Yattar Yattar Spring 2011 by Brillybox Publishing & Media

WEDDINGS SPECIAL WILLIAM AND KATE, THE DRESSES, THE JEWELLERY AND EXPERT ADVICE FOR YOUR BIG DAY!

WHAT'S ON

FREE MAGAZINE! PLEASE TAKE A COPY (£1.95 WHERE SOLD)

WIN!

A FIVE-DAY HOLIDAY FOR TWO PEOPLE! SEE PAGE 66

YOUR GUIDE TO THE BEST LOCAL EVENTS

CALLING YATTAR YATTAR FOOD LOVERS! We've got restaurant reviews, chef interviews, food news , great recipes and a whole lot more

Welsh Shipwrecks STORMY TALES OF TRAGIC HEROISM IN THE IRISH SEA

TIPS FOR GARDENING

HOW TO GET THE BEST OUT OF YOUR GARDEN THIS SPRING

Spring is in the air! CELEBRATE THE BEST OF THE NEW SEASON AROUND WALES AND THE BORDERS PLUS ★ KID'S CORNER ★ ALTERNATIVE HEALTH ★ HOLIDAY COTTAGES ★ LIFESTYLE ADVICE 01-YY cover Spring 3.indd 1

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MAGAZINE

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Editor: Stephanie Booth editorial@yattaryattar.co.uk

A VERY WARM WELCOME FROM THE EDITOR

Publisher: Dan Bromage dan@brillybox.co.uk Assistant Editor: Nigel Davies eyecatchercomm@aol.com Art Director: Julie Gagen julie@brillybox.co.uk Production: Thomas Gagen thomas@brillybox.co.uk Sales Executive: Vikki Davies vikki@brillybox.co.uk Editorial Assistant: Kayleigh Jones kayleigh@brillybox.co.uk Distribution: Martin Davies martin@brillybox.co.uk Photography: DK Images, Shutterstock.com, Google Images, Marc Byram Contributors: Lynne Allbutt, Nigel Davies, Sarah Griffiths, Sam Evans, Rosie Dunnage, Chris Kirtley, Simon Harding, Anita Louise Rushton, Gareth Lloyd, Jeremy Lamond

GET IN TOUCH Editorial: editorial@yattaryattar.co.uk, telephone: 01978 813 035 Advertising: advertising@yattaryattar.co.uk, telephone: 01978 813 035 Accounts: accounts@brillybox.co.uk, telephone: 0161 772 3110 Yattar Yattar, Brillybox Publishing & Media, CDC Distribution Centre, Unit 13, Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham LL14 6HA. Telephone: 01978 813 035 www.brillybox.co.uk

BrillyBox

Publishing & Media™

Thanks to our loyal readers, more companies have chosen to advertise with us, thus allowing us to increase the number of pages and in a time of cutbacks that is quite an achievement! We will never forget that you our readers are vital to the local economy and during these difficult economic times we all need to pull together. That is why we see Yattar Yattar as such a unifying community project, for as you know we are totally different to all other magazines in that we are a not-for-profit publication. Hundreds of you have entered competitions, written letters both in praise and criticism of articles. It is your feedback that will help us keep the magazine topical and appealing. To make it easier for you to communicate with us, we now have a Facebook presence, and a brand new interactive website – www.yattaryattar.co.uk – which will be launched in April. As you may well have heard, I am leading a bid to save the football club and stadium for the residents of Wrexham and the inhabitants of North Wales. Wrexham Football Club is the only high profile league team in North Wales and is in danger of being lost along with its ground. It is my intention to transform the ground into a community owned multi-use venue adding concerts, shows and events to the existing mix of football and rugby so that even people not interested in sport can enjoy this valuable asset! Enjoy our new spring issue, STEPHANIE BOOTH Editor Brillybox Publishing is an exciting new venture! Combining more years’ experience than we’d care to count across publishing, editorial, design, print, marketing and PR, we’re here to breathe new life into regional publishing. We are a not for profit publishing venture, giving back to local businesses some much-needed support for their advertising and public relations. ISSN 2042-8588

Origination by Suburbia Design www.suburbiadesign.co.uk, 01978 861663. Printed by Southerprint, part of the Wyndeham Group. Distribution by Caron Promotions and North Wales Tourism. YATTAR YATTAR is published quarterly by Brillybox Publishing & Media, (a trading name of Global Investment Group PLC). Every effort is made to ensure that the information and advice contained in these articles is correct and appropriate, but no responsibility for loss or damage occasioned to any person acting or refraining from action in reliance on or as a result of anything omitted from such articles can be, or is accepted by, the authors, the publishers, their employees or any other persons connected with Brillybox Publishing & Media. Save as expressively permitted by law no part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written authority of Brillybox Publishing & Media. © 2011 Brillybox Publishing & Media, a trading name of Global Investment Group PLC, all rights reserved. Registered Number: 3539290.

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 3

3-Welcome Spring.indd 3

04/03/2011 12:29

Plassey Craft & Retail Centre

tel: 01978 780277 www.plassey.com

Great family fun and a unique day out Over 25 delightfully individual shops set around charming Edwardian buildings and surrounded by panoramic views of the Dee Valley. We have a large selection of craft items, bridal wear, ladies fashions, handmade Jewellery, hair and beauty studio, not to mention books, a bespoke computer service and traditional sweet shop.

Family events and activities are happening throughout the year, such as Easter fun for the children-Egg Hunt, Picture Quiz and decorate an egg to a Circus Skills Workshop in May. Activities are free to enter and all participating children win a goodie bag .Visit www.plassey.com for details. Family friendly coffee shop with outside tea garden and an excellent restaurant that uses only quality local produce. With an outdoor playground for the children, Pay and Play golf course, the chance to enjoy the stunning countryside with a gentle stroll around our 2 miles of nature trail walks, the Plassey truly is a fantastic day out for the whole family.

Bookendz Trudy Davies 01978 780688 Used, nearly new and new books. Books and bears re-homed. www.bookendzbooks.com

Lemon and Lime Lingerie Janet Roberts 01978 780002 For your lingerie and holiday essentials. Free fitting service 28-44 A-K cups. www.lemonandlimelingerie.com

Cameo Brides Helen Wilson 01978 781160 Wedding specialist of North Wales. RBA Member. www.cameo-brides.com

The Barn Boutique Sharon Shaw 01978 780601 Ladies casual wear. Designer separates, unusual evening wear and wedding outfits. www.barnboutique.co.uk

Derwen Computers Paul Stephens 01978 780957 Ready made systems to take-away. Repairs and upgrades. Home visits and collection. www.derwencomputers.co.uk

The Plassey Beauty Studio Layla Whittle 01978 781153 Wide range of holistic and beauty treatments in a relaxing, friendly atmosphere.

Home and Gifts Linda Evans 01978 780916 Aromatheropy and Fragrance Products. Welsh Soveniers. Novelty Giftware and Nostalgia Gifts.

The Plassey Hair Studio Clare Whitley 01978 780389 / 781187 Visit Julian, Clare and team for a complete hair care experience. www.plasseyhair.co.uk

Kerry Anne Dodd Contemporary Jeweller Kerry Anne Dodd 01978 780314 Design and commission hand made pieces. Recycle and design service. Repairs undertaken.

Temptations Linda Evans 01978 780916 Traditional out of the jar sweets. Real dairy ice cream and Welsh preserves. Top Barn Crafts Theresa Ellicott 01978 780972 Huge range of crafting materials. Expert advice and tuition available. www.topbarncrafts.co.uk Vecchio Interiors Mandy and Rachel 07732645759 Traditional furnishings and gifts with a contemporary twist. www.vecchiointeriors.co.uk Twig Sue Lacey 07930453198 Contemporary range of individualy designed cusions and accessories with a focus on colour and detail www.twig.co.uk email: sue@twig-uk.co.uk.

Craft Days Workshop - Available free to anyone who wishes to promote craft activities or provide entertainment for visiting families.The unit is available throughout the year, for details and booking information call 01978 780277 or email sarahbrookshaw@btconnect.co.uk

Open all year. Usual opening hours 10am-4.30pm. Some businesses open Monday but please call if making a special journey. The Plassey Craft and Retail Centre Eyton, Wrexham LL13 0SP

contents

yattaryattar*

MAGAZINE™

WIN!

A five-d holiday ay for tw people! o See p6

7 Letters

50 The best of Betws-y-Coed

70 Sports Injuries

Poorly teeth, computers and an ageing population get the treatment

We meet the owners of the best places to visit in this wonderful village

We meet the specialists at the Orthopaedic Hospital in Oswestry

10 What’s On

57 Restaurant Review

73 Legal Eagle

Great events for all the family across England and Wales

The Brookhouse Mill in Denbighshire

Our legal team tells you what you need to know before buying a house

27 Crusaders in the Community

Meet David Rowlands, who’s travelled the UK and Europe as head chef

74 Puzzles

61 Kid’s Corner

75 IT advice

Tragic tales of heroism and stormy seas

Expert advice on carseats, plus great toys to treat your kids with this Easter

Help with computer viruses from IT specialists CITS

34 Spring gardening

63 Holiday Review

79 Psychologist

Time to get your wellies on and enjoy the garden!

Come to Fort Belan holiday cottages on the Llyn Peninsula

How talking therapies can really help couples have a loving relationship

38 Make yours a Royal Wedding

65 Health Advice

80 Win! Win! Win!

Some great advice for everyone else who’s getting married this year!

What is the best way to treat varicose veins?

Enter our two competitions

66 Holiday Competition

45 Wedding dresses

Win a ﬁve-day holiday for two!

81 Celebrity Astrologer

Sumptuous handmade wedding gowns

67 Vets column

Your stars for Spring

47 Alternative Health

82 Yattar On

Hypnotherapy, skin treatments and gyms

When is the right time to say goodbye to a beloved pet?

48 High Street Fashion

68 Lynne Allbut

The pick of the high street this Spring – lovely ﬂoral print dresses

Lynne tries living barefoot, and ﬁnds out it’s not as simple as she thought!

Wrexham sports stars go on a white water adventure in Llangollen

28 North Wales Shipwrecks

59 Meet The Chef

Have a cup of tea and solve our crossword!

Why we’ve only just begun to see the impact computers will make on our lives.

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 5

5-Contents Spring.indd 5

04/03/2011 12:25

enedlaethol Eisteddfod G Fro Wrecsam a’r 11 f – 6 Awst 20 na en ff or G 30 eddfod National Eist District nd a m a Wrexh ust 2011 ug A 30 July – 6

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.00 29/07/11, 20 ning Concert riadol / Ope go A d rd ge Cyn yn mru, Fflur W

Tri Tenor Cy

.00 01/08/11, 20 s / Pop Classic p Po ens, Clasuron s, Meic Stev

Gorffennaf 4 – 10 July

ryl Parry Jone , 4o5’s Bryn Fôn, Ca Al Lewis Band l, Elin Fflur, el Huw Chisw

The Unique International Festival

.00 02/08/11, 20 od Gala od / Eisteddf df ed st Ei r i Gala’ s, Shân Coth an

s, Wynne Ev

ˆr William Lly

.00 04/08/11, 20 lanaethwy / dag Ysgol G Dathlu 150 gy with Ysgol Glanaethwy 150 Celebrating .00 06/08/11, 20 dfod Choir dfod / Eisted Côr yr Eisted d Kempster,

Hughes, Davi ms-King , Anne Willia Owain Arwel Ann Atkinson , Geraint Dodd

rg.uk eisteddfod.o k ddfod.org.u gwyb@eiste 00 0845 4090 8

2011 EVENING CONCERTS ● Lulu and Guests ● Russell Watson ● One World, One Stage, One Llangollen Welcome ● Noye’s Fludde ● The Best of the West End starring Ruthie Henshall ● Choir of the World with special guest Julian Lloyd Webber ● McFly FOLLOW US/DILYNWCH NI!

Llangollen Welco mes the World to Wales for the Un International Festiv ique al of Song, Music and Dance

01978 862 001

www.llangollen2

011.co.uk

YOUR LETTERS

yattarchatter Your news, views and opinions are welcome – write to us at Yattar Yattar, Brillybox Publishing, CDC Distribution Centre, Unit 13, Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham LL14 6HA or email to editorial@yattaryattar.co.uk. We do not publish your full details and address, but they must be included in all submissions as we will not publish anonymous contributions.

TOOTHACHE ‘I have had a terrible time with toothache caused by an infection and have applied clove oil as my mum suggested but while it helps for a short time it has burnt my surrounding gum and made a right mess’ ELLIOTT, HAWARDEN I feel your pain as I too have suffered from an infected root canal! You need to visit the emergency dentist who will prescribe a seven-day course of antibiotics which will gradually kill the infection allowing the dentist to then deal with the problem. In the meantime take painkillers, I recommend Solpadol and you can also buy an over the counter product called ‘Orajel’ ensuring you choose the variety that has 20% Benzocaine in it. This immediately numbs the area and you will be able to cope until seeing the dentist.

EVERY LETTER WE PRINT WINS A MUG! WRITE TO US TODAY!

We’ll send the writer of every letter printed one of these great mugs from Lloyds’ Hotels! You can also buy one by calling (01978) 813035 for only £4.95 + £1.95 p&p.

Why is the EU giving billions away to countries that are not even members of the European Union while we are suffering huge cuts in public services? MR. TRANTER, CHESTER ‘Not a lot of people know that’ as Michael Caine would say but you are absolutely correct. This is due to a little known provision to countries who aspire to join the EU. In a 2009 report it found that the accounting was ‘riddled with irregularities and fraud’ to which the European Commission replied ‘…we believe the aid would eventually benefit the EU’ Yeah , right! We know from the MP’s expense scandal that power (in UK parliaments) corrupts and absolute power (EU parliament) corrupts absolutely. The only comfort is that our leaders seem to be less corrupt than practically anywhere else.

‘

As Michael Caine would say: ‘Not a lot of people know that’

‘

Star letter

BLACKMAIL! ‘My parents keep threatening to cut me out of their will every time I do something that they disapprove of. I love them dearly but their idea as to who I should date is totally different to my own’ ABBEY, WHITCHURCH I am sure that they love you too but they need to remember they gave you life without conditions and should respect your right to choose your partner. Bringing your date home to meet them might help. They do have the right to spend their money, leave it to a donkey sanctuary or to you but they should not use it to blackmail you. You need to sit down with them and quietly and reasonably outline this remembering that the relationship is precious and you do not want a rift to open up between you. I know only too well the pain of losing a family! MORE LETTERS.......................

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 7

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03/03/2011 15:39

YATTAR CHATTER

The short answer is ‘no’ for it depends on who will use it and where they will do so. A traditional computer is only any good if you are going to use it in one place in your home. Laptops are good if you wish to use it at home and at the office but are usually too heavy if you are out and about. Notebooks which are smaller and lighter are great for this and if all you want to do is deal with e-mails, listen to music or read a book then nothing rivals Apple’s I-pad. Buying your computer from somewhere that provides a support service is useful so that you can contact them if problems arise and as you are female be picky about the colour too!

WHY DO WE WAIT? I took my child to A&E at the Wrexham Maelor hospital and waited nearly five hours to be seen. Given the billions of pounds we have pumped into our NHS how can this happen? And why do they not have papers and magazines for parents and toys for children? KAREN, WREXHAM Unfortunately you did not state the day and time you attended as this is usually

a factor. Whilst it is true that we have invested heavily in our health service at the same time the EU imposed a maximum 48-hour week on doctors which both doubled the cost of locum cover and interfered with the continuity of patient treatment and increased the risks unnecessarily. It would appear that the situation is not going to improve any time soon and therefore you need to plan your accidents early on a weekday! (that’s a joke).

GOD VS THE BIBLE COMMENTS We were most surprised to find the editorial God Vs The Bible on page 74 which questioned the intelligence of those that hold to the Christian faith. Page 73 has a guide to people’s lives according to their birth date and the whimsical thinking of astrologers but there is no debunking of their pronouncements. JOHN BOWGETT, ‘CHRISTIAN HOLIDAY PEOPLE’ Firstly I am sorry that we are unable to print your letter in full. As you will notice, we have a selection of writers who contribute to Yattar Yattar and whilst we do not always agree with the views expressed by our writers our aim is to include content that stimulates the mind and provides subjects that provoke discussion. Fortunately we live in a country where we can all express our beliefs and yours is a thoughtful and considered reply which I have gladly reproduced to give a balancing counterweight.

In every issue we will tackle a controversial subject raised by our readers via their correspondence. This issue: the problem of an ageing population.

“

IT’S A PROBLEM OF LIFE AND DEATH! Too many pensioners and not enough babies is a recipe for disaster. The population of the planet has exploded in recent times and as we head for the seven billion mark certain truths are manifesting themselves into uncomfortable reality. The situation faced by Japan highlights problems that other countries, including the UK, will also face very soon. Japan is the fastest ageing country in the world, with a life expectancy of 83 and a low birth rate, it’s population is set to drop from 127 million today to less than 89 million in 2050. Forty percent of this will be comprised of pensioners with less and less young workers to support them. After the Second World War, with a rapidly growing work force, Japan rebuilt itself to become the second largest economy in the world. Now it is going to see the reverse happen, already overtaken by China it is now faced with debt and that is even before the baby boomers start to retire in 2012. Unless swift and unpopular action is taken soon to increase the pension age it will be the young who are destined to feel the pain. When families find the going tough and are struggling to bring up a child they are likely to resent the burden of supporting an elderly, chronically ill parent. The rest of Europe faces the same problem of shrinking workforces trying vainly to pay for an ever increasing social security net. The UK has bravely encouraged immigration, which has helped to mitigate our problem, but they too will grow old and there is therefore a danger that the temporary solution could become part of the longer-term problem. As a pensioner myself this seems ironic as for so long we have been worried about over-population of the planet with insufficient food to support it. Projections show we should have been entering a cooler period in the earth’s turbulent phases which would have made the problem worse, so ironically our sudden use of fossil fuels that has prevented this might turn out to be a good thing, but don’t cancel the windmills just yet as we do have a habit of getting it wrong! As is true in every facet of human behaviour we are brilliant at recording the past but hopeless at forecasting the future, so this prospect should not drive you to jumping off the nearest bridge. We as a species are very resilient and have survived ice ages and pestilence and have still managed to muddle through. Given all the other problems that have faced us so far, we will no doubt find a way to deal with the looming demographic scenario but until then you can only help as an individual by dying or getting pregnant!

‘It will be the young who are destined to feel the pain’

Letters sent to Yattar Yattar magazine may be edited due to space constraints

Can you give me advice on what computer would be the best one to buy? MRS EATON, SHROPSHIRE

FORUM

“

COMPUTER ADVICE

8 yattaryattar magazine Spring 2011

7-8 Letters.indd 8

03/03/2011 15:40

wn boats dtraT e s r o rip H oa

From Llangollen Wharf

LLANGOLLEN RAILWAY “Nostalgia for Everyone”

““M Moouunnttaaiinn M Maaggiicc”” iinn N Noorrtthh W Waalleess THE premier standard gauge line, running through the spectacular Dee Valley. Convenient access via A5 or A483

Horse Drawn Trips

Home of the famous Horse Drawn Boats. Enjoy the peace and tranquillity of the Llangollen Canal on a 45min boat trip pulled by one of our gorgeous heavy horses. Boats are covered for all weather trips.

Events - March - May 2011

Diesel Day

Aqueduct Cruises

Saturday 26th March 2011

A 2 hour cruise on our fully weatherproofed centrally heated motor boat over the mighty Pontcysllte Aqueduct. Commentary. Bar and Snacks available.

Visiting engine A1A’s Class 31 No5580 Class 37 No 6940 · Class 26 No D5310 · DMU 08195 working shunter shuttles

Real Ale · Intensive Timetable · Great Atmosphere

No Booking Fee for online bookings

Wharf Tea Rooms

Enjoy our home cooked food whilst watching the boats go by or on the terrace overlooking Llangollen. Try our famous home made cakes. Children welcome.

For Details on all of our events and for bookings please visit our ‘new’ website

www.llangollen-railway.co.uk

Spring Steam Gala

www.horsedrawnboats.co.uk tel: 01978 860702

‘To the MANOR Born’

Steam Through Unspoilt Snowdonia

Steam Through

Steam trains running Sundays in March & Unspoilt Snowdonia daily from 2nd April

Fri 8th, Sat 9th & Sun 10th April 2011 Locomotives to be drawn from 7812 · 7822 · 5643 · 3802 · 6430 · 80072 · 44806

Guest appearance of 4-6-0 Manor Class ‘Erlestoke Manor’ Return to traffic of 4-6-0 Manor Class ‘Foxcote Manor’

Recreation of many famous North Wales Trains · Home of new build projects ‘The Patriot’ & ‘Betton Grange’ · Real Ale Bar operating on some services · Intensive Timetable All advertised locomotives & events are subject to availability

Real Aleth Train

Saturday 9 April 2011 & Saturday 21st May 2011

Kindly sponsored by

Jolly Brewer Wrexham

6.30pm until 9.30pm Tickets £12.50 or £17.50 Includes a free souvenir glass

Murder Mystery

Saturday 7th May 2011 – 7pm

“Pirates of the Carrogdean – Murder on Strange Tracks” Captain Jim Pigeon and his crew ride again as he confronts his nemesis – but is there a mutiny on the horizon with their bounty being plundered and them being sent overboard or will it all go swimmingly for our Captain Jim and his sister Bella?

Tickets £25 each and include travel, food & Murder!

Take a historic steam train journey for Scenic Walks & Waterfalls Free Museum Licensed Cafe Playground Gift Shop

www.talyllyn.co.uk/ad

01654 710472

Gorsaf Wharf Station, Tywyn, Gwynedd. LL36 9EY

www.llangollen-railway.co.uk Llangollen Railway The Station · Abbey Road · Llangollen LL20 8SN Tel: 01978 860979 www.llangollen-railway.co.uk

What’s on

Your 16 page guide to great days – and nights – out in Wales and the Borders this springtime, from Easter shows to exhibitions to Royal Weddings

The Whittington Castle Invasion!

The town of Llangollen is set to see some of the biggest names at their world-renowned International Music Eisteddfod which is now in it’s 65th year and showing no signs of retiring! Lulu, Russell Watson and McFly will take to the stage during the six-day festival from 4th–10th July. The event will see some of the best music and folk dance from all over the world with over 4000 competitors taking part. Over 50 countries will compete including some rare visitors from South Korea, China, Moldova and Slovakia. Mervyn Cousins, chief executive for the Eisteddfod says: ‘This year’s programme sees an even more eclectic mix of names and competitors, with a hugely exciting array of performers throughout the week. We are thrilled that this gives us the chance to bring an even wider cross section of people to Llangollen as well as welcoming back our regular and valued supporters from past years.’ As part of the Eisteddfod’s Limelife programme, on 16th April the Pavillion will also host a choral singing event for young people’s performing groups following the success of the hit TV series ‘Glee’.Visit: www.llangollen2011.co.uk or call: 01978 862001 for more information.

