Gaol staff launch children’s book
Staff at Ruthin Gaol recently held a launch to celebrate the children's book they have created and recently had published.
‘Tales of the Gaol’ is available in Welsh and English and tells a story of Chocolate and Vanilla, two mice who live in Ruthin Gaol with the prisoners and kitchen workers.
The book was written by Heritage Assistant Margaret and illustrated by Lynne (aka ‘the mice’, pictured). Another team member, Iwan Davies, digitized the illustrations and John Myddleton translated the book into Welsh.
The team can usually be found greeting visitors and giving guided tours at the Gaol, so the book creation was something they wanted to do for all the families and children they meet.
Margaret says “Children love visiting the Gaol so we wanted to create something they could take away with them and enjoy, and also help their reading skills. It was a team effort - most of us are ex-teachers in our second careers and this is something we were really excited to do”.
Lynne added “The launch was great fun, the younger children really loved the costumes, we had a few giggles with the grown-ups… and the odd cheese joke!”
Manager Emma Bunbury says “The book is on sale at the Gaol and has been very popular, especially with younger audiences as a night time story book. We're hoping to be able to sell them online at some point as they also make a nice gift and at £2.95 they seem good value. The team here at the Gaol work so hard and really enjoy welcoming people to ‘prison life’. They have lots of creative ideas and it’s great to see their book on sale at the Gaol….now we just need to persuade them to create a Volume 2!”
Free Driving Assessments for the over 60’s
Drivers aged 60 and over can have a free driving assessment carried out as part of the North Wales Older Driver Development Scheme, which is run by Flintshire County Council. Most people should be able to carry on driving - more safely - by adapting their driving habits following the advice of a driving professional.
Flintshire County Council administer the scheme on a regional basis. Their Road Safety Unit address has changed to Alltami Depot, Mold Road, Alltami , Flintshire CH7 6LJ
You can find out more information about this and other road safety tips on our website.
Little Terns thrive on Denbighshire’s Coastline
One of the rarest seabirds in the UK is continuing to thrive on the edge of Prestatyn despite the population plummeting elsewhere around the country. Another good season saw an increase to 141 breeding little tern pairs, the highest known to be recorded at the site. Recent surveys have shown stocks of small fish such as sandeel, favoured by Little Tern chicks, are relatively abundant off the Denbighshire coast. This has certainly helped the terns in rearing their chicks this year with a total of 170 fledglings, this being highest number since 2010.
The role of Denbighshire's Countryside Service and a band of dedicated volunteers is crucial to the success of this nationally important bird colony. The 2016 season has seen Gronant placed in second place across the UK for both little tern breeding pairs and fledgling success. This achievement is tribute to the hard work put in towards the protection scheme by conservationists and volunteers over the last 40 years, in maintaining electric fencing, chasing off predators and in public engagement activities. There are no barriers to participation in the protection scheme and volunteers from all backgrounds arrive in numbers from across the region.
Without this dedication the colony would disappear and breeding Little Terns would be lost from the Welsh shoreline.
The Little Tern is so much more than a black and white seabird. Every year these plucky individuals fly 4,000 miles from the West Coast of Africa to rear their young on the outskirts of Prestatyn. Local residents are proud of this fact and they have become an iconic species and which is good for tourism.
A healthy Little Tern Population relies on a healthy sand dune system and this is certainly the case on much of Denbighshire’s Coastline. The dunes running east from Prestatyn are protected by being designated a Special Protection Area and Denbighshire County Council and partners actively manage the area for its outstanding biodiversity and recreational interest. The dunes also provide a natural sea defence and which is so important in these times of unpredictable and changing weather patterns.
Understanding Little Tern behaviour is crucial in helping them to reach a sustainable breeding population. We are a long way off but funding through a five-year EU LIFE+ Nature Little Tern Recovery project has already reaped rewards. Hugh Irving, Lead Member for Communities, explains ‘we are in a very exciting era of understanding the habits of Little Terns. A colour ringing programme through LIFE+ funding has transformed how we can gain information, now by just looking through a telescope we can know instantly where the bird is from and how old it is.
