Nightingale House to host spring coffee morning

 

Eisteddfod's Daffodil Festival blossoms with brilliant evening concert

 

* A duet from soloists Shea Ferron and Clare Harrison.

The weekend’s Daffodil Flower Festival in support of Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod blossomed into life at St Collen’s last night (Friday).

Thanks to the efforts of the Eisteddfod’s floral committee the church has been decked out with a profusion of spring blooms including, at the back, an enormous daffodil wave with yellow flowers of all shapes, sizes and materials created by schools and organisations in the community.

It was the perfect setting for the opening event – a concert showing off the combined talents of the Carrog-based Lleisiau’r Afon Ladies Choir conducted by Leigh Mason and soloists Shea Ferron and Clare Harrison accompanied by pianist Owen Roberts.

It was the choir who got the show underway with three Welsh songs to set the ideal tone for the evening.

* Lleisiau’r Afon Ladies Choir conducted by Leigh Mason.

Well-known young local entertainer Shea Ferron’s first set included the three numbers he sang so successfully in last year’s musical theatre competition at the Eisteddfod, including You’ll Be Back from Hamilton.

The choir came back with more beautifully-crated Welsh folks including the very lively Deryn Y Bwn. 

Soprano Clare Harrison stepped up to present a stunning version of Let the Bright Seraphim by Handel and was later joined by Shea for a memorable duet of The Prayer.  

There was more from the choir before soloist Clare returned a lightly jazzy Can’t Help Loving That Man from Showboat and others.

At last year’s Llangollen Eisteddfod Shea memorably hit the headlines when he climbed up on the Pavilion stage during an evening concert to belt out Bring Him Home from Les Miserables with his singing hero Alfie Boe.

The whole brilliant evening reached its grand finale when the choir backed both soloists with a storming One Day More from Les Miserables.

* Festival events continue today (Saturday) when the daffodil wave and the other stunning floral displays go on show to the public inside and outside the church throughout the day. 

The Community Hall is also open from 10am-4pm today and tomorrow with stalls, refreshments and prize raffle. Free entry.

The weekend’s programme comes to an end on Sunday when, from 3pm, Father Lee Taylor leads a free Hymns and Pimm’s choral concert of favourite hymns in the church. 

Father Lee says: “All are welcome, regardless of belief or background, to come together and celebrate the joy of singing. 

“Research shows that singing has numerous benefits, including boosting mood and promoting a sense of well-being. 

“Come hear the stories behind some of our most beloved hymns and discover how they have inspired and uplifted individuals on their spiritual journeys.”

Llangollen takes top 10 spot in list of UK's best inland towns

* Horse-drawn boat trips helped propel Llangollen to a top spot in the Which? list.

Llangollen takes one of the top 10 spots in a new list of the UK’s best inland towns.

With its 79% it wins seventh place overall out of 94 towns and villages ranked by consumer champion Which? 

It is also the top Welsh town in the list, which is based on feedback from over 9,000 holidaymakers with rankings worked out according to scenery, food and drink, tourist attractions and value for money.

Which? said of Llangollen: “From canal boat cruises to horse-drawn boat trips, as well as its annual International Musical Eisteddfod festival, there’s plenty for visitors to enjoy.”

Claiming the top spot is Wells, in Somerset which scored 83% overall and at the other end of the scale is Gretna in Scotland with a score of just 49% for bottom spot.

* For the full story, go to: Britain's best inland towns and villages have been revealed — did yours make the cut? (msn.com)

Health authority responds to question about nearest minor injuries units

* Oswestry Minor Injuries Unit at the town's health centre, Picture: Whitchurch Herald.

A health authority has responded to a question about the minor injuries units which  Llangollen people can use.

These units (MIUs) are staffed by experienced emergency practitioners who are supported by health care assistants but not doctors.

The query about Oswestry MIU, which is located at the town’s health centre, arose when a local social media user revealed that they had received excellent treatment there for an ankle injury sustained over the bank holiday weekend.

Their Facebook post described how they were first advised by the health information service 111 to attend hospital accident and emergency.

But not wanting to face a long wait for an x-ray the person contacted their GP a few days after the injury and was told they could visit the Oswestry MIU, which they did and received “excellent” treatment there.

But they then questioned why 111 didn’t advise them about the Oswestry service.

Llanblogger raised the issue with the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) where a spokesperson said: “We publicise our Minor Injuries Units on our website here: Minor Injury Units - Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (nhs.wales)

“We’ve also make regular posts on social media directing people to their local MIU.

“The nearest MIUs to Llangollen are Mold, Holywell or Denbigh.”

Llanblogger checked out the suggested link and found that, actually, Oswestry is listed as the nearest MIU for the central Llangollen postcode area at just under nine miles distant. Then comes Mold (13.9 miles), Denbigh (18.1 miles) and Holywell (20.8 miles).

* From the link provided by BCUHB giving closest MIU's to Llangollen.

According to the BCUHB website, patients attending one of these units will be assessed and treated as quickly as possible. If their condition cannot be dealt with at the Minor Injuries Unit, then they will be referred to their GP or nearest Emergency Department or to another appropriate service.

Injuries dealt with at MIUs include:

• Minor injuries in adults
• Minor injuries in children
• Human/ Animal Bites
• Minor burns
• Minor head injuries/ scalp laceration
• Ear/ nose foreign bodies
• Limb injuries
• Minor eye injuries
• Insect stings

The website adds: “Minor injury units cannot treat patients who have collapsed, chest pain, breathing problems, abdominal pain, alcohol related problems, drug overdose, gynaecology problems, health conditions normally seen by a GP such as minor illness, mental health problems, dental problems, neck injury, chest or back injury.

