Llangollen couple’s killer back behind bars in Spain

The Shropshire Star is reporting that one of the brutal killers of a Llangollen couple has been arrested in Spain after four months on the run from prison.

For the full story, see: http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2015/06/20/llangollen-couples-killer-back-behind-bars-in-spain/

Eddie Redmayne's choirmaster is Eisteddfod adjudicator

A MUSICAL maestro who led the school choir in which Oscar-winning actor Eddie Redmayne was a star performer will be one of the adjudicators at this year’s Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod.

Ralph Allwood MBE was in charge of the world famous choir at Eton College when the young British actor, who earlier this year landed the Academy Award plus a BAFTA, Golden Globe and Screen Actors Guild Award for his stunning portrayal of Professor Stephen Hawking, was its lead singer in the early 2000s.

With a string of other prestigious musical accomplishments to his credit over more than 30 years, in July Ralph (pictured right) will once again bring his vast experience to bear in judging the cream of choral competitors from across the globe at the Llangollen Eisteddfod where he has been one of the guest adjudicators for over a decade.

For 26 years until 2011Ralph, 65, was Director of Music at Eton, the top people’s public school in Berkshire, and recalls that he was in charge of the college choir at the time - from 2000 to 2005 - when actor Eddie Redmayne was a key member.

He said: “Eddie was Keeper of the Choir at that time, which meant that he was the chief boy who was singing in it.

“I remember him as the nicest possible young man who was also a very good singer. He was a very useful tenor.

“I know that, apart from music, he was also very keen on acting and I was absolutely delighted to see that he won so many honours for playing Stephen Hawking in the film The Theory of Everything.”

After leaving Eton and going on to obtain his History of Art degree from Trinity College, Cambridge, Redmayne, a friend of Prince William at Eton, embarked on a successful career in theatre and film.

He brought the powerful tenor voice honed under Ralph Allwood’s guidance at Eton to bear in one of his most memorable big screen roles to date, as Marius Pontmercy in the 2012 blockbuster, Les Miserables, alongside Russell Crowe, Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway.

Also during his time at Eton, Ralph recalls being tutor to another student who went on to musical greatness, Edward Gardner, who eventually became conductor of the English National Opera.

“Edward was possibly one of he best known of the 13 boys to whom I was tutor who would go on to become conductors,” he said.

Another famous name of the musical world Ralph – now a freelance choral director - has worked with is Britain’s favourite choirmaster Gareth Malone, who he will meet up with again when Gareth  showcases his new choir at this summer’s Llangollen Eisteddfod.

The pair last teamed up when Ralph was a judge on the BBC2’s The Choir two years ago.

Ralph says of him: “He’s a really nice fellow and it was just wonderful to work with him on the series.”

At this year’s Llangollen Eisteddfod Gareth, who also masterminded the creation of the Military Wives choir, is looking forward to playing a part in the climactic Choir of the World event when choirs will compete for the prestigious Pavarotti Trophy.

Eilir Owen Griffiths, Musical Director of the Eisteddfod, said: “The guiding principle of the Eisteddfod is that it should involve people of the highest quality and Ralph is very much part of that tradition.

“He has tremendous experience at the highest levels in music and it is that quality and integrity that he brings to his role as an adjudicator and which helps make Llangollen what it is.”

During his own glittering career Ralph, who was made an MBE in the 2012 New Year’s Honours List, has become well known throughout the musical world for founding and directing the Eton Choral Courses which over the past 35 years have seen around 7,000 16-20 year olds receive week-long, residential courses providing intensive but fun training in singing and choral music.

He co-founded the Rodolfus Choir, made up of the best singers from the courses and which has produced over 20 CDs, and is founder and conductor of Inner Voices, a choir made up of singers from state schools in London.

Ralph is also Director of Music at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich with its Choral Scholars from Trinity Laban, and a conductor of the National Youth Choir of Wales.

He has conducted choirs for 40 live broadcasts for BBC Radio 3 and has written much music heard worldwide on radio and television.