British Red Cross volunteers honoured

If you have ever considered volunteering, you only have to see the long list of British Red Cross volunteers awarded for their efforts at a recent ceremony to know how rewarding it is. The British Red Cross’s aim is to help people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are. Nine volunteers were honoured at the North Wales branch of the Red Cross volunteer forum held in Abergele, each receiving a badge of honour and certificates of commendation. Some of the many volunteers awarded for their service included David Stevens from Bangor, who regularly flies out to disaster zones to help with the relief effort, Sam Tongue from Tywyn who is a Red Cross event first aid volunteer and Marian Baxandall from Waunfawr (pictured), North East Wales who has volunteered for 20 years. To find North Wales volunteering opportunities online visit: www.redcross.org.uk

IMAGE BRITISH RED CROSS

65TH BIRTHDAY CELEBRATIONS FOR THE INTERNATIONAL MUSIC EISTEDDFOD!

Whittington Castle will go back in time to the Norman period of history on May bank holiday weekend with a host of re-enactment events and medieval living history. Historia Normannis, a Norman living history and reenactment group will be setting up camp at the castle for a three-day event starting on Saturday 30th April. There will be between 80 and 120 re-enactors taking up residence and performing battle displays, archery demonstrations as well as craft demonstrations and a colourful display of life during this period of history. This year the group will be bringing with them a siege engine and promise to give a display of its use each day. You can also give archery a go and browse the interesting displays. Visit: www.whittingtoncastle.co.uk or call: 01691 662397

10 yattaryattar magazine Spring 2011

10-25 What's On Spring 2.indd 10

04/03/2011 07:47

WHAT’S ON

Spring Launch for Historic Railway Complex

One of Oswestry’s most historic railway buildings will once again be echoing to the sounds of industry from this Easter – not the hammering and drilling associated with the building of railway carriages but the excited voices of children! To launch this exciting development, Oswestry is the place to be over the Easter weekend – 24th-25th April, as the town’s own version of the highly successful Great Wrexham Street Party will see children’s rides, live music, extensive market stalls, great food and of course fireworks to get this new chapter in the areas history off with a bang – literally! The Cambrian Works was home to the engine and carriage repair shops of the old Cambrian Railways for around 100 years before its closure in the Beaching cuts of the mid-1960’s. At its peak, around 3,000 men were employed within the complex’s foundry, assembly and repair shops as well as extensive offices. Now, it’s the leisure industry that is replacing the railway. First up will be one of the largest children’s play centres in Europe, all built within the old carriage works. To give you some idea of the scale it was possible to house up to 16 passenger carriages at any one time and still have room to spare! This third Fantastic Fun House will contain a huge indoor adventure climbing frame, go-karts, events arena and a leisure area specifically for parents to relax with a coffee, while still being able to see their children having a great time. All this with a top class food outlet and ample parking too. And that’s not all. Later developments will see a restaurant and wine bar, with even the possibility of the very popular Cambrian Railways Museum moving to the site! With the news of the Cambrian Railway finally re-opening on the same Easter weekend, this is a very exciting time for Oswestry!

Cheshire

Japanese garden exhibition Tatton Park, Knutsford, 26th March – 3rd July www.tattonpark.org.uk Tel: 01625 374400 Visions of paradise, showcasing a range of Japanese gardens from its native origins through to inﬂuences on UK garden designs.

Silversmith for the day The Potters Barn, Sandbach 12th March www.cheshireevents. ivisitorguide.com Tel: 01270 884080 A course that teaches you how to make silver rings using traditional silversmithing techniques. Students will produce at least two rings of their own design during the day. Includes an information pack, use of all tools and equipment, all materials, refreshments and lunch.

Have you got the WREXfactor?

If you think you have got what it takes to compete in Wrexham’s first talent show, then give it a go! Showcase your talent at the open auditions which will be held on stage in the function suite at the Bryn Howell Hotel, Llangollen on Sunday 6th and 13th March. Three heats will then be held to find the final twelve who will perform at The Theatr Stiwt in Wrexham on 7th May. TV star and model Jennifer Ellison who is probably best known for her role on the soap opera Brookside will be amongst a panel of judges watching as performers compete to win £1000 plus a guaranteed role in the 2011 Cinderella Pantomime at the Theatr Stiwt. Tickets for the live final are available now and a limited number of VIP packages are available including a chance to meet the judges! Go online to: www.deevalleyevents.co.uk

What’s on in...

Centenary celebrations at Rhyl Miniature Railway Britain’s oldest miniature railway line in Rhyl will hold a gala event to celebrate their centenary. On 28th-30th May, the railway will hope to assemble all six steam locomotives built in Rhyl, something never to be attempted. There will also be fairground stalls around the railway for the first time in thirty years, along with a classic car rally and other family attractions. The event will also see the opening of the new Marine Lake Nature and Heritage Trail. Rhyl Steam Preservation Trust took over operation of the railway in 2001, and the new building ‘Central Station’ was opened in 2007. The railway has recently become an accredited museum. Visit: www.rhylminiaturerailway.co.uk or call: 01352 759109

Bluebell Festival Cheshire’s gardens of distinction April and May www.cheshiregardens.com Visit some of Cheshire’s gardens of distinction for the annual bluebell festival at Bluebell Cottage Gardens, Norton Priory Museum and Gardens, Adlington Hall, Quarry Bank Mill and Arley Hall and Gardens. Capesthorne Hall will celebrate the arrival of the dramatic displays of bluebells with a ‘Fairies Go Free’ policy – for any child aged up to 11 who visits the garden wearing a fairy costume!

Chester Food & Drink Festival Chester Racecourse 23rd-25th April www.chesterfoodanddrink.com Tel: 01244 355474 With over 80 food and drink producers exhibiting their range of local, quality produce, the festival returns to the famous Chester racecourse for its10th year. There will be chef demonstrations, competitions, and a whole lot more.

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COURSES WITH

DEE VALLEY ADVENTURES KAYAKING OPEN CANOEING WHITEWATER RAFTING CLIMBING

HILL WALKING HIGH ROPES GORGE WALKING QUAD BIKING

FROM £49 FAMILIES – GROUPS – INDIVIDUALS – CORPORATE

Paddleworks Courses Ltd www.paddleworks-courses.co.uk Mile End Mill, Llangollen, North Wales, LL20 8AD

info@paddleworks-courses.co.uk

Yatter Yater Feb 11.indd 1

0800 0432 192 01978 861 444

23/02/2011 23:39:19

River rescues, trailer pulls, bridge building and raft races are all part of the ‘Crogen Challenge’ – an event set up for the cadets of the armed and emergency services of Gwynedd and Clwyd as well as for any youth organisation in those areas wishing to take part. The challenges, which include a community challenge and a physical challenge for all teams, are run by the Get Wet Adventure Company on the Crogen Estate, a haven of high ropes, paintballing and outdoor adventure. The challenge was set up by Henry Robertson back in 2009 in his year of office as the high sheriff of Clwyd. He wanted to showcase young people involved in youth organisations and promote the idea of team and community work to others. The success of the event will see it take place annually until 2019. Last year’s challenge saw the winning team win a once in a lifetime trip to Nepal for an expedition to the Himalayas. This year’s challenge will take place in September and is a great day out for all whether you are a competitor or spectator. Visit: www. crogenchallenge.com for more information. And if you fancy an action-packed day out at Get Wet visit: www.get-wet.co.uk

Royal Wedding Spectacular in Mold

One the best things about a major Royal event, apart from the Bank Holiday, is the chance you’ll find a Street Party somewhere close to you – and Mold has an absolute cracker lined up. The town’s main street will be transformed with children’s rides, live music, climbing walls, great food and the ever-popular Land Train. The whole place will be buzzing, with an expected ten thousand visitors heading their way to this beautiful Welsh market town. Town centre Manager, Dave Hill says: ‘With Dee Valley Events helping us host the street party, I’m sure it will benefit the town significantly.’ Andy White at Dee Valley Events says: ‘We felt it would be a shame just to end the day so we’ve arranged for our 60ft stage to be erected in the Daniel Owen Centre for local bands to perform. And we will end the night with a fantastic fireworks display for all!’

April Entertainment at William Aston Hall Star of Peter Kay’s ‘Phoenix Nights’ and British comedy award-winner, Dave Spikey brings his new tour ‘Words Don’t Come Easily’ to Wrexham this spring. The tour has been inspired by the positive audience response to his ‘Best Medicine’ tour and explores the many comical situations in life where words really don’t come easily! Watch Dave Spikey for a night of pure comedy at the William Aston Hall on 7th April. Tickets cost £16. If music is more your thing, see the successful Tim Booth perform live in his ‘Love Life’ tour on 28th April. Tim was the lead singer of Manchester indie band James, who sold over 12 million records worldwide and who are well-known for their stadium anthem ‘Sit Down’. Tim has a music career spanning over 30 years and his new solo album ‘Love Life’, which has been seven years in the making will now be brought to life in his UK tour. Tickets cost £18. For more information about events or to book tickets visit: www.glyndwr.ticketsolve. com or call the box ofﬁce on: 01978 293293

What’s on in... Shropshire

Oswestry Festival of Word Oswestry (various locations) 12th-19th March Tel: 07972 113619 This annual festival celebrates the word: written, spoken and sung! Writers, poets, songwriters, singers, dramatists and actors from Oswestry and the Welsh Marches attend to showcase their talent. There will be activities taking place at various times and venues around the town including Booka Bookshop and Oswestry Library.

Shrewsbury International Cartoon Festival Shrewsbury 15th-17th April Tel: 01743 281200 See artists at work in Shrewsbury for this International festival. The spring event will see cartoonists and caricaturists providing workshops, exhibitions and entertainment for all the family.

Spring ramble at Stanmore Country Park Bridgnorth, Shropshire 20th March Tel: 01746 781192 Come and join the rangers for a guided walk at Stanmore Country Park. This is a fantastic opportunity to see the park in spring. Ramble the park, high rock and the peaceful River Worfe.

Easter Egg Hunt Whittington Castle, Shropshire 24th April www.whittingtoncastle.co.uk Tel: 01691 662397 Hunt the castle and grounds to ﬁnd as many Easter eggs as you can. Only £1 entrance and get a taste of history on your way round.

IMAGES CARTOON IMAGE ROGER PENWILL, OSWESTRY IMAGE SHROPSHIRE TOURISM

Crogen Cadet Challenge!

WHAT’S ON

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WHAT’S ON

Mother’s Day 3rd April 2011

Mother’s Day walk Loggerheads Country Park, Mold www.caffiflorence.co.uk Tel: 01352 810397 Treat your mum to a walk in the picturesque Loggerheads Country Park and follow it up with afternoon tea at Caffi Florence. Using homemade bread, cakes and preserves, they will be serving an afternoon tea of sandwiches, scones, cake and a bottomless teapot for just £7.75 Booking is recommended.

Mums Go Free day Welsh Highland Heritage Railway, Porthmadog www.whr.co.uk Tel: 01766 513402 The Welsh Highland Railway are celebrating Mothers’ Day by letting mums of any age travel for nothing!

Marvellous Mums Lyme Park, Stockport www.nationaltrust.org.uk Tel: 01633 762023 Show you care and make your own perfect gift for mum – decorate a porcelain plant pot and make a crafty card. Children of all ages are welcome and National Trust members go free.

Mother’s Day Sunday Lunch Weston Park, Weston-underLizard, Nr. Shifnal www.weston-park.com Tel: 01952 852107 Lunch is on you! Give your mum an extra-special treat with lunch at Weston Park stately home. There will be a harpist playing in the background and you can even surprise your mum with a bouquet of ﬂowers presented at lunch by the staff (booking required).

Mothering Sunday Gardens Open Day Dudmaston Hall, Bridgnorth Tel: 01746 780866 Pamper your mum with a topical garden tour at Dudmaston Hall on the ﬁrst day of the new season. These established gardens are full of art sculptures and there is great walking.

10-25 What's On Spring 2.indd 14

An Alice in Wonderland Easter at Tatton Park

Relive the magical story of Alice and the Mad Hatter at Tatton Park this Easter weekend for their Alice in Wonderland themed event. A range of activities will take place across the historic estate in Knutsford, Cheshire to celebrate Easter with the family. Visitors will be able to ‘step through the looking glass’ and follow the children’s quiz through the beautiful state rooms. You can follow the White Rabbit Trail through the gardens to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Here, the clock will be stopped at 6pm and a cast of curious characters will riddle and rhyme their way through tea. At the farm, you will be welcomed by the Queen of Hearts who will be entertaining with her storytelling and baking and you can also follow the trail of the Cheshire Cat. Poz the magician will be performing with a special appearance from the White Rabbit and Mr Bimbamboozle will entertain the crowds with an Alice themed Punch and Judy show. For more information visit: www.tattonpark.org.uk or call: 01625 374400

ON! COMING SO

Yattar Yattar’s will x ofﬁce! We very own bo te a new websi be launching ing you the very soon giv uy tickets to chance to b attractions. UK events and ace! Watch this sp r.co.uk tta a www.yattary

The art of Wrexham

Oriel Wrecsam is the new name for the Wrexham Arts Centre near the guildhall and it is set to showcase a range of art exhibitions throughout 2011 that will highlight an array of local talent. See how discarded materials have been transformed into contemporary art at the ‘Precious: reclaiming art and craft’ exhibition available for viewing until 19th March. Also on show is the ‘Chrysalis Series’ – an exhibition of work by emerging artist, Francois Nicolaas Grobler, which showcases the work of recent graduates from Glyndyr University’s Fine Art degree course. The gallery, which is supported by the Arts Council of Wales, runs visual arts activities for various groups throughout the year. Over Easter, there will be a selection of workshops including ‘drypoint printmaking’ with artist Ann Bridges and ‘embossed journals’ with artist Jacqui Dodds. Call: 01978 292093 Email: oriel.wrecsam@wrexham.gov.uk

A Visit from Postman Pat The Severn Valley Railway will have a special guest appearance from a rather famous postman this Easter. Postman Pat and his black and white cat Jess will be there to give local youngsters a challenge that will keep them entertained over the Easter weekend. Passengers will be invited to see and participate in ‘Postman Pat’s Special Mission’ – an adventure in which children will be invited to help Pat and Jess ﬁnd a number of missing letters hidden around the centre. The event runs each day from Good Friday April 22nd until Easter Monday April 25th. Visit: www.svr.co.uk

Reach for the stars Life is to live not exist, this is the motto that Heidi Powell lives by, giving focus on achieving a more fulﬁlled way of living. She is a trained counsellor of many years who is now offering self-help courses to those who wish to make changes in their lives. The ten-week course, based in Wrexham, will teach you life balancing skills that will help improve the way you live and how you feel and think. To enrol on a course today or for more information call Heidi on: 07515 007092

04/03/2011 07:46

Machinations is a truly unique visitor centre with something to delight all ages right in the heart of beautiful Mid-Wales on the A470. We have the only permanent collection of Automata (Mechanical Moving Models) in the country, a Rabbit Village complete with miniature traditional stone and slate houses as well as a Play Barn, Cafe and Gift Shop. The building is light, airy and open plan and the whole site is all on one level. We specialise in a wide variety of home cooked food and snacks and will promise you a warm and cheerful welcome!

We are open all year round 9.30-5.00 in the summer, 9.30-4.30 in the winter.

Hwyl y Hwyl y gwanwyn gwanwyn Dewch am dro am awyr iach, i

fwynhau eindro taiam a'nawyr gerddi godidog Dewch am iach, i afwynhau digonedd hwyl Pasg. godidog Cewch einotai a'n ygerddi hyd i gannoedd o bethau i'w gweld a digonedd o hwyl y Pasg. Cewch a'u i'r teulu cyfan.i'w gweld hydgwneud i gannoedd o bethau a'u gwneud i'r teulu cyfan.

Visit www.machinationswales.co.uk Email: machinations@btconnect.com or phone on:

and plenty fresh air.walks Discover Venture outoffor great colourful Easter and plentygardens of freshand air.an Discover eggstravaganza. colourful gardensThere's and anhundreds Easter of things to see and do for all the eggstravaganza. There's hundreds family. of things to see and do for all the family. Ffoniwch / Call

01492 860 123 Neu ewch i / Or visit nationaltrust.org.uk/wales

Gwerthfawr Time well spent

01650 521738 Machinations_1/4.indd 1

Spring time Spring time Venture out for great walks

Rhif Elusen Gofrestredig: 205846 Registered Charity Number: 205846

10/2/11 16:30:59

Wrexham County Borough Museum & Archives County Buildings, Regent Street, Wrexham, LL11 1RB. Tel: 01978 297 460 Fax: 01978 297 461 Email: museum@wrexham.gov.uk Web: www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage Opening Times Monday – Friday: 10am – 5pm Saturday: 10.30am – 3pm Last admission: 30 mins before closing. Closed Sundays & Bank Holidays. Amgueddfa ac Archifdy Bwrdeistref Sirol Wrecsam Adeiladau’r Sir, Stryt y Rhaglyw, Wrecsam, LL11 1RB. Ffôn: 01978 297 460 Ffacs: 01978 297 461 E-bost: museum@wrexham.gov.uk Gwefan: www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage

Now Open Ar Agor Nawr

Oriau Agor Dydd Llun – Dydd Gwener: 10am – 5pm Dydd Sadwrn: 10.30am – 3pm Mynediad olaf: 30 munud cyn cau. Ar gau Suliau a Gwyliau Banc

Llanberis Lake Railway Steam trains in the Heart of Snowdonia 1971 - 2011 Celebrating 40 years of service l l vintage vintage steam steam trains trains l l one one hour hour trips trips l l café, café, gift gift shop shop and and toilets toilets l l disabled disabled facilities facilities l l FREE FREE coach coach parking parking l l excellent excellent driver driver facilities facilities l l ideal ideal for for families families

We We are are open open most most days days Easter Easter to to October, October, daily daily June June to to August. August. Also Also open open during during February/ February/ March, March, and andTurkey Turkey & & Tinsel Tinsel trips trips in in November November

SPECIAL EVENT Easter Egg Hunt April 22 - 26

For group rates and reservations Call us on (01286) 870549 Padarn Park, Llanberis. LL55 4TY www.lake-railway.co.uk

QVN030

Glyndŵr University Events, Wrexham Spring/Summer Season

Tim Booth - Love Life Tour Thurs 28 April (Doors open at 7pm)

£18

An Evening with Charlie Landsborough Thurs 24 March, 7.30pm

£18.50 (including booking fees)

Dave Spikey - Words Don’t Come Easy Thurs 7 April, 8.00pm

£16, £14 conc.

Simon Evans Wed 13 April, 8.00pm

We are now consigning for our next auction of Antique Furniture , C e r a m i c s & Wo r k s o f A r t We d n e s d ay 2 0

April 2011

For further details or for a free valuation please contact Andrew Beeston T: 01743 284 777 F: 01743 246 191 E: fineart@halls.toW: hallsgb.com/fine-art

£12, £9 conc.

An Evening with Gervase Phinn Thurs 14 April, 7.30pm

£15.50

Vienna Festival Ballet Cinderella Fri 15 April, 7.30pm

£17.50 adult, £15.00, conc. £12 upto 14

Chris Ramsey Wed 11 May, 8.00pm

£7.50, £5.00 student

Catrin Finch Annwn Thurs 19 May, 7.30pm

01978 293293

www.glyndwr.ac.uk/events

£14, £10 conc, £20 family ticket

A year of celebration at the Talyllyn Railway

Get set for a host of special events taking place at Talyllyn Railway as they celebrate their 60th anniversary. The first celebration of the year will be on March 15th when local people are invited for a cheap ride on the railway with a special ‘locals fare’ of only £5. All the usual attractions will be open with a cafe, tea room, shop and museum as well as the steam train service. There will be two round trips running at various times. In the 1950s the Talyllyn Railway was on its last legs, the slate traffic had finished and only the community passenger trains where running. The railway had been financially propped up by the owner Sir Henry Haydn Jones for many years. Upon Sir Haydn’s death in 1950 a group of enthusiasts formed a society and took over the railway, with the first train running on the 14th May 1951. On Mothering Sunday, try one of the VIP packages available taking you and all the family on a nostalgic steam train journey through Snowdonia. You can choose the Steam and Sunday Lunch at Talyllyn’s own Kings Cafe on your return or the Afternoon Tea Train where you will stop off at Abergynolwyn for a selection of refreshments. For more information, visit: www.talyllyn.co.uk or call: 01654 710472

Wrexham and District National eisteddfod

Easter Eggstravaganza at Greenwood Forest Greenwood Forest Park is Snowdonia’s award-winning ecoattraction and this spring will see a whole host of events being held for all the family. Easter will bring face painting and body art, a pirate show at the forest theatre, story-telling and an Easter egg hunt joined by giant bunnies Harley and Heulwen. On the 29th of April the bunnies will join the royals in Greenwood’s royal rabbit wedding! During the May bank holiday weekend Morris dancing and traditional Welsh Folk dancing will entertain the crowds. When you’ve had your fill of special events, why not take a look at what the rest of the park has to offer - ride the Green Dragon, the world’s first eco-coaster, or have a go at the latest addition to the park – the Swampflyer, a 145m long zip wire. Visit www.greenwoodforestpark.co.uk or call: 01248 671493

Celebrating 150 years of Welsh singing and dancing, this year’s National Eisteddfod will be held in Wrexham from 30th July – 6th August. The line up has now been announced for the opening evening performance on Friday 29th July with performances from Wales’ very own Three Tenors – Rhys Meirion, Aled Hall and Alun RhysJenkins joined by rising star, Fﬂur Wyn as well as local male voice choirs – a true Welsh start to the occasion. The National Eisteddfod attracts around 150,000 visitors each year as it alternates locations between North and South Wales and the town of Wrexham is proud to be its host on this special birthday event. Over the course of the week, visitors can expect to see some of Wales’ top stars, including Bryn Fon, Caryl Parry Jones, Huw Chiswell, Elin Fﬂur and Al Lewis Band who will perform all-time pop classics, by a wide range of composers. There will be a theatre group performance by Wrexham’s young people, congregational hymn singing, songs from the Eisteddfod choir and music from the Chamber Orchestra of Wales. Tickets are now available and can be ordered online at:www.eisteddfod. org.uk or call: 0845 4090 800

WHAT’S ON

What’s on in...

North & Mid Wales Salsa Amor – All Day Salsa Event Venue Cymru, Llandudno 12th March 9am-6pm with an evening party 7.30pm-2.00am www.salsabangor.org Tel: 07598 215917 Whether you are a beginner or an experienced dancer, this event provides a great day packed with dance workshops including Salsa, Rumba and the new craze of Zumba.

Royal Welsh Spring Festival Builth Wells 21st-22nd May www.rwas.co.uk Tel: 0870 8905056 This festival is remarkably successful and already draws up to 25,000 people to the Royal Welsh showground at Llanelwedd, Builth Wells, where it is ﬁrmly established as a family favourite with a programme full of interest and entertainment.

Simply the Best St. Mary’s Church Betws-y-Coed 26th March 9.15am-4pm www.betws-y-coed.co.uk Tel:01690 710426 A small and friendly antique fair in the middle of the excellent tourist location of Betws-y-Coed. Be sure to explore some of the other tourist attractions and abundance of walks.

The Wizard of Oz Theatr Hafren, Newtown, Powys 30th March-2nd April www.theatrhafren.com Tel: 01686 625007 Join Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man and Lion as they ‘follow the yellow brick road’ in search of the wonderful world of Oz! Featuring all the well-known songs – a great day out for all the family!

