Dyserth Times is a not-for-profit community magazine published by Katie Baker & Liam Feaviour solely for the benefit of the communities of Dyserth & Cwm Email: dyserthtimeseditor@gmail.com Articles are published on the understanding that they are the original work of the contributor and the publisher reserves all rights on behalf of the authors. *** Opinions expressed by contributors are their own and do not reflect those of the editors or anyone else associated with the Dyserth Times magazine it’s associated Facebook group. *** Whilst every care is taken in the preparation of this magazine the editors and publishers cannot be held responsible for information supplied by contributors and published in good faith. Readers are advised to check with the organiser of events listed within the magazine to ensure that dates and times have not been changed following publication. *** We publish on the 1st of August, October, December, February, April, June. The cut off date for articles is always the 10th of the month preceding publication date. Due to publishing deadlines we cannot guarantee that any articles received after this date will be included in the magazine. *** We are happy to publish your contributions in either Welsh or English, whichever you chose to submit. *** Articles may be typed, handwritten, USB key or e-mailed. We cannot guarantee to publish media or photographs. Whilst we understand and will respect a contributor’s request for anonymity we will publish only if we are provided with the author’s name and full address including post code. *** Dyserth Times complies with it’s obligations under GDPR 2018. A copy of the Dyserth Times Privacy Policy is available by request to the Editors on the contact details listed above. ***
Facebook Group: @dyserthtimes 2
Instagram: @dyserthtimes
The Editor’s Bit
Happy New Year—Blwyddyn Newydd Dda! We hope you all enjoyed the festive celebrations and are still sticking religiously to your new year’s resolutions, whatever they may be. Looking back briefly to the end of 2018, it was wonderful to see so many gathered for the Carols at the Waterfall that was inspired by Isabella’s winning front cover. The atmosphere was magical with the waterfall beautifully lit and plenty of good voices to help keep those of us who aren’t so tuneful in order. Thank you to Graeme and Pat Johnson for their efforts in putting the event on. Fingers crossed it will become an annual event.
As you may have spotted, this is the 100th edition of the Dyserth Times, meaning this community magazine has been running for over 16 years! Whilst the Dyserth Times is only a modest publication, it’s one of very few free community magazines left in Wales. For that reason, some might say it puts the beautiful villages of Dyserth and Cwm on the map! Our sense of community is what make our villages such a lovely place to live. We’re confident that each and every one of you can think of a neighbour, business owner, friend or community group member that makes your time in the community more special. We should all aspire to become one of those people too. Something as simple as taking in a parcel for a neighbour, putting someone’s bin out or checking up on a member of the community you haven't seen for a couple of days can all make a huge difference to an individuals day and in turn, give you that warm, satisfied feeling in side.
Content Celebrating 100 Editions Horeb Chapel - Capel Horeb Dyserth & District Field Club - Clwb Dyserth a Maes Dosbarth Community Hall, Play & Stay and Hiraddug’s Helping Hands The Parish Church of St. Bridget - Eglwys y Plwyf Santes Briget Dyserth Bowling Club - Clwb Bowlio Dyserth Conveyancing—Explaining the Jargon NSPCC Dyserth Junior Football Club Tuesday Morning Community Group Nature Corner - Cornel Natur Dyserth Women’s Institute Posture—How to Short Circuit your Brain’s Bad Habits Colin’s Cryptic Crossword 3
4 6 7 8 11 11 12-13 14 15 15 16 17 18 20
Celebrating 100 Editions Dathlu 100 Rhifynnau Wow, it’s over sixteen years since Malcolm Lawrence had the idea of creating a community magazine! Sadly, Malcolm passed away in 2013 and as I had recently retired I was asked if I would consider taking up the challenge. Although I was used to report writing and presenting throughout my working life, I knew diddly squat about publishing! A steep learning curve indeed, but I had help from those that knew about such things which led to the absolute pleasure of editing the magazine for almost five years and now the mantle has been taken up by Katie and Liam. We lived in Dyserth for over 33 years, where our three children attended Ysgol Hiraddug and I was a parent governor. I spent most of my time travelling, so, my immersion in the fabric of the village was minimal. There can be no better way to get to know a community than becoming immersed in it. Whether, joining local groups, helping in the food co-op, belonging to the Dyserth Environmental Society or fighting for a bus service, all these allowed me a greater understanding of villages of Dyserth and Cwm and the way their hearts beat. Probably the most satisfying time as editor was the annual Scarecrow Competition. Driving around taking the pictures of the masterpieces and then seeing how the community judged them on Community Day was one of the most fun things anyone can do. I will also never forget my roles in the Cwm Murder Mystery evenings either. Mind you, without Hilary aka “management� it could have and probably would have been very different! From proof reading and sorting typos and even then missing one or two would have been impossible. Mind you, there were plenty who would correct me that was for sure. Without the band of over 30 distributors to get the magazine through your letterboxes the job would have proved impossible. You know who you are, so thank you. We left the village in 2017 and handed over to Katie and Liam last year. Of course we miss Dyserth, but we have embarked on new adventures now, but knowing the magazine is in capable hands. Good luck to you all and thank you for having us in your village.
