Louisa's second update from cycling marathon

* One of the colourful scenes Louisa has cycled past.

AN INTREPID Llangollen Operatic Society member is on her mammoth 280-mile charity cycling expedition through the Far East.

Back in 2012 Louisa Jones, 38, took part in a gruelling 260-mile cycling expedition through India in aid of three women’s cancer causes, raising over £3,000 along the way.

Now she’s climbed back into the saddle for the same three charities - Breast Cancer Care, Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action.

This time she’s joined a group of 70 women to cycle 450km (280 miles) from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to Angkor Wat in Cambodia by February 17.

Louisa, who has already raised around £2,000 in sponsorship for the trip, will be sending in regular progress reports on the expedition to llanblogger.

Here is her latest update, covering days two and three of her trip

"Yesterday was one of the longest cycling days in our itinerary and took us over 60 miles along scenic routes through paddy fields and rural communities before heading into the city of Tra Vinh, where we stayed overnight.

The heat and high humidity on top of the distance made for a pretty challenging day all round and a couple of ladies required assistance from our team doctors along the way.

One of the highlights of the day was crossing a major suspension bridge on the outskirts of Tra Vinh. We then cycled on into the rush hour traffic, which resulted in a few hair raising  experiences in the chaotic traffic and some close shaves with the ubiquitous scooter!

Today was out third day of cycling and final day in Vietnam. After a short bus transfer early this morning,  we set out on a 44 mile ride which took us on roads lined with rustic wooden dwellings, running alongside a tributary of the Mekong river. It was another extremely hot day, which made the hills we encountered in the afternoon seem even longer and steeper.

Sights along the way included ornate temples and breathtaking scenery, complete with a backdrop of rugged mountains. 

Yet again, people waved and called out to us as we peddled by and teachers allowed entire classes of immaculately presented school children to stand at the roadside and greet us with high fives and "hellos".

Our efforts were finally rewarded when we reached the bustling town of Chau Dok and were shuttled up a hill to our accommodation, which had the most stunning views across the province and was a prime vantage point for sunset.

Tomorrow we have a day off cycling and will take a 6 hour boat ride up the river and into Cambodia, arriving at Phnom Penh, where our journey will recommence on Sunday. I'm looking forward to it but will certainly miss this stunning, peaceful country."

Two injured in A539 collision

The BBC is reporting that two men were injured in a collision on the A539 near Trevor early yesterday (Thursday) evening.

* For the full report, see: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-north-east-wales-38926684

County issues bird flu reminder

Denbighshire Council’s Planning and Public Protection service is reminding local poultry farmers and captive bird owners to keep their birds indoors or take immediate appropriate steps to keep them separate from wild birds.

The Welsh Government has extended the enhanced biosecurity requirements in order to protect poultry and captive birds from a strain of avian flu circulating in the UK. The protection zone covers the whole of Wales and has now been extended until 28^th February 2017.

Further measures have been introduced in respect of restrictions on auctions and sales.

Outbreaks of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (H5N8) have been confirmed in poultry and wild birds in several areas of the UK including south Wales and this order is a precautionary measure to help prevent potential infection from wild birds.  

Similar orders have also been put in place in Scotland and England.

The Welsh Government is continuing to monitor the situation closely and has increased its surveillance activity, while keepers are being urged to reinforce biosecurity measures on their premises.

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead Member for Environment, said: “There have been several cases in the UK and this is an important precautionary measure to prevent further outbreaks. The prevention zone has been declared to reduce the risk of infection from wild birds and to allow time for poultry and captive bird keepers to put appropriate biosecurity measures in place.

“Poultry keepers are advised to be vigilant for any signs of disease in their birds and any wild birds, and seek prompt advice from their vet if they have any concerns. Even when birds are kept indoors, a small risk of infection remains so biosecurity should not be compromised. Clothing and equipment should be disinfected, the movement of poultry should be reduced and contact between poultry and wild birds should be minimised.”

* Poultry keepers can keep up to date with the requirements or get further information from http://gov.wales/topics/environmentcountryside/ahw/disease/avianflu/?lang=en

https://www.gov.uk/guidance/avian-influenza-bird-flu

The Animal Plant & Health Agency (APHA) can be contacted by telephone on 0300 303 8268.

Louisa's first update from her charity challenge

* Louisa Jones, left, sets off on her charity cycling marathon.

AN INTREPID Llangollen Operatic Society member has pedalled away on the first leg of  her mammoth 280-mile charity cycling expedition through the Far East. Back in 2012 Louisa Jones, 38, took part in a gruelling 260-mile cycling expedition through India in aid of three women’s cancer causes, raising over £3,000 along the way. Now she’s climbed back into the saddle for the same three charities - Breast Cancer Care, Jo's Cervical Cancer Trust and Ovarian Cancer Action. This time she’s joined a group of 70 women to cycle 450km (280 miles) from Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam to Angkor Wat in Cambodia by February 17. Louisa, who has already raised around £2,000 in sponsorship for the trip, will be sending in regular progress reports on the expedition to llanblogger. And here is the first received yesterday (Wednesday) afternoon …

“We arrived at Ben Tre, the starting point for our challenge, mid-afternoon on Tuesday after around 24 hours in transit.

