Llanasa Life Spring 2025 LLANASA CONSERVATION SOCIETY NEWSLETTER Spring in finally here! Welcome to the Spring edition of our quarterly newsletter dedicated to all things Llanasa and surrounding areas! At last, Spring is upon us and it’s wonderful to have lighter evenings and sunnier skies. Our second issue includes a feature on Morrisons Supermarket key partners, Mathew and David Roberts (and family), who were the deserving winners of the NFU Welsh Livestock Champion of the year 2024. This brilliant accolade came on the back of their accomplishment as Sheep Farmer of the Year at the 2023 British Farming Awards. Well done the Roberts family on their continued success. Also included is an update on the pub, details of upcoming local events, introduction to a new face in the village, news about our village groups both exisiting & new, and some information about a widely available seasonal ingredient that you can forage locally that would cost you £44 a kilo in Ocado! Read on to learn more! And a final plea to Llanasa villagers ... we really need your help at both the village tidy-ups and the car boot sales. If you can only spare an hour or two to help at any of the events it will be hugely appreciated. Rather than relying on the same faces to do everything we would really like to spread the load, and it’s for a very worthy cause - your village. Dates for the 2025 events are published in the newsletter - please email us at llanasaconservation@gmail.com if you can help, even for an hour. Thank you. Enjoy the issue. Society nservation o Llanasa C llanasaconservation@gmail.com
Walking Group Pub Update Spring Village Tidy Up Thank you again to the handful of familiar faced, kind volunteers who helped at the last village tidy up. If you’re looking to get fit, meet and make new friends, and explore our beautiful countryside, look no further. The Llanasa Walking Group originated in Llanasa but draws members from adjacent villages, Prestatyn and further afield. They meet every second Saturday of each month at 10am and walks are moderate of about 5-6 miles. There are usually around 15-20 sociable walkers who meet at a pub and return there for lunch at 1pm usually around 2/3rds of walkers stay to eat. They walk under the auspices of WalkAbout Flintshire who are 'dedicated to providing free led walks in Flintshire (and beyond).’ For more information about WalkAbout Flintshire please click on following link walkaboutflintshire.com The next walk is taking place on Saturday 8th March and the group will be meeting at the Blue Lion in Cwm at 10am. All are welcome to join this Group. For further information please contact Jeff Morgan jeffmorgan898@gmail.com or 07951 456492 Progress is being made by the new owners of the Red Lion, who are aiming to open the pub late Summer. No old building likes to be left empty and unloved and as a result they are having to undertake a wide range of repairs to the roof, electrics and plumbing. It’s certainly starting to take shape and looks better outside as Dewi & Eifion Ellis have transformed the grounds. Jimmy and Doug have been meeting with representatives from all the main breweries Heineken, Molson Coors and Carlsberg Britivic as well as meeting with local artisan brewers Conwy & Wild Horse. They are currently finalising submissions to the planning committees and have already been advised that different front and side doors are required. Fortunately Star Pubs had already received approval for a number of works including upgrading the toilets for disabled access. Jimmy Platt said they will have a better idea on timeline after the plans have been considered by the various committees, and added “Just to say, absolutely everyone has been really friendly and supportive”. HAVE YOUR SAY... What do you want to see in your village newsletter? Let us know llanasaconservation@gmail.com We are planning the next event on Saturday 29th March, by which time we will have most of the new equipment purchased through a generous grant from Gwynt Y Mor. So, if you have been reluctant to join your neighbours helping to keep your village tidy, now we can provide you with the tools to undertake your vital role. We are asking for everyone who is able to help to support the March event and give us an hour or two of your time to maintain the look of the village, which is in everyone’s interest as we all live here. Welcome to the Village Please join us in welcoming Philip Howarth to the village. Philip moved to 1 Bowens Buildings from Shropshire to be nearer to his daughter and grandson. Philip said “I have been here about a month now and have been made most welcome. There is a great deal to do in the house and garden, but I am looking forward to the challenge.“ We are sure you will join us in wishing Philip all the very best in his new home.
As we move into the growing season, hopefully with a long hot summer ahead of us (fingers and everything else crossed!) many of us are starting to plant seeds and prepare our garden for the summer. Or maybe, like me, you’re wondering why you have accumulated multiple packets of seeds that all expire this year! If you are a keen gardener, and would like to join the Llanasa Green Fingers Whatsapp group, where you can swap and share seeds, seedlings, plants and bulbs please message me at llanasaconservation@gmail.com and I will invite you to join the group. It’s open to gardeners locally not just Llanasa residents.
