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Wednesday, October 16, 2013

Thomas heads back to Llan


* Owner Mike Pearce with Thomas the Tank Engine.

The Llangollen Railway based Thomas the Tank Engine is on his way back home after a triumphant tour of preserved railways in Holland and Belgium, as well as three venues in southern England.

After a successful repeat visit to the railway at Haarksbergen in eastern Holland, the famous engine No.1 was transported to the Stoom Centrum at Maldegen near Bruges. 

There appearances on Belgian regional television ensured a record crowd turned out to see Thomas perform in a set piece demonstration.
 
Mike Pearce, the owner of the Llangollen based Thomas, travelled out to Belgium to be with the famous engine and was very impressed with the reception he was awarded by the Belgian railway volunteers.
 
Mike said: "The Stoom Centrum members were so pleased to have Thomas at their railway they extended considerable hospitality to me and I was involved in the operation of the engine throughout their event. I
 
"It was interesting to see how a very British engine was accommodated within a continental railway setting and how the undoubted appeal of the Thomas stories has a international recognition from all the fans, young and old."

Later in September the engine moved on to Spontin in the province of Namur in southern Belgium where it was a guest at the Chermin de fer Bocq, a line which is being restored by volunteers as a tourist railway in the very rural setting of the Wallooon region.
 
Although the region is less populated then the Bruges area, many fans were attracted to see the famous engine in action here too.

Having returned home  to Llangollen, the challenge is now to get No.1 ready for the last appearances of the 2013 season with the Days out with Thomas events planned for the weekends of October 19/20 & 26/27.

Tuesday, October 15, 2013

Skates hails £11m extra for children's schemes

CLWYD South AM Ken Skates has welcomed the Welsh Government’s announcement that it will pump an extra £11m into a ‘vital’ free scheme which aims give children the best start in life.

Mr Skates said the plan to expand the Flying Start programme – announced by Deputy Minister for Tackling Poverty, Vaughan Gething, last week – was ‘fantastic news’ for families in Wales’ most deprived areas.
 
“This is further proof of Welsh Labour’s commitment to giving children the best possible start in life and it’s fantastic news for families in our most disadvantaged communties,” said Mr Skates.
 
“I know the Flying Start programme is making a real difference in Clwyd South as it is throughout Wales, and it’s a vital initiative of which I am particularly proud. Some 23,579 children are already benefiting from the scheme and we want it to cover 36,000 children and their families by the end of the Assembly term in 2016.”
 
* Flying Start is the Welsh Government’s early years programme for families with children under four years of age in some of the most deprived areas of Wales. It includes free part-time childcare for two and three year olds, an enhanced health visiting service, access to parenting programmes and early language development.
 
The Welsh Labour Government is to invest £6m of capital funding over the next two years to develop the facilities and infrastructure needed for the expansion of the programme. There is also additional funding of £5m revenue in 2014-15 for the running costs.

Top chef launches new book at Hamper Llangollen

 
* Dai Chef will be Hamper Llangollen with his
new recipe book.
 
A TOP celebrity chef who wowed opera superstar Luciano Pavarotti with his culinary skills has cooked up a new recipe book.
 
Dai Chef will be launching the book at this year’s Hamper Llangollen food festival, which is this weekend (October 19 and 20).
 
He famously cooked for Pavarotti when he came to perform at the International Eisteddfod in 1995, exactly 40 years after he first came to Llangollen as part of his father's choir from Modena, in Italy.
 
According to Dai, who also worked at the world-famous Carlton Club in London, the 100-page volume, entitled Let the Boy Cook, is packed with “fun, food and frolics” and designed to appeal to everyone from home cooks to culinary professionals.
 
He explained that the book’s title is based on a saying by his late father who often declared, “Let the boy cook!” whenever his vegetarian mother was proving a little reluctant to let the young Dai come up with tasty meat dishes at the family home in Aberystwyth.
 
“My Dad, Danny Davies, who died 10 years ago, was always very supportive when I wanted to try out my cooking. But my mother was a vegetarian, which back then in the 1950s wasn’t very common,” said 56-year-old Dai.
 
“She was always a bit reluctant to let me try meat dishes but that’s when Dad would come out with that saying telling her to just let me get on with it.
 
“I’ve remembered it all my life and when it came to coming up with a title for the book I thought it would be just perfect.
 
“People have been asking me for years why I didn’t write a cookery book but I never got round to it because I was busy with other things.
 
