Mandy and Phil are taking and delivering orders and doing their best to meet these. They will advise about payment at the time the order is placed. For further information please visit their Facebook page or call 01691 718244
Grocery Deliveries from Stans
PLEASE NOTE:
‘Helping Hands’ volunteers are ONLY collecting essential grocery orders (food, hygiene and cleaning products) from Stans on Thursdays ONLY. Orders must be placed and paid for over the phone by Tuesday. You will need to advise Stans your order is being collected by a volunteer and therefore you do not require a delivery. You must inform Stephanie (07535 733418) that you have placed an order for collection. Deliveries by volunteers are ONLY for residents aged over 70 or those unwell and in self isolation, who have no immediate access to family or friends to help
Just a reminder, for those not in the above categories, Stans do have a delivery service for residents in the Ceiriog Valley. When placing an order, you will need to give your name and address over the phone and ask for delivery. The cost of delivery is £9.00.
COVID-19 Information
For the latest information from the UK Government see: https://www.gov.uk/coronavirus
For the latest public briefing notes from Wrexham County Borough Council see: https://beta.wrexham.gov.uk/service/covid-19-novel-coronavirus-information
COVID-19 Update
The award winning Caffi Cwtch meal delivery service run by Nightingale House is now delivering to the Ceiriog Valley on Wednesdays at 4pm. There is no charge for delivery, but Nightingale House would welcome donations to cover fuel costs.
For menu and prices see https://www.nightingalehouse.co.uk/caffi-cwtch/
Call 01978 316800 to place an order. Card payments only and a minimum order of £5.
Meals will be delivered to the Oliver Jones Hall for collection. If you are aged over 70 or are unwell and in self isolation with no immediate access to family or friends to help ‘Helping Hands’ volunteers will deliver the meals to you.
If you place an order, please inform Stephanie (07535 733418).
Shopping (Fruit and Vegetables)
Mike Hughes from the vegetable shop in Chirk says he is happy to deliver up the Valley. He has a full range of fruit and vegetables. He also has compost at the moment and he is hoping to have plants within the next two weeks. He can deliver 25 kg sacks of potatoes (price today is £11.90). He can also supply milk and Llaeth y Llan yoghurts. There will be no minimum order charge.
He will do deliveries on Tuesday (orders must be in by Monday) and on Friday (orders in by Thursday). Orders are to be placed by phone: 01691 774850. Payment can be in cash or by card.
COVID-19 update
Playgrounds
In accordance with the latest Government guidance designed to restrict the spread of the Coronavirus the Pontfadog and Dolywern playgrounds are now closed until further notice.
COVID-19 Updates
As we are all aware the coronavirus is a very serious risk to those aged over 70 and those in this age group must remain in self-isolation at home in accordance with UK Government guidelines. For those in Glyntraian and in self-isolation without family or friends to help, ‘Helping Hands’ volunteers will be able to assist with delivering groceries and prescriptions. If you are a Glyntraian resident and have no access to family and friends for support, please contact Davena Davies (Community Agent) on 07870 337091, or Stephanie Masters (Clerk to Glyntraian Community Council) on 07535 733418.
Groceries
Mandy and Phil at the Pontfadog Post Office are taking orders and are doing their best to meet these. They will advise about payment at the time the order is placed.
You can order groceries from Stans (St Martins) over the phone (01691 772348) and pay for these with your debit card. Each week orders must be placed by Tuesday and will be ready for collection on Thursday. When calling to order groceries you must state you are a Ceiriog Valley resident. If you are a Glyntraian resident and aged over 70 or self-isolating with no access to family and friends for support, ‘Helping Hands’ volunteers will be able to collect and deliver your order to you. Once you have placed your order with Stans you must inform us that you have ordered groceries that require collection by calling Stephanie Masters (Clerk to Glyntraian Community Council) on 07535 733418.
