Special Award of the Week

[SteveH]

ONE of Wales? longest-serving NHS carers says she has no plans to retire from the job she loves.

Crenith Cox is entering her 52nd year with the health service.

Ms Cox, 69, first donned her nurse?s apron on March 5 1972.

She was 18-years-old at the time when she made her way down the drive of Bryn y Neuadd Hospital in Llanfairfechan for her first day.

Ms Cox's father wagered that she wouldn?t last more than a week.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23361301.one-wales-longest-serving-nhs-carers-marks-51-years-job/

[SteveH]

A NINE-YEAR-OLD football fan is set to take part in a sponsored walk to help raise money for a new pitch for Llandudno FC.

Hollie Jenkins, a pupil at Ysgol Craig y Don, will be joining a sponsored walk organised by Gareth Owen that will take place on Easter Sunday (April 9).

The group will be walking from the summit of the Little Orme to the summit of the Great Orme, and Hollie has already set up a JustGiving page to raise money.

The pitch at Llandudno FC has prevented the team from playing at their OPS Wind Arena home since September, after being designated a health and safety risk after inspection by the FAW and UEFA.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23401995.football-fan-hollie-take-part-fundraiser-llandudno-fc-pitch/

[SteveH]

A MAN from Colwyn Bay has received a ?50,000 grant after being named as one of 17 winners of the ?Young Innovators Next Steps Awards?.

Alex Newnes, 29, founded ?PlantSea? to develop new materials from seaweed as a sustainable alternative to single-use plastics.

The business was borne out of Alex and his two friends? desire to tackle plastic pollution and contribute to a more sustainable future.

Since winning his first award, Alex has produced a range of new prototype materials, secured collaborative grant funding, moved to larger facilities, and expanded his team.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23600318.colwyn-bay-entrepreneur-wins-award-given-five-figure-grant/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

Beverley Lewis claimed the top prize in the Wales Air Ambulance Summer Raffle but, rather than keep her ?3,000 winnings, she donated it back to the charity whom she owes her life to. Beverley, who is from south west London, had been travelling to Criccieth, in Gwynedd, on holiday with her friends last September when she was involved in a road traffic collision in Bala.

The Wales Air Ambulance team arrived swiftly to the scene and provided advanced critical care that proved to be instrumental in stabilising Beverley before airlifting her to the major trauma centre at The Royal Stoke University Hospital, where she spent nine days and underwent surgery. The 65-year-old keep up to date with the Wales Air Ambulance following her accident and through email updates and learnt about the Summer Raffle which had a top prize of ?3,000.

cont https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/woman-explains-gave-every-penny-27550080

[SteveH]

Not local, but I do like a trier, good luck to him.    ref pioneer

A TEENAGER from Prestatyn has welcomed his first customers to his new bespoke furniture store in the town following its opening this summer.

Charlie Osbourne-Morris, 19, launched ?Destiny Home Interiors? on Friday, August 18.

It is based at 105 Victoria Road, a site that had been left vacant for years following the departure of ?On a Roll? sandwich shop.

He said: ?We?re still waiting on the new signage, but it?s gone OK so far. We?ve had a lot of caravan owners come in, so we?ve found a new venture in caravan upholstery

[SteveH]

Llandudno girl makes mum so proud after cleaning up litter in park                       ref pioneer

A YOUNG girl from Llandudno took it upon herself to clear all of the rubbish left in one of the towns parks earlier this week.
Pippa Greenwood, three, tidied up Freddys Park, near the Asda supermarket, after it was left full of litter.

She had wanted to play in the park after school, only to find it strewn with rubbish, before cleaning and sanitising hand afterwards.
Using a shopping trolley which had also been left at the park, Pippa and her dad, Stuart, cleaned the area up together.

Her mum, Tasha Griffiths, said: ?She?s done it quite often, and a couple of times before at that park.
Whenever we?re out walking and she sees any rubbish, she always picks it up and puts it in the closest bin.

She just likes to clean the place up. The trolley was left in the park as well ? it was full by the end! It took her a good 20 minutes.
Im so proud of her.

[Hugo]

I'd like to nominate Kevin Sinfield for a Special award.     

I was having my breakfast today in the warmth of my home when Kevin was on the news doing another ultra modern marathon in aid of MND       What a modest and incredible person and a true friend to Rob Burrows.   My wife and I both said "why hasn't he been knighted after all the effort he has made to raise funds for the terrible illness of MND
I was looking it up on Google and this  is the reason given:-
why isn t Kevin Sinfield knighted?
Former teammates of the star have backed calls for him to be knighted. But bureaucracy could block the move because former Leeds Rhinos loose forward Kevin, 42, was given an OBE last year. Rules mean he could have to wait another four years before receiving a higher accolade.