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The return of Royal memorabilia The imminent A collection of Crown Ducal Royal Wedding Coronation wares all dated 1937 has once again sparked interest in royal memorabilia. On such occasions, the souvenir industry goes into overdrive with collectable plates, mugs, spoons, cut crystal ware, tea towels, events programmes and biographies, coins and limited edition prints and pictures. Faced with such a broad array of artefacts may beg the question: ‘which one is collectable?’ Royal memorabilia can be traced back to the reign of Charles II (1660-1685) when delft pottery chargers were produced celebrating the restoration of the monarchy after the civil war. Seventeenth century royal commemorative chargers and mugs are now extremely collectable with a Charles II delft caudle cup realising £60,000 at auction in London a few years ago. Today royal memorabilia collecting is a national pastime and the wedding of Prince William to Kate Middleton will produce a new crop of collectors. However it must be borne in mind that many souvenirs of the royal event will have been produced in the hundreds of thousands so if you are collecting for investment rather than general interest, the opportunities for financial gain may be slim. The rule of thumb here is to collect what you can live with and enjoy. For investment purposes, only collect high quality limited edition products from recognised factories with short production runs of 2500 or fewer. On the whole though, modern royal memorabilia collectors will have to wait many years to see any sort of return on their investment. After all, after a century, an Edward VII colour printed mug can still be picked up for under ten pounds! In the meantime, enjoy the royal event and an extra day off in April. Three cheers to the royal couple!

Jeremy Lamond MRICS ASFAAV

Auctioneer and Director of Halls Fine Art, with 25 years’ experience including Christies, South Kensington. Board member of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors Professional Group, London, regular expert on BBC One’s Bargain Hunt, Shropshire Radio and writes for Antique Collecting Magazine. Specialises in European and Oriental porcelain, furniture and works of art. Member of the Society of Fine Art Auctioneers, National Association of Valuers and Auctioneers, ThetoFurniture Halls Auctioneers are delighted offer The Bernard Collection History Society,Bumpus The English Ceramics Circle.

of Charlotte Rhead and related Art Pottery

Annual garden opening at Walcot Hall If you’re fed up of spending your bank holidays wandering around garden centres and DIY stores then you should pay a visit to one of Shropshire’s oldest and most interesting country homes. Walcot Hall is a Georgian country house that is steeped in history and during the May bank holiday weekend they are inviting you to visit. You can take a tour round the house, a private family residence which was once

home to Lord Clive of India, and enjoy the gardens in full bloom with a prolific display of Rhododendrons and Azaleas during the spring months. You can meander through the arboretum with many unusual and well established specimen trees or relax and take in your surroundings of the impressive 18th century ballroom whilst enjoying tea and homemade cakes. Visit: www.walcothall.com or call: 01588 680570

The Derwen Experience Derwen College is one of the leading specialist colleges in the country for young people with a range of learning difficulties and disabilities. Their training departments offer a real-life working environment for the students, allowing them to develop their social skills and build confidence in themselves. The college is a great day out for all the family. You can sample homemade food and the fresh vegetables grown by the students themselves. Stop for a tea break at Betty’s Coffee Shop or Tiffins, pick up some fresh local produce at Young’s Farm Shop, or eat at the Orangery Restaurant. There is also a gallery, craft shop, greenhouse and woodland walks. The college will host a summer fete on 2nd June and a 10 mile sponsored walk on 3rd April through Oswestry. Visit www.derwen.ac.uk for more information or call: 01691 661234

Handmade Welsh gifts When you walk into a shop, you may not give much thought to the products around you and how they are made. Ruth’s Choice is a Welsh gifts and cards shop in the heart of Holywell with a focus on producing handmade gifts and items with a true taste of Wales. The shop is family run and everyone involved has a creative input. Some of the specialities include: home spun and dyed wool, hand-knitted garments, handmade jewellery, hand-dyed silk scarves, and wooden crafts made by local wood turners. Visit Ruth’s Choice on High Street in Holywell or call: 01352 711411 for more information

to be held on

Wednesday 9th February 2011 For further details or for a free appraisal 18 yattaryattar magazine Spring 2011 on selling your collection contact Jeremy Lamond MRICS FNAVA Christina Trevanion 10-25 What's On Spring 2.indd 18

T: 01743 284 777

04/03/2011 07:45

For the first time in almost 50 years, paying passengers will once again be jumping aboard trains from the newly restored platform at Oswestry Station. But that’s not all: Established heritage service at Llynclys Fascinating Railway Museum Cambrian Works Building – a real Fantastic Fun House!

EXPLORE NORTH WALES IN COMFORT - BY TRAIN !

estry! Trains Return to Osw

Our two narrow-gauge railways run through the very heart of the Snowdonia National Park and provide the perfect way to relax and enjoy the magnificent scenery - during a car-free, care-free journey in comfortable carriages complete with an ‘at-your-seat’ buffet service and on-train toilets. Trains run throughout the year with a daily service from late March to the end of October. There is always plenty to entertain the whole family, both on and around the railways - you can ride the trains all day, take a shorter trip to one of our many stations and explore local villages and countryside at your leisure before returning on a later train or visit us for one of our popular, ‘family-friendly’ special events. Train times and further information available on our website.

FFESTINIOG & WELSH HIGHLAND RAILWAYS

Antiques

Harbour Station, Porthmadog, Gwynedd, LL49 9NF

enquiries@festrail.co.uk

01766 516024

www.festrail.co.uk

and

Collectors Flea

at the Shropshir and West Midlands Shropshire Showground, Shrewsbury.

Saturday 7th & Sunday 8th May

BBC’s Bargain Hunt9am will be ﬁlming at the - 4.30pm event!

Amulet Fairs Tel:01824 01824703110 703110 Tel:

Wye View Cottages Gail and Peter Bell invite you to stay at their holiday cottages in one of the most outstanding areas of the country.

Market Weekend BBC’s unt Bargain H ing will be ﬁlm t! at the even

Call 01691 679 007 or visit cambrianrailways.com admin@cambrianrailways.com

Wye View Cottages offers you selfcatering holiday cottages in the heart of Wales.

Admissio

£3

Concessio

£2.5

accompan0 children g ied of

orvisit: visit: www.amuletfairs.co.uk or www.amuletfairs.co.uk

ree

Wye View self-catering cottages Tel/fax: 01686 440205 Tel 24h: 07887 985069

www.wyeview.org.uk

WHAT’S ON

Step into Spring with the National Trust DEER PARK RIDES Attingham Park, Shrewsbury 13th, 16th ,17th & 20th April Tel: 01743 708123 Visit Attingham Park for a tractor and trailer ride around the deer park and see their fallow deer herd up close. The rides will take place at various times on the above dates.

BIRD WATCHING AND CONSERVATION Carding Mill Valley, Church Stretton 29th March 7.30-9.30pm Tel: 01694 723680 Twelve sessions (six evening classroom sessions, each followed by a ﬁeld trip) between March and November for those who have already done some birdwatching and want to improve their knowledge. £65 for the 12 session course.

Spring reads A PICK OF OUR FAVOURITES!

Room Emma Donoghue Short-listed for the Man Booker prize 2010, this compelling story is told from the viewpoint of a ﬁve year old boy, Jack, who lives with his mother in a small ‘room’ which though he has never escaped from he believes to be home. What Jack doesn’t know is that both he and his mother are being held prisoners! Moving and captivating with sinister realisations and a cleverly told story. KJ

Jamie’s 30 minute meals Jamie Oliver If you have seen the programmes on TV then you’re most likely craving almost every recipe to try for yourself. The book offers some fantastic, easy recipes that are great for mid-week dinners or a special weekend treat – there is more than enough to choose from. Whether you can achieve them in 30 minutes is questionable but that doesn’t make them taste any different! Deﬁnitely worth a buy! KJ

FALCONRY DAY Bodnant Garden, Conwy 13th April 10.30am-4pm Tel: 01492 650460 There will be a variety of interesting birds on display with their handlers. There will be ﬂying demonstrations in the afternoon.

WEAR YOUR WELLIES DAY Erddig, Wrexham 10th April 11am-4pm Tel: 01978 355314 A great day out for all the family, Erddig will be hosting a packed day of events including gum boot dancing, wellie whanging, bug hunting, seed planting and worm charming as well as a story teller and the chance to hold live Owls and get your face painted.

EASTER EGG TRAIL Biddulph Grange Garden, Staffordshire 22nd-25th April 10.30am-5pm Tel: 01782 517999 Follow the trail around the garden which spells out a special Easter message.

EASTER IMAGE NT/RICHARD BIFIELD

BOAT LAUNCH DAY Plas Newydd Country House 2nd April 1pm (subject to tides) Tel: 01248 714795 Join Plas Newydd for the ofﬁcial launch of their new boat with special offer trips all day on the Menai Straits.

PRIVATE VIEW AT 10 Penryn Castle, Bangor 16th March, 20th April & 18th May Tel: 01248 353084 Visit Penryn Castle for a guided tour of the spectacular house.

Wrexham Museum re-opens Explore Wrexham’s rich history at the newly refurbished Wrexham County Borough Museum and Archives which re-opened its doors in February 2011 following a major community heritage project funded by the council, the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Welsh Assembly Government. The £2 million refurbishment which has been taking place over the last twelve months is the first in a series of improvements designed to encourage more people in the local area to discover their heritage. The mayor of Wrexham, Cllr Jim Kelly KSG was joined by renowned Welsh historian, Prof John Davies (pictured) at the official opening. The museum has been fully modernised to include a host of new attractions and interactive displays designed for all the family, including ‘Smelly Old Wrexham’ where visitors can follow their nose through the streets of Victorian Wrexham including the famous aroma of the Wrexham Brewery. Cllr Bob Dutton OBE, deputy leader for the council and lead member for communities performance says: ‘The museum will offer an amazing and interactive learning experience for young people and the older generation alike. I am amazed at the transformation and am confident that this project will protect Wrexham’s heritage for years to come’. Visit: www.wrexham.gov.uk/heritage or call: 01978 297460

20 yattaryattar magazine Spring 2011

10-25 What's On Spring 2.indd 20

04/03/2011 07:44

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Derwen Enterprises The Edge Adventure Activities is a leading Activity A leading activity centre near is Much Wenlock in The EdgeBiking Adventure Activities a leading Activity and Quad Centre located near Much Wenlock the heart of Shropshire. Mix and match from a andinQuad BikingofCentre located Muchyou Wenlock the heart Shropshire. At near The Edge can number of adrenaline pumping activities including: inchoose the heart of aShropshire. The Edgepumping you can from number of At adrenaline choose from aactivities number including: of adrenaline pumping activities including: QUAD BIKING QUAD BIKING MOUNTAIN BOARDING MOUNTAIN BOARDING TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES TEAM BUILDING ACTIVITIES CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING CLAY PIGEON SHOOTING ARCHERY ARCHERY OFF-ROAD KARTING OFF-ROAD ZIP LINE KARTING ZIP LINE HIGH ROPES HIGH ROPES ORIENTEERING ORIENTEERING If you would like to stay for the day you can ‘mix and Ifmatch’ you would to staytofor dayneeds, you can ‘mix and the like activities suitthe your and make ■your ARCHERY ■match’ the activities to suiteven needs, and make QUAD BIKING your break in Shropshire more memorable. ■ ZIPhen LINE (groups ■your MOUNTAIN BOARDING break Shropshire even more memorable. We cater for in friends and family, and stagonly) groups, ■ HIGH ROPES (groups only) ■ CLAY PIGEON We cater for friends and family, henjunior and stag groups, corporate/team building days and activity days. ■ ORIENTEERING SHOOTING corporate/team building days and junior activity days.

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WHAT’S ON

Spring Wakeboard Open at Glasfryn Parc

If you’re into wakeboarding, the Spring Wakeboard Open is designed for all standards of riders and could be the challenge for you. The event on Saturday 2nd April will kick off the season at the first wake park to open in Wales – Glasfryn Wakeparc – which opened in July 2010 and is part of the Glasfryn Parc, a large activity and adventure park in Pwhelli along Wales’ picturesque Llyn Peninsula. From 5th March the park is open to give you time to get some practice in for the big event! The day event will be rounded off with a fireworks display, bonfire and on-site party with live music acts. For more information or to enter visit: www.glasfryn.co.uk or call: 01766 810202

Westhope Craft College

Find the eggs at Llanberis Railway! The white rabbit is back at the Llanberis Lake Railway for the annual Easter Egg Hunt. Enjoy a journey on the train and hunt for the Easter Eggs cunningly hidden around the railway and stations. There will be a prize for all children at the end of the journey. Trains run daily from the 22nd-26th April at various times. Trains will depart from the main station Gilfach Ddu (next to the National Slate Museum). Family deals are available and the shop and cafe will be open. Visit: www.lake-railway. co.uk or call: 01286 870549

This year marks the 30th anniversary of the founding of Westhope Craft College and the college is holding a national competition. You can enter a craft that represents the theme ‘Inspired by Nature’, with £500 up for grabs. An exhibition will be held to showcase the entries from both competitions on 19th – 21st August. The college offers a vast selection of courses including wood carving, book arts, jewellery, and much more. Visit: www.westhope.org.uk. Tel: 01584 861293

Edge Adventure

We all need a little excitement in our lives and at The Edge Adventure Activities you will find more than enough to give you a fix of adrenalin! The multi-activity centre based in Much Wenlock, Shropshire offers a wide range of outdoor activities for all types of groups and is an ideal place for a birthday celebration or a day off from the office. The team will put together a tailor-made package for you and your friends or colleagues whether you want a skill-based

adventure, team building and management training or simply some light-hearted fun, they will ﬁnd the right activities for you and can cater for all ages and abilities. Edge Adventure is a popular choice for hen and stag groups to get together and let off some steam before the big day! You can do as little or as much as you want with a choice of: quad biking, clay pigeon shooting, mountain or grass boarding, archery as well as team building activities such as high ropes, zip line and orienteering.

30th Birthday for Rushworth’s It’s always good to hear about a company that’s doing well. Rushworth’s Furniture was started by father and son Geoff and Paul Rushworth (pictured) back in 1981 and has since been making fine handcrafted furniture and restoring antiques in Shrewsbury for over 30 years. Rushworth’s use timber from eco-friendly sources and make their own bespoke designs and have a vast range of contemporary, ready-made designs at their furniture showroom in Harlescott, Shrewsbury. To celebrate their 30th year in business, Rushworth’s will host a party for existing customers and friends of the business and will also be redesigning their website and premises. Go to: www.rushworthsfurniture.co.uk or call: 01743 445328

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 25

10-25 What's On Spring 2.indd 25

04/03/2011 07:44

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CRUSADERS ON THE WATER

Vince Mellars

Jarrod Sammut

Left to right: Lee Williams, Vince Mellars, Adam Peek, Jordan James, Lloyd White and Gil Dudson

ith the new Super League season underway, players from Wales’ only Super League side hit the water in a bid to get the edge over their rivals. Wrexham’s Crusaders squad headed to the Paddleworks centre in Llangollen for a spot of white water rafting as they ramped up their preparations for the season opener – their ﬁrst home game against Bradford Bulls at the Wrexham Racecourse ground. To get them ready to lock horns with the Bulls, head coach Iestyn Harris had arranged for the team to take part in some water-based activities as part of a team building exercise.

IMAGES Ioan Said, Celynnen Photography

Do the paddles work? The team spent an afternoon learning how to pilot a raft down the rapids on the River Dee in the splendid surroundings of Llangollen, with some players doing their best not to get wet. Veteran Australian prop Adam Peek came well prepared, kitted out with a swim cap and goggles to go along with his wetsuit! Looking ahead to the Bulls game, Harris said: ‘After the defeat to Harlequins it was full steam ahead

(Back) Vince Mellars and Jordan James (Front) Gil Dudson and Adam Peek

Sports stars go up river The Crusaders wanted to try something new. So we threw them into the deep end of the River Dee… preparing for the visit of Bradford Bulls. It was an important game for us so we thought we would take the boys out of their comfort zone and try something a bit different. The boys really enjoyed it and it is a bit of an adventure for us. ‘We were put in touch with Paddleworks through Yattar Yattar magazine. Paddleworks and Whitewater Active rafting had generously provided us with all the equipment and it was a really fun team building exercise for the players. ‘It is a long season and we are always looking for new training methods. Some of the boys were trying their best not to get wet but they got stuck in and it was a very good experience all round. We are fully focused on reaching the playoffs this season and the team are really looking forward to playing in front of our fans at the Racecourse Ground. Kiwi centre Vince Mellars was one of the players that took part in the exercise and enjoyed the whole experience. ‘The white-water rafting at Paddleworks was great fun. We’re either on the training paddock or the gym all week so it was good to do something interesting and a bit different. I’ve never done anything like this before and you

get a huge adrenalin rush when you are out there. It is deﬁnitely something I would love to do again. ‘I wasn’t too sure about Adam Peek’s swim cap and goggles combo though, a real fashion no no!’ ● For further information about Paddleworks, Whitewater Active and the range of courses they offer, please visit www.paddleworks.co.uk and www. whitewateractive.co.uk You can read up on all the latest Crusaders y news at www.crusadersrﬂ.com

Dates for Crusaders home games, at the Racecourse Ground in Wrexham ● Friday, 18 March Crusaders Rugby League V Catalans Dragons ● Friday, 8 April Crusaders Rugby League V St Helens ● Friday, 22 April Crusaders Rugby League V Huddersﬁeld Giants ● Sunday, 1 May Crusaders Rugby League V Wigan Warriors ● Friday, 13 May Crusaders Rugby LeagueV Wakeﬁeld Trinity Wildcats ● Friday, 3 June Crusaders Rugby League V Warrington Wolves For tickets, call 0871 221 9511

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 27

27 Crusaders2.indd 27

03/03/2011 15:42

The Royal Charter: over 400 died in the teeth of a full-blown hurricane

Wrecks, Riches & Tragedy

BY NIGEL DAVIES

ver since man took to the high seas there have been ship wrecks. The human tragedies that resulted hold a certain morbid fascination with the vast majority of us – just look at the interest in the Titanic disaster as an example. Each one has its own unique story to tell. When or if discovered on the seabed, they are fascinating timecapsules, sometimes perfectly preserving the everyday life of the unfortunate ships passengers and crew. Theses stories can also help give an insight into the development of trade between nations with the contents of the cargo hold. The history of warfare is also all there to see – despite all the dangers of the sea we’ve still found ingenious ways of killing each other! The North Wales coast has a particularly rich field of wrecks thanks

mainly to the area having a very strong industrial heritage, going as far back as 2,000 BC, with exports from the fascinating Great Orme Copper Mines near Llandudno to the likes of ancient Greece and Crete! Surprisingly, tourism has also accounted for a fair few number of disasters, as we will find out. The following tales of nautical woe are just three from an estimated 4,000 ship wrecks along this most treacherous of coastlines covering lost gold, world firsts and unfortunately, human error and loss of life.

The Royal Charter On the 26th October, 1859, one of the worst hurricanes ever to hit the British Isles resulted in over 800 deaths and millions of pounds worth of damage. Over half of these deaths can be accounted

PICTURE: The Daily Post

As soon as man took to the high seas, adventure, trade and exploration followed – but tragedy was always just around the corner. Yattar Yattar takes a look at three of North Wales’ rich array of ship wrecks – unveiling little-known facts along the way

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SHIP WRECKS

28-33 Shipwrecks.indd 29

just below the little ﬁshing village of Moelfre at approximately 2.30am. Thanks to the bravery of 28 local men and a Maltese seaman by the name of Jose Rodriguez who swam to shore from the stricken ship with a rope which formed a ‘Bosuns Chair’, forty of the estimated 450 passengers and crew were saved. The rest were either dashed to death on the rocks, drowned when the ship broke up or condemned themselves to the deep by jumping overboard with their gold in money belts. Over the next few days a cat and mouse game was played out between locals beach-combing for gold sovereigns and the militia brought

in to protect the extensive salvage operations. The Reverend Stephen Roose Hughes, Rector of the little church of Llanellgo a short distance away from Moelfre, almost single-handedly organised the collection and identiﬁcation of those bodies recovered and subsequently washed ashore. He also wrote hundreds of letters to grieving families, as well as turning his church into a temporary morgue where friends and relatives could identify their loved ones. Many of the victims were eventually buried in the churchyard, their headstones visible to visitors to this day. A memorial is also erected on the headland

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to one ship wreck alone, the SS Royal Charter. Plying the route between Britain and Australia, this iron hulled sailing clipper was one of the first vessels to be built with auxiliary steam engines, ensuring its continued passage even if the wind failed. This made it the first ship to be able to travel the near 15,000 miles in under 60 days, which at the time was astounding! Built on the River Dee in Flintshire, North Wales, the Royal Charter’s amazing performance came at just the right time as prospectors flocked to the newly discovered Australian gold fields in their thousands. Many were heading back home on that fateful night with their personal fortunes. The weather had been steadily deteriorating in the week running up to that dreadful disaster before developing into the full blown hurricane still known today as the Charter Storm. As the Charter rounded the north coast of Anglesey the wind changed direction, blowing the vessel relentlessly towards the coastline. Another great ship of the age, Brunel’s Great Eastern, had taken shelter in Holyhead but the relentless desire of the Royal Charter’s skipper, Thomas Taylor, to beat the 60 day deadline proved his – and his ships – ultimate undoing. Despite dropping all anchors, the tremendous wind eventually snapped the chain on each one in turn and the great ship hit a rocky outcrop

‘Thanks to the bravery of a Maltese seaman by the name of Jose Rodriguez – who swam to shore from the stricken ship with a rope – forty of the estimated 450 passengers and crew were saved. The rest perished’

04/03/2011 07:54

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SHIP WRECKS

‘The Royal Charter’s gold is still being above where the tragedy took place, recovered to with one of the recovered hull plates also on display, strangely enough, next to the this day’ RNLI Lifeboat Station. But what happened to all that gold? A great deal was recovered over the proceeding weeks by the crown but no doubt a substantial amount was collected by locals beach-combing the area. Indeed the precious metal is still being recovered to this very day by divers with speciﬁc licenses to do so – an indication of just how much gold was onboard that dreadful night 150 years ago! One positive thing to come out of this disaster was the decision by the meteorological ofﬁce to introduce the now familiar gale warning, which can be heard read out on national radio. This in itself has helped to save thousands of lives.

