Eisteddfod offers new Gold+ season ticket for core week concerts

* Sir Tom Jones kicks off the six core week evening concerts of 2024. 

* Johns’ Boys Male Chorus.

Music fans are being given a golden opportunity to experience Llangollen Eisteddfod’s six Core Concerts in style this summer.

The Core Week of the Llangollen International Music Eisteddfod opens on Tuesday July 2 with a headlining set from music legend Sir Tom Jones, who kicks off six days of evening concerts, with mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins closing the week on Sunday July 7.

Between these dates, audiences can enjoy a huge variety of evening events, featuring award-winning folk band Calan, royal harpist Alis Huws, Britain’s Got Talent favourites Johns’ Boys Male Chorus, West End and Broadway stars Kerry Ellis and John-Owen Jones, and two-time GRAMMY award-winning jazz sensation, Gregory Porter.

* Gregory Porter.

* Choir of the World is a major highlight of this year's programme.

And now, fans are being encouraged to get their hands on a Gold+ Season Ticket, giving supporters of the international peace festival the opportunity to enjoy a range of perks, including:

· Exclusive seats close to the front of the stage, at a much lower price than buying tickets for the six concerts individually

· Free souvenir programme

· No ticket commission fees

· Complimentary tea and coffee

Eisteddfod Artistic Director Dave Danford said: “Our GOLD+ Season Tickets are like gold dust – they are undoubtedly the hottest tickets in town this summer!

“They provide the complete Core Eisteddfod Week experience at the prestigious Llangollen Pavilion, with an exclusive seat closer to the front of the main stage, where the late, great Luciano Pavarotti sang an unforgettable set in 1995, and where singer Alfie Boe wowed audiences last summer.

“GOLD+ gives you unspoilt views of your favourite global stars in a unique setting. This includes our opening concert with Tom Jones on Tuesday July 2, right through to our closing concert with Katherine Jenkins, on Sunday July 7.

* Katherine Jenkins.

“Between those dates, we have a week packed full of first-class entertainment, including performances from Welsh folk superstars Calan, Britain’s Got Talent favourites Johns’ Boys Male Chorus, the Royal Harpist Alis Huws, and jazz sensation Gregory Porter. We’re also bringing two of musical theatre’s biggest stars to Llangollen with an evening featuring Kerry Ellis and John Owen-Jones.

“Alongside these big names, we’ve made it a priority to remain true to our Eisteddfod heritage, with our popular daytime competitions, featuring an array of international competitors, all travelling to Llangollen to celebrate peace, music and our rich and diverse cultures.

“The finals of some of these competitions are being included in the Wednesday and Thursday evening concerts for the first time, and our Choir of the World competition on the Saturday evening marks the culmination of our competitive schedule.

“We’ve increased the range of Season Tickets this year, to give our loyal audiences more choice, and to ensure that affordable options are available to all, too. We’re looking forward to welcoming music-lovers back to Llangollen in large numbers this summer.”

* To book GOLD+ Season Tickets, or any of our other Season Tickets and for more information about the Core Eisteddfod Week concerts and best-ever full summer line-up, call the Box Office on 01978 862001.

* Award-winning folk band Calan.

Spanish firecracker is a wolf in sheep's clothing

Cupra Ateca drive by Steve Rogers

Come the day when the only new cars are electric there will still be plenty of used firecracker motors to satisfy the petrol heads.

And here is one of them, the hotshot Cupra Ateca. It might look ordinary but under that modest exterior lies a mean machine with a more than solid pedigree.

But isn't this family SUV a Seat? Well, yes and no. Seat set up a stand-alone sports brand in 2018 and Ateca was the first to wear the Cupra badge.

Cupra is growing into a serious sports brand and shares the company's high-tech racing division factory next to Seat's Barcelona HQ. Convincing stuff.

Yes, it is an Ateca, the SUV we have come to love, but this one growls. As part of the Volkswagen group Cupra was able to raid the engine store and come away with the well proven, 300bhp 2-litre turbo, the same as you will find in a Golf R and Audi SQ3, and mated with the razor sharp seven speed double clutch automatic gearbox. And it has steering wheel paddle shifters. Oh joy!