“Now I’ve finally written the book and am delighted to say I’ll be launching it Hamper Llangollen, where I always love to go to do cookery demonstrations and meet old friends.”
 
This year's festival is being supported by the rural development agency, Cadwyn Clwyd.
Cadwyn Clwyd’s contribution came via the Rural Development Fund for Wales 2007-2013, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD) and the Welsh Government.
 
The event has now established itself as one of the very best in the UK.
 
Hamper Llangollen was named in the Top 10 food festivals in Britain by the national newspaper, The Independent.
 
Dai was born and raised in Aberystwyth and trained at a culinary college in Haverfordwest. He lived in Chirk for many years.
 
He gained his initial experience in the kitchens of some of the largest hotels in London’s West End and by the age of 21 he was the youngest chef saucier – in charge of the creation of delicious sauces – at the world famous Carlton Club in St James’s.
 
Later, Dai became head chef at the White Hart restaurant in Lewes, Sussex, and for a time was the personal chef of the owner of Simpson’s in The Strand, which is based in the same building as the capital’s iconic Savoy Hotel.
 
He then returned to Aberystwyth to run his own restaurant and during a 16-year period starting in the 1990s was head chef at the Bryn Howel Hotel in Llangollen, which is where in 1995 Dai had the unforgettable experience of cooking for Luciano Pavarotti when the legendary Italian tenor was staying there for his appearance at Llangollen International Eisteddfod.
 
In 1996, Dai captained the Welsh team at the Culinary Olympics when it won a bronze medal for its culinary skills, and soon afterwards he was awarded an Honorary Fellowship at Glyndwr University in Wrexham.
 
While he in charge of the kitchens at the Bryn Howel, Dai lived in nearby Chirk with his family and for a number of years was with Llangollen Rugby Club in the dual role as chairman and second row player.
 
After spell as a chef trainer – many of his pupils are now working in some of the world’s fin est restaurants – Dai took another hands-on role as chef director at the Ship Inn at Red Wharf Bay on Anglesey where he is still heading the team.
 
He said: “The book I’ll be launching at Hamper Llangollen later this month is a compilation of all my favourite recipes and has a very Welsh feel to it.
 
“Amongst the 100 or so recipes in there will be one of my signature dishes, Coracle of Llangollen Lamb. I developed it while I was at the Bryn Howel in Llangollen and it won me the Dragon Dish of the Year title in 1996.
 
“It uses every bit of the lamb including the sweetbreads and kidneys.
 
“The sweetbreads are cooked in cream and on top of them you have the loin or fillet and on the very top are faggots made from the liver and kidneys.
 
“I’ve also included my recipe for Cut Caws, which is goat’s cheese lightly grilled and topped with a little fresh orange chutney all set on a toasted brioche, and there’s also one for Llandegla Trout.
 
“The book will definitely be fun, food and frolics and by that I mean it will include some samples of my own poetry.
 
“It’s not heavy academic stuff, just some verses and sonnets I’ve written for family occasions such as weddings and christenings. There’s also some about St David’s Day and my beloved rugby.
 
“Hopefully, it will appeal to everyone from home cooks to professionals and I’m delighted to be launching it at the Llangollen food festival where I’ve been coming ever since it began.
“On the front of the book is a caricature of me, so if people don’t like it they can always put it up on their dartboard!
 
“I love the Llangollen event because, unlike some food festivals, it’s not in a marquee but in a proper setting with a big stage, which gives it a real sense of theatre when you’re doing cookery demonstrations.
 
“I also look forward to Llangollen because of all the old friends I meet there.”
 
Dai will be doing two cookery demonstrations on the Saturday and when he launches his book, which is priced at £9.99, he’ll be signing the first 150 sold.
 
Once again, he’ll be assisted by his 18-year-old Daniel, who has just back from Italy where he has finished his training in the front-of-house role of maĆ®tre de’.  
 
Colin Loughlin, chair of the local committee that runs the festival, HehEhsaid: "In addition ot Dai Chef, there will also be a starring role for Graham Tinsley, the star of I TV's Taste the Nation and a former captain of the Welsh Culinary Team.
 
"We have a wonderful array of fantastic food producers clustered in the area and the festival is the perfect shop window for them.
 
