St Tysilio's Church gets funding boost from UK Government

* St Tysilio's in Llantysilio.

St Tysilio's in Llantysilio is one of four churches in Clwyd South to receive a share of £12,000 in UK Government funding.

While St Tysilio's has been awarded £1,776 by the Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, St Mael & St Sulien Church in Corwen has received £4,999, St Dunawd's Church in Bangor on Dee £3,951 and St Deiniol & St Marcella in Marchwiel £2,184. 

The grant scheme, which is operated by the Department for Culture, Media & Sport, has so far provided £42 million per year in funding towards the VAT paid on repairs and maintenance to listed places of worship. 

It aims to support listed and protected architecture for the benefit of present and future generations, handling around 7,000 claims per year. It applies to listed places of worship across the UK.

 

Clwyd South MP Simon Baynes, speaking about the announcement, said: “The churches of Clwyd South are an important part of our landscape and heritage. 

"They are at the heart of the communities they serve, and it is right that these historic buildings are preserved for worship, community events and tourism. 

"I am very pleased that these four churches have benefited from the UK Government’s Listed Places of Worship Grant Scheme, and I encourage any other place of worship in Clwyd South that are interested in applying to contact my office for more details.”

Lord Parkinson of Whitley Bay, the Minister for Arts and Heritage, said: “Listed places of worship represent some of our nation’s finest heritage, and HM Government recognises that there are particular challenges to looking after such cherished and historic buildings. 

"They are often at the heart of our communities, bringing people of all ages together, and represent some of our finest heritage. Since 2010, the Gov has invested more than £346 million to listed places of worship nationwide.”

East Street roadworks alert

Latest local roadworks alert from one.network is:

East Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 28 January - 04 February   Roadworks, Delays likely   Traffic management: Road closure   Description: Resurfacing works   Works location: East Street   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 Denbighshire County Council.   Responsibility for works: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Advanced planning   Works reference: QR004S000000008143

Railway teams with university to smooth its 'green' journey

* The Wrexham University team on a visit to Llangollen.

Llangollen Railway has teamed up with Wrexham University to help enhance its "green" journey.

As part of its commitment to develop its future sustainability the heritage attraction is seeking to better understand both its environmental and energy usage strategies.

This include the railway's impact on both Llangollen and Corwen as well as its wider estate in the Dee Valley, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and a potential future National Park.

To help achieve this it has a new and developing partnership with the university.

* The university team at work at the railway.

A railway spokesperson said: "Working alongside the university’s environmental and engineering faculties, we will be offering our facilities and services to complete world-leading academic under and postgraduate research in areas such as carbon foot-printing and novel technologies for energy management and conservation.

"We are very excited to see these projects begin and are confident that their outcomes will make a genuine difference to our impact on the environment, as well as fostering wider links with the specialist scientific and engineering expertise available on our doorstep at Wrexham University."

* The university group visits the railway's machine shop.

Car diverted by viaduct closure gets stuck in the mud

* The picture of the couple's illustrating the story in the Denbighshire Free Press.

A couple got stuck in the mud on a track road near Llangollen for hours after a recent storm closed the A483, according to a story in the Denbighshire Free Press.

Bob Medley and his wife were on their way to Warrington, to see Bob’s wife’s elderly father, when their satnav and GPS re-routed them through the muddy path.

* For the full story, see: https://www.denbighshirefreepress.co.uk/news/24074772.storm-isha-satnav-leave-couple-stuck-mud/?ref=socialflow&fbclid=IwAR3_kbPKtzcAr1z393S0RBXS8CPT-azuIKE0j8dxQBkFHQI2p1T8O77dFEM

Young 'Uns to stage Oliver! musical next month

* The cast of Oliver! to be staged next month by Llangollen Operatic's Young 'Uns. Picture by Barrie Potter.

Llangollen Operatic's junior section, the Young 'Uns, will explore the dark and threatening world of Victorian London - but with a lively musical "twist" - when they stage Oliver! at the Town Hall next month.

The popular group's 33rd production since it was founded in 1990 takes place from Thursday-Saturday, February 22-24, at 7.30pm, with a 2pm matinee of the last day.