The Resurgam Inventors are an eccentric bunch. Let’s take the Reverend George William Littler Garrett as an example. Born in Manchester in 1852, George always had an interest in all things mechanical. After leaving Grammar School he studied Chemistry and General Science before attending Trinity College, Dublin. This resulted in his appointment as assistant master at the Manchester Mechanics’ Institute and all was well and dandy in the Garrett household – or so it seemed… George’s father was a Church of England curate and it’s not known whether it was this inﬂuence, or his own epiphany, that saw a sudden change in career when he passed the

Navigation and Pneumataphore Company Ltd (a pneumataphore is a device for removing carbon dioxide from the air) he raised £10,000 via a Manchester businessman and set to work. We can only assume he took time off on a Sunday but either way by 1879 he had created the Resurgam, a 45ft (14m) long submarine, displacing 30 tons, with the furnace and chimney of the steam engine having to be shut off before diving! Not surprisingly, it wasn’t very practical - the boiler full of superheated water made temperatures inside the submarine intolerable, as well as being highly unstable but, nonetheless the British Navy asked Garrett to pop down to Portsmouth from his Liverpool base for sea trials. Now George wasn’t daft – he realised the chances of reaching the south coast by piloting this unusual craft were slim, so he loaned a sailing yacht to tow the vessel and set out on 25th February 1880. Everything was ﬁne until they hit choppy seas just off Rhyl and our hero noticed he hadn’t clamped down the hatch on the top of the vessel. Within a very few minutes the submarine was gone, thought lost forever. And so it was until a local ﬁsherman asked a diver, Keith Hurley to free up his nets, which had caught on something, in 1995. The vessel was in remarkably good condition and many attempts have been made to raise the capital to bring it back ashore but to date non have

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IMAGE NWN NEWSPAPERS

The Resurgam: the one and only time steam power has ever been tried in a submarine

Cambridge Theological Examination and he became a curate in his own fathers parish. And all this by the age of 21. But, as the saying goes: ‘you can take the man from the bog but you can’t take the bog out of the man,’ and he was quickly back immersing himself in the world of science, in this case literally. For some reason only known to Garrett himself he took a complete fascination with how to explore, and ultimately travel, under the sea. This ﬁrst manifested itself in 1877 when he can be found demonstrating his invention of a diving suit to the French government in the River Seine. George’s next foray into all things nautical placed him well and truly in the history books as the inventor of the ﬁrst, and only, steam powered submarine! After creating the Garrett Submarine

30 yattaryattar magazine Spring 2011

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04/03/2011 07:55

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SHIP WRECKS been successful. But what happened to George? Well, he impressed a Swedish industrialist named Thorsten Nordenfelt to ﬁnance him and together they built further submarines for both Greece and Turkey. Indeed Garrett was commissioned as a commander in the Imperial Ottoman Navy for his troubles. A further vessel was built for the Russians but ran aground just off Jutland on the way there and the Russians refused to pay for it! This was the end for submarines as far as George was concerned and he emigrated to America where he lost all his savings in a failed farm project in Florida. He then joined the United States Army Corps of Engineers and was promoted to corporal. Unfortunately he contacted tuberculosis and died alone in New York City in 1902 – a sad end to such a colourful life.

The Penmon Lighthouse: built in 1837 following the Rothsay Castle disaster

IMAGES © Crown copyright (2010) Visit Wales/Llangollen museum

The Rothsay Castle If 130 people hadn’t lost their lives the story of the Rothsay Castle disaster would surely be the subject of a TV comedy. Built in 1816, this Scottish-built double paddle steamer plied its trade on the River Clyde before being transferred to Liverpool, from where she was used to take day trippers along the North Wales coast. And a very grand sight she was, in the beginning. Unfortunately, by 1831 she was more than a little worse for wear and, as was later described at the inquest,

‘down-right bloody dangerous!’ The story begins at around mid-day on the 17th August, 1831. At this point the day trip was already two hours late in setting off due to bad weather and the late arrival of a passenger. Now with its full compliment of 150 passengers the steamer headed out to open sea but met with strong winds and rough conditions. Passengers were becoming ill with the ‘un-smooth passage’ and one decided it was time have a word with Captain Atkinson about turning back. To his utter amazement and no little horror he found the Captain very drunk and in no way intending to turn his ship around – ‘we steam on’ he was later reported as saying. Now one of these trips usually took about six hours, arriving back in Liverpool at around 4pm. The Rothsay was still only off the Great Orme, Llandudno at 10pm and still Captain Atkinson was ploughing on – and to make matters even worse two feet of water was discovered in the stokehold! Trouble rapidly turned to farce as the water pumps were found un-operational, there wasn’t a single bucket on board to begin the bailing out and the single

lifeboat on board had a hole in the bottom and no oars! It was now 1am in the morning, dark and with deteriorating conditions the Rothsay Castle ﬁnally met the last straw when the steamer ran aground on Dutchman Bank on the Layan Sands, at the eastern end of the Menai Straits. It didn’t take too long for this wellworn vessel to break-up with the loss of 130 lives. Captain Atkinson and the two mates were swept to their deaths when the funnel collapsed, still very drunk presumably. Twenty-three survivors were picked up off the sands the following morning. The inquest, held at Beaumaris, was an extremely damning affair and highlighted the situation at the time of the lack of maintenance of vessels by unscrupulous operators. The jury eventually concluded: ‘Had the Rothsay Castle been a seaworthy vessel and properly manned, this awful calamity might have been averted. They therefore cannot disguise their indignation at the conduct of those who could place such a vessel on this station.’ At low tide the remains of the massive paddles can still be seen at this tragic site. As a result of this man-made disaster, a lifeboat was established at Penmon on the South East tip of Anglesey in 1832 and a lighthouse built there in 1837. y

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GARDENING

Spring

gardening tips Spring is here and it’s time to get out into the garden. And we’ve got some great advice from leading garden centres!

pring is finally here - at last, after what has seemed like a long, cold winter. So get into the garden and blow away all the old debris! March is the perfect time to rescue your garden and bring it back to life in preparation for the summer. Yattar Yattar spoke to our local gardening experts to find out what you should be doing in your garden. The experts at Percy Thrower’s Garden and Leisure say: ‘For shrubs that were hard hit pre-Christmas, don’t be too hasty in removing them. Give them a chance by trimming them back – they may yet recover. ‘For a really good spring clean, prune roses and shrubs back to a healthy looking, outward facing bud by cutting out all dead, diseased or damaged growth. Trim overgrown ivy, deadhead spring flowering bulbs – ideally before the seed head forms – but remember to leave the foliage or the flowering will be reduced. ‘Replace or replenish mulches

around trees, shrubs and perennials, and apply a general fertiliser. This will also help to reduce weed growth, and keep the soil moist. ‘Given the long spell of bad weather pre-New Year, the chances are that your lawn will be looking very downtrodden. Scarifying it every now and then for half an hour with a spring-tined rake will be time well spent. ‘Weather permitting, drag out the lawn mower and set the blades on high for the ﬁrst few cuts. Damaged areas can be reseeded, and now is also a good time to lay any new turf. ‘And above all, take some quiet time to really relish those ﬁrst signs of spring and new life; the daffodils bobbing back and forth in the breeze, the tiny new shoots and buds of bright colours. It’s nature’s timeless magic…’ Visit Percy Thrower’s Garden & Leisure at Oteley Road, Shrewsbury or visit: www.g-l.co.uk Tel: 01743 352311 for more information The Gardman Camera nest box – enjoy the thrill of hearing and watching your garden birds on TV! Equipped with sound and infrared vision and IR light source. Only £49.99 from Percy Thrower’s Garden Centre. Offer ends 20th March.

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GARDENING

The Birds and the Bees!

Bistro Set – classic style to match any garden. Available in cream or pale green £99.99. Get yours at Percy Thrower’s Garden Centre. Promotional offer ends 20th March.

AFTER SUCH A LONG HARSH WINTER, the first signs of spring are a welcome relief to many, including your garden wildlife. Your garden birds have had a very tough few months. Lower than average temperatures meant that for many garden birds the struggle for survival this winter would have been the toughest they have ever faced, however with the arrival of spring comes new challenges. If you regularly feed the birds you may find that you have more visiting your garden this spring than in previous years as the reliance on supplementary food this winter has been greater than in milder years, but to keep those birds visiting your garden it is important that you continue to support your local wildlife. We spoke to Martin George, Wildlife advisor at CJ WildBird Foods to find out more. Martin says: ‘People may think they need to provide less food or supply less frequently for their birds in the spring months compared to what they have been doing over the winter period. This is not the case, it is just as important to do this now, if not more so as the birds are trying to get into breeding condition but it is also important to make sure you are providing foods that will be of benefit to your garden visitors, when it comes to bird food it’s about the quality and not the quantity.’ ‘Whilst natural foods will be available during the breeding season, competition will be high with parent birds desperate to find enough food to sustain themselves and their young. Try to provide high energy supplementary foods to the birds such as black sunflower seeds and sunflower hearts which are rich in essential oils. I would recommend a high calorie, energy packed seed mix such as CJ Wildlife’s ‘Hi Energy No Mess’ which has the black sunflower husks already removed to minimise the effort required by your birds to get to the tasty heart inside. ‘It is important not to put your bird food in net bags as many small birds can

get their tongues trapped inside the netting leading to life threatening injury. Use hanging metal feeders instead which can also protect your foods from squirrels. Whilst kitchen scraps such as bread should be free from mould, digestive biscuits and fruit cake are acceptable common leftovers for birds but avoid using salty foods or fats. You should keep your bird table at least two metres from cover, if low down, to keep cats away. You should always keep the bird table clean and remove any old food and any bird droppings regularly to ensure your birds stay healthy. ‘It is not too late to put out a nest box and in March there is still a reasonable chance of it getting used. You should place them so that they are protected from driving rain and midday sun facing anywhere from the north round to the east and south east. They should be a couple of metres above ground and should also be kept away from feeders as birds can feel threatened if they think other birds are around. ‘As well as the birds, remember that other garden wildlife and beneficial insects will appreciate your help this spring. When it comes to having bees in your garden, I would highly recommend the Red Mason Bee, a harmless solitary bee, safe for children and pets. They are excellent pollinators of fruit trees and a wide range of flowers and tree blossom. For the first time and exclusively to CJ Wildlife, you can buy your own Red Mason Bee Cocoons supplied in special release chambers which are inserted into bee nests which will help boost the local population.’ For more information visit www.birdfood.co.uk or call: 01743 709545

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Buy Red Mason Bees to boost your crops this s p r ing Red Mason Bees Osmia rufa are safe with children and pets and are hugely beneﬁcial to our gardens and crops as they are excellent pollinators of fruit trees, raspberries, strawberries and are fond of a wide range of ﬂowers and tree blossom.

Red Mason Bee Cocoons For Sale

Our trials with Red Mason Bees in cherry and apple orchards have shown superb results. The quality of the fruit is greatly enhanced and you need relatively few Red Mason Bees to achieve these results compared to other bees. Now, for the ﬁrst time and exclusively from CJ Wildlife, you can buy your own Red Mason Bee Cocoons. When they emerge and start nesting in your garden, you will be helping to boost the local population of these super pollinators which in turn will help your garden ﬂourish. Your bee cocoons will be delivered in a release chamber which you place inside a bee nest (by removing some tubes to make space) and then uncover the hole in the cap ready for when they emerge. As this is a seasonal product, we will only be able to despatch bees up to the middle of April 2011. If you would like to be added to our mailing list to be kept informed about our bee project, or to register your interest in purchasing bees in spring 2012, please email bees@birdfood.co.uk.

To order please complete and return the form. Photocopies and handwritten orders accepted, please ensure all orders are clearly marked with “Yattar Yattar – C1978”. Item no.

Description

95190

Release Chamber with Live Bees

Quantity Price £14.95

95191

Release Chamber with Live Bees

£24.95

92040

Mason Bee Nest (bee’s not included)

£9.99

98128

Mason Bee Saver Pack

£24.95

(1 release chamber containing 10 bees +5 free) (1 release chamber containing 25 bees +10 free)

(includes 3 Mason Bee Nests saving you over £5 on normal RRPS, bee’s not included)

Total

 I enclose a cheque made payable to CJ WildBird Foods Ltd. Alternatively, complete your card details below: Card no: Start date:

Expiry date:

Maestro issue no. Security code:

Standard Postage & Packaging

£2.50

Standard P&P free on orders over £50

FREE

Order Total

Our new Mason Bee Nest is supplied with 29 individual tubes, 2 sets of screws and plugs for mounting and full instructions for siting your new nest and caring for bees.

(Last 3 numbers on signature script or for Amex, 4 numbers on the front of card)

Signature/date:

To order: Call freephone 0800 731 2820 quoting C1978 at the start of your call or visit www.birdfood.co.uk/redmasonbee Or complete & send with payment to: CJ WildBird Foods Ltd, The Rea, Upton Magna, Shrewsbury SY4 4UR Title: _____ Initial: _____Surname:___________________ Address: ________________________________________ _______________________________________________ __________________________Postcode:______________ Tel:___________________________(used for queries only)

Terms & conditions CJ WildBird Foods Ltd. Registered in England No. 2101581. Cards are charged at time of despatch. All items subject to availability. If you order you will be added to our mailing list to receive future catalogues. Your privacy is respected and your details will not be shared or sold to any other companies. Please notify us in writing to the address shown or email sales@birdfood.co.uk if you wish to be removed from our mailing list.

Freephone 0800 731 2820 www.birdfood.co.uk

GARDENING

LEFT: House Sparrow Nest Box With three nesting chambers, accommodating the House Sparrows preference for nesting in small colonies.£29.95 available at www. birdfood.co.uk or call: 0800 731 2820

Grow your own! If you love your garden and enjoy spending time digging, planting and simply reaping the rewards of your hard work then a great way to do this is to ‘grow your own’. You can redevelop an area in your garden and transform it into your own fruit and vegetable patch. We spoke to our gardening gurus at the Grosvenor Garden Centre who say: ‘Begin with sowing tomato seeds for indoor varieties – they really are very easy as a starting point for you to experiment with as they are so simple to grow and care for. Outdoor varieties should be sown in March and then you can plant them out in June. And this is the perfect time to mulch your vegetable patch. ‘Compact vegetable varieties of crops can be planted in pots throughout March and into April so if you do not have space in your garden for your own patch, pot-grown vegetables and herbs are still a wonderful addition to any backyard or hanging basket. ‘Early seed potatoes can be prepared too. Leave them to stand in a cool, bright position to grow shoots and you can start sowing crops outdoors including broad beans, lettuces, leeks and beetroot. ‘Together with preparing your lawn for summer with a spring feed, you should also begin to feed your plants now with a slow-release fertiliser. Add a layer of compost to enhance your pot-grown shrubs. If you do not already have a water butt, try to get one soon to reduce water wastage. Used correctly, collected rainwater can be used to water your garden throughout the summer.’ Visit: www.grosvenorgardencentre.co.uk or call: 01244 625200

Garden shopping Some fab new items for your garden

LEFT: A quirky herb planter in French Grey (£99.95). With a traditional beehive design yet with a contemporary twist. www. grosvenorgardencentre. co.uk 01244 625200 RIGHT: Gardman Patio Brush – blitz moss, weeds and dirt from patios. Rust resistant stainless steel bristles with front and back scraper. £12.99, available from www. snowdonianurseries.co.uk, 01492 580703

RIGHT: Personalised Square Planter, £39.99, www.GettingPersonal.co.uk, 0845 217 6382

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Plan the Perfect Day

Royal Weddings, Welsh gold, dresses, diamonds and a whole lot more!

Caught in a wedding frenzy!

Mario Testino

his years’ Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton is set to be the spring celebration that will be talked about for years to come – but what about your big day? Yattar Yattar thought we’d put together a guide to wedding planning to make sure that your wedding is one to remember too! On Friday 29th April, Prince William will marry his princess Kate Middleton at Westminster Abbey which has seen both the Queen and Queen Mother marry as well as the funeral of Princess Diana in 1997. Their wedding is set to be the biggest and most expensive event of the year with the whole of Britain watching and celebrating.

Whether you have opted for a big lavish occasion or an intimate family affair for your own wedding, there will be plenty to plan and organise. We spoke to the experts to provide you with some excellent advice and top tips on how to make your wedding special and stress free! We bring you all you need to know about Welsh gold, idyllic venues across Wales, original wedding gifts, quality photography and even how best to celebrate your ﬁnal moments of freedom! This may not be in keeping with how the Royals would celebrate a wedding but you can be sure to celebrate in style and give it a good go!

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WEDDINGS

The Hidden Realms of Welsh Gold

By Jane Redfern Jones Most of us will never catch a glimpse of it, but pure Welsh gold bares an engraving of a Welsh maiden and the hallmark Aur Cymru, meaning literally ‘gold Wales’. Ever since the late Queen Mother’s wedding in 1923, royal wedding rings have been made of Welsh gold, and if William and Kate follow royal tradition, the new Princess Catherine’s wedding ring will contain Welsh gold from a special Royal family reserve. The wedding rings of the Queen Mother, Queen Elizabeth, Princess Margaret, the Princess Royal, and Diana, Princess of Wales were all crafted from the same nugget of Welsh gold. Of the gold held by the Crown Jeweller Garrards & Co and mined at Clogau, not far from Gwynfynydd, only a sliver of the original nugget remains. Another 36-ounce nugget was presented to the Queen by the British Legion in 1981. Gold from this nugget was used for Sarah the Duchess of York, Sophie, Countess of Wessex, and Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall in 2005. Welsh gold is highly prized because of its origin and scarcity and it occurs naturally in two distinct areas of Wales. One area is in North Wales in a band stretching from Barmouth, past Dolgellau and up towards Snowdonia. This was mined at several mines, the largest of which was the Gwynfynydd Gold Mine, near Ganllwyd, and the Clogau Gold Mine near Bontddu. The story of the Clogau mine began one spring morning in 1854 when Mr Goodman, the original director of the Clogau copper mine, casually picked-up a piece of waste rock and broke it in two. As he expected, the cracked fragments showed no trace of copper. What he didn’t expect was the glittering yellow metal that was revealed. From that day on, the abandoned copper mine was given a rich new lease of life. The first seam from the Clogau St. David’s Gold Mine produced a very beautiful and distinctive Welsh rose gold, the reddish tint being due to the fact that the gold is stained by copper which lies in the rock next to the veins of gold. Due to the scarcity of the gold and the extraordinary cost of mining it, production ceased in 1995. Re-opening the old mines would take an enormous amount of money and the likelihood of finding Welsh gold would not be guaranteed. With the current stockpile of Welsh gold now in rapid decline there is only enough to last several more years until it all runs out. Due to this scarcity there is no actual market rate for Welsh gold. It sells for around three times the price of ordinary gold making it the rarest and most expensive metal in the world.

The So Chic look

Are you busy planning your daughter’s wedding and wondering what on earth to wear yourself? The mother of the bride is the second most important person at the wedding and she should be looking her best for the big occasion! Yattar Yattar talked to Carys Davies at So Chic in Bangor for some expert advice. Carys says: ‘Mothers of the bride tend to leave their outfit until last. This is typical of mothers, always making sure everyone else is tended to first! They obviously want to look and feel their best on their daughter’s special day and providing you start looking for your outfit early on then it can be one of the most enjoyable parts of the whole planning process. ‘Colour choice is important and this will need to complement the colour scheme of the wedding. It helps a lot if the bride chooses the colour scheme as soon as possible. You should try to be open minded and willing to try various styles and don’t forget to wear suitable underwear for trying on! Take your daughter with you or a friend – someone you know will be supportive and honest. ‘The trends for spring/summer 2011 in terms of colour are pinks, peaches, blues, black and white. Style wise, I feel it is more important to choose a style that compliments your body shape than go for something that is ‘in fashion’ at the time.’ Visit: www.sochicbangor.co.uk or call to arrange an appointment on: 01248 372283

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SUGAR & SPICE Wedding cakes Birthday cakes Ornaments & decorations Celebration cakes Christening cakes Ingredients Stand & tin hire The right clothing for everyday and that special occasion

& much more...

For a dec ll you ora r ting cake nee ds

We are stockists of Steilmann, Emreco, Oscar B, Olsen, Poppy, Libra, Chianti and many more.

Jenevieve, 12 Bridge Street Llangollen, LL20 8PF Telephone: 01978 869 210

The Welsh Lovespoon Centre Lovespoons were traditionally carved in the 17th century by the men of Wales who could not read or write as a token of their love and affection. Visit: www.lovespoons.info to view our extensive range of Lovespoons or pop into The Lovespoon Centre on Market Street, Llangollen where we can provide a one to one service to help you with your choice.

Find us at: 6 Charles Street, Wrexham LL13 8BT Find us on facebook: Sugar & Spice - Wrexham

www.sugarandspice-wrexham.co.uk

Made in Wales

Lovespoons are a lovely gift idea for any special occasion from weddings and anniversaries to christenings and graduation or just as a sign of friendship. Each spoon comes with a gift card providing the story and meaning behind it. We also offer Laser Engraving enabling you to personalise your lovespoon.

01978 860187

tel: 01 264 978 355

www.lovespoons.info

RESTAURANT

Brookhouse Mill is a 17th century water mill, which has been restored into an atmospheric restaurant which still features the low beams, grinding stones, cogs and wheels of its industrial past. Serving a variety of menus from light snacks at lunchtime to fine a la carte menu in the evening using great local welsh produce. Our traditional Sunday lunch is extremely popular and good value. Why not treat your special mum on April 3rd. We also have a large function room, catering for weddings, christenings and parties and a modern conservatory for private dinner parties and special occasions. We are open for lunch and dinner 7 days a week and open all day on Sundays. Situated on the A525 between Denbigh and Ruthin with ample parking.

Visit our website for more information:

www.brookhousemill.co.uk or call us on: 01745 813377

WEDDINGS

Wedding Venues in North Wales and Shropshire landscaped gardens and is one of only two hotels in Shrewsbury to be awarded four AA stars.

SEIONT MANOR Caernarfon, Gwynedd www.handpickedhotels.co.uk/ seiontmanor

Create your perfect wedding ring!

Your wedding ring will be with you for the rest of your life and should be something you are in love with as much as the man you are marrying! If you are looking for something a little different; a wedding ring that is special and individual to your requirements, you should seek the advice of The Ring Workshop in Oswestry. Yattar Yattar spoke to owners Mark and Abi who showed us just some of the sparkling delights on offer… Abi says: ‘When it comes to the engagement, it is very common these days for the man to choose a stone to present for the proposal rather than buying the ring itself. The couple can then be together when choosing a setting for the stone to go in. A metal can be selected and the lady can be fitted for the ring size.’ There are a range of metals available; gold – these can be rose, yellow or white, platinum or palladium. Platinum is a popular choice for women for both the engagement and wedding rings at the moment. ‘We are completely flexible when it comes to price,’ says Abi, ‘we know that people have varying budgets and varying requests but you can choose a ring that will be in keeping with your budget by selecting an alternative metal, a different pattern or band width. Our advice to brides is that your engagement ring should be the main focal point on your finger and we would recommend something simple and classic in a wedding band to compliment this.’ The Ring Workshop’s range consists of over 500 handmade designs and they also stock a selection of high quality brands. So there is an abundance of rings to try on and find the one you love. www.ringworkshop.co.uk or call: 01691 828145

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Bodidris Hall

BODIDRIS HALL Llandegla, Wrexham www.bodidrishall.com

Tel: 01286 673366 This country house has everything you need for a fairytale wedding in Snowdonia.

The Quay Hotel and Spa

Tel: 01978 790434 This historic 14th Century stately home provides a spectacular backdrop for memorable wedding photographs.

BRYN HOWELL HOTEL Trevor, Llangollen www.brynhowel.com Tel: 01978 860331 Set in the beautiful Vale of Llangollen, the idyllic setting of the Bryn Howell can cater for all requirements.

WILD PHEASANT HOTEL Berwyn Road, Llangollen www.wildpheasanthotel.co.uk Tel: 01978 860629 Wild Pheasant Hotel

WALCOT HALL Lydbury North, Shropshire www.walcothall.com Tel: 01588 680570 Celebrate your wedding in the 18th Century ballroom of this Georgian country house, ranked as one of Shropshire's most characterful venues.

STIWT THEATRE Rhos, Wrexham www.stiwt.co.uk Tel: 01978 844053 Brand new! Themed weddings with a red carpet arrival, special private dining menu and bespoke evening entertainment in the West End style theatre. One of the most popular wedding venues in the area. Set in acres of Welsh countryside it even has a luxury spa!

Walcot Hall: Georgian Grandeur

THE QUAY HOTEL AND SPA Deganwy Quay, Conwy www.quayhotel.co.uk Tel: 01492 564100 A romantic setting set against the backdrop of Conwy Castle and the Conwy Estuary.

