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The timetable for April at Pengwern Community Hub shows lots of new things including a Budgeting and Savings Workshop, Digital Confidence Sessions and the last three workshops with Artist Ben Davis to create a community mural.
As well as what is going on at Pengwern, there is an event called Spring in to Spring in St Collen’s on April 11 and also, from April 18, project co-ordinator Jen Naylor will be helping out with ‘Feel Fabulous’ on Thursday mornings also at St Collen's.
Latest column from Denbighshire Citizens Advice is:
Q: I’ve just got my first payslip from a new job, I’m slightly embarrassed to say I don’t understand what all the different sections refer to. How do I know what each means and if it’s correct?
A: Congratulations on the new job, hopefully you’re settling into the new role.
There’s no need to be embarrassed about not understanding your payslip, it contains lots of information which can be tricky to get your head around but it is important to understand. Your payslip shows your pay, deductions and tax information. All employers are required to give their employees a payslip and it’s a good idea to keep them for as long as possible.
The top left corner of your payslip is where you’ll usually find your employer’s details. Opposite this, in the middle or top right corner, should be your details. This is also where you might find your payroll or employee number, this is what your employer uses to identify you for payroll purposes.
Next, you’ll see lots of different numbers and codes. The payment date is when your pay will normally arrive in your bank account, it can be monthly or weekly and fall on any day of the month.
Your National Insurance (NI) number refers to your unique number. You must have a NI number to work in the UK. It’s used to make sure all your NI contributions are recorded and so you can get any state benefits you’re entitled to, including state pension later in life.
Your payslip might show a tax period, the tax year starts in April and ends in March. The number here corresponds to the period in which you’re being taxed, eg. if you’re paid monthly, 01 will represent the tax period in April, while 12 would mean March.
Next is your tax code. This is decided by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and is used by your employer or pension provider to work out how much Income Tax to take from your pay. Your tax code is made up of several numbers and a letter. The numbers refer to how much tax-free income you get while the letters can mean different things depending on your circumstances. You can find out what they mean on the government website.
Make sure you’re not on an emergency tax code otherwise you’ll be taxed more than needed.
Now to your pay and deductions. Gross pay, means how much you’ve earned before anything is deducted. Deductions are amounts taken from your gross pay, common ones include: income tax, national insurance, pension or student loan payments. Income tax is the tax you pay on your earnings to fund public services, this is something you have to pay but the amount will vary depending on your earnings. You pay National Insurance so you can be entitled to certain benefits, and it also contributes towards the NHS.
Most payslips will add up all the deductions from your pay into a single amount to make it easier for you to see how much is taken from your pay each month. Your net pay is the amount of money you will receive after all the deductions have worked out.
Lastly, taxable pay is the amount of your salary, to date in the current tax year, that has been subjected to tax. This will usually appear next to your net pay figure.
Llangollen Canal has been ranked amongst the most popular waterside destinations to visit in the UK, according to a story in the Leader.
The picturesque canal,
which crosses the border between Wales and England, saw an average of 4,775
monthly searches on Google, which placed it fifth out of 128 waterside
destinations from the Canal & River Trust.
* For the full story, see: Llangollen Canal among most Google searched UK destinations | The Leader (leaderlive.co.uk)
The Eisteddfod’s weekend-long Daffodil Flower Festival reached a tuneful finale this afternoon (Sunday) with a well-attended Hymns and Pimm’s event in St Collen’s Church.
Presided over by Father Lee Taylor, it featured a broad selection of hymns – accompanied by cups of Pimm’s – with each guest presenter connected with the Eisteddfod telling the story behind why it was their favourite. Each was then sung by the congregation.
Father Lee said hymns were like “cherished heirlooms” because they held the weight of history.
An example, he said, was the famous Welsh hymn Guide Me, O They Great Redeemer, which had been sung so well and strongly by Welsh soldiers in the trenches of World War One that it had also been adopted by their German opponents.
Welcoming people to the event, Eisteddfod board trustee David Hennigan said St Collen’s was very fortunate in its presentation of hymns by having Owen Roberts, who was accompanying the afternoon’s musical offerings, as its resident organist.
Explaining the reason for choosing his own favourite, Eternal Father Strong to Save, which has as its most famous line “For those in Peril on the Sea”, he said it was appropriate for its international element and the fact that a number of the 3,000 people from 32 different countries who would be visiting the 2024 Eisteddfod would be journeying by sea.
Former Eisteddfod chairman Gethin Davies chose Amazing Grace as his favourite because, as he explained, it reminded him of the 1995 festival when it was hauntingly sung by a girls’ choir at an evening concert.
The hymn How Sweet the Name of Jesus Sounds was selected by Alison Jarvis and Eisteddfod deputy chair John Gambles picked I, the Lord of Sea and Sky.
Long-time Eisteddfod volunteer Bill Kong chose and sang a version of Anfonaf Angel in the original Welsh.
There was another solo performance from his wife Selana, a trust board member, who sang Give of Your Best to the Master in Chinese.
The afternoon came to a close with the singing of The Day Thou Gavest, Lord, is Ended.
All of the weekend’s special events were held to support the Eisteddfod’s own charity and included a concert on Friday evening and the decoration of St Collen’s on a Daffodil theme by the festival’s floral committee.
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Latest local roadworks alerts from one.network are:
|
Berwyn Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 08 April - 10
April Delays
likely - Temporary one-way Name: Berwyn
Street, Llangollen Location:
Hall Street Description:
Streetworks / License - Streetworks Responsibility
for event: Denbighshire County Council Current
status: Planned
Hall Street, Llangollen, Denbighshire 08 April - 10
April Delays
likely - Diversion route Name:
Diversion Location: Hall
Street Description:
Streetworks / License - Streetworks Responsibility
for event: Denbighshire County Council Current
status: Planned |
* 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.
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.”