Ralph is a Fellow Commoner and Assistant Director of Music at Queens’ College, Cambridge, and an Honorary Fellow of University College, Durham.

Another of his many roles is Choral Advisor to Novello, Wellington College and Trinity College, Oxford.

He teaches at Trinity Laban Conservatoire, Westminster Under School and at his old school, Tiffin.

Apart from his annual contribution at Llangollen Eisteddfod, Ralph, who has a Doctorate of Music from Aberdeen University, also adjudicates at the Cork International Choral Competition.

He said he is looking forward very much to adjudicating once again at Llangollen and added: “I’ve done it for the past 12 years or so and it’s always really lovely because it’s a unique and highly enjoyable festival.”

Among the highlights at this year's Eisteddfod will be the Thursday night concert when heart-throb tenor Alfie Boe will be joined on stage by Britain’s Got Talent star Jonathan Antoine.
 

Other big draws include Oscar-winning music legend Burt Bacharach, the immensely popular Canadian singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright and Ali Campbell, the voice of UB40.

To book tickets and for more details on the 2015 festival go to the website at www.international-eisteddfod.co.uk

Jades celebrates 35 years in business

Jades Hair & Beauty is currently celebrating 35 years of being in business in Llangollen. 

The name Jades stands for Jean and Dave Evans, after the founder of the business and her husband.

Jean had a small salon in Fron when she first moved to Wales and after a few years she had the opportunity to buy a salon in Oak Street, Llangollen.

 

She opened her business in 1980 and her daughter Louise joined in 1982 followed by her other daughter Sue in 1986, under the name of Jades Hair Fashions.

In 1998 Louise and Sue bought the family-run salon allowing Jean to retire from hairdressing.

In 2000 Jades underwent major alterations by adding a second floor, and setting up a beauty department offering beauty treatments, manicures and facials under the new name of Jades Hair & Beauty.

A spokeswoman for the business said: “It has been a great pleasure taking care of our customers over the years.

“The growth we’ve experienced is because of people who faithfully support our business.

“We appreciate them and we’ll do our best to continue to give them the kind of service they deserve.

“We would like to take the opportunity to invite you into the salon during the last week of June and join us with a celebratory glass of fizz and cupcakes.

“Also to celebrate our 35 years we will be giving every client in the month of June a raffle ticket so they can be in with a chance of winning one of our 35 prizes.

“First prize is a hair and beauty make-over, and the additional prizes will either be hair services, beauty treatments, products and make-up.”

MP slams Government response over bank closures

Clwyd South MP Susan Elan Jones has slammed the Government's response on Llangollen and Corwen bank closures, and has called for much tougher action.

Ms Jones (pictured right) made her comments after she received a formal response to a question in Parliament where she had urged a Cabinet Minister to meet with senior management of Nat West Bank to get them to re-consider their decision to close branches in Llangollen, Corwen and other communities in North Wales.

In its written response HM Treasury said: "Decisions on the opening and closing of individual bank branches are taken by the management of each bank on a commercial basis without intervention from Government.

"Banks and building societies need to balance customer interests, market competition, and other commercial factors when considering their strategy.

"The Government is committed to increasing competition to deliver innovation and good financial products and services for all bank customers, and part of the Government’s long term economic plan is to ensure that banks serve all sections of society. 

"The Government welcomed the industry-wide Access to Banking protocol announced in March 2015. From the first of May this year, a bank must carry out a number of steps if it is closing a branch.

"The steps include establishing the impact of a branch closure before it takes place; finding suitable alternative provision; and putting satisfactory alternative measures in place before a branch is closed."

Susan Elan Jones MP said: "Government Ministers ignored my direct question about meeting with NatWest Bank to try and prevent the closure of banks in Llangollen, Corwen and other communities in North Wales.

"It's also concerning that the Government has moved away from its declared aim of only a few years ago to try and save the last bank in every community. Now there only seems to be a very vague 'Access to Banking protocol'.