Sales 2025 Car Boot Sales in Llanasa are planned for the following Bank Holiday Mondays: 5 May 26 May 25 August These events can only happen with the support of the community and they are vital to raise much needed funds to support the Church, Village Hall and the Conservation Society to keep the village looking lovely. We always need volunteers to help both on the field, baking and in the cafe - please send an email to llanasaconservation@gmail.com if you can help in any way. Thank you. PLEASE HELP US! Sorry for repeating the request but the conservation society are still looking for a secretary to join their committee. Can you help ... Organising AGM meeting, preparing the agenda and taking minutes Womens Institute Quiz Night Liaising with the Chair and Treasurer on all matters relevant to LCS, including event organisation (eg tidy up days) Brian Horwich hosted another brilliant quiz night at the end of February, raising over £500 for the Llanasa WI. The night’s winners, The Dessicated Coconuts, where the proud winners of Brian’s plaque, in close second were Salvador Darlings and Wild Indians finished in third. General email communications and handling enquiries It only takes an hour or two a month of someone’s time but it is an important role and we are very keen to appoint someone as soon as possible. It’s also a great way to get closer to village life, meet people, and contribute to the community. Please contact Mike Walker, LCS Chair if you would like to help. Thank you. llanasaconservation@gmail.com The next quiz night on Friday 28th March has already had a great response so make sure you secure your tickets now by emailing Brian at brian.horwich@gmail.com, it is guaranteed to be another great night out. The event is in aid of Marie Curie and has been nominated by Gill Duscherer who absieled off St Asaph Cathedral last summer, just before her 90th birthday!
One of the drawbacks of being a quarterly publication is not being able to report news as it happens, so please forgive us for being late to share this fantastic news. As you may have already heard, we are delighted to report that The Roberts family were announced as the winners of the NFU Cymru/NFU Mutual Welsh Livestock Champion of the Year Award 2024. As many of you know, Mathew and his father David run Ty Draw Farm in Llanasa. Proud producers of Welsh livestock, the family keeps texel-cross ewes, fattening store lambs and beef cattle. The farm has adapted from purchasing strong store cattle at various markets to becoming an integrated partner for Morrisons Elite Beef scheme where they now run, rear and fatten Angus cattle for the supermarket shelves. In addition to the cattle, there are crossbred ewes that also supply Morrisons and St Asaph Mart. Once their own lamb crop is sold, they fatten a large number of store lambs. Reducing emissions The family are one of Morrisons key partners in developing their farming strategy and they are also involved in farm trials to help reduce emissions. They are the only blueprint farm in Wales. Stock is of the highest quality and so much so, the family were runners-up in the British Farming Awards Sheep Farmer of the Year 2023. Mathew and David feature in many Morrisons stores across their red meat isles and the farm features as a demonstration site for Farming Connect and Morrisons. The business is focused on achieving Net Zero as part of the Morrisons scheme, with lots of focus being placed on reducing bought in feed through route crops and fodder beet, as well as crimped barley grown on farm. They are constantly trying to improve daily liveweight gain and reduce time on farm through efficiency which ultimately make the business more profitable. Sustainability The aim for Mathew and David is to ensure their business remains sustainable in the long term and reducing costs by growing better grasses along with red clover leys to produce better quality silage. They don’t necessarily want to increase the size of their operation, but they do want to operate more efficiently and get more out of their land. Both see technology playing an essential role in reaching that goal. They have overhauled their systems to record more data in recent years. All cattle and sheep are fitted with electronic identification (EID) tags and monitored using Agriwebb software and weigh cells. The family are true believers in farming as efficiently as possible whilst not compromising on the standard of livestock, wanting to reach the net zero aim whilst maintaining their supply of quality Welsh lamb and beef. Presenting Mathew with the prize of £500, sponsored by NFU Mutual, and a Royal Welsh engraved crystal trophy, Chairman of NFU Cymru’s Livestock Board, Rob Lewis, said: “David and Mathews’ attention to detail and care for their stock were clear to see and I am delighted to be able to present Mathew with this award today. The quality of their stock and his enthusiasm to continue to develop the business was second to none. I have no doubt that the Roberts family are a well-deserved winner of this award.” Mike Thomas, NFU Mutual Senior Agent and NFU Cymru Group Secretary, who was part of the judging panel, said: “It was clear to see the enthusiasm David and Mathew have for the quality of their stock as soon as we met with them. They were passionate about the care their animals receive but also ensuring the business remains profitable.”