Richard 4
Advertising in the Dyserth Times
Just a quick reminder that the magazine is prepared and distributed by a large number of hard-working volunteers. The adverts placed by local businesses in the Dyserth Times enable us to meet the printing costs and therefore ensure that the residents of the two villages continue to receive their magazine every couple of months and for this we are extremely grateful. As we rely on adverts being placed with us to fund the magazine we would kindly ask that if you utilise the services of any of business that advertise with us (either in the magazine itself or on the Facebok group) that you make them aware that you noticed their advert in the Dyserth Times in order that we can continue to ensure the magazine is circulated throughout our two villages. For advertising enquiries, please email dyserthtimeseditor@gmail.com Thank you all for your continued support
IVOR HOWATSON AND SON Funeral Directors Cyfarwyddwyr Angladdau N.A.F.D. Diploma Holder Family owned, Family run Since 1967
Full Monumental Masonry Service Pre-arranged and pre-paid funeral plans available Funeral Director Brian Howatson Dip.F.D., L.M.B.I.F.D., Dyserth resident since 1982 SISSON STREET, RHYL TEL. (01745) 331182
5
Horeb Chapel - Capel Horeb
November seems a long time ago now! But our Autumn Fair held then raised over £500 for Church funds. All the events since then raised money or gifts for other causes. On Advent Sunday we amassed many gifts to North Wales Superkids, and on the following Sunday gifts for Commitment for Life, administered by Christian Aid in four countries, amounted to £915 which, with Gift Aid, came to well over £1,100. We hosted the Cytûn Christingle service which raised £85 for the local NSPCC and the offertory for Shelter Cymru on Christmas Eve was £162.25. At a Christmas Day service, when Bethel congregation joined us, the offertory, again for Christian Aid, was £115.25. On the last Sunday of the year we joined Bethel for a well attended and happy service. Money, of course, is not the main purpose of these events, which are for worship and community service, but nothing runs without it! Our Christmas Community Lunch this year was in our Paterson Hall, when 40 people enjoyed lunch with live music. The monthly lunches continue to attract a full house. All the cooking is done by volunteers from the church and the community. By the time this issue of Dyserth Times drops through your letterbox we shall also have celebrated Burns Night for the 17th time! Worship at 9.30 is offered every Sunday and our Wednesday programme of Coffee, Fruit & Veg Coop, Quiz, Library and other things continues, all run by volunteers. We look forwards to Fairtrade Fortnight (25 February — 10 March), Lent Lunches, Easter and beyond without the leadership of a minister, but in good spirits. We head into 2019 with confidence and hope, and invite anyone to join us, whoever they are. Revd Colin Richards
Dates for your Diary Dyserth and District Cytûn The Frugal Lunches will take place on Thursdays in Lent: They usually consist of soup, bread, cheese and tea or coffee, prepared by the different churches and all served in St Bridget’s Hall in Waterfall Road. They Thursday 14th March, are from 12.30 to 2.00 p.m. and cost £3.50 per person, all of which is given to Christian Aid. It is also hoped to have a stall selling Fairtrade goods as usual. Dyserth Fruit & Veg Coop Open every Wednesday from 9:00am to 1:00pm At the Paterson Hall, Dyserth Chapel, High Street High quality fruit, veg and salad. Locally sourced, locally grown where possible. A non-for-profit enterprise run by volunteers Very competitive prices Call in any Wednesday 6
Dyserth District & Field - Dyserth a Maes Dosbarth
