You have less than two weeks to tell us what you know about elections and where you want to find information about voting and elections in Wrexham…and you could win a £50 Amazon voucher!
How? Just fill out our electoral services survey! Whether you know a little, nothing or everything there is to know about elections we want to hear from you.
The aim of the survey is to understand what you need from Wrexham Council’s electoral services. Completing the survey means we will know what information you need and, most importantly, where you want to find it.
You have until June 4 to complete the survey and be in with the chance of winning that £50 voucher.
Steve Guinness, winner of Channel 4’s Lego Masters, will be visiting Gwersyllt and Chirk libraries this half term and posing creative build challenges. He’ll also give your child a mini kit to take home with them so they can build a book and pencil made out of Lego.
With 2 huge Kings of Leon concerts at the Racecourse this weekend, Wrexham is set to welcome an influx of visitors- many will be visiting for the first time, so “Croeso i Wrecsam” (Welcome to Wrexham).
*For certain locations below we will be using a ‘post code’ – this is the same as a ‘zip code,’
GETTING HERE
Transport
If you are not staying in Wrexham, please make a plan for your homeward journey in advance as all public services are expected to be extremely busy.
Taxi– PLEASE BOOK IN ADVANCE!!! Our main taxi rank used by Hackney Cabs is situated on King Street Opposite the bus station (LL11 1LF). A list of city centre taxi firms is available at the bottom of this document.
Car parks- Link to map and list of car parks in Wrexham:
Locations – Ruthin Road Housing Office and Ysgol Clywedog
Route – The Park and Ride bus will pick up at the car parks, proceed along the A525 Ruthin Road, Mold Road and drop off on Mold Road in the closed section, and will operate from 1pm until midnight, with the return pick up from outside Macron Stand on Mold Road (The Racecourse).
This is a very tough question as there’s so much choice- so we’re trying to cover areas to eat rather than our favourites!
Bank Street – LL11 1AH
A quaint, historic street loaded with independent businesses, you can visit Marrubis (the oldest café in Wrexham), grab a coffee or Sushi here!
High Street- LL13 8LP
The epicentre for nightlife in Wrexham, high street boast a large number of restaurants and bars as well as many fast food outlets.
Ty Pawb (Closed Sunday)- LL13 8BB
A fully stocked bar, vegan food, homemade pies, curry, deserts, chicken wings and more from our independent food traders.
Eagles Meadow- LL13 8DG
A range of established chain restaurants.
This is only a tiny suggestion of locations to eat. Walking around the City Centre you are likely to stumble upon a great range of places to eat including great Polish, Portuguese, Indian and Welsh cuisine.
Where to drink
Tough question, how long have you got?
But there’s something for everyone. Some are more ‘drinking’ pubs and others concentrate more on the food offering and are generally more family orientated. Some are chain pubs (owned by large breweries) and others are independently owned and run.
If you’re not sure-just ask a local and we’re sure that you’ll have a whole lot of suggestions of places that you can visit.
Tŷ Pawb is a multi-purpose centre. It serves as a venue for arts, cultural and community events, as well as being a market and art gallery-it also was shortlisted last year for the prestigious ‘Museum of the Year’ award.
This Saturday ‘QUEENS of Leon!’ – Live music in the Food Court:
12pm-1pm – Shellie Roberts
1pm-2pm – Sasha Duchnowska
2pm-3pm – Isabella Crowther
Family Activities
10am-12pm – Family Art Club
10am-12pm & 2pm-4pm – FREE Family Zine Making Workshop
St Giles Church – LL13 8LS
The steeple at St Giles is one of the 7 wonders of Wales. The church is recognised as one of the finest examples of ecclesiastical architecture to be found in Wales.
Wrexham Visitor Information Centre(Closed Sunday) – Chester St
A one stop information shop for Wrexham visitors. Find out where to go, what to do and pick up some great Wrexham and Welsh souvenirs.
Wrexham Museum (Closed Sunday) – LL11 1RB
Future site of the Welsh Football Museum and the home of an excellent Courtyard Café! Entry is free so why not pop in and find out more about Wrexham’s fascinating past? Two football exhibitions are currently on show: Shirt Stories: A shirt by shirt history of Welsh football and Up The Town – The Fans of Wrexham AFC.
