Albert Owen was speaking during a return visit to Coleg Harlech to  officially open a new bistro and art gallery.

The other main guest of honour was Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, the AM for Dwyfor Meirionnydd and former National Assembly Presiding Officer, who worked as a tutor at the college in the 1970s.

Coleg Harlech’s residential campus in the Gwynedd castle town was established in 1927 by Tom Jones, Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet to both David Lloyd-George and Stanley Baldwin.

Coleg Harlech merged with the Workers’ Educational Association in order to continue the work in a residential setting.

The organisation also offers courses in communities across North and Mid-Wales and is aimed particularly at helping adults to develop their capacity to learn and fulfil their potential.

The college has developed vocational education and training, including providing opportunities for socially and educationally disadvantaged adults.

Mr Owen recalled: “I was myself a student here at Coleg Harlech in 1992 when I studied Industrial relations and Welsh History.

“It’s wonderful to come back and visit what is now a modern facility in such an iconic building.

“The ethos of the college is so important. When I arrived here it was known as the College of Second Chance.

“However, for many of us it was actually more of a first chance. We weren’t expected to do well at school and were pushed into manual work as soon as we were able. Of course I had a thirst for knowledge and coming here to this college really was a turning point in my life.”

Mr Owen believes The Bistro will be a huge asset to the college and wider community.

He said: “My first working role was as a chef, or rather cook, after I joined the merchant navy as a young lad.

“I wanted to see the world and worked in a galley serving food although I hasten to add nothing like the wonderful fare Kevin Williams and his team produce at Coleg Harlech.

“Coleg Harlech, through this wonderful new facility, is bringing food, art and culture together and that has to be a winning combination.”

Coleg Harlech Principal Trefor Fȏn Owen was delighted that Albert Owen had agreed to officially open the new facilities.

He said: “Mr Owen is a shining example and a role model to our present day students to show what it is possible to achieve.

The first exhibition at the new gallery features the work of Anglesey photographer Glyn Davies who made global headlines when the Prime Minister gave two of his picture books as a wedding gift to Prince William and Kate Middleton.

His books, Anglesey Landscapes volumes one and two, which contain more than 100 breath-taking images of the island, were chosen by David Cameron who believed they would  be close to the prince’s heart.

In the meantime, Glyn, aged 47, has now sent the very first, signed copy of his latest volume, Welsh Light, to the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

After sending the signed copy of Welsh Light to the Duke and Duchess, Glyn received a “lovely letter” from St James’ Palace thanking him and wishing him well.

Glyn, who runs  Oriel Glyn Davies Gallery, in Menai Bridge, joked: “I have invited them around to The Gallery for a coffee as they only live 10 minutes away, you never know they might just take me up on the offer!”

He says he was unprepared for the media storm that blew up after David Cameron purchased  two of his previous volumes to give to Prince William and his bride as wedding gifts.

Glyn was thrilled to be able to put on an exhibition of his work to coincide with the opening of the new Coleg Harlech bistro.

He said: “I hope my exhibition at Coleg Harlech fuels a passion in the viewer for the beautiful, wonderful landscapes that surround us here in North West Wales.”

The exhibition at Coleg Harlech features 14 dramatic images from Welsh Light.

Trefor Fôn Owen added: ““I’m delighted Glyn Davies agreed to exhibit some of his stunning works here.”

For further information about the Bistro and Gallery contact Kevin Williams on 01766 780363.  For more information about the courses available at Coleg Harlech WEA please ring 01766 781900 or email info@fc.harlech.ac.uk. You can also log on to www.harlech.ac.uk

Photograph: Albert Owen MP, officially opens the revamped area watched by College Principal Principal Trefor Fôn Owen and photographer Glyn Davies at the opening

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Other people’s everyday shopping lists are “artistic gold” to David, 72, who studied at Liverpool Art College with the late Beatle, John Lennon.

Now two of his unusual linocut prints are to be featured at a prestigious art exhibition at the Anglesey Show on August 14 and 15.

The diverse and exciting show is part of the North Wales Open Studios Network, created to provide a shop window for the work of artists from across the region.

The Network sees Helfa Gelf/Art Trail, North Wales’ biggest open studios event working in partnership with Anglesey Arts Forum in a co-operation project funded by the Rural Development Plan for Wales.

An ex-art lecturer, David, who lives in Beaumaris, on Anglesey, admits he gets some interesting reactions when he goes to Tesco or Morrison’s on the mainland in Bangor.

For some reason, though, he has never had any luck at the Waitrose supermarket in Menai Bridge just a few miles down the road from his home.

That’s where Kate Middleton, the Duchess of Cambridge, does her shopping while she and Prince William live on Anglesey during his tour of duty as a helicopter search and rescue pilot at RAF Valley.

David’s fascination for discarded shopping lists stems from his constant search for artistic inspiration.

He explained: “I’m always looking around for ideas for projects and these scrunched up pieces of paper left in supermarket trolleys are really very interesting because you get a real insight into people’s existence.

“One example was a Christmas present list where somebody called Gary and Steve were getting ‘Cigs’ or cigarettes while Donna was due to get a bag.

“There was a question mark next to the name of Craig – so it would be interesting to know what he got for Christmas.

“People have their own shorthand and it’s quite bizarre that I should take these shopping lists and make pieces of art out of them.

“Funny things happen when you collect the shopping lists. I will spot a scrunched up piece of paper and because of the way supermarket trolleys slot together I have to prise them apart.

“One day when I was doing this at Tesco, I realised that one of the guys who look after the trolleys was  standing by my side giving me funny looks.

“The worst thing you can do is to try and explain that you’re doing a series of art pieces – their eyes glaze over and they think you’re a nutter.

“For me shopping lists are fascinating, you get and insight into people’s daily existence – they are artistic gold.

“I have never found any interesting shopping lists in Waitrose in Menai Bridge – I think they must use iPads there.

“My own shopping lists are no good either. My wife is meticulously neat and tidy, all of hers are correctly spelt and they’re in a logical order – that’s often not terribly interesting.

“It’s  these spontaneous notes that people write for themselves that I find particularly fascinating.”

David’s other claim to fame is that he was a contemporary of John Lennon at Liverpool Art College in the early 1960s – but they were rivals not friends.

He recalled: “In those days I played clarinet in a jazz group called Climax Jazz Band and the Beatles were our support group at the Cavern Club before it became a rock and roll venue.

“They already were building up a following so our slot got shorter and their slot got bigger and within a couple of months we were turfed out.”

Although he occasionally still plays in a band, David has enjoyed more success as an artist and is delighted his work will be on display at the Anglesey Show.

The exhibition is being organised by North Wales Open Studios Network Project Co-ordinator Sabine Cockrill and Mike Gould, Chair of the voluntary Anglesey Arts Forum Committee.

The work being featured has been chosen by Alfredo Cramerotti, the highly respected Director of the Mostyn art gallery in Llandudno.

Other artists on show include David White, Rebecca Gould, Barbara Larking, Alison Craig and Sonia Benskin-Mesher.

Alfredo Cramerotti said: “The selection of the artists for the show engaged me a lot and led me to fruitful considerations.

“I’m interested in the idea of ‘translation’ in its most interesting forms – from one ‘system of knowledge’, a book, or a shopping list, to the other, a visual art form, or a theatre play.”

Sabine Cockrill was delighted with the work selected for the exhibition at the Anglesey Show.

She said: “David’s work is an example of the fantastic array of artistic talent in North Wales and our mission is to raise their profile by giving them a platform to display their work.

“As well as exhibitions like this, there will be an opportunity for the public to see the artists in their own environment though the Helfa Gelf/Art Trail and Anglesey Arts Weeks.”

Mike Gould added: “This diverse and exciting exhibition of local artists is a preview of Helfa Gelf and Anglesey Arts Weeks, the North Wales Open Studios events which invite the public behind the scenes to experience first hand how arts and crafts in the region are created.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for us to work together and learn from each other, while retaining our unique identities.”

The project is funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural fund for Rural Development.

Photograph: Shopping for inspiration…artist  David Jones

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“This is a damning report on educational failings in Anglesey, which are betraying a generation of young people.

“This report raises questions about the quality of leadership provided not only by the local authority but by the Welsh Government, which has been running Anglesey’s education department since March 2011.

“If direct Welsh Government intervention for over a year has been unable to help this authority raise its game, then what hope for Wales with the Minister’s endless tinkering around the edges?

“Every child deserves the very best start in life.  Welsh Ministers now have a very clear challenge to tackle the endemic underperformance which is blighting the education of so many young people in Wales.”

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The sun came out and so did the crowds.

Star of the show Anthony Strong wowed the audience at Summer Night Jazz at Plas Newydd on Anglesey.

The jazz sensation, who’s been compared to Jamie Cullum and Michael Bublé, was blown away by the stunning location overlooking the Menai Strait towards Snowdonia.

The pianist and singer with Welsh roots said: “I knew the setting was going to be beautiful but I am absolutely shell-shocked – it’s got to be one of the most idyllic places on earth.

“I’ve played almost every venue  you can think of in my career so far but nothing as special as this. It’s incredible.

“It’s an event where people come to have fun. I live in London where people are a bit more reserved about letting their hair down. Everyone here has come to have a great time.

“I love coming to Wales. My grandparents live in Gwent so I feel an affinity for Wales. I have always loved it here.”

Strong was following in the footsteps of jazz greats like Humphrey Lyttleton, Kenny Ball and Acker Bill.

They had all played there when  National Trust, who own Plas Newydd, organised a jazz festival more than a decade.

After an absence of seven years, the festival was revived last year and was a massive hit.

The event was again sponsored by Gaerwen-based home improvements specialists, Peninsula.

As well as the jazz night on Saturday night, last night there was a celebration of youth with local bands, choirs and orchestras taking part.

Organisers admitted the torrential rain in the weeks leading up to this year’s event  had put a dampener on advance ticket sales  but everything was alright on the night.

More than 1,000 jazz fans arrived with their picnic chairs and hampers as the evening got off to a lively start with a local Latin band, Banda Bacana, and a New Orleans-style jazz ensemble made up of members of Beaumaris Brass Band.

Next up were another local band, Dr Jazz, fronted by singer and trumpet player Gwyn Evans.

Apart from being Lead Music Tutor with Gwasanaeth Ysgolion William Mathias  (William Mathias Schools’ Service), Gwyn is also the Musical Director of the multi-award winning Beaumaris Brass Band and one of the main organisers of Summer NIght Jazz.

Gwyn said: “With the weather we’ve had over the past few weeks, somebody up there is looking after us, there’s no two ways about it.

“We’ve got beautiful weather and the best festival location in the whole of the UK. There is a very special atmosphere here, there’s a warm, family-friendly feel to the festival.”

Lorraine Hopkins, a Director of sponsors Peninsula, was thrilled with “the feel-good vibe”.

She said: “This time last night we were in puddles and feeling a bit concerned but somehow we felt like it was going to go well anyway.

“We were still really positive and excited and we had the memory of last year when the weather was just as beautiful.

“I’ve heard the phrase about the sun shining on the righteous so many times this evening that I feel we must be doing okay.”

Photograph: Star of the show Anthony Strong in the “one of most idyllic places on earth”

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Thousands of fans from across the UK are expected at the Summer Night Jazz festival at Plas Newydd overlooking the Menai Strait on Saturday and Sunday (July 7 and 8).

The headline act is jazz sensation Anthony Strong who’s been earning rave reviews from the likes of Jamie Cullum, MIchael Parkinson and Rod Stewart.

According to Anthony, he’s really looking forward to what’s been described as the most scenic gig in the UK, with spectacular views towards Snowdonia.

Apart from the wonderful scenery, it’s also an opportunity for the London-born singer to celebrate his Welsh roots.

He said: “Dad was from Gwent so I visited Wales a great deal as I grew up. It’s a fabulous country and I love the Welsh people.

“I started off as a session musician really and worked with people such as Michael Bolton, Charlotte Church, Beverley Knight and others. But eventually decided it was time to step out from the shadows and give it a go myself.

“I worked hard and I think I have paid my dues and developed my own style. It’s true I am always being compared to Michael Bublé and Jamie Cullum in particular and that’s fine but I think we are very different.

“Michael Bublé is to me, a performer, a brilliant performer, but a performer none the less. I would class myself more as a musician. I want to absolutely nail the music; it has to be bang on, that to me is more important than the performance.”

“But it’s still an honour to be spoken about on the same lines as people so massively talented. Let’s face it, Bublé, what a voice and Jamie Cullum, what a musician.

“However, the musician I admire most is probably Harry Connick, his voice and musical ability, he has it all.”

A crowd-pleasing local Brazilian Latin band called Banda Bacana will be generating a carnival atmosphere and  there will also be a New Orleans-style jazz ensemble made up of members of Beaumaris Brass Band.

After an absence of seven years, the festival was revived last year and was a massive hit.

The comeback was the brainchild of Gwyn Evans, a  Lead Music Tutor with Gwasanaeth Ysgolion William Mathias  (William Mathias Schools’ Service) whose many other hats include that of Musical Director of the multi-award winning Beaumaris Brass Band.

Gwyn, who also plays the trumpet and sings, will also be performing with his own band, Dr Jazz.

The event is again being sponsored this year by Gaerwen-based home improvements specialists, Peninsula.

Gwyn said: “Many years ago the National Trust staged a jazz event here for more than 10 years and all the jazz greats like Humphrey Lyttleton, Kenny Ball and Acker Bilk came here and performed.

“I can’t think that there is a setting to compare with this in the whole of the UK.

“There will be a lovely atmosphere and people can bring their picnic hampers and champagne while they’re chilling out to some cool jazz.

“There’s a real family feel to the event, it’s not about hard core jazz – and hopefully we’ve got the chemistry right again this year.

“What we’re trying to do is to celebrate the island of Anglesey, the island is full of talented youngsters.

“As well as the jazz night on the Saturday night, on the Sunday we have a celebration of youth so all the youth groups, bands, choirs and orchestras will be taking part.
“To have a local firm like Peninsula sponsoring us is brilliant. They are so supportive to the arts on the island, especially music. I can’t thank them enough really.

Peninsula Managing Director Ken Grayson explained: “We  saw Summer Night Jazz as an opportunity to give something back to our local community.

“It’s a good way of getting our name associated with a fantastic cultural event that’s beneficial to the area. It just seemed a win-win for everybody.

“The setting is perfect – with sea, mountains and a beautiful stately home with a natural amphitheatre overlooking the Menai Strait.

“Last year’s inaugural event was brilliant and we’re hoping that everybody who came will return and bring more people with them.

“This year we’re getting more involved in organising the event – as well as our financial input we’re giving our time and enthusiasm.”

For more information about Summer Night Jazz and how to book tickets go to www.plasnewyddjazz.com

Photograph: Jazz sensation Anthony Strong

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Pippa, who has been playing cornet since she was five, is on her way to the prestigious Junior Northern Royal College of Music this September where her exceptional ability has been recognised for special tuition at the Manchester school’s Saturday sessions.

She will be just one of more than 200 youngsters from Anglesey, Gwynedd and Denbighshire performing at the Sunday night concert, which begins at 6pm.

Topping the bill on the Saturday night is jazz sensation Anthony Strong who will be following in the footsteps of all-time greats like Humphrey Lyttleton and Acker Bilk.

Local Brazilian Latin band, Banda Bacana, will be generating a carnival atmosphere and there will also be a New Orleans-style jazz ensemble made up of members of Beaumaris Brass Band.

After an absence of seven years, the festival was revived last year and was a big hit with the thousands of jazz lovers thanks to the support of the Gaerwen-based home improvement specialists, Peninsula.

As part of their support package, Peninsula help fund a bursary scheme to foster young musical talent. It is co-funded by Art and Business Cymru via their Arts and Kids scheme.

The idea of the bursary, run in conjunction with the Caernarfon-based Gwasanaeth Ysgolion William Mathias (William Mathias Schools’ Service), is to provide talented young musicians access to expert tuition they might otherwise not been able to afford.

Many of the young performers taking part in the county ensembles on the Sunday night are benefitting from the service.

Pippa, from Menai Bridge, said: “I was always really interested in music and my family are all musical and that helps.

“I used to love watching brass bands like Beaumaris and my sister Ros’ played percussion in the band,” she said.

Pippa’s mother, Margaret, is a violin teacher who works with the Gwasanaeth Ysgolion William Mathias, which provides tuition and instruments to promote music amongst the youngsters of Anglesey, Gwynedd and Denbighshire.

It will be the Service’s weekend residential workshop for their wind and brass bands, choirs and soloists, held in the Conwy Centre, which culminates in the Sunday night concert.

“When Pip was four she used to watch Gavin Saynor, tuba player in Beaumaris Brass Band and she would say I am going to play the cornet one day,” said Margaret.

Lead tutor with the William Mathias Schools’ Service, Gwyn Evans, is the driving force behind Summer Night Jazz. Gwyn, who also plays the trumpet and sings, will also be performing with his band, Dr Jazz.

Gwyn, who is also musical director of the multi-award winning Beaumaris Brass Band, is also Pippa’s tutor and has overseen her progress to Grade 8, passing each grade with a distinction.

Pippa’s father James is a science lecturer at Bangor University, but is also a cellist, as is her other sister Rebecca, 25.