The winter programme continued with a lecture entitled ’The China Farm Story’ – a rather enigmatic title for an illustrated talk which told the story of the life and times of people living in the sixteenth century at China Farm near West Kirby on the Wirral and at the nearby house called Larton. This was somewhat different from most Field Club talks but was much enjoyed by the 37 members present. This was followed by a walk in Bodnant Gardens in quite good weather despite a poor forecast. The winter garden was particularly appreciated by the party and after exploring the Poem area, the Skating Pond and the Dell. After the Christmas break a circular walk in the Point of Ayr area afforded views of large flocks of wading birds on the shore of the Dee estuary now an internationally important site for several species. Before this report appears the first meeting of the 2019 will have taken place in the form of ‘Short Talks by Members’. Traditionally the titles of these are not announced until they are delivered. On 26th January the AGM and a Social Afternoon will be held in Trinity Church Hall in Prestatyn and the winter Programme will progress with a walk around the historic town of Mold on 2nd February, a lecture about the River Clwyd on 16th February, a walk at the Morfa Madryn nature reserve on 2 nd March, and the Anniversary lecture celebrating 108 years of the Field Club on 16 th March with the title ‘Snowdonia Habitats – from Summit to Sea’. The winter session will conclude with a walk around Ruthin on 30th March and a lecture on ‘Hedgehogs in Care ‘ on 13th April. Everyone will be welcome at these events and full details can be found on the Dyserth Website under ‘Organisations’. If you wish to join the Field Club or need any other information please contact the Secretary on 01745 336456. Look out for details of the programme on local posters, in the libraries and on the website and then please join in! New members will be very welcome. D S Richards
SELF- STORAGE SECURE INSULATED UNITS 24 HOUR ACCESS COAST CONTAINERS TALARGOCH TRADING ESTATE DYSERTH CALL RICHARD JONES 07854603123 01745 570843 7
Dyserth Community Hall - Neuadd Gymuned Dyserth
Lots of bookings are already in the diary throughout 2019, which include our own events as well as parties, company training, community groups, exercise classes, the WI, choirs and dog training! Phew! The Hall is a registered charity and is run by a volunteer committee. If you're interested in getting involved, please get in touch! There is also a small team of volunteers who help out at our regular events, so we'd like to send our thanks to them all. The Hall wouldn't run without you! Big thanks also to the Caretaker, Andy, who has been working at the Hall for almost a year now. His efforts certainly show and we are grateful for his dedication and expertise. To enquire about hiring the hall, please call 570258, search online for "Dyserth Community Hall" or find us on Facebook / Twitter. ************************************************************************************************ Play & Stay at Dyserth—Chwarae ac Aros yn Dyserth We've had some big successes over the last few months! Our Hallowe'en event raised £290 - thank you so much to everyone involved, and to everyone who came to the party. Our bank account is open now - so we are in a position to accept sponsorships and donations, and apply for grants. We are also most of the way through registering as a charity, which is very exciting as we get some financial benefits from that as well as credibility. 2019 will be full of public consultation sessions as we work out exactly what to include in the play area and public garden. We want to say a BIG Thank You to the lovely Cathie Cornish for the donation from her Christmas raffle. We're so grateful you chose us this year! Lastly, a date for your diary: 1st June. We're planning to hold a Village Fête, with entertainment, stalls and refreshments for all! To make a donation online, or to talk to us regarding sponsorship and lots of publicity for your company, please go to our website www.playandstayatdyserth.org, email hello@playandstayatdyserth.org, or call 570258. We'd also love to know what you'd like to see at the play area - drop us a line! ************************************************************************************************ Hiraddug's Helping Hands—Dwylo Helpu Hiraddug Our first event under our new name, was also a new event for the village, and we're proud and pleased to be able to say, it went REALLY well! It was fantastic to see such a great turnout under the Christmas tree, and the fun and games - and refreshments! - afterwards raised £974!! THANK YOU so much to everyone who came along on the night or helped out on a stall. The money will go towards a new library area and books within the school. 8
Celtic Connect Gas Central Heating and Plumbing Maintenance Natural Gas and LPG. Gas Safe Registered. General Building Maintenance.