The car is very much a wolf in sheep's clothing and is certainly not dressed to impress. It has quad tailpipes but there is little else to distinguish it from a bog standard Ateca, apart from the zany Cupra badge and copper alloys, a £1,135 extra.

Less obvious but a significant part of Cupra's fun factor is the slightly lowered stance and beefed up suspension. Thrown in with the all wheel drive and you have a boxy SUV that will give a hot hatch more than a run for its money.

For a more racier body you could look at the Formentor which is pure Cupra, sitting lower to the ground than Ateca, and with more style.

The Cupra Ateca range has been expanded to take in less powerful engines, all of which are available in the cheaper Seat Ateca, but look to Cupra for the big horsepower.

With a sprint to sixty taking less than five seconds and a virtually unusable 155mph top speed, this is one quick motor with solid handling to harness the power. It is also surprisingly comfortable given it sports pedigree and is good at stifling the effects of our awful road surfaces.

This should be fairly obvious but I will mention it anyway. If low running costs and economy are on the wish list then this is not the car for you. About 30mpg is the going rate with may be 35/36mpg tops in slow moving traffic. Exploit that performance and you are quickly into the twenties.

Ateca has always been an excellent family choice and the same applies to Cupra for those wanting adrenalin rush performance. There is ample room for five adults, although the transmission tunnel is a hindrance for the middle seat passenger, while the big boot will cope with all the holiday luggage.

By today's standards the Cupra interior, which virtually mirrors the Seat model, shares the same bland look and looks outdated compared with the wow, wow Peugeot 3008 rival.

Yet it is one of the most user friendly fuss free layouts I have come across, an easy to master central touch screen and clear, physical switches for the heating. The digital driver's binnacle has a choice of three layouts and is faultless.

As for the price, well it can't be sugar coated, it is jaw dropping. My teenage great niece posed the question and gave a critical critique from her front seat ending with 'this car doesn't shout £50,000 to me'.

With the flash copper alloys and a sun roof at £1,210, my VZ2 model was within touching reach of the half century at £49,675. It is well equipped and with a raft of safety features, and of course it is all wheel drive.

You can make an argument that this car is decent value for money. This sort of performance in a similar sized Porsche Macan would be upwards of 60 grand. Okay, it has that magical name, but the Cupra is nevertheless something to ponder and emphasises my point that this will be a hell of a second hand buy in years to come.

Fast facts

Cupra Ateca VZ2 4 Drive

£46,700 (starts £36,045)

2-litre TSI 296bhp

7sp DSG automatic

0-62mph 4.9secs; 155mph

31.7mpg combined

202g/km. 1st tax £1,565

Insurance group 31

Boot 485 litres

Country Market sets out its stalls again for 2024

Llangollen Country Market is re-opening for business for 2024 on Friday, March 8, from 11am-2pm, at the Memorial Hall in Market Street.

For the rest of the year it will be based there on the second and last Friday of each month.

On sale will be a wide range of home-baked goods, like cakes, jams, preserves and honey. 

Also on offer will be home-grown seasonal fruit, veg and plants, along with hand-made crafts, jewellery, walking sticks and other goods. All sellers live locally. 

Currently Wrexham Country Market is also joining in selling their goods too. 

Inner Wheel looking for help with knitting for Ukrainian children

Members of Llangollen Inner Wheel have been knitting blankets for the Hamlin Fistula Hospitals in Ethiopia (see picture above).

And so far they have about a dozen blankets ready to send.

Spokesperson Eileen Dart said: "We have become aware of the need of knitted items for children in Ukraine and would like to turn our skills to help the people of Ukraine. 

"We would like to open our knitting group to any knitters in Llangollen, not just members of Inner Wheel, who would like to join us in this endeavour."

* Anyone who wishes to help, can email: angej41@yahoo.co.uk

Roll-out of county's new recycling containers begins next week

                                                  * The new-look recyling Trolibox. 

Denbighshire County Council last week announced a new recycling and waste service which will start on Monday, June 3.

As part of this new service, residents in the county who currently have wheelie bins will receive a new Trolibocs to recycle paper, glass, plastic, tins and food cartons and a weighted hessian bag to recycle cardboard. 

Those residents currently recycling with single use pink sacks will receive new weighted reusable hessian bags.