ALBRIGHT HUSSEY MANOR Shrewsbury www.albrighthussey.co.uk Tel: 01939 290523 The Grade Two listed manor hotel is set in over four acres of beautiful

04/03/2011 08:05

WEDDINGS Photo by Marc Byram

Capture the moment

A shot over Lake Vrynwy by John Quinn

Your wedding photographer holds the key to the memories of your special day and will be with you for a big part of it so it is important to pick somebody that you can work with and trust. You want to be able to look back at your photographs and smile knowing that the best moments were captured and will be there to treasure for years to come. Marc Byram is a professional wedding photographer from Nantwich who can work on location across Cheshire, the North West and Wales. Marc offers a rehearsal pre-wedding shoot to really get to know the wedding couple and he will also photograph at the evening celebrations. To see his gallery and ﬁnd out more information visit: www.marcbyramphotography.co.uk or call: 01270 620923 John Quinn has 15 years experience in photography offering a bespoke wedding service that can be individually tailored to meet your speciﬁc requirements. John is based in Shropshire but travels throughout the UK to photograph your wedding. To see more of his wedding images visit: www.johnqphoto.com or call: 01691 657555

A hen party to remember! There is so much choice these days when it comes to planning a hen party. With many different themes, venues and activities to consider you want to ﬁnd something that will suit all tastes and ages as well as give the bride to be a hen party to remember! The ultimate girls night usually involves music, singing and of course dancing! Candy and Chrome are a dance company based in Chester who provide classes and parties for a wide-range of dance including pole dancing, modern ﬂapper dancing, burlesque and even can-can so that you can create the perfect dance party for you and your friends – an ideal hen celebration! Candy and Chrome will organise everything for you including food, glittering costumes and an overnight stay. Visit www.candy-chrome.co.uk

A DRESS MADE JUST FOR YOU! Marion Kennedy is the dress designer at DEVA, a bespoke fashion design company based in North Wales. She specialises in mediaeval-themed bridal gowns, and each design is handmade to incorporate all of the details and designs that the bride requires. A bespoke wedding gown costs from £800. Turn to page 45 to see the DEVA wedding collection come to life in our special fashion feature, and visit: www.devadesigners. co.uk or call Marion on: 07919 676186

Gifts: A Wedding Garden Knowing what to buy the wedding couple isn’t easy! The Wedding Garden Company along with Trees Direct offer an interesting slant to the traditional wedding gift list – why not buy the happy couple their very own garden! You will ﬁnd a selection of plants, trees, garden-related products and even designs to be given as wedding presents and The Wedding Garden Company can create an on-line wedding gift list for the couple and manage it in the normal way. There is so much to choose from

and we at Yattar Yattar love the idea of buying a fruit tree that the bride and groom will be able to plant the year of their wedding and watch grow as their marriage grows – the perfect romantic gesture! You can have anything from Apple and Apricot to Blueberry and Cherry and there is even the Damson ‘Shropshire prune’. We are offering a lucky reader the chance to win a selection of three of these beautiful fruit trees so turn to page 80 to enter our competition!

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NEW! mother of the bride range now available We are a luxurious occasion wear studio offering personal one-to-one appointments with mother of the bride, party and cocktail wear to suit all budgets. A one-stop shop with all you need for that special occasion.

We are stockists of Ann Balon, Fenn Wright Manson, Linea Raffaelli, Luis Civit, Michael H & Michel Ambers

Visit us at 154 High Street, Bangor, Gwynedd LL57 1NU

www.sochicbangor.co.uk

Opening times: Monday-Friday 10am - 5.30pm Saturday 9.30am - 5.30pm

01248 372283

email: carysd@tiscali.co.uk

Evening appointments are also available.

Look your best, always... Discover the best colours and styles for you. Whether you are 17 or 70+, this will work for you. Do you struggle to choose the right clothes?

Shropshire's Wedding Ring Specialist

Colour analysis

Have a full wardrobe but nothing to wear?

Style classes

Feel out of date?

Personal shopping

Want to look younger healthier, slimmer?

Talks and demonstrations

Make up class

Mac Tompsett has the answer!

01978 852816 email: mactompsett@fsmail.net

www.mactompsettimage.co.uk

Colourmebeautiful

4 Smithfield Street Oswestry â&#x20AC;˘ Shropshire Telephone: (01691) 238297 www.ringworkshop.co.uk

Do you require a shaped wedding ring? Our bespoke fitting service will be able to fashion a wedding ring to STUDIO VISITS BY APPOINTMENT PLEASE. match your engagement ring perfectly.

The Brigands Inn Hotel and Restaurant

OUTSIDE CATERING AND MARQUEE HIRE

Set in the heart of the Cambrian Mountains, The Brigands Inn is a 15th century coaching inn that serves excellent food and offers elegant accommodation with stunning views. Our cuisine is a mix of contemporary and classic Welsh using seasonal, local produce to create unforgettable meals for all occasions. We also won AA Pub of the Year for Wales in 2006/2007.

Let us take all the stress out of your wedding day preparations by offering the complete package of venue, catering and bar facility.

For more information visit

www.brigandsinn.com or call us on:

01650 511999

Mallwyd, Nr. Machynlleth, Powys SY20 9HJ

We are accomplished outside caterers with over 10 years experience. Our clear white span marquee can be hired on site or even brought to you for your own requirements. The marquee can take from 60-200 guests.

The Penrhos Arms Hotel and Restaurant

We can also organise luxury toilet facilities, heating and entertainment.

A traditional Welsh welcome awaits at the Penrhos Arms Hotel in the heart of Machynlleth. Enjoy a relaxing short break or overnight stay in one of our rooms all furnished to a high standard and with en-suite facilities. Dine in our homely restaurant and choose from a comprehensive menu that changes on a daily basis with local produce, meat, game and fish.

Visit our website for more information:

www.brookhousemill.co.uk or call us on: 01745 813377 email: info@brookhousemill.co.uk

Visit: www.penrhosarms.com or call:

01650 511243

Wishy Washy

Cleaning Services

Based in Wrexham, we are a friendly run business with over 5 years experience in window cleaning. Our staff are reliable and fully uniformed.

The Mansion

Step through the looking glass into the mansion and follow the quiz through the beautiful state rooms

At the Farm

Help the Queen of Hearts make jam tarts and follow the Cheshire Cat Trail

In the Gardens

Follow the White Rabbit Trail to the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

The Stableyard

Watch the Mad Hatter’s Magic Show and Mr Bimbamboozle’s Alice puppet show

And... Easter crafts Entry prices apply. and country Tatton Park, Knutsford, Cheshire, WA16 6QN. shopping For more information call 01625 374400 fair! or visit www.tattonpark.org.uk

Services Available: Pole System (reach up to 60 ft) Traditional Window Cleaning (Domestic & Commercial) Conservatory Roof Cleaning uPVC Cleaning Signs / Fascias / Gutter Cleaning We specialise in serving the needs of homes & businesses that want the highest standards of cleaning at very competitive prices. We are fully insured and all work carried out follows the health and safety regulations. Wishy Washy Window Cleaning in Wrexham Wishy Washy is based in Wrexham but covers a wide surrounding area for both domestic & commercial window cleaning. We offer commercial and domestic window cleaning in the following areas: North Wales, North Shropshire, Chester and the Wirral

✆ 01978 842961

Martin: 07888

816716

Steven: 07540

www.aawishywashy.co.uk

821597

style

Wedding

WEDDING DRESSES

Sumptuous wedding dresses, lovingly handmade and photographed at Bodidris Hall

Above: A dupion ﬁshtail skirt, with gold embroidered dupion laced bodice, £1,100 (right), and an embroidered taffeta bodice and scalloped taffeta skirt, £1,000 (left)

Above: A taffeta bodice and skirt with black lace trimming on the bodice and black netting underskirts, £3,000. Hat £75

Photography by Marc Byram, 01270 620923 www.marcbyramphotography.co.uk Models: Monica and Angharad. Tanya Model/Casting Agency. Email: tanyacasting@gmail.com, Tel: 07919 676 186 Dresses: DEVA Bespoke Designers. www.devadesigners.co.uk Email: marion@devadesigners.co.uk Tel: 07919 676186 Labels such as Pronuptia available to hire. DEVA have a new shop opening in Llandudno at 28 Queen’s Square, Craig-y-Don. Shot on location at Bodidris Hall Hotel, a 650-year old stately home, 01978 790434, www.bodidrishall.com

Above: A cream Nottingham lace column dress with ﬁshtail, £800

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 45

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04/03/2011 08:07

Positive Hypnotherapy Change what you’re doing.... and set yourself free!

Forever Young 41, Broad st, Ludlow, Shropshire, SY8 1NL Tel:

01584 872220

Firm Figure and Beauty Waterloo House, Long Bridge street, Newtown SY16 2BJ Tel:01686

Our Treatments include ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗ ◗

Sympathetic, respectful, Solution Focused Hypnotherapy which is none-intrusive and effective. Available in Chester, Wrexham, Oswestry and Nantwich.

Helps to aid sleep Supports weight loss Helps to stop smoking

www.firmfigureandbeauty.co.uk

Promotes conception Helps with fears We also produce relaxation and hypnosis CD’s and downloads, as well as a national telephone therapy service.

Speak to Alan Wick on: 01244 458676 or visit: www.positivehypnotherapy.net for more information.

Cosmetic injections Dermal fillers Medical chemical skin peels Vein removal Ipl permanent hair removal Cryo – pen Removal of moles and skin tags Indian head massage Hopi ear candle Hot stone massage therapy Aromatherapy massage Manicures, pedicures, facials and much more

Find us online at www.foreveryoungclinicludlow.webs.com

Helps with relaxation Soothes stress

625500

Clinics at Ludlow and Newtown

Clare Spalding, RGN RM DIP HE BSC (Hons) CA (Harley Street Qualified)

◗ Fully qualified and insured with over 25years experience ◗ Gift vouchers available Opening hours tues – Fri 9.30am – 6.00pm

Appointments available 7 days a week upon request

BOOK YOUR FREE CONSULTATION TODAY

Give a Little, Save a Lot. Curves is a fun and effective 30-minute workout for women with all the support you need. Bring in a shopping bag of non-perishable food to help people in need and we’ll return the favour by asking you to join Curves for FREE!

Bring in a bag of non-perishable food - Join for FREE*

LOOKING GOOD, FEELING GREAT!

Bring in a bag of

All food will be donated to non-perishable food Wrexham Join forWomen’s FREE*Aid. • • • • •

Make new friends 4 month contract Free parking There are over 240 Free monthly assessments Curves Clubs across the UK. No appointments needed for your workouts • New Curves Circuit with Zumba.

We are a hair, beauty and toning studio in Mold offering everything you need to get you looking and feeling your best! All aspects of hair & beauty including: ● Non-surgical

● Waxing

● Manicures ● Facials

● Acrylic

face lifting

and pedicures

nails ● Body treatments ● Spray tanning ● Toning bed and cardio equipment ● Cuts, colours and styling

We also offer a fabulous new airbrush make-up service as used by the stars. A wedding hair sculpturist is also available.

[

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Both ideal for a wedding.

Grosvenor Street, Mold, Flintshire CH7 1EJ

Tel: 01352 751993 Email: SWInches2@aol.com

curves.co.uk

The power to amaze yourself.™

01978-357711 Borras Park Road Wrexham, LL12 7TG www.curveswrexham.com *Food or cash donation required to a local charity determined by the club. Offer based on first visit enrolment, minimum 4 months direct debit programme.New members only. Not valid with any other offer. Valid only at participating locations from 1/4/11 - 16/4/11. © 2011 Curves International, Inc.

HEALTH

Alternative

HEALTH Going back on your New Year’s resolutions is no reason to give up now! Let’s get healthy!

Positive attitude, positive hypnotherapy CAN HYPNOTHERAPY HELP RID YOU OF BAD HABITS, FEARS AND INSECURITIES? Some people still believe hypnotherapy is about inﬂuencing people to do silly, crazy things. However, modern, solutionfocused methods of hypnotherapy are about a controlled state of mind where the patient is aware of the situation they are in and can ultimately control their own outcome of the therapy. For example, would you like to stop smoking? Alan says: ‘Provided that you have made your mind up that you really want to stop smoking, then you will smoke your last cigarette (or cigar, or pipe) before the session, and leave as a non-smoker. ‘In the sessions, we focus on visualisation and pleasant surroundings – this is gradual and progressive and allows the patient to voluntarily enter the required state of mind. We use alpha music and comforting surroundings to help. I would describe it like being deeply involved in a book or ﬁlm; you are strongly focused but also aware of your surroundings.’ Go to: www.positivehypnotherapy.net or call Alan Wick on: 01244 458676 Alan studied at the Clifton Practice in Bristol which is one of the leading natural health centres in the south west taught by Co-founder David Newton, a pioneer of solution focused hypnotherapy.

Face facts

We should all take good care of our skin and there is a lot more to it than treating ourselves to facials on a regular basis and using expensive cosmetics. We spoke to Clare Spalding owner of Firm Figure and Beauty and Forever Young and found that they offer medical aesthetics including cosmetic injections for wrinkle reduction, dermal fillers, medical chemical peels, I.P.L permanent hair removal, thread and spider vein removal, and cryro-pen removal of skin tags and moles. Clare trained under Harley Street Aesthetics, London and has 27 years of clinical practice in the NHS. The Ludlow and Newtown clinics both offer a variety of holistic treatments such as hot stone massage and reflexology as well as a wide range of facials and eye treatments. Call: 01584 872220 (Ludlow) or 01686 625500 (Newtown).

Get your natural curves back!

Do you avoid joining a gym because you would feel self-conscious? Many people feel this way and most of them are women! Curves is the largest fitness franchise in the world and is the first fitness and weight loss facility specially designed for women so you can enjoy exercise in a woman friendly atmosphere! Yattar Yattar spoke to Sarah at Curves, Wrexham to find out more... Sarah says: 'Curves provides affordable, one-stop exercise and nutritional information for women using a thirty-minute workout and weight management programme that has been a proven success. We have a unique circuit with resistance machines which adapt automatically to the user's strength and fitness level. The equipment is designed specifically for women's bodies targeting areas women are mostly keen to firm and tone. Curves have now joined forces with the dance fitness that is sweeping the nation to bring you Curves circuit with Zumba beginning in March in Wrexham. For more information visit: www.curveswrexham.com or call: 01978 357711

Medicine to your door!

Most of you will have been through the frustrating process of picking up prescriptions and medicines at some point in your lives. Long queues of people at the pharmacy all waiting for their medicines, plus the trip into town, can make the whole thing a hassle. But now there is a new solution to this age old problem that you can take advantage of. Dispense 2 U, based in Oswestry, is an online pharmacy supplying prescription medication via either an NHS prescription or private prescription. They can pick up prescriptions from the local surgeries in the Oswestry area and then deliver medications directly to your door. They also offer a postal service. For more information visit: www.dispense2u.org or call: 01691 670292 Email: orders@dispense2u.org.uk

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FASHION

passion flowers

Great ﬂoral dresses and accessories that will brighten any spring day!

Make a statement in this 70’s ﬂoral garden maxi dress £69, belt £29.50, Marks and Spencers, www.marksandspencer.co.uk

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Floral print dress £18, Asda, 0800 952 0101

Floral patterned dress by Chianti. This label is available at Jenevieve in Llangollen, Tel: 01978 869 210

Meadow white ﬂoral dress £95, Monsoon, 0844 811 0069 www.monsoon.co.uk

Floral print jersey dress £75, East, 0208 877 6543

Ivory multi frill print dress £95, Alexon, 01582 399813 www.alexon.co.uk

Zipped denimcoloured jacket, by Emreco, £77, available from Jenevieve in Llangollen, Tel: 01978 869 210 A great shoe to really make your outﬁts £22, Monsoon, 0844 811 0069 www.monsoon.co.uk

Beautiful ﬂower necklace £22, Accessorize, 0844 8110068 www.accessorize.com

Rose printed dress £85, Monsoon, 0844 811 0069 www.monsoon.co.uk

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04/03/2011 11:24

The Best of

Betws-y-Coed A new series of features spotlighting the best towns and villages in Wales and the Northwest

he principal village of the Snowdonia National Park, with a name that means literally ‘blessed place in the woods’, Betws-y-Coed is a very beautiful part of the world indeed. It has been popular with tourists ever since Thomas Telford’s A5 allowed visitors a quicker route into the heart of the Welsh mountains. Yattar Yattar went in search of the places that we felt represented the best of the area, and talked to the owners about what Betws-y-Coed stands for and what makes their part of it special.

Tree Top Adventure

Ty Gwyn Hotel A former coaching inn, set alongside the A5 as you drive into Betws-y-Coed, the Ty Gwyn Hotel has been run by the same family, and had the same head chef, for 28 years. The Ty Gwyn is a lovely combination of a relaxed, informal setting with great food. In fact, it’s the restaurant that brings people back time and again as Martin’s reputation for experimentation and creative dishes has grown. ‘Our local suppliers include the Pen Loyn farm in Llanrwst for their lamb, and we actually get our pork from my neighbour!’ says Martin. ‘I think our popularity is because we do use local produce – it’s partly why people like restaurants in rural Wales. ‘This building was originally a row of cottages – so far we’ve found six ﬁreplaces, unearthed during our renovations – built in 1636, and most of the original structure remains so it really is a piece of history!’ Tel: 01690 710383 www.tygwynhotel.co.uk

‘We’re now a lot more than just a high ropes course,’ says Sean, founder and owner of Tree Top Adventure. ‘We’ve got orienteering, a downhill mountainbike course and a bolted climbing crag. We can do coasteering, guided walks and gorge walking. We are growing into a multi-activity provider for the area, which is exactly what we need here in Betws-y-Coed. ‘Having come back to the valley I grew up in after 22 years away with the Royal Marines, I saw there was a gap in the market, and I could see that’s the way the tourist market for Wales was going.’ Calling on the technical expertise of RCD (ropes course development), Sean set up the course, including a unique safety system which allows climbers to move from one obstacle to another without detaching. ‘We get a huge cross-section of people visiting us to try the high ropes

The Bistro

There is a family affair in the heart of the village serving nightly treats of traditional Welsh cuisine with a modern twist. Paul and Chris Adams (the chefs) and their partners Andrea and Shan, run the Bistro

course because it’s great fun and you leave with a massive sense of achievement. We get groups of all kinds schools, companies, military, stag and hen parties, and birthdays. The youngest we’ve had is four, the oldest I think was 78! ‘My hope for Betws-y-Coed is that we start working together more closely to build the reputation of this part of Wales. There really is great potential here for providers of quality services.’ Tel: 01690 710914 www.ttadventure.co.uk

which has grown steadily in popularity with locals and visitors to the area alike. Chris says: ‘Our take on traditional Welsh cooking is to give it a modern twist – for example a goats chess rarebit with Madeira sauce, or the popular trio of Welsh lamb. ‘We use traditional methods in the kitchen – we make all our own stocks and sauces – and only use local produce. Paul wouldn't have anything less, having worked with Marco Pierre White in Harveys in London.’ Tel 01690 710328 www.bistrobetws-y-coed.com

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BETWS-Y-COED

‘We love it here, and feel like we’ve become part of the local community’

Coed-y-Celyn Hall Tracy and Michael Williams decided seven years ago to take on the wonderful Coed-y-Celyn Hall, just outside Betws-y-Coed, and convert into selfcatering accommodation. ‘I am practical and can turn my hand to most things (I was a mechanical engineer at Heathrow airport),’ says Michael, ‘And we do have a number of friends in the areas - plus my brother is a builder, so we manage. But we did not imagine the size of the project when we took this on! ‘What we’ve tried to achieve is apartments that feel clean and modern, but at the same time we tried to retain as many of the original features as possible. This really is an amazing old building – the original structure was built in 1840, then was added to in the following decades. Our Italianate tower really stands out, and you can’t beat the riverside location. ‘We love it here, and feel like we’ve become part of the local community – I’ve joined the local Fire and Rescue Service too! Once people visit this part of Wales, we’ve found they’re very likely to come back as there really is no other place like this. We get a lot of climbers and walkers, more the active types, coming to stay with us and for short breaks, we only charge per person (£27 pp per night). Tel: 07821 099595 e-mail: stay@snowdonia-self-catering.co.uk

Anna Davies – the area was becoming a more popular tourist destination in the post-war years. Sara says: ‘We always endeavoured to move with the times at Anna Davies – for example we now have an online shop. The fashion trend is orientated toward the country and outdoor – a lot of tweed, sheepskin, flatcaps, with silk scarves and barbours, and of course the obligatory brightly coloured wellies! The watchword at Anna Davies is always quality, at competitive prices.’ ‘ I think we need to preserve the uniqueness of Betws-y-Coed because the people who come here visit us for this individual charm.’ Tel 01690 710292 www.annadavies.co.uk

The A5 Tea Bar This diner, set in a layby on the A5 just before you enter Betws-y-Coed, is about to star in a new movie featuring Duffy and Matthew Rhys! The movie tells the story of two women and the connection between Wales and Patagonia. Rachel, who owns the A5 Tea Bar, explains: ‘The movie producers were looking for a location set in a beautiful part of the Welsh hills, so came to Betwsy-Coed. They wanted to ﬁlm scenes in my diner, so they took it over for two weeks. I can’t wait to see the movie!’ The A5 Tea Bar has long been popular with travellers for the best bacon butty this side of Snowdonia, made with Llechwedd Meats’ bacon. ▲

Anna Davies opened her own Welsh wool and tweed shop in Betws-y-Coed in 1956, selling cloth woven locally and clothes made by local tailors. Anna’s parents had a similar shop in Capel Curig – where the Plas-y-Brenin outdoor centre is now. Sara took over the Anna Davies shop from her mother 12 years ago – Anna has now taken a back seat. From the beginning, the Anna Davies shop grew quite quickly

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▲

BETWS-Y-COED

Wheelie Cool Mountain Biking

Bryn Bella Guest House

Bryn Bella B&B prides itself on having some of the best views across Betws-y-Coed. The award-winning guest house is run by Mark and Joan Edwards, who care passionately about providing every guest with a warm welcome, a great experience, and are happy to share their local knowledge so guests can make the most of their visit. ‘As part of our commitment to sustainable living we promote activities that don’t require use of a car,’ says Mark. ‘We have excellent bus and train services in Snowdonia, and from here there are many great walks and cycling routes – the ramble to Conwy Falls is a firm favourite.’ Bryn Bella recently became the first business in North Wales to hold a Gold Award from the Green Tourism Business Scheme. From recycling to growing their own vegetables the B&B has certainly earned its stripes as an eco-friendly business. Just last year it was listed as one of the thirty coolest B&Bs in Britain, by Times Online, and is a favourite of walkers, families, and groups alike, who after sampling the many delights of North Wales are looking for a comfortable night and a great breakfast – with, of course, eggs from Bryn Bella’s own chickens. Tel: 01690 710627, www.bryn-bella.co.uk

Galeri Betws-y-Coed Five years ago, Gwenan established Galeri at Betws-y-Coed with the aim of creating a platform for the work of talented young Wales based artists to the thousands of people visiting Betws-y-Coed every year. The Galeri soon became the popular destination for art lovers, eager to view Gwenan’s latest collections of paintings, sculptures, jewellery and crafts. Gwenan feels that works of art should be available to everyone, so has become a member of the Welsh Arts Council Collector Plan, enabling her customers, with the help of the Arts Council, to buy her products on an interest free ‘pay as you go’ basis.

