Christmas event at Plas Newydd postponed due to the weather

Tomorrow's planned Christmas event at Plas Newydd has been postponed due to the weather.

A note on the historic site's social media this afternoon (Friday) says: "We will be postponing the Christmas at Plas Newydd event that was due to take place on Saturday 9th December. 

"There has been a weather warning issued for heavy rain and high winds of up to 50mph throughout the day and with the outdoor nature of the site (and many veteran trees) we must take precautions for the safety of our visitors.

"The good news is that we will be postponing this event and not cancelling! We will be putting plans in place to reconvene in the new year and hope to welcome you then!"

Senedd Member 'proud' to make the Sir Tom Jones announcement

* Ken Skates gives the news that Sir Tom Jones will headline at the Eisteddfod.

An Eisteddfod vice president said he was ‘immensely proud’ to announce one of the biggest coups in the event’s history earlier this week. 

Ken Skates, Member of the Senedd for Clwyd South, unveiled Sir Tom Jones as the headline act for next year’s event at a press conference at St Collen’s Community Hall on Monday morning. 

The Welsh icon will top the billing at the 2024 showpiece, which will also include Katherine Jenkins, Gregory Porter, Madness, Kaiser Chiefs and Paloma Faith. 

Mr Skates, who is based in the town, said: “I was immensely proud to officially announce that Sir Tom Jones will be headlining next year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. 

“I’m a proud vice president of the Eisteddfod, so I was thrilled to represent Clwyd South at the press conference on Monday morning when Katherine Jenkins and Gregory Porter were also announced to add even more stardust to an extremely exciting line-up for the 2024 event. 

“Huge credit must go to the board for pulling together so many big names. The event injects millions of pounds into the local economy every year, and after a difficult few years next summer’s showpiece is set to be one of the best Eisteddfods yet.” 

Board member Dave Hennigan said: “We are absolutely delighted and we’d like to thank Ken for his extraordinary and valued support, not just now but during times of financial difficulty too.

“We’re really pleased that, after many years of trying, Sir Tom Jones will be coming to Llangollen as part of our exciting programme.”

* Mr Skates does a TV interview at the launch.

Tidy Town Team marks another successful year's activities

Members of the Llangollen Tidy Town Team enjoyed their annual Christmas dinner at the Sun Trevor last night (Thursday).

Their co-ordinator David Davies told them that during the year they had completed a total of 400 unpaid hours of work on behalf of the town.

This ranged from planting 25 fruit trees at the St John's Road landscaping project to helping with the clean-up effort which followed a flood at the town's museum.

They also undertook a major litter-pick on the Aldi car park and assisted in a number of roles with both the food and Christmas festivals.  

Total donations to the work of the team, which has now been in existence for 18 years, amounted to £1,000.

Delay to Llantysilio Green car park scheme, says county

In an update on its social media Denbighshire County Council says the Levelling Up funded project to improve facilities at Llantysilio Green Car Park has been slightly delayed and will now begin work from the January 8 next year for a period of eight weeks, weather dependant.

It adds: "The works will include some disruption to car parking, and temporary closure of the toilet block to carry out renewals of the foul drainage and provision of the new paving around the building. However, pedestrian access to Horseshoe Falls will be maintained throughout the construction process."

* You can find out more about the project at: https://bit.ly/4a1ixUO

EE phone signal down again LL20 area

 

The EE mobile phone network in the LL20 area of Llangollen is currently down.

A message on the company's signal status checker this morning (Thursday) says it is due to maintenance while engineers upgrade the network and should be back on within five hours. 

Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice

Here is the latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice:

Q: I am a single parent with two kids and I’m really worried about how I’ll afford to pay my energy bills when I have to start putting the heating and lights on more now winter is here. 

At the moment I just about have enough money to cover my bills but there is nothing left over. The thought of getting into debt keeps me awake at night but the idea of my children being cold and possibly unwell as a result is just unbearable. What can I do? 

A: You are not alone - a record number of people came to Citizens Advice with energy debt in the first four months of 2023 (32,400) - a 112% increase on the same period in 2020 (15,200). 

There are things you can do to feel in control when it comes to your energy bills. 

There are some simple tips to help save money on your energy bills. They won’t cover all the extra costs, but they can make a difference:

• Check your thermostat: A room temperature between 18°C and 21°C is ideal for most people. Try turning your thermostat down by one degree within this range – it could save you around £115 a year. If a medical condition means you need a warmer home, ask your GP what room temperature you should aim for.
• Keep the heat in: Check your home for any gaps in the doors, windows and floors. Blocking any holes where you could get a draught could save you around £30 a year. It is important to allow for some ventilation as without it mould and damp can form.
• Turn off anything you’re not using: Turning your appliances, like TVs and washing machines, off instead of leaving them on standby could save around £60 a year. Turning off lights when you’re not using them – even if it’s just off for a few seconds - could save around £25 a year.
• Consider using LED lightbulbs, which cost less to run.
• Watch your water usage: Cutting your shower time by just one minute can make a difference. If everyone in a four-person household with a water meter did this, they could save around £75 a year.

If you’re struggling to afford your energy bills, you might be able to get support from the government or your energy supplier. The first step is to contact your supplier to find out what they can offer. You may be eligible for benefits including the Warm Home Discount, Cold Weather Payments or the Household Support Fund, find out more about these on our website. 

* For more information visit the Citizens Advice website at www.citizensadvice.org.uk 

Denbighshire Leisure takes silver at public relations awards

* The DLL ream at the CiPR Pride Awards in Cardiff. 

Denbighshire Leisure Ltd (DLL) are celebrating after being awarded silver at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CiPR) Pride Awards in Cardiff. 

The company was shortlist for five awards and came away with a silver for the ‘Best Use of Content’, awarded for the "creativity, teamwork and hard work" that went into the promotion of their seasonal fitness campaign. 

The categories DLL were shortlisted in include Low Budget Campaign, Best Use of Content, Best Event, Best Long-term Campaign, and In-House PR Team of the Year. 

Jamie Groves, Managing Director of DLL, said: “We are beyond thrilled to have been shortlisted throughout Wales for five prestigious CIPR Awards.

"This is a remarkable achievement, and one that we are immensely proud of. To win Silver in a national award is an amazing achievement, It is a testament to the hard work, dedication, and creativity of our DLL team, and we are deeply honoured to be acknowledged for our efforts. 

"It’s always a pleasure to see our team receive the recognition they deserve for their hard work and dedication. The continued success of our teams proves that the DLL Culture and approach is lighting up the industry in all areas of the business; following the recent commendation for best Finance team and the National award for contributions to the Leisure industry.”

This silver award follows the success of the DLL finance team who also received a highly commended award at the Wales Finance Awards ceremony earlier this year; and the recent National UK Active awards for significant contributions to the industry. 

* For more information, visit www.denbighshireleisure.co.uk.