Gronant Dunes is a fantastic place to go to visit with its extensive sand dunes and important wildlife. The Little Tern is certainly the star of the show and, following the launch by volunteers of the North Wales Little Tern Group this year, there is an even greater commitment to ensuring these plucky seabirds have a secure future.
Councillor Hugh Irving, Lead Member for Volunteering Strategy said: I was delighted to learn of the success of this year’s Little Tern project. This initiative is a shining example of how much can be achieved by a combination of the County Council’s expertise and a working group of dedicated volunteers.
“On my visits to the site this Summer one could only be impressed by the commitment of the volunteer wardens at the reserve not just overseeing and protecting the nesting area but also encouraging and explaining to passing members of the public the activities of the group .
This commitment is making a huge contribution towards the preservation of this important species as well as providing research opportunities into their breeding habits and migratory flight paths from West Africa and the volunteers deserve a huge thank you for their efforts.
“I would encourage anyone with some time to spare to look at the volunteering opportunities that exist with the County Council.”
RNLI lifeguards finish their daily safety service on the beaches of Denbighshire
Lifeguards have lowered the flags and packed their equipment away for the final time this year at Prestatyn and Rhyl beaches.
It has been the first year the RNLI lifeguard service, which is provided in partnership with Denbighshire County Council, has operated in the county. There have been good numbers of visitors to the area’s beaches meaning a busy few months for the RNLI lifeguard team. As well as a number of water rescues, the lifeguards also dealt with a high number of first aid incidents and provided safety advice and assistance to thousands of beachgoers.
Incidents responded to by RNLI lifeguards included rescuing five young children from the water at Prestatyn beach last week and treating a diabetic woman drifting in and out of consciousness, also at Prestatyn.
RNLI Lifeguard Supervisor Matt Jessop said: ‘We are really pleased to be working with Denbighshire County Borough Council to provide a safety service on the beaches Rhyl and Prestatyn.
‘We have also built a strong partnership and have worked closely with our colleagues at Rhyl RNLI lifeboat station throughout the season.
‘I would also like to thank all the lifeguards who provided a first class safety service on the county’s beaches this summer. They have shown commitment and dedication to both their ongoing training and their work on the beaches. The majority of our lifeguards’ work is preventative so as well as the rescues and incidents they were involved in, they will have stopped many more potentially dangerous incidents before they occurred. There will be no red and yellow flags flying at these beaches until next year, which means there’s no lifeguard service operating.
‘People visiting the beaches after this can help keep themselves safe by taking note of the safety signage at the entrance to the beach, asking for advice at Rhyl RNLI lifeboat station, going with a friend or telling someone on the shore where they are going, at the same time always being aware of the conditions and their own capabilities in the water.’ Peter Rooney, RNLI Lifeguard Manager, added: ‘Autumn sees big spring tides and bigger swell around the coast. People walking on the coast should always check the tide times before setting out and carry a means of communication. The bigger swells mean more unpredictable rip currents in the water so people should take extra care and always consider their safety. ‘‘The RNLI’s advice is not to enter the water if you see someone in trouble but rather to call 999 and ask for the coastguard.’
Councillor Hugh Irving, Acting Lead Member for Tourism and Leisure at Denbighshire County Council, said: “Denbighshire County Council has been delighted to work in partnership with the RNLI over the summer to provide a lifeguard service in both Rhyl and Prestatyn.
‘We have been impressed with their enthusiasm and professionalism during what has been a difficult summer in terms of beach incidents across the UK. Visitors and residents alike are reassured by the presence of the RNLI lifeguard team and we are pleased to say that the beaches of Denbighshire have been a safer place as a result.’
A host of information and advice on various aspects of water safety is available at their website.
Christmas @Cafe R
Don't fancy cooking this Christmas> Then why not let someone else do all the hard work for you and visit Café R. Booking advised to avoid disappointment.