Tel: Shaun - 01745 851506
Mob: 07847 773999
The Ti a Fi Playgroup
We meet every Thursday between 9.15am and 11.15am. Parents and Carers are invited to come along and relax in an informal atmosphere, where their little ones are free to play with any of the toys on offer, as well as indulging in creative craft wherever possible. Prices: £2.50 per child over 1 £1.50 per child under 1 £1 for additional siblings
Photo courtesy of the Daily Post
9
10
The Parish Church of St. Bridget—Eglwys y Plwyf Santes Briget
We are in an inter regnum period at St. Bridget’s after the retirement of the vicar at the end of November. However, the services on Sunday are being conducted alternately by Canon Peter Jones and Canon Timothy Lipscomb. Both have been regular worshippers here in Dyserth and we are grateful to them for their help. Services at other times will be announced in church or posted on the notice boards. The service on Palm Sunday, 14th.April will be held at St. Michael and All Angels in Trelawnyd commencing at 10 am. In February a Starters and Puddings Evening will be held in the Church Hall beginning at 6.30pm. Entertainment will be provided and the event will cost £8.00 per head. Please bring your own wine. During Lent the Frugal Lunches, organised by the churches of the area, will be held in the Church Hall as usual at this time. Details can be found elsewhere in the magazine. Keith Sanderson
Dyserth Bowling Club—Clwb Bowlio Dyserth The club members are enjoying the winter break whilst the green tries to recover from the heat of the summer, under the diligent care of Nigel the Green Keeper. But as soon as the first signs of spring appear all the bowlers will start to look forward to another season. The green will open at the end of March to allow for practice before the start of the leagues in April. Dyserth enters teams in four leagues, two teams into the Clwydian Senior Citizens for those over sixty, the Wednesday Ladies League, two teams into the Vale of Clwyd Thursday evenings and a team into the North Wales Coast on a Saturday afternoon. Should anyone in the community like to join us, they would be very welcome just call at the green on a Monday afternoon, when most members will be honing their skills! Any club member would be able to help them. The more the merrier.
Contact numbers are in this magazine. Hazel Griffiths 11
Conveyancing - Explaining the Jargon
As part of your ‘new year – new me’ moto you may have decided that 2019 is the year for finding your dream home. Whether it’s your first house or your forever home, buying a property is a very exciting time. Unfortunately, buying a house can be a daunting process and for many people it will be the first time they've had to instruct a solicitor. Combine all this with the time pressures of moving in and the mountains of paperwork you need to work your way through and before you know it all the excitement has been overshadowed by the boring bits! One of the things you can do to make buying a property easier, is to familiarise yourself with some of the ‘legal jargon’ that is likely to crop up during the process. Here’s our handy guide to a few of the most common terms used during a property transaction: Caveat Emptor This means “buyer beware”. It is a principle which means that a buyer must raise all queries before exchange of contracts. Contracts These are the legal documents which set out how and when the house or land will be transferred. The deal is confirmed once contracts have “been exchanged”. Conveyance/Conveyancing This describes the process of transferring a house or land from one person to another. Disbursements These are costs which a Solicitor pays on your behalf. In a house sale or purchase this might be a Land Registry fee, search fees or paying for an insurance policy.
Easement An easement is a right of way over one piece of land for the benefit of another. For example, this could be a driveway or path over land your neighbour owns to give you access to your house. Freehold If a property is freehold it means that the house or land is owned completely outright. Help to Buy Equity Loan
A loan provided by the government of up to 20% of the price of a newbuilt property. 12
Help to Buy ISA
A tax-free savings account into which the government grant a cash bonus towards your deposit. Indemnity Indemnity is usually an insurance policy which covers a legal issue with a property that can’t be resolved in another way. This is sometimes used if there are missing documents. Land Registry This is the central office which holds records of ownership of all property in England and Wales. Some properties aren’t registered there and then the owners still need to produce a bundle of deeds to prove that they own a house or land. Land Transaction Tax (LTT) A tax paid to the Welsh Revenue Authority when you purchase property or land in Wales. The amount payable depends on the purchase price, whether you already own land and/or property and various other factors. Leasehold If a property is Leasehold it means that the ownership is time limited and that there might be restrictions on how it can be used. Office Copy Entries These are the Land Registry documents which show the boundaries of a piece of land, who owns it and whether there is a mortgage on it, amongst other things. Search Pack A group of searches which reveal additional information about the property you are buying. Unregistered Land This is land which hasn’t been registered at the Land Registry. If a property isn’t registered then the owners still need to produce a bundle of deeds to prove that they own the land. When it is sold now it will be registered with the Land Registry. Since 2002 registration has been compulsory and therefore unregistered land is becoming less common. Nelson Myatt LLP Suite 6, Conwy Business Centre, Llandudno Junction, Conwy, LL31 9XX 01492 588200 info@nelsonmyatt.com 13
NSPCC Cymru Wales
Here we are at the start of another year – where do they all go so quickly! Looking back at 2018, it was obviously memorable for closing the old shop and moving into our new premises in Thomas Avenue. Even though we were not in operation for over 3 months, we have more than made up for the loss of income by a huge increase in sales. The 2018 Christmas period was easier for us as we only had one shop to man, rather than having a pop-up shop as in the previous few years. This also meant one set of overheads, so good for the profit! A lot of effort goes into the making of the wreathes and posies etc, so the downturn in their sales was disappointing. Maybe more competition around? I would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone for supporting the NSPCC last year, in lots of different ways: • • • • •
To all the volunteers in the shop, who are magnificent and very hard-working To all the volunteers who do many activities outside of the shop, raising a significant sum To everyone in the locale who holds fundraising events in aid of the NSPCC To everyone who donates the goods we sell, where would we be without you? But mostly, to all the customers – please keep on buying!