Yma O Hyd Mural – LL13 8LW
Welcome to Wrexham mural- LL11 2HY
If you’re here for a few days or planning on coming back to Wrexham, check out a couple of our favourite websites for inspiration:
111 Non-emergency number for the NHS, if you have a medical problem that is not an emergency issue and you’re not sure what to do).
Useful Welsh
During your visit to Wrexham you will likely hear many languages spoken. Welsh and English are Wales’ official languages. Most people in Wrexham understand English, but we love to encourage everyone to learn and speak a bit of Welsh. Here are a few Welsh words/phrases:
“Bore da” – “Good Morning”
“Diolch” –“Thank you”
“Gwych” – “Excellent”
“Gai dau cwrw” – “Can I have 2 beers”
“Dwi’n Caru Wrecsam” – “I love Wrexham”
“Nos da” – “Good night”
Money- We use £ sterling, however most places accept card payments as well as cash.
Some of the locations in Wrexham City Centre where you can exchange money:
Eurochange – Eagles Meadow- Ll13 8DG
Asda Money Exchange – LL13 8HL
Post office Travel Money-LL11 1BE
Sainsbury’s – LL11 2BA
Tesco – LL13 8HF
Tap water – The tap water is safe to drink, in fact- the quality of our drinking water is one of the main reasons we’ve had so many breweries in Wrexham!
The weather looks fantastic for the weekend so we hope you enjoy your visit to Sunny Wrecsam!
Full Closure of Crispin Lane between 13:00h and 23:59h
One way of Mold Road between 13:00 and 21:45
Full Closure of Mold Road between 21:45 and 23:59
Pre Event
Mold Road to be One Way – travel out of City toward B&Q roundabout – between 13.00 and 21.45, with all inbound traffic (including residents, Park and Ride and coaches to the event) using alternative routes, either directed or diverted. This will reduce any confusion at B&Q Roundabout and therefore improve traffic flows.
Park & Ride and any coaches to the event will be directed through town, either via Ruthin Road and be allowed to drop off on the inbound side of Mold Road, then re-join the outbound carriageway. This will be managed by TM Operatives.
Residents will also have to access the roads apposite the stadium via the Town Centre.
Crispin Lane will be closed with resident access from Stansty Road only.
Post Event
There will be a full closure of Mold Road and Regent Street (as per the plan) from 21.45 to 23:59 whilst the stadium is emptying, during which time access for residents will be controlled from both ends by Amberon TMO’s.
Wales tops UK nations when it comes to helping adopted children understand the early part of their lives, thanks to government prioritisation of this work since 2019.
Elsewhere in the UK, children’s sense of security and identity, and their later mental wellbeing in teenage years and adulthood, are being put at risk because of a failure of ‘life story’ support, new research from Adoption UK reveals.
For many adopted people, trauma experienced before they were adopted, along with the loss of identity involved in being separated from their birth family, has lifelong implications. So-called ‘life story work’ involves helping an adopted child understand their own history and the reasons why they were adopted.
Adoption experts and psychologists widely recognise the vital importance of understanding your early history, as part of shaping a healthy sense of identity. Methods used in life story work can include activities such as play and counselling, and using materials such as life story books, which explain a child’s early story in an age-appropriate way, and ‘later life letters’ that are written for children to read when they become older.
72% of UK adoptive parents said they were happy with the quality of the life story materials they received, a figure that has barely changed in 5 years. In Wales, this figure was 86% – and it represents an increase of 30% compared to 5 years ago.
The number of families receiving life story materials soon after adopting was also higher in Wales, giving adoptive parents in Wales a head start in supporting their children.
Ann Bell, Wales Director for Adoption UK, said: “Life story materials are a vital way to help adopted children understand their background and why they were adopted.
“Alongside arrangements to maintain birth family links, where it is safe to do so, these materials can play a crucial role in creating a clearer sense of identity, and strong foundations for teenage years and later life. Bold action by the Welsh government shows that proper investment in life story work reaps rewards. Governments across the UK should quickly follow suit.”
The figures come from Adoption UK’s fifth annual Adoption Barometer report, the most comprehensive stocktake of adoption in the UK.
It surveyed nearly 3,000 adoptive families, prospective adopters and adopted people over 18, 150 of whom live in Wales. The report offers a rich picture of the impact of adoption policy and practice in the lives of adopted people and adopters across the UK.
