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Featured posts

Get your walking boots on…your heritage trail app is here!
Fellow hikers… walking in your local area is about to get much more interesting.
A new app for visiting the beautiful Ceiriog Valley has been launched by the Chirk and Ceiriog Valley Partnership. It is the largest ward in Wrexham County Borough by area and the app is an ibeacon trail that will help you with your visit.
It takes you through the history and natural wonders of the Ceiriog Valley as you travel from the Glyn Wylfa in Chirk to Llanarmon Dyffryn Ceiriog.
So if you love walking and history, this should be perfect.
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A jewel of the county
Along the way, you can enjoy walks to appreciate its natural beauty or if you fancy a cuppa you can stop off to enjoy some valley hospitality.
The valley has much to offer from natural unspoilt scenery and industrial heritage such as the Glyn Valley Tramway.
How do I get it?
The app, which is free, can be downloaded by going to the Apple Store or Google Play, searching for Ceiriog Valley Trail and downloading the app to a mobile phone or tablet. Simple as that.
All the information is kept on the phone or tablet and you won’t need to worry about dodgy signals as no mobile phone connection is necessary when on the trail.
How exactly does it work?
When travelling up the valley with the phone/tablet on and the app open, the ibeacon should trigger a signal to bring up the pages for that location.
The app has a map showing where the ibeacons are located. There are leaflets, which also show where the ibeacons are, how to download the app and information about the Chirk and the Ceiriog Valley.
You can pick these up from Tourist Information Centres and some local businesses.
Sounds good? More are on the way…
The ibeacon trail app is one of 18 ibeacon projects in North East Wales run by Cadwyn Clwydand funded by the LEADER scheme.
LEADER is a fund for rural areas in Wales to explore innovative new approaches and experimental technologies to tackle poverty, create jobs and drive sustainable economic development.
It is part of the Welsh Government Rural Communities – Rural Development Programme 2014 –20, which is financed by the Welsh Government and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development (EAFRD).
Ok, our laces are done. We’ll catch you later.
For more information, please visit www.chirkandtheceiriogvalley.co.uk.
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June 12, 2018
You might walk past this Wrexham landmark every day… but do you know the story behind it?
We’re sure you’ve all noticed it, but how many of you have queried it? Your children may have asked you “why are those men on a bendy pole?” or just simply “what’s that?”
We’re talking of course about The Arc sculpture on Lord Street. Here’s a bit of background information about ‘The Arc’.
The background
The Arc was unveiled on February 2, 1996 by Cllr Michael Morris, the Mayor of Wrexham at the time.
It depicts a miner and a steelworker on brick plinths, feet astride 2 steel arcs. They are at full stretch, each trying to bend the arc to meet at the top.
It is sponsored by the Welsh Development Agency, the Iron Steel Trades Confederation, The Arts Council of Wales and Wrexham County Borough Council.
Inscribed on its base is a bilingual poem by Merddyn Ap Dafydd depicting in verse the toil and collectiveness of manual work.
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But why is it there?
Coal mining is significant in the history of Wrexham as early as the 14th century when the Burgesses of Holt jealously guarded their right to dig for coal in the ‘wastes’ of Brymbo and Coedpoeth.
During the 17th century, demand for coal grew as a greater number of houses had chimneys and then in the 18th century it grew even further as established industries such as Bersham ironworks started to use coal.
In the 19th century, railways heralded coal’s ‘golden age’ as it was used to make the iron rails and power steam locomotives.
Steelworks is also of great importance to our local history and Brymbo was the location of a nationally important steelworks, looked at as ‘the heart of a community’ until its closure in 1990.
A huge impact on people’s lives
The impact on local people after the closures is not something to be glossed over.
The villages running north to south from Brymbo and Llay down to Chirk, Fron and Acrefair were all based around the heavy industries.
With the closures, these self-sufficient communities had to find a new role in the world, with many people choosing to leave the area to find work further afield.
Strong communities were broken up and it took a long time for them to recover.
Important to the people of Wrexham
It was these strong links to our local history that led to the creation of the sculpture in 1996.
Jonathon Gammond, Interpretation and Access Officer at Wrexham Museum says: “Most towns have some example of ‘the great and the good’ standing on a pedestal looking down on passers-by. Wrexham does not.