Pippa practises every hour she can. “I want to go to musical college when I’m 18 and I want to be a soloist. If I really like it I will be a soloist but if I don’t I want to be a principle trumpet player,” she said.

Her recent successes include the Urdd where she won the brass solo 12-14 years, and four wins in the North Wales Brass Band  Association’s  competitions. She also won under 15 brass solo at Chester Festival.

In September she will be competing with Beaumaris Brass Ban in the British Open Championships at the Symphony Hall in Birmingham and in the National Brass Band Championships at the Royal Albert Hall in October.

Pippa is a member of the Jazz Youth Orchestra of Wales and at their recent residential course was the youngest there by far.

“I like all kinds of music but I like listening to brass bands, I really like the sound but I prefer performing in orchestras. If you want to get a job there are no jobs in brass bands, an orchestra is the only way.

“I like jazz as well, it’s really relaxed and it doesn’t matter if you get it wrong.”

Gwyn said:  “Pippa is extremely talented and she will have a go at anything, which is something I encourage. I do a lot with classical, brass, jazz.

“The Festival is very important, to me it is a marriage of the Saturday night concert when we bring in outside talent and the Sunday night when we involve local musicians, local people and youth.

“It is an important vehicle with which we can open doors and educate young audiences and musicians.”

For more information about Summer Night Jazz and how to book tickets go to http://www.plasnewyddjazz.com/

Photograph: Talented cornet player with musical mentor Gwyn Evans

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And with 75 years’ service under her belt, Mary Augusta Edwards – fondly know as MA – is also the longest serving school governor in the country.

Twenty six years after helping to ensure that planning permission was given for the Rhos care home, in Malltraeth, the  remarkable 100 year old  is now benefitting from the decision.

She  now attends the home for day care each Friday – and is proud and delighted with the way the place has developed.

Mrs Edwards has another reason to be pleased, for it was she who officially opened the original building in 1987 and its later extension.

“She has been closely linked with the home right from the very beginning,” said owner Ann Hughes, a member of Care Forum Wales who took over the business 11 years ago. “She’s an amazing woman.”

She has made a massive contribution to the life of the island community, which was recognized last year when she was presented with a bouquet by Anglesey County Council. At a meeting in Llangefni Councillor Bob Parry described her as “The Queen of the Council”.

She lost her husband, local GP JO Edwards, when she was only 31 but, as a nurse, she kept the surgery open through locum doctors until 1948.

“MA” said she decided to enter public life to show her appreciation for the kindnesses shown to her.

“I thought it was time to put something back and to help people have amenities which I had not had in those early days, including electricity and sewerage,” she said.

She was elected to represent Bodorgan on Aethwy District Council in 1948 and was twice chairman before it disappeared under reorganization in 1974. In that year she was made an MBE for her work in the area. She then become a member of Anglesey County Council, on which she served until 1996 and was Mayor in 1976-77.

She is still a member of Bodorgan Community Council and, with 75 years’ service at the village school, is the longest-serving school governor in the UK.

She still lives alone in the house which she and her husband had built in nearby Bethel and enjoys keeping the garden in trim.

“I also enjoy reading and listening to music, though I can’t sing a note,” she joked.

Having been at the centre of village life for so long “MA” knows the staff and other residents at Rhos very well, and describes her weekly visits as “like being home from home”.

“I love coming here for a chat, and it really is an exceptional home,” she said.  “I can’t praise the staff too highly, they are always prepared to go the extra mile,” she added.

The centenarian, who has two sons and a daughter, seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren, has an amazing memory and a wealth of anecdotes based on her experiences in the community and as a councillor.

She has been presented to the Queen several times and is now pleased that the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge live such a short distance from her home village.

“She’s often in the village shop and it’s lovely that they’re living here,” she commented.

Mario Kreft MBE, the Chair of Care Forum Wales, was full of admiration for Mrs Edwards’ fantastic contribution to public life.

Mr Kreft said: “Mrs Edwards is a shining example to all of us, her continuing dedication is extraordinary. She is still the Queen of the Council.”

Photograph: Rhos Nursing Home in Malltraeth Pictured is Ann Hughes with100 year old Mrs M A Roberts

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The Minister told Coleg Menai students and Wylfa power station staff that the nuclear industry has a positive future on Anglesey and within the UK.

He also announced a new £480,000 socio-economic funding package awarded to the Anglesey Energy Island Programme (EIP) by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority.

This will enable the Isle of Anglesey County Council and its strategic partners to forge ahead with the programme and improve prosperity and quality of life on Anglesey and across North West Wales.

Charles Hendry, Minister of State for Energy, said, “With its rich history in the nuclear industry, a skilled workforce and a motivated and enthusiastic local community, Anglesey can help power the UK for decades to come. The new funding I am announcing today will enable the Council to invest in education, skills, and infrastructure, and boost the local economy.”

During his day long visit to the Island, Charles Hendry MP will address students at Coleg Menai’s Energy Centre and staff at the existing Wylfa power station. He will also meet officials from the Energy Island Programme, Horizon Nuclear Power, Magnox Limited and EnergySolutions, Coleg Menai, Bangor University and other local stakeholders, as well as visiting Horizon’s new site offices.

Anglesey County Council Leader, Councillor Bryan Owen, stressed, “It’s fitting that the Energy Minister should make his statement here on Anglesey as – in Wylfa – we have one of the best new nuclear build sites in Europe.”

“I’m also delighted to hear about the new NDA funding which will allow us to develop a number of key EIP work streams – including education and skills; inward investment and supply chain opportunities; and strategic Infrastructure to create lasting community benefits.

Cllr Owen added, “During his visit, the Minister will see first hand the many positives Anglesey has to offer in relation to new nuclear build – both in terms of the excellent skills set which already exists amongst the Wylfa workforce and how we’re investing in our young people through Coleg Menai’s Energy Centre, which provides training that will help them find work in future major energy developments.”

NDA Director of Stakeholder Relations, Jon Phillips, added, “The Energy Island Programme has delivered excellent progress over the past three years and we are delighted to maintain our support with this latest grant, which we hope will make an important contribution to unlocking future economic activity and to building a sustainable future for Anglesey and the wider North West Wales region.”

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The trio from Peninsula Home Improvements, in Gaerwen, will be raising money in memory of bricklayer Nigel Jones by taking part in a charity bike ride.

Nigel, who lived in Mochdre, near Colwyn Bay, lost his battle against kidney cancer in August 2010 at the age of just 45.

Peninsula’s Managing Director Ken Grayson,  Installations Manager Justin Lewis and Service Manager Brad Mayhew are now in training for the gruelling 70 mile ride at the end of June.

All the proceeds will go to Kidney Research UK and the bike marathon is being organised by Nigel’s uncle, Bryn Williams, and his brother Peter Jones.

Bryn is Sales Manager with Bolton based Pearl Windows, one of Peninsula’s biggest suppliers.

Ken Grayson said: “The family were devastated when Nigel lost his brave battle against cancer.

“Bryn has always been very supportive to our charity fund-raising efforts so taking part in the charity ride in Nigel’s memory is the least we can do.

“I used to be a keen cyclist but I’ve not done a lot of riding recently so we’re going to have to do quite a bit of training to get ready.

“We’re going to have to push through the pain barrier – but it is in a very good cause.”

Bryn, who lives in Bodelwyddan, is extremely grateful the Peninsula trio are joining the “brutal” ride on June 30.

He said: “Nigel was a fantastic man who never had a bad word for anybody and would do anything for anyone. He was that sort of guy.

“He was my sister Rhiannon’s son and left his lovely wife Julie behind when he died. Julie and Nigel didn’t have any children and she has never got over his death and probably never will.

“Nigel worked alongside his brother Peter, they were both bricklayers, for many years. Pete and I decided to work together to raise funds for Kidney Research in his memory.”

Bryn added: “The Challenge is a 70 mile bike ride with 10 cyclists, who are all over the age of 40, taking part.

“I’m thrilled a team from one of my best customers, Peninsula Home Improvements are taking part in the ride.

“Ken Grayson, has been very supportive and I’m delighted the team of three, including Ken, will be joining us along with some of my colleagues from Pearl Windows.”

“We will leave the Faenol Fawr Hotel at Bodledwyddan at around 10am on Saturday, June 30 heading for Denbigh after that there’s a long climb to Bylchau and another to the Sportsman’s Arms.

“We then ride over Denbigh Moors and drop down to Pentrefoelas then along the A5 to Betws-y-Coed, through Llanwrst and back on the coastal route through Rhyl. We then aim to finish back at the Faenol Fawr for a deserved pint or two!”

“We have to help fund research into the link between certain proteins that cause kidney cancer and through this research, hopefully an effective treatment can be found.

“The research is being carried out at the University of Bristol as is important because, at the moment there is no cure for kidney cancer and chemotherapy simply has no effect.

“By raising money there may eventually be a cure and just knowing that a life can be saved in years to come makes it all worthwhile especially as we are doing the challenge in Nigel’s name.”

Photograph: Ken Grayson of Peninsula Home Improvement Centre in Gaerwen, Anglesey, who is taking part in a sponsored cycle ride with other members of staff including Justin Lewis and Brian Mayhew

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Organisers have revealed that Summer Night Jazz is returning to Plas Newydd on Anglesey on July 7 and 8.

The home of Lord and Lady Anglesey, now a National Trust property, looks across the Menai Strait towards the breath-taking view of Snowdonia.

Topping the bill this year is jazz sensation Anthony Strong who will be following in the footsteps of all-time greats like Humphrey Lyttleton and Acker Bilk.

Strong’s growing fan base includes Rod Steward, Michael Parkinson and Jamie Cullum who are all raving about the London-based singer who’s been compared to Michael Bublé.

A crowd-pleasing local Brazilian Latin band called Banda Bacana will be generating a carnival atmosphere and  there will also be a New Orleans-style jazz ensemble made up of members of Beaumaris Brass Band.

After an absence of seven years, the festival was revived last year and was a big hit with the thousands of jazz lovers who flocked there.

The comeback was the brainchild of Gwyn Evans, a peripatetic music teacher with Gwasanaeth Ysgolion William Mathias  (William Mathias Schools’ Service) whose many other hats include that of Musical Director of the multi-award winning Beaumaris Brass Band.

Gwyn, who also plays the trumpet and sings, will also be performing with his own band, Dr Jazz.

The event is again being sponsored this year by Gaerwen-based home improvements specialists, Peninsula.

National Trust spokesman Alun Pritchard said: “With the massive Jubilee Strait Party here on  June 5 as well as this stunning jazz festival , Plas Newydd is clearly becoming the top venue for great outdoor events this Summer.”

Gwyn said: “Many years ago the National Trust staged a jazz event here for more than 10 years and all the jazz greats like Humphrey Lyttleton, Kenny Ball and Acker Bilk came here and performed.

“The band I play for, Dr Jazz, supported all those bands but unfortunately the event petered out and there was a gap of seven or eight years.

“There were so many people who asked about reviving the festival that  it came back by popular demand.

“I decided to take the plunge and go for it – and last year’s event was a huge success.

“I can’t think that there is a setting to compare with this in the whole of the UK.

“There will be a lovely atmosphere and people can bring their picnic hampers and champagne while they’re chilling out to some cool jazz.

“There’s a real family feel to the event, it’s not about hard core jazz – and hopefully we’ve got the chemistry right again this year.

“What we’re trying to do is to celebrate the island of Anglesey, the island is full of talented youngsters.

“As well as the jazz night on the Saturday night, on the Sunday we have a celebration of youth so all the youth groups, bands, choirs and orchestras will be taking part.

“We will also be having a local farmers’ market to sell local produce and we will also have local beers and local ice creams.

“To have a local firm like Peninsula sponsoring us is brilliant. They are so supportive to the arts on the island, especially music. I can’t thank them enough really.

Peninsula Managing Director Ken Grayson explained: “We  saw Summer Night Jazz as an opportunity to give something back to our local community.

“It’s a good way of getting our name associated with a fantastic cultural event that’s beneficial to the area. It just seemed a win-win for everybody.

“The setting is perfect – with sea, mountains and a beautiful stately home with a natural amphitheatre overlooking the Menai Strait.

“Last year’s inaugural event was brilliant and we’re hoping that everybody who came will return and bring more people with them.

“This year we’re getting more involved in organising the event – as well as our financial input we’re giving our time and enthusiasm.”

For more information about Summer Night Jazz and how to book tickets go to www.plasnewyddjazz.com

Photograph: Summer Night Jazz at Plas Newydd on Anglesey . Pictured are Gwyn Evans and Ken Grayson from Peninsula

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The 54-year-old father-of-two has not worked full-time since 2008 after illness cost him his job at Anglesey Aluminium.

Job applications which never even got a response disheartened him, but then he was introduced to Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) scheme run by Coleg Harlech WEA.

The scheme pays wages to long term unemployed people on specially created temporary jobs.

Robin has spent  three months working at the Tyddyn Môn farm visitor centre at Brynrefail, Dulas, near Amlwch.

It is  run by people with learning difficulties and the experience has persuaded him that a life in the care industry could be more rewarding in every sense.

Robin, of Penycefn, Amlwch, said: “Tyddyn Môn caters for men and women of all ages with different handicaps and mental issues and gives value to their lives by getting them into work. It’s very difficult for people like this to get work, especially in tight financial times, because often it needs another worker to look after them while they do the job.

“At Tyddyn Môn we do gardening, look after animals, carry out recycling, collecting and recycling clothes and shoes perhaps for re-selling or sending out to Africa. They improve compost so that it can be sold as soil enhancers.

“There are playgrounds for children who visit, walks, ponds, nice areas for visitors to picnic and a cafe,” said Robin who is soon to become a grandfather for the third time.

Born in Bangor and having lived most of his life in Amlwch, Robin left the Sir Thomas Jones school and worked on construction sites before securing a job with a local stone mason.

From there he went to work for the petro-chemical company Associated Octel at Amlwch until it was bought out and closed down. “I worked there for 25 years,” said Robin.

After a year with the ambulance service he moved to Anglesey Aluminium but because he was kept as a contract worker for four years when he fell seriously ill and could not fulfil his contract, he lost his job.

In fact, Robin almost died. “I had a dodgy tummy the night after a kebab and put it down to the kebab. But when the pain got worse I went to the doctor and he sent me to hospital at Bangor and they decided to open me up to see what was wrong.

“My appendix had dissolved and was causing my intestines to deflate. Another day and I could have been dead. I was four days in intensive care,” he said.

With 30 stitches in his stomach, Robin recovered and managed to get back into temporary work at a plastics company, but that proved less than stable.

“I hate being on the dole, it really bugs me when I’m asked ‘have you been actively seeking work’. A lady at the Jobcentre told me about the ILM course at Coleg Harlech and I said I would be interested. It’s a couple of days at college and a few days work, hopefully leading to a full-time job.”

The Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) is a scheme funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and European Structural Funds (European Social Fund), and managed by Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), the umbrella body for the third sector in Wales.

Coleg Harlech takes people who are unemployed and and pays them while they learn skills that they can use in rural Wales, particularly in land management, recycling, waste management and agriculture, and encouraging self-employment.

Robin’s first aid certificate from the ambulance service made him a more attractive proposition for Tyddyn Môn.

“The good thing about the course is that it opens your eyes to other possibilities and gives you an insight. I’ve seen how rewarding the care sector can be.

“I would love to work as a care support worker, something that was beneficial and helps change someone’s life,” he said.

Married to Nancy, a school cleaner, for more than 30 years, Robin is convinced his ILM course may have set him up for a brighter future.

Ceri Lewis, ILM project manager said: “For Robin, working at Tyddyn Mon has opened up to him the possibility of a total career change which I really think he is going to excel at.

“For the past 12 weeks, the group have been studying for two days a week at Coleg Harlech WEA towards an Employability Certificate and for the other three days each member of the group has been working in placements across Anglesey and Gwynedd, specifically arranged to suit the skills of each individual within the group.

Already two of the group have started in new jobs, and five others are planning to enrol on different courses, as well as thinking about volunteering.

“It has been really fun working with each of the group and seeing everyone get their confidence back and discover and develop skills they never knew they had.”

Tyddyn Mon manager Lina Walne said: “He got on so well with all our service users. He did everything we asked of him and I think it really boosted his confidence.”

Photograph: Coleg Harlech ILM placement at Tyddyn Môn, Brynrefail  Robin Hughes with Linda Walne, the manager in the recycling centre and at the crazy golf course he helped build

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“We had 145 gardeners on Anglesey come this morning to enthusiastically collect our soil improver” said Eric Hughes, Site Manager Penhesgyn Composting Facility, Isle of Anglesey County Council.

Food waste is collected from all households across the island. This stops the food waste from going in the black bin which ultimately goes to landfill. The food waste is mixed with green garden waste at the compost facility at Penhesgyn and the mix is then turned into compost naturally by controlling air flow and monitoring the temperature. The compost process is fully scrutinised to strict PAS 100 standards which guarantees a quality soil enhancer is produced.

“This is the first time I have collected soil improver from Penhesgyn. My wife is a great gardener and we grow lots of fruit and vegetables. We compost our green garden waste at home but a little more quality soil improver is very much appreciated” said Roger Dobson from Cemaes.

