First curlew chicks of season hatch in this area

The Curlew Connections Wales team are celebrating the arrival of the first Eurasian Curlew chicks of the 2025 season in the South Clwydian Hills and Dee Valley.

This comes as a significant milestone for one of the UK’s most endangered bird species which has seen its numbers in Wales drop by over 80% since the 1990s.

Commonly known as Europe’s largest wading bird, the Curlew is easily recognised by its long, curved bill and distinctive bubbling call. 

Once a common sight across Welsh uplands and wet grasslands, the curlew population has dramatically declined due to only being able to raise one chick every four years, which is far too low to sustain their population.

Working alongside local farmers and landowners, the Curlew Connections Wales team have been working hard to protect these rare ground-nesting birds by monitoring known nesting sites on the moorlands in North East Wales.

To give the nests the best chance of success methods such as temporary electric fencing has been used to keep predators and farm animals away from the vulnerable eggs.

This simple but effective measure is already making a big difference, with 12 nests being protected by the fencing this year, which is a significant increase from four nests fenced last year.

Jillian Howe, Community and Engagement Officer at Curlew Connections Wales said: “The arrival of these first chicks is very encouraging, as it shows that with community support and targeted protection, we can give curlew chicks a better chance to survive and help reverse their decline.”

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport and Biodiversity Champion, said: “To hear of these Curlew chicks hatching in Denbighshire is a testament to the important work that our dedicated officers and partners do to ensure the protection of these red listed species. Without urgent action the possibility that Curlew’s could be extinct from Wales entirely by 2033 is a harsh reality. However, these early hatches are a positive sign for this iconic bird and a hopeful step forward for curlew conservation in Wales."

* If you see or hear a curlew in the project area, contact our Curlew Connections Wales Officer at: samantha.kenyon@denbighshire.gov.uk or for more information visit: www.gwct.wales/curlew-connections/

New charity shop aims to benefit Dee Valley Trust

A new charity shop is opening in the heart of Cefn Mawr selling clothes, homeware and collectables to raise cash for the Dee Valley Trust  (DVT). 

All profits will go to a registered charity funding projects that will benefit the local community. 

A spokesperson for the charity said: "Our fantastic managers Nadine Earle and Ian Wright have worked hard to get the shop off the ground with the support of adviser Sue Sealy and local artist Carol Davies. 

"We will be celebrating the formal opening on Saturday June 21. Cutting the ribbon we are delighted to welcome Ken Skates MS and Steve Witherden MP. This will be followed by a brief tour of the shop with cake and refreshments to follow.

"If you have good quality items to donate, or would like to volunteer, please contact Nadine or Ian on 01978 219351. Find us on Facebook or Insta."

The directors of Dee Valley Trust CIC are Dave Gittins (Chair), Emma Brennan, Sonia Benbow-Jones and Mark Lacey. For info email mark.lacey@deevalleytrust.org.uk.

Latest Chinese budget-busting E-car comes surfing in

BYD Surf launch by Steve Rogers

They have done it again. Chinese car maker BYD has shaken up the electric market with another budget busting model.

Meet the Dolphin Surf, BYD’s smallest electric car with savagely competitive pricing, £18,650-£23,950, razor sharp looks, and more space than you might think from a car just under four metres long.

The location for the UK launch was London’s Alexandra Palace, an unusual setting but the Chinese certainly do things with a bit of style. The Surf was heralded in a crashing wave of razzamataz with all the the glitz and glamour of a Tom Cruise film premier, the Ally Pally teeming with influencers, bloggers and, of course, good old fashioned motoring journos.

This was a company showcasing its commitment to electric vehicles, and they are not hanging about. In China BYD cars can be charged almost as quickly as fueling. We were told the technology will reach Europe but there was no hint of when.

Before getting into the nitty gritty, what colour would you give the car in the photograph? I would go for a definite yellow but BYD seems to be suffering colour blindness because they say lime green!

It takes all sorts but we can’t deny that the styling is stunning and has been likened to a Lamborghini which is hardly surprising given that it was penned by a former Lambo designer.

How good the car is to drive on the open road will have to wait for another day. The route around the traffic clogged London Borough of Haringey restricted driving mainly to 20mph (there are 20mph limits in London as well as Wales).

It could be argued this was the perfect playground because Surf’s diminutive size suits city and urban driving. It is easy to park in tight spaces and has a terrific lock as I discovered when forced into a tight U-turn to escape a traffic hold up.

But there is still plenty to talk about and high on the agenda is space, not something associated with cars this size. Unlike rivals like Renault 5E and Citroen EC3 the Surf is a four seater, it’s a tad narrower than the aforementioned, but it means the two back seats are wide and comfortable, while legroom here is amazingly good and headroom not bad either.

Second place in space is the boot, not the class leader, but not far off. BYD’s wafer thin battery pack helps out here with minimal intrusion into the floor so packing a large suitcase and a couple of carry-ons should not be a problem. And there is a surprise under the boot floor where there is room for another carry on case.

