news.wrexham.gov.uk

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Featured posts

  • Kids will have final say on museum award

    Kids will have final say on museum award

    There’s exciting news from Wrexham County Borough Museum and Archives with the announcement that it’s been shortlisted for the 2018 Kids in Museums Family Friendly Award. It’s the biggest museum award in Britain and the only one where children and families pick the winner.

    The museum was nominated by local families and was then shortlisted by the team at Kids in Museums against other UK museums.

    Over the summer, the shortlisted museums will be road-tested anonymously by families, using the Kids in Museums Mini Manifesto as a guide to their family friendliness. The overall winner will be announced in October.

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    “Second time nominated for award”

    Emmajane Avery, Chair of Kids in Museums said: “We were really impressed with the high quality of this year’s nominations for the Family Friendly Museum Award and the brilliant family friendly work that is going on in museums all over the country. It’s fantastic that so many museums are using our Manifesto to shape their work with families, children and young people and listening and responding to their feedback.”

    “This is the second time that Wrexham County Borough Museum has been shortlisted for the Award and this is testament to how welcome local families feel in the museum. Families love the friendly staff and volunteers, the excellent café and the new Imagination Zone for under-5s.”

    “Wish them the best of luck”

    Hugh Jones, Lead Member for People – Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety said: “I am delighted Wrexham Museum and Archives has once again been shortlisted for such a prestigious award.”

    “The dedication, commitment, and enthusiasm of both staff and volunteers create a safe, welcoming and enjoyable visit for all visitors, including families. I wish them the best of luck.”

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  • Create your own jewellery with the help of an expert…

    Create your own jewellery with the help of an expert…

    Here’s an opportunity not to be missed!

    At Ty Pawb’s latest masterclass, suitable for all abilities, you’ll be able to create a textured silver pendant with expert guidance from Jeweller Karen Williams!

    Karen’s work is influenced by the natural forms found along the shore. You’ll be taking similar sources to inspire your pendant and to explore mark-making in metal.

    Feel free to bring your own treasure along – seed cases, leaves, beach finds or use something from the collection!

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    Initially you’ll experiment using copper and exploring a variety of texturing techniques. You’ll then develop your design in silver; with lots of hammering! This will be followed by some sawing at the bench and silver soldering to complete your pendant.

    How to get involved

      • The one day jewellery masterclass takes place on Saturday 7 July, 10.30am-4.30pm.
      • The cost is £60 (a concession price of £45 is available to students and over-60’s).
      • Suitable for beginners.
      • Booking essential! Contact Tŷ Pawb on 01978 292093 or email typawb@wrexham.gov.uk

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  • Want loads of FREE cash? Click HERE!

    Want loads of FREE cash? Click HERE!

    …and you’ve made your first mistake.

    Don’t worry – we’re not out to scam you.

    And we can’t blame you for clicking the link – it comes from the council, and we’re a trustworthy source of news.

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    But tactics like attractive titles and posing as people in trust are just two of the many tactics scammers will use to part you from your money.

    Some of them are pretty blatant and easy to spot; others are more subtle and sophisticated.

    But they’re all done with the aim of taking your money from you – and the only people who end up with loads of free cash are the scammers themselves.

    Scams Awareness Month

    We want to help you stay on your guard against financial and legal scams, as our Trading Standards team joins Scams Awareness Month, which takes place throughout June.

    More than 1200 financial and legal scams were reported to the Citizens Advice consumer service in the 2017/18 financial year – about six per cent up on the year before.

    And the median loss for the scams came to about £330 – no small amount to lose, especially if it can be easily avoided by just keeping your wits about you.

    Investment scams

    Some of the most seemingly enticing scams are investment scams, where scammers pose as go-betweens or professionals and convince their victims to hand over large amounts of cash.

    These can include fake websites offering investments in cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin – but failing to pay out later.

    Scammers often pretend to be stockbrokers and asking marks to place bets on phoney shares, sometimes promising big returns – check if they are on the FCA Register and not on the warning list of firms to avoid.