“Instead the town has chosen to celebrate the lives of two ordinary individuals, both shown at pavement level, where we can look at each other in the eye. They are hard at work, earning a wage and expecting no recognition. That tells you what is important to the people of Wrexham.”
Celebrate who we are
Jonathon continues: “Wouldn’t it be great to celebrate more of the workers past and present, in sculptures around the town. For today, I would pick a hairdresser, a tattooist and a call centre advisor at Moneypenny.”
If you are interested in learning more about the local history, head over to the museum where there is a display in the main gallery focused on Brymbo. Also, in the hippodrome, visitors can watch a new film about Wrexham’s coal mining heritage.
So hopefully now you understand a little bit more about The Arc and if your children ask you about “men on the bendy pole”, you will have a much better answer for them.
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June 12, 2018
How are our veterans faring?
It’s been 5 years since we and other groups and organisations signed the Armed Forces Covenant to ensure that those veterans in our communities are not disadvantaged in any way by their service to their country.
We thought we’d catch up with our Armed Forces Champion, Cllr David Griffiths, to see what has happened since then and how local veterans are being helped by the Covenant.
Achievements to be proud of
Cllr David Griffiths, Armed Forces Champion began by telling us how very proud he was of the achievements that have been made in Wrexham.
“I chair the Wrexham Armed Forces Community Covenant working group, and have done so since June 2013 and this partnership has worked hard to ensure veterans and their families in Wrexham are able to access the support they need. I am very proud of this and know that it will continue into the future.”
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What has been done?
There are a number of examples of the excellent work that has taken place in the local area and Cllr Griffiths has chosen to focus on a few of them.
Firstly he told us about Tŷ Dewr: “In partnership with First Choice Housing Association we secured funding of £1.6 million for two homes for veterans in Wrexham.
Tŷ Dewr
“The first is Tŷ Dewr meaning ‘brave house’. This accommodation is for veterans who may struggle to make transition into civilian life, or who suffer from PTSD, addictions or other mental health issues.
“Recent referrals to Tŷ Dewr include veterans who have been in the Wrexham night shelter Ty Nos.”
Tŷ Ryan
Tŷ Ryan is unique in that the veterans helped to build the apartment complex, gaining them valuable skills along the way.
It is our second offer to support homes for veterans and is a self-build project that has created 16 apartments for veterans and their families, including facilities for disabled veterans. This is the first of its kind in Wales and the council gifted land to this project to ensure it came into fruition.
This project was a partnership between First Choice Housing Association, The Community Self Build Agency, Wrexham County Borough Council, the MOD and Williams Homes Ltd.

In what ways have they been helped?
Cllr Griffiths told us “the project offered work experience, training and qualifications to veterans in a range of trades. At the end of the project many veterans who had worked on Ty Ryan had also taken up tenancies.
“Tenants have secured paid employment, have started college and degree courses, are back in touch with estranged family members and well-being is much improved. One of the tenants described Ty Ryan as ‘life changing’ for him.”
Background
On April 5, 2013 21 partners across Wrexham signed the Armed Forces Community Covenant for Wrexham which recognises and remembers the sacrifices members of the community, including service men and bereaved families.
This led to the Community Covenant Grant Scheme being established, which funds local projects and brings together the civilian and armed forces communities.
£30 million was allocated to the scheme with £5 million handed out to projects in the first 6 rounds of bids.
A legacy of support
The lasting legacy of Armed Forces Covenant will be in recognising the past suffering and giving back to the veterans and their families as much as possible.
Cllr Griffiths finished by saying “for me as armed Forces Champion, I am really proud to have been a part of supporting our veterans and their families in order to recognise the sacrifices they have made for all of us.”
And I think we can all agree with that sentiment.
For more information, please email AFCC@wrexham.gov.uk.
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June 12, 2018
Give your ears a treat at this free concert…
Here’s your chance to hear some fabulous music played by wonderful musicians in a beautiful, family friendly setting – all for free!
This Thursday lunchtime, we’ll be joined at Tŷ Pawb by two very gifted pianists, Jeremy and Brian Heald. They’ll be performing duets of a range of classic material on our beautiful baby grand piano.
The concert will feature works by Rachmaninov, JS Bach, Schubert, Gershwin, Tchaikovsky and Grieg.
Our food court and markets will be open as usual so why not treat yourself to some lunch and a browse around while your here?