Director of NAS, Suzanne Griffiths, said:
“The AUK Barometer report once again paints a positive picture of adoption in Wales as well as identifying where further improvement is needed.
“We are proud to see Wales leading the way in helping adopted children understand the early part of their lives.
“Life journey work supports our focus on understanding identity as an adopted person, and is aimed at all those involved in adoption, including social workers and families.
“It is hugely encouraging to hear the vast majority of adoptive parents in Wales are now happy with the quality of the life story materials they receive, compared to five years ago.
“Last year, we announced the introduction of the Adoption Support Commitment, the first of its kind in the UK, ensuring adopters in Wales have support during every step of their journey. NAS will continue to work with adoptive parents, children, and young people to ensure all those involved in the adoption process receive the support they need.”
Helen Cruthers, a Psychotherapist in Adoption UK’s Psychology and Therapy Hub (PATH), who has worked with families for 30 years and specialised in the adoption and fostering field for the past 15, said: “I see first-hand the difference that life story work makes – both the good that comes from doing it well, and the problems that come from a lack of it, especially in the teenage years and in later life.
“One of the saddest things is when kids who don’t have a full and clear and full explanation of their early life and their adoption do what vulnerable kids often do: blame themselves, or think there must have been something wrong with them.
“When you think in those terms, you can see why it matters so much to explain their early life to them, and why the investment Wales has made in this area is so incredibly valuable.”
Sophia (not her real name), an adoptive parent, said: “My husband and I adopted older siblings, aged six and four at the time of placement who, like all care experienced children, have a unique and complex life story.
“Their social worker worked proactively with us in preparing their life story books, including sharing drafts. This was really important to ensure we felt comfortable in using the material with the children and building on the narrative as they grow up.
“The books have really helped us to have regular and honest conversations as a family. The children are becoming more confident in their identity. Critically, I think the materials, and how we use them, have really established safe and trusting relationships to talk openly, without shame.”
Adoption UK is the leading charity for all those whose lives involve adoption, including adopted people, adopters and the professionals who support them.
The Mayor of Wrexham looks back at his year in office
On Tuesday May 23, Councillor Brian Cameron will hand over the reins as Mayor of Wrexham – drawing a line under an exciting and eventful year in office.
Councillor Cameron has witnessed some of the biggest events in living memory during his term – both on a local and national scale – including city status, the death of Queen Elizabeth II, the visit of King Charles III and Wrexham AFC winning promotion.
He says: “These were huge moments and it’s been an honour to serve as mayor during such eventful and important times.
“The death of her Late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II was a sad time, and the way Wrexham came together to pay its respects was deeply moving.
“The proclamation of King Charles III – and his subsequent visit to Wrexham to celebrate city status – was also a key moment for me, and it’s something that I will always remember.”
Along with his wife Kerry as Mayoress, he’s attended a huge number of civic engagements over the past year and represented the county borough at many important events.
He’s also the first Mayor to serve the city of Wrexham.
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Lifelong Wrexham fan
Councillor Cameron is a lifelong Wrexham AFC fan and – like thousands of other people in the UK (and North America!) – he was ecstatic when both the men’s and women’s teams won promotion this season.
“There have been many wonderful moments since Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds took over the club, but when we clinched promotion to League Two and the Wales Adran League, that was absolutely magic.
“Success on the pitch has meant so much to our communities, and I felt very proud of our footballers as both a fan, and as Mayor of Wrexham.”
Meeting people from all ages and backgrounds
Other highlights include celebrating the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee, attending the Royal Garden Party, and supporting Wrexham’s City of Culture bid…
…as well as taking part in events like Armed Forces Day and the parades by The Royal Welsh and The Queens Dragoon Guards.
But as well as the ‘big’ headline moments, there were many smaller events and engagements that left a lasting impression.
Councillor Cameron says: “Both the Mayoress and I loved meeting so many people from all age groups and backgrounds, and learning about their work, talents and interests.
“I would like to say a huge thank you to all the local charities, community groups, schools and other organisations and individuals that invited me and Kerry to share in their successes.
“It’s been an honour and a privilege to meet so many wonderful people, and I can’t express what an amazing experience it’s been to serve as Mayor of Wrexham.
“Thank you to everyone for your support, and I would like to wish my successor Councillor Andy Williams and his wife Beverly warm wishes for the year ahead – I know they’ll do a fantastic job.”
