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The European Commission has approved €24 million in aid for the UPM-Kymmene Shotton Paper Mill located in North Wales, UK.This is a short news story only. Visit www.worldpumps.com for the latest pump industry news [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper assesses the performance of waste heat recovery from commercial kitchen wastewater in practice. A pilot study of heat recovery from the kitchen at Penrhyn Castle, a tourist attraction in North Wales (UK), is outlined. The pilot heat recovery site was designed and installed, comprising a heat exchanger, recirculation pumps, buffer tank and an extensive temperature/flow monitoring system for performance monitoring of the waste heat recovery system. Continuous monitoring was conducted for a period of 8 months, covering the 2022 tourist season. The recovered heat from the kitchen wastewater preheats the incoming cold freshwater supply and consequently reduces the amount of energy consumed for subsequent water heating. Retrofitting the pilot heat recovery system to the kitchen drains resulted in a heat saving of 240 kWh per month on average, a reduction of 928.8 kg CO2e per year, and a payback period for the investment costs of approximately two years, depending on the cost of energy supply. The presented results illustrate the potential of this form of renewable heat in reducing the carbon footprint of water heating activities in buildings and the hospitality sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effective methods for monitoring animal populations are crucial for species conservation and habitat management. Motion‐activated cameras provide an affordable method for passively surveying animal presence across the landscape but have mainly been used for studying large‐bodied mammals. This paper explores the relative abundance and habitat preferences of red squirrels (Sciurus vulgaris) in coniferous forests using cameras and live trapping. The study was conducted in two forests (Newborough and Pentraeth) on Anglesey, North Wales, with a total of 50 sampling locations across four habitat categories. Detailed woodland structure and composition data were gathered around each sampling location. We found a strong positive correlation between the number of individual red squirrels live trapped over 10 days with the number of camera images of squirrels recorded during a previous 5‐day period. The time interval between camera deployment and the first recorded image of a red squirrel showed a significant negative correlation with the number of individuals live trapped. Red squirrel relative abundance was negatively related to forest canopy openness, while the presence of Scots pine and increased tree species diversity were positively associated with the relative abundance of squirrels. There was also a strong site difference with lower relative abundance at Newborough compared with Pentraeth, which likely reflects the heavy thinning of mature forest at Newborough reducing tree crown connectivity. The results show that remotely activated cameras are an effective method for monitoring red squirrel populations across varying animal densities. The cameras also provided crucial information on red squirrel habitat preferences that can aid in woodland management and conservation efforts. Cameras have great potential to collect data on the population status of other small mammals, but it is essential that these methods are validated on a species‐by‐species basis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on discussions of pilgrimage as a landscape-based practice, this paper explores understandings and experiences of the recently developed North Wales Pilgrim's Way (Taith Pererin Gogledd Cymru). A focus on this new trail considers how a walking pilgrimage combines physical activity, personal and spiritual encounters, and natural and spiritual landscapes Accounts of pilgrim experiences and photographs demonstrate how journeys on the North Wales Pilgrim's Way enable participants to forge connections with the natural environment and local heritage, as well as the emotional-spiritual aspects of their lives. The paper finds that meaning is generated by participants in performing the path, highlighting the distinct role of walking pilgrimages in human-landscape interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whilst fishing men have commonly been investigated through the lens of 'hegemonic masculinity', recent studies have highlighted a potential change and nuancing of such fishing masculinities. Inspired by the call to pay attention to masculinities as fluid, contextual and interpersonal, this paper pays attention to scalar, placed and temporal specificities to consider how 'socially-dominant masculinities' can develop (and persist) in specific contexts. A case study of the North Wales Llŷn peninsula fishery is drawn upon in examining how local practices (re)define what it means to be a man in this area. The paper highlights the continued importance of the physicality of fishing in shaping locally socially-dominant masculinities – noting how fisher's bodies are not only central to masculine performances but also embody their fishing history and their relative positioning in their locality. It considers the relational nature of fishing masculinities –noting how masculinity is written both spatially in relation to practices 'on land' and 'at sea' and also temporally through reference to both past practices and predecessors. Finally, the paper considers changes to fishing masculinities, especially associated with family life and changing economic contexts, noting how such new practices may be incorporated into longer-standing aspects of fishing masculinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the prominence of ‘place’ notions in human geography and beyond, the language of place is surprisingly poorly understood. Platial research addresses human relations to places beyond the purely (geometric and cognitive) spatial aspects, whose linguistic features are well researched. This paper offers an in-depth case study of platial discourse in English and Welsh, contributing to a better understanding of how people use language to describe their attachment to a place. We asked 72 people to describe three local areas in North Wales in terms of what makes each one special and distinctive, along with further questions. We explore the responses in terms of a range of qualitative linguistic features indicating aspects such as proximity and ownership, identify a range of semantic categories relevant to the notion of place, and offer an exhaustive analysis of how one particularly popular local feature—castles—is referred to in our data. Beyond identifying how the three local areas differ with respect to the platial attachment associated with them, this paper offers lists of keywords for each of the identified platial semantic categories as a basis for future studies in the field. Our findings further suggest that ownership terminology, time references, and spatial inferences frequently characterise expressions of place appreciation, in different ways in English and Welsh. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Throughout history, the planning and construction of a dam has become symbolic of wider political events and processes. This paper investigates how the Tryweryn scheme in north‐west Wales in the 1950s and 1960s became a central signifier within the emergent Welsh nationalism of the period. The project, providing water to the city of Liverpool, flooded the village of Capel Celyn and displaced its 48 residents. However, the opposition to the project extended beyond this rural community, with the scheme becoming a focal point for Welsh nationalism. This paper explores this significance, arguing that the Tryweryn scheme was articulated in a number of ways that elevated the project from a local issue to a national outcry, resulting in the term 'Tryweryn' having a resonance that continues to this day. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reports that UPM Shotton's recycled fiber plant RCF3 in North Wales has started up on November 11, 2003. Completion of the newsprint mill's conversion from thermo mechanical pulp to 100% recovered fiber (RCF); Design and extensive testing of processes and equipment.