Prescriptions
The Glyn Ceiriog Doctors’ surgery is now closed. If you need a repeat prescription, you can take it to the pharmacy in Glyn Ceiriog and it will be sent to Llangollen Health Centre where your request will be dealt with. Alternatively, you can call to arrange a prescription by phoning the doctors surgery in Llangollen (01978 860625). Any prescriptions will come back to the pharmacy in Glyn Ceiriog for collection. Allow 3 days for this process. For those aged over 70 years and/or become ill in self-isolation ‘Helping Hands’ volunteers will be able to collect and deliver these to you.
The Chirk Doctors’ surgery is also closed to walk-in patients. However, if you take your prescription and post it in the repeat prescriptions post box near the front entrance of the surgery it will be processed. For further information see the surgery’s website: https://www.chirksurgery.co.uk/coronavirus
COVID-19 Virus
Glyntraian Community Council, along with Community and Parish Councils all over the UK, is well aware of the discomfort, distress and worry that the COVID-19 virus outbreak is bringing. Our recommendation is that you should follow the advice of the Chief Medical Officer and keep the risk of infection and the spread of infection as low as possible.
Those of you who fall in to any of the high risk groups should keep in touch with family and friends, and ask them to help with tasks that you cannot complete yourself due to self-isolation, illness or hospitalisation of yourself or those you live with. At all times be mindful of all the hygiene advice, together with other information contained on the webpage below:
Remember, those of you who are fit and healthy must observe all the recommendations concerning contact, hygiene and cleanliness on the above webpage, especially if you are helping others. Also, prior to travelling ask yourself “is my journey really necessary?”.
If you are self-isolating and have no access to immediate support from friends or family, please contact ‘Helping Hands’.
‘Helping Hands’ is a local group of volunteers, supported by Glyntraian Community Council, who can provide practical help, support, advice and guidance for Glyntraian residents. Everybody needs a bit of extra support from time to time and ‘Helping Hands’ makes sure people in need get support if they begin to experience difficulties.
The coronavirus is now a serious risk to those aged over 70 and it is expected that in the coming weeks this group of people will need to remain in self-isolation at home, unable to shop or collect vital medication. For those in self-isolation without family or friends to help, ‘Helping Hands’ volunteers will be able to assist with delivering groceries and collecting prescriptions. If you have no access to family and friends for support, please contact Davena Davies (Community Agent) on 07870 337091, or Stephanie Masters (Clerk to Glyntraian Community Council) on 07535 733418.
We request that everyone remains calm in the developing situation and mindful of false versus factual information. The latest information from the UK Government can be found at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/coronavirus-covid-19-information-for-the-public. Listen for updates on the radio or TV. If you have any concerns, please contact Davena Davies (Community Agent) on 07870 337091 or Stephanie Masters on 07535 733418, who will call you straight back. Davena and Stephanie will be available every day between 9:00am and 6:00pm.
‘Helping Hands’ volunteers are Davena Davies, Stephanie Masters, Chris Futcher, Merle Hunt, Robin Boston, Ian Masters and Matthew Masters. If you would like to be a ‘Helping Hands’ volunteer, please contact Stephanie Masters on 07535 733418 or email clerk@glyntraian.org.uk
Ysgol Pontfadog Site: Fact Checking
The Feasibility Study relating to the future of the Ysgol Pontfadog site is now complete and the final report was published on Wednesday 28th February 2020. At the Glyntraian Community Council (GCC) meeting on Wednesday 4th March 2020, Councillors voted by a majority of 7-1 to endorse the report’s recommendation to develop a small number of low-cost starter homes, firmly tied into a local lettings policy and with a community benefit embedded into any development, on the former school site. Statements given at the meeting by Cllrs Chris Futcher, Merle Hunt and Jools Payne can be viewed here.
Forest School & Community Hub
The Forest School & Community Hub business plan comprehensively failed to meet the viability, feasibility and financial sustainability criteria set at the very outset of the community engagement process. As such, it did not gain the confidence of the Council. The analysis of the Forest School and Community Hub’s feasibility and viability is on page 30 of the Feasibility Study Report. You can download the report here.