You may have noticed that the scaffolding has finally been removed from the Village Hall and the building work has been successfully completed. I'm sure you'll agree that it's a pleasure to see the Hall looking resplendent again. Last year, the main Hall was repainted and many people commented on how clean and fresh it looked. This Spring they hope to have the kitchen, front lobby and committee room painted too. It makes the Hall an attractive and comfortable environment for the local community to meet and spend time together. On 14th March, the Village Hall are holding a BYO evening. Feel free to bring your own drinks and snacks and also any ideas you may have for events you would like to see happening this year in the Village Hall. They hope to collate a list during the evening. The Village Hall Trustees are looking to update and revamp the heating system within the Hall with the overall aim being to improve its greener credentials. They are looking to secure grant funding in order to achieve this and at present, they are engaging different professionals to advise on the best way to move forward. They will keep you updated. In addition to this, they are also hoping to secure some grant funding to replace some much needed equipment for the kitchen. Last week, the Pop Up Cafe had an unexpected visit from Environmental Health and they are pleased to report that they passed with flying colours and retained their five rating. Well done to Liz and Trudi!
Every week, on Thursday mornings from 10am - noon, Llanasa Café takes place in the Village Hall. It’s a great opportunity to chat and meet neighbours, have a coffee/tea (£1.00) and a piece of home made cake (£2.00). Over £2,000 has been raised and the money has been donated to various charities including Macmillan Cancer, Scotties Little Soldiers, St Kentigern's Hospice, the North Wales Cancer Appeal at Glan Clwyd Hospital, Riding for the Disabled, Children in Need, Llanasa Village Hall, Llanasa Church, Llanasa Conservation Society, Forest School at Mornant School Picton, Trelogan Play Group and After School Club - the list is endless but they are always open to other good causes if you have one you’d like to nominate. The latest donation at the end of February was to North Clwyd Animal Rescue (NCAR), our local animal charity. We look forward to seeing you over the coming weeks - everyone is welcome. If anyone wants to join us in the kitchen too please email cenbeth@hotmail.co.uk Want to write a piece for our next issue? We are ALWAYS looking for contributions from the community message us at llanasaconservation@gmail.com London Road Trelawnyd,LL18 6DN
If you’re a fan of garlic then now is the time to make the most of the fantastic local wild garlic. You can find it growing along hedgerows, riverbanks and in deciduous woodland and it makes a tasty pesto, salsa verde, can be added to homemade scones or bread, risotto and pasta, or wilted and served like spinach. When foraging always do so with respect - never tresspass onto private land and only pick enough leaves (never the roots) for your own personal use. For more information regarding foraging, and what you can and can’t do visit www.eatweeds.co.uk/foragingand-the-law. Most importantly, if your not 100% sure don’t pick it. Always pick with caution, watching out for poisonous look-alikes. One example is Lords and Ladies (Arum maculatum) which is toxic rather than poisonous, and can often be found growing alongside wild garlic. Grabbing handfuls of wild garlic and stuffing hastily into a bag is asking for trouble. Snip selectively into a basket then tip it all out onto the worktop back home for a final inspection. The photo below shows a wild garlic leaf on the left and Lords and Ladies leaf on the right: Recipe - Wild Garlic Butter A wonderful seasonal, versatile condiment great on meat, fish, vegetables, eggs, bread, rice, pasta, or noodles Ingredients 200g soft butter salted or unsalted 50g wild garlic leaves washed and drained salt to taste Instructions The butter needs to be very soft: if necessary you can do this in a microwave but only in short bursts of a few seconds, stirring between each burst. Beat the soft butter with a plastic spatula until smooth. Chop the wild garlic, roughly or finely as preferred, then stir into the butter and beat again until thoroughly combined. Add salt to taste: you may only need a little if you used salted butter. Pile the butter onto a piece of baking paper or greaseproof paper and shape into a rough cylinder. Fold the paper over the butter and roll into a smooth log, twisting the ends like a Christmas cracker to secure it. Put in the fridge to firm up. Enjoy!!
LLANASA CONSERVATION SOCIETY www.llanasa.wales MIKE WALKER - CHAIR SAM GARDNER - TREASURER VACANCY - SECRETARY HELEN GARDNER - MARKETING llanasaconservation@gmail.com
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