The soil improver contains a wide range of nutrients that help plants grow. The mixture can be spread thinly on boarders as a mulch, to help shrubs and on vegetable patches to feed and retain water.

“The soil enhancer needs to be treated in a slightly different way from shop bought compost so we give instructions to all gardens that collect from us. We hope to make more soil improver available soon” said Eric.

If you would like to be on the list for the next soil improver giveaway please contact the Waste Management Section at Isle of Anglesey County Council on waste@anglesey.gov.uk or 01248 752860.

Photograph: (L to R) Sion Benyon, Roger Dobson and Eric Hughes with the Soil Improver

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Peninsula, based in Gaerwen, on Anglesey, has reached the final in this year’s Arts and Business Cymru Awards.

The winners will be revealed at a glittering ceremony at the Wales Millennium Centre, in Cardiff, on Thursday, June 14.

The Oscars-style event will be hosted by television and radio presenter Nicola Heywood Thomas.

Peninsula were nominated for its support of last year’s inaugural Summer Night Jazz festival at Plas Newydd on Anglesey.

Their £2,800 sponsorship package included an £800 contribution – match funded by Arts and Business Cymru – towards a bursary scheme to foster young musical talent.

The idea of the bursary, run in conjunction with the William Mathias Music Centre, in Caernarfon, is to provide talented young musicians access to expert tuition they might otherwise not been able to afford.

Peninsula and sister company Heritage Harwood are long-running supporters of the arts.

Lorraine Hopkins, partner of Peninsula’s Managing Director, Ken Grayson, is a former North Wales manager of Arts and Business Cymru.

The mother of two is now a full-time co-director at Peninsula – but her commitment to the arts is undiminished.

Lorraine said: “The company, which employs 22 people, traditionally sold uPVC windows and doors but over the past five years, we have diversified the product range  to include solar panels, balustrading, garage doors and the like – it’s very much about aluminium and composite products.

“We’ve really embraced the arts within Peninsula now because it really helps us with our positioning because it’s such a competitive industry and one that doesn’t have  the best reputation really.

“We have an excellent reputation that is far removed from the stereotype perpetuated by some cowboy operators – so we use that as our strength because we position ourselves in a different league altogether.

“Buying into the arts gives us that kind of edge so it’s about being associated with creativity and being forward thinking.

“The first Summer Night Jazz last year was a big success and we are delighted to be supporting the event again this year.

“What’s really important as part of this project is that some of the money is going into a bursary scheme that gives access to music tuition to kids who wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford it.

“In the past, we have sponsored Ensemble Cymru to perform at care homes in North Wales as part of a community tour.

“One of the best projects we’ve done was when we commissioned photographer Katy Morgan Williams to work with the fitting lads.

“She took them out to sites that they had chosen that were meaningful to them around North Wales where they were able to then install their choice of product their way in unusual settings.

“One of the team installed one of his favourite doors under an archway of a bridge which is in his mum’s back garden.

“In terms of advertising our product,  it was actually genuinely creative, and about the fitters using their skills in ways they weren’t used to and they really got into the project.

“We’ve been nominated a few times before and we’re thrilled to be finalists in the Arts and Business Cymru Awards this year. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed.”

Photograph: Arts-loving Ken Grayson and Lorraine Hopkins

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You might recycle all your unwanted clothes, giving items to charity shops, but the Waste Promotions Officers at Isle of Anglesey County Council are organising events to help you swap quality clothing, handbags, jewellery and shoes.

Running a ‘Fashion Swap / Ffeirio Ffasiwn’ is easy, with just a few basic rules: everyone brings at least one item of clothing, you decide on a set amount of time to look at the items (without making claim to any items) and then you declare the ‘Fashion Swap / Ffeirio Ffasiwn’ open and everyone takes what they want.

“Our Young Explorers group focuses on environmental issues, and we have been very well supported by the Waste Promotions Officers, Tyddyn Môn textile recycling, Keep Wales Tidy and Tidy Towns. The children were very hands-on, organising the ‘Fashion Swap / Ffeirio Ffasiwn’ and worked very hard during the event. We all enjoyed swapping items and hope to do it again as a project soon,” said Sandra Jones, Project Officer Llangefni Communities First.

A community ‘Fashion Swap / Ffeirio Ffasiwn’ is a great way to reuse and recycle your clothes, accessories or beloved treasures. We are hoping more groups will contact us and we can help them, host events,” said Elin Jones, Senior Waste Management Officer at the Isle of Anglesey County Council.

All unwanted clothes thrown into the black wheelie bins go to landfill which is costly financially as well as being bad for the environment. Textiles sent to landfill are deemed to be 50% biodegradable and release the greenhouse gases methane and carbon when decomposing. “We need to recycle all our unwanted clothing and stop sending it to landfill, this is much better for the environment,” says Elin.

Clothes recycling tips

• You could organise a ‘Fashion Swap / Ffeirio Ffasiwn’ with friends and family.
• Use an on-line web-site like ‘www.freecycle.org’ or ‘Freebay’ pages on Facebook to offer things for free.
• Quality items can be given to charity shops.
• Place clothes in your recycling box, in the purple recycling points on Anglesey or in a clothes bank to go for reuse and recycling.

“On Anglesey we are making good progress with recycling our waste. The ‘Fashion Swap / Ffeirio Ffasiwn’ is an excellent example of working together to promote recycling. I hope as many people as possible take this opportunity to swap and collect something different. This is great if you fancy a change, it supports recycling and saves money too,” said Cllr Bryan Owen, Council Leader and member for Tudur Ward.

Photograph: (L to R) Waste Promotions Officers from Isle of Anglesey County Council with Sandra Jones and the Llangefni Communities First ‘Young Explorers’ group

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But Colin, from Bangor, is now hoping to set up his own business working with stained glass thanks to an employment project run by Coleg Harlech WEA.

The Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) project pays wages to unemployed people while they learn new skills,

He’s just about to complete placement with top stained glass maker Mike Lees, who’s based at Talwrn near Llangefni on Anglesey.

Father-of-two Colin, of Vaynol Park, Bangor, said: “It’s been very good for me, a very positive experience and helped focus my thinking on self-employment as the way forward for me.”

Colin left school as 16 and followed his father and uncle into the local cinema, training as a projectionist and then progressing into cinema management.

In more than 20 years he worked at the Plaza in Bangor and then the Paladium in Llandudno and for a while at Theatr Gwynedd. But in 1999 Colin was made redundant from full-time work and after a divorce, with a young son and daughter to look after a few days a week, he took up part-time employment.

“I went to work for the Celtest laboratories in Bangor, testing soil and concrete samples,” he said.

Colin re-married in 2007, but again found himself redundant in 2009. “It was then that I decided I must start to look at the possibility of self-employment.

“Initially I thought about my hobby of clock repairing and thought about that, but the investment in specialist equipment was prohibitive.”

Colin’s wife Carolyn, however, is a graphic designer and illustrator. “I thought about what we could do together and wondered about making decorative clocks.

“At that time I had also come across a book on stained glass and though that involved the right amount of technical work combined with the right amount of design work and it was not too expensive to start – a light bulb went off in my head!

“I looked through the book and decided it was not beyond my capabilities so I decided to look for a local course in stained glass and found Mike Lees did a course at a local community centre.

“I rang him up and he said to come round and I started the course at Menai Bridge last October.”

But then Colin was notified about the ILM scheme and he decided to apply for a place.

“I went for an interview at Coleg Harlech and a placement was agreed for me just before Christmas. I told them about my ideas and that I had already met Mike and thought that was an area where I would like my placement.”

On the ILM scheme participants spend three months on a placement working and training 35 hours a week with their wages paid for by the scheme.

“I spend time at the college doing IT and interview skills and then the rest of the week on placement. I’ve helped set up Mike’s evening classes and been to people’s houses with Mike and helped take damaged stained glass out of doors or windows which he repairs.

“I’ve also been attending a business course at Menter Môn which helps people develop business skills who want to set up in business themselves. I’m confident now I can set up my own stained glass business.

“I think I could do stained glass panels and small items for sale. Carolyn is a very good designer and very good at watercolour work so she could come up with the designs and I can make it,” said Colin.

Mike explained: “Colin started doing one of my evening classes and then went onto the ILM course and wanted a placement so I said ‘fine’.

“I used to teach but I had a series of black-outs and lost my job so I went back to college, at Wrexham, and did a degree in stained glass and graduated about 10 years ago.

“I love it, it’s been a second career for me and hopefully it might be for Colin as well. Sometimes when you’re made redundant you have to through commonsense out the window and started thinking out of the box. Colin has been great, really enthusiastic and has a great sense of humour too, which you need when you’re made redundant.”

Mike  is setting up an exhibition of his work at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor, and Colin is including a few of the pieces he has helped work on.

Mike, who has lived in North Wales more than 30 years, the last 12 in Anglesey, was invited to show some of his work at Ysbyty Gwynedd’s entrance foyer where they have ‘art in hospital’ displays.

Coleg Harlech Principal Trefor Fȏn Owen says the ILM project has been a fantastic opportunity for his staff to be able to support people who want to get back into the world of work.

“It is about giving people a chance and the opportunity to show they have potential and something to offer.”

Graham Benfield OBE, Chief Executive of the  Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), said: ‘The Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) project is supporting around 1,500 economically inactive people into permanent jobs across North and East Wales, while boosting the skills and work-based qualifications of over 3,000 people in total. ‘Interventions like these are vital in the current climate’.

The Intermediate Labour Market (ILM) is a scheme funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and European Structural Funds (European Social Fund), and managed by WCVA, the umbrella body for the third sector in Wales.”

For more information go to: www.harlech.ac.uk 

Photograph: Colin Williams who’s on placement with stained glass maker Mike Lees

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In those days, Anglesey was part of what we now know as Antarctica and the island is still on the move – at a rate of three centimetres a year towards Russia.

The path will take in the story of a relative newcomer, St Patrick, who founded a church in Llanbadrig in the 5th century and marks the spot where the Dalai Lama remarked he had found the most peaceful spot on earth.

The idea was masterminded by the GeoMôn group which earned the whole of Anglesey international recognition for its unique and fascinating geology in 2009.

The lady behind the five-year journey to earn the island its status as a Global Geopark, of which there are only two in Wales, is Dr Margaret Wood, founder of GeoMôn.

Dr Wood, a retired geology teacher and former research scientist, is an expert in Anglesey’s geology and discovered the existence of Precambrian fossils in amongst the rocks of the island’s coast line. The fossils, which are ancient evidence of early life cyanobacteria, better known as blue green algae, date back to 800-860 million years ago and are currently the oldest recorded fossils in Britain.

For more than 20 years, Dr Wood has wanted to share the fascinating geological history of Anglesey with visitors and habitants of the island alike.

Now her plans to turn an existing footpath on the Anglesey coastline, which runs between Wylfa Head and Llanbadrig Church, into a treasure trail of geology, culture, history and learning look set to become a reality.

Dr Wood said: “It is very exciting to think there is now a possibility to get the project moving and we are hopeful it will now come to fruition.”

Much of the aim of GeoMôn’s work is to help encourage geo tourism to the area which is also something the group must show evidence of to retain the island’s Geopark status.

The group was formed in 2003, became a social enterprise in 2009 and two years later achieved its status as a charitable trust, thanks to support and advice from WINSENT (Wales Ireland Network for Social Entrepreneurship).

The aim of WINSENT is to support social entrepreneurs who use their business skills to reduce poverty and social inequality and breathe new life into communities across Anglesey and Denbighshire.

The  WINSENT project is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Ireland Wales Programme (INTERREG 4A).

GeoMôn’s plans have also been backed by Llanbadrig Community Council and the group has just received a grant towards the project from Isle of Anglesey County Council’s Ymweld â Môn project.

Revealing her plans for the footpath, Dr Wood said: “This stretch of Anglesey coast is a very exciting area geologically. It is formed from a rock type known as melange and is one of the most significant areas in the world to see and learn about melange.

“Melange is basically a big mixture of rocks, some small and some as big as half a kilometre across which have been jumbled together.

“Our long term aim along the stretch from Wylfa to the west side of Cemaes Bay is to lay out large boulders of each of the main rock types in Anglesey with small information plaques at each telling its age, rock type and a short explanation of its formation. These would be arranged from the oldest to the youngest rocks and the space given between the rocks would also give an indication of the geological period between them. “We’ll be looking for additional funding to achieve this part of the project.”

The plans also include rock tables with stone seats which will offer school children a convenient spot to write up their findings and other visitors a moment of quiet reflection and chance to enjoy the view.

Further on in the route, on the far side of Cemaes Bay overlooking the Gadlys Quarry, there will be information boards set up about the rare fossils and a history of the old industries at Cemaes.

There will also be an explanation of the energy features which can be seen from the same spot, such as wind turbines, which have helped Anglesey gain its status as an energy island.

The path will come to an end on the headland by Llanbadrig Church, where it is possible to see some of the best examples of melange.

But there will also be a chance for visitors to learn about the history of the church which was established by St Patrick in the 5th century after he was shipwrecked nearby while on route to Ireland.

He managed to scramble to safety on the shores below and up to the area just in front of the church where walkers will also be able to see a cave and a fresh water spring. Here he stayed and founded the church which can be seen today although it has been rebuilt twice since then.

And the interesting stories do not stop there as Dr Wood explained: “A few yards from the church on the other side of the path is a mound of rock that contains the quarry where the first fossils were found and above it where the Dalai Lama sat and said he had found the most peaceful place in the world.”

The new footpath is representative of a wider aim by the social enterprise to help regenerate tourism in the area.

Dr Wood said: “We want to do things which are interesting and exciting and encourage visitors to the area which in turn might create jobs and help the local economy eventually.

“That is why working with Winsent has been very helpful because I have been able to gain guidance and advice about all sorts of matters and been able to share my experiences and any problems I have had with other people running social enterprises.”

Martin Price of Consultancy Coop based in Wales, is working with Isle of Anglesey County Council in delivering WINSENT for social enterprises in the county.

Dr Price said: “We are able to support a whole range of unique and fascinating projects with social enterprises which take an innovative approach to helping to regenerate the communities which they are a part of.

“The work being done by GeoMôn is a great example of this and their desire to use the geological attractions of Anglesey to promote a new and invigorated form of tourism for the island is unique.

“Margaret has and will be joining us on various workshops which will help her develop GeoMôn and help ensure the future viability of their work.”

Isle of Anglesey County Council Leader, Councillor Bryan Owen, said: “Geo tourism is a growing activity and Anglesey’s stunning geology gives us a genuine opportunity to benefit from this sustainable tourism market.
“The proposed support for GeoMon – in particularly with regard to interpretation services and raising its profile – is an attempt to add significant value to the Anglesey tourism agenda by encouraging a greater understanding of our geological heritage for locals and visitors alike. ”

While walkers visiting Anglesey this year will have to wait to enjoy the GeoMôn project, they can make the most of the Anglesey Walking Festival which takes place from June 2 -17. Members of GeoMôn will be conducting guided walks as part of the festival which will explore all the beautiful island has to offer.

To find out more about WINSENT go to www.winsent.eu or email Sue Haygarth at winsent@denbighshire.gov.uk

To find out more about GeoMôn go to www.geomon.co.uk

To find out more about the Anglesey walking festival go to www.angleseywalkingfestival.com

Photograph: Dr Margaret Wood is pictured in front of Llanbadrig Church

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“Over the winter months residents of Benllech have spoken to me about a rise in dog poo on the beach and worse, the bags hanging on branches along the coastal path. We need to raise awareness about the correct disposal of ‘dog poo bags’ please put them in a bin or take your mess home with you,” said Iona.

Dog poo bags can be placed in any street litter bin on Anglesey. “We want to encourage dog owners to use the street litter bins. All bins, the specific dog poo bins and our everyday litter bins can be used to dispose of dog poo bags. We collect all street waste in the same safe manner and dispose of all street litter very carefully,” said Lois Roberts, Isle of Anglesey County Council Tidy Towns Officer.

“I always pick up after my spaniel Holly and pop the bag in a litter bin. I think everyone should pick up and bin it,” said Sandra Berry from Marianglas . Dog walkers welcomed the extra bags and many didn’t know they could use the street litter bins.

Most street litter bins on Anglesey carry the sticker ‘Bag it bin it here’. The decision to allow the public to use street litter bins for dog poo bags has been in place for a while as street litter bins are more widely available and therefore give the public more opportunity to dispose of dog poo safely. Specific bins for dog poo continue to be effective in certain environments.

“My pet hate is seeing dog poo bags thrown around our beautiful island. Please use both the specific dog poo bin and street litter bins to help keep our island clean and green,” said Iona.

To report an irresponsible dog owner on Anglesey call: 01248 752820 or email: ehealth@anglesey.gov.uk. Or to register your Anglesey dog for free, go to the ‘Voluntary dog registration scheme’ page online at www.anglesey.gov.uk.

Photograph: Dogs Holly, George and Logan with the Isle of Anglesey Waste Management Team, Keep Wales Tidy and PCSO Iona Beckman

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On Wednesday, April 25th, the “Quest” will be the first of 18 cruise ships – six more than 2011 – to use the berthing facilities at Holyhead.

The star of the show, however, will undoubtedly be the enormous Caribbean Princess. Measuring a huge 290m in length, she’ll be the biggest ever cruise ship, in terms of sheer passenger numbers, to dock in Wales. She’ll be docking alongside the Anglesey Aluminium jetty in Holyhead.