I wonder what 2019 holds for us all? In the shop, we are always looking at ways to improve our service. Are we selling the right things? Should we focus on less or widen our scope?? What is the one thing you would miss if we stopped selling it?? All interesting thoughts. If you have strong feelings about what we should do, we would welcome your feedback. Just put it in writing and hand into the shop. We may well be doing a survey soon to formalise this, so watch out for it in the shop. The NSPCC has a campaign Close the Loophole (www.nspcc.org.uk/what-we-do/ campaigns/close-the-loophole) to build parliamentary support and put pressure on Secretary of State for Justice David Gauke MP to change the law, and protect all young people from sexual abuse. They need your help to make this happen. They are asking that you email your MP (e-activist.com/page/36209/action/1? ea.tracking.id=IC) and call on them to support the campaign – it only takes 60 seconds. Why not follow the link and find out more. Wishing everyone a very healthy and happy 2019. Gill Morgan
14
Dyserth Junior Football Club Clwb Pel-droed Iau Dyserth We would like to introduce a mini football coaching session in spring for ages 5-7. No costs, all we ask is parents attend. Once we have confirmed interest, we can confirm the start date and venue. If you have children that will be in this age group and would like to express interest please contact us via our Facebook page Dave Cooke
DC LOCKSMITHS 24 HOUR SERVICE NO CALL OUT FEE UPVC LOCK SPECIALIST
All types of locks supplied, fitted, opened and repaired Rhuddlan 01745 590192 Mobile: 07928 212293 Tuesday Morning Community Group Clwb Cymunedol Bore Dydd Mawrth The winter session started on January 8th and will continue every Tuesday Morning until March 19th when the AGM will be held before going on to Faenol Fawr for a Spring Luncheon. Details of the varied programme of talks, mostly illustrated, may be found on the Dyserth website under ‘Organisations’ and also on the Community Hall site. Meetings are held in the small hall of the Dyserth Community Hall from 10.15am till noon and refreshments are available before the talks start, giving an opportunity for a good chat! New members will be especially welcome. For further details please ring the Secretary on 01745 570625. Do please give the group a try! If you like it tell your friends! D S Richards
15
Nature Corner - Cornel Natur Local wonders! The big news this month is that a Dyserth Times reader reported seeing a male Crossbill (Loxia curvirostrain) in Maes Esgob on Christmas Eve. That got the bird photographers and birders pulses racing! Usually seen in Fir trees around the Brenig and Alyn areas and synonymous with Scots Pines this really was an unusual sighting. A beautiful bird and member of the Finch family, as its name suggests it has a crossed bill used to tease seeds from conifer cones. A protected bird and rather chunky resplendent with the male and its red feathers, the female a yellowy or greenish colour. I missed it!!! Also, our Dave Parry has been busy at Horton’s Nose, Rhyl and captured some great pictures of a rare Black Redstart (Phoenicurus ochruros). The size of a Robin and with only 100 breeding pairs in the UK, it is on the RSPB Red List of endangered birds. What a find. As for me, I missed this one too! It’s cold, but there can’t be a better time to wrap up warm and visit one of the numerous bird reserves. Near to us are of course RSPB Conwy and Burton Mere, but whether a couple, alone or as a family treat, there couldn’t be a better time to visit or even travel further and see a wildlife spectacular. The Wetland and Wildlife Trust reserve at Martin Mere (1.5 hours drive) just north of Ormskirk has fantastic facilities for a day out. Spread over 800 acres it has comfortable hides with glass and opening windows, rare species and a chance to see otters too. During winter the Geese and Swans are the real draw and thousands descend on the reserve each winter. In fact over 2000 wintering Swans including Whooper and Pink Footed earlier this month. Of course, we have wonderful reserves locally, Rhuddlan, Big Pool Wood , Gronant and the Dee estuary including Talacre. The title in the last Nature Corner my title was “Hang on to your hats, it could be a Wonderful Wild Wildlife Winter”! So far, so good as my prediction for extreme winter arriving has not proved correct. That said, we have a lot of winter to come, so please carry on feeding our feathered friends, especially with high protein foods and fresh water. Keep warm, but get out there and enjoy the outdoors. Natures stress buster.
