Around 40 miles were walked in total, and a good time was had by all.
* If you are interested in joining - the ramblers do lots of local walks as well - contact Judy on smithdinbren@gmail.com.
She said: "We welcome new members."
* Llyr Gruffydd MS with Trudy Winsper and Evelyn Altemeyer, Health Policy Lead – Coeliac UK.
After speaking to a Llangollen woman with the condition, a North Wales MS says it’s “unacceptable” that so many people living with coeliac disease aren’t receiving a diagnosis.
Llŷr Gruffydd, who represents the region in the Senedd, recently met with representatives of Coeliac UK at the Welsh Parliament to discuss the issue.
The Plaid Cymru politician also spoke with campaigner Trudy Winsper from Llangollen, who has coeliac disease.
According to research by Coeliac UK, a charity for people who need to live without gluten, over 20,000 people in Wales are living with coeliac disease without receiving a diagnosis.
Mr Gruffydd said the lack of an effective diagnosis pathway is negatively impacting the “quality of life” of people who have the condition, as well as putting “strain” on the Welsh NHS.
Though one in every 100 have Coeliac disease, figures suggest that only around 36% of them get a diagnosis. On average it takes 13 years to receive one.
Coeliac disease is a serious condition where the immune system attacks the body’s own tissues when gluten is eaten. This causes damage to the lining of the gut and means the body can’t properly absorb nutrients from food.
Because of the way that coeliac disease can affect the gut, it's frequently misdiagnosed as irritable bowel syndrome.
The symptoms range from mild to severe, and can include bloating, diarrhoea, nausea, wind, constipation, tiredness, mouth ulcers, sudden or unexpected weight loss, and anaemia.
Coeliac UK provides its 65,000 members with trustworthy advice and support. It also funds research into coeliac disease, and works with healthcare professionals to improve diagnosis and fights for better availability of gluten free food.
The charity’s mission is to ensure that one day, no one’s life will be limited by gluten.
Llŷr Gruffydd MS said: “I am grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with representatives from Coeliac UK at the Senedd.
“At the event I had the opportunity to speak with clinicians and with patients and hear about the barriers that exist to getting a diagnosis.
“I am especially grateful to have had the opportunity to speak with Trudy Winsper from Llangollen and hear about her experience with the condition.
“A significant number of people have the condition, including many constituents in North Wales.
“The research from Coeliac UK which suggests that there are over 20,000 people in Wales living with coeliac disease without receiving a diagnosis is concerning.
“It is unacceptable that people who are living with coeliac disease aren’t receiving diagnosis they need.
“Not only does this negatively impact the lives of people who have the condition and cause them more suffering, it also puts more strain on our NHS when it is already under enormous pressure.
“This is because leaving coeliac disease untreated increases the risk of developing long-term health complications.
“It seems abundantly clear that there needs to be a far more effective diagnosis pathway for people who have the condition in Wales.”
* Planting partners.
A partnership has safeguarded an extremely rare tree found in Llangollen for future generations to enjoy.
Pupils from Ysgol Dinas Bran, Gwernant and Bryn
Collen have been learning all about the Llangollen Whitebeam, a very rare tree
which only exists at two locations in the world.
In 2017, a project ran in partnership between the
Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape, Chester Zoo and Natural
Resources Wales (NRW), commissioned a detailed survey to determine the
population of this species, as well as to gauge their condition.
In total, only 315 of the trees were recorded, 307
were found at Creigiau Eglwyseg Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI),
with an additional eight trees in Shropshire.
Berries were also carefully collected and taken to
Chester Zoo where skilled botanists cultivated the plants at the zoo for
several years, by recreating the unique environment of Llangollen in a
behind-the-scenes plant nursery.
Now, six years later, 20 of the rare trees have
been replanted in several locations around Llangollen, including one at
Dinas Bran this month. The reintroduction was supported by local school pupils
from Ysgol Dinas Bran and volunteers.
Emlyn Jones, Head of Planning, Public Protection
and Countryside Services, said: “We are so fortunate to the rich diversity of
wildlife found in Denbighshire and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National
Landscape . To think that we hold almost the entire global population of just
one species is remarkable and something to cherish.”
“Given the inaccessible places these trees grow,
they are easily overlooked and many people are not aware as to the importance
of this species.
“By planting them with school children, future
generations will have a greater appreciation as to what is on our doorstep, and
people will now be able to see and appreciate the Llangollen Whitebeam as it is
planted in and around the town.”
Richard May, NRW Environment Officer, said: “We
are very happy to have worked on this positive project with our partners at
Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape and Chester Zoo.
“We now have an up-to-date survey of the endangered
Llangollen Whitebeam and we understand more about the health of the population
and what conservation management it requires.
“It’s amazing to think that this tree can only be
found in two places in the world, and I’ll enjoy seeing these trees restored to
Castell Dinas Bran.”
Richard Hewitt, Team Manager of the Nursery team at
Chester Zoo, added: “Chester Zoo is well known for its species-saving work with
a variety of animals, but many maybe unaware that we’re also dedicated to
saving the world’s botanical treasures, too. Our team have dedicated more than
six years to nurturing this species in our nursey, starting with a mere seed
and growing them right through to these magnificent trees. It’s a great feeling
to now see them go on to thrive in their historical home in North Wales.