The Caribbean Princess will be carrying an incredible 3,600 passengers and a 1,200 strong crew during both her visits to Anglesey this summer (May 16th and August 15th).

Anglesey Cruise Co-ordinator, Julia McCormack, is looking forward to the best cruise ship summer yet.

She said, “It promises to be a great summer with an increase in the number of cruise visitors who’ll be enjoying the fantastic tourist product we have to offer here on Anglesey. Passengers will be visiting a number of local attractions, including South Stack, Llynnon and Beaumaris Castle, as well as other sites across North West Wales.”

“There’s a real buzz around Holyhead when the big cruise liners are in and many of the passengers onboard enjoy going into the town as well as on planned excursions.”

She added, “We’ll once again be giving our visitors a warm Welsh welcome with local artists and plenty of activities in Holyhead town centre, including live music, street entertainers, face painting, craft stalls, historical displays and performances in St Cybi’s Church by Various Male Voice Choirs.”

It’s estimated that this year alone, cruise passenger spend will be worth £1.2m to the Anglesey and wider North Wales economy.

This reinforces the importance of the cruise industry to Anglesey, according to Councillor Trefor Lloyd Hughes, tourism portfolio holder on the County Council’s shadow Executive.

He added, “Our annual cruise ship programme is going from strength to strength. With 18 cruise ship visits to Anglesey between April and September, we hope to cement our position as Wales’ premier cruise port destination and make sure that as many passengers as possible take time out to explore this beautiful island of ours.”

The Holyhead jetty is owned and operated by Anglesey Aluminium. Working in partnership with Stena and Welsh Government Anglesey Aluminium have provided new facilities on the jetty, which include a gift shop, information centre, disabled toilets, an internet centre and a dedicated stage and entertainment area.

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The pennants were designed and sewn by members of the group which meets at Beaumaris Leisure Centre.

The Quilts4Olympics project on Anglesey was masterminded by their tutor, Alison Chapman, who runs the weekly classes for Coleg Harlech WEA.

According to Alison, she saw an article in Patchwork Magazine to say that the tradition of giving pennants at sporting occasions was going to be extended to the Olympics.

Each hand-made pennant will  be brought together and used to decorate the Olympic venues, providing a colourful backdrop to the myriad sporting events on show.

After the Games, the aim is to give one to each of the 14,000 athletes taking part, regardless of whether they win anything, as a memento of their time at the biggest show on earth.

Alison explained: “We want all the athletes to have a pennant to take back home as a reminder of their time at the Olympics and the Paralympics.

“We have sent about two dozen down pennants from Anglesey.

“We’ve all tried to do them with a Welsh theme, so there are a lot of daffodils, bridges and hands. We had a fantastic one with a dragon on it breathing fire.

“It’s really fired people’s imaginations. I’ve been really surprised at the level of thought people have put in and how creative they have managed to be in such a small space.”

Among those who made an Olympic pennant was Sybil Wells, from Llanddona, who’s been attending the quilting classes for 10 years.

According Sybil, she’s proud that the pennants from Anglesey will be given to the athletes at London 2102.

She said: “The Olympics is the biggest event on the whole planet, I’m really looking forward to it.”

Fellow quilter Anne Harding Davies, from Newbrough, was equally excited.

She said: “The pennant I made had a black background with a gold cross. On that I superimposed a Welsh Dragon and then in the top quarters I put a leek and a daffodil.”

Trefor Fȏn Owen, the Principal of Coleg Harlech WEA, said: “This is a beautiful idea and I am sure the Olympians and Paralympians will be delighted.

“Traditionally in sport, competitors exchange pennants as a sign of friendship and it’s great that the athletes will each receive such a special personal gift to remember their time at London 2012.”

Photograph: Class tutor Alison Chapman with one of the quilted pennants with Sybil Wells and Anne Davies

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The STAR (Survey of Tenants and Residents) Customer Satisfaction Survey is a questionnaire designed around customer care and covers all of the Isle of Anglesey County Council’s services within housing.  It has been sent to around 3,800 of the Council’s tenants.

The survey covers all aspects of the customer service provided by Housing Services, from whether tenants are treated fairly and complaints dealt with courteously to whether tenants are proud of their homes and neighbourhood.  It also covers areas such as adaptations or aids required for the home and assistance in living independently, together with support if facing financial difficulties.

Head of Housing Services Shan Lloyd Williams explains, “This is the largest survey we’ve done to date and is really important for a number of reasons.  It will allow us gain an accurate picture of how we are performing when compared with other landlords, and will help us to identify how and where our service needs to improve in the future.”

Completed surveys should be returned in the prepaid envelope no later than 16 April 2012.  All returned questionnaires will be entered into a prize draw for the chance to win 1st prize £50, 2nd prize £25 and 3rd prize £25.  The draw will take place on 30 April 2012 and winners will be notified by post and published in the next Ynys Môn Tenants Voice Newsletter.

If you are an Isle of Anglesey County Council tenant and haven’t received a survey to fill in, please contact Jodie Davies, Tenant Participation Liaison Officer on 01248 752 171 or tenant@anglesey.gov.uk.

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The boiler at Tre-Ysgawen Hall Country House Hotel and Spa was switched on on Tuesday (April 10) by Edwina Hart, Welsh Government Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science.

Tre-Ysgawen Hall at Capel Coch, near Llangefni, is thought to be the first hotel in Wales to harness the power of biomass fuel for all its heating needs.

The 600kW renewable energy system, which is powered by wood chip, will completely cancel out the £90,000 a year oil bill of the four star hotel and will help safeguard its future as a key island employer of 80 people.

The Minister was there to celebrate the official launch of the new boiler which was also attended by local dignitaries and tourism representatives.

Mrs Hart said: “I am delighted to participate in today’s ceremony which marks a significant investment by the Tre-Ysgawen Hall Hotel management team in green renewable technology.

“This investment will secure the long term sustainable future of the hotel, ensure it remains highly competitive and also safeguard jobs.

“It is a particularly fitting investment as Anglesey has been designated an Enterprise Zone with a focus on energy and the environment and set to benefit from Energy Island project. Tre-Ysgawen is setting an example of how investment in low carbon technology can bring real economic benefits.”

Neil Rowlands, chief executive of Tre-Ysgawen Hall Hotel, is the man behind the brave business decision to invest in the cutting edge green technology.

Determined to do something to radically cut the hotel’s enormous £200,000 a year energy bills, he commissioned an on-site audit by energy experts Carbon Control Ltd who work with their clients to find ways of reducing energy consumption and increase sustainability. The boiler has been sourced and installed by Rural Energy.

Neil said: “It was becoming increasing painful to watch as the price of oil continued to rise all the time and it was essential to regain more control of the hotel’s energy costs.

“We have been spending £200,000 a year on LPG, oil and electricity and in business terms, that means I have to have a turnover of £800,000 a year just to pay the fuel bills. It was crucial to the future of the hotel that we did something now to address this.

“We are one of the island’s largest employers and while I recognise the boiler’s green credentials, I was also looking at it from the point of view of looking after the business and ensuring we can still be a worthwhile employer to the 80 people who have jobs with us. This is very important to me.”

The biomass boiler will cost the hotel £40,000 a year to run which is less than half of the £90,000 a year which Tre-Ysgawen was spending on oil. But due to the British Government’s renewable heat incentive, which is a payment for renewable energy generated by individuals and businesses, the running costs of the boiler will be paid for under the subsidy scheme for the next 20 years.

The cost of the boiler project will be made back by the hotel in less than six year’s time by cancelling out almost half of the hotel’s fuel bills – the £90,000 spent every year on oil.

He said: “I hope that Tre-Ysgawen is now recognised as a trail blazer within the hospitality industry for taking this big leap in green technology. But it was a difficult decision to take because I was very aware that my customers were not going to see the benefits of this large amount of money.

“It is not like spending it on the refurbishment of rooms or on new carpets where they can see a difference.”

Andrew Fletcher, managing director of Carbon Control Ltd, oversaw the year long biomass project at Tre-Ysgawen Hall making sure the most suitable boiler on the market was installed on time and on budget. He said: “In my opinion, Tre-Ysgawen is showing terrific leadership within their industry by seeing this project through to the end.

“What we are very excited about and keen to happen as a result of this project is for other big energy users in the area to be able to see this project working and see how it can work for them. We hope it will give other businesses a means of reassurance so they can look at investing in this type of greener technology with confidence.”

The boiler, made in Austria, has been installed within its own building at the back of the hotel. The fuel is tipped by the delivery vehicle into a large storage unit at the front of the structure. When the boiler needs fuel, it draws in wood chip from the storage compartment and burns it. The resulting energy is then transferred to the hotel and spa to provide their heating and hot water.

Paul Clark, sales and technical director for Rural Energy, said: “Biomass boilers are very sophisticated machines, much more so than regular fossil fuel boilers. The technology is needed to efficiently regulate the combustion of the wood chips because the fuel is natural and highly variable in size, shape and moisture content, unlike uniform fossil fuels such as oil and gas.

“But despite all the technology it is a surprisingly low maintenance installation which is necessary to let the business get on with its day job.

“The Tre-Ysgawen project illustrates to others that Biomass really does create a fantastic opportunity for businesses such as this and Rural Energy is very keen to work within the hospitality sector providing Biomass solutions.”

The large scale biomass project at Tre-Ysgawen, which requires 450 tonnes of wood chip a year, has given the company supplying the fuel for the boiler, a financially viable opportunity to set up a new depot on Anglesey with the creation of two full time jobs.

Edward Jones, Business Development and Sales Manager for Stobart Biomass Products Ltd, was born and raised in Anglesey and has set up the new hub on his family’s farm which is located next door to the hotel’s grounds.

He said: “Without our key client – Tre-Ysgawen Hall – it would be very difficult to justify the expense of setting up a hub. But without it, it would be very difficult to entice any biomass business on the island because a local supply of fuel is crucial to the success of any project.

“Stobart Biomass is very keen to invest more in Wales and we are already looking at ways of working with local farmers and foresters to help us produce the fuel locally. The fact there is a hub and a ready client here means it will hopefully give them the confidence to put in the infrastructure to diversify in this way.”

With Anglesey being off the gas grid, most businesses and residents are not hooked up to natural gas but are forced to use oil or liquefied petroleum gas which is very expensive and produces higher levels of carbon dioxide emissions.

Andrew Fletcher said: “Anything you can do to eliminate this is not only good economically but also better for the environment because you are reducing your carbon footprint.”

To contact Tre-Ysgawen Hall go to www.treysgawen-hall.co.uk or call 01248 750750.

To find out more about biomass technology go to www.myriadceg.com/biomass  for Rural Energy, www.carbon-control.co.uk for Carbon Control Ltd and www.stobartgroup.co.uk for Stobart Biomass Products Ltd.

Photograph: Pictured from left to right in the biomass boiler room are Neil Rowlands, chief executive of Tre-Ysgawen Hall Hotel, Edward Jones, business development and sales manager for Stobart Biomass Products Ltd, Paul Clark, sales and technical director for Rural Energy, Andrew Fletcher, managing director of Carbon Control Ltd and Edwina Hart, Welsh Government Minister for Business, Enterprise, Technology and Science

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“A good place to start your artistic adventure would be at the two exhibitions in the Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead, and the David Hughes Centre, Beaumaris. These exhibitions have at least one piece of work from each participant. You can view the artist’s work and plan to visit their studio; just pick up a Guide and find locations and opening times,” said Mike Gould, Chair of the voluntary Anglesey Arts Forum Committee.

In addition to the following exhibitions, there are a further 7 galleries open:
•    Oriel Glyn Davies Gallery, Menai Bridge, featuring Glyn’s fine-art Welsh landscape photography;
•    Steven Jones Gallery, Beaumaris, featuring Steve’s coastal scenes and new paintings;
•    H’Artworks, Beaumaris, featuring Anne Snaith’s mixed-media work, including silk painting, glass and textiles;
•    Siop y Porth, Holyhead, featuring a variety of work from the Ffatri Fenter® Taste of Enterprise project;
•    ArtSpace, Holyhead, featuring the work of Jacquie Myrtle and Tim Dickinson;
•    Oriel Daniel Gallery, Llangefni, a busy tea room and gallery with prestigious artists work on show;
•    Oriel Ynys Môn, Llangefni, featuring the work of Gilly Thomas ‘Uncanny Connections’, and Kyffin Williams collection.

The individual artists in a particular geographic area have joined together to form Clusters, including the Rhosneigr, Northern and Beaumaris Clusters. Artists within these Clusters promote each other’s work. “The Cluster co-operates and you can visit artists in a particular area in one day; everyone co-ordinates opening times to make this possible,” says Mike.

“Please come visit some of the 57 artists and 8 galleries open over Easter,” said Mike. The guide is available online at www.angleseyartsforum.org or contact Heather on 01407 763361 or he@ucheldre.org.

This year the event has gained new financial support from the North Wales Open Studios Network (working in co-operation with Helfa Gelf/Art Trail), which has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007–2013, funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. This funding has enabled the printing and distributing of the annual Guide listing all the artists, galleries and events, with opening times and directions to help you plan your visit.

The 2012 Open Studios and Galleries Weeks Guide is available at www.angleseyartsforum.org, which also has information about the Anglesey Performing Arts Weeks from Friday 19 October to Sunday 4 November 2012. The website will also have details of any changes, and information about new artists who are opening their studios but are not in the printed Guide.

The Anglesey Arts Forum is also supported by the Arts Council of Wales, Isle of Anglesey County Council, and Menter Môn.

Photograph: Sadie Williams at the Bryn Eglwys exhibition buildings, Llandyfrydog, Llanerchymedd

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They said:

“We do not expect this incident to have an affect on the Anglesey coast, despite the possibility that some diesel fuel has escaped the damaged vessel”.

The Island will be open for business as usual during what promises to be a busy Easter Weekend.

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The roadshow, which kicked off in Llanfairpwll this week (Monday 26 March 2012), is part of the Council’s effort to meet the Welsh Government’s Welsh Housing Quality Standard, which aims to provide better homes for people in Wales.

The trailer will be visiting locations all over Anglesey kitted out with useful information leaflets, tenant surveys,interactive computer technology and a suggestion box.  Members of the police and fire authorities, local councillors, council officers and benefit officers will also be on hand to discuss local matters.

An ‘estate walkabout’ will also take place in partnership with tenants, where representatives from the council’s Housing Services, Waste Management and Highways will be able to identify any issues and Keep Wales Tidy will be able to identify possible environmental projects or tidy-up schemes.

Head of Housing Services Shan Williams said, “This is an ambitious programme of consultation with our tenants.  It’s very important that we take every opportunity to answer queries and find out what we can do to make residents feel safe and proud of where they live.  I hope many people will take the opportunity to attend.”

The roadshow will run from 2-6pm (or 12.30-4.30pm from September) and will visit the following locations:

All are welcome to attend.  For more information, contact Anglesey’s Tenant Participation Officer Jodie Davies on 01248 752 171 or email tenant@anglesey.gov.uk

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Councillor Bryan Owen said, “The announcement is very disappointing. However, the decision by the parent companies of Horizon Nuclear Power in Germany has been made solely on financial grounds.”

“This decision has no bearing on the Wylfa site on Anglesey, which is acknowledged by the industry as the prime location in the UK for new nuclear build.”

He added, “The Isle of Anglesey County Council, through its Energy Island Programme, remains absolutely committed to securing new investment and other energy generation schemes for Wales. We will work with Horizon and its shareholders, the Welsh Government and UK Government to find a new investor for the Wylfa site. We understand that a number of strong expressions of interest have already been made.”

Considerable work has been undertaken to date through partnership working across the public sector and with the business community to support the Horizon Nuclear Power project.

Anglesey Energy Island Programme Director, Sasha Wynn Davies, whilst disappointed with the announcement stressed that this work has not been in vain.

She added, “Whilst it goes without saying that this is a major setback, the considerable efforts which have been put in over the last two years since the outset of the Energy Island Programme would be seen as an attractive proposition by potential investors.

“Indeed, it provides a solid foundation to enable a new investor to ‘hit the ground running’ on taking on the development.”

The County Council has already arranged meetings with Horizon, Welsh Government and UK Government to discuss matters further and seek a positive outcome.

Sasha Wynn Davies added, “We will be redoubling our efforts through seeking to engage with these parties at the earliest opportunity in order to spell out the compelling case for the Wylfa new build and the ongoing commitment from all involved. This ranges from skills training to enhance job prospects to support for businesses in North Wales to increase their competitiveness to secure sourcing opportunities.”

Anglesey Commissioner for with responsibility for economic development, Alex Aldridge, has already raised the matter with Welsh Government Ministers.

He said, “This morning I was in Cardiff for a pre-arranged meeting with both the Minister for Local Government, Carl Sargeant and the Business Minister, Edwina Hart.

“During these meetings, I took the opportunity to discuss this morning’s announcement on Wylfa ‘B’ and we have agreed to work together to ensure we achieve the best possible outcome for the island and its people.”

“We are as one in believing this site continues to be the prime site for the next generation of nuclear power provision.”

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The youngsters who are members of the Scala Film Team in Prestatyn have already proved themselves adept at all aspects of movie-making and have now launched their own company.