This paper proposes a new framework for calculating vulnerability indices within archaeological resource management on a landscape-scale. Current approaches consider archaeological sites in isolation from their context within the historic landscape. The new framework advocated in this article assesses the vulnerability of landscape character areas, as defined through historic landscape characterization. This framework uses a two-step vulnerability index: the first assesses the vulnerability of archaeological sites and landscape features; the second uses the results of the first vulnerability index, as well as spatial data on the landscape character areas and the threat in question to calculate the vulnerability of each landscape character area. The framework is applied to a brief case study in coastal North Wales, UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the north of Wales, there are 105 churches that have stonework dated to the thirteenth century or earlier. Of these, only 12 are oriented to face the summer solstice sunrise. Additionally, all of these solstitial churches are located in the northernmost counties of Wales, near or around the valleys which flow beside the Snowdonia Mountains or to the east of them. The 12 solstitial churches take their landscape into account and, thus, vary considerably in their azimuths in order to align to the actual sunrise of the summer solstice. In such terrain, one would expect a wide and diverse collection of western declinations, yet these 12 churches fall into three distinct regional bands of western declination. The 12 solstice churches have western declinations that align them either with the winter solstice sunset (this is the natural alignment) or with the period of early February and early November. With all the churches fitting into these declination patterns, this paper presents an argument for the origin of this apparent intentionality, based on the history of the region. The Isle of Anglesey, in the Roman period, was one of Europe's major Druidic centres of learning and the Druids' naked-eye astronomy skills are evident in artefacts such as the Coligny Calendar. Based on this background, this paper suggests that the original fifth- or sixth-century churches, which were later rebuilt in stone, appropriated pre-existing sacred sites. Thus, today, these Welsh historical churches appear to have preserved, in their medieval walls, older non-Christian orientations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of 'whole system' working is fundamental to contemporary policy and consequently to practice and service development within UK mental health services. This paper reports on an exploratory study of the meaning of the 'whole system' to staff working within adult mental health services in North Wales, conducted within a broader practice development project. A focus group was used to collect data from a multiprofessional group drawn from two acute inpatient wards, Community Mental Health Teams (CMHTs) and an assertive outreach team. Thematic analysis generated three themes central to effective whole system working in adult mental health services. Discussion on the efficacy of the whole system gave rise to an understanding that this whole system varies in its effectiveness in responding to people with differing clinical presentations. Furthermore, it appears that under certain circumstances, the whole system may work to shift responsibility in order to manage worker's anxiety more adroitly than, for example, working creatively to respond to people's needs. The paper concludes that whilst by no means exhaustive or complete, these three themes enable critical reflection, discussion and identification of practice development challenges that may facilitate more effective whole system working and better services in North Wales and possibly in other settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper premises that late twentieth century changes to culture impacted upon the demand for and supply of the constituent tourism resources of British seaside resorts in such a way as to facilitate their decline as mass market, long holiday destinations. It begins by reviewing the current state of knowledge pertaining to seaside resort development, noting the tendency to present this as an evolutionary process and the corresponding emphasis placed on competition and resource depletion as reasons for decline, factors that are synonymous with the consolidation, stagnation and post-stagnation phases of the tourist area life cycle. Accordingly, it contends that academics have been slow to engage with the root causes underpinning the diminished popularity of traditional tourist destinations, notably the recent and revolutionary transformations associated with economic restructuring and, especially, cultural change. Using the case study of Rhyl, a traditional cold-water resort on the North Wales coast, the paper demonstrates the influence of the latter by associating significant and unfavourable modifications to (and attitudes towards) the resort's built environment since the 1960s with characteristics salient to the emergent cultural formation of post-modernism, and its predecessor modernism, as explained in a review of relevant literature. The social theory used to inform this analysis, and the empirical evidence of Rhyl's decline presented in the paper, together represent an attempt to move beyond simplistic notions of a resort life cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dementia Actif provides group physical activity opportunities to support and enhance the quality of life for people living with dementia (PLWD) and their carers. The activities offer include physical exercise classes, Boccia league, online activities, and various clubs (eg, gardening). The overall aim of this study was to evaluate the Dementia Actif programme delivered in one local authority area in North Wales, UK. A mixed-methods evaluation of Dementia Actif focused on four key workstreams (WS). Data collection took place between January and June, 2023. WS1 consisted of a rapid literature review. The search included articles and grey literature published between 2012 and 2022. All study designs were included, with keywords limited to the English Language. CINAHL (EBSCO), PsycInfo, ProQuest, PubMed, Web of Science were searched. WS2 consisted of interviews and focus groups with professional stakeholders (n=32) from Health, Social Care, and Third Sector services who refer PLWD to Dementia Actif, within one local authority area in North Wales. WS3 consisted of researcher observation of activities delivered by the Dementia Actif Service , including exercise classes and wellbeing activities within leisure centres across the local authority area. WS4 consisted of interviews with PLWD and their carers (n=12) who accessed Dementia Actif, including analysing specific case studies. Following the screening process, the final literature sample included 18 papers. The sample papers, from the UK, USA, and Canada, were reviewed and analysed to inform the findings. The findings from the rapid literature review showed a lack of global evidence of approaches focused on measuring social interaction, wellbeing, and building on community assets to address the needs of PLWD and their unpaid carers. Results from SW2–WS4 indicated the positive impact of an active/wellbeing model for supporting PLWD and their carers, in particular the use of preventive community-based resources to support unpaid carers and reduce the need for admission to acute secondary and residential care. The analysis indicates the benefits of low-cost social activities on overall wellbeing outcomes, including giving PLWD and their carers voice, choice, and control over their own wellbeing outcomes to connect them with their community. This evaluation argues the potential to use Dementia Actif approaches to address complex needs. However, this was based on a small sample, which might impact on the broader applicability of the findings. Gwynedd County Council, North Wales. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to address how universities contribute through a helix model of partnership to regional development in a peripheral but functionally connected area which finds itself outside major conurbations. In doing so, it shows how local universities may collaborate with each other and with other institutional actors, including the private sector, to gather data on how their graduates contribute to the regional economy. A case study of the North Wales Mersey Dee area (the 'NWMD'), a cross-border region within the UK, provides the evidence base. There are gaps in international studies into how universities contribute to the development of their cities and regions, because these studies typically assume that the university is part of an urban concentration with the impact of their development and engagement radiating out into the hinterland. This study explores a scenario with a more dispersed picture, requiring even more effort from key stakeholders, along with the universities, to effect positive change through a policy agenda of 'place-based' strategies. Recommendations are made for longitudinal studies in similarly peripheral and under-performing regions to gauge how universities can work within local partnerships, leveraging government-backed investment to drive improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on the findings of a qualitative evaluation to examine user perceptions of a planned telephone support intervention based in a disadvantaged area in North Wales. Telephone support services are tailored differentially to offer information, advice and/or counselling on a crisis-led or planned-intervention basis. Research focusing on telephone support, for the most part (and particularly in the UK) has examined crisis-led as opposed to planned support services. The findings of our study resonate with earlier research findings about telephone support that suggest provision of non-visual support in social care can overcome some practical and financial difficulties for users with little discernible loss to their experience of satisfaction with the service. In addition, the paper suggests that planned support may provide a valuable service to users who are most disadvantaged and marginalized and who have found traditional forms of support unsatisfactory. For such users, planned telephone support can offer one-to-one communication tailored to specific client needs. Moreover, it can enable the development of user trust in the service which empowers users to operationalize strategies in the context of a reliable, sustained, unthreatening (and thus minimal risk) relationship. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent calls have been made to pay greater attention to the social and cultural contexts of fisheries and their management. This paper explores how the recent Bourdieusian-inspired literature on the ‘good farmer’ might inform our discussion of fishers and their activities. Bourdieu's ideas of habitus, field and capital(s), and how these interact in (re)shaping the positioning as a ‘good fisher’, allows us to move beyond the myopic, economic, framing of fishers seen in much previous literature and fishing policy. Through in-depth interviews and participant observations in a small-scale fishing community in North Wales (UK), the paper explores the particularity of the fishing field, and notes the multiple performances and demonstrations required in order for individuals to position as a ‘good fisher’. It goes on to highlight the importance of these performances in developing social capital and the associated access to networks of support and reciprocity at sea. Central to these interrelations, the paper observes, is adhering to and internalising various ‘rules of the game’ – which include managing territories, respecting fishing gear, maintaining safety at sea, and the importance of keeping secrets. The paper moves on to consider the implications of these observations for the current and future management of fishing in such areas – noting how pre-existing and context-specific relations between fishers offer boundaries to what change might be achieved by new policies – before examining future agendas for research in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographical imaginaries – as discourses that are both representationally and performatively constituted – are vitally implicated in the making of the world and therefore profoundly political. In this paper we introduce the notion of the 'sea level rise imaginary' (SLRI) to explore the implications of these insights for how rising seas caused by climate change are being understood and acted upon in the UK. Drawing on empirical research undertaken in Fairbourne, a coastal village in North Wales that has become emblematic of sea level rise-induced population displacement, we consider the imaginary's intersecting spatial, temporal and dramatic components. The findings, based on interviews, official documents and media reports, show how Fairbourne's dominant, external SLRI, a primarily future-oriented discourse, is materialising in the present day via a series of institutional, economic and behavioural effects. However, it is also subject to political contestation and resistance by Fairbourne's residents who put forward their own alternative SLRI – one in which the imagining of the village as an example of the local consequences of global climate change is countered by the situated representations and performances of community actors. In the end, the paper highlights the need for improved dialogue across contested SLRIs so that diverse perspectives are more effectively considered when anticipating and responding to climate change. This is potentially one way to minimise the present-day harms resulting from the projected effects of sea level rise and to imagine more open-ended, hopeful futures for affected coastal communities. • Geographical imaginaries are discourses that are both representational and performative. • Sea level rise imaginaries (SLRIs) are spatially, temporally and dramatically constituted. • Fairbourne's external, dominant SLRI is producing material and social impacts in the present. • This SLRI is contested by Fairbourne's residents who are advancing an alternative imaginary. • Improved dialogue across SLRIs is needed to lessen present-day harms and imagine hopeful futures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper describes an economic analysis undertaken as part of an evaluation of mental health services in Clwyd. This project was conducted in response to the decision to close the North Wales Hospital, Denbigh; a long-stay psychiatric hospital. Cost data were collected in both the hospital setting and subsequent community care settings. These data are compared with effectiveness data developed in other parts of the overall project in order to place the discussion in a cost effectiveness framework. Little significant difference in care effectiveness between hospital and community settings is identified, although minor improvements in some aspects for some patients are noted. However, there are considerable changes in the care