‘Not on Erddig’ campaigners gathered at the gates of the Erddig
estate this weekend. Members of the Rhostyllen Residents Committee
and Cymuned handed out leaflets to National Trust members visiting
the hall for the climate change event on Saturday and Sunday.

RRC member Sean Leech said ‘The response from the members was very
encouraging. Many people were in disbelief when we informed them of
the Trust’s plans for the new village near Rhostyllen. Several said
they would be cancelling their membership when they heard what the
Trust was doing in their name. Several members even turned around
and left the Hall in disgust after reading the leaflet.’

Campaigners handed out hundreds of leaflets and asked visitors to
go to their website to sign the petition against the development.
Carrie Harper (local representative of Cymuned) said ‘We are very
pleased with the progress of Rhostyllen.com – it is receiving more
than 50 visits a day and the signature list on the petition is
growing daily. The comments left on the petition show the strength
of feeling amongst local people; they are very angry about the
National Trust’s behaviour.’

Campaigners say they are determined to keep on fighting against the
Trust’s plans. RRC member Duncan Bodman said ‘If the National Trust
thinks that this campaign is just going to go away they have made a
serious error of judgement. We will not give up. They cannot simply
brush local concerns aside. The campaign is going from strength to
strength; even some of their own members are now supporting us.’

The group will be arranging a public meeting in
Rhostyllen itself. This follows several previous attempts that were
refused by the community council in the village. ‘It is our basic
democratic right to have freedom of speech,’ said Tara Green of the
RRC. ‘The situation up to now is just beyond a joke. Why do those
who are supposed to represent local people refuse us the right to
have our say? It is clear that neither the community council nor
the National Trust wish to hear any views that oppose this
development. We will ensure that this situation is remedied in the
near future.’

On Saturday afternoon in Cardiff from 2 o’clock onwards supporters of the Welsh songs site Sing4Wales.com will be distributing cards with the words of the National Anthem and Men of Harlech on them to football supporters on their way to watch Wales take on the
might of Germany in the Millennium Stadium.

The cards aim to get more people singing and by doing so to give a greater level of support to Welsh teams. The website has videos, words and translations of famous Welsh songs, and has been greeted with huge enthusiasm not only in Wales but also by Welsh societies around the globe.

‘We’ve been delighted to receive warm support for our website from the Football Supporters Federation of Wales,’ says Aran Jones of Sing4Wales.com. ‘They will be helping us to distribute 15,000 cards, and we’re looking forward to hearing Men of Harlech sung more passionately than ever before!’

Anyone who would like to help distribute the cards is welcome to contact Aran Jones on 07887-573446.