Up front is standard BYD, minimalist with a 7in digital drivers display, 10.1in touchscreen, with a few rocker switches beneath, one of which is the gear selector. Controlling the heating is through the touchscreen but things have been made a bit simpler by dragging three fingers vertically or horizontally to select temperature or fan speed no matter what is displayed. Until you have managed to work everything out just use voice control which is one of the best I have come across.

There are three models: Active with a 30kWh battery and a modest 137 mile range, Boost, 43.2kWh battery, 200 mile range, and the top spec Comfort with a more powerful motor and a range of 193 miles.

As is BYDs way there is a generous list of standard equipment with vegan leather seats, rotatable touchscreen, air conditioning, rear parking sensors and camera, keyless entry and start, adaptive cruise control, and Android or Apple CarPlay phone connections.

Boost, which has the slowest acceleration to sixty (12secs) despite its name, gets navigation and powered front seats while Comfort add-ons include 360deg all round camera, LED headlights, heated front seats and wireless phone charging.

As one of the least expensive electric cars on the market the Surf is a solid buy and will be a pain in the neck for its European competitors with a combination of great value, space and styling, and it comes with a six year warranty.

All we need now is for the Government to provide the means to charge cars in areas where people often have no option but to leave their car 100 metres or more from where they live.

Fast facts

Dolphin Surf Comfort

£23,950

Range: 193 miles

Battery: 43.2kWh. 154bhp

0-62mph 9.1secs

10-80% charge: 30 minutes

Boot: 308-1037 litres

Enterprising company spreads service with £500,000 boost

* Sally Lloyd Davies, the newly appointed Chief Officer  of South Denbighshire Community Partnership with Margaret Sutherland, the retiring Chief Officer. Picture by Mandy Jones           

A growing social enterprise that provides a lifeline for people in Llangollen and Corwen is expanding after securing £500,000 in funding.

The grant from the National Lottery - People and Places fund will enable South Denbighshire Community Partnership (SDCP) to create two new jobs and extend services into the evenings and weekends as well as weekdays.

The injection of cash also secures the future of the not-for-profit company for the next four years, according to the new woman at the helm.

Mother-of-four Sally Lloyd Davies, from Maerdy, has been appointed as the new chief officer of the organisation.

She’s following in the footsteps of her predecessor and mentor, Margaret Sutherland, who’s retiring eight years after her “immense contribution” which was recognised with an MBE in 2020.

The organisation was founded in 2011, with the “double act” starting to work there on the same day five years later and since then it has gone from strength to strength.

As well as managing two community centres, Canolfan Ni in Corwen and Pengwern Community Hub in Llangollen, SDCP provides a raft of services designed to “improve the health and wellbeing” of mainly older and vulnerable people in the Dee Valley.

They include meals on wheels with 1,500 deliveries every year in Edeyrnion, lunch clubs serving 2,000 meals annually, social activities and a range of community transport services amounting to nearly 7,000 passenger journeys over the past 12 months.

Last year funding from the Motability Foundation enabled SDCP to increase its fleet from three to five vehicles – the fleet consists of two minibuses, two wheelchair-adapted cars and a van fitted with ovens and fridges to deliver meals.

According to Sally, none of what they do would be possible without the “brilliant team” of 43 dedicated volunteers.

She said: “We are absolutely thrilled to secure this vital funding from the National Lottery Community Fund because it gives the organisation and the team security to know that we can carry on with the good work that we are doing.

“It’s also going to enable us to develop some new initiatives and expand some services into evenings and weekends.

“Everything we do is driven by the community and that was one of the things that was highlighted when we consulted local people in Llangollen and Corwen about what they felt was needed in their communities.

“We will also be looking to work with partners to develop new projects that are going to look at education and upskilling people to get re-engaged with learning.

“In the meantime, the new tranche of funding will enable us to expand our existing services which are a lifeline for elderly and vulnerable people in the area..

“The food deliveries not only provides people with a nice hot, nutritious meal but the volunteers visit them daily when they deliver Monday to Friday and they are our eyes and ears.

“There have been occasions sadly we have found somebody that’s fallen and we have been able to ring emergency service or get help for them from the GP or family.

“It’s crucial for people who might otherwise be isolated and can literally be a life-saver.

“With our dial-a-ride service, people sign up for an annual membership fee and journey charge and then they book their journey with a minimum of 48 hours’ notice subject the availability of our volunteer drivers.

“We always give priority to medical appointments – trips for hospital or GP appointments – and we also provide transport for people who want to go shopping or to see a friend.

“Making use of the two minibuses, we have been able to increase our social trips which are really well received because they really help in reducing isolation and loneliness.

“We have two wheelchair accessible vehicles and we are really lucky that the volunteers give us their time to provide the service in Corwen and Llangollen. They are the lifeblood of the organisation.

Sally also paid tribute to Margaret Sutherland’s “inspirational leadership” since 2016.

She added: “I have learned so much from Margaret over the past eight years. I am determined to continue this work, and make both Margaret and our community proud.”

Margaret Sutherland said: ”Knowing that Sally is going to take over makes my retirement a lot easier because it gives me peace of mind about the future of SDCP.