costs. The cost estimates show that old long-stay patients cost more to care for in the community than the new long-stay patients, whilst in hospital they had cost less. In addition, the results highlight the significant influence of pay scales and capital funding on cost of care. The paper concludes that the cost of care is substantially affected by non-needs-driven policy decisions as well as by direct patient needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Growing numbers of children enter mainstream education without the skills needed to prosper in the school environment. Without additional support, these children face poor long-term outcomes in terms of academic attainment, mental health difficulties and social problems. The aim of this study was to investigate the feasibility and acceptability of school-based delivery of the Books Together dialogic book sharing program to groups of parents, and to explore whether it impacts parent and child outcomes in order to facilitate school readiness. Methods: Parents of children aged 3--5 years old (n = 16) were recruited from four North Wales primary schools. Video observations of parent/child interactions, a gaming format measure of expressive child language ability, parent-report measures of children's behavior, and social-emotional ability and of their parental competence were collected pre- and post-intervention. Thematic analysis of interviews with parents and the school-based staff who delivered the program explored feasibility and acceptability of the program. Results: Significant post-intervention increases in observed positive parenting and child expressive language skills and significant reductions in observed negative parenting were found. Parents reported significantly higher rates of child prosocial behavior and social/emotional ability as well as improved parenting competency at follow-up. Thematic analysis showed that staff and parents were satisfied with the program and that it was feasible to deliver in a school environment. Discussion: The Books Together program is a low-cost intervention that, when delivered by school-based staff, shows promise for increasing the use of parenting strategies that build children's language and social/emotional skills associated with school readiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Connections between Welsh cultural identity ("Welshness") and choral singing derive from the 19th century, when music and literary competitions (eisteddfodau) were standardized, hymn singing sessions (cvmanfoedd canu) were established and community choirs became popular throughout Wales. This paper aims to describe present-day Welshness and choir associations using insights from cognitive science (Rosch 1975; Lakoff 1987; Koch 2004; Evans 2007). Age and gender differences in Welsh identities are discussed and interpreted. Drawing from a variety of disciplines, this paper looks at music, meaningfulness, and cultural identity, and offers theoretical and methodological implications for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A history of psychiatry cannot step back from the question of psychiatric diseases, but the field has in general viewed psychiatric entities as manifestations of the human state rather than medical diseases. There is little acknowledgement that a true disease is likely to rise and fall in incidence. In outlining the North Wales History of Mental Illness project, this paper seeks to provide some evidence that psychiatric diseases do rise and fall in incidence, along with evidence as to how such ideas are received by other historians of psychiatry and by biological psychiatrists. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article considers ways in which art practices can provide a way of recontouring the physical and cultural landscape of North Wales and serve as a catalyst for social resilience. The article will contextualize iterations of art practices focusing particularly on varying aspects of gesture as a spatial practice. Citing projects that reimagine sites to rediscover a cultural identity and artistic potential through imaginative transformations, the article will discuss aspects of art and gesture, together with the various means of encounter and speculative inquiry that artists adopt to relate or bring art to everyday encounters. The article will outline the notion of artistic activity as a more socially engaged practice and how this seeks to occupy the field of distribution. The article will seek to establish how such projects are part of a broader tendency highlighting the potential of creative indeterminacy to push away from "art" and to restore an embodied relationship to the world. The article examines ways in which "art's gesture" within a public space can help to disclose potential breaches in the cultural infrastructure and engage the public with selected issues within society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines bilingual children's use of language inside and out of the minority language classroom. A total of 145 children between 8 and 11 years of age, attending 16 bilingual Welsh-English primary schools in North Wales, responded to questionnaires (supplemented by classroom observations) requesting information about their language backgrounds, their use of language at school (inside and out of the classroom) and in the wider community, their self-ratings about their linguistic competence in Welsh and in English and their attitudes towards Welsh and English and towards bilingualism per se. Whilst the results, in general, demonstrated a positive attitude towards bilingualism, there was a clear trend towards favouring the use of English outside the classroom. This pattern was mediated by language experiences and perceived language abilities within the individual. The implications of the findings for language policy and planning in education and in minority situations are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limestone megaclasts up to hundreds of metres in size are present within the Gwna Group mélange, North Wales, UK. The mélange has been interpreted as part of a Peri-Gondwanan fore-arc accretionary complex although the age of deposition remains contentious, proposals ranging from Neoproterozoic to Early Ordovician. This paper uses strontium isotope chemostratigraphy to establish the age of the limestone blocks and thus provide a maximum age constraint on mélange formation. Results show that, although the carbonates are locally dolomitized, primary 87Sr/86Sr ratios can be identified and indicate deposition sometime between the late Tonian and earliest Cryogenian. This age is older than that suggested by stromatolites within the limestone and indicates that the limestone did not form as cap carbonate deposits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This paper explores how coastal data and information can be mobilised in information systems and applied in coastal management. The concept of an Information System is defined and described, and the potential role of Local Information System (LIS) in integrated coastal management (ICM) is considered. Three examples, from the Severn Estuary, UK the coast of the North West of England and North Wales, and the Fal and Helford estuaries, are used to demonstrate the requirements of a LIS for coastal areas. The role of GIS as part of the solution is considered in detail. The paper demonstrates how ideas from the disciplines of information systems and information science can be practically applied in coastal areas. The findings promote a holistic approach for those involved in the development of technologies and dealing with data and information about coasts and oceans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to establish the effectiveness of an industrial data set in the delivery of an active approach to teaching