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The perfect space to enjoy a concert
Lead Member for People – Communities, Partnerships Public Protection and Community Safety, Cllr Hugh Jones, said: “This is the latest in a series of free lunchtime concerts held at Tŷ Pawb and I’m delighted to see that their popularity has grown each time, with over 40 people attending the last event – including plenty of families and children.
“Gallery 2 is the perfect space for this, with it’s high ceiling, great acoustics and natural lighting. We want to make these concerts as accessible as possible. Everyone is welcome to pop in on the day and enjoy the performance.”
- - The concert will take place at Gallery 2, Tŷ Pawb from 1pm-2pm on Thursday 14 June.
  - It’s a free concert so just turn up and take a seat!
  - Donations are welcome.
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Visit the Tŷ Pawb website here.
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June 11, 2018
Stress of care getting to you? Let us know…
We all know about the hard work carers do – both voluntary and professional.
To recognise their efforts, and to raise awareness of the support out there for carers, Carers Week takes place from Monday, June 11 to Friday, June 15 – and we’re taking part.
One thing we really want to do this Carers Week is to get in touch with those people who might provide a huge amount of care, but not think of themselves as carers – and who might find the pressure of their caring role getting to them.
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Sometimes, carers find themselves facing a lot of stress, and given the amount of focus and hard work they put into someone else’s wellbeing, sometimes they forget to take care of themselves.
And that can lead to a point which helps neither them nor the person in their care.
If you care for someone, and if you feel things are getting difficult, we want to be able to help you.
Let us help you
We always want to help people as early as possible, and help them remain independent for as long as possible.
And part of that is helping the helpers.
We want to be able to provide them with the support they need, so rather than them coming under lots of pressure, our Adult Social Care department can step in and help out.
And in the long run, that can help someone stay in their home and retain their independence, rather than having to go into more formal care arrangements.
Carers’ needs assessment
With that in mind, we’re asking carers who might feel under pressure – or think they could do so soon -to get in touch with us for a carers’ needs assessment.
These give us a chance to take a look the level of care such people provide, and whether or not there’s any support we can give them.
If you think you provide the sort of care detailed above, why not consider getting in touch with us for a carers’ needs assessment?
After all, there’s no better time than Carers Week!
For more information on carers needs assessments, contact the Adult Social Care department on (01978) 318812.
“More than one in ten people are unpaid carers”
Cllr Joan Lowe, Lead Member for Health and Adult Social Care, said: “Carers do some amazing work, and sometimes they don’t even consider themselves carers.
“Going off the 2011 Census, more than 15,000 people – about 11 per cent of the total population of Wrexham – identify themselves as providing unpaid care. That’s about one in ten of all the people of Wrexham.
“And if they feel their wellbeing might be suffering as a result of them burning out due to caring, we want to be able to help them.
“If anyone feels they’re in that sort of position, I’d encourage them to get in touch with us for a carers’ needs assessment.
“Even if it’s just a few hours a week, that’s a crucial layer of support which will help keep someone independent, and we want to help keep that layer strong.”
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June 11, 2018
Could you run this cafe?
Commercial and social enterprises are asked to let us know if they would be interested in taking on the Cafe at Alyn Waters.
The cafe is owned by our Environment Department and Adult Social Care have, for a number of years, run it by providing work opportunities to their clients.
This service is currently being reviewed and consultation is ongoing with service users and their carers. If it is agreed that the service will not carry on then a new company or social enterprise will need to take on and run the cafe.
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The cafe is based on the Gwersyllt side of Alyn Waters Country park and is part of the Visitor Centre which attracted 109,381 visitors last year.
The visitor centre also has a large meeting room which hosts training courses and conference.
The cafe is open 7 days a week and provides snacks and lunches.
If you’re interested in this business then just let us have a short submission, tell us why you are interested and what value you would bring to Alyn Waters Cafe and Country Park.
To register your interest please visit the Sell2Wales website at here
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June 11, 2018
Could these work-based courses help you succeed?
Wrexham itec has introduced a wide range of courses to support and improve your skills in the workplace.
And get this. If you work a minimum of 16 hours per week, the courses are fully-funded.
So what are you waiting for?
Start now!
The courses include Business and Administration (levels 2 and 3), IT (levels 2 and 3 including ECDL), Customer Service (levels 2 and 3), Advice and Guidance (levels 3 and 4), Team Leading (level 2) and Management (levels 3 and 4).