    And they sometimes intercept e-mails from legitimate solicitors and having funds from property exchanges directed to their bank account. A good rule of thumb is to check if they are on the Solicitors Regulation Authority to see if they are genuine.

    “So-and-so says this is an amazing deal…”

    As Abraham Lincoln once said: “Don’t believe everything you read on the internet”.

    Use a bit of scepticism when you see things quoted online (including the one above!).

    Scammers will use made-up quotes to make what they’re offering seem a bit more legitimate, often using trusted names to make dodgy deals look attractive.

    Or sometimes, it’s something as simple as slapping a person of the picture on the link or story, leading readers to believe they’re somehow involved.

    But in the vast majority of such cases, the person quoted has absolutely nothing to do with what’s being sold.

    Simple tips – keep them in mind

    Whether they’re doorstep chancers or savvy con-men, there’s a few simple rules to bear in mind when dealing with scammers to help keep your money safe.

    • Be suspicious if you’re contacted out of the blue, even if it’s from a name you recognise
    • Don’t be rushed – you never need to make a decision straight away
    • Never send money to someone you have never met
    • Never give out your bank details unless you are certain you can trust the person contacting you
    • Walk away from any job ads that ask for money in advance
    • Genuine computer firms do not make unsolicited phone calls to help you fix your computer
    • Suspect a scam? Hang up, then wait five minutes to clear the line – or use another phone to call
    • Persuasive sales patter? Just say: “No, thank you” – you’re under no obligation to hand over your money, no matter how polite someone is
    • Don’t suffer in silence – speak out about scams

    And above all else, remember the Golden Rule – if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

    For more information, contact our Trading Standards team on 01978 298997, or e-mail tradingstandards@wrexham.gov.uk

    (Sorry there’s no free cash!)

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  • Young people – be a part of the important issues!

    Young people – be a part of the important issues!

    This blog is one of a number of stories we’ll be posting throughout Youth Work Week 2018.

    This week is Youth Work Week…and on Saturday, June 30 you’ll have a chance to head over to Tŷ Pawb and see some of the fantastic services available to young people in the local area.

    Over the next few days, we’ll be focusing on five of these service types, beginning today with Participation and Care Council.

    So listen up and get involved!

    Youth Parliament

    Senedd Yr Ifanc (Wrexham Youth Parliament) encourage you to get involved by bringing your issues straight to them. It’s the things that are important to you, your groups and schools that will be discussed.

    The aim is to give young people a place at the debating table when it comes to the big changes that could affect the rest of their lives.

    We featured Senedd in an article last week that you can refer back to or for more information phone 01978 317961 or email youngvoices@wrexham.gov.uk.

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    Care Council

    The Young People’s Care Council collects the views of all looked-after children and care leavers in Wrexham and ensures these views are listened to and then acted upon.

    They do this by working with the staff of the Children’s Social Care Department to support the improvements in looked-after children and care leavers’ lives.

    The Young People’s Care Council is made up of eight young people aged 11-20 from different walks of life in the care system. They have meetings on a monthly basis.

    Important issues

    Each year the Care Council conducts a survey to find out the most important issues for young people in care. The results of this survey will decide which work the group will do for the next year to try and improve the lives of young people.

    What did this year’s survey show?

    The annual survey revealed that children and young people feel that there are issues around lack of privacy, a lack of emotional support or networking opportunities and that there are also difficulties arranging to have friends stay over at their house or being able to stay over at a friends’ house.

    How are the issues addressed?

    These issues have been addressed by developing a short film with an organisation called Fixers which will be used in training for foster carers and social workers. Young people took other issues to a Question Time event in Cardiff.

    For further information on Wrexham Young People’s Care Council phone 01978 295372 or email youngpeoplescarecouncil@wrexham.gov.uk.

    So there you have it!

    If you would like to meet the teams or find out more about the work they do, they will be in Tŷ Pawb on Saturday, June 30.

    There will also be a number of other services promoting their work and plenty of fun and informal activities to get involved with.