Next Steps: Wrexham Council Executive Board
The Council’s recommendation is expected to be considered by Wrexham County Borough Council’s Executive Board at its meeting on Tuesday 9th June. The agenda will be displayed three working days prior to the date of the meeting on the WCBC website.
Subscribe to Our News Page
We believe it is important our residents receive accurate information regarding the Feasibility Study, the consultation process and methodology, and up to date news of progress as Wrexham Council takes forward the Council’s recommendation. We recommend subscribing to the News blog on our website. Alternatively, please contact the Clerk, Stephanie Masters, clerk@glyntraian.org.uk who will be pleased to assist with your enquiry.
We will be posting FactCheck updates on this website on a regular basis.
Scrutiny
We wish to remind all members of our community and the wider Ceiriog Valley, that Glyntraian Community Council is a publicly accountable body with a statutory obligation to publish accurate, transparent and timely information. All GCC Minutes dating back to March 2017 are available for scrutiny on this website under Council Information (or from the Clerk if prior to that date).
Council Votes to Accept Ysgol Pontfadog Feasibility Study Recommendation
Glyntraian Community Councillors voted by a majority of 7-1 to endorse a recommendation to develop a small number of low-cost starter homes on the former Ysgol Pontfadog site in the village of Pontfadog in the Ceiriog Valley at its Council meeting last night [Wednesday 4th March].
The vote followed publication on Friday 28th February of a 38-page feasibility study and options appraisal. The report by independent community engagement consultant, Marc Roberts of Cynlas Cyf, is supported by a 58-page Appendices document. It comes eight months after the closure of the 110-year-old village primary school by Wrexham Council and six months of intense engagement with stakeholders and members of the local community.
Tasked with exploring the most viable, feasible and financially sustainable future for the site, Mr Roberts’s report concluded that affordable housing for young families, firmly tied into a local lettings policy and with a community benefit embedded into any development agreement, will best serve the wider interests of the Glyntraian community.
A postal survey of 323 households in the ward elicited an impressive 71% response rate. Affordable starter homes for young families earned the maximum highest perceived benefit score from 40% of all respondents – higher than any other option.
Cynlas Cyf, based near Caernarfon, was appointed to manage the community engagement project after a competitive tender and selection process. The project was co-funded by Glyntraian Community Council and Regional Development Agency, Cadwyn Clwyd through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme.
The meeting was attended by Wrexham Council Leader, Cllr Mark Pritchard and Cadwyn Clwyd Project Manager, Helen Williams, who both praised the integrity and quality of the process.
Glyntraian Community Council Chairman, Cllr Graham Barrow said: “We wish to thank Marc Roberts for his diligence and hard work in conducting a rigorous and thoughtful consultation. He has produced a balanced and extremely detailed report, thoroughly researched, soundly evidenced and which pays due regard to the desires of many in our community.
“The report will now be forwarded to Wrexham Council, owners of the site, for further consideration. We look forward to working closely with the Authority, potential developers and of course, Glyntraian residents in designing a scheme the village can be proud of and which duly acknowledges the much-valued history and heritage of the old school.
The Ysgol Pontfadog Feasibility Study project received funding through the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 – 2020, which is funded by the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development from the Welsh Government
Marc Roberts is a Director of Cynlas Cyf. He spent over 20 years in the WDA and Welsh Government developing and delivering several business support and regeneration programmes and was Regeneration Manager for Conwy and Denbighshire before becoming the WDA Business Connect Manager for North Wales. He was subsequently appointed the Head of Business Engagement (All Wales) for Welsh Government. He was appointed by Glyntraian Community Council and Cadwyn Clwyd in September 2019 following a successful submission after invitations to tender were posted on the Sell to Wales website
The Ysgol Pontfadog Feasibility Study & Recommendation Report is downloadable from this website’s News blog or the dedicated Ysgol Pontfadog page. It can also be obtained in digital format by emailing the Clerk clerk@glyntraian.org.uk. A physical copy of the Report is available to view at the Pontfadog Post Office but may not be removed. The Appendices document in digital format is available upon request from the Clerk.
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