and learning across a range of programme levels from NVQ to MSc within Further Education (FE) and Higher Education (HE) Institutions in North Wales. The result described in the paper reinforces in FE and HE the advantages of active learning involving an industrial data set as a link between theory and practice. Implementing the data set as a learning resource, combined with field visits allowed an active approach to teaching and learning. For the FE groups this was an established approach, while not so for the HE institutions. The use of an industrial data set by adopting an active approach was found to be effective, as judged by student satisfaction, enriched the educational experience for both FE and HE groups. The overall response for all questions by all groups for the Strongly Agree/Agree categories (SA/A) was between 86% and 95%. The Disagree (D) responses ranged from 0% to 3% and the Undecided/Blank/Not Applicable (UD/B/NA) ranged between 5% and 14%. Students found the lectures of interest and enjoyed active learning. The analysis has heightened the benefits of relating education to its respective industry and adopting an active approach for all programme levels within FE and HE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how motorcars and car-based cultural practices operate in the construction of young working-class masculine identities. It draws on ethnographic fieldwork conducted during the summer of 2002 with young male car modifiers from the Midlands and North Wales who associated with the British cruising scene. Although this study is broadly framed by the youth cultural world of cruising, it does not approach car modification as a collective cultural phenomenon or draw on subcultural theory, but instead examines young men's relationships with their cars in terms of general theories of consumption and identity and theories of cultural production. The car modifiers participating in this study frequently resisted calls to collectivity and repeatedly endorsed a heavily individualised discourse of consumption. As consumers of the motorcar, they constituted themselves as absolutely individual on the basis of their ownership of modified cars that they constituted as culturally unique. Car modification operated as a set of identity practices organised around the active consumption and symbolic manipulation of standard motorcars and the cultural production of idiosyncratic signifiers of masculine identity. Through car modification, young working-class men discursively distanced themselves from the mass of standard car-owning subjects and constituted themselves as 'unique' car-owning individuals who were culturally privileged. This claim to privilege was predicated on their capacity to produce highly conspicuous motorcars, which they viewed as a source of considerable cultural capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper discusses qualitative research into young people's views of independent children's advocacy services in Wales. We conducted focus groups and semi-structured individual interviews with over 80 children who had used advocacy or whose circumstances suggested them as potential users of advocacy. Our topics of enquiry were structured by research themes drawn from requirements and principles contained in recently introduced National Standards in Advocacy. Through these methods and themes we explored children's perceptions of advocacy in order to delineate characteristics of an effective service and to identify where they think services may need to improve. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roger M W Musson looks back at a small but interesting earthquake that raised speculation about meteorites, UFOs and air crashes – none of which turned out to be valid. The earthquake that shook most of North Wales on the night of 23 January 1974 appears unremarkable from its entry in the UK earthquake catalogue. With a magnitude of 3.5 ML it represents the size of earthquake to be expected in the UK with a return period of about one year. However, the prominent atmospheric lights observed at the time of the shock led to speculation that an aircraft had crashed, and search-and-rescue teams were deployed. Since nothing was discovered, it was concluded that a meteorite was responsible; more imaginative members of the public decided (and still believe) that a UFO had crashed. In this paper the record of events is set out, and the nature of the earthquake is discussed with reference to its geological setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

THE STUDY of High-medieval castles has benefited from the incorporation of elements of landscape archaeology in the last few years. While this paper is far from a complete study of the late 13th-century castle of Caernarfon and its relationship with its surrounding landscape, it aims to stimulate interest in this avenue of archaeological research. By focusing on the subtle relationships between the castle, the adjoining walled town and their ecclesiastical foci, and considering them in relation to the other Edwardian castles in Wales, the benefits of these approaches will be evident. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on the existing and potential role of electronic learning in small and medium-sized organisations (SMEs). Innovations in information and communication technologies (ICTs) could create new forms of learning, particularly appealing to small organisations, to overcome traditional barriers such as lack of financial resources, time, expertise and facilities. The paper draws upon research, conducted in North Wales, exploring employee perceptions of and employer attitudes towards e-learning. Small organisations in rural, peripheral regions such as North Wales can benefit from ICTs, not only to support e-commerce, but also to access new opportunities for learning and development, beyond the often-restricted local market. However, key findings from this research suggest that there are significant barriers to electronic learning, including the lack of hardware and software, and employer attitudes. A model is presented that identifies dimensions of, and factors influencing, e-learning from employer and employee perspectives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In mid-nineteenth century north Wales, and indeed in Wales generally, community care of persons with learning disabilities aided by the Poor Law survived longer than in England, where institutionalisation in the workhouse or asylum became the norm. This prehistory of community care has been largely unexplored, largely because of the difficulties of obtaining data. After discussing the methodology, and discussing the Lunacy and Poor Law documents used as sources, this paper seeks to advance understanding by using longitudinal histories of individuals with learning disability to explore their varied experiences in the community. It examines the attitudes of officialdom, and the role of family and community, and concludes by suggesting key factors in determining individual life stories included the presence of family, the ability to work, the degree of difficulty or dangerousness they presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Over the last decade many 'diversion from custody' schemes have been established and there is evidence of their effectiveness in reducing the number of mentally disordered offenders inappropriately remanded in custody. In North Wales there has been pressure to establish such a scheme but it is not clearwhether models developed in large urban areas are applicable to the problems of a rural community.This paper describes a study of male prisoners remanded in custody from North Wales during a four month period to identify need for such a service. In four months 298 prisoners were remanded from North Wales. Only seven courts remanded more than 16 (equivalent to one remand per week); the busiest court remanded 83, equivalent to five per week.In total, 42 prisoners reported a history of mental disorder; records were available on 28 of these, of whom ten were considered to have a mental disorder requiring admission.Only a small number of individuals in this study required diversion from custody (approximately one per week), but in those cases there was significant unmet need. The conclusion was that an effective diversion scheme would have to be able to provide a service to numerous and widely spread courts, most with a low level of activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports findings from the carer component of the Gwynedd Dementia Study. It is based on carer interviews, using quantitative and qualitative data. It confirms earlier findings that carers for people with dementia are typically female and older than other carers, although it notes that caring husbands are amongst the oldest carers. The problems that are most common are those that cause psychological stress to carers. Carers were found to receive both help and appreciation from their families and to perceive neighbours to be helpful if needed. In Gwynedd, as elsewhere, levels of formal service inputs are low, but most of the carers appeared to receive the services they needed. Problems are primarily associated with crisis support and long-term care is accepted reluctantly. It is suggested that community care dementia specialists could play a supporting role for carers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drilling for the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) Early Jurassic Earth System and Timescale project (JET) was undertaken between October 2020 and January 2021. The drill site is situated in a small-scale synformal basin of the latest Triassic to Early Jurassic age that formed above the major Permian–Triassic half-graben system of the Cheshire Basin. The borehole is located to recover an expanded and complete succession to complement the legacy core from the Llanbedr (Mochras Farm) borehole drilled through 1967–1969 on the edge of the Cardigan Bay Basin, North Wales. The overall aim of the project is to construct an astronomically calibrated integrated timescale for the Early Jurassic and to provide insights into the operation of the Early Jurassic Earth system. Core of Quaternary age cover and Early Jurassic mudstone was obtained from two shallow partially cored geotechnical holes (Prees 2A to 32.2 m below surface (m b.s.) and Prees 2B to 37.0 m b.s.) together with Early Jurassic and Late Triassic mudstone from the principal hole, Prees 2C, which was cored from 32.92 to 651.32 m (corrected core depth scale). Core recovery was 99.7 % for Prees 2C. The ages of the recovered stratigraphy range from the Late Triassic (probably Rhaetian) to the Early Jurassic, Early Pliensbachian (Ibex Ammonoid Chronozone). All ammonoid chronozones have been identified for the drilled Early Jurassic strata. The full lithological succession comprises the Branscombe Mudstone and Blue Anchor formations of the Mercia Mudstone Group, the Westbury and Lilstock formations of the Penarth Group, and the Redcar Mudstone Formation of the Lias Group. A distinct interval of siltstone is recognized within the Late Sinemurian of the Redcar Mudstone Formation, and the name "Prees Siltstone Member" is proposed. Depositional environments range from playa lake in the Late Triassic to distal offshore marine in the Early Jurassic. Initial datasets compiled from the core include radiography, natural gamma ray, density, magnetic susceptibility, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF). A full suite of downhole logs was also run. Intervals of organic carbon enrichment occur in the Rhaetian (Late Triassic) Westbury Formation and in the earliest Hettangian and earliest Pliensbachian strata of the Redcar Mudstone Formation, where up to 4 % total organic carbon (TOC) is recorded. Other parts of the succession are generally organic-lean, containing less than 1 % TOC. Carbon-isotope values from bulk organic matter have also been determined, initially at a resolution of ∼ 1 m, and these provide the basis for detailed correlation between the Prees 2 succession and adjacent boreholes and Global Stratotype Section and Point (GSSP) outcrops. Multiple complementary studies are currently underway and preliminary results promise an astronomically calibrated biostratigraphy, magnetostratigraphy, and chemostratigraphy for the combined Prees and Mochras successions as well as insights into the dynamics of background processes and major palaeo-environmental changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grŵp Cynefin, a social housing association in North Wales, United Kingdom (UK) with other partner organisations, had a vision to create a community Hub in the Nantlle Valley to strengthen and support the health and well-being of the local community through the provision of a range of traditional and preventative services. Social prescribing (SP), which is a non-medical support using community assets, would be a part of this new innovative Hub. SP activities would be co-designed and co-produced by current community members. Drawing on the principles of citizens' assembly deliberations and Future Design, four focus groups (n = 16) were conducted to develop sustainable strategies for SP activities as part of the proposed Hub. Deliberations on the perspectives of future generations were considered along with current community needs. Findings from the focus groups imply that current members of society are open to the concept of taking an inter-generational approach when designing SP activities to address the social and economic needs of the community along with integration of traditional and preventative community health services. Deliberations highlighted that the proposed Hub could strengthen communities and support community health and well-being, by providing a place to socialise and acting as a single point of access for community services, which could promote social cohesion in line with the Well-being for Future Generations (Wales) Act. Applying a long-term thinking approach to citizens' assembly deliberation design offers a voice to the interests of future generations, providing inter-generational equity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: As many species go extinct across the world, conservation initiatives seek to protect and boost wildlife populations, including through translocation programmes that involve the movement or release of captive or wild-caught individuals back into areas they have historically occupied. Captive-bred animals to be released into the wild can undergo behavioural testing to determine if the individuals have skills that would aid survival and increase the establishment of new populations. This research illustrates different levels of boldness in red squirrels and suggests selecting animals for release based on their boldness or timidity. Despite working with a low sample size in this pilot study, we observed trends suggesting that selecting individuals based upon a bold/timid scale of personality may improve future releases of red squirrels. By releasing timid animals first, the establishment of a population may be more successful, and this can be followed by releasing bold animals in later releases to enable faster distribution expansion of the population. This could result in improved success rates of restoration programmes, thus, lowering costs, improving the plight of biodiversity, and reducing early deaths of the released wildlife. Thus, we highlight a need for future research and collaboration within the translocation sector to assess personality. Conservation translocations, including reintroductions, are practices that are vital to restoring biodiversity and ecosystem