    Open Mic

    One of these events is an open mic session starting at 1pm and later at 3pm you are in for a treat as Luke Gallagher will be performing live music.

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  • Come to sell and buy at Tŷ Pawb’s Table Top Sale!

    Come to sell and buy at Tŷ Pawb’s Table Top Sale!

    Do you fancy a chance to grab a bargain or sell your own unwanted items?

    Come along to Tŷ Pawb’s Table Top Sale event!

    If you’ve never been to a Table Top Sale before, think of it like an indoor car boot sale!

    Anyone wishing to sell items on the day can get in touch to book a table (large or small) where you’ll be able to sell your items.

    For shoppers, this means there could be all sorts of items and goodies that you can snap up so why not come and have a browse!

    Our markets, food court and car park will be open as usual throughout the day.

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    How to get invovled

    • The Table Top Sale takes place on Sunday 1 July.
    • Seller should arrive at 9.00am to set up.
    • The sale itself will start 10.00am.
    • If you’d like to come and sell items, you can book a large table for £10, or a small table for £5.

    To book a table or to find out more information about the event, email typawb@wrexham.gov.uk or telephone 01978 292093.

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  • Tea Room opens in the shadow of the World Heritage Site

    Tea Room opens in the shadow of the World Heritage Site

    A former derelict chapel has been brought back to life thanks to a couple who quit their jobs to make their dream of running a tea room come true.

    Business partners Sally Roberts and Carl Pottenger of Trevor, near Llangollen, took on the ambitious project in 2016 to convert the former Bryn Seion Chapel on Station Road into the Pontcysyllte Chapel Tea Room, close to Thomas Telford’s famous Aqueduct. The aqueduct gained World Heritage Status in 2009 and has seen the area boosted by increased visitor numbers since.

    Sally and Carl recognised the gap in the market to provide those visitors with a quality eatery close by, showcasing some of the best local produce available.
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    The ambitious project was boosted by a £30k grant from the Welsh Government’s Tourism Investment Support Scheme. They now employ 12 staff on a full-time, part-time and casual basis.

    Carl oversaw the renovations, ensuring local craftsmen were employed to carry out the work. Sally set about identifying and applying for funding, before quitting her job with a high street bank last year to concentrate on the project full time.

    Phase two of the project is already underway with the transformation of the remainder of the building into five modern, airy bedrooms – two on the ground floor, including one with disabled access and three on the upper floor. It is intended that two bedrooms will be completed and available from mid-July.

    Sally Roberts said: “It was certainly a daunting prospect to purchase the chapel but I’d seen it falling into disrepair on a daily basis in recent years and thought what a great tea room and B&B it would make. So when I met Carl we both decided to make it a joint venture and took the leap to buy the property.

    “We have received such a lot of support from advisors including the Welsh Government and Business in Wales, as well as the community. We are now focusing our efforts on attracting more day visitors from further afield. It’s important we link closely with other areas in the vicinity of the aqueduct to improve the visitor experience to the area as tourism is the lifeblood of many communities around here, particularly being so close to Llangollen.”

    Carl Pottenger, who was brought up on the other side of the aqueduct in nearby Froncysyllte said: “The chapel was in a pretty bad state of repair when we got it but that didn’t put us off. We decided very early on that we wanted to create a real ‘wow’ factor when you stepped through our doors and we believe we have achieved that with the help of some superb local craftspeople who have worked with us. We’ve even matched the woodwork to the original pulpit which we have preserved as a key piece in the premises.”

    The Pontcysyllte Tea Room opened its’ doors in February and was officially opened by Lord Elis-Thomas, AM and Minister for Culture, Tourism & Sport on Monday, 18 June 2018.

    The Wales Government offers grants under the Tourism Investment Support Scheme for ‘Distinctive Stand Out Projects’.

