It’s funny how things tickle people. Has anyone else noticed this rocket ship above the old Woolworth? It’s quirky things like this that I like about this town.
Author: Gareth Morlais
Billy Sass Davies and Ashleigh Mills Abergele soccer stars
Two Abergele teenagers aiming to kick-start careers as professional footballers have already racked up ten international caps between them. Centre-back Billy Sass Davies has trained with ex-Arsenal player Thierry Henry, while defender Ashleigh Mills is planning to crack the American soccer scene.
The pair are both regulars for their respective Wales international teams as well as their domestic clubs, while doing schoolwork at Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan, Abergele.
Ashleigh, 16, who plays for Prestatyn Girls Under 16s, has already played for Wales against teams from England, Ireland, Finland and Iceland.
School football team captain Billy, 15, trains three times a week at Crewe Alexandra. He’s played for Wales Under-15s against Poland, Switzerland and Belgium.
Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan’s PE teacher and assistant curriculum leader Darren Doyle-Howson says he is delighted both Billy and Ashleigh are playing international football and representing Wales: “Both Billy and Ashleigh deserve their success and I hope to see them both earn full-time contracts in the future. They are a credit to themselves and the school.”
Source: Ceidiog PR
Time for a street party Abergele! Save the date: 7 June 2015
Does anyone else remember the fun of the Jubilee street parties? Well a friend of mine, Gwion Thorpe, is the Wales organiser for The Big Lunch, run by the Eden Project and funded by the Big Lottery. Since starting in 2009, thousands of Big Lunches have taken place across Wales and the rest of the UK. The date for this year’s event is Sunday 7th June 2015.
This June millions of people will come together for The Big Lunch, the UK’s annual get together for neighbours. It’s a simple idea to get as many people as possible across the UK to come together in their shared spaces in a simple act of community, friendship and fun.
You’re invited by Gwion to hold one in your street or area in Abergele and surrounds and bring your local community together: “If everyone brings a dish or some decorations and activities, you have yourself a Big Lunch! ”
To find out more, to get a Big Lunch Pack or to register your interest, go to www.thebiglunch.com or call 0845 850 8181.
Contact:
Gwion Thorpe, The Big Lunch
Tel: 07801227288
Email: gwion.thorpe@gmail.com
Website: www.thebiglunch.com (or www.yciniomawr.com for Welsh)
Gwrych Castle 9-10 May Open Weekend
The Gwrych Trust’s Jake Basford has been in touch with news of an Open Weekend at the castle on 9-10 May 2015.
With children’s entertainers, costumed characters from Disney’s Frozen, and fire eaters alongside traditional Morris dancing, a bouncy castle and guided tours, the biggest amount of entertainment yet will be available throughout the weekend.
The opening hours are between 12 noon and 4pm on both the Saturday and Sunday. Entry is £5 for adults and parents can pay what they like for children under 12.
Medieval outfits are welcome. Here’s a list of everyone who’ll be there:
Harley the Clown
Kids Ghost Stories with Lucy
Bouncy Castle
Children’s Drawing Activities
Stilt Walkers
Organised Fire Eaters (battlements)
Ukelele Band
Morris Dancers
Martial Arts Display
Self-Guided Walks and History Guided Walks
Visits from ‘Frozen’ Characters in Costume
Late News: Here’s an update from the Trust on the advice of the Police:
‘Parking will be available on the day at Manorafon Farm, available through the archway at the corner of Tan-y-Gopa Road and Abergele Road, for a small fee on the day; behind Abergele Library; Water Street, near the Bowling Green; or, Pensarn Beach. Cones and ‘No Parking’ signs will be in place around Tan-y-Gopa Road, Llanddulas Road and the Main Castle Entrance to help local residents. No immediate street parking will be available on the day, so please plan parking in advance.’
Former TV Gladiator ‘Jet’ to open new part of Abergele’s Spire
A former TV Gladiator is taking on a new challenge in Abergele. Diane Youdale, best known for her role as Jet in the hit television series Gladiators, will officially open the new Cosmetic Suite of Spire North Wales private hospital in Abergele on Saturday, 18 April 2015.