Appropriately, the enterprise was unveiled at a conference at the Scala Cinema and Arts Centre in front of an audience of people who have provided support for them.

The WAVE 12 event was organised by Wales Ireland Network for Social Entrepreneurship (WINSENT) and attended by delegates from Ireland, Anglesey and Denbighshire.

Some of the young movie makers are hoping that their experience will lead to careers in the film industry.

For the past two years the youngsters have been attending the weekly sessions at the Scala Cinema and Arts Centre, which is itself a social enterprise that’s been supported by WINSENT.

They have received expert advice and taken advantage of the sophisticated equipment available in the media room.

In January one of the youngest members, 11-year-old Euan Miller, won the title of Most Promising Filmmaker at the PICS 2012 Film Festival in Y Galeri, Caernarfon. He was presented with £150 and a golden clapperboard for his animated movie “The Snowman”.

Thirteen-year-old Oshan Bennett and Steven Moore, both pupils at Prestatyn High School, were awarded second place in the Secondary School category for a short thriller titled “Don’t Look Back”.

Though they receive guidance from experienced adults, including artist and filmmaker Jan Miller, the group are generally left to their own devices, pooling their ideas and having a go at the many different skills required.

“We have a go at different things, but I enjoy the scriptwriting,” said Year 8 pupil Amelia Scott.

Their confidence boosted by their success they decided to set up their own company, to be called Fisheye.org.uk, and in future will be charging for commissions.

“We have lots of things in mind, including a film about stereotyping which highlights could change people’s perceptions of hoodies,” said 14-year-old Jack O’Connor, who said his long-term ambition is to become a film director.

Though they are able to use the Scala’s equipment the youngsters are currently raising money to buy further items for the company’s use.

Jan Miller and Rhiannon Hughes, chairman of the trustees of the Scala, said they were extremely proud of the young filmmakers’ achievements and wished them well in their exciting venture.

Cllr Hughes told delegates that links were being established with the TV and media studies department at Glyndwr University as well as the Film Agency of Wales to develop the project further and help the youngsters pursue their interest.

“We look forward to seeing their names on the credits on TV and films,” she said.

The WINSENT project has been seeking out Social Entrepreneurs who are trying to breathe new life into communities across Anglesey and Denbighshire, along with the counties of South Dublin, Kildare and Fingal, Ireland.

They have been identifying  social entrepreneurs who use their business skills to reduce poverty and social inequality and creating a network where they can share experience and help others to adopt a more entrepreneurial ethos.
The project has been part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Ireland Wales Programme (INTERREG 4A).

The increasing role of social enterprises and social entrepreneurship was the theme of the WAVE 12 conference.

John Kearns, Chairman of WINSENT, said that go-ahead people with that “spark” had a vital contribution to make.

“They are the local heroes we need to tackle longstanding issues which bedevil our communities,” he said.

Mr Kearns is Chief Executive of PARTAS, an enterprise and training agency in the Dublin area which fosters the growth of local enterprises.

The keynote speaker of the conference was Cheshire-based John Timpson, the chairman of Timpson, the shoe repair, key-cutting and watch repair business.

He outlined his novel approach to business, explaining that he aligned the business’s drive for profitability and excellence with a social mission.

Shop managers are given the freedom to run their shops in their own way, setting their own prices and ordering the stock they need to ensure the best service to customers.

A renowned philanthropist, Mr Timpson described his philosophy as “upside-down management” in which staff were trusted to do the job in the most efficient, friendly manner and no policies were imposed from the top.

“If they have a good idea they should go for it and use their initiative,” he said.

Holiday homes are available for employees to use free of charge, regular bonuses are paid, each employee has a day off on their birthday and area managers are encouraged to take a personal interest in the shop managers.

As well as supporting chosen charities the company also helps ex-offenders, taking several onto the staff after providing training in prisons throughout Britain.

“We don’t think of ourselves as social entrepreneurs but we do it all because we want to do it,” he stressed.

Photograph: Prestatyn High school students who have made a film using the facilities at the Scala in Prestatyn. Camera operator Oshan Bennett with his schoole friends, teachers and officials at the Scala

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The rural development agency Cadwyn Clwyd believe the Vale’s top quality pastures are perfect for producing fine cheese.

They are running special courses to encourage a new breed of artisan cheese-makers to learn the secrets that have made household names of their famous French counterparts.

The idea already has the backing of a top delicatessen, Leonardo’s in Ruthin, who would love to stock local cheese to sell alongside its array of British and Continental favourites.

Ceris Brunzel-Roberts, of Leonardo’s, is keen to persuade local dairy producers to diversify into specialist cheese-making.

She said: “We get lots of tourists calling and they ask about local cheeses and we would really like to be able to sell something that’s made on a local farm.

“Denbighshire and the Vale of Clwyd, in particular, is one of the UK’s top dairy regions and yet we don’t have artisan cheesemakers the way they do in France and Italy.

“We would love to be able to stock Bodfari and Graigfechan cheeses alongside Brie and Camembert.

“There is good quality cheese made at the creamery in Llandyrnog but no homemade local cheeses. If there were I’m sure it would fly off the shelves when tourists are here in the summer.”

Cadwyn Clwyd Agri-Food Project Officer Robert Price said: “We have two-day courses which we can run at the Food Technology Centre in Llangefni for anyone interested.

“It might be a farmer or farmer’s wife looking to diversify, it doesn’t need to be a dairy farmer, it can be someone who can access a supply of milk or perhaps someone interested in producing goat’s milk or ewe’s milk cheese – after all we have plenty of sheep here.

“The same thing has been done in Anglesey with tremendous success and they now have a number of artisan cheesemakers there.

“Normandy is a big dairy area just like the Vale of Clwyd and there they have a Cheese Triangle with Camembert, Livarot and Pont L’Eveque, all soft white cheeses made within a few miles of each other – why not here?”

Cadwyn Clwyd will sponsor courses at Llangefni, paid for by 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 cheese making courses will be held at the Food Technology Centre, in Llangefni and Paul Roberts the Centres Business Developer explained: “We are proud of the range of added value dairy products that have been developed at the Centre.

“We hope to build on the success of the local cheese makers we have supported in developing their excellent products, such as Y Cwt Caws and their goat cheese, Rhyd Y Delyn and their Camembert and Gorau Glas with their award winning blue cheese’.

“The courses we will be running in partnership with Cadwyn Clwyd will provide an overview of the cheese making process and hopefully inspire a new group of artisan cheese producers.

“Going forward, the dairy production facilities at the Food Technology Centre can be rented for up to two days a week, which really helps keep initial start-up costs to a minimum’.

“This is an exciting opportunity, as with some further practice and guidance from the team at the Food Technology Centre, producers will be able to achieve consistent results so as to sell a high quality cheese to a market which has proven demand, not only in Clwyd but on a national level.”

Gorau Glas has even won a top award at the renowned Nantwich Cheese Show for its soft blue veined cheese and Robert Price is keen to hear from would-be local producers keen to emulate that success.

One who is interested is Ceris’s husband, Andreas Brunzel-Roberts, who said: “I’d definitely like to have a go. We get so many enquiries that I’m sure a specialist locally made cheese would do well.

“If they can do it on Anglesey then there’s no reason why it couldn’t work here.”

Robert Price said that they were also keen to hear from people interested in other areas of dairy diversification such as butter and ice-cream and he added: “We are also able to hold one-day ice cream-making courses at Llangefni and there is also potential in butter so we would be interested in hearing from anyone interested in these products too.”

To enrol on Cadwyn Clwyd’s cheese-making and ice-cream making courses contact Robert Price on 01824 705802 or email robert.price@cadwynclwyd.co.uk

Cadwyn Clwyd continues to look for innovative projects to support which help safeguard the area’s natural, cultural and heritage assets and maximise their economic potential for local businesses and communities and for more information e-mail admin@cadwynclwyd.co.uk or go to www.cadwynclwyd.com.uk

Photograph: Cheese please, Andreas Brunzel-Roberts, left, of Leonardo’s Delicatessen, in Ruthin, and Cadwyn Clwyd Agri-Food Project Officer Robert Price

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During the Anglesey Open Studios and Galleries Weeks, beginning on Saturday, you have a fantastic opportunity to visit artists and galleries on your doorstep. This is the ninth year the event’s black-on-white logo signs have been put up on lamp posts, houses and gates all over the island, directing you to find Arts Forum members.

“This year I encourage you to get a Guide and travel to meet the artist or visit the gallery at the end of the arrow. You will get a unique chance to meet and talk with the artist, often over a cup of tea, and gain a glimpse of the artistic process,” said Mike Gould, Chair of the voluntary Anglesey Art Forum Committee.

The event, taking place over the Easter holiday period from Saturday 31 March to Sunday 15 April, has a handy Guide listing artists in a circular geographic order and the galleries/events by date order. The 2012 Guide is available at www.angleseyartsforum.org.

When artist Laurie Kitchen sold a painting at the Ucheldre Centre in last year’s exhibition, he was surprised to find out where the painting went. “I walked into my neighbour’s house and saw my painting hanging on their wall. It was very funny. They could have popped next door and purchased it from my Open Studio, but they didn’t realise it was my work,” said Laurie.

The Open Studios event is an ideal opportunity to visit your artistic neighbours. Perhaps you always see the signs up in your street, maybe you have spotted an inviting arrow at the top of a country lane or perhaps you could have an artist living a couple of fields away. The artists warmly welcome all visitors following the signs. “Knowing many local artists throw open their doors every Easter is very exciting. I make a point of visiting other studios, my opening hours permitting,” said Laurie.

There is never any pressure to buy, just an invitation to follow the arrows and meet the artist for a chat. The arrows lead to a wide variety of art at venues all over the Island, including studios, chapels, barns, sheds, galleries and artists’ homes. “It is a good idea to use the Guide to plan your trip to a variety of artists. I guarantee you will find something to inspire you as well as having a great experience seeing the Island,” said Mike.

Additions and unavoidable alterations to the Guide will be posted on the www.angleseyartsforum.org website.

Photograph: Four of the 57 artists you can find at the end of the arrow (L to R) Phillipa Jacobs, Laurie Kitchen, Mick Brown and Chris Higson

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Those who visit the ‘Tai Teg’ (‘Fair Housing’) website will have the opportunity to register their details, and to keep up to date with the latest developments and grant options.

Tai Teg is aimed at local people interested in home ownership who currently cannot afford to buy on the open market, and who might be eligible for help.

Run by Gwynedd Council in partnership with Anglesey Council, Tai Teg works closely with housing associations, the Welsh Government, private developers and estate agents to provide information about the availability of houses and how to apply for financial support.

Elliw Llyr, Gwynedd Council’s Housing Strategy Pilicy Manager, said:

“Many of us are aware of the problems facing local people who are struggling to find affordable homes in their own communities.

“The problem is most acute for first-time buyers or those who have seen a change in their circumstances, for example, a relationship breakdown resulting in people looking for a new home on one wage, or a growing family looking for a larger home.

“There are programmes that do provide help for local people in these situations, and the Tai Teg website provides information about these.

“It also includes a simple online application form which people looking for a home can fill in – so we have a link between the schemes that are available and those in need of assistance to buy.”

She added: “I would urge people who are struggling to rent or buy their own home on the open market to visit the website and to register their details so that they can be kept in the loop about the most recent developments.

“It’s also a vital tool for the Council to learn about where the need for affordable homes is and what problems people are facing, so that we can fine tune our policies and work programmes to help Gwynedd’s communities.”

Tai Teg will complement the many schemes already in operation in Gwynedd to help provide suitable homes to buy or rent for local people.

These schemes include:

• Help to purchase or part-purchase a housing association home.
• Legal agreements to ensure newly built houses are kept for the local market.
• Schemes to bring empty houses back into use.
• Working with private landlords to ensure the availability rental houses

Case study
Annwen Owen was able to move into her new house on Lôn Eilian, Caernarfon in November after purchasing it through the Home Buy scheme.

Under this scheme, the Welsh Government pays up to 30% of the value of the house through a loan. No interest is paid on this loan, but it must be repaid when the house is sold – at the rate of the same agreed percentage of the value of the property at the time.

“The Home Buy scheme has been great as it has enabled me to have a house of my own, something that would have been impossible for me otherwise,” said Annwen.

“All I had to do was to fill in an application form last summer and as soon as I got an approval in principle, I was able to start looking for a suitable house.

“I had to find a deposit of 5%, but thanks to the Home Buy loan, I only required a mortgage for 65% of the value of the property.

“This keeps my monthly mortgage payments low, which makes my home affordable for me.”

To be eligible for help, your household must have at least five years local connection through residence, family or work in Gwynedd, and also must show that your income is insufficient for the purchase of a suitable property for your needs on the open market.

For more information, please visit the new website on www.taiteg.org.uk

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Over Easter weekend adventurous art lovers will be beating a path to see the work of artist Philippa Jacobs at her isolated home and studio at the 19th century fog signal station at North Stack on Anglesey.

Getting to the remote location, half way between the port of Holyhead and the bird sanctuary of South Stack, is not for the feint hearted though.

There aren’t many options. The least scary route is the coastal path which skirts the cliff edge from Breakwater Country Park on the outskirts of Holyhead while Philippa uses the four-wheel drive capability of  an ageing Land Rover to navigate a deeply cratered track which undulates wildly over the steep, rocky terrain.

It will take around 20 to 25 minutes to walk there. That’s about the same time as it takes Philippa to drive – anything above crawling pace in the Land Rover would constitute sheer recklessness.

Philippa is one of 55 artists from Anglesey who are throwing their doors open so people can come to see and hopefully buy their work.

The  Open Studios and Galleries event is in its ninth year and is organised by Anglesey Arts Forum.

This year sees the Forum working in partnership with Helfa Gelf/Art Trail with the launch of the  North Wales Open Studios Network , a scheme that reaches across the region from Anglesey via Gwynedd in the West to Wrexham in the East.

The Network is part funded through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007 – 2013, which is financed through the European Union and the Welsh Government.

The Anglesey event begins on Saturday, March 31, and continues until Sunday, April 15.

As well as being able to visit artists in their own homes, there will also be exhibitions  at the Ucheldre Centre, in Holyhead, and the David Hughes Centre, in Beaumaris.

The tie up with the Helfa Gelf/Art Trail as part of the NWOSN project has also provided funding for a new website, promotional literature and guided bus tours to visit artists’ studios.

Last year more than 100 determined art lovers trekked to see Philippa’s exhibition – and she’s expecting even more people to make the effort when she opens over Easter Weekend, between 2pm and 5pm, from Good Friday through to Easter Monday.

One reason is that this could be the last opportunity to visit her in the stunning environment that so inspires her work.

Philippa is selling up and has put the property on the market for £595,000 because living in the splendid isolation of North Stack is becoming an increasing challenge.

Philippa has been living there for 23 years, despite the absence of any facilities other than electricity. There’s no mains water, no postal service or refuse collection.

There are three main buildings set in half an acre of land. Among them are a three bedroomed house and a former Magazine building that use to house gunpowder and  a cannon that fired fog warnings to shipping.

Then there’s the fog signal building itself where an array of ear-drum blasting fog horns have mercifully been disconnected – the new fog horns are now based across Gogarth Bay next to the South Stack lighthouse.

Perhaps unsurprisingly the theme of Philippa’s exhibition this year is The Irish Sea.

Philippa, who trained at the Royal College of Art, in London, said: “The sea almost surrounds me, and my studio looks out towards the Skerries lighthouse. It’s north-facing, which is the best light to paint by. Southern light changes but northern light stays constant.

“I moved there because I needed the isolation to think. I’ve never liked living in a city. I was married to a farmer for 23 years and lived in the country. But when he died I decided that I would find somewhere near the sea because I always loved it.

“This is unique, it is a magnificent place and it is a very great privilege to live here. I really have loved every single minute being here and the only reason I have put it on the market is my age.

“I think the Anglesey Arts Week is  a fantastic thing. People come over, they eat the picnic outside and they come round the exhibition, and then you get people who just come in who are walkers.

“This year I’m open between 2pm and 5pm over the Easter Weekend on  Good Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Easter Monday.

“I suppose it’s the most inaccessible gallery in the UK but every year I’ve opened I’ve had more people each year actually. It’s a very worthwhile thing to do.”

Mike Gould, Chair of the voluntary Anglesey Art Forum Committee, believes this year’s event will be the best ever.

He said: “It’s all about promoting the artists on the Island and just raising their profile and helping them to keep their work going.

“We started on a wing and a prayer nine years ago and this year we’ve got 55 artists taking part.

“We have artists using an incredible variety of mediums – we’ve got painters, photographers, print makers, potters and installation artists.

“This event is a wonderful opportunity that you wouldn’t get otherwise to see artists in their own environment, and also to be able to talk and ask questions.

“One of the reasons that such a relatively small island has such a huge concentration of diverse creativity is the quality of the light.

“The leading Welsh landscape painter Peter Prendergast said that Anglesey could be known as the St Ives of the north – it’s brilliant light.”

Sabine Cockrill, the Project Coordinator of  Helfa Gelf/Art Trail North Wales Open Studios Network, said: “The project enables artists from across North Wales to show work in shared exhibitions, benefit from mutual professional development workshops and marketing events, giving them a chance to meet other artists.