function within conservation schemes globally. Sadly, population translocations have had a poor success rate historically. At a time where biodiversity is constantly decreasing, improving translocation success is vital for future conservation schemes. Often, to improve success, the selection of individuals is based on genetic characteristics and behaviours linked directly to survival. Further development to improve selection is proposed within this paper using animal personality. The study took place opportunistically to test how personality, in particular an animal's boldness/timidness, may influence a population restoration of red squirrels into the Ogwen Valley, North Wales. Despite frequent translocations, data on how boldness and timidness may affect the establishment of this species are low. Testing was performed on key survival behaviours and boldness/timidness pre-release. This was performed via video data collection and identification of key behaviours that could be used to identify boldness or behaviours that could be linked to reduced fitness once released. Encounters at different distance intervals were monitored post-release via camera trapping to identify if boldness/timidness may change the furthest encounter distance of focal animals away from their release site. Relationships between the period for an individual to reappear post-threat was significantly linked to boldness, with other behavioural results and the encounter distance also showing trends of a potential relationship. Our results indicate that bolder individuals have a higher chance of expressing behavioural traits that will increase exposure to risks and, therefore, reduce the likelihood of successfully establishing populations. However, the small sample size of this study means that further research is needed. We suggest that during early stages of conservation translocation programmes, personality testing for boldness should become common practice, and we recommend selecting timid individuals for an initial release to improve population establishment, with bolder individuals utilised later to expand population distribution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex coastal currents control early-stage larval dispersal from intertidal populations, and late-stage settlement patterns, but are often poorly resolved in larval dispersal models. Generally, there is high uncertainty in the timing of larval spawning, which markedly affects larval dispersal. In this study, we describe the physical parameters that induce spawning events in the blue mussel, Mytilus edulis, using a variation of the Condition Index (which relates the mass of meat to the mass of the shell) as a proxy. We developed a high-resolution Eulerian coastal hydrodynamic model, coupled with a Lagrangian particle tracking model, to quantify the potential dispersal of early-stage mussel larvae based on differing spawning dates obtained from field data. Our results showed that (1) the timings of larval spawning cannot be explained solely by 'thermal shocks' in the sea or air temperatures (i.e. fluctuations in temperature causing stress); (2) larger spawning events generally occurred during neap tides; (3) the simulated larval dispersal was largely but not always predicted by averaged current pathways (calculated over two weeks period); and (4) simulated self-recruitment was low at sites associated with strong tidal currents. These results have important implications for shellfisheries stock management and sustainability. Specific to this study, simulated mussels from shellfishery beds off North Wales dispersed more than 25 km in one week and so could feasibly contribute to the wider population throughout the northern part of the Irish Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) are the most common prostate disorders in the UK, which cause considerable ill health in older men. Transperineal template prostate biopsy (TTPB) has emerged as a reliable procedure for the histopathological diagnosis of PCa and BPH due to its higher cancer detection rates. Although antiseptic preparation and antibiotic prophylaxis are used to ensure safety in patients undergoing surgical intervention, post-operative complications, such as infection and bleeding are still unavoidable, resulting in re-admissions, with resource implications. Currently, there is no biomarker profile to predict outcomes or monitor patients during the post-operative course. The main aim of this single-centre observational clinical pilot-study was to investigate the role of inflammatory and infection biomarkers following TTPB and their association with post-operative complications. Methods: Forty-five patients scheduled for elective TTPB were recruited after informed consent at the Wrexham Maelor and Glan Clwyd Hospitals, North Wales, UK (n = 45). Prior to surgery, venous blood samples were collected at baseline and subsequently at 30, 120, and 240 min post-operatively. Urine samples were collected before and 120 min after the procedure. Serum procalcitonin (PCT), serum ferritin, and urine B2MG analysis were done using enzyme-linked fluorescent assay (ELFA) and the magnetic Luminex® multiplex performance assay was used to analyse IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α plasma concentrations. Data on clinical outcomes were collected from patients' medical records. Results: Following TTPB, significant (p ≤ 0.05) increases were observed in uB2MG, IL-6, IL-8, IL-10 and TNF-α. Significant decreases were observed in ferritin (p ≤ 0.05). No significant change was observed in PCT concentration (p ≥ 0.05). One patient developed an infection and severe haematuria post-operatively following TTPB. Conclusion: Although not confirmative, changes seen in biomarkers such as uB2MG, IL-10 and TNF-α in our observational clinical pilot-study may warrant further investigation, involving larger cohorts, to fully understand the role of these biomarkers and their potential association with post-operative complications such as infection and bleeding which can develop following TTPB for the diagnosis of PCa and BPH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parenting support services and programs develop and strengthen existing parenting skills. However, in the UK and despite the 2010 UK Equality Act's provisions, these programs are generally not accessible for Deaf parents whose first and/or preferred language is British Sign Language (BSL) because the medium of instruction is typically spoken and written English. This small-scale qualitative interview study gauged North Walian Deaf parents' needs and preferences for accessing parenting classes. A structured interview assessed a small group of North Walian Deaf parents' language practices, their perceptions of parenting support and accessibility, and their needs and preferences when it comes to parenting classes. An additional case study of a Deaf parent's experience of participating in an 11-week-long parenting course with an English-BSL interpreter provides further insight into how such classes can be made accessible to Deaf parents. The main interview findings were that the participants had substantially lower English skills than BSL skills, that face-to-face delivery was preferred over online BSL support, and that all materials should be made available in BSL. The case study further uncovered several small adjustments that should be made to face-to-face classes to make them accessible to Deaf parents. In conclusion, materials from already existing parenting classes should be translated into BSL, interpreters should be available, and small adjustments to face-to-face classes should be made, so that Deaf parents can access and participate in already existing parenting programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the use of Bayesian statistical analysis for modelling radiocarbon dates has