Tel: 01690 710432, www.galeribetwsycoed.co.uk

Al Seaton runs courses for all levels of mountain bike enthusiasts, taking advantage of the excellent trails around Betws-y-Coed. Al is a tutor (and a mentor for other tutors – one of only six to have reached this level in the UK), and runs mountain bike leadership courses, qualifying others to lead groups. These courses are all accredited by British Cycling. The great news for keen mountain bikers looking to improve their skills is that Al can be your guide, covering all the skills you need to be a better, safer rider and he will show you how to tackle more challenging terrain, for only £65 per day. Al says: ‘Betws is not really the place to learn for beginners, its more a place to develop as a rider, to get up to the next level. We really are spoilt for choice with the fantastic local riding, plus there are easier loops at Llyn Elsi and throughout the Gwydyr Forest. ‘Mountain biking as a sport is really growing in the UK, and it will grow in Betws-y-Coed. What I think we really need in the village is a ‘central hub’ where riders can come for information, advice, some mechanical support and even a place to shower – then you’d really see it this activity take off.’ Tel: 07969 684122 www.wheeliecool.co.uk

The owners of this lovely four-star hotel on the banks of the river Conwy took on this grand old building when it was struggling to hold onto a two-star rating. Martin says: ‘We had to entirely refurbish every room, the electrics, the roof, all windows and doors, pretty much the only thing we didn’t touch was the walls – and even then some of them came down!’ The Craig-y-Dderwen, a truly magnificent Victorian private residence for a Midlands industrialist as his holiday retreat; it became a hotel in the 1920s. The composer Elgar (1857-1934) spent much of his time here, contemplating the picturesque riverbank scene. The garden also plays a big part in the life of the hotel by contributing an increasing amount of produce for the table. ‘Most of the produce we use comes from no further than five miles away,’ says Martin. ‘It’s partly what people come for – the local flavour.’ Tel: 01690 710293, www.snowdoniahotel.com

IMAGES Ioan Said, Celynnen Photography

The Craig-y-Dderwen Riverside Hotel

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Bryn Bella Guest House Bed and Breakfast Accommodation Tree Top Adventure - an adventurous journey for everyone, deep in the forest of Betws-y-Coed, Snowdonia. Experience our Tree Top Trails today! Exciting adrenaline-packed activities for all groups, including family fun, corporate training and team building. We do Stag and Hen parties with a difference. Also on offer here at Tree Top Adventure: Climbing & Abseiling, Walking & Scrambling and Gorge Walking.

Call 01690 710 914

www.ttadventure.co.uk

Bryn Bella overlooks the village of Betws-y-Coed and offers quality with sustainability. Totally non-smoking, all rooms are en-suite with off road parking and wireless internet (Wi-Fi) throughout. Betws-y-Coed is an ideal holiday location for exploring Snowdonia and the rest of North Wales, with or without a car. Find out more by visiting www.bryn-bella.co.uk and book your break today.

Most sustainable B&B Award Green Snowdonia Tourism Awards 2009-2010

Mark & Joan Edwards - 01690 710627 welcome@bryn-bella.co.uk www.bryn-bella.co.uk

Everything you will ever need for your garden, outdoor furniture and gift ideas, all under one roof set in the stunning Conwy Valley. Fulfil your gardenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s potential with a visit to Snowdonia Nurseries and be inspired by the magnificent array of plants, gifts and furniture. Soak up the excitement of Spring over a hot drink or delicious lunch in The Olive Tree Coffee Shop and embrace the endless possibilities for your home and garden this year.

Snowdonia Nurseries, Llanrwst Road, Glan Conwy, Colwyn Bay, Conwy LL28 5SR. W www.snowdonianurseries.co.uk T 01492 580703

Spring Weddings Spectacular photographs

Food cooked by award winning chefs Choice of 5 hotels each with a guaranteed personal touch Come and see for your self with no obligation

Bryn Howel Hotel

Bodidris Hall

The Bryn Howel Hotel Trevor, Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales LL20 7UW

Bodidris Hall Llandegla, Wrexham, Wales LL11 3AL

Ideal picturesque setting for your perfect day

Historic, stately home over 650 years old

Not only can we provide you with a choice of 5 spectacular venues for your special day but we can offer you a lot more for your money too!!!

01978 860331 www.brynhowel.com

01978 790434 www.bodidrishall.com

www.llangollenhotels.co.uk

All inclusive weddings from just

£999

Wynnstay Arms Hotel Wild Pheasant Hotel Conveniently situated in the Heart of Wrexham

Superb setting in acres of Welsh countryside with luxury Spa

Wynnstay Arms Hotel Yorke Street, Wrexham, Wales LL13 8LP

The Wild Pheasant Hotel, Berwyn Road, Llangollen, Denbighshire,Wales LL20 8AD

01978 29 10 10

www.wynnstay-hotel-wrexham.co.uk

01978 860629

www.wildpheasanthotel.co.uk

Chainbridge Hotel Unique position and spectacular views over the River Dee

The Chainbridge Hotel Berwyn, Llangollen, Denbighshire, Wales LL20 8BS

01978 860215

www.chainbridgehotel.com

WE GUARANTEE THAT YOURS WILL BE THE ONLY WEDDING WE DO ON YOUR CHOSEN DAY (beware of venues that host multiple weddings on the same day where the odds of things going wrong increase significantly – source YattarYattar magazine 2009)

AWARD WINNING BEERS! Station Bitter - Herefordshire Camra Beer of Festival 2008 - Shropshire Camra Brewers Trophy 2007

01691 676 457

Wheeltapperâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Wheat Beer - SIBA Bronze Award for Specialuty Beers 2010

Cambrian Gold - SIBA Gold Award for Bottled Gold Beers 2009

Stonehouse, Weston, Oswestry, Shropshire SY10 9ES

www.stonehousebrewery.co.uk

Business support for the Hospitality Sector

Call today for your free costs and purchasing review. NO catches, NO gimmicks, we will save your business money.

the A5 Tea Bar

The Best Bacon Butty in Betws

You can find the A5 Tea Bar on the Corwen Road - 2 miles outside of Betws-y-Coed

Delicious handmade celebration cakes, cupcakes and giant cupcakes. All freshly made to order from the ďŹ nest ingredients. Come and visit us at Cheshire Oaks Designer Outlet. Located in Events area adjacent to Coast. Phone: 07860 506424 Web: www.thecupcakecompartment.co.uk Email: info@thecupcakecompartment.co.uk

RESTAURANT REVIEW

Denbigh’s delight: bewitched by

Brookhouse Mill

A lovingly restored Mill is the setting for another culinary delight BY ROSIE DUNNAGE

PHOTOGRAPHS Courtesy of Brookhouse Mill

‘I

ts not what you do but the way that you do it’, says the song. And the Brookhouse Mill restaurant and bar, near Denbigh, does it very well indeed. How about purple sprouting broccoli? You cannot ﬁnd it for love or money this year. All the top foodies tell us it is not to be had as our crops have failed. Yet with no fuss, this lovely asparagus ‘taste alike’, which I adore, came as standard with an array of al dente green vegetables. Top quality, local produce and seamless service is the key to Brookhouse Mill’s appeal. We are welcomed in with a big smile. It gave us that feeling that we would be well looked after. Seeing the restored machinery with its genuine millstones instantly transported us to another age. All is warm and cosy with the low beams, and there is the lovely country pub appeal of the bar, a choice of dining room: minimalist, cottage style and traditional, plus a conservatory upstairs for summertime. My dining partner and I were enchanted; now we’re ready to eat. Light and lissom, my starter was a perky Brie pear and walnut salad, in expectation of the half duckling to follow. For my guest the chefs own chicken liver pate starter, disappeared like snow in summer. All proved a lovely light overture to the main event. My guests’ pork loin ﬁllet was pronounced perfect especially with the parsley mash to make the most of the plum and red wine gravy. The

half duckling was gloriously crispy, tasty and tender too. My guest agreed and remarked what a good idea to serve it on bacon and in its very own gravy. The staff could not do enough for us and when my guest was at the table for a few minutes solo, our waitress went over to say hello. In the pause before the puds it was pleasant to relax with some excellent house wine at a sensible price. We liked the buzz of animated conversation from a sizeable midweek crowd of other guests.

Model of good service Karen Hall, a former Vogue model with a university business degree is co-owner with her husband John. He learned at his brother’s knee at the Faenol Fawr Hotel, near Bodelwyddan. At 21, he launched his own new venture. After 30 years and hundred’s of thousand of pounds worth of top quality conversation, the old 17th century mill that bewitched the couple at the outset is bewitching diners now. Aaron Booster, the head chef for 10 years, constantly amazes Karen with his ideas and his supplier contacts for whom Brookhouse comes ﬁrst. The quality of the dinner and service we were enjoying Karen tells me could be replicated in our own homes or for a 200-seater reception. When Johns’ 24-year-old son Jacob joined the family ﬁrm in 2006 they acquired a marquee company. Weddings are

Karen’s special consuming passion. ‘We aim to add extra value now when pockets are not so deep. With the confidence my great team promotes, I can offer peace of mind as the sole ‘come to’ person on the day. I can coordinate everything from the flowers to the flooring even down to the band’s sound system levels.’ By now we were up for the puddings. Who wouldn’t be with that choice? I was so glad I chose the lemon mouse, which was sharp and feather light, to follow duckling. My partner praised the blackberry and apple crumble for its home made appeal as the perfect comfort food. But then Brookhouse Mill was a comfort all round, even when they brought the bill. y

THE BIL L

BRIE PE AR AND WALNUT SALAD £ 5.95 CHICKEN LIVER P ATE £4.9 5 ROASTE D BREAS T OF DU £14.95 CK PORK LO IN FILLE T £14.95 PUDDIN GS £3.9 5 EACH

The Brookhouse Mill,Ruthin Road, Denbigh, Denbighshire LL16 4RD Tel: 01745 813377 Email: info@brookhousemill.co.uk

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 57

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03/03/2011 15:48

MON - FRI

£2.95

SIMPLY THE BEST

SAT - SUN and School Holidays

£3.95

TODDLERS UNDER 2 and ADULTS FREE AT ALL TIMES

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK FROM 9.30AM

FANTASTIC

FREE

MONDAYS

Free entrance for all, every Monday, up to 3pm only during term-time only

FOOD SERVED ALL DAY

BIGGER, BETTER, CHEAPER KIDS INDOOR PLAY CENTRE COME AND SEE OUR NEW EXCITING INDOOR PLAY CENTRE FOR CHILDREN 10,000 SQ FOOT OF FUN AND EXERCISE WITH A SEPARATE SOFT SAFE AREA FOR TODDLERS UNDER 2 AND COMFY SETTEES FOR THE MUMS

Little Tiger Cubs

FREE

CRAFT ACTIVITIES, SONG TIME, STORY TELLING, DANCE AND LOTS MORE FOR ALL UNDER 3’s during term-time only

Bigger, better and with a lot more to hold any kid’s attention than other play centres, the Fantastic Fun House is the place to bring your kids. While they play, you can enjoy great food, leaf through complimentary magazines or simply chat to friends in our comfortable lounge area. Free car parking and we are open 7 days a week from 9-30am. FOR MORE INFORMATION including VISIT OUR WEBSITE -

FREE SPA PAMPER DAYS for MUMS

www.fantastic-fun-house.co.uk

OPEN EVERY DAY

email: info@fantastic-fun-house.co.uk

www. fantastic-fun-house.co.uk

FANTASTIC FUNHOUSE WREXHAM

FANTASTIC FUNHOUSE MOLD

Unit 2, Jaeger House, 141 Holt Road, Wrexham, LL13 9DY

Unit 7, Stephen Gray Road, Bromfield Industrial Estate, Mold, CH7 1HE

fax - 01978 355567 Lots of spacious parking

fax - 01352 700259 Lots of spacious parking

call - 01978 31 43 59

call - 01352 75 47 05

MEET THE CHEF

Government Assignment When chef David Rowlands accepted a post in Germany he didn’t realise he’d be cooking for someone very, very important... BY NIGEL DAVIES

ot everyone can claim the distinction of preparing food for heads of state but David Rowlands, head chef at the Chainbridge Hotel near Llangollen, can do just that! It’s been a fascinating road for this unassuming Mancunian, who’s career spans almost 40 years. The Rowlands family ran the Eagles Inn in Llanwchlyn, located on the southern side of Bala Lake. ‘To be honest I spent more time on the farm side of the business during my early teens but when it came to decision time at 16, joining Llandrillo College on a general catering course just felt the natural thing to do,’ says David. Having gained his City and Guilds qualiﬁcations, it was off to London for the young Rowlands, joining The Whitehouse of Regents Park as a Commi Chef. ‘With over 500 rooms the kitchen staff had to be split into two brigades to cope with the 24-hour requirements. It was a tough grounding but one of the best any young chef could hope for and I learned so much in such a short space of time,’ continued David. But after two years in the bright lights the calling to ‘come home’ proved too much and David headed back to the family business at the Eagles Inn where he quickly established the restaurant as one of the ﬁnest in the area – but an opportunity came along that was too good to miss! ‘To this day I still don’t know what possessed me to apply for the Chef de Party position at the Herren House in Bucholtz Alftstz, on the outskirts of Bonn in Germany, I was glad I did though!

59 Meet the chef 2.indd 59

‘Not only did the owner put his hunting hobby to good use by supplying the kitchen with game, including roebuck and wild boar, but the hotel was also used by the German government for summit meetings and I had to prepare food for the then Chancellor Helmet Schmitt! Luckily there were never any complaints!’ says David. After his two-year stay in Germany, spells as Head Chef at the George III near Barmouth and Royal Goat in Beddgelert saw our intrepid traveller arrive at the famous Chainbridge Hotel on the outskirts of Llangollen and he’s never looked back. ‘I’ve been head chef here for almost ﬁve years now and have absolutely no intention of heading off to Germany or anywhere else for that matter as it’s one of the most scenic places I know.’

Rack of lamb with Cumberland sauce LAMB Two portions of best end of lamb (French trimmed and fat removed) Pre-heat oven 220 C (440 F or Gas 6 METHOD 1 Season meat with salt & pepper. 2 Colour meat on top of stove in frying pan with hot oil, Place in a roasting pan. 3 Put in pre-heated oven for approx 8 to 10 mins (depending on size). If you prefer it well done leave it an extra 2 to 3 mins longer. Rest the meat for 8 to 10 mins.

METHOD 1 Zest lemon and one orange. Squeeze the juice from lemon and both oranges into a pan. 2 Add the redcurrant jelly, brown sugar and Port. Simmer gently until the redcurrant jelly has melted. 3 Mix the Arrowroot with a little water, pour slowly into the mixture, This will thicken the sauce slightly, leaving it clear. 4 Finally add the redcurrants and remove from the heat.

BRAISED RED CABBAGE 2 apples, peeled & cored ½ red cabbage, shredded 2 onions, sliced 65 grams butter 150 ml red wine vinegar 25 grams Demerara sugar 150 ml red wine METHOD 1 Chop the two Apples. 2 Sweat the cabbage and onions gently in (50 grams) 2 ozs of butter for a few mins until soft. Add chopped apple and cook for two more minutes. 3 Add wine vinegar and cook until evaporated. 4 Add sugar, red wine, and season with salt & pepper. 5 Cover the pan with a lid and cook for approx 30 mins until cabbage is tender.

CUMBERLAND SAUCE ½ punet of redcurrants, 2 oranges, 1 lemon 1 tablespoon of brown sugar 2 tablespoons of redcurrant jelly 1 glass of Port 1 teaspoon of arrowroot

04/03/2011 11:16

For gifts, homewares & accessories with a personal touch and a lot of heart...

Travel safely with your bundle of joy!

www.juliettehome.co.uk Tel.07969305633 email : JTIntDesign@aol.com

Also check out our ‘Juliette’ page on:

Quality Childcare you can trust at Busy Bees at St David’s Busy Bees at St David’s is a great place for your little one to play, learn and make new friends Open 8am-6pm, Monday to Friday Located within a lovely, peaceful residential area Fresh, nutritious meals freshly prepared on site everyday Fantastic outdoor play area Dedicated staff team Out of School Club and Holiday Club for 5-11 year olds

Baby places now available - call in and see how happy your child could be in our care FREE registration with this advert* Call Vickie on 01244

Not many people realise just how important it is to use the correct car seat for your baby or child. We spoke to Karen Evans at Bundle of Joy for some expert advice about what you should be doing as a parent. Karen says: ‘When prospective parents and grandparents first visit our store, most have little idea of the implications of using the wrong car seat or fitting a car seat incorrectly. The law states that all babies and children, up to the age of twelve or a height of 135cm, must use an age appropriate car seat. ‘We recently had some new parents visit Bundle of Joy, whilst chatting we discovered their baby was sitting in a forward-facing seat suitable only from three years; the seat offered no support to a baby under twelve months. My colleague was shocked at the actions of these parents, who were not only risking their babies life but breaking the law. We then realised that unless a parent-to-be visits a store for advice or reads specifically about car seats, how can they be expected to know? ‘Your car seat is only likely to be checked if the police stop you for any reason and check over the car so the mistake can be made. We constantly get comments from grandparents in particular saying that ‘previous generations were fine just sitting in the back of the car in their Moses basket or even lying on the parcel shelf!’ That is like saying we as adults should not wear seatbelts or wear helmets on a motorbike. ‘Car seats save babies and children’s lives, recently in the press there was a tragic story of a family of four killed in a car accident; only the baby in their car seat survived. We spend a lot of time in our car so the cost per journey becomes nominal, how much is a little ones life worth? ‘At Bundle of Joy, our trained car seat fitters spend time with every customer to ensure that they leave with the correct car seat for their child and their car. We show you how to fit the car seat correctly so that you leave with peace of mind.’ Book an appointment now on 01978 313778 or visit our store at 36/39 Chester Street, Wrexham. www.bundleofjoywrexham.co.uk

KAREN’S PROFILE

Karen started as a nurse in Alder Hey Children’s Hospital. Once she had her own two children she owned and ran a day nursery. When she realised there was a niche in the market for a baby store in Wrexham, she decided to open Bundle of Joy in 2006.

537 787 for more information about our nursery

Busy Bees at St David’s, St David’s Park, Ewloe, Flintshire, CH5 3XN *Terms and conditions apply www.busybees.com

Bring this advert when booking

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03/03/2011 19:02

The Tippitoes EZE pushchair is affordable, practical and stylish. Suitable from birth and comes in red or black, included in the price of £89.99 is a footmuff and raincover www.bundleofjoywrexham.co.uk or call: 01978 313778 Ladybird Activity Spiral, great for entertaining a young baby, £13.00, woolworths.co.uk

Kid’s corner Alongside some very practical advice on the recent changes in car seat law, we’ve got some fun stuff for kids!

Soft toy, Bits and Bots robot, £10, Mamas & Papas, 0845 268 2000

Letter wall hanging – hand-painted bespoke designs available in themes such as butterﬂies and hearts, princess, nautical, pirate and much more. £18-£20. Ribbon or sticky ﬁxer pads supplied. www.juliethome.co.uk or call: 07969305633

A LOAD OF FANTASTIC FUN!

Rainbow Cubes Stackable fun for your little one, £15 01604 77 49 49 www.john-crane.co.uk

Win free annual family membership worth over £300 at the Fantastic Funhouse! Just visit the website below and enter the competition for a chance of winning. The Fantastic Fun House is an indoor soft play centre for children aged 2-10 to come and have fun, exercise and enjoy a themed birthday party all in a safe environment. Located in Mold and also now in Wrexham (formerly knows as ‘Silly Barts’) children can enjoy the facilities while the parents sit back and relax in the cafe and enjoy a coffee and newspaper whilst watching over their children. For a chance to win, go online to: www.fantastic-fun-house.co.uk

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 61

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03/03/2011 15:53

M & H ’s

acid Travel

INTERIOR AND EXTERIOR PAINTING AND DECORATING SERVICES

Luxury Executive Private Hire A First Class Service Guaranteed Established in 2009 acid Travel provides exceptional standards of service in the Private Hire Sector Whether you are travelling for business or holidaying with friends or family let acid Travel take you on the first step of your journey Relax in the comfort of our Mercedes S-Class saloon or parties up to 8 can travel in our Luxury Mercedes Vito A prompt, reliable and stylish executive service at family friendly prices

Airport Transfers Corporate Contracts Theatre Trips Party Nights Golfing Days Activity Breaks

Call or Email Hywel Evans 01978 861497 or 07731 688200 enquiries@acidtravel.co.uk

• 18 years experience in high end painting and decorating • Period property specialist • Reliable, punctual, delivering a quality ﬁnish everytime • Full paint stripping and renovation service • Period ﬂoors cleaned • In situ paint stripping and waxing service • Pointing old brick / stone work

For free estimates call: 01352 770505 or 07920866466 or visit: www.mandhs.co.uk

Relieve the Strain, call Mill Lane We provide a door to door commercial and domestic laundry, dry cleaning and ironing service throughout North Wales and the North West;

• Hotels • B&B’s • Care homes • Camp sites

• Restaurants • Garages • Vets etc • Table & bed linen for hire

Agents required in all locations, shops, hotels, mobile etc. No outlay to yourself, we pay a very competitive commission rate. Please contact for further details.

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3 v 16

milllanelaundry.co.uk

Fort Belan

Yattar Yattar went to visit this ‘Fortress by the Sea’ on the beautiful North Wales Coast

A military operation Some families have been coming to stay here for over 30 years – but it is only recently now under the stewardship of Christopher that Fort Belan is realising its true potential. Fort Belan was originally built by the ﬁrst Lord Newborough (the eighth Lord Newborough owns the Rhug Estate near Corwen, famed for it’s organic beef) in 1775 as there was a fear of imminent invasion by the French. A garrison was stationed here throughout the subsequent Napoleonic Wars. After Napoleon’s Waterloo, the garrison was moved out and the fort was

kept purely for leisure craft. Boats took sightseers every day from Caernarfon, but the fort’s popularity tailed off in the 1980s, so the Newboroughs sold it, which is how it ended up in the hands of John Blundell – Christopher’s father.

Supporting local wildlife Following a career in the chemical industry (teaching companies how to minimise environmental impacts), John set up Fort Belan as a marine research unit, with marine biologists from Bangor University, with a project to restock the local seabass. Then, ﬁve years ago, Chris took it on to develop the holiday lets as there was clearly so much potential. It required a total refurbishment (Chris’s mother lends a hand with the interior design), and the work continues with extra facilities being added all the time. Fort Belan is a Grade One listed site, and there is a fundraising group, ‘The Friends of Belan’, who assist in providing some of the funds for the very expensive upkeep of this wonderful relic of a bygone age. Chris says: ‘It’s a great place for weddings – up to 45 guests can stay in the fort itself. The music room in the fort is licensed to hold civil ceremonies, and the adjoining lawns are perfect for marquees. Families can bring their own caterers and the privacy and beauty of the location just make it a perfect site for a memorable wedding weekend for all.