“It is a fantastic opportunity for both Anglesey Arts Week and Helfa Gelf/Art Trail to work together and learn from each other, while retaining their own unique identities.”

For more information about  Anglesey Arts Weeks – Open Studios and Galleries 2012 and the artists involved go to www.angleseyartsforum.org where you can also download a copy of the official Guide. For more information about North Wales Open Studios Network and Helfa Gelf/Art Trail please go to www.helfagelf.co.uk

Photograph: Artist Phillipa Jacobs who lives in a former Signal Station on Anglesey with Mike Gould

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Anwen is a member of the Anglesey Arts Forum and one of the 55 artists and 8 galleries inviting you to visit for free, and look, discuss and experience art during the Open Studios and Galleries Weeks, from Saturday 31 March to Sunday 15 April.

In her studio on her farm near Trearddur Bay, with lambs cuddling up on the outside step, she makes a cup of tea and offers a unique glimpse of the artistic process. “I’m not here to paint pretty rural scenes. I paint because I want to. I feel the need to paint. I paint my surroundings, animals and the people who are familiar to me,” says Anwen.

This year will be the sixth year that Anwen has opened her studio to residents and visitors alike over the Easter period. “Opening my studio is a great goal to work towards. I like to have a stock of work that people can come and see. Many visitors have been before and I always like to share something new with them,” said Anwen.

This year the event is bigger than ever and has gained new financial support from the North Wales Open Studios Network Cooperation project (working with Helfa Gelf Art Trail), which has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007–2013, funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. This funding has enabled the printing and distributing of the annual Guide listing all the artists, galleries and events, with opening times and directions to help you plan your visit.

The 2012 Guide is available at www.angleseyartsforum.org, which also has information about the Anglesey Performing Arts Weeks from Friday 19 October to Sunday 4 November 2012.

The Anglesey Arts Forum is also supported by the Arts Council of Wales, Isle of Anglesey County Council, and Menter Môn.

Anglesey agriculture features at the heart of Anwen’s paintings. “Very early this morning, I was with the ewes that were lambing. I wanted to keep an eye on one of our pedigree ewes as she laboured. So I grabbed my sketch book and drew the scene. It was dark and the animals were still, and I could concentrate on their forms and the shapes they made as they rested,” said Anwen.

A favourite activity that Anwen sketches and paints is the shearing of the sheep. “I don’t set out to document rural life. I am painting subjects that interest and excite me because of their shape, form and composition. When you shear a sheep, there are striking positions you need to get into to remove the fleece. I have painted this subject at least 14 times,” said Anwen.

The art you can see during the Open Studios and Galleries Weeks is very varied, but all artists are affected by the Island in some way. “Come and meet the artists and have a chat – you can ask them directly how living here influences their work,” said Mike Gould, Chair of the voluntary Anglesey Art Forum Committee.

“I always welcome visitors during the Open Studios and Galleries Weeks. Painting is an isolated job. It doesn’t matter if you like my work. Just the opportunity to open my studio, show my work and have a chat is all I ask,” said Anwen.

Photograph: Anwen Roberts at her studio Bumwerth, Trearddur Bay

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The group who meet at Beaumaris Leisure Centre raised more than £400 by raffling a special quilt they made.

Meanwhile, their tutor, Alison Chapman, is in the running for a top award.

She has been nominated for one of the prestigious Inspire Awards for her work with Coleg Harlech WEA.

Alison runs a total of seven weekly quilting classes for Coleg Harlech, six of them on Anglesey and the other one in Bangor.

She said: “Some of the students here have been with me for about 10 years so I keep having to find new things for them to do.

“The Air Ambulance quilt was  project we did in partnership with a local artist, Jayne Huskisson, who’s now become a patch-worker herself.

“She makes these lovely landscape pictures of Anglesey  and we thought it would be a real challenge for the ladies to think about how they could transfer her designs into fabric.

“It resulted in a big quilt  with nine designs of Anglesey – it was about four foot square.

“The Air Ambulance do a tremendous amount of good work here and we could all need it at some stage.”

The money was accepted on behalf of the Wales Air Ambulance by Eifion Jones, perhaps better known as Jonsi from his days as a Radio Cymru presenter.

Eifion said: “The fruits of their labour are going to help keep the Air Ambulance flying

“We have three ambulances and we need to raise £6 million every year.

“Every time the air ambulance goes out it costs £1,500 and we get no Government grants or Lottery money so it’s all through public donations  – the people of Wales basically keep it alive and keep it up in the sky.

“People like these talented quilters are terrific because they ensure that we can carry on saving lives.”

Among the members of the quilting class who has a personal reason for supporting the Air Ambulance is Glynwen Williams, from Marianglas.

She explained: “My niece’s daughter, Begw, who will be four in the summer, has needed the Air Ambulance twice

“She’s one of these TOF (Tracheo-Oesophageal Fistula)  children where the oesophagus wasn’t joined up properly at the top or the bottom.

“It’s so important when children and young people are so ill to get them to the hospital quickly.

“Making this particular quilt meant a  lot to me, the Air Ambulance does a brilliant job as far as I’m concerned.”

The fund-raising effort has also delighted Sara Jones, Coleg Harlech’s Learning Manager for Mȏn and Bangor, who also nominated Alison for the award.

The Inspire Awards are organised by NIACE (The National Institute of Adult Continuing Education) England and Wales  and are presented to recognise outstanding contribution to adult learning.

Sara said: “Alison’s students have the greatest of respect for her, there’ always positive feedback from her courses with many stating that she is an excellent tutor, friendly and approachable.

“She’s been an instrumental part of the team, continuously developing the provision that keep learners interested, motivated and learning new skills.

“She warmly welcomes learners of various abilities for an all-inclusive learning experience, embracing complete beginners to those with more advanced knowledge, all in one course.”

It was a sentiment echoed by Trefor Fȏn Owen, the Principal of Coleg Harlech.

He said: “This nomination is richly deserved because Alison continues to make a huge contribution after more than a decade of unbroken service.”

Photograph: Eifion Jones Wales Air Ambulance and Class tutor Alison Chapman with some of the artwork used to help create the quilt raffled along with Margaret Hughes, Pauline Jones, Artist Jayne Huskisson, Glynwen Williams, Linda Jones, Anne Davies and Ceinwen Hughes who all helped to create the raffled quilt

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John Timpson, chairman of the Timpson group of companies, will be one of the keynote speakers at a conference at the Scala Cinema and Arts Centre, in Prestatyn, on Thursday, March 29.

The top businessman has spent a lifetime  helping others less fortunate than himself.

The company has more than 800 outlets across the UK and is involved in shoe repairs, key making, photo processing, watch repairs, dry cleaning and other services.

They employ more ex-offenders than any other firm in the UK while Mr Timpson and his wife, Alex, were foster carers for 29 years during which time they fostered 90 children.

In May the family-run firm is also opening  a Jamie Oliver-style chef training academy restaurant on Anglesey, where they have a home and currently run an extremely successful restaurant, The White Eagle.

As the boss of a  national company which makes healthy profits while putting benefits back into the community, Mr Timpson is the ideal role model for conference organisers WINSENT (Wales Ireland Network for Social Entrepreneurship).

The project has been seeking out Social Entrepreneurs who are trying to breathe new life into communities across Anglesey and Denbighshire, along with the counties of South Dublin, Kildare and Fingal, Ireland.

WINSENT has been identifying  social entrepreneurs who use their business skills to reduce poverty and social inequality and creating a network where they can share experience and help others to adopt a more entrepreneurial ethos.

The project has been part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Ireland Wales Programme (INTERREG 4A).

As the programme comes to an end in May, WINSENT is holding its North Wales conference, WAVE 12, on March 29, which is free for those working in community enterprises.

The MC will be TV personality Arfon Haines Davies who will introduce social entrepreneurs – like John Timpson – who will talk about how they strive to help community enterprises and groups to make a difference to their towns and villages  whilst addressing social issues.

Sue Haygarth, of Consultancy Coop based in Wales,who is assisting Denbighshire and Anglesey County Councils in delivering WINSENT for social enterprises, hailed the success of the project.

She said: “John Timpson and his family-owned company are the embodiment of everything we have been seeking to promote  within WINSENT.

“In his private and his business life John Timpson has always sought to put something back into the community, to help those less fortunate by giving them opportunities. He is a real inspiration.”

One of his latest ventures in North Wales, the Oyster Catcher restaurant in Rhosneigr, the brainchild of his wife, Alex, will be opening in May.

The former Maelog Lake Hotel has been rebuilt and was inspired by the Jamie Oliver-styled 15 restaurant, a chef school for disadvantaged youngsters who would find it difficult to get a job elsewhere.

The restaurant is a progression from a pub at Rhoscolyn, where Cheshire-based John Timpson, and his wife also have a home.

They completely re-built and opened the White Eagle as a successful real-ale and gastro pub in 2007.

Mr Timspon explained: “All our social entrepreneurship projects we do ourselves as a company, we do not seek outside funding, we are a family business and we do not like attending meetings, we like to get on with it!”.

Even with 800 branches to the family business, making a turn-over of £150m a year, Mr Timpson and wife of 41 years, Alex, have found time to foster 90 children.

“My wife was a nursery nurse before we married and when the last of our own three children went to school she did not fancy having lunch with all the other women and wanted to do something more,” he said.

His son James, chief executive of the company, who lives near Chester, is the driving force behind the company’s involvement in training and recruiting ex-offenders.

“We are in contact with 70 UK prisons and recruit more ex-prisoners than any other business in the UK. We have four prison workshops and the programme is very successful.

“Sixty-two per cent of people who leave prison will be back re-offending within two years. Out of 300 people who came to us we know of only nine who re-offended. Ex-offenders stay with us as long as people we recruit off the street,” said Mr Timpson.

In the last 12 months the company has adopted the charity After Adoption and is aiming to raise £1 million for it.

The charity offers support for families and its programme Safe Base is dramatically helping reduce the breakdown of adoptions, currently running at 20% nationally.

The Timpson company has even bought holiday homes – one of them in Snowdonia – which are free for company employees to use.

The youngsters recruited to work at the Oyster Catcher restaurant have almost completed their basic training at Coleg Menai and the next band of recruits will be picked in about three months.

From the 15 ‘cadets’ – described as having “multiple barriers” to employment – about six to eight are expected to last the course for the chef’s training at Oyster Catcher.

The conference at the award-winning Scala, which has revolutionised business conferencing with its satellite technology,will be attended by social entrepreneurs and support agencies. Appropriately, the Scala  is itself a social enterprise helped by WINSENT

Other speakers include Susan Aktemel, Scottish Social Enterprise Coalition’s Leader of the Year and the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2011; also Ray Williams of Holyhead and Anglesey Weightlifting and Fitness Centre and along with Rhiannon Hughes, of the Scala Cinema and Arts Centre.

Other projects in Anglesey and Denbighshire have been as diverse as the Raven Inn at Llanarmon-yn-Ial, developed as a community run pub, including a post office; Marsh Tracks at Rhyl, the only national standard BMX track in North Wales, to Co-options Community Co-op Ltd which through its nine businesses helps people with learning difficulties.

To book a free place at the conference, which runs from 10.15am to 3.30pm, on Thursday, March 29,go to www.scalaprestatyn.co.uk/wave or get further information from www.winsent.eu

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The unique partnership, which is a first in the UK, will see Magnox UK, operators of the Wylfa Power Station, move their training unit from its present base at the Anglesey power station, over to a purpose built facility at Coleg Menai’s Llangefni campus.

Speaking at the announcement, Magnox Ltd HR Business Partner Dick Anyon said: “Magnox is delighted to be part of this initiative which aims to make best use of a world class facility, be that by existing Magnox or Horizon employees, or students hoping to take advantage of the job opportunities created by Horizon’s anticipated £8 billion investment at Wylfa B.

“Magnox professionals will assist the College in the provision of industry standard training, which will be a great advantage to students seeking employment within the Nuclear and wider energy sector.”

The move is part of a four-way tie-up between the college, Horizon Nuclear Power, the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) and Magnox. The partnership was backed by a 30-year lease arrangement with the college.

“The co-location allows the college to exploit the £6 million Canolfan Ynni (energy centre), along with its teaching resources for the nuclear and renewables segments of the energy sector,” said Coleg Menai’s principal Dafydd Evans.

“Canolfan Ynni is unique in being able to provide skills and training for the energy industry. This is crucial to our economy as the sector in North Wales is expected to offer considerable growth in years to come. You’ve also got the wider opportunities now coming into view through the Energy Island strategy, and the recently announced Energy enterprise zone.”

Horizon’s Stakeholder Relations Manager Richard Foxhall said: “This is a major step forward for Coleg Menai in taking the lead in energy sector training in the UK. The Canolfan Ynni is a world-class facility and will play a key role in supporting careers for local learners into the nuclear sector.”

The energy centre offer specialised courses for young people to train to work in the energy industry. It houses the UK’s only flow-loop simulator outside of a nuclear power station. The rig, which was built to exact same specification as Wylfa’s current set-up, is used in human performance and maintenance engineering training.

Photograph: Dic Anyon, Magnox HR Business Partner with Dafydd Evans, Coleg Menai principal and Richard Foxhall, Horizon Stakeholder Relations Manager with the UK’s only flow-loop simulator housed outside a nuclear power station

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The biggest number of free events on Anglesey launches this week with the publication of the new 2012 Open Studios and Galleries Weeks Guide. This year a record number of 55 artists and 8 galleries invite you to visit for free, and look, discuss and experience the art created by Anglesey Art Forum Members.

This is the ninth year that the Open Studios and Galleries Weeks are taking place over the Easter holiday period, from Saturday 31 March to Sunday 15 April. “Get hold of a Guide and plan your visit, you will be amazed at the variety of art and locations you can experience. You will get a chance to meet and talk with the artist, often over a cup of tea, and gain a unique glimpse of the artistic process. There is never any pressure to buy, just a warm invitation to meet the artist and have a chat,” said Mike Gould, Chair of the voluntary Anglesey Art Forum Committee.

A wide variety of art is represented by painters, sculptors, photographers, printmakers, installation artists, potters, ceramicists, jewellers and craftworkers at venues all over the Island, including; studios, chapels, barns, sheds, galleries and artists’ homes. Residents and visitors alike are promised a warm welcome at all studios and galleries.

“We have arranged two exhibitions, with at least one piece of work from each participant, at the Ucheldre Centre, Holyhead and the David Hughes Centre, Beaumaris. This would be a good place to start your artistic adventure as you can view an artist’s work and plan to visit to their studio, using the Guide to find locations and opening times,” said Mike.

The 48-page Guide contains Anglesey Art Forum member profiles, event listings and a map to help you plan your route. The free colour Guide is widely distributed to local libraries, schools, tourist information centres, hotels, shops and galleries. A downloadable PDF copy is available at www.angleseyartsforum.org or contact Heather at the Ucheldre Centre 01407 763361 for your copy.

The Guide lists artists in a circular geographic order and the galleries/events by date order. Directions to the different locations are included; just follow the events’ black on white logo signs (as seen here) to help you find your way. “You have probably seen our signs all over the island every Easter. This year I encourage you to get a Guide and meet the artist or visit the gallery at the end of the arrow,” said Mike.

A fresh initiative this year has been financial support through the North Wales Open Studios Network project (working in co-operation with Cadwyn Clwyd and Helfa Gelf Art Trail), which has received funding through the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007–2013 funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

“We are extremely grateful to our funders without whom this year’s Anglesey Arts Weeks would not have been possible. We are also supported by the Arts Council of Wales, Isle of Anglesey County Council, and Menter Môn,” said Mike.

Additions and unavoidable alterations to the Guide will be posted on the www.angleseyartsforum.org website.

The Arts Forum exists to promote all forms of art on Anglesey and is hosting the Anglesey Performing Arts Weeks from Friday 19 October to Sunday 4 November 2012. If you wish to perform and promote an event during these weeks, or become a member of the Forum, please contact Heather on 01407 763361 or he@ucheldre.org.

Photograph: Mike Gould and Heather Evans pictured with the new Guide

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The next box building session was organised to get the young people involved in conservation, using the recycled wood they discussed recycling issues and the environmental importance of  ‘reduce, reuse & recycle’. The aim of National Nest Box Week is to encourage everyone to put up nest boxes in their local area to promote and enhance biodiversity and provide homes for our Welsh breeding birds.

“We would like to thank Huws Gray Ltd for donating the timber we could reuse and recycle. This time of year is perfect for putting up a nest box. We gave the youth club members the boxes to put up in the Menai Bridge area,” said Lois Roberts, Isle of Anglesey County Council Tidy Towns Project Officer.

National Nest Box Week is lead by The British Trust for Ornithology (BTO) Britain’s leading bird research charity, whose work involves studying the populations of our common and garden birds. Early spring is an ideal time to put a nest box up as small bird pairs begin to look for nest sites in the latter half of February.

“The young people had a great session building their nest boxes. I would like to thank the Youth Club members, Huws Gray Ltd, the Isle of Anglesey County Council Waste Management Section, Tidy Towns and Keep Wales Tidy. We look forward to working on more conservation and environmental projects together,” said Martin Roberts, Youth Club Leader Menai Bridge.