The council must deliver these containers to over 45,000 households throughout the county, while continuing to deliver the current recycling and waste collection service. Therefore, this process starts early with the first local containers being delivered from next week.

* In Llangollen delivery will take place from February 26-28 and from March 1-8. 

* In Llantysilio it will be on March 8 and in Corwen from February 23- 28.

Paul Jackson, Head of Highways and Environmental Services said: “We will be delivering containers to residents between 23 February and 17 May. We know that this is early and that some residents will have to store additional containers for considerable time before the new service starts. 

"However, this is the only way to ensure all residents have received their containers in good time before the service begins on June 3. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience, but we hope that residents understand that this is unavoidable.”

The delivery schedule for the new enquiries is on the council’s website on www.denbighshire.gov.uk/recycling-service-status.  All container delivery schedules are approximate, and dates are subject to change, says the council.

As well as new containers, residents will receive an information pack explaining the changes in detail, showing what type of household items should go in which container and how to present containers on collection day. These packs will be in the top box of the Trolibocs or in the reusable hessian bag for cardboard and should be kept safe.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for the Environment and Transport. said: “This new recycling system has many benefits for residents and the county. 

"It is better for the environment as it will lead to increased recycling rates; it will be cheaper to run than the current service providing better value for money; it is also good for the local economy leading to the creation of 27 new jobs plus the economic benefits of expanding four local businesses on the Colomendy Industrial Estate in Denbigh.

“This is a collective effort between our Waste and Recycling Team and the people of Denbighshire and I would like to say thank you, as your recycling is making a big difference.”

What’s changing?

* Recycling and cardboard collected weekly.

* 250 litres of recycling collected weekly instead of 240 litres collected fortnightly.

* Non-recycling collected every four weeks in a larger 240 litre bin (weekly if waste is collected in reusable weighted bags).

* Weekly collection of small electrical items and household batteries

* Four weekly textiles collection

* Weekly collection of absorbent hygiene products (e.g., nappies, wipes, incontinence pads and disposable bed pans and liners). This is a free service, but residents will need to register by 1 March for this first round of registration. Another round will open in the autumn.

What’s staying the same?

* Weekly food waste collection.

* Garden waste collection every two weeks (chargeable service).

It's full steam ahead for Llangollen Railway in 2024 season

      * Steam locomotive 7754 which will star at the Branchline Gala in April. 

After its sold-out Santa Special season finished at Christmas, staff and volunteers at Llangollen Railway have been working flat-out behind the scenes to get the heritage attraction ready for a busy 2024. 

The Branchline Gala on April 12-14 will see four steam locomotives in use on the railway for the first time in many years.

This will be another significant achievement alongside the railway's two recent success in major industry awards - the Heritage Railway Infrastructure Award and Go North Wales Tourism Awards Attraction of the Year for 2023 title.

Press officer Terry Pickthall said: "Our track gang have also made incredible progress on relaying the line through the 689-yard long Berwyn tunnel, toiling away in the dark, damp and cold to get trains running back to Corwen. 

"Our Branchline Gala will see 1930-built Great Western pannier tank No 7754 formally rededicated to traffic after a restoration that has taken nearly 20 years and was largely completed using volunteer labour. 

"Great Western heavy freight locomotive No 3802 should also be back in steam for the first time in over two years following comprehensive overhaul work. 

"Harking back to the railway’s first trains in the early 1980’s, ex-Longbridge car factory tank engine Austin 1 is about to have a new axle bearing fitted in order to take part in the gala. This large, brass component has been lovingly made from scratch in-house by our machine shop volunteers and requires the locomotive to be lifted with a 50-tonne crane, twice. 

"The crane itself has been saved thanks to donations from our supporters and the kindness of a scrap merchant, who had originally purchased it at the auction of railway assets back in 2021. We were able to buy it back, a bit at a time. 

"Finally ex-Bold colliery Austerity loco No 68067  - one of the last steam engines to work in British industry - will be operating her last trains with us before heading off for hire to another railway."

He added : “A diesel locomotive and railcar will also take part, with Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Sulzer Type 2 (Class 26) diesel No 5310 helping work a Glyndyfrdwy-Corwen steam shuttle service. These trains help add to a real early 1960's feel for the event. 

