Smiling man with white beard to volunteer at Eisteddfod's Snowman concerts

* Chem, pictured on Llangollen Bridge, is staying tight lipped over his involvement with the Christmas Peace concerts.

Llangollen town crier Austin “Chem” Cheminais has confirmed he will be volunteering at the Snowman Concerts to be hosted by the Eisteddfod and NEW Sinfonia at the town’s International Pavilion Hall on December 23.  

As a former town mayor Chem is a familiar face around Llangollen and is also a close associate of Sion Corn (Father Christmas) in his long-time role as chairman of the Llangollen Christmas Festival committee.  

He remains tight lipped about his involvement with the concerts other than to say he will be playing a “leading role” in the glittering seasonal affairs. 

The concerts, organised by North Wales orchestra NEW Sinfonia, in partnership with the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod, will raise money for the Eisteddfod charity as well as a local refugee cause.  

Organisers have promised that the two concerts, at 12.30pm and 3.30pm, will be a musical highlight of the festive season and the “best Christmas family event this side of the North Pole!”  

The shows will feature a selection of popular seasonal songs and carols sung by NEW Voices, the inspirational community choir, who will be joined by refugees from Ukraine, who will conduct, sing and play with NEW Sinfonia.   

Both concerts will culminate with a showing of iconic Christmas film “The Snowman” whose magical soundtrack will be brought to life by NEW Sinfonia.  

Chem, who is currently busy with his team organising this Saturday's Llangollen Christmas Festival, said: "Everyone knows that Christmas is my favourite time of the year. The Snowman events at Llangollen Pavilion will be an amazing family experience.  

“I can't wait to join the festivities but I have been sworn to secrecy over my exact involvement other than that I will be saying ‘ho, ho, ho’ regularly during both concerts." 

Organisers of the event have reported brisk ticket sales and are encouraging anyone who hasn’t yet done so to buy theirs as soon as possible. Residents can get tickets online at newsinfonia.org.uk or by visiting the Llangollen Tourist Information Office. 

John Gambles, a trustee of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod said: "Chem is a well-known character in Llangollen and we're delighted that he will joining us for our Christmas events.  

“We are so pleased to again be partnering with NEW Sinfonia to present these two extra-special Christmas concerts. They represent everything that the Eisteddfod is all about as we promote peace at Christmas."

Father Lee to appear on Netflix ‘Squid Game: The Challenge’

* Father Lee Taylor is contestant number 123 on Squid Game: The Challenge.

Father Lee Taylor, priest-in-charge of St Collen's Church in Llangollen, will compete as contestant #123 on the new record-breaking reality TV series: Squid Game: The Challenge which will premiere on Netflix tomorrow, November 22.

The 10-episode competition, dubbed ‘The biggest Netflix show ever’ on the trailer, will have the largest number of players ever to compete in the history of reality television. 

Father Lee was approached by Studio Lambert, an independent television production company known for producing Gogglebox, The Traitors, Race Across the World, The Circle and Four in a Bed, back in 2022 and asked if he would consider being one of 456 players from around the world to enter the competition show in pursuit of a record-setting cash prize of $4.56 million.

Squid Game: The Challenge is spawned from the original Netflix smash hit series 'Squid Game', a South Korean distopian drama which became Netflix's most-watched series, attracting 1.65 billion viewing hours in its first four weeks. 

Through a series of games, such as 'Red Light, Green Light', 'Sugar Honeycombs', and 'Tug of War', each player will be pushed to their limits and forced to ask themselves just how far they’ll go to win, with opportunistic alliances, cutthroat strategies and timely betrayals to follow. 

Father Lee says he was taken by surprise when Studio Lambert contacted him in August last year to encourage him to take part in the show. 

They urged him to watch the whole of the original series and gave him the reassurance that all contestants for Squid Game: The Challenge would leave ‘unscathed.’

* Squid Game: The Challenge will premiere on Netflix on November 22. 