It's time that this outdated rule was changed to acknowledge  exceptional deeds such as Kevin has done.  He is not doing it for himself but for suffers of this awful condition.        It's so refreshing of Kevin and so  unlike a well known ex footballer who poses at every photo shoot and then has a tirade of four letter words when he didn't get the knighthood that he thought that he deserved

[SteveH]

A TEA ROOMS in Llandudno has praised the ?heart-warming? support it has received after its poetry shelf was ?ransacked? in recent weeks.

The Habit, a popular caf? at 12 Mostyn Street, offers a poetry shelf for customers to browse and enjoy while they dine, having ?worked hard? to source several books spanning different ages and genres.

Despite the scheme being in place for around six months, and proving ?extremely popular? with customers, books have been stolen on a number of occasions, with five to six books taken twice.

The Habit said they were ?determined to restock and get the Poetry Shelf back up to its full inspirational strength?.

However, the business has received messages from all over the UK in support, with people offering to send books from as far as North Yorkshire.

A spokesperson for The Habit told the Pioneer: ?I have messages from a number of people offering to send books from their personal collection to fill the gaps on our shelf.

?And not all from North Wales either, some from as far away as North Yorkshire.
?It is really heart-warming.?

With a revived shelf, the business will not bear the burden of buying the expensive books on its own.

The business has a sign advising customers to return books after use, seemingly to no avail.

[SteveH]

Xavier Poynton aged 13 from Llandudno is not only an International champion skier, having competed all over the world, but has also just been appointed as an Ambassador for National Children?s charity Brainwave.

Xavier is determined to share his own personal story about how autism has helped him to remain focused and determined to achieve his dream of becoming a world champion skier. He has even received a letter of encouragement from Lewis Hamilton?s dad!

Xavier represented Great Britain at the international races in Andorra.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/23989775.llandudno-teenager-xavier-shreds-expectations/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

KIND individuals who have lost their jobs spent time volunteering at a now 'closed' vital centre so they could return scooters and equipment back to customers.

Staff have been left "broken hearted" for their vulnerable customers following the sudden closure of The Disability Resource Centre located in Glan Clwyd Hospital grounds.

Staff were made redundant from The Disability Resource Centre on Thursday, January 25. It is understood trustees came in to tell staff the centre was "now closed."

Some customers had been "left" without their mobility equipment; mobility scooters for customers were locked up in the workshop.

However, caring individuals came to volunteer at the site on Tuesday to help return items to customers.

"Volunteers were at the centre from 8.30am and stayed all day.

"Equipment including scooters etc for customers were released by administrators at 1pm. Some customers collected in person but kept waiting until 1pm.

"Some customers waited about three hours in the centre. We felt awful leaving disabled customers that long. We made them tea and coffee and they wanted to pay a ?1 or so for it and we said absolutely not. They were so nice."

Redundant staff are currently looking at ideas to reform the centre and are seeking sources of funding and are open to ideas.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/24087256.former-staff-disability-resource-centre-turn-volunteers/?ref=rss&IYA-reg=49560bcd-5a9c-47f0-8fc5-ba2e71710589

[SteveH]

A well deserved retirement, to a fine doctor.................

IT'S the end of an era at a medical practice as long-serving GP Dr Paul Emmett begins his retirement.    ref pioneer

Dr Paul Emmett has retired from Craig Y Don Medical Practice after more than 30 years of working as a GP.

Dr Emmett said: ?I am so pleased that the surgery has gone from strength to strength and we have such a strong doctor team, some whom have been with us for a long time and some newer faces who will bring new energy. I would like to thank the partners and all the staff for their support over the years and I will miss them all greatly.

"A huge thanks to all the patients and their families for whom I have had the honour and pleasure of being their doctor at South parade surgery and latterly Craig y Don Medical practice.

"I have special memories of my time at the surgery and I wish everyone the best of health.?

Craig Y Don Medical Practice posted on their Facebook page: "We wish you all the very best in your retirement Dr Emmett, and thank you for all you have done for Craig Y Don Medical Practice."

[SteveH]

A TEENAGER in Llandudno broke two Welsh powerlifting records at an event last month.

Mackenzie Parker-Pierce, 17, competed at the Powerlifting Junior and Sub-junior Championships at Gymshark Lifting Club in Solihull on March 23.

He achieved second place in the UK, and broke two Welsh records (240kg squat - 10kg on a seven-year standing Welsh record ? 142.5kg bench, 260 kg deadline, and 642.5kg total - another Welsh record broken).

Mackenzie, who has trained mostly on his own at his home gym for the last three years, was supported at the Solihull event by his parents.

cont https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/llandudno/24230825.llandudno-teenager-breaks-records-powerlifting-championships/