    Lord Elis-Thomas said: “I’d like to congratulate Sally and Carl for their vision in seeing the potential in this historic building and turning it into this excellent tea room. As well as being a welcome addition for visitors attracted to this iconic World Heritage Site, they’re also creating new jobs in the tourism sector in north east Wales. With the ambiance of a Welsh Chapel, the nearby Pontcysyllte Aqueduct and the Welsh produce on offer – the Pontcysyllte Chapel Tea Room has a strong sense of place and an excellent story to tell. I’m delighted that we’ve been able to support this venture and wish the owners well as they complete the accommodation phase of the project.”

    Councillor Rondo Roberts, Wrexham County Borough Councillor for Llangollen Rural ward said: “Sally and Carl have invested so much time, effort and money into making sure this project is successful and also given the local economy a boost by creating brand new jobs and using local suppliers throughout the process. They continue to do this as the business is growing by engaging with food producers in the locality to create a real taste of Wales experience. I wish them well for the future.”

    All Photographs/Video are courtesy of Mark Fetherstone

    Follow the Pontcysyllte Chapel Tearoom on Facebook and Twitter @ponttearoom

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  • How much do you actually know about your Tourist Information Centre?

    How much do you actually know about your Tourist Information Centre?

    Is it a bird, is it a plane? Well, actually no it’s not, but it might be much more than you think…

    Best in Wrexham?

    For instance, it has a valid claim to being one of Wrexham’s best gift shops.
    Have you ever found yourself walking around town looking for a birthday present that’s a bit different?

    You might have found the place…

    A quick browse around and you will find: uniquely designed Welsh slate jewellery, a handmade Welsh dragon pillow, high quality Tweedmill blankets and quirky woollen gifts including a laptop bag.

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    Local food produce

    Did you know the centre stocks a variety of local foods such as sauces, teas, biscuits, jams, chutneys and curds? Well they do, and they’re delicious.

    Have a gander

    Amanda Hill, a tourist information advisor at the centre says: “Call into the Tourist Information Centre and have a look at our new range of local Welsh gifts and food.
    “A lot of people are unaware of the diversity of our products, therefore why not call in and see for yourself?”

    And the rest!

    There’s also the bits you may already know about. But if you’ve forgotten, here’s a quick reminder.
    Amanda says: “We sell a variety of tickets for local events. We have discounted Chester Zoo tickets for sale, Arriva tickets and National Express coach travel.
    “We also have a huge amount of information on local attractions and events.”

    So there you have it. Hopefully you are now more familiar with the TIC, so go on in, have a chat with the friendly staff and see what they can do for you.

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  • Fly Tipping – what’s going on?

    Fly Tipping – what’s going on?

    You may have noticed on social media lately that there’s been an increase in fly-tipping around the county borough. Since Christmas we’ve dealt with 250 separate incidents.

    Lots of you are finding it difficult to understand why people go to so much trouble to fly tip rubbish rather than take it to the local skip site? We too wondered why this was happening so we spoke with Environment staff who gave us some insight into what can happen.

    It’s true, some people deliberately put rubbish in their cars and drive off to a quiet location and just dump it – leaving us to pick up the trash and make the usual scenic areas look good again. If you know someone who does this just pass the information on to contact-us@wrexham.gov.uk.

    REPORT FLY TIPPING HERE.

    But there are instances, many in fact, where you may have paid someone to take rubbish away without realising they’ve taken your money and then just dumped the rubbish wherever they can. Leaving you liable if it can be traced back to you.

    If you are paying for someone to take your rubbish please make sure they’re legit. They should have a Waste Carrier’s Licence if not – don’t use them as they’re very likely to fly tip it and you’ll be responsible and liable to prosecution of they’re caught or if it can be traced back to you.

    Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for the Environment and Transport, said: “There are shocking instances of fly-tipping on social media and it costs us to remove it. We always to check if there is anything in the rubbish to identify the owner and if so we will not hesitate to prosecute. Please, either use a reputable firm or use our bulky collection or even pay a visit to one of the three household recycling centres. Please don’t leave it to chance and risk prosecution because of someone else’s dubious behaviour.”

    The Council offers a kerbside collection of garden/organic waste in the green bin, we do not offer any further collection services for green waste, soil or rubble.