Stunning Seal EV makes BYD for UK market stardom

BYD Seal launch drive by Steve Rogers

Wow. No, make that a double wow.

This is the Seal, a stunning showstopper from Chinese electric car builder BYD.

The company is new to Europe and the UK launching Atto 3, a mid sized electric SUV, in March followed by the Dolphin family hatchback, reviewed here last month. With Seal the company has its sights set on the premium market and if this anything to go by then the likes of BMW, Audi, Mercedes-Benz and Jaguar have a serious new rival to worry about.

We might not have heard about BYD (Build Your Dreams) but it has been building cars for nearly 20 years, using its expertise as a battery maker to produce everything needed for an electric car including semi conductors, the little electronic gizzmo that brought the car industry to a standstill during the Covid outbreak because there were hardly any around.

A fifth of the world’s supply of semi conductors comes from BYD so there will always be plenty on the shelf for their cars.

It has also developed an ingenious battery pack that is part of the car’s construction and contributes to its safety cell. The slimline pack is long, sitting between the axles, and super safe, apparently, because it is composed of cobalt free lithium iron-phosphate which is less likely to catch fire and lasts longer than the lithium-ion batteries used by everyone else.

For all that it is the Seal’s sleek outline that catches the eye and that is thanks to former Alfa Romeo designer Wolfgang Egger.

Like Dolphin the stunning Seal has design elements inspired by the ocean so I would direct you to the front running lights and rolling design of the dashboard to see if it conjures up waves and sea swells. The dashboard did it for me.

The wafer thin battery pack enables the car to sit lower to the ground enhancing its profile but might pose a challenge getting in and out if you are six feet odd and advancing in years. Yet there is no such problem with headroom, back or front, thanks to the low, flat floor. There is plenty of legroom as well.

There is no doubt the Seal’s cabin has an upmarket luxurious look and feel. The leather seats, standard on both models, are superbly cushioned while the cabin trim is undoubtedly premium quality and well thought out.

The bazooka blow has to be the 15.65in central touchpad that has the novelty of rotating from landscape to portrait either by a straightforward voice request, or by pressing a button on the steering wheel.

Let’s get down to the nitty gritty. Is the super looking Seal all style and no substance? Get behind the wheel and the answer is a definite no. My driving partner and I thought we were taking off in the all wheel drive and threw it around a bit on some very wet, challenging Lake District roads. Grip and balance were impressive, even more impressive when we found it was actually the rear wheel drive model.

The all wheel drive, with its four drive modes, was equally impressive and lost none of the comfort in spite of stifferdamping.

The big difference between two and four wheel drive is a huge lump of extra horsepower for the latter. This is the Excellence model and its twin motors dish out a hefty 521bhp throwing you back in the seat as the car hits sixty in under four seconds. Maximum range is 323 miles and 354 miles for the 307bhp rear wheel drive Design which retails at £45,695, £3,000 less than the Excellence.

As with any new company breaking into the market, pricing is ultra competitive as is the specification so you are spoilt for goodies on both models. Safety is also high on the agenda with dozens of driver aids.

As a saloon Seal will not win any awards for boot space but is acceptable, although the aperture is a bit shallow so check before buying bulky items as they might not fit through the gap. There is also a useful 53 litre box under the bonnet.

Seal verdict: Without question my Car of the Year.

Fast facts

Seal Excellence AWD

£48,695

Twin electric motors 521bhp

0-62mph 3.8secs; 112mph

Range 323 miles

Fast 80 per cent charge: 26 mins

Zero emissions. 1st tax £0

Boot: 400 litres

Christmas Festival Group get First Aid training

* Above and below, members of the group are put through their paces by TNR Outdoors.

Last Thursday members of the Christmas Festival Group undertook First Aid training in preparation for next Saturday's event.  

The 12 people who successfully completed the course say they are now much better equipped to provide help and First Aid support if anyone should become injured or unwell during the festival.