"Austin No 1 will be hauling a short rake of passenger-carrying brake vans, which provide a unique travelling experience and hark back to the early days of railway preservation. 

"As well as our usual excellent catering facilities at Llangollen station, the volunteers who look after Glyndyfrdwy Station will be opening their station café and Porters Bar, making this usually quiet wayside station a bustling hub to visit for a brew, pint, butty or cake whilst watching trains cross, come and go.”

Robin Crowley, volunteer coordinator, said: “Volunteers are our lifeblood and we’re always looking to grow our team, with a busy and ambitious programme of events planned for 2024. 

"We will be running a series of new volunteer open days through the year, which give folk the chance to visit the railway and get a taste of what is involved in being a volunteer. 

"Our first Open Day will run on Saturday 2nd March and details on how to attend are on both our website and Facebook pages."

Llangollen Railway continues to make a spectacular recovery from the collapse of its PLC operating company in 2021. 

As well as winning two national awards, the railway has also secured two substantial UK Government Levelling Up grants. 

One funded the construction of the spectacular Corwen station canopy in January 2023. The other, from the Shared Prosperity Fund. has fully financed four new staff posts at the railway to develop volunteer recruitment, retention and training, environmental and climate change strategy and the wider visitor experience. 

The railway also recently announced a partnership with nearby Wrexham University, with research staff and students from the University’s Engineering, Environmental Management and Business departments looking to support the railway’s ambitious development plans. 

Llangollen patient's concerns about future of specialist cancer nurse

 

* Cancer nurse concerns: Sarah Marshall.

A Llangollen woman is one of five patients who have written to the region’s health boss outlining their concerns about the future of a specialist breast cancer nurse based at Wrexham Maelor Hospital. 

Sarah Marshall, who has incurable form of the disease, has joined with four others to write to Caroline Shillabeer, chief executive of the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB), telling her they believe the specialist metastatic breast cancer nurse post in Wrexham will not be funded beyond next month.

They say in the letter: “In order to provide equity across the health board and indeed Wales and the UK, funding needs to urgently be identified to continue this post.”

Sarah has been a breast cancer patient at Wrexham since 2017 and since 2019 has been treated for metastatic breast cancer, which is incurable.

But for most of that time she hasn’t been too unwell and has managed to do an MSc, run for county councillor, do the Llangollen Round Challenge and choreograph local Operatic shows.

She said: “In that whole time I've never had a named nurse contact until they appointed a specialist nurse post in 2022. However, that nurse went off sick fairly quickly, then left the post and it was then covered by an internal secondment which is not funded past March 2024.” 

In their joint letter to the heath board chief she and the other patients say: “We would be devastated if the nurse’s hard work was being undone by the role not continuing in North Wales. 

“We are also very concerned that the Trust’s decision to combine the role with support for stage four bowel cancer patients makes it an unachievable workload, which contributed to the original post-holder leaving the role after a few months.

“Given that the post has been filled for at least a year now we would expect there is data available now on the number of metastatic breast cancer patients who have been supported by the role. 

"To now leave these patients without specialist support is shocking to us. Some of us are at end of life or have very limited clinical treatment options available.”

Sarah added: “The Trust emphasised that the metastatic post was part of their efforts to provide a good service, even though they had decided to combine the workload with supporting stage four bowel cancer patients, which makes it a huge remit.

“It's hard enough dealing with the incurable cancer and the treatment effects without having an inefficient and substandard service.

“Currently I'm on a clinical trial at Christies Hospital in Manchester.

“Wrexham don't run any clinical trials so I had to find a supportive oncologist to refer me there. The difference in the service is astounding.

“When my time on the trial ends I will likely have to return to Wrexham, and I'm dreading it. I don't understand how it is fair to have such a different service just because of where you live.”

Angela Wood, Executive Director of Nursing and Midwifery at BCUHB, said: “The views and experiences of our patients and service users play an important part in helping us to ensure we provide the services they need so we are grateful for this, and any feedback we receive.

“We recognise the benefits this important role has played in supporting patients across the Wrexham area and understand the concerns that have been raised.

“The NHS as a whole currently faces significant financial challenges, which means careful consideration must be given to all available resources across a range of services. This is one of a number of vacancies currently being reviewed and once a decision is made we will provide further information.”