    So if you have this or any large items of rubbish you would like to be taken away you could consider using our Bulky collection service. We will take:

    • Furniture (e.g. tables, chairs, suites, beds, mattresses, cabinets, desks, bookcases, wardrobes)
    • White goods (e.g. fridges, freezers, cookers, tumble dryers, microwaves)
    • Garden equipment (e.g. small lawnmowers, garden implements, garden tables and chairs, barbeques, bikes)
    • Carpet (small amounts of carpet and underlay (off cuts of no more than 1 room size)
    • Electrical and electronic equipment (e.g. computers, televisions)

    Bulky collections are normally made on your next collection day providing that a notice of 2 working days is given. More information about bulky collections can be found here

    You can also use our Household Recycling Centres for free:

    • Bryn Lane Household Waste Recycling Centre is open 8am – 8pm every day of the year apart from Christmas Day
    • Plas Madoc and The Lodge Household Waste Recycling Centres are open 9am – 8pm

    Spotted fly tipping? Report it easily and quickly online.

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  • Your voice matters!

    Your voice matters!

    Are you a member of the Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic community in Wrexham?

    This is your chance to have your voice heard. You are invited to attend the first regional meeting for North Wales Black, Asian and Minority Ethic engagement.

    Whether you are a member of the BME community, supporter or practitioner come along to the first regular regional consultation forums for North Wales.

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    Join a discussion about what life is like for ethnic minority people. Together you can propose solutions to local authority and Welsh Government so that services better meet BME needs.

    The meeting will be a great opportunity to get to know each other and meet new people. It will be a chance to work for ways to tackle racism and increase BME access to services as well as an open space to talk about the issues affecting the community.

    The meeting will take place in Ty Pawb on Wednesday June 27th, from 12.30 – 2.30pm.

    More information

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  • Young people – bring your issues to the table!

    Young people – bring your issues to the table!

    Calling all young people…

    Senedd Yr Ifanc (Wrexham Youth Parliament) encourage you to get involved by bringing your issues straight to them. It’s the things that are important to you, your groups and schools that will be discussed.

    The aim is to give young people a place at the debating table when it comes to the big changes that could affect the rest of their lives.

    To become a representative, you just need to be aged between 11-25 and Senedd is actively looking for more members. So what are you waiting for?

    After all, you’re the future, so shape it… don’t try and escape it!

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    But what is a representative?

    Representatives ensure that the views of other young people from your group, forum or school are considered in matters affecting young people across the county and then feed any information, answers or updates back to them.

    But I don’t want to get involved in politics…

    Don’t be put off by thinking this is too political. You don’t need to be elected to represent a group or project in the area. Just come along with an opinion and a voice.

    Meetings take place every last Monday of the month in Wrexham Guildhall with the next one due to take place June 25. This meeting will be on open one with young people encouraged to come along and see what it’s all about.

    What can I expect from the meeting?

    Bullying is a key issue under consultation at the moment, there’s a Q&A session that you could get involved in or if you want to meet other young people this would be the perfect time to do so. Meet and greet starts at 4.30pm with the meeting to take place 5pm til 8pm.

    It promises to be a particularly good one too. Many lead councillors are expected be there including Andrew Atkinson, William Baldwin, Phil Wynn, Mark Pritchard and Hugh Jones so you will be speaking directly to them.

    Caroline Bennett, Participation Co-Coordinator tells why you should be a part of it:
    “The Senedd Yr Ifanc is a great opportunity for young people to get involved in issues brought to us by young people. The monthly meetings are fun and interactive with lots of topics you can get involved with, along with lots of interesting projects and sub groups.

    “It’s a good way to meet new young people in a safe environment while having a voice on local and national issues and decisions that affect youth.”

    Youth Work week 2018

    Youth work week is right around the corner too (June 23-30), so stay posted and we’ll be bringing you some exciting updates in the upcoming weeks. There are a number of fun and informal events that you are welcome to get involved with.

    For more information contact Senedd Yr Ifanc by emailing youngvoices@wrexham.gov.uk or calling 01978 317961.

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