“It is wonderful that the young people at Menai Bridge Youth Club have taken the time understand recycling and to get involved in improving the habitat for nesting birds in our town. Recent surveys are highlighting reduced numbers of many garden birds. It is good to see the younger generation contributing to bird conservation in our town,” said Cllr Keith Evans, Cadnant Ward.

Information on National Nest Box Week can be found online at http://www.bto.org/nnbw/index.htm. This has information on how to build a nest box, where to place it and how to clean out a nest box.

Photograph: The Menai Bridge Youth Club with their nest boxes, made from recycled materials

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In celebration of World Book Day (01.03.12) Shimli, a bilingual theatre-in-education company bought to life the characters of the The Troublesome Tudors and Sleazy Stuarts, a book in the Wicked Wales series which include North Wales historical figures including Sir John Middleton of Denbighshire who helped clean up the putrid streets of London and the cantancourous character of William Morgan, of Ty Mawr Wybrnant by Penmachno who translated the bible into Welsh.

The interactive production also tells of the lives of other famous Welsh men and women  during the reigns of the Tudor and Stuart monarchs and included tips on how to spot a witch and the story of a Beaumaris man who was hanged for his crimes even though he was already dead.

After the performance, the children will enjoy learning about the history and myths of the Nant, and each pupil was given a free copy of the Catrin Stevens book to mark the occasion.

Siwan Llynor, from Anglesey, a co-founder of Shimli, said: “We believe that theatre is the most powerful medium in education. Over the past ten years we have created workshops, and have directed and written shows for children and young people to perform. Our main interest is working with children through drama and music as it brings the written word to life. These events are an excellent way to get them involved, and show them that reading is fun and interesting.”
The events are being organised by the Welsh Books Council with the support of Waterstones, who are contributing the proceeds from the 5p carrier bag levy to support the World Book Day events.  Will Williams of Waterstones said: “It’s wonderful to be involved in such an inspiring campaign. We wanted the funds raised from the levy to be put to good use, and it’s great that they will now be helping to bring books to life for thousands of children, as well as helping the environment.”

Delyth Humphreys, Head of the Children’s Books and Reading Promotion Department at the Welsh Books Council, said: “As World Book Day this year falls on 1 March, St David’s Day, we decided to base our flagship events on Welsh history – and what better setting could there be than the unique village of Nant Gwrtheyrn? As well as enjoying an original theatrical performance featuring many characters from Welsh history, the pupils will also take a tour of the village, learning about its history and some of its traditional and wonderful tales. Our aim is to give each pupil a day full of adventure, and to inspire them to seek out other adventure stories in books. The participating schools are already buzzing with excitement, and both pupils and staff are looking forward eagerly to the events.”

Schools taking part in the events are Ysgol y Gelli, Ysgol Santes Helen and Ysgol yr Hendre from Caernarfon, and Ysgol y Talwrn, Ysgol Corn Hir and Ysgol y Graig from Anglesey. These schools have been selected from the designated Reading Communities in Wales – a scheme to promote reading and literacy in some of Wales’s Strategic Regeneration Areas.

World Book Day 2012 takes place on Thursday 1 March with many interesting events, activities and workshops taking place across Wales. To find out more please go to: http://bit.ly/worldbookday.

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“As High Sheriff my role is to encourage good citizenship and justice. I have become attuned to the pressing social concerns of the island, especially the growing number of 16 to 24 year olds without jobs or immediate prospects. At a time of mounting economic pressure across Wales it’s the responsibility of all of us to support the local charities and other innovative bodies who are creating new opportunities for these young people,” said Professor Robin Grove-White, High Sheriff of Anglesey and Gwynedd.

Official figures show that 24% of 16 to 24 year olds on Anglesey are currently unemployed “We must not abandon a generation of young people because of the challenging economic climate. In raising awareness and funds we are helping young people face these challenges and I hope together we can provide them with support, activities and fresh opportunities,” said Robin.

Robin and Helen’s target is to raise £25,000 to help Anglesey’s third-sector and voluntary organisations provide young people with new practical initiatives, confidence-building activities and more opportunities for work experience. The High Sheriff’s charity, Crimebeat with expert advice, will allocate the funds to the local charities and other innovative bodies that really understand the issues. through their hands-on experience.

“I am pleased to be assisting Robin in his efforts. I work with voluntary and community organisations on Anglesey. I deal with the funding challenges many organisations now face. In raising this issue Robin is responding practically to the challenges we face as a community,” said Bethan Lloyd Jukes, Youth Volunteering Officer at Medrwn Môn and member of ‘The Walk’ committee.

During ‘The Walk’ Robin and Helen will be taking part in number of fundraising events including a wine, cheese and pudding evening at Beaumaris Yacht Club, an Open Garden morning or afternoon at Plas Cadnant in Menai Bridge, a Youth Challenge Day at RAF Valley, and a buffet lunch at the White Eagle Pub in Rhoscolyn. More information is online at www.crimebeatnorthwales.co.uk/thewalk. Tickets for the events are now on sale by emailing TheWalkTickets@gmail.com.

“We would welcome sponsored walkers to join us on number of walks during the 15 days. We will also be joined by the voluntary organisations and some of the young people we are aiming to support. Please make a donation, join a group walk or enjoy one of our fundraising events,” says Robin.

Photograph: Professor Robin Grove-White, High Sheriff of Anglesey and Gwynedd in training walking on Anglesey

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The Ynys Môn AM, who is standing down from Plaid’s leadership in March, met with Môn Maintenance directors to learn about the success and scale of their engineering and electrical maintenance operation.

Commenting on his visit, Ieuan Wyn Jones said: “I have nothing but admiration for their drive and commitment, not only in taking the brave step of setting up their own business, but also in their determination to do this on Anglesey and to invest in young local people through apprenticeship schemes.”

The Holyhead based business was set up by four men who all worked on the same shift at the former Holyhead smelting plant.

Andrew Samuel, Stephen Evans, Andrew Williams and Wayne Allman said they were determined to give something back to their community.

“We’ve known each other for over 20 years with Stephen and Andrew Williams having been through an apprenticeship at Anglesey Aluminium and Wayne Allman having served his time in Holyhead Boatyard and Andrew Samuel in the Merchant Navy with the Royal Fleet Auxiliary service, so we know from first-hand experience how vital apprenticeships are to the industry,” said Stephen Evans, 40, from Holyhead.

“One of our goals from the start was to train local young people, passing on our knowledge, and with recent developments such as Wylfa B hopefully we can help fill the imminent trade gap when the time comes for nuclear new build.”

The company currently employ two local apprentices Daniel Williams, 18, from Holyhead and Ryan Thomas, 17 also from Holyhead, through Coleg Menai’s training and business consultancy arm, Linc Menai, who have set up an apprenticeship employment agency to up-skill local workers.

Despite their skills as mechanical engineers and an electrician, the four said they benefited from Linc Menai’s apprenticeship schemes.

“Coleg Menai’s apprenticeship scheme are tailored to meet local business requirements ensuring both the employers and employees get the maximum benefits,” said Coleg Menai’s Engineering and Energy development officer Glenn Williams.

“It has enabled them to employ Daniel and Ryan who had both completed a 1 year Pathway to apprenticeship scheme at Coleg Menai.”

“Môn Maintenance was one of the initial group of companies in North West Wales to benefit from our Apprenticeship Employment Agency – Cwmni Prentis Menai, which provides additional funding to enable companies working in the nuclear sector to take on apprentices.”

Andrew Samuel, Managing Director of Môn Maintenance said: “We are extremely pleased with Daniel and Ryan’s progress, we have seen a vast improvement in their confidence, commitment and enthusiasm during this short time.

“It is reassuring that our local AM, showed a keen interest in assisting local businesses, particularly in these difficult economic times.”

Ieuan Wyn Jones added: “It’s vital that we have local young people like Daniel and Ryan with the right training behind them to meet the demand from future employers on the island for skilled workers in the energy industry. I would encourage anyone interested in an apprenticeship to get in touch with Linc Menai.”

If you are a local worker wanting to take advantage of the apprenticeship schemes or would like further information please contact 08455 460 460 or visit www.linc.menai.ac.uk.

Photograph: (from left) Daniel Williams, 18, from Holyhead and Ryan Thomas, 17 also from Holyhead with Plaid Cymru leader Ieuan Wyn Jones

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“Following a complaint from a local resident we have removed litter and  plastic bags from the hedges at Penrhos. In addition we have spent the day in Morrisons talking to shoppers about reusable shopping bags with the full support of the Morrisons team. People today have been very enthusiastic about remembering reusable shopping bags, which is great,” said Lois Roberts, Isle of Anglesey County Council Island’ Tidy Towns Officer.

With the introduction of the single-use carrier bag charge throughout Wales in October 2011 there has been a fall in the number of bags issued at tills with more shoppers bringing reusable bags with them when they shop.

“If more shoppers bring reusable bags with them we will reduce the number of single-use plastic which could become rubbish. Hopefully following the tidy up here in Holyhead we will see a reduction in single-use plastic bags littering our ‘green island’,” said Lois.

Working in partnership for the litter pick and clean up in Holyhead with the Waste Management Section at Isle of Anglesey County Council were: Biffa, Keep Wales Tidy, Plas Cybi, Staff from Morissons Holyhead, Taith i Waith / New Work Connections Project and Tidy Towns.

“We encourage all our customers to reuse plastic bags but would also like to see shoppers trying our recently launched ‘Bag For Life’. All money generated by the charge for our single-use carrier bags goes to our charity of the year, ‘Save the Children’. We have been very pleased to support the litter pick and encourage our customers to remember their reusable shopping bags,” said Tony Hughes, Store Manager, Morrisons Holyhead.

“I would like to thank everyone involved in the day especially Morrisons. Many single-use plastic bags end up as rubbish. We simply cannot continue wasting our valuable resources in this way. Hopefully following the litter pick and tidy of the area we will see a decrease in windblown rubbish and we can keep Anglesey clean and green,” said Cllr Raymond Jones, London Road, Holyhead.

Photograph: (L to R) Karen Parker, Store Personnel Manager, Tony Hughes, Store Manager, Lois Roberts, Isle of Anglesey County Council Island Project Co-ordinator (Tidy Towns), Heidi Devlin, Admin Assistant, Eirian Williams & Vicky Reid, Isle of Anglesey County Council Waste Promotions Officers, Tracey Miller, Deputy Store manager and Gareth Owen, Keep Wales Tidy Officer in Morrisons, Holyhead

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Beaumaris’ Ye Olde Bulls Head Inn sent 11 members of its front-of-house team on the WorldHost customer service training, which is run by Linc Menai, the training and business consultancy arm of Coleg Menai.

The five-star establishment is using the WorldHost Principles of Customer Service Training programme to develop its staff to be customer service specialists.

David Robertson, a director of Ye Olde Bulls Head Inn said: “Today our customers have higher expectations and standards and it is imperative that we are fully trained to effectively manage these expectations with our famous warm Welsh welcome.

“We are constantly looking to raise the bar because we recognise the need to offer excellence, an experience that will make the visitor want to come back.”

The 15th-century drinking hole has long been a popular tourist attraction because of its rich and varied history, but David knows there is a great deal of competition on his doorstep: “I think many hoteliers know that it’s actually outstanding service that will set them apart from the competition and get customers returning time and again. We want our staff to become customer service specialists so our reputation with customers is one of offering a warm and helpful service and we become their hotel of choice every time they stay in Wales.”

Coleg Menai’s Customer Services Manager for Further Education Frances Davies said: “Linc Menai work very closely with businesses such as Ye Olde Bull Inn so that we can tailor our training programmes to suit their needs.

“World Host is a Olympic standard customer service programme that defines hospitality and it gives businesses the training they need to equip themselves so they can reap the rewards of their investments.”

Heledd Owen, 17 from Marian Glas, one of the learners said: “The programme provided us with a chance to brush up our hosting skills and pick up new tips, it was refreshing to see things from a different perspective and go through a structured course. I can now walk around confidently with a big smile knowing that I can deal with any customer related issues.”

WorldHost training covers four customer service training components. These encompass the principles of customer service, service for customers with disabilities an ambassadors workshop for volunteers, and service across cultures specifically designed for customers from abroad.

Photograph: Heledd Owen, Katyia Granton, Frances Davies (Customer Services Manager F.E., Coleg Menai), David Robertson and Daniel Bellinger

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Under her energy action plan, a new Department of Energy for Wales would be based on Ynys Môn. Funding would come to the Welsh Government from winning control of Crown Estate revenue and a fair share of nuclear decommissioning funds.

“If we have the vision, a fully renewable Wales is achievable. The power generated by solar panels in Germany last year was enough to power more than five million homes,” stressed the Plaid Cymru leadership candidate, who is tonight addressing party members in Llangefni.

The key points of the energy plan are:

• Powers to consent all electricity generation infrastructure to be transferred to the National Assembly as a matter of urgency.
• An Energy Department for Wales to be established on Ynys Mon as soon as powers are transferred.
• A presumption against any new fossil fuel power stations, and a full moratorium on new nuclear.
• The Energy Department to publish a detailed energy plan leading to a fully renewable Wales by 2050.
• Advice on the energy policy was provided to Leanne Wood by Dr Calvin Jones of the Cardiff Business School, author of ‘Wales in the Energy Crunch’.

Leanne Wood believes that renewable energy development should be brought closer to communities. And each council should be given local targets for renewable energy generation. Her Greenprint for the Valleys document highlighted the Green Valleys project in the Brecon Beacons which has shown how a renewable energy co-operative can work.

Leanne Wood rules out the development of new nuclear power stations in Wales. “Some people argue that nuclear can be part of the solution for Wales but I fully support Plaid’s opposition to any new nuclear power stations. Nuclear power is very expensive and outdated, a view shared in Germany, Italy, Switzerland and Belgium. It diverts finance from investing in renewables, and it can’t come on stream soon enough to make Wales’ rapid decarbonisation a reality.

“Perhaps most importantly, while current generations reap the benefits of relatively cheap electricity, the costs of dealing with dangerous radioactive waste will pile up on our descendants thousands of years into the future. Buy now, pay later – a nuclear ideology that’s the antithesis of sustainable development. Nuclear is unsafe, expensive and a distraction from the cheap, abundant natural energy resources we have around us.

“Politicians have a responsibility to do more than just oppose, so that is why I’m proposing alternative plans to provide jobs for our young people so they are not forced to move away for work.”

Leanne Wood says the profits from Wales’ natural resources – the seabed and the land – which currently go to the Crown Estate should be owned by the Welsh Government for the benefit of the people of Wales.

And she says the “national scandal of deaths and hardship caused by fuel poverty” must be tackled as top priority. All homes in Wales should be insulated to the maximum levels, she says.

Leanne Wood added: “Wales is blessed with some of the best renewable resources in Europe. It’s time to make the most of them, putting the people of Wales in control of the clean energy revolution – the path to real energy independence.”

Among high profile party members that have declared their support for Leanne Wood are former Plaid President Dafydd Iwan, MP Jonathan Edwards, ex- MP Adam Price. Assembly Members Bethan Jenkins and Lindsay Whittle, former Plaid chief executive Gwenllian Lansdown Davies and Allan Pritchard, the Plaid leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, have also backed the Plaid Cymru AM for South Wales Central’s leadership bid.

Leanne Wood also received the most nominations – 14 – from constituencies and branches across Wales for her leadership bid.

Further information on Leanne’s campaign can be found on her website at www.leannewood2012.com

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The Waste Promotions Officers from the Isle of Anglesey County Council offered advice on recycling and provided new recycling boxes where needed.  North Wales Fire and Rescue Service officers carried out 41 free home fire safety checks and provided helpful information to residents. Volunteers completed a litter pick and cleaned up the general area.

Llanfaes residents could bring their bulky waste to the skips where the waste was separated into general household waste, electrical items, wood and metal with as much waste as possible sent for recycling. “We have been very well supported by residents today removing lots of bulky waste. A lot of people said they can see an improvement and have thanked us for carrying out the litter pick and tidying the area,” said Lois, Isle of Anglesey County Council Island Project Co-ordinator (Tidy Towns).

Working in partnership on the Environmental Action Day with the Waste Management Section at Isle of Anglesey County Council were: Biffa, Keep Wales Tidy, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, North Wales Police, Staff from Fat Face Beaumaris, Staff from the Spar Beaumaris, The Wales Probation Trust and Ysgol Coed Menai School.

“I am pleased the day was well supported by Llanfaes residents and we have all benefited from a tidy up. We are recycling well on Anglesey but all appreciate a little encouragement to continue. If any residents need new recycling boxes storage or require a bulky waste collection please contact the Management Section at Isle of Anglesey County Council. We are all benefiting from recycling our waste,” said Cllr RL Owen, Beaumaris Ward.

It can be arranged for up to 4 items of bulky household waste to be collected twice a year for free for Anglesey residents.  Please contact 01248 752860 to discuss or enquire about an ‘Environmental Action Day’ in your area. If you would like a free home fire safety check contact 0800 169 1234.

Photograph: Volunteers at the Environmental Actions Day Llanfaes, Anglesey

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And if a group of weightlifters chooses Holyhead as their base in the build-up to the London Olympics it will be yet another source of pride for one man in particular.