become much more commonplace within archaeology, however there remains very little literature to aid new practitioners with understanding the archaeological assumptions that underpin many of the modelling choices. Using a suite of radiocarbon dates from a sample of seven ovens, from the 18 excavated across the site at Ysgol yr Hendre, Caernarfon, North Wales, this paper explores the various methods of modelling this group of features. It stresses the underlying archaeological assumptions of each model, while also highlighting some of the tools that should especially be considered when developing very precise models. Finally it compares the results of the models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This article considers the ambivalence generated in familial cohabitation where adult offspring have never left or have returned to live with their parents. Background: Ambivalence is commonly used in psychology to describe contradictory emotions at the interpersonal level. Method: A thematically analyzed ethnographic study of eight cohabitating families living in North Wales, in the United Kingdom, explored both generations' perspectives on cohabitation. Results: Although our study found evidence of ambivalence at the interpersonal level, we suggest that this was drawn from a structural contradiction, namely, that although cohabitation was the result of structural issues, such as graduate underemployment and the affordable housing crisis, societal values labeled it the personal consequence of a failed adulthood. This caused these families feelings of shame and guilt that created a barrier blocking the interpersonal negotiations needed to develop more positive living arrangements and family roles. The generational contradictions in values of self, family, and society produced irreconcilable personal and political tensions. Conclusion: This study concludes that two changes are needed to better negotiate ambivalence in family cohabitation. First, the social narrative that responsibilizes young adults for their failure to attain financial and residential independence needs to be challenged. Second, to address current structural contradictions, the social contract on the provision for family social care needs political renegotiation. Implications: Building on the concept of sociological ambivalence, this article suggests that studies of ambivalence need to take a critical perspective that questions the structural forces that produce and constrain interpersonal familial relationships. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the topic of 'Contraction in an Age of Expansion' by exploring the notion of Titan prisons and their impact upon staff culture. It adapts the notion of 'diffidence' to explain staff culture and the manner in which this can lead to toxic behaviours that impact on the carcerai experience of prisoners, the delivery of core activities and the safety of all those who inhabit a prison. This is especially pertinent with regard to recent announcements by The Justice Minister, Chris Grayling, about the possibility of future large site prisons both in North Wales and, potentially, within the M25, and the subsequent rating failures of HMP Oakwood and Thameside. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Edward Morgan, gardener at the Westminster Physic Garden probably from about 1650 until 1678, compiled a hortus siccus in three large volumes, which are now in the Bodleian Library, Oxford. Morgan evidently continued to add specimens to the hortus siccus when he retired from Westminster and returned to his native Wales. Remarkably, on the back of a letter to his father, also in the Bodleian Library, Edward Lhwyd listed "plants found in north wales" with page numbers relating to specimens in the three "tomes" of the hortus siccus, presumably as an aide-memoire for his own use. These lists are clearly abbreviated versions of lists made by Morgan himself, of which only that relating to the first volume has survived, but from it and other evidence it has proved possible to detect the specimens in the hortus siccus that were certainly or very probably collected in North Wales. Unfortunately the specimens are not localized or dated, but, although they constitute early records for Wales, almost all of the species represented had already been recorded in Britain and/or Ireland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theories can lead us to omit or minimize certain observations when making an argument, or they may provide insights leading us to alternative arguments. Darwin did not see glacial features on his first visit to North Wales, UK, but on his second visit when he knew about glaciation he then saw it all around him. Glacial theorists such as Ramsay and Bonney discussed the relationship between glacial erosion and lake formation, arguing by analogy and comparison, but Bonney refused to be swayed by Ramsay’s theories, arguing the need for greater evidence and proof. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Between November 5,2007 and November 4,2008, faecal samples from cattle and sheep submitted for diagnostic purposes to the Aberystwyth and Shrewsbury Veterinary Laboratories Agency (VLA) (now AHVLA) regional laboratories (covering North Wales and the West Midlands) were screened for the presence of Escherichia coli that produces CTX-M extended-spectrum (3-lactamase (ESBL) using the selective medium CHROMagar CTX. Samples from 113 farms were tested and eight ESBL-positive farms identified. Of these, six farms were identified via submissions of cattle faeces and two from sheep. Gene sequencing revealed both group 1 and group 9 CTX-M enzymes corresponding to CTX-M-14, CTX-M-14B (group 9) and CTX-M-15/28 (group 1). Analysis of these isolates by nanoarray revealed that some were carrying a range of virulence genes including ireA, iroN and prfB, which have been associated with extraintestinal pathogenic Ecoli, and were multidrug resistant. Geographical analysis with choropleth maps suggested that these CTX-M genes are relatively widespread in the North Wales and West Midlands study area. This work was carried out concurrently with the running of a VLA ESBL surveillance system, which has subsequently identified many more CTX-M positive farms in the UK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accessible summary • Suicide and suicidal behaviour evoke strong feelings. That is so not only for those directly affected – the individual, family and friends, but for professional staff and the community at large. • Assessing the risk of suicide demands staff having the ability to connect and maintain rapport with people in varying degrees of distress. • Multidisciplinary training groups allow staff the opportunity to share their experiences and learn from one another. • Suicide awareness training for non mental health staff in the UK is variable and should be more of a priority. There are 300 deaths in Wales each year as a result of suicide. Though the rate in England and Wales has fallen in recent years, it is still the second most common cause of death in men aged 15–44 behind accidental death. The majority of those who die by suicide make contact with health professionals within a relatively short time before their death. For those with mental ill health, relationships with professionals appear particularly important; indeed negative relationships have been cited as a key factor precipitating death by suicide. This paper outlines a suicide awareness programme which aims to restate the values of empathy and relationship building in everyday interaction. It acknowledges risk factors and risk assessment tools, but more than anything strives to demonstrate the value of encouraging personal expression in patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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