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The Essential Skills qualifications are based around numeracy, communication and digital literacy, and cover most working professions and are available to start now with support from Wrexham itec.
If any of these sound perfect to you, please get in touch…
So whether you’re a PA, customer service advisor, web technician or support officer, there’s something for you.
For more info email Wrexham itec or call 01978 367100.
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June 7, 2018
A chance to have your say on the big issues in Wales
What’s needed to make Wales successful in the future?
The Welsh Government is working on a new 20-year land use plan – the National Development Framework.
The plan will look at the big issues such as energy, economy, transport and the environment.
Wrexham Library are hosting a drop-in session will be an opportunity for you to hear and have your say about the development of a new 20-year land-use plan for Wales.
The plan will look at the big issues, such as energy, the economy, transport and the environment.
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Come and find out more and share your thoughts and ideas on the future of Wales. It will take place in the foyer of Wrexham Library on Monday, June 11 from 1pm until 6pm. There is no need to book.
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June 6, 2018
Learner Drivers on Motorways? How does that work in Wrexham?
From Monday 4th June 2018 learner drivers will be able to take driving lessons on motorways in Wales, England and Scotland, although it will not be compulsory for everyone to do so. The aim is to help to make sure more drivers know how to use motorways safely.
Whilst this is excellent news for learner drivers it’s unclear how this will work in Wrexham – when the nearest motorway is at least 20 minutes away for a learner driver?
An existing scheme however, may be just as helpful. Since 2006, young drivers in Wales have been able to take part in Pass Plus Cymru, which is a course for any young person who has just passed their driving test.
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Ever since the scheme began, the Welsh Government has provided a road safety grant funding to local authorities to enable young drivers in Wales to contribute just £20 to the cost of attending Pass Plus Cymru.
It begins with an interactive workshop that is followed by a practical element. The course has traditionally involved driving in town, on rural roads and on dual carriageways; areas that many young drivers may have already covered in their driving lessons. Pass Plus Cymru builds on these skills and teaches drivers how to deal with a wide range of situations that they may not have encountered whilst learning to drive, including driving on motorways.
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “As in many parts of Wales we don’t have motorways nearby, a number of learner drivers may still be unable to take driving lessons on these roads. However, the practical element of Pass Plus Cymru allows time to enable young drivers to access sections of motorway during the course, therefore helping them gain experience ready for future trips for work or leisure.”
For more information on the availability of Pass Plus Cymru throughout Wales, or to book a local course, please go to DragonDriver.com or if you have any questions call 01978 729605.
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June 5, 2018
Learn from the masters at Tŷ Pawb…
Would you like to create your own original piece of artwork with expert guidance from the professionals?
Tŷ Pawb is offering a chance for you to do this at a couple of masterclass sessions being held this month.
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Lino print masterclass
In this masterclass, printmaker, Katie Hudson, will help you master the basics of a two colour lino printing process.
You’ll be able to design, carve and print your own original artwork which can be framed too!
It’s suitable for beginners and all materials will be provided.
- This session is being held on Saturday 9th June, 10.30am-4.30pm
- Very few spaces remain so make you book soon
- The cost is £60
- To book a place, contact us on 01978 292093 or email typawb@wrexham.gov.uk
Oil painting masterclass
At this masterclass, acclaimed painter, Wendy Connelly, will introduce you to classical techniques of making oil paints from raw pig- ments, chalks and poppy oil. You will then be working with the best quality paint that you can make to create your own painting in oils.
This tactile process will allow you to then test myriad tools and ideas in order to reach a desired effect. Bring your sketchbook, share your ideas & embrace the artistry of working with handmade oil paint.
The class is suitable for beginners and all materials will be provided.
- This session is being held on Saturday 23rd June, 10.30am-4.30pm
- The cost is £60
- To book a place, contact us on 01978 292093 or email typawb@wrexham.gov.uk
“One of Tŷ Pawb’s core aims is to present a contemporary programme of accessible classes and sessions that help teach skills and crafts. These masterclasses are a wonderful opportunity to get creative with the help of experienced professionals. It will be a chance to learn, to produce your own piece of artwork to take home.”
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Visit the Tŷ Pawb website here.
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June 5, 2018