Former Commonwealth Games gold medallist Ray Williams, the current Welsh national coach, has been the driving force behind the establishment of Holyhead and Anglesey Weightlifting and Fitness Centre, currently undergoing a £300,000 extension and refurbishment.

Last year Chinese athletes spent a week training at the centre, which is a Centre of Excellence for the sport, but they will be going directly from Bejing to the Games in July.

However Ray, a director of the centre in Millbank, is keeping his fingers crossed that the Albanians will choose Holyhead as their training base, using accommodation at Bangor University.

With the backing of the local community and supporters from across North Wales Ray has campaigned long and hard for large-scale investment in the centre.

Now, with the extended centre about to be opened – some items of equipment are still awaited – officials are looking to move up to another level thanks to advice and support from WINSENT (Wales Ireland Network for Social Entrepreneurship).

WINSENT is part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and through the Ireland Wales Programme (INTERREG 4A), which offers professional help to social enterprises.

Ray, 52, will be a guest speaker at a conference being organised by WINSENT at the Scala Cinema and Conference Centre, in Prestatyn, on March 29.

He said that with the facilities now available his aim was to take the club onto a more professional level and through WINSENT is arranging for volunteers to attend courses on administrative aspects of the venture.

“We learned about WINSENT through Menter Mon, who have supported us, and we’re very grateful. We currently have about 80 members but hope to take it up to 150 and eventually to be able to ensure that we have some virtually full-time weightlifters,” said Ray.

“There is no doubt that good facilities can be inspirational, and as a Centre of Excellence we can rival places such as Lilleshall and Bath,” he said.

The Holyhead club has already been visited by numerous top-class athletes including some of the Canadian rugby team who played in the World Cup.

Ray, who was born and raised in Holyhead and returned to the town after 24 years in the Army, is confident that many others will take advantage of the specialist facilities despite Holyhead’s relative remoteness.

“If the facilities are good enough people will be prepared to travel and that’s a good thing not only for Holyhead, which has gone through a tough time with job losses, but also for North Wales,” he said.

The Holyhead club has been a production line for the sport over the years and the current star member is Gareth Evans, who is a member of the British squad training for the Olympics in Leeds. The welterweight is also from Holyhead.

“I’d be very surprised if he wasn’t selected for London,” said Ray.

Though his enthusiasm and effort has been a key factor in seeing the project reach fruition Ray is keen to stress the contribution made by members, parents and other supporters.

“It is very much a social enterprise and we could not have done it without such a level of support from the community,” he commented.

The club premises have been closed since November while building work was taking place and details have not yet been finalized for the official opening in the next few weeks, but Ray is optimistic that a sporting celebrity will attend.

Sue Haygarth, of Consultancy Coop based in Wales, is assisting the Isle of Anglesey County Council in delivering WINSENT for social enterprises in the county.

She said: “The Holyhead Weightlifting Club has a proud record as a production line of top class weighlifters and Ray Williams is the embodiment of a social entrepreneur.

“Ray is a real inspiration and I we’re delighted that he will be one of our guest speakers at the conference in the Scala cinema and conference centre in Prestatyn on March 29.”

To find out more about WINSENT go to www.winsent.eu or email Sue Haygarth at winsent@denbighshire.gov.uk.

Photograph: Ray Williams

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More than 10 men lost their lives when the Conargo, formerly known as the Altona, was hit on Easter Sunday, 1918, as it approached the Calf of Man, an island just off the southwest coast of the Isle of Man.

Ten of the brave crew were in a lifeboat waiting for the order to abandon the ship after she came under attack from the German U-boat. The next hit killed all of the lifeboat’s occupants although other crew members managed to escape in separate boats and eventually reached safety in Dublin and Holyhead. The ship was towed after the first attack towards Holyhead but close to the North Wales coast, it was hit once again and sunk.

The bell of the Conargo was brought to the surface covered in barnacles and sea bed muck in 2003 by Simon Rodger, a member of the Hazel Grove Sub-Aqua Club, which has organised the exhibition along with Simon’s company – Bowstone Diving Products. The club is one of more than 1,000 branches across the UK and abroad which are part of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC). BSAC is the UK governing body of the sport and trains and represents 35,000 active scuba divers and snorkellers.

The event, on March 17, will showcase around 40 ship bells, lamps, helms and other artefacts sourced from divers all over the UK.

BSAC Chief Executive, Mary Tetley, said: “I think this promises to be a fascinating and informative exhibition which explores some very important maritime history which might otherwise have been lost if our divers had not explored the wrecks and researched the background to what they have found.

“The Conargo bell tells its own rich and engaging story and I have no doubt that other exhibits will have their own tale to tell making this a must attend event for anyone who in interested in diving, maritime history or the secrets of the sea.”

Simon has been diving for more than 30 years and the bell is one of his most treasured finds in a large collection of maritime artefacts.

Simon said: “I only ever see myself as a custodian of objects like the bell of the Conargo. They will stay with me until I pass them on to my children and if that is not possible, then I will find a museum for them because they are an integral part of maritime history.

“That’s why it is nice to put it on public display for the first time and let others see the bell which still bears the name given to it by its original German owners which is ironic given that it was sunk by them in the end.”

The cargo ship, which was on route from Liverpool to New Orleans to collect wheat for the UK, remained afloat the first time it was struck and a nearby armed yacht, the Vanessa II, led by Lord Newborough is thought to have came to her rescue.

It is believed the renowned master mariner, who was the son of the fourth Baron Newborough, went aboard the stricken vessel and came across the awful sight of more dead crew members. However, he managed to rescue a live ram and the ship’s cat which he took back onto his ship with him.

During an attempt to tow the ship back to Holyhead, the Conargo’s anchor released itself and the ship became rooted to the sea bed. While hopelessly stationary, the ship was hit for the final time and sunk just off the shores of the North Wales coast on March 31, 1918.

From information which Simon has gathered about the Conargo, he believes she was built in 1902, at a German shipyard. Originally named the Altona, the cargo ship sailed between Hamburg and Australia. When war broke out, the Australian navy captured the ship which was then at Port Phillip Bay in Melbourne, Victoria. She was used throughout the war to ferry different cargo, including wheat, coal, wool and foodstuff all over the globe.

She was handed over to the Commonwealth Government on March 12, 1918, and the British Shipping Controller sent her on what was to be her final voyage.

Her bell, which is 17 inches high, 17 inches in diameter and weighs 93 pounds, will be one of the prize exhibits at the exhibition on March 17, from 12 to 8 pm at Brookdale Social Club in Bridge Lane, Bramhall.

Simon spent several hours polishing up the bell to its former glory using specialist equipment.

He said: “The ship’s bell is a great prize for any diver because it is how you name a ship and feel sure the wreck you have found is the one you think it is.

“When you restore it back to how it would have been, it is all worth it, and most importantly it helps preserve the story of the Conargo and the brave men who sailed on her for future generations.”

Entrance to the exhibition is £2. For more information or for advance tickets, call 07791 023612 or email admin@hgsac.com

Photograph: Simon Rodger is pictured with the bell from the Conargo, formerly known as the Altona

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“It is disappointing that the Welsh Labour Minister, aided and abetted by Plaid Cymru, has decided to bypass the democratic process and deny the people of Anglesey a say in how their local services are delivered.

“Welsh Conservatives were prepared to work constructively with other parties in the interests of restoring Anglesey’s democracy.  We regret the nationalists’ decision to back Labour to force through this anti-democratic measure.

“It is time for the people of Anglesey to draw a line under the recent turbulence in Anglesey Council and retake ownership of their local democracy by holding fresh elections.”

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Volunteer crew of Trearddur Bay’s Atlantic 85 lifeboat were requested to launch at 3:50am, as well as Trearddur Bay and Holyhead’s RNLI inshore lifeboats at 8:44am. The lifeboats joined RAF Sea King helicopter, Coastguard, the casualty vessel as well as 4 other vessels in the search for the missing man.

The crewmember was last seen at 12:45am and reported missing at 2:30am. Weather conditions were very good last night with calm seas and little wind. Sea temperature was 8 degrees.

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Mrs Lawty won a competition organised by the Waste Management Team at Isle of Anglesey County Council, with questions relating to the amount of waste and recycling taking place on Anglesey and in Wales.

“It was lovely to meet the Lawty family and present them with their prize. I can see why they won the children know lots about recycling and assist their parents to recycle everything they can,” Elin Jones, Senior Waste Management Officer at Isle of Anglesey County Council.

The family Georgia 12, Elian 9, Lulu 4 and Ruby 2, pictured, recently received their prize, two picture frames made from recycled materials. The Waste Management Team ran the competition at the Anglesey Show and at other events over the Summer and Autumn. “It is a great way to talk to residents about recycling and encourage people to think about minimising their waste and how they can recycle more,” said Elin.

“In the New Year we all think about having a clear out and need to tidy up after Christmas. I urge residents to stop and think about what can be recycled or might be useful to someone else before they throw items away,” says Elin. Large items can be taken to the two household recycling centres on Anglesey or the Waste Management Section provides a Bulky Waste Collection Service for up to 4 items to be collected twice year, free.

Both the household recycling centres on Anglesey at Penhesgyn, Menai Bridge and Gwalchmai will take your old cut Christmas tree and recycle, by composting it.

“Congratulations to the Lawty family they have embraced recycling and I thank them and everyone on Anglesey who recycles. At this time of year it important to dispose of your waste responsibly and use the recycling service or the household recycling centres on Anglesey,” said Cllr Dylan Jones, Amlwch Port ward.

All waste put into the black wheelie bin goes to landfill which is costly both financially and bad for the environment. “The more we minimise our waste and recycle more the better it is for the environment. Recycling like the Lawty family makes a big difference to the environment,” says Elin.

The Council’s Top New Year Recycling Tips are:

• Bring your old cut Christmas tree to the household recycling centres at Penhesgyn and Gwalchmai where it will be recycled.
• Cardboard, white rigid expandable polystyrene, electrical items or bulky waste can also be taken to the recycling centres at Penhesgyn and Gwalchmai
• If you received a new mobile phone for Christmas, why not recycle your old phone. Many schools receive money for old phones.
• Pass on an unwanted present, re-gift it or donate it to charity raffles / bingo / tombola during the year.
• Check the dates on uneaten party food, a jar of pickle can be kept longer than more perishable items.
• Don’t throw away untouched Christmas biscuits and sweets, just put them on a high shelf. They will be required for an occasion or party before the use by date.
• If you recieved new clothes for Christmas your old clothes could go to a charity shop or in the purple recycling points on Anglesey. All textiles collected on Anglesey go to Tyddyn Môn for sale or re-processing.
• Quality items can be sold online or use an on-line web-sites like ‘www.freecycle.org’ or ‘Anglesey Freebay’ on Facebook to offer things for free.
• This year question the amount of food packaging used, could you find it without packaging?
• Cook something from scratch, it is healthier and you avoid ready meal type packaging.

Photograph: (L to R) Ruby Lawty, Lulu Lawty, Georgia Lawty, Elin Jones, Senior Waste Management Officer at Isle of Anglesey County Council and Elian Lawty

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There is no doubt when she talks about Elizabeth, 25, Megan, 22 and 15-year-old James that she is a very proud and loving mum.

But a year ago, it was her children who took her to hospital in an effort to end Patsy’s 10-year battle with prolonged periods of heavy binge drinking.

Patsy, 53, from Llainfair PG, has not touched a drop of booze for more than a year after her very sobering visit to hospital made her realise the damage her alcohol addiction was causing.

She said: “I was in hospital with another woman who was younger than me and I remember feeling so sorry for her. She was so yellow, you could see it in the whites of her eyes, she was just so poorly and sad and I feel sure she couldn’t have had long left.

“She told me how she had been in and out of hospital for many years and all she could think about was how she was going to get another drink.

“All I could think about was getting better and being with my children and I think this was a turning point for me.”

So committed has she become to her recovery, that she now volunteers for the support group which helped kick start her battle to beat the booze.

She spends every spare hour she has working for the Anglesey and Gwynedd Recovery Organisation (AGRO) where she is already a board member, helps run the organisation’s Bangor support group and has gained a qualification in peer mentoring. Her aim is to become a fully qualified support worker who can help those fighting alcohol and drug misuse problems.

Patsy, who would consume a full bottle of vodka in one sitting at her lowest points, said: “I can’t begin to explain what it feels like not to be drinking anymore. The anger, bitterness and guilt I felt has just lifted and disappeared and I feel like I am starting a whole new life.

“I absolutely love working for AGRO. It has given me such purpose and so many goals to strive for and I just can’t wait to get stuck in all the time. It is making me so happy to have something in my life which is so positive and if I can help others in the process then all the better.”

AGRO was set up just over a year ago and offers 24 hour phone support to the people it helps. A range of activities, such as gardening, walking and art classes, are organised in an effort to take people away from their problems and distract them from battling against their addiction.

The fledgling organisation, which receives virtually no funding, is gaining advice and support from WINSENT (Wales Ireland Network for Social Entrepreneurship). The aim of the £1.3 million project is to support social enterprises which help reduce poverty and social inequality and breathe new life into communities across Anglesey.

WINSENT is part funded by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) through the Ireland Wales Programme (INTERREG 4A).

AGRO co-founder, Huw Harries, a drug and alcohol support worker who has battled his own drink problem in the past, said the input from WINSENT was invaluable.

He said: “I am currently working two jobs to help fund AGRO and WINSENT is guiding us through the process of becoming a social enterprise which should help us access vital pots of funding.

“None of us at AGRO have ever been through this process before and we want to do it properly to get the most out of what we are trying to do. That is why it is so important to be able to talk to the people at WINSENT and for them to use their experience and knowledge to guide us through it.”

Sue Haygarth, of Consultancy Coop based in Wales, is working with Anglesey  county council in delivering WINSENT for social enterprises in the county.

Her colleague Dr Martin Price has been assisting AGRO and he said: “AGRO is already doing such terrific work in Anglesey and you can tell by hearing the stories from the people it is helping that it can simply be a lifeline to people who, in many cases, are not the only ones suffering because their families and friends are going through it with them too.

“To ensure the future survival of this fantastic service, we are helping AGRO form as a social enterprise which should in turn open up many more funding doors for them.”

Patsy doesn’t hold back when she remembers the person which the demon drink would turn her into.

She said: “I just didn’t care about anything and you are so selfish. I would be crying all the time because you end up feeling so depressed and it is terrible, just really, really terrible.

“I would lock myself in the house and refuse to go out. I wouldn’t answer the phone and the worst thing was, it would cause so much worry to my children and then I would feel guilty about that and use it as an excuse to start drinking again. It is a very vicious situation to be in.

“I was just out of control.”

On one occasion, her youngest child, James, a promising footballer, called the police because he was so concerned about his mother and didn’t know what else to do to help her.

Patsy said: “James had to go and stay with a friend for a few months until I got myself straightened out.”

“I knew I had to get better and that is when my recovery started. It is a difficult path to go down and you will only succeed if you really, really want to do it. It has to come from within you, not because anyone else is telling you that you have to get better.”

Even when faced with social events such as her daughter’s summer wedding or her friend’s 40th birthday, Patsy has been able to control her urge to drink which she believes is a sign that this time her recovery is long term.

She said: “I still love getting dressed up and going out and I suppose I am a naturally outgoing and sociable person but I can honestly say that not being able to drink hasn’t spoilt things at all. When we were out the other night for my friend’s birthday, everyone was watching what they were spending on the meal because they wanted to keep their money for their drinking later on and I got stuck into the loveliest piece of fillet steak you can imagine and it was gorgeous!”

Patsy tried other support groups in the past but openly admits she sometimes turned up to the meetings intoxicated.

She believes the difference with AGRO is the varied activities which are organised for people with drink and drug problems to get stuck into. It is a chance for participants to take their mind away from their addiction and their struggle to escape its grasp.

Patsy said: “I helped out on the allotment, I have been to art classes, even just going out for a walk with someone would help get you out, get some fresh air in your lungs and distract you from the problems you are facing.”

Her friend and colleague, Huw, said: “She is like a little girl opening a present at Christmas and it is terrific to see her so happy.

“When she came to us, her life was in a mess but she has been very brave and with the support of AGRO she has got herself to where she is now.

“I think she is looking forward to helping others and putting something back and she is a valuable asset to us. Many people with the sorts of problems we deal with feel much easier talking to someone who has been there themselves. Someone who knows what they are going through and knows there can be a different way.”

To find out more about WINSENT go to www.winsent.eu or email Sue Haygarth at winsent@denbighshire.gov.uk.

For more details about AGRO go to www.agro-cymru.org or call 07549 956002.

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The generous donation was collected during the annual Moelfre RNLI Lifeboat ‘Santa run’.

The volunteer crew along with their families accompanied Santa around the village to the sound of Christmas carols, collecting contributions and giving the local children sweets.

Moelfre RNLI lifeboat operations manager Rod Pace said: ‘The volunteer Moelfre lifeboat crew really enjoy taking part in this annual event. We feel we are giving something back to the community which support us throughout the year.’

Rod addedd: ‘I would like to thank everyone for their kind donations and continued support over the past year. As a registered charity the RNLI relies on kind donations to allow our volunteer lifeboat crews to continue saving lives at sea’.

Photograph: The Moelfre RNLI lifeboat volunteer crew and their families on the ‘Santa run’

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