Councillor Andy Williams will officially take up the role of Mayor of Wrexham at the official ‘Mayor making’ council meeting on Tuesday, May 23.
The “Safe Place” scheme makes sure that everyone visiting Wrexham can have a safe place where they can go to when if they’re feeling anxious, panicked, stressed or particularly vulnerable. Local businesses sign up to take part in the scheme and then display a sign that registered users can recognise and know they will be able to get help from those inside.
It gives people the security of knowing they, or people they care about, have a safe place to go in times of need. The safe place can be a shop, pub, library, council building or any place that is publicly available. A sticker will identify the place as a “Safe Place” and it will also appear in the national database.
It is run by SWS (Standards of Wrexham services) and is part of a national scheme.
Maybe your next career move could be working for Wrexham Council? More jobs have been added to our latest vacancies page, so if you haven’t checked it out in a while you definitely should.
There’s often vacancies in education, housing, cleaning, customer services, IT and social care – to name a few!
And get this; working for a council can be a good career option – it usually comes with a pension, good leave allowance and relative stability.
Here’s some of our latest jobs that you might be interested in 🙂
If you work in social care, or you’re thinking about it, you’ll find lots of opportunities to develop your career at Wrexham Council. Take a look at these jobs…
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Trochi groups (otherwise known as Welsh immersion provision groups) from across Wrexham, Flintshire and Denbighshire joined together at Glan Llyn recently to enjoy engaging and taking part in outdoor activities, all through the medium of Welsh.
The trip was arranged to celebrate the success of this years’ cohort before they are released into mainstream education, now that they are fluent.
The Welsh Immersion provision supports children from English medium primary settings to transfer to a Welsh medium secondary setting by providing an intensive transition course during the summer term of year 6 until the end of year 8. However the majority of pupils who visited Glan Llyn recently were able to reach achieve full fluency by the end of year 7!
The pupils enjoyed a fun-filled day canoeing on the lake, tackling the high ropes and the climbing wall, finishing the day toasting marshmallows whilst discussing their day.
They came away proud of their achievement not only in challenging themselves during the activities but in reflecting how far they’ve come on their Welsh language journey now that they are confident Welsh speakers.
The day trip was funded by a Welsh government grant for developing Welsh immersion provisions.
Eleri Vaughan Roberts, Welsh Immersion Service Team Manager: “I am extremely proud of our service and our commitment to support children to transition over to Welsh medium education and am especially proud of the effort and enthusiasm shown by our pupils.
Children attend from primary schools from all over the county and are supported not only to acquire the language but to be confident, happy, enthusiastic and respectful in their new language and I’m confident that their bilingual skills will serve them well in the future. It is an innovative course that places the children’s wellbeing at the forefront of everything we do and much of our success can be attributed to this ethos.”
There has been an immense surge of interest in the course during the past few years with more and more parents recognising the benefits of giving their children the opportunity to be bilingual.
Year 6 children are invited to attend an immersion ‘taster’ course during the last half term of the summer which allows them the opportunity to see if the Welsh medium option is suited to them. If interested you can still register for the next course that will start on the 5th of June.
Additionally at PMLC it will allow access to these exclusive 60+ sessions
Monday 60+ Circuit Class 1.00-1.45pm,Wednesday 60+ Zumba Gold 10.30-11.30am Wednesday 60+ swim lesson 8.00-8.45pm, Thursday 60+ Circuit Class 1.30-2.15.
At the end of the 1 Month you will move to either Freedom Leisure 60+ or Plas Madoc 60+ Direct Debit Membership or any of their Monthly Direct Debit Membership/Annual Membership that you are eligible for (Please ask reception staff which is the best option for you when signing up)
Who can Apply?
The offer is open to new members, aged over 60, who have not held a membership with Freedom Leisure OR Plas Madoc Leisure Centre after 1/4/2022, with a focus on the inactive/least active.
Offer is available from the 2 May 2023 (spaces are limited for this offer).
A requirement of this free Month is that you then follow this on by taking out a Membership with our Freedom Leisure Centres in Wrecsam or Plas Madoc Leisure Centre.
Please contact your local Freedom Leisure centre OR Plas Madoc Leisure Centre to sign up to this 60+ membership offer. You can also e mail Active60@wrexham.gov.uk with any queries.