‘Most people who stay here like to just be themselves. It’s a great spot for birdwatching, and people have spotted over 200 different species here. The Foryd Nature Reserve is only 10 minutes walk away – it is such a great spot for wildlife as there just aren’t many people there, there is a tidal estuary, a river and sheltered coastline so its a real haven for wildlife. Look out for plans to be announced soon that locally caught seabass will be available to guests – a wonderful ﬁsh to simply grill or barbecue. Guests can cook out of doors; Chris will provide guidance. They are also keen to encourage activities, such as RIB riding (Rigid Inﬂatable Boats) – you can be picked up from the Fort and ride out into the straights or further out to sea, where you can catch glimpses of seals and dolphins. y

HOW TO BOOK Go online to www.fortbelan.co.uk Telephone: 01286 830 220 Mobile: 07981 672476 Email: cjblundell1@aol.com Prices are very reasonable. They vary depending on the size of the cottage, but even in the peak summer months it costs approximately £120 per person per week. Fort Belan, Llanwnda, Caernarfon, Gwynedd, North Wales LL54 5TP

IMAGES Courtesy of Fort Belan Cottages

or a self-catering holiday in North Wales, you have to go far to beat the location at Fort Belan, right on the tip of the peninsula overlooking the Menai Strait and Isle of Anglesey. We met the owner Christopher Blundell to find out what is so unique about this place. Christopher says: ‘It’s a great place for water sports, the water is tidal but it is a natural sheltered harbour, and there’s lot of variety here along the coastline. The fishing here is excellent – mostly seabass. Plus it’s only a half-mile walk to the sandy beach, and you can swim safely nearby. ‘We have five cottages in the fort and have recently added ‘Dock Cottage’ onto the market. As we are right on the water, guests can even bring their own boat by arrangement as the area here is great for sailing and kayaking (but we don’t encourage jet skis!).’

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03/03/2011 16:04

Varicose vein treatment Feel confident

If you suffer from aching legs or are unhappy about the appearance of varicose veins, Spire Yale Hospital can help. We offer minimally invasive treatment by laser and injection all performed in an out-patient setting. • In and out of hospital usually within two hours • Performed by consultant vascular surgeons

Whether you’re insured or not, we’re open to everyone and offer one-off private treatment with a fixed price agreed in advance. For us it’s more than just treating patients, it’s about looking after people.

• Minimal scarring

For more information call our enquiry team on

• Return to work within a few days

01978 262 462 www.spireyale.com

Spire Yale- Wrexham Technology Park, Croesnewydd Road, Wrexham, LL13 7YP Spire Abergele- Ground Floor, Priory House, North Wales Business Park, Abergele, Conwy, LL 22 8LJ

HEALTH ADVICE

Your Health

Q&A

Forty percent of women and twenty-ﬁve percent of men are affected at some point in their lives by varicose veins. Laser treatment (EVLT) is quickly becoming the most popular treatment in the UK. Yattar Yattar talked to vascular consultant Mr Tony Da Silva to ﬁnd out more...

aricose veins are caused when there is an abnormal swelling of a vein usually caused by high pressure. Over time this pressure will force the walls of the veins outwards resulting in enlargement and sometimes bulging giving the appearance of lumpy veins under the skin (varicosities). Tony says: ‘Varicose veins are likely to affect more women than men, and hereditary factors play a signiﬁcant role in how they develop. There are other factors that can contribute to the problem; pregnancy, hormone replacement therapy and birth control pills, jobs which require prolonged standing or sitting, obesity or lack of exercise. ‘The condition can cause severe pain for the patient in addition to the unpleasant appearance on their legs. You can also experience swelling, itchiness, eczema, cramps and a feeling of ‘heaviness’ in the legs. If left untreated, this can lead to more severe complications such as discolouration, bleeding and ulceration. Patients can try to alleviate their pain as much as they can themselves by walking around as much as possible – the calf muscles will pump the blood back up throughout the leg. You can also wear compression socks – these are available in most pharmacies.’

Spire Yale hospital in Wrexham and at Spire Abergele Consulting Rooms. The procedure can also be carried out at the

develop again. In seven or eight years we have not received a recurrence in the complaint following a procedure but we

Wrexham Maelor Hospital (under certain conditions). EVLT is a quick, minimally invasive laser procedure carried out under local anaesthesia. The laser is inserted into the vein under ultrasound control and the faulty vein is closed.’

cannot predict whether this may change in the future. The ‘side-branch veins’ are fairly unlikely to regrow and reconnect to cause the patient any further problems.’

Q A

What is Endovenous Laser Treatment (EVLT)? ’EVLT is becoming one of the most popular treatments in the UK for varicose veins and in the last 18 months the treatment has been available at the

Q A

What are the advantages of using EVLT? ’EVLT is carried out under local anaesthesia in a minor treatment room and there is a short and relatively pain-free recovery time. There are less complications with EVLT compared to other forms of treatment such as surgical ligation and stripping. There is less bruising, no cuts or scarring and it is virtually impossible to tell that the procedure has even been carried out!’

Q A

How quickly can patients expect to recover from the procedure? ‘The procedure takes around an hour and patients can usually walk out of the treatment room and return home as soon as it is ﬁnished. They can usually resume normal activity immediately and most patients are able to return to work within three days.’ Will the varicose veins return after I have had treatment? ’By treating the underlying cause of the varicose veins you will have the best chance of them not returning but we do not have a guarantee that they will not

Q A

Do varicose veins imply a more serious health problem? ’Some people think that by suffering with varicose veins that there could be a more serious health problem underlying – this is not true and having varicose veins does not imply that you may be suffering with heart or arterial disease. You are not likely to get an ulcer by not treating the condition and it won’t cause circulation problems and cold feet! Varicose veins is a benign condition that can be treated with the wearing of stockings and through regular exercise.’

Mr Da Silva Trained in vascular surgery in Liverpool, Chester and Paris. He practises in vascular and general surgery at the Spire Yale Hospital in Wrexham. He has published papers in the British Journal of Surgery, European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery and the Journal of Diabetic Medicine.

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 65

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04/03/2011 08:10

COMPETITION

WIN

a holiday for two with Alfa Travel!

ALFA TRAVEL IS THE FASTEST GROWING UK COACH TOUR OPERATOR who specialise in holidays for the over 50s. Celebrating the best of the British Seaside, Alfa operate holidays throughout the UK and the near Continent. Alfa Travel holidays include return coach travel from a convenient local pick up point, comfortable accommodation, a traditional British breakfast each morning, four-course evening dinners, entertainment and excursions. Prices start from just £144 per person for a ﬁve day break. Yattar Yattar have teamed up with Alfa Travel to offer two lucky readers the chance to win a ﬁve-day holiday for them and a guest of their choice! Our winners and their guests will receive vouchers* towards any Alfa Travel Coach Holiday with a choice of the company’s own 19 Leisureplex Hotels, ideally located in Britain’s most popular seaside resorts from St. Ives to Fort William and many in historic, listed buildings. Not a winner – nevermind because all Yattar Yattar readers can qualify for a £10** per person discount off any Alfa Travel Coach Holiday just by calling 08451 305666 and quoting YYM. For more information or to order a brochure go online to: www.alfatravel.co.uk *Prize vouchers, including coach travel, valid until December 31, 2011, subject to availability. **£10 per person off holidays booked by August 31, 2011, and taken by December 31, 2011. Offer subject to availability and not to be used in conjunction with any other offer.

For a chance to win this excellent prize just answer the following question and return to us before May 20th to: Alfa Travel Competition, Unit 13, Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham LL14 6HA Q: Where is St Ives? (a) Cheshire (b) Cornwall (c) Cardiff

A: Name ........................................................................................... Address ........................................................................................ ....................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................... ............................................. Postcode ....................................... Contact number: ....................................................................... Email (please complete).................................................................... PLEASE DO NOT SEND ME ANY OTHER INFORMATION

TERMS & CONDITIONS DATA PROTECTION NOTICE Brillybox Publishing and Media will use your information for administration and analysis purposes and may contact you from time to time with relevant offers, information or for research purposes. Your details will not be passed on to third parties. Please tick the relevant box if you do not wish to be contacted. COMPETITION RULES The promoter of this competition is Brillybox Publishing, CDC Distribution Centre, Unit 13, Vauxhall, Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham. LL14 6HA. The competition is open to all readers of our magazine and viewers of our websites except employees of Alfa Travel, Global Investment Group and Llangollen Hotels and their immediate families. The winner will be the ﬁrst person drawn after the closing date who has completed the correct answer. No cash alternative is available. The winners name can be obtained by writing to the competition address with a self-addressed envelope after the closing date. The winner agrees to participate in any follow-up publicity. Brillybox Publishing may print the name only of entrants to this competition in subsequent issue(s) of Yattar Yattar. This is to enable competition entrants to fairly claim a promotional offer, for competition entrants only, made by Llangollen Hotels. By entering this competition you are giving permission for Brillybox to print your name only. No personal information will be printed. No purchase necessary, answers on a postcard are accepted.

66 yattaryattar magazine Spring 2011

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03/03/2011 16:05

VET’S COLUMN

S p e c i a l i s t o u t s i d e c a te re r s fo r we d d i n g re ce p t i o n s, p r i v a te p a r t i e s, d i n n e r s & co r p o r a te e ve n t s e n s u r i n g yo u r e ve n t i s b o t h h i g h l y s u cce s s f u l a n d m e m o r a b l e. . . . . . . Tel: 01938 553366 info@hughescaterers.co.uk www.hughescaterers.co.uk

Stand out from the crowd! Volunteer for the British Red Cross in North Wales today. We have a wide range of volunteering opportunities here in North Wales to suit everybody in sectors such as:

• Health & Social Care • Transport • First Aid • Youth and Schools

• Refugee & Migrant Services • Retail • Office Support • Fundraising

For a volunteering information pack please contact the North Wales Volunteering Team on 01745 828339 or

E-mail: volunteering_nwales@redcross.org.uk or text “PACKYY” followed by your name and address to: 07917 755 839

67 Vets.indd 67

The right time to let go By Chris Kirtley, partner at the New Foundry Vets in Johnstown

hen I started thinking about this topic of ‘When is the right time to put your pet to sleep’ it didn’t seem too much of a challenge to write about. After all we’ve all had older pets that over the years ‘wind down’, gradually giving us plenty of time to accept the inevitable. Don’t get me wrong, putting any pet to sleep is a stressful experience for the owner and hopefully not for the pet concerned, but I do think the vast majority of our clients have a good idea when the time is right. Quality of life is what I base my judgement upon when asked. Once a pet is just existing without much enjoyment of its surroundings then I don’t feel it’s fair to continue. This can manifest itself in many different ways, such as no longer interacting with the owners, desire to exercise becoming minimal and appetite dropping off so much so that weight loss and muscle wastage becomes very apparent. The actual act of euthanasia is simply an overdose of anaesthetic solution given into a vein and I think many people are surprised at how quick and painless it is. It really is just like your pet going to sleep and that’s a real blessing. During a lifetime, I’ve heard it said you only get one really special pet. When somehow you have that extra bond, then letting go of these pets can be very heart rending. I know this because my last dog ‘Joe’ was a very special character. Unfortunately he also had a very bad form of epilepsy, so much so that we never fully stabilised him. It’s possible I was so bonded to him because I had to nurse him back from the brink so many times. Sadly at the age of four years I had to let him go. I think the guilt you feel is tremendous and very hard for a lot of people to bear. Luckily there are organisations now such as Animal Samaritans and the Blue Cross which offer Pet Bereavement Services and these can be very helpful in getting owners over the inevitable negative feelings about losing their pet. ❋ New Foundry Vets, New Foundry Buildings, Gutter Hill, Johnstown, Wrexham LL14 1LS Tel: 01978 845472 Email: newfoundryvets@parkissa.com

About Chris...

Chris Kirtley joined Park Issa (of which New Foundry is a branch) in 1995 after spells in South Shropshire, North Yorkshire and Scotland. He enjoys working in the hospital, there being no truth in rumours that he does this to avoid the wet weather on farms. He has three guinea pigs and a mischievous border collie.

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03/03/2011 19:01

yattaron...

Lynne Allbutt Is going barefoot new fashionable way to embrace nature and support your charities? www.lynneallbutt.com

ust before Christmas I got together with a group of girlfriends for a meal. One is a well known author, one is a well respected radio presenter, one is a psychic to the stars and the other is the closest you will ever get to a real life Angel. They are an eclectic and inspirational bunch and anything can happen when we get together! As I shared my planned charity events for 2011 I mentioned running a Barefoot 10K in September. Immediately Adele said, ‘Why just 10K, why not go Barefoot for 12 months?’, ‘Because it’s not practical,’ I replied, ‘I couldn’t.’ ‘You can do anything,’ she challenged. I looked around the table to see four heads nodding their agreement. So here I am writing my columns with my bare feet up by the ﬁre. But I have also started training without trainers at the gym and running barefoot across the mountain, I have dined unshodden at a couple of local restaurants, had a few barefoot meetings in Cardiff, tiptoed along my local high street to my favourite coffee shop and bistro, Number 18, for coffee with a publisher, had a shoe-less interview with Homes Under the Hammer’s Martin Roberts, Antony Worrall Thompson and Chris Beardshaw and enjoyed being barefoot on a live show with Jason Mohammed at BBC Wales. I have also launched Marie Curie’s Swimathon with Duncan Goodhew (who was also barefoot at the poolside!) and have met up with the legendary Barefoot Doctor. It has already been quite a journey and it has only just begun. Now, I don’t want to mislead anyone; I have not

pledged to be barefoot 24/7. I still work on site several times a week, I enjoy dry stone walling and one of my favourite dog walks is called ‘The Hollies’ because of the fabulous natural green windbreak that lines the mountain track. And believe me, one of the sharpest things Nature ever invented is dead holly leaves. To be barefoot as often as I can means being hardy, being barefoot ALL the time would just be fool-hardy. The biggest surprise has been just how cold the ground is, now I know its spring in Wales and not summer in Singapore but even so it’s still far colder than you can even imagine. It can be painful; I have learnt to keep socks in my pocket. The Barefoot Doctor reassured me that by March it would be a lot easier and not just because of the rise in temperature. Apparently three months is the amount of time that it takes for new behaviour and beliefs to be integrated and adopted; I should be ‘feeling my feet’ by then. He also reafﬁrmed my own observation of feeling ‘connected’ and ‘grounded’ by being barefoot. All his healing and meditative work is always carried out barefoot to utilise the power and energy from Mother Nature or Source. If you have ever walked barefoot on the beach, or even your own lawn,

‘It has already been quite a journey and it has only just begun’

I’m sure you will have felt that same ‘power surge’ and sense of well-being. I have found running barefoot is easier and more enjoyable and wasn’t surprised to read research revealing that a barefoot runner actually uses four percent less oxygen than when wearing trainers. What research doesn’t share is the fabulous feeling you get from running barefoot over cool, damp moss – it’s magical. Jason Mohammed and his team at BBC Wales were wonderfully supportive and I have only had positive reactions and questions thus far. I am anticipating my ﬁrst challenge or confrontation soon; I suspect it may be at a supermarket, which I haven’t braved barefoot yet. No one likes rejection and I have heard from a fellow bare footer who was welcomed with bare feet at the Ritz but not allowed into Tesco. I have a big Charity Ball in London in a few weeks time and as a Patron and guest speaker I will be barefoot and rubbing ankles with some very ‘wellheeled’ celebrities and politicians! I’ll let you know how it goes…! y

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04/03/2011 08:10

SPRING LAMBING DAY WALFORD CAMPUS, BASCHURCH SUNDAY 27TH MARCH 11.00 am - 4.00 pm

A Family Fun Day

Here is a taste of what’s on offer... New-born Lambs - you may even see a lamb being born if you are lucky! Come and see our animals, we have over 90 species from Snakes and Chinchillas to Meerkats and Alpacas! We also have a Dog Agility Display, Chicks Hatching, Equine Display, Treasure Hunt, Face Painting, Vintage Machinery and much, much more.

Just £8.00 per car! For directions, see our website: www.wnsc.ac.uk Tel: 01939 262 100

HEALTH

HEALTH ADVICE

from the experts... Yattar Yattar talked to Simon Roberts to ﬁnd out more about the specialist sports injury service at the Orthopaedic Hospital

Q A

What is the most common sports injury that you treat? ‘The majority of our work focuses on injuries to the knee, shoulder and ankle. The most common knee problems include cartilage (meniscus) tears and damage to the ligaments especially the ACL (anterior cruciate). I also deal with shoulder dislocations and ankle sprains.’

Q A

In your experience, who are these types of injuries likely to affect? ‘We regularly treat elite and professional sportsmen from numerous football clubs including Manchester City, Wigan Athletic and Wolverhampton Wanderers as well as Rugby Union and Rugby League players. I have treated some of the Super League teams; Wigan, St Helens and Hull. Injuries to the knee and ankle are common in football players. Shoulder problems are usually linked to rugby players along with racket sports players, golfers and throwing athletes. These injuries will also affect sports enthusiasts of all ages and abilities.’

Q A

What treatments are now possible for such injuries? ‘It is now possible to do the majority of my operations using minimally invasive techniques. Keyhole surgery can do almost everything and gives us a much clearer and more magniﬁed view of what is causing the problem. Treatments are always individualised and it will depend on the patient whether the timing is right to go ahead with any surgery.’

Q A

Is it difﬁcult to diagnose the problem immediately? ‘Patients will undergo an MR scan but the vast majority of conditions are diagnosed by simply talking to the patient. We interview and observe the patient as a whole, whereas the MR scan will only concentrate on structure and therefore sometimes show abnormalities that may

have been there for years but are not causing the patient any problems. We are keen on using this approach and our aim is always to return people to their standard of activity before their injury.’

Q A

How quickly can a patient be treated? ‘If an operation is required, this can be arranged within days or weeks. The majority of patients will be sent home the same day as their surgery, once they have seen our physiotherapists ﬁrst.’

Q A

Can the rehabilitation process be very lengthy? ‘We will arrange physio appointments for the patients locally as we see people from all over the UK. Patients are usually seen 3-4 weeks after the operation in the clinic just to check if everything is healing well.’

Q A

During the rehabilitation process, do patients have somewhere they can go to for any advice? ‘There is a helpline that patients can call where the 24-hour nurse will refer to the surgeon with any problems but on the whole, patients don’t often have any difﬁculty and will see improvement from their regular physio treatments.’

Q A

Do patients with sports injuries often expect a speedy recovery time? ‘Elite athletes generally recover slightly quicker as they are always keen to get back to their profession. For other sports enthusiasts or semi-professionals sometimes they cannot put the same amount of time into their rehabilitation. However we are continually testing out our treatments against the high demands of technology and the expectation of the patient. What we are trying to do is use the experience and technologies gained from treating elite athletes to help the keen amateurs get back to doing what they love.’

Q A

Why would you recommend the specialist sports injury service? ‘Everyone in the team specialises (from nurses to physios to surgeons) in their area of expertise so the treatment is ﬁne-tuned to do exactly as is necessary by the experts. On top of that, we have world-class facilities and this continues to improve giving us an excellent reputation in providing the highest level of care.’ For more information, contact The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital NHS Trust, Oswestry on: 01691 404606 (NHS) 01691 404307 (Ludlow Private Unit) www.rjah.nhs.uk

Mr Simon Roberts MA BM Bch FRCS(Orth) FFSEM(UK)

Simon was brought up in Manchester with a sports background in rugby and water skiing before retiring after shoulder and ankle injuries. He has practised in Australia, the USA and Europe. Simon was appointed to work for The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic Hospital NHS Trust, Oswestry in 1998. He has treated the England rugby union team as well as Olympic athletes. From left to right: Andrea Bailey (Senior Sports Injury Physio), Gaynor Kanes (Specialist Nurse Practitioner), Jane Hughes (Sports Injury Physio) and Simon Roberts (Consultant Orthopaedic & Sports Injury Surgeon)

70 yattaryattar magazine Spring 2011

70-Health Advice.indd 70

03/03/2011 16:08

Private treatment in a leading Enjoy the comfort of private treatmentspecialist in a leading specialist orthopaedic hospital.

orthopaedic hospital

the

ludlow

unit private centre of excellence

Our specialist services: • Treatment of all bone, joint and muscular conditions • Hip and knee replacement and reconstruction

Our specialist services:

• Sports injury surgery

• Hand, shoulder, foot, ankle and knee surgery

• Treatment of bone, joint and muscular conditions

• Back disorders

• Children’s orthopaedic surgery

• Hip and knee replacement and reconstruction

World Class Reputation A dedicated Private Patients’ Unit within the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital NHS Trust; a centre with a worldwide reputation for clinical excellence, innovation and research.

• Hand, shoulder, foot, ankle and knee surgery • Sports injury surgery

Our patients receive personalised treatment by a specialist of their choice, at a time convenient to them. All Consultants at the Ludlow Unit specialise in the treatment of bone, joint and muscular disorders and are supported by progressive orthopaedically trained nurses.

• Spinal and bone tumour service

Best of Both Worlds Private treatment on Ludlow is carried out in addition to the volumes of NHS work undertaken at the Orthopaedic Hospital. The income generated contributes to the costs of the NHS Trust, which benefits all patients and staff.

• Metabolic disorders

Surgeons undertaking private work utilise the hospital’s unique ultra clean air theatre suite, the skills of expert theatre specialists and share knowledge of the hospital’s considerable research work. Safety We have consistently low infection rates and a 24 hour high dependency unit.

Benefits:

Privacy and Comfort Now with a new dedicated outpatient facility, Ludlow Unit also has 16 private en-suite rooms, tastefully decorated with flat screen television, access to Sky, direct dial and internet access.

• World Class Reputation

Our food is excellent; special requests can be accommodated. Tea, coffee and other drinks are served at all times. Daily newspapers of your choice are provided. Accommodation is available for relatives if travelling some distance.

• Best of Both Worlds; Private and NHS

Contact For more information, please contact Elaina Lewis: Tel: 01691 404307 Fax: 01691 404060 Email: elaina.lewis@rjah.nhs.uk

• Now accredited to Quality Standard ISO 9001

Private Healthcare Insurance We accept all forms of healthcare insurance and offer competitive fixed packages for the non insured.

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Referrals Please ask your GP to refer you to a Consultant of your choice. See our website for details of Consultants undertaking private work at the Ludlow Unit. http://www.rjah.nhs.uk/private-patients.aspx

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The Ludlow Unit The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital NHS Trust Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 7AG Tel: 01691 404307

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Referrals Please ask your GP to refer you to a Consultant of your choice. See: http://www.rjah.nhs.uk/private-patients.aspx

The Ludlow Unit The Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt Orthopaedic and District Hospital NHS Trust Oswestry, Shropshire, SY10 7AG Tel: 01691 404307 www.rjah.nhs.uk

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Anita Louise Rushton Private Counselling Psychotherapy We believe your mental health is as vital as your physical well being ... One in four of us will experience some sort of mental health issue during our lives. We’ve got expert advice and professional support to help you cope with the challenges you’re facing. We can offer expert advice dedicated to the highest quality of care tailored to each and every individual. You will be treated and respected as a unique individual within a secure, confidential and relaxed environment. Helping you to become the fully functioning person you wish to be.

‘‘Invest in a better mental health from as little as £35.00 per session’’ For further information or to book an appointment Contact us on: Wrexham: 01978 846 081 Chester: 01244 680 214 Mobile: 07912 609 674 Email: anitaharmony@aol.com www.chesterwellnesscentre.co.uk

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We pride ourselves on providing a friendly and professional service to all our clients. If you are looking for assistance with any legal matter, we will be pleased to meet you to discuss the ways in which we can help.