“I know it’s in very good hands with Sally at the helm. I am confident that the organisation is going to thrive and continue to serve our community.

“For every £1 of funding we received, we have created £13 of social value and that’s based on feedback from the community.

“A cornerstone of our success has been developing good relationships with Denbighshire County Council and the health board, enabling us to access more funding to provide more services.

“The reason we have been able to do so much is that we have worked in partnership with other organisations and we have become a go-to organisation to get things done in South Denbighshire.”

 

    

 

 

Light and landscape feature in gallery's new exhibition

The new exhibition at the Oak Street Gallery in Llangollen is entitled Light and Landscape and features the work of Carys Haf Roberts, Gwen Bramley and Amy Hammond. 

Carys works with an array of media - wax, paint, oil sticks and washes - to capture the charm and spirit of the rural Welsh landscape. 

Gwen's colourful lino prints are fresh and vibrant, delighting in the nature found amongst the hills, castles, bridges and stately houses of Wales.

Amy works with oil on paper, creating joyful, jubilant meadows full of flowers and serene landscapes.

Karl Young said: "We are really excited to be able to show the work of these three wonderful artists their work complement each other and the summer season. The exhibition runs from the June 18 - July 19." 

* Carys Haf Roberts. 

* Amy Hammond. 

* Gwen Bramley. 

Three weeks to go before Llangollen welcomes the world

* Il Divo star on the Pavilion on Friday July 11.

With just three weeks to go, the town of Llangollen is awash with flags as it prepares to welcome the world to the Llangollen International Eisteddfod from July 8–13

This year’s event promises a spectacular week of international music, dance, culture and community.

Over 4,000 performers from across the world will arrive over the next few weeks in North Wales to take part in a joyful celebration of peace through the performing arts.

The festival’s unique blend of world-class evening concerts, daily competitions, and outdoor entertainment makes it one of the most exciting cultural events of the summer.

There will also be a series of events in the town of Llangollen, featuring the competitors. 

Prior to the EISTEDDFOD - in just nine days' time - TK Maxx presents Live at Llangollen Pavilion kicks off with performances from the likes of Texas, The Script, UB40 Featuring Ali Campbell, Olly Murs and many more from June 26 - July 5.

Chair of the Llangollen Eisteddfod John Gambles said: “This year’s Eisteddfod is shaping up to be one of our most ambitious and international festivals to date. With a stunning line-up of concerts, thousands of performers from across the world, and an expanded programme for families and young people, we can’t wait to welcome the world to Llangollen yet again.” 

Artistic Director Dave Danford said,: “We’ve curated a programme that truly reflects what the Eisteddfod is all about – unity, talent, and cultural exchange. From cinematic scores to choral masterpieces, orchestral pop and traditional folk, there’s something for everyone.” 

Evening Concerts Line-Up: 

Tuesday July 8 – Beyond Time: The Music of Hans Zimmer 

Live film scores performed by the Cinematic Sinfonia, conducted by Anthony Gabriele 

Wednesday July 9 – Uniting Nations: One World 

Celebrating 80 years of the UN, featuring One World, conducted by Sir Karl Jenkins and the premiere of the reimagined Peace Child 

Thursday July 10 – KT Tunstall with the Absolute Orchestra 

A symphonic celebration of her breakthrough album Eye to the Telescope 

Friday July 11 – Il Divo 

The classical crossover sensations perform in Llangollen for the first time 

Saturday July 12 – Choir of the World & Dance Champions Grand Final 

With special guest Lucie Jones, crowning the best of global choral and dance talent 

Sunday July 13 –Bryn Terfel: Sea Songs 

Featuring Fisherman’s Friends, Eve Goodman, and the Pendine International Voice of the Future Final 

 Daytime Highlights: 

Over 25 competitions across choral, dance, and instrumental categories with competitors from across the World. 

Children’s Day (Wednesday 9 July), featuring workshops, performances and the vibrant Parade of Nations (4:30pm) 

2 Outdoor Stages on the Eisteddfod field with live folk / world music, family activities, a Kids Zone, circus skills, food, crafts, and more

* Tickets and full programme available now at www.llangollen.net 

Nominations invited for Welsh Charity Awards

Nominations are being invited for this year's Welsh Charity Awards. 

The awards, organised by WCVA, recognise and celebrate the fantastic contribution charities, community groups, not-for-profits and volunteers make to Wales by highlighting and championing the positive difference we can make to each other’s lives.

Nominations will close on June 30. 

The ceremony will be held on October 16 at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff and organisers say they are anticipating another dazzling evening’s celebrations.

THE CATEGORIES

You can make one nomination in each category:

• Volunteer of the Year (26 and over)
• Young Volunteer of the Year (25 and under)
• Fundraiser of the year
• Champion of diversity
• Use of Welsh language
• Most influential small organisation
• Health and wellbeing
• Organisation of the year

* Find out more about the Welsh Charity Awards, including the category descriptions, rules and how to make a nomination, by visiting the Welsh Charity Awards website .