Floodwater on YouTubeg

Thanks to Bryn for the link to a video on YouTube.  You can see from the debris on the road and the tidemark under the Black Lion Hotel windows that the waters had already receded - and were downstream in St. Asaph causing havoc.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yU4bzOfLoE

Llanfair Talhaearn - disaster area

I have just accidentally deleted a whole post about the flooding in Llanfair Talhaearn, and will endeavour to remember what I wrote.  No idea how that happened!

I am sure everyone will have realised that Llanfair Talhaearn was badly flooded earlier this week.  
 Residents were awoken at 4a.m.on Tuesday by fire sirens, as the Fire and Rescue service alerted  the village to the news that flood water was rushing down the main street.  The River Elwy, which is in a flood plain, was bursting its' banks as it often does (see previous posts!), but the flood defences had kept most of the water away from the village.  However, a "small" tributary of the main river had overflowed its' culvert in the village and had been contained on the wrong side of the flood barriers, eventually filling the carparks and flooding buildings to a depth of several feet.  At one stage water was flowing so fast down the street that sandbags and large chunks of Tarmac were being carried away.  Residents had to be rescued by boat or ferried across the water in the bucket of a tractor.
No-one from the Abergele Guild lives in Llanfair village, but one member who lives in the valley downstream had water lapping at her door, and another was busy in the very early morning taking in distressed neighbours and their dogs.  I live on the hill above Llanfair, and was spared the worst, although I too had water in unwanted places in the house and studio.
The damage in the village is heartbreaking, but thanks to the hard work of the emergency services, residents and helpers, and professional cleaner-uppers, Llanfair is beginning to recover.  We have electricity and the phone lines are being restored.  The mud is gradually being removed from inside buildings and from the roads and carparks.  At one point, The Black Lion hotel was flooded to within a few inches of its' ground floor windows;  our Community Centre is just across the road, and the damage can easily be imagined.  Photographs below...
Obviously we will not be meeting here in the foreseeable future, although the Community Council is confident that the hall can be re-opened soon.  In the meantime, all Abergele Guild meetings are cancelled until further notice.   Members have kindly offered to host afternoon meetings, and news of these will be circulated privately.
The waters subsided rapidly in Llanfair, but passed down through St. Asaph, bringing yet more devastation. Our thoughts are with all of those in the Elwy Valley who have been affected by the flooding.
Alison Craig
Secretary

Floodwater in the Elwy Valley, Tuesday 27th. November.  The houses visible in the foreground are well above the flood plain.

Close-up of the white water flowing over the A548.  The double line of the hedge can just be seen - the water has torn up large chunks of hedge by the roots

Community Centre Car park, Tuesday morning.  The River Elwy is on the far side of the embankment, where it should be!

no comment...

The front entrance of the Community Centre, midday Thursday.  The tidemark can be seen on the wall on the left hand side.

Inside the Community Centre.  The water came up to the top of the black box in the corner. I have rescued the stuff from our noticeboard, but the bottom row of notices will have to be thrown away, as will our tea and coffee from the cupboard in the kitchen.

Frenetic clearing up activity, Wednesday

Mini-digger in the carpark

Spinning Sunday, and our Guild Challenge

Plying...

...and concentrating.

A chance for members to borrow magazines from the Guild library

Our first winter Sunday meeting (on Remembrance Day) saw a good turn-out - a chance to spin and catch up with the news, and an opportunity for newer members to glean some useful hints.

Ready for the Guild Challenge

We have reintroduced our Guild Challenge: each member has a bag of fibre to spin into a hank (or hanks) of yarn in any way she wishes.  We then plan to have a "show and tell", comparing the results and learning from each other's experiences.  Jenni F. has kindly provided some beautiful crossbred fleece from her flock.
Thanks to Hilary for the photographs - I have kept back the one of a Christmas present in the making so as not to give away any secrets!
Our next Sunday meeting, in December, will be a weaving workshop with Clare Minty.
AC

Community First and National Wool Week

We have had a really great afternoon with a group from Conwy Council Community First, in honour of National Wool Week.  A whole minibus full (10 adults plus Jennifer from the Community Development Service who did the organising) arrived to sample spinning and weaving.  As usual, several people took to the craft like ducks to water, and the whole group went away with big smiles - which was very gratifying.  The Guild members had a good time too: thanks to Bryn, June, Pauline and, of course, Fred.  We hope to be able to keep in touch, and, who knows, perhaps we may have some new members in the fulness of time?

Decks cleared and ready for action...

June and audience.

Pauline showing how to thread the yarn

Star pupil (one of several)!

Concentrating on the drop spindle.....

Team photo with genuine Campaign for Wool umbrella.

AC

Corn Dolly Making, Wednesday October 10th.

Bryn's Harvest loaf

We celebrated the approach of autumn with an evening of corn dolly weaving, traditionally made from the last sheaf of corn gathered at the end of the harvest.  Corn dollies have their origin in our distant, pagan past, and each region has its' own particular designs. Expertly led by Jenny P., who grew up in East Anglia, we completed a "Welsh Fan" without too much trouble - a testament to Jenny's excellent teaching and efficient planning.  We used Maris Wigeon wheat, specially obtained for the workshop as modern wheat varieties are too short and pithy for corn dollies. Having "graded" our stalks of wheat we quickly picked up the plaiting technique required, weaving in new stalks as we progressed down (or up) the structure:

Jenny's Welsh Fan: something for us to aspire to.

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Those who chose not to make dollies passed a pleasant couple of hours spinning and chatting. 
Many thanks to Jenny P for her time and trouble, and thanks to Jenni F for the cake!
AC

Thorough flood but not thorough fire...

(With apologies to W. Shakespeare)
Three intrepid people came to the afternoon meeting yesterday, and those of us with spinning wheels got a lot done without any chat to distract us! The Community Centre is nice and warm at the moment, and the floodwaters on the River Elwy are subsiding fast.  Our new programme is being finalised, and we are looking forward to some Winter Sunday Meetings, which will save us having to travel in the dark evenings.  Look out for an update to the successful Olympic and Paralympic Woolsac project shortly.

The waters are going down in LlanfairTH...

...but waterpolo may have to replace football for a while.

Spinning hands.

AC