"It's ridiculous to suggest that an irregular 'bank on wheels' services that offers partial banking services for an hour a week or so can  meet the needs of individual and business customers.

"There really needs to be a major re-think of banking services in rural areas, because of the distances involved. It's not the same as if a branch closes in a suburb of Manchester, London or Cardiff. Nat West's decision to close branches in Corwen and Llangollen will have a massive impact on both towns."

Choir's concert at Plas Newydd

The Porthmyn Vale Choir (pictured) will perform a mid-summer eve concert in the grounds of Plas Newydd tomorrow (Sunday) from 6-8pm.

The programme will include solo pieces from tenors within the choir, which comes from Rhewl near Ruthin.

People can bring a chair or a rug (and maybe a bottle) to enjoy the  wonder of mid-summer's eve in the setting of the beautiful Plas Newydd grounds.

* Tickets £5 on the day from Plas Newydd shop.
 

Skates vows to do all he can to find buyer for D&C

Clwyd South Assembly Member Ken Skates has vowed to do everything he can to help find a buyer for an under-threat company in his constituency. 

Welsh Labour AM Mr Skates is in talks with the administrators at Dobson & Crowther in Llangollen, which made 55 of its 79-strong workforce redundant on Wednesday.

He said the company was forced to restructure in 2014 after the loss of its biggest customer, and was later let down when its main supplier went bust.

Mr Skates said he had a ‘positive’ conversation with financial services firm Baker Tilly Ltd on Thursday and visited the site today (Friday) to talk to staff.

He said: “I’ve spoken with the administrators and the workforce and assured them I will help in any way I can to find a buyer and a new employer for people in Llangollen.

“Dobson & Crowther has a brand new, state-of-the-art factory on a prime site, so it’s a very attractive proposition. There seems to be an encouraging level of interest already.”

Mr Skates has also secured an assurance that details of the 55 employees laid off this week be passed to any buyer.

He added: “This week’s developments are a real blow to Llangollen and the wider area, but the most important people here are the employees and their families. I will work with the town and county councils, the Chamber of Trade – whoever I need to – to try to secure the best outcome possible under the circumstances.

“This has been a terrible time for staff, who have shown incredible loyalty to the company over many years. Recent events demonstrate clearly why we must continue to work relentlessly to create and safeguard jobs in the Dee Valley.”

Railway hosts heritage railcar gala this weekend

Llangollen Railway will be hosting a Heritage Railcar Gala tomorrow (Saturday) and Sunday, June 20 and  21.

An intensive service will operate along the 10-mile preserved line, using the trains which revolutionised the railways more than half a century ago.

Visitors will  be able to see the line as the driver sees it from the comfort of one of our heritage scenic observation diesel trains.

Making a guest appearance over the weekend will be a 1958 vintage Class 122 'Bubble Car' from Derbyshire, which will be in Wales for only a few days. 

 

It will operate both on its own and in multiple with members of the home fleet, including the Wickham and 127 sets, enabling a five-car rake of green vehicles to be put together.

The event, which is often seen as one of the highlight of the UK's heritage railway calendar, will feature a half-hourly service as far as Carrog,with alternate trains continuing onwards to Corwen on the line’s recently-opened 2.5 mile extension.

 

All intermediate stations will be open and will offer opportunities for exchanging trains.

Supporting the visitor will be four of the line’s resident fleet of units, the Birmingham RCW Class 104, the Derby works Class 108, the Wickham Class 109 and a hybrid of a Class 127 power car and a Class 108 trailer.

 

There will also be a steam diagram which will be covered by the GW push-pull ‘autotrain’ powered by Pannier Tank 6430, which is imminently due to re-enter service after its ten-year overhaul.

Another feature is a photographic evening on the night immediately before the event featuring the Class 122 and an evening train on the Saturday where fish and chips or a barbecue will be available.

* Full details are available at: http://llangollenrailcars.co.uk/Gala2015.php and http://www.llangollen-railway.co.uk/event/heritage-railcar-gala-2/