“Without the help of this partnership, this special
tree could have disappeared from our planet altogether.”
Subaru Outback drive by Steve Rogers
Long before we became addicted to crossover SUVs there was
very little around for people wanting something more than a bog standard family
estate.
Hauling a horsebox, pulling a trailer, or just towing a
caravan off a muddy field, the answer was a big old 4x4, capable but noisy, and
uncomfortable on the open road.
Or....you could buy a Subaru Outback, the car that looked
like a normal family estate but with a secret stash of hardware. Twenty five
years ago Outback was no ordinary estate. It had the company's renowned
permanent all wheel drive system, raised suspension and bits of plastic body
armour. It could paddle through streams and tackle the same off-road challenges
normally the domain of Land Rover and the like.
I'll bet you didn't know that Subaru, a company fairly
anonymous on our roads, is a world leader in all wheel drive sales. Good pub
quiz question that.
Outback started a trend and big hitters followed with Audi's
Allroad, Volvo's Cross Country, Volkswagen's Alltrack and Skoda's Scout.
They have all faded, replaced by SUVs, but the Outback is
fighting on and made a comeback with a big upgrade last year. It got a new
platform to improve ride and handling and a bunch of tech upgrades, yet it is
difficult to place Outback in today's world of motoring.
Marketing speak would say Outback does not fit today's
customer profile, and it doesn't.
In fact it is all wrong. It is not the SUV everyone wants, it
has an ageing petrol engine with high exhaust emissions, lousy economy and is
bereft of hybrid technology.
It was for those reasons that my expectations for Outback
were in the medium to low region.
If you are expecting me to say how could I be so wrong,
forget it. But I was pleasantly surprised, it exceded expectations and any
notion that Outback is just hanging on like an ageing sportsman living only on
past glories can be kicked right out of the park.
The facelift breathed new life into the old girl, a freshened
up front grille and headlight signature giving it a bit more street cred while
inside is even more impressive. There is nothing to make you shout wow, it is
still a bit old style with good old fashioned needles in the speedo and rev
counter dials, but trim and build quality are high grade giving the cabin a real
classy feel.
What does provide a fashionable lift is the near 12in high portrait style touchscreen. Not my favourite piece of new world tech but this one is actually easy to use with helpful quick keys to get to the 11 menus. They open in a flash to reveal clear directions in big type. Nothing is difficult to find which is as well because getting into the menu to activate auto brake hold and turn off lane departure for every journey is annoying.
Outback does redeem itself with no fuss voice control, responding
easily to commands to adjust heating, radio selections and navigation
destinations.
As a forerunner to the sports utility Outback is a
substantial family car with plenty of legroom front and back. The transmission
hump is a bit of a nuisance but three adults across the back is a given. The
boot is cavernous and stretches to around 1700 litres with the seats folded
flat.
Compared to speedster hybrid rivals Outback is a bit of a
plodder but with enough grunt for safe overtaking and smooth motorway cruising.
The less said about economy the better, mid thirties on a good day, otherwise
be happy to get past 30mpg.
The photograph shows Outback doing something it does best;
this is a safe as houses towcar and hovered between 24-25mpg on a 400 mile
round trip which is surprisingly efficient.
Subaru offers three trim levels and has thrown just about
everything at the entry Limited, even powered front seats, and heated seats in
the back as well as the front. Extras for my top of the range Touring include
nappa leather seats, memory function for the driver seat, sunroof, deafening 11
speaker quality audio, hands free powered tailgate, and digital all round
camera with jet wash.
All models get the Eyesight safety system which is world
beating and with more improvements is about as good as it gets.
What does the future hold for Outback? There are no immediate
plans to replace it so it has to keep plugging away and hope that substance
over modern day styling wins the day.
Fast facts
Outback Touring AWD
£42,595 (starts £36,990)
2.5 litre petrol; 8sp automatic
166bhp
0-62mph 10.2secs; 120mph
32.8mpg combined
193g/km. 1st tax £1,650
Boot: 561 litres
Insurance group 30
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A new martial arts club has recently opened at Llangollen Leisure Centre.
Llangollen Kickboxing Club meets on Monday nights from 7 to 8pm (£6).
It is run by Steve Stockdale, a current World Kickboxing Champion who has over 30 years martial arts experience and has fought his way to many titles over the years.
Steve is an additional needs teacher at St Christopher’s School in Wrexham and is also a qualified personal trainer and martial arts instructor.
Having taught small
groups and individuals for many years, he was persuaded by his students to
open up the club to others after taking the over-35s kickboxing World
Championship in Greece last year.
The club is affiliated to the World United Martial Arts Organisation (WUMA) and students follow a certified syllabus.
Focusing on fitness, flexibility
and sparring, members can also compete and many have already been successful in
tournaments around the country.
Steve says the club has a friendly, supportive and positive atmosphere but it is also one where you are pushed to be your best.
"The doors are always open to new members and if you
are interested in more information see llangollenkickboxingclub.co.uk," he added.
Llangollen's first repair café session will be held this Saturday, May 18, at St Collen's Community Hall, from 11am-2pm.