16
Richard
Dyserth WI SyM Dyserth Well another year is here and already Dyserth WI members are busy. Our various groups have restarted – Knit and Natter, Singing, Craft and a new group, Tai Chi with Sue Edwards. The Tau Chi group, whilst initiated as a result of Sue Edwards running a taster session in 2018, is a group open to none WI members. You never need to be bored if you become a WI member. Last year’s Christmas party was a great success with members providing the usual beautiful spread and fully participating in the traditional, hectic rendition of the Twelve Days of Christmas. The Singing Group welcomed Christmas with some traditional-ish Christmas songs and the WI Players performed an original playlet, “A Watched Pot”. The actors are photographed below minus their wonderful, but shy, producer Josie In January we had a talk from Peter Harrison from Dementia Friendly Prestatyn. Many of our members are already Dementia Friends but its always good to hear what others are doing. Our speakers for February and March are Elaine Crabtree [When We Were Very Rich] and Toby Fagan who will present a Musical Evening. Our first theatre trip is to Llandudno in February to see Kinky Boots – the Musical and there will be more to come during the year. Keep up with our activities on Facebook. Just type in Dyserth WI to see pictures and articles about past events or outings or, for further information please contact our President, Anne Sanderson, on 01745 859526. Sue Wright
17
Posture: How to Short Circuit your Brain’s Bad Habits
The bad postural habits that you learn over a lifetime are hard wired into your brain. If you want to develop a better posture you need to retrain your brain and not your body. Here’s how. We develop bad posture for several reasons for example: 1. 2. 3. 4.
We learn it from our family and friends without even realising we are doing it. When we are young, we copy the poses of those we admire. We use postures that we find easier in our work life, for example slumping over a desk. Short term injury, for example a sprained ankle, can cause us to change how we stand. Then when we get better, we don’t regain our old posture.
If somebody points out that your shoulders are slumped, and your chin is jutting forward you look in the mirror and try to adjust your posture so that you look better. That’s fine, but when you move away from the mirror you relapse. You realise that changing your posture is going to take a bit more effort. So, you straighten your back, pull your chin in and drop your shoulders. You try to maintain this posture all day but as soon as you stop thinking about it your bad posture returns. You feel like you are in a battle with yourself; you feel tired and drained from the effort and you neck and shoulders ache from trying to hold this new posture. This approach does not work because you actually are in a battle with yourself. It is the subconscious part of your brain that controls your posture. You are trying to change deeply embedded neurological patterns with your conscious mind. You will not win this battle. Instead you will end up in pain and frustrated. The way to change your posture is through 1. 2.