The expansion will enable Spire to introduce a number of new services, including non-surgical cosmetic and beauty treatments, acupuncture, sports massage, pilates, yoga and chiropody.
After Diane left Gladiators, she qualified as a psychotherapist and Pilates instructor. She said: “I’m so looking forward to working with patients and particularly helping tackle childhood obesity. It’s all about introducing exercise and improving the health and well-being of young people.”
Source: Ceidiog PR.
Tower Hill picnic
Easter has traditionally been a time when Abergelites head with a picnic up Tower Hill. Here’s an old postcard showing how one of our favourite landmarks used to look.
American Abergelite seeks info about Albert Roberts
Siân Roberts has written to ask for AbergelePost.com readers’ help:
“I’m Americian-born with a strong Abergele connection, my Father moved from there in 1968 to the US. I’m hoping to find out more information about my Taid Albert Roberts, died perhaps 1960? My father refers to his Roberts grandparents are Nain and Taid Pensarn….Might these folks be related to Roberts’ that are the topic above?
“His mother’s maiden name was Wynne-Jones, and he called her parents Nian and Taid Cadau, short for the name of the family farm south of Abergele called Cadau Mawr. I’m curious to know if my Nian (Jane Roberts, nee Wynne-Jones, died Nov. 1993) might have been related to Edward Irwine Wynne-Jones, of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers during WWI, and if so how.
“Any help would be tremendously helpful, it’s been twenty-five years since I’ve been back, and sadly I don’t think I’m going to be able to come check the records myself any time soon.”
Sian posted her comment here, so feel free to reply to her comment if you have any useful information.
Easily-forgotten features of Abergele Market Street 1961
I wanted to highlight a few elements of the fantastic photo of a 1961 parade in Abergele Market Street by Dennis Parr (see the full original photo here).
First of all is the Parr’s shop sign above Parr’s the toyshop in the early 60s. I love this logo:
Secondly, do you remember the vending machines outside the shop? You could buy fresh milk as well as chocolate bars and Beech Nut chewing gum:
Next, do you remember when we used to rent our television sets instead of buying them? Here’s the Telehire TV rental shop, as it used to be called before it was Rediffusion:
Finally, we’ve already shared Dennis Parr’s photo of the cafe above his toyshop, but how many of you remember the cafe above Wade’s?
When you look closely enough at old photos like this it’s surprising how many memories it brings back.
Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan students impress Nobel Prize Winner
Three sixth formers from Ysgol Emrys ap Iwan, Abergele, have won praise from a Nobel Prize winner for their research into plant genes, after they gained places on the prestigious Nuffield Foundation project.
Ben Stone, George Goodall and Mike White have all now been offered places to study sciences at Cardiff University – where the genetic scientist Professor Sir Martin Evans – 2007 Nobel Prize winner for medicine – is Chancellor.
Tackling crop shortages due to climate change was their area of research. They spent five weeks at Aberystwyth University’s world-renowned plant sciences department, working on gene projects, researching what makes some plants more resilient to drought and pests. At the end they presented their findings at a research symposium in Cardiff, where they were handed awards by Professor Evans.
Ben, 18, from Kinmel Bay, is now planning to study for a biology degree after this summer’s A levels. He said: “ We mainly worked on computers with the project, editing details of the plants.
“I really enjoyed my time there and it has helped me to decide what to study at university. I’ve got offers of places and I am sure that my time with the Nuffield Foundation helped with my applications.”
Mike, 17, is aiming to study chemistry, after being inspired by the project. “We all got offers from five universities, without needing to do interviews, which is unusual.
The research involved a lot of computer work, explained 17-year-old George, from Kinmel Bay, and that has helped shaped his decision to study mechanical engineering.
“This was a great experience, which I found really interesting. I am very interested in computers and this project has shown me how different parts of the world of science come together.”
Thanks to Sara at Ceidiog PR for sharing this story.
The ghost signs of Abergele
Sam Roberts has had a passion for many years. He runs a website about the ghostsigns in Britain’s towns. He even plots walking tours of places like London where you can look at these signs. These are the old signs which have been forgotten. In response to a special request from Sam on Twitter, here are two plus one which has been painted over here in Abergele, and here they are:
