Eisteddfod welcomes six new trustees

* RAF chaplain Rebekah Canon can often be seen around Llangollen in her tuk tuk.

* Shea Ferron brought the house down at Llangollen 2023 with his surprise rendition of Bring Him Home with Alfie Boe.

* Bill Kong, new trustee Selana Kong, former chair Phil Davies and new trustee Allison Davies.

A churchwoman who doubles as a Squadron Leader in the RAF, a singer who unexpectedly shared the stage with Alfie Boe and a woman who moved 6,000 miles to be closer to the festival she loves are amongst the new trustees of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

The Rev Rebekah Canon is an Anglican RAF chaplain who trained as a professional  actor and theatre director - and is often seen around Llangollen at the wheel of a gaily-coloured tuk tuk vehicle.  

She worked internationally in Thailand, Bali and Russia on multi-disciplinary, large-scale performance and events. She has now made Llangollen her home with her partner Gerallt.

She said:  “I am utterly thrilled to be involved in contributing towards the future of the International Eisteddfod.  

"It is a unique event that has directly contributed to making Llangollen such a special place.  

"The heartbeat of our town is synonymous with the diversity, inclusivity and artistry of the Eisteddfod and I’m focused on seeing that continue for generations to come. 

"To play a key role in safeguarding our peace festival that welcomes the world to Llangollen every year is an amazing privilege.”

Shea Ferron, at 20 is already a well-known figure in Llangollen.  

In May, he was a member of the John’s Boys Chorus who reached the semi-finals of Britain’s Got Talent.  

The drama student is a former Choir of the World winner and joined Alfie Boe on stage in July to rapturous applause.  

Shea is the youngest ever trustee of the Eisteddfod has been involved in the festival, in various guises, since childhood.  

He is combining his work as trustee with studying in his final year at The Institute for Contemporary Theatre in Manchester.

Shea said: “The Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, like the arts, is in my blood. Since I was a youngster, it has been a major part of my life. 

"Some of my first memories are from this inspirational festival.  I am both honoured and grateful to be joining the board of trustees at such a critical point in the Eisteddfod’s 76-year history, ensuring the festival is here for generations to come.”

Another familiar face joining the board is Selana Kong, who loved the Llangollen Eisteddfod so much that she, her husband Bill and son Daniel relocated 6,000 miles just to be closer to it. 

For years, Selena and Bill travelled over from Hong Kong just to volunteer.   

Now they live within walking distance of Llangollen Pavilion and Selana wants to reach out across the world to continue the Eisteddfod’s peace tradition. 

Selana, a professional coach, mediator, and consultant, said: “The Llangollen Eisteddfod is an amazing festival and in a polarised world, our message of peace and unity is as vital today as it was in 1947.  

"I want to continue the tradition of our festival reaching out to the world.  Bill and I fell in love with the Llangollen Eisteddfod and frequently travelled back to volunteer.  In 2019, we decided to cut the commute and move here lock, stock and barrel.  

"When I was asked to stand for election to the Eisteddfod Board, I jumped at the chance.  It is an amazing opportunity to give something back to the festival that changed our lives and ensure it can continue to change others.”

The strengthened board has already held an open evening, bringing together the committees and new volunteers, that saw dozens of festival supporters brainstorming ideas to safeguard the future of the festival.  

The board has additionally already met several times as they put planning in place for next year’s festival.  

Fundraising plans are being finalised as the team work to ensure the future of the festival.

Eisteddfod chair Sarah Ecob said: “We are delighted to welcome our new board members who bring a range of new talents and deep knowledge of the Eisteddfod to our board.  

"This will be invaluable as we continue our programme of recovery and growth. We would like to thank the outgoing Board Members, all of whom will continue to be active within the Eisteddfod structures."

The trustees have joined the team as the Eisteddfod, which started in 1947 to promote peace, faces huge financial challenges.  

The new trustees were directly elected by company members and all bring different types of expertise.  Collectively, they will be stepping up to the breach left after what festival officials describe as the "difficult financial decision" to make executive producer Camilla King redundant in August. 

Other new members of the board include Allison Davies, a former teacher at Ysgol Dinas Bran who has been heavily involved in the festival for decades, and Karen Price who has been involved in the festival all her life – first helping with the famous flowers and more recently as chair of Competitors' Committee and was the UK competitor’s liaison officer.  

Communication’s professional David Hennigan has also been elected on to the board.  He first sang at the Llangollen Eisteddfod in 1985, met his wife at the festival and has now relocated to the town. 

Grants up for grabs for Third Sector groups

Grants to support Third Sector organisations across the county to build resilience and sustainability are now available through the Denbighshire Key Fund.

The grants range from £2,000 to £50,000 and funds have to be spent by October 2024.

Application deadline is: Saturday September 30 at midnight.

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards said: "I would urge local Third Sector organisations to submit their applications for these grants as soon as possible."  

* For further information, go to: dvsc.co.uk/grant/denbighshire-key-fund, email: keyfund@dvsc.co.uk or call 07376 124535.

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