Gentle repetition Engaging the felt sense
Rather than trying to force your body to change you should gently and often find the right posture. Breathe deeply while feeling into your body, notice any tensions, let them release. So, you find a good posture that feels comfortable, not too stiff. By doing this you are sending a friendly message to your brain and your brain will recognise that your are in a good posture. Once you have taken a few breaths forget everything. Don’t try to hold the good posture; posture should be natural, you should not have to think about it. Practice this frequently in the same way as you would gently direct a child, and your body/brain will respond like a child and you will find yourself in better posture naturally and easily. Steve Massey St Asaph Chiropractic Clinic 01745 535854
18
19
Answers on page 23
Colin’s Cryptic Crossword
ACROSS
1 7 8
10 13 14 18 19 (8) 22 24 nor 25
Children’s show created from item on the Christmas dinner table and a bit of vehicle equipment (11) Wrap which involved pardon for Abott and Costello (6) Composer? There’s now one in Dyserth (6) Unusual clear ice vegetable (8) Everything in the world revolves around it! (4) First North-Eastern veg dinner cooked - it goes on and on (5,6) Stirring emotion found in Welsh Wylfa nuclear power station (4) Unset ‘cos strangely it’s in Chester Cuts new verses (6) Though it’s overseas it’s only a miroute here (6) See 14 down
DOWN 1 2 3
Stop a hundred getting relaxation (5) Got up to something smelly (5) Small barrel made from potassium, for example (3) 4 Tease bit of the cage (3) 5 Express an opinion about cab flying cab (3,4) 6 Retaining detention command before the Third of August (7) 9 Arthurian capital runs a lottery (7) 11 Result of leaching ashes sounds untrue (3) 12 Fish eggs with antlers (3) 14,25 Keep them and feel virtuous (3,4,11) 15 Airstrikes without new start may be slovenly (7) 16 Young hooligan goes up to hideout (3) 17 NHS founder came initially from New York East (3) 20 Trunk was said to be split in this way (5) 21 Corset remains (5) 23 Orb seen in Limassol (3) 24 Behave like crazy cat (3)
20
21
22
WILKINSON SAWS Tree Care Grounds Maintenance Covering North Wales and North West England Fully Insured and Health and Safety Compliant Free Estimates and Advice Call Dom on: 07850 451340 or email: dom_wilkinsonsaws@outlook.com A Polite, Friendly and Professional Service. We strive for Perfection and 100% Satisfaction in 23
Film Reviews—Adolygiadau Film by Kumari Tilakawardane Mary Poppins Returns Here we are again, at Did-We-Really-Need-Another-Sequel/Remake Street. It’s nice to be back. Disney is apparently going through what can only be described as some sort of existential crisis, churning out remakes/reboots/sequels with alacrity. In the end though, however much we really didn’t need anyone messing with the sacred covenant that was the original Mary Poppins, Mary Poppins Returns turns out to be a mostly heart-warming, toe-tapping, smile-inducing cheese-fest that’s come at the perfect (practically in every way) time. It’s been about 20 years since the events of the first film, and everyone’s aged the expected amount except our titular heroine (this time played by Emily Blunt). Michael (Ben Whishaw) and Jane (Emily Mortimer) are grown adults with grown up problems, and there’s no sign of Dick Van Dyke’s Bert, though he’s ably replaced in the Cockney-accent stakes by Jack (Lin-Manuel Miranda), a lamplighter who also conveniently comes with a pack of musically-gifted co-workers (‘Trip a Little Light Fantastic’ is unquestionably one of the major highlights of the film). Perhaps it’s the festive season, or perhaps it’s because we’ve all got more than enough stress going on these days, but it's oh so easy to look past the flaws of Mary Poppins Returns. The music’s not up to much, the non-stop cheeriness is perhaps a little cloying at times, and it could be argued that the screenplay and almost shot-forshot re-enactment leans a little too much on referencing the 1964 film at times. But each time a downside threatens to rear its head, you’re swept away into a wonderfully executed animation sequence or captivated by Blunt’s stern-yet-smiling demeanour. It’s a magical concept, of course, but director Rob Marshall harnesses the charm of Blunt’s performance, the nostalgia of the setting and makes it easy for the audience to fully suspend disbelief and plunge head first into Poppins’ world. Incredibly cheery and sweet (it’s more than a spoonful of sugar – it’s a diabetic’s worst nightmare), Mary Poppins Returns is the perfect antidote for the winter blues. For those of us who grew up watching Julie Andrews waltz with animated penguins this is a lovely piece of nostalgia, while this film’s imagination and heart suggest youngsters at the cinema this winter might find themselves thinking fondly of Blunt’s Poppins in years to come. It’s maybe not quite supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, but it’s pretty super.