Chair of the Christmas Festival Group Austin Cheminais said: "The training was provided free of charge by TNR Outdoors and trainer Tom Robinson did an excellent job in developing the skills and confidence of those who attended. The course was very practical and hands on and the day was both engaging and fun.

"It was a very successful day and I’d like to explore the possibility of organising First Aid training for others who might be interested in becoming Community First Aiders.”

MP praises 'treasure trove' of Llangollen Motor Museum

* Owner Geoff Owen (left) and Simon Baynes MP with a 1926 Vauxhall 14/40 at Llangollen Motor Museum.

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes visited Llangollen Motor Museum.

Located in Pentrefelin Works, it houses a large collection of vintage and antique cars and motorcycles as well as numerous items of motoring memorabilia. 

Mr Baynes was provided with a tour by its owner, Geoff Owen, who talked about the vehicles on display and the conservation work of the museum. 

These vehicles included a 1920s Morgan, a 1930s caravan, a 1935 Standard, a BMW Isetta from the 1960s, a 1924 Citroen and a 1926 Vauxhall 14/40.

The museum was established in 1985 by the Broadhurst family at the site of their former sheet metal factory on the outskirts of Llangollen. 

It was then purchased by Gwilym Owen in 1997, before it subsequently passed down to his son and current owner, Geoff. 

In addition to running the museum with his wife Barbara and son Kyle, Geoff also runs a car restoration business.

The museum is open for the first week of every month, with footfall of approximately 4,000 people a year. 

Visitors include car and motorcycle clubs from across the UK, school groups, and tourists. 

More information can be found at: https://www.llangollenmotormuseum.co.uk/

Speaking after the visit, owner of the museum, Geoff Owen, said: “Our classic car museum is not just a collection of vehicles, it's a journey through time that brings back nostalgia and memories. We also inspire and educate children. We look forward to welcoming visitors to Llangollen into the future.”

Mr Baynes said: "I would like to thank Geoff and Barbara for providing me with a wonderful tour of the Llangollen Motor Museum. 

"Their passion and dedication to conserving and showcasing their fine collection of historic vehicles is evident in the numerous vintage and antique cars and motorcycles on display. It is a fantastic treasure-trove and one of Llangollen’s most popular tourist attractions.”

Roadworks alerts for Berwyn Street

 

Latest local roadworks alerts from one.network are:

Berwyn Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 20 November - 21 November   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Lane closure   Description: excavate and lay cable for new connection   Works location: outside 6   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 Scottish Power Renewable Energy.   Responsibility for works: Scottish Power Renewable Energy   Current status: Planned work about to start   Works reference: GY0022101343089A       Berwyn Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 20 November - 21 November   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Traffic control (multi-way signals)   Description: EXCAVATE SERVICE BREECH JOINTBAY IN FOOTPATH AND 1/4 M TRACK IN FOOTPATH TO CUSTOMERS WALL   Works location: outside 8   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 Scottish Power Renewable Energy.   Responsibility for works: Scottish Power Renewable Energy   Current status: Planned work about to start   Works reference: GY0022101343089

Appeal launched to support local families at Christmas

 

The annual Llangollen Christmas Appeal has been launched to support the town's Food Share and local families this festive season.

This is the fourth year of the appeal and organisers say there are more people than ever to support this time.

The aim is to provide gifts for local families as "every child and adult deserves a gift to open at Christmas," they say.

Children's gifts needed are toys, teddies, books and arts and crafts items for both girls and boys aged two to 10 plus gift sets for teenage boys and girls.

Male and female gift sets required include toiletry sets/Lynx sets/socks, hot water bottles, scarves and gloves.

Also needed are chocolate and biscuit treats.

The organisers say: "Anything would be gratefully received and make someone's Christmas. Everyone should get to have a Christmas ."

* Drop-off point is Wingetts office in Castle Street from Monday to Friday and Saturday 10 -12 .

Also being taken are cash donations, so that volunteers can shop for gifts and wrap them.

#llangollenfamily #helpingeachotherthisxmas