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• Crime and Regulatory Matters • Civil Litigation Issues • Divorce/Family Matters • Personal Injury/Accident Claims • Property Matters • Residential/Commercial Conveyancing • Wills and Probate

EXPERT ADVICE

legaleagle legal

Your legal queries answered by our on-hand experts, GMA solicitors in Wrexham. This issue, we ask Gareth Lloyd about conveyancing Q I have had an offer accepted to buy a house in my local area. I am told I need to instruct someone to deal with the conveyancing. What is this and how do I go about the process? A In the context of house moves, conveyancing is the legal and administrative work associated with changing ownership of a property from one party to another. In practice it’s an umbrella term that includes exchanging contracts, transferring ﬁnances for the property and a host of other related tasks. Conveyancing is frequently identiﬁed as the most stressful aspect of the moving process and many home owners fret both before and during the procedure. But it doesn’t have to be this way. To reduce stress and help you on your way, here are four frequently asked conveyancing questions and detailed answers. Q How long does the process take? A Traditionally the conveyancing process will take between four and twelve weeks from initial instruction to completion, but bear in mind this is the estimate for a single, uncomplicated sale involving a freehold property. Leasehold properties, or those with unusual features e.g. a listed building, may take longer. You should always instruct your conveyancer in plenty of time to allow for any delays, and complete your part of the process as quickly as possible.

Q How much will conveyancing cost? A This will often depend on the nature of the transaction; however most quotes given for a standard house purchase will be between £350 and £750. It is advisable to obtain a fixed price for any conveyancing work in order to budget for your finances. Q What does the process involve? A The main elements in any transaction can be broken down into key stages: 1. After initial instruction your solicitor will receive the contract papers and title information and proceed to order searches in order to establish all the legalities and encumbrances affecting the property. 2. Once your solicitor is satisfied with the title to the property the purchase may proceed to exchange and the deposit made available from yourself.

It is at this stage your mortgage offer, if required, must be in place. This is often the cause in the current economic climate of many of the delays encountered. 3. The exchange of contracts is a binding agreement and will set a date for completion. 4. During the time between exchange and completion (usually a week or more) your solicitor will draw down the remainder of the purchase monies from yourself or your mortgage company. 5. On the day of completion the balance of monies will be transferred to your sellers solicitors and you will be able to receive the keys to your new home and move in on that day. After completion day your solicitor will attend to all post completion formalities including the HMRC provisions and registering the property in your names at The Land Registry. Q If I pull out of a purchase must I still pay for conveyancing? A If you decide to pull out after exchange of contracts you open yourself up to a host of potential legal action as you will be breaking a binding agreement. Before exchange of contracts you’re free to pull out at any time but you will be required to pay for the work your provider has completed. For any new conveyancing instructions received we are offering readers of Yattar Yattar an exclusive 10% reduction in our Conveyancing Fees. Please quote Reference YY 007 when calling GMA on the number below.

About us Established in Wrexham in 1969, with the Mold ofﬁce opening in 1974, Geoffrey Morris and Ashton Solicitors have maintained an enviable reputation in North Wales ever since. We pride ourselves in providing a friendly and professional service to all our clients and continue to operate around these traditional values whilst moving with the times and adopting modern methods to improve efﬁciency and levels of service. We have extensive experience in residential and commercial property conveyancing, leasing, letting and licensing. On the domestic side, we have specialists in Wills and Probate, Public Law, Child Care, Adoption, Matrimonial Disputes and Personal Injury. We have a contract from the Legal Services Commission for all family and personal injury matters. We also operate a full criminal contract for the Criminal Defence Service and our solicitors are available for advice 24 hours a day.

39 King Street, Wrexham, LL11 1HR

01978 291 322

www.wrexhamsolicitors.co.uk info@wrexhamsolicitors.co.uk

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 73

73-Legal Eagle.indd 73

04/03/2011 12:55

Puzzle time!

There are two sets of clues, cryptic and quick, and the answers to both sets are the same, so if you get stuck on a cryptic clue, you can take the easy route! Answers in next issue

8 9 10

23 24

CRYPTIC CLUES ACRoSS 1 Sailor a short distance astern (5) 4 Act bad – i.e. - awful thing Edward did over Wallis (8) 8 Maintain skill in readiness for work (14) 10 Inceptor revealed to have dynamic quality (8) 11 Young girl’s forged medals (6) 12 Depict social event as mock battle (9) 15 Junk in undergrowth(5) 17 Spring group(5) 18 Strands tenor on rock (9) 19 Looks to include bible classes in treetop retreats (6) 21 Flashman playing

hockey? (8) 24 Statesmen drive badly – claims in media (14) 25 Broadcasts trendy songs first in Zeppelins (8) 26 News agencies’ furniture? (5) CLUES DoWN 1 Whose spanner repaired recorders? (12) 2 Goes naked after song ‘Where Journeys Begin and End’ (9) 3 Old language used in certain oracles (5) 4 Statesmen scream in a nightmare (9) 5 Fishes for prints(4) 6 Senior officer slips and

falls (9) 7 Carries betting system south (5) 9 Staggers to experimental unit on ice floe in rapids (12) 13 Vulgar and insipid (9) 14 Rudely, GI insults experts in French and German, say (9) 16 Retires on schedule, and changes tack (9) 20 Lines of bones (5) 22 Medal for the disabled(5) 23 Acupuncture tuition includes where to put needles (4)

4 Renounce, especially throne (8) 8 Fitness for use (14) 10 Having certain thermodynamic properties (8) 11 A young, unmarried woman (arch) (6) 12 Mock battle in which casualties are identified by squirting liquid (9) 15 Rub hard to clean (5) 17 Source of water in desert (5) 18 Sedimentary rock, typically red or brown in colour (9) 19 Large treetop nests (6) 21 Intimidating (8) 24 Commercial claims (14) 25 Flying machines such as the Zeppelin (8) 26 Furniture with surfaces for writing (5) CLUES DoWN 1 Devices for recording telephone messages (12) 2 Landing points for planes (9) 3 Ancient Caribbean language (5) 4 People of the US (9) 5 Small flatfish (4) 6 Suddenly fails (9) 7 Betting systems (5) 9 Astonishes (12) 13 Crude (9) 14 Language experts (9) 16 Changes the direction of (9) 20 Lines from the centre to the circumference of a circle (5) 22 Suffering a leg injury (5) 23 Small ornamental needle case (4) Answers below to our Winter issue crossword 1

P E D E C K S O R O P 8 W I N T E R O L L V C N 10 P R O C L A I M A U S

D I C U R E A A A YM P I C S 9 T S E I 11 M I D D E N T V

A B U S E Y A R D S T I C K M B A T R K S O 18 E M E R Y N O N P E R S O N N D G A T 19 20 21 22 T I E P I N B A S E B A L L 23 S V P R A I M F 17

QUICK CLUES ACRoSS 1 In or behind the stern of a ship (5)

C I N E M A T O G R A P H S E O R I N E F 26 E Y E S O R E S S I D E D

74 yattaryattar magazine Spring 2011

74 Puzzles.indd 74

03/03/2011 16:25

IT ADVICE

Computer viruses

How do you know when your computer has a virus? Yattar Yattar asked IT expert Simon Harding

At CITS we understand Information Technology (IT) and can deal with all your computer requirements, from USB memory sticks to PC’s and Laptops. We can source, install and maintain the hardware and software that is right for you, and make your computer faster, more reliable and more like it used to be with a CITS computer service*. *Standard Fee £46.35 inc. VAT for full service

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tel: 0845 456 3501 Visit us at 20 Vale Street, Denbigh, LL16 3BE or check out www.citsltd.co.uk 75 IT Advice.indd 75

imon says; ‘This is a question we are asked on a regular basis in our shop and our answer is: there are certain indications to look for. Has your computer started to run slowly? Does Internet Explorer pop up when you are least expecting it? Has a ‘Microsoft window’ popped up telling you that you have 100’s of things wrong with your computer? Or have you suddenly noticed that your internet connection is running very slowly? Do you end up on websites you didn’t expect or want to go to? Does your computer tell you it needs to be ‘fixed’ when it’s running fine? There is a fine line between a virus, Malware and Spyware; but they are all just plain annoying and sometimes stop you being able to use your computer. A virus, by definition, replicates itself and therefore makes copies throughout the computer. This becomes a real pain when your anti-virus finds and deletes a virus – but then on reboot, the virus comes back as it already has a chance to load and replicate itself once more before the antivirus software has had a chance to work. At CITS, we use various tools to combat these problems. Our favourite anti-virus is Avast! (www.avast.com), which is totally free for home usage. One of the main reasons we like this software over the others is that Avast! can do a ‘Boot Time Scan’, which means before Windows has started the software can remove the infection before it has loaded itself. Combine Avast! with Microsoft’s Windows Defender and Malware Bytes (another free edition available on the web), you should be able to remove anything nasty on your computer. PREVENTION IS ALWAYS BETTER THAN CURE! Make sure your anti-virus is up to date and working. Beware of websites that ask you to download or install anything to view them. Be careful to go to legitimate websites to download the tools to protect or repair your computer. The long and the short of it is this: there are new infections being written by people every day (‘why?’ is a very good question to ask!) and no software is able to catch or prevent every infection. If something asks you to ‘click here’ or ‘download’ or ‘run a scan’ always check whether it is your own computer letting you know (i.e. your own software such as Avast!). y

Proﬁle

Having developed software and supported some of the largest companies across the world, Simon Harding runs CITS Ltd, an IT support and consultancy company servicing small to medium businesses and domestic customers. Simon has also worked with Chester Zoo, Essex County Council and the CRB. Telephone 0845 456 3501 or visit: www.citsltd.co.uk

Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 75

03/03/2011 18:56

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PSYCHOTHERAPY

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How do talking therapies help maintain a long-term loving relationship?

nita Louise Rushton knows that relationships can be tough with our hectic schedules and hundreds of other things to focus on. It can be easy to let things slip but if you want yours to be a success, you have to work hard! Anita says: ‘The first step to rebuilding a relationship is to realise something is wrong and to seek help or advice. There will always be light at the end of the tunnel, but for the counselling to work you have to both want to be there in the first place. The first thing to establish is what they want from therapy – most will say they want more understanding and respect from their partner. ‘Relationships are often affected by your childhood because that’s where people’s belief systems or learned behaviour comes from. But any negative influences don’t have to affect the rest of your life, you can do something about it. ‘Just getting the couple talking is the starting point. I often get couples to write down the pros and cons of staying together, and fill out a thought diary and then compare their entries – this really helps to get a better understanding of each other. People have often never put themselves in the other person’s shoes before. ‘It is always sad to see how people have lost the art of communication, letting life get in the way. The key to success in a relationship is communication, communication, communication! Therapy is excellent for this as you are in a concentrated environment led or guided by myself. You can make the smallest of changes to get you communicating again: go for a walk together, find a common interest such as gardening, or get home early and put the dinner on! ‘When there is a lack of sexual interest, try to incorporate something new into the relationship; practise body massage with oils, light some candles and maybe talk to each other about what you want. People automatically think that the honeymoon period will last but you have to work at it, the initial attraction you had is because you were both made to feel attractive by each other. So even a slight amount of intimacy can make a huge difference, a peck on the cheek each day will work wonders!’ y

Anita Louise Rushton is accredited by the counselling society and a full member of the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy and the Person-Centred Art Therapy Association. Anita has also trained with the RELATE institute at Doncaster University. As well as being afﬁliated to corporate clients, Anita offers a private, dedicated and conﬁdential service. Sessions with Anita are available from £35 per hour. Telephone: 01978 846081 Mobile: 07912 609674 Email: anitaharmony@aol.com, www.chesterwellnesscentre.co.uk Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 79

03/03/2011 18:55

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An image consultation with Mac Tompsett worth £95!

Colour Me Beautiful are Europe’s leading image consultants with over 300 consultants in the UK and Ireland and a further 600 in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Yattar Yattar have teamed up with expert Mac Tompsett, one of Colour Me Beautiful’s top image consultants to give one lucky reader the chance to win a professional consultation worth £95! You will receive a colour consultation where you will discover your own colours, and learn how to work your look with the colour of your clothes. Mac will give you a natural daytime make-up look and offer advice on hair colour, hose and jewellery. You will receive your own personal colour swatches to take with you shopping so that you never make a wrong purchase again!

For your chance to win this fantastic prize simply answer the following question and return to us before April 8th to: Colour Me Beautiful Competition, Unit 13, Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham LL14 6HA Q: For good luck a bride should wear ‘something old, something new, something borrowed and...’ What’s the missing item? A: Name ........................................................................................... Address ........................................................................................ ....................................................................................................... ............................................. Postcode ....................................... Contact number: ....................................................................... Email ............................................................................................

Mac Tompsett

PLEASE DONOT SEND ME ANY OTHER INFORMATION

DATA PROTECTION NOTICE Brillybox Publishing and Media will use your information for administration and analysis purposes and may contact you from time to time with relevant offers, information or for research purposes. Your details will not be passed on to third parties. Please tick the relevant box if you do not wish to be contacted. COMPETITION RULES The promoter of this competition is Brillybox Publishing, CDC Distribution Centre, Unit 13, Vauxhall, Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham. LL14 6HA. The competition is open to all

readers of our magazine and viewers of our websites except employees of the Colour Me Beautiful, Global Investment Group and Llangollen Hotels and their immediate families. The winner will be the ﬁrst person drawn after the closing date who has completed the correct answer. No cash alternative is available. The winners name can be obtained by writing to the competition address with a selfaddressed envelope after the closing date. The winner agrees to participate in any follow-up publicity. Brillybox Publishing may print the name only of entrants to this competition in subsequent issue(s) of Yattar Yattar. This is to enable competition entrants to fairly claim a promotional offer, for competition entrants only, made by Llangollen Hotels. By entering this competition you are giving permission for Brillybox to print your name only. No personal information will be printed. No purchase necessary, answers on a postcard are accepted.

WIN!

Pick fruit from your very own fruit trees by Trees Direct!

Thanks to Trees Direct, we are offering one lucky reader the chance to win not one but three luscious fruit trees from the selection below. We think these are a great gift idea for weddings, anniversaries and birthdays to ‘give and grow’ and even better for keeps where you can watch the tree grow and taste the ripened fruit for yourself! You can select three trees from this list: Cherry – Sweetheart variety Apple – Cox’s Pear – Conference Damson Quince The fruit trees can be delivered anywhere in the UK and are already ﬂowering. Enter and be in with a chance of having your very own fruit garden! Visit: www.treesdirect.co.uk for more information or call: 01588 680280

For your chance to win this excellent prize simply answer the following question, ﬁll out your details and send back to us by May 20th to Trees Direct competition, Unit 13, Vauxhall Industrial Estate, Ruabon, Wrexham LL11 6HA Q. ORANGES AND ‘…’ SAY THE BELLS OF ST CLEMENTS – WHAT IS THE MISSING FRUIT? A: Name ........................................................................................... Address ........................................................................................ ....................................................................................................... ............................................. Postcode ....................................... Contact number: ....................................................................... Email ............................................................................................ PLEASE DONOT SEND ME ANY OTHER INFORMATION

readers of our magazine and viewers of our websites except employees of Trees Direct, Global Investment Group and Llangollen Hotels and their immediate families. The winner will be the ﬁrst person drawn after the closing date who has completed the correct answer. No cash alternative is available. The winners name can be obtained by writing to the competition address with a self-addressed envelope after the closing date. The winner agrees to participate in any follow-up publicity. Brillybox Publishing may print the name only of entrants to this competition in subsequent issue(s) of Yattar Yattar. This is to enable competition entrants to fairly claim a promotional offer, for competition entrants only, made by Llangollen Hotels. By entering this competition you are giving permission for Brillybox to print your name only. No personal information will be printed. No purchase necessary, answers on a postcard are accepted.

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Celebrity

YOUR STARS

Astrologer

Fay Weldon thinks she’s magic. Valerie Singleton calls her ‘a brilliantly intuitive and sensitive astrologer’. And now her predictions are here for you too BY GLORIA MANS

ARIES

20th March to 20th April Uranus, the planet associated with breakthroughs, enters Aries on the 12th March, bringing changes which will move you forward. Difﬁculties you’ve faced won’t entirely disappear but expect the unexpected! You’re re-inventing yourself and it’ll provide the beginning for a whole new chapter. Mars entering the fray on 2nd April will see you boldly meeting challenges.

TAURUS

20th April - 21st May Being a determined individual you won’t move even when you can see it’s the sane and sensible thing to do. Strong willed and stubborn you’ve endurance like no other but you’re at the end of your tether. Give yourself a break, there are people giving good guidance so listen and stop trying to keep everything under your control.

GEMINI

LEO

23rd July - 23rd August The good news is that disillusion will gradually fade from view and be replaced with ideas that have been thin on the ground of late. The bad news is you could have great expectations which are unable to be fulﬁlled. This needs a reality check to enable you to edit your life efﬁciently and cut production costs. You’re a big spender but your latest project requires thrift.

VIRGO

23rd August - 23rd September Full Moons have a way of highlighting problems. Spotlighting the angle of your chart on 19th March symbolising habit patterns and emotional blockage, it shows you have to deal with an issue you would rather leave locked away. Fortunately, you are your most severest critic and hopefully will give way to common sense and sort a certain matter out to near perfection.

LIBRA

21st May - 21st June There’s a line in an old movie in which Bette Davis says: ‘Why aim for the stars when we have the moon?’ Well, because what you want is much further away than you thought and ultimately of much greater value. There’s no point in settling for anything less at this stage so you just as well go the distance and grasp the glittering prize.

23rd September - 23rd October Your totem animal is the lizard which for survival adapts to its surroundings. With Saturn now in Libra it’s exactly what you’re having to do and depending on what your surroundings are, is how you’re dealing with it. But remember this, a daisy looks just as beautiful in a marmalade jar as an orchid in a crystal vase, two quite different visions with equal beauty!

CANCER

SCORPIO

21st June - 23rd July Neptune moving into a water sign compliments your touchy, feely and ultra sensitive nature. You relate well to emotional people because you’re one yourself so prepare for tearful episodes coming from different directions. Give of your time and heart but don’t sacriﬁce physical energy. Other people’s emotions will suck you dry so take heed and pace yourself to avoid a hissy ﬁt of your own!

23rd Oct - 22nd Nov With major planets having changed or in the process of changing signs the pressure is off some and on others. Where does this leave you? Changes within your working life are certain and even if not leaving your job, different rules are being applied. However, as always, when one area of life suffers another has something to celebrate, your love life springs to mind!

SAGITTARIUS

22nd Nov - 21st Dec Your restless nature is being ﬁred up by Uranus and Mars in Aries making what are known as trines to your sun sign and it’s good news. Physical energy is in focus and you’ll want to travel whether in mind, spirit or body. You cannot do everything at once so focus on special objectives: consolidation is your best policy, scattered energy your ﬂaw.

CAPRICORN

21st December - 20th January You are no stranger to responsibility but at present you have a responsibility to yourself. Some changes being forced on you are out of order and you will have no option but to stand ﬁrm and weather the storms but whilst doing so remember this: in heaven an angel is no-one in particular, so why try to be one on earth?

AQUARIUS

20th January - 19th February With so much ‘pushy’ energy working through the sign of Aries at present, you can do much to cement your identity in your local environment. It’s all about making a start on how you mean to go on and what campaign of action you will initiate. If moving into new territory don’t rush things, everything has its time and place as you’ll soon ﬁnd out.

PISCES

19th February - 20th March Life is about to settle down but you can’t say it hasn’t been exciting although not always what you expected or hoped. A new ﬁnancial experience is on the cards and it could begin what might be considered an adventure. Things are unpredictable but watch out for a spiritual renaissance when the new moon sails through your sign on 4th March.

Proﬁle of Gloria Mans Gloria trained in the art of astrology at the prestigious Faculty of Astrological Studies in London. This

involved astronomy and the study of longitude and latitude of planets and the ‘relationship’ they make through what are called ‘angles’. Astrology is also about intuition and understanding. Gloria has worked for many celebrities – Sally Burton, Richard Burton’s widow says: ‘Gloria makes a difference to your life’. Other clients have included Jerry Hall, David Bailey and David Icke. She lives with her artist husband, three cats, ﬁve hens and a rooster called Captain Jack in Powys. www.gloriamans.com email: starscene@btinternet.com Spring 2011 yattaryattar magazine 81

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THE LAST WORD

yattaryattaron The future is grey!

(Not orange as they told you) We stand on the threshold of major advances thanks to the lead in your pencil… WORDS SARAH GRIFFITHS

ehind closed doors in secret laboratories scientists have been working hard to unlock the secret of graphite. Yes, yes I know, you have already discovered it in your pencil, but listen up and remember that diamonds are also made from carbon. Now I have your attention and no it is nothing to do with diamonds but it will make more difference than they ever did, for this will totally revolutionise computing and electronics. This will include television and mobile phones – now stay with me as this is much more important than CERN’s multi-billion project to find the ‘Higgs Bosun’ which might hold the secret to how we all got here. So important is this discovery that the two researchers from Manchester University were awarded the Nobel Prize for Physics, oh and a million dollars. Graphene is this new baby’s name and is made from layers of carbon just one atom thick. Three million layers later you have grapheme which is one millimetre thick. This is the thinnest material yet discovered, yet conducts heat better than anything else, conducts electricity just like copper but is so dense that even the smallest gas atom cannot permeate it. Okay I see you nodding off, so here’s why you should know this – graphene will affect almost everything you use because we have almost reached the end of the

road using silicone. Although Moore’s law has held true to date when he said ‘Computer power will double every 18 months’, the heat generated and the amount that can be ﬁtted on to a chip will soon reach its limit. The unique properties of Graphene will give us a totally new generation of mobile phones, touch screens, bendable displays become possible and transistors made from it will work so much faster. Once they can scale it up it would be used in solar panels with far better effect, undoubtedly graphene is a game changer and you, like I will be scolding yourself that all the time you spent chewing a pencil in class you didn’t work it out for yourself as I guess you like I could do with a million dollars! Now as a nation we have an excellent track record for inventing stuff, the industrial revolution, steam engines, railway locomotives, telephone, jet engines, hovercraft, and lots, lots more but we have exported our ideas for others to manufacture and then buy the ﬁnished product back for our own use. Please, please Coalition Government, do not let this one slip away.

LEST WE FORGET I had the privilege once again on Remembrance Sunday to attend the war memorial service in Llangollen with time to reﬂect on the ultimate price

those brave soldiers paid so that we can still enjoy freedom of speech and a democratic way of life. As always, I do my best to sing the Welsh national anthem and stay in step with our town’s Silver Band and representatives of the forces as we march around the streets. Like you maybe, I struggle with contradictory views on Wikileaks and waterboarding. Superficially the answers seem simple, yes a democracy should be open about what it does, but what if leaked information led to the death of your son or daughter in Afghanistan? Would you then want to ban the release of military secrets? What if a terrorist had placed a bomb on an aircraft on which your partner was travelling? If waterboarding could unlock the information necessary to save your loved one – what then? Would you then be prepared to exact any kind of torture? Like much in life, answers are simple when you or yours are unaffected, but are much more complex when you place yourself at the heart of the scenario. As I get older, I find myself pondering on issues like this and find that most issues contain large areas of grey rather than the simple black and white picture I had in younger days. Unfortunately even after all of these years I don’t have the answers but at least now I find time to think about them. y

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