Score – 8/10 24
Bumblebee It’s both hard and depressingly easy to believe that up until now, there have been five Transformers films (each steadily worse than the last). And now, with the release of Bumblebee we’ve made it to the half-dozen. But Bumblebee is different. It’s not more of the same in the mould of Michael Bay’s Transformers – it’s both fresh and nostalgic, boasting coherent action scenes, sympathetic villains and a strong lead. It’s set in the 1980s, and it’s the Transformers film Transformers fans have been waiting for; it’s more about the classic comic book lore, and less about weird comic relief and flashy action for the sake of it. Director Travis Knight succeeds where Michael Bay failed, and manages to inject the film with a surprising amount of soul and heart. The film has a really strong start, with a captivating action sequence, bold colour scheme and a storyline straight out of the comic books. The Decepticons and Autobots are faithfully translated from the page to the screen, and the core relationship is genuinely heart-warming. Charlie and Bumblebee become fast friends, and before long the teenager finds herself involved in an all-out war that moves from Cybertron to Earth. One of the things that marks this as a step forward for Transformers (and films of this type in general) is Charlie’s character arc. She’s allowed to have her first car, rebel a little bit, have a love interest (Jorge Lendeborg Jr) and come of age in a teenage way that’s so often the exclusive reserve of male characters. One of the film’s strengths, and what makes it such a great Christmas holidays option for the family, is that there’s a manageable amount of bots and villains and heroes to get to know; it’s very much ‘less is more’. John Cena’s performance as a somewhat sympathetic villain – who actually has a comprehensible and understandable backstory – is excellent, and a couple of new Decepticons add to the drama. There’s plenty for young viewers to enjoy, though there are enough Easter eggs and references to classic films and 80s culture for slightly older cinemagoers to get on board, and there isn’t a single Transformers fan who will fail to be moved by the obvious nostalgia and genuine fondness for the classic characters shown by the filmmakers. Enjoyable even for the most casual of Transformers fans (and those who perhaps weren’t fan of the old smash-n-grab flicks), the combination of a great young female lead, a coherent narrative, a great retro soundtrack, a superb one-liner from Cena and a good amount of classic robot-on-robot action makes for the highest point in the Transformers franchise thus far. Score – 8/10
25
Councillors and Clerks County Councillor Dyserth
David Gwyn Williams
01745 570282 David.G.Williams @denbighshire.gov.uk
County Councillor Tremeirchion, Cwm & Waen
Christine Marston
01745 582842
Clerk to the Dyserth Community Council
Phillip Parry
01352 720547
Clerk to Tremeirchion, Cwm & Waen
Ian Jones
07746 789004
Local and National Services Childline
-
0800 1111
Community Police
PCSO2839 Alexandra Jones
07768 038842
Community Information Bus
Dave Haycocks
01745 339779
North Wales Police
Non-Emergency Line
101
Pharmacy
Rhys Roberts
01745 570232
Quarry House Surgery
-
01745 572968
Welsh Water
Emergency Line
0800 052 0130
Ysbyty Glan Clwyd
-
01745 583910
Ysgol Hiraddug
Headteacher – Tristan Hughes
01745 570467
Young People’s Groups Beavers, Cubs & Scouts
Carol Boyton Secretary – Dave Cooke
Dyserth Junior Football Club
Treasurer – Simon Eames Acting Chairperson & Safeguarding Officer – David Salsbury
01745 591702 07817 699225 07771 800787 07900 431236
Karate Club
Shirley Smith
01745 342798
Ti a Fi (Parent & Toddler Group)
Samantha Evans
07539949204
After School Club
07789 495160
Hiraddug Childcare
07506 884812
Ysgol Hiraddug
26
Dyserth Community Groups
Dyserth Environmental Group
Secretary - Jackie Parry
01745 571956
Dyserth Tuesday Morning Community Group
David Richards
01745 570625
Dyserth Women’s Institute
Secretary – Lynne Peake
07930 550340
Dyserth & District Field Club
David Richards
01745 570625
NSPCC Fund Raising Group
Joyce Marshall
01492 582152
Dyserth Sports & Activities Groups Bowling Club
Hazel Griffiths
01745 570376.
Irish Dancing
Emma Orhan
07920 728422
Line Dancing
Dorothy Evans
01745 888833
Religious Groups Cwm Parish Church
Canon Robert Rowland
01745 570750
Dyserth Parish Church
Canon Robert Rowlands Church Warden – Harry Davies & Roger Peters
01745 570750
Dyserth United Reformed Church
Revd. Colin Richards
01745 889002
01745 570130
Venues for Hire Community Hall, Dyserth
Cathy Jackson
01745 570258
Old School Hall, Cwm
Diana Baxter
01745 570261
Paterson Hall, Dyserth
Barbara Tebbutt
01745 570793
Residential Hall, Maes Esgob
Sarah Jones
01824 706873 Sarah.Jones @denbighshire.gov.uk
St Bridget’s Hall, Waterfall Road
Anne Cooper Pam Williams
01745 889886 01745 570507
The Blue Lion, Cwm
Mike Pritchard
01745 798741
27
28