“Our group of 102 ladies from all over the UK, plus a number from Italy, Spain and even as far afield as Mexico, had convened at  Heathrow early Monday morning to fly first to Singapore and then on to Ho Chi Minh City, before transferring to Ben Tre by coach.

“The city of Ben Tre, located on Vietnam's Mekong Delta, is the main town in the province of the same name. On arrival we were fitted for our bikes and then had free time to explore the colourful market nearby to our hotel.

“I've been to some interesting markets on my travels around the world but this really was something very special with a huge and exotic array of wares for sales.

“After a refreshing and much needed night’s sleep, we embarked on our first day of cycling. To acclimatise and allow us to get used to our bikes, we cycled only a modest 31 miles from Ben Tre to Tra Vinh, crossing the Mekong and a tributary by ferry on the way.

“Due to the heat and high humidity, we have to start off very early each day to take advantage of the slightly cooler morning temperature. We therefore set off at around 7.30 this morning, cycling first through the outskirts of the city and then on into a swampy, jungle like area where you can find water coconut groves among the fairly dense vegetation.

“We then cycled on into rural communities, where people live in modest, rustic dwellings and set up shops by the roadside selling everything from fruit, vegetables and coconuts to live chickens and local delicacies.

“Given Vietnam's turbulent history, these communities strike you as extremely peaceful, which could be attributable to the strong Buddhist culture, and although a large group of lycra clad cyclists is clearly a source of much curiosity, there was never any feeling of hostility or intimidation and locals waved and shouted as we passed by.

“The roads were much better than I expected so far. The main method of transport used here is the scooter (tax on cars is 200%) and people use them quite literally to carry everything!

“Driving through Ho Chi Minh alone we witnessed someone with a family of four on his bike and later, a washing machine and even a tree!

“What struck me through was how little road rage or aggression there was, with scooter drivers doing their utmost to avoid you and warn you of their presence with a friendly toot - thoroughly refreshing! 

“Tomorrow is a more challenging day with a route of 67 miles taking us from Tra Vinh to Can Tho alongside paddy fields and stunning scenery. It will tough no doubt but hopefully also very rewarding.”

* To sponsor Louisa, go to her fundraising page at:  https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/Louisa-Jones9

MP welcomes pre-payment meters campaign success

* Susan Elan Jones MP (left)campaigning last year with Labour MP Dawn Butler for fairer tariffs for prepayment meter consumers.

Local MP Susan Elan Jones has welcomed the fact that four million prepayment meter customers should see a saving of around £80 a year.

Over the last year, the Clwyd South Labour MP has been involved in a national campaign calling for tougher action to reduce costs of purchasing gas or electricity from coin or token-operated prepayment energy meters.

The bill reduction change will happen thanks to a price cap announced by energy regulator Ofgem. Ofgem’s temporary price cap, which comes into effect in April, was one of the measures recommended by the Competition and Market Authority after its two-year investigation of the energy market. The levels of the cap will be updated every six months and is expected to stay 2020.

Susan Elan Jones MP said: “The Ofgem announcement is good news, but more still needs to be done.

“At the last general election, the Labour Party called for tough measures to tackle energy bill tariffs and keep prices down. The Labour Party may not have been popular enough to win an election, but the policy itself was popular and it’s vital we continue campaigning for it.

"Also, whatever our personal views on Brexit, we need to consider what a weaker pound means in terms of likely energy cost rises. The Government needs to do more to help families facing rising gas and electricity bills.” 

Rogue mattress seller warning from county

Denbighshire Trading Standards and North Wales Police are warning residents not to get caught out by rogue mattress-sellers.

This follows reports that flyers which offer luxurious orthopedic and memory foam mattresses for unbelievably low prices have been delivered to houses in the Rhuddlan area.

Trading Standards officers warn that the mattresses may be of inferior quality, may not confirm to British safety standards for flammability and the price paid may be over-inflated.

They say there is little prospect of seeking any redress if customers are dissatisfied with any purchase as it is unlikely that proper contact details of the seller will be provided.

Anyone see anything suspicious or have approaches made to them, should report the matter to Citizens Advice Consumer Service on: 0345 404 0506 / 0345 404 0505 (for Welsh speakers) or contact the police on 101.

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Lead member for Public Realm, said: "These fly-by-night sellers don't care about the risks these mattresses pose, they just want to make a quick buck and leave you with phoney details so they can't be traced.

"These mattresses may be described as memory foam but are carefully wrapped so you have no idea what you are buying.

"They generally fail fire safety tests and are often worn-out, dirty and unhygienic items destined for the tip.

"Anyone offered a cheap mattress on their doorstep should not buy one."

Traders urged to join #LoveLiveLocal campaign

Traders are being encouraged to share the love this Valentine’s Day.

As part of the #LoveLiveLocal shop local campaign, Denbighshire County Council is encouraging local businesses to share pictures of romantic gifts and St Valentine’s Day displays on social media using the hashtag.

#LoveLiveLocal allows shoppers to show support for Denbighshire businesses by using the hashtag on Twitter and Facebook to promote good experiences they’ve had and promote products and services locally they have ‘loved’.

Businesses are also encouraged to post pictures to highlight the wide-range of products available on the county’s high streets.

The Council will help promote local businesses by sharing posts on its social media accounts.

#LoveLiveLocal is part of Denbighshire’s work on developing the economy and supporting local businesses under its Economic and Community Ambition Programme.