Hamper Llangollen 2013 is on at Llangollen International Pavilion on October 19 and 20. For more information go to: www.llangollenfoodfestival.com

Monday, October 14, 2013

llanblogger is back!

llanblogger is back in action after a short break.

Now we're online again we'll continue to bring you all the latest in news and views from Llangollen and the surrounding area.

Plans finalised for Llan Christmas Festival

Members of the Llangollen Christmas Festival Committee are now very busy finalising arrangements for this year's event, which will be on Saturday 30th November 
 
The Festival will start with Sion Corn’s arrival by steam train at the station and then he will accompany a parade  led by the Llangollen Silver Band through the streets to the Town Hall.
 
The Parade will start at the station at 1.00pm and proceed along Castle Street then into Market Street, East Street, Parade Street and then back to the Town Hall where Sion Corn will have his Grotto.
 
It is also the intention to close Oak Street from 10.00am to 6.00pm where street entertainment, market stalls, music and dancing will be available. 
 
Sion Corn’s Grotto will be in the Town Hall where children will be able to visit him and receive a small gift.
 
To avoid waiting a long time in a queue to see him arrangements are being made for tickets to be sold in advance at half hour time intervals. Those tickets will be available from the Town Hall Office and Tourist Information Office.   
 
Although the Festival Committee has received generous donations from some local businesses, to whom the group says it is extremely grateful, more funding is required to ensure a successful Festival so anyone wishing to make a donation should contact the Town Hall office on 01978 861345.
 
Funds have been raised from a Car Boot Sale, Sponsored Climb up Snowdon, contributions from an Abseiling event in Llangollen and it is the intention to hold a sponsored car wash with the help of the local Fire Service (date to be arranged) and also a Quiz Night in the Town Hall. Collection boxes have been placed in various locations in the town and these have raised well over £200 in the past but it is hoped that this sum will grow by the time of the Festival. 
 
A Raffle is being held once again and over 20 prizes have been donated so the Committee hopes everyone will be digging deep in their pockets and buying lots of tickets which will be on sale very soon. 
   
Arrangements are being made for lots of musical entertainment during the day provided by the Silver Band and many local choirs taking part.
 
There will be children's funfair rides, climbing tower, Punch & Judy shows, circus acts, Morris dancing, a storyteller, a facepainter and lots more to entertain you during the day until the Christmas Lights are switched on about 5.00pm followed by a Laser Light show or Firework display.
 
Once again pupils from Ysgol Bryn Collen and Ysgol Y Gwernant will be entering competitions and the winners will be invited to switch on the Lights. 
 
Pitches will be available at various locations across the town for those who bring their own Market Stalls at a cost of £25 and anyone interested should contact Gareth Thomas on 01978 861345. 
 
All net proceeds from the Festival will be donated to Hope House Children's Hospice. 

Saturday, October 5, 2013

We're taking a short break

llanblogger is taking a short break.

We'll be back online in just over a week's time to bring you all the latest in news and views from Llangollen and the surrounding region.

Clubs invited to apply for cash boost

Corwen and District Angling Club has received a community chest grant to continue the  work they have done encouraging new junior members to participate in the sport.

And the county council says every club in Denbighshire will be eligible to apply for a similar cash boost.

For the past four months Corwen Angling Club has taken groups of children to fish at Chirk Fishery for one day a month so that the kids can enjoy uninterrupted coaching.

The parents are invited and food is provided for them in addition to the children - this is all free of charge and all the kids are given free membership to the club.

The club will also be holding fly tying days at the Recreation Pavillion in Corwen over the winter free of charge.

A series of junior fishing competitions have also been arranged for next year in conjunction with Bala Angling Club.

This will be on a monthly league basis and will be over a 6 months period and the intention is to develop the skills of these kids to a high level of competence and the ultimate goal would be for some to represent Wales on the International fly fishing stage.

Corwen Cricket Club, and Henllan Football Club both also benefited from a recent community chest grant as they plan to introduce two new junior teams this year.  Corwen cricket club received the full £932 they requested for coach education, training costs and equipment and could still apply for another £568 for further costs this year too.  With two more meetings remaining in the current financial year the panel has over £30,000 still available and clubs are encouraged to apply, subject to their meeting the appropriate criteria.  For full lists of criteria go to http://denbighshireleisure.co.uk/grants.html#Denbighshire or pick up a leaflet from your local leisure centre.  Every club in Denbighshire will be eligible to apply for a community chest grant of up to £1500, every 12 months for separate projects.