“MIU's are a walk-in service and no appointment is required and NHS 111 Wales is the first port of call of course. However, if the patient is still unsure it is better to telephone the MIU, to allow us to put the patient in the right place, at the right time first time.”

Oswestry MIU is located at the health centre in Thomas Savin Rd, SY11 1HS.

* Details for Oswestry MIU from the Shropshire Community Health Trust website.  

Grants available now from Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council

 

Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC) now have grants available for 2024/2025. These are:   Youth Led Grants Dementia Aware Community Grant  Welsh Church Act Grant  The Youth Led Grants Scheme supports a small range of volunteering projects and activities that are led and carried out by young people. The applications are selected and recommended by a panel of young people aged 14-25. Grants are available up to £2,500 (Closing date: Friday 31st May 2024) For more information and to apply Dementia Aware Denbighshire Community Led Grant has been enabled by funding from the Welsh Government Regional Integration Fund. It will give Voluntary and Community Groups, Third Sector Organisations, Social Enterprises and Small Businesses (less than 100 employees) who operate in Denbighshire the chance to apply for up to £5,000. Individuals can also apply for grants up to £500. Grants are available for events, activities and training sessions, which can raise awareness about dementia and encourage people to turn awareness into action and improvement in their communities. (Closing date: Friday 31st May 2024) For more information and to apply The Welsh Church Act Grant offers grants of up to £500 for local constituted organisations (including registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, community groups who have been constituted for more than six months, parish or community councils, community interest companies, social enterprises, and uniformed groups). Other entities can be considered at the discretion of our volunteer led Grant Panel. (Closing date: Friday 31st May 2024) For more information and to apply

 

Eisteddfod will be saying it with flowers this weekend

* Floral committee members arrange the daffodil wave at the back of the church.

Members of the floral committee have spent the day decking out St Collen’s Church with a wave of daffodils and other colourful displays ready for a packed weekend of special events to support this summer’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. 

The programme begins tomorrow (Friday) evening with a a choral concert from 7pm featuring the Lleisiau’r Arfon Ladies’ Choir led by Leigh Mason, Clare Harrison accompanied by Owen Roberts and songs from the musical theatre by Shea Ferron. 

Tickets from £10 are available from Llangollen Tourist Information or online at www.llangollen.net 

Please use promo code LIVE24 to get the £3.25 booking fee off your purchase. Discount is applied at the checkout.where a small booking fee applies.

Events continue on Saturday when the daffodil wave, including daffodils of all shapes and sizes crafted by schools and local organisations, and other stunning floral displays go on show to the public inside and outside the church throughout the day. 

* Specially for the floral festival, the famous Eisteddfod crest has been brought over to the church from the Pavilion where it is normally on display.

The weekend’s programme comes to an end on Sunday when, from 3pm, Father Lee Taylor leads a Hymns and Pimm’s choral concert of favourite hymns. 

Father Lee says: “All are welcome, regardless of belief or background, to come together and celebrate the joy of singing. 

“Research shows that singing has numerous benefits, including boosting mood and promoting a sense of well-being. 

“Come hear the stories behind some of our most beloved hymns and discover how they have inspired and uplifted individuals on their spiritual journeys.”

* As part of the Daffodil Flower Festival at St. Collen's this weekend, local bellringers will be ringing a quarter peal (45 minutes continuous ringing) on the afternoon of Sunday, 7th April, before the songs of praise service at 3.00pm.

* The LLs from the Eisteddfod branding have been decorated with flowers outside the church door.

Event devoted to saving endangered curlews planned for Town Hall

Three internationally-acclaimed experts are to speak at a meeting in Llangollen Town Hall on April 10 on the theme of saving the UK’s endangered curlew population.

The celebration event, which is free to attend, has been organised by wardens from the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) to draw attention to what one of them, Rhun Jones, describes as a “catastrophic” decline in the species over the past couple of decades.

It will be the culmination of a day devoted to crafting and guided walks. 

Rhun said: “We have lost 80 per cent of the birds in less than 20 years. There are now only about 400 left and we are losing them at the rate of six per cent a year.

“There’s a variety of reasons for the loss, including development, fragmentation of habitat, predators and possibly also global warming.”

The problem will be addressed at the Town Hall meeting later this month by the three experts, including Mary Colwell, the founder and director of Curlew Action who has worked tirelessly to raise awareness about the plight of the species, conservationist David Elias, author of the book Shaping the Wild, and Dr Rachel Taylor, senior ecologist at the British Trust for Ornithology.

“We are very lucky to have three such eminent experts joining us for the event in Llangollen, which will also feature entertainment from the male voice choir Cor Meibion Bro Glyndwr and also, we hope, some poetry readings on the theme of saving the curlew,” added Rhun.

* One of the electrified fences is set up to protect a curlew nesting area.

He explained that the local AONB was closely involved with Curlew Connections Wales, a two-year conservation project funded to the tune of £1 million by the Welsh Government, which was concentrating of three particular areas of the country where the species is most at risk of extinction.

One of these – along with Montgomery and the Brecon Beacons, is the South Clwydian Mountains where the AONB is co-ordinating the work of a band of around 15 dedicated volunteers to identify likely curlew habitats.

Once a nesting site has been pinpointed, working in close co-operation with local farmers, electrified fences of about 3ft high are set up around them to protect chicks by warding off ground predators such as badgers, although they remain vulnerable from airborne attack from the likes of crows.

If the chicks can be protected in this way for the first crucial few days there is a much greater chance that they will survive into adulthood.  

This work, which is going on during the current nesting season from now until July, and much more will be highlighted at the Town Hall meeting on April 10, where doors open at 6.30pm ready for a 6.45pm start.  

* More info on the Curlew Recovery Plans can be found on this website.