisions to the Arriva network across North Wales.

In a public notice on its website Arriva says it has worked with local authorities to minimise the effects of this but in some cases have made changes to reflect post-Covid changes in demand.

* To see full details of the changes go to: https://www.arrivabus.co.uk/latest-news/changes-to-services-in-north-wales-sept-23

Latest roadworks alerts from county council

Latest roadworks bulletin from Denbighshire County Council is: 

CASTLE STREET, AT THE JUNCTION OF DEE LANE, LLANGOLLEN, DENBIGSHIRE CASTLE STREET 27/09/2023 27/09/2023 Gwaith Carthffosiaeth/ Sewer Works MORRISON UTILITY SERVICES LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

A539 CHURCH STREET, AT THE JUNCTION OF CHAPEL STREET, LLANGOLLEN, CHURCH STREET 25/09/2023 25/09/2023 Gwaith Carthffosiaeth/ Sewer Works DWR CYMRU/WELSH LLANGOLLEN Ffordd ar Gau/Road Closure

Free meals to be rolled out to Year 3 and 4 pupils

Universal Primary Free School Meals are to be rolled out to Years 3 and 4 pupils in Denbighshire, starting from September. 

In December 2021, Welsh Government (WG) announced plans to offer free school meals to all primary school pupils. The phased delivery approach will see all primary pupils offered free school meals by 2024. 

Since September 2022, the Universal Primary Free School Meals (UPFSM) offer in Denbighshire has been successfully rolled out to Reception and Year 1. The offer was rolled out to Year 2 pupils in Denbighshire from April, 2023. The offer will now be rolled out to both years 3 and 4 from the start of term in September. 

As part of the rollout, a number of Denbighshire’s primary schools have seen kitchen and catering upgrades, including full kitchen remodels and increased storage, with the addition of new walk-in fridge and freezers. 

New cooking equipment has also been installed to help increase cooking capacity and many primary schools within the county are also having work done to their dining halls, helping to increase dining capacity. 

Councillor Gill German, Deputy Leader and Lead member for Education, Children and Families said: “I am a huge supporter of the introduction of Universal Free School Meals for primary age pupils in Wales and it is great to see that our rollout in Denbighshire is progressing so well.

"Every child in Reception, year 1 and year 2 in Denbighshire is now part of the offer, and I am delighted to see that we will be extending this to year 3 and year 4 pupils from September.”

* Further information is available at: www.denbighshire.gov.uk/education