Oliver! is a stage musical, with book, music and lyrics by Lionel Bart. The musical is based upon the 1838 novel Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens.

It follows the tale of young Oliver from his early days in a grim workhouse, his escape to London where he meets up with the gag of trainee thieves led by the old rogue Fagin and the trials he faces at the hands of the villainous robber Bill Sikes.   

Production team for the Young 'Uns version is Robin Crowley (artistic director), Julian Cattley (musical director) Pamela Williams (producer), Deirdre Smith (assistant producer) and Sarah Marshal (choreographer).

There's a young cast of 27 the oldest of whom is 18-year-old Heledd Edwards, who has had prominent roles in previous Young 'Uns shows, and is due to leave the group after this production. 

* Tickets are available from www.ticketsource.co.uk/llangollenoperaticsociety or Llangollen Tourist Information, Jades Hair and Beauty, Llangollen Oggie Shop & Fine Foods.

Latest local roadworks update

Latest local roadworks update from one.network is:

Abbey Dingle Nursery to Abbey Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire 26 January - 26 January   Delays likely - Diversion route   Name: Diversion - B5103 From Junction Of A5t To Junction With A542 Horseshoe Pass Road, Llangollen   Location: Abbey Dingle Nursery To Abbey Road   Description: Streetworks / License - Streetworks   Responsibility for event: Denbighshire County Council   Current status: Planned

Councillor demands action over "dangerous and irresponsible" Llangollen diversions

* The barrier at the Castle Street/Mill Street junction was demolished during a day of heavy traffic congestion yesterday caused by the latest diversion.

Llangollen county councillor Karen Edwards says the town cannot sustain the level of "dangerous and irresponsible" disruption caused by traffic diversions from the A483 and A5.

And she has called for a re-think of the town's traffic system in the light of recent events. 

Over the past few days Llangollen has twice been used as a diversion route after storm warnings led to the closure of the viaducts over the nearby trunk routes, causing massive traffic congestion on both occasions.

In a statement issued to llanblogger this morning (Wednesday) Cllr Edwards says: "Many residents will have been caught up in the gridlock that occurred in Llangollen last night and last week when gale force winds caused the North Wales Trunk Road Agency to close the viaducts on the A5 / A 483. 

"The closure caused all north and southbound traffic to be diverted through Llangollen and along with the resultant chaos ,damage was caused to the railings on the recently narrowed town bridge.

"There was a failure to properly manage the traffic and without question confirmation that the redesign of Castle St with the narrowing of the road renders the chosen route diversion unsuitable for HGVs.

"Attempting to safely put trunk road traffic through a road which has been redesigned for traffic calming and increased pedestrian usage didn’t work last night or at any other time these diversions are implemented. In simple terms, there is now no resilience in the highway network and the recent investment to our street scene ( like it or loathe it ) has been damaged again."

She adds: "As a resident before I was elected I challenged the design/layout prior to its implementation with the DCC officers and the DCC Head of Service responsible for the implementation and I will call for another design review of this junction and layout by DCC in light of the recent events. 

"Three years have now elapsed since the collapse and closure of the Newbridge Road. Had it been repaired this would have been the option for traffic diversion when the viaducts are closed whether due to inclement weather or any other reason.

"I would like to assure residents that I will be doing my utmost to ensure that lessons are learned at county and government level by those responsible for the glacial speed of the repair on the Newbridge Road and are fully aware that Llangollen cannot sustain this level of disruption - it's unsustainable, dangerous, and irresponsible."

* Clwyd South MS Ken Skates said: “I raised this matter with the council yet again last week. With the recent storms causing road closures, it has reiterated the urgent need for the road to be reopened and residents are getting more and more frustrated at the lack of information.

“It’s now almost two years since the Welsh Government confirmed funding of £2.8m to fix this – in addition to the grants it had already given to the council for investigations and exploratory work. People are asking me why nothing appears to be happening and where the money has gone.

“I’m sure the council is working hard on this behind the scenes, but my constituents need answers."