Category: Featured

Featured posts

  • Mayor bids “guten Tag” to young visitors from Wrexham’s twin

    Mayor bids “guten Tag” to young visitors from Wrexham’s twin

    A group of international visitors were shown around Wrexham Council headquarters as part of a cultural exchange visit.

    A group of 15 young people from Markischer Kreis – Wrexham’s longstanding cultural twin town – visited Wrexham last week.

    The visit was part of a long-running tradition between TuS Plettenberg and Borras Park Albion Football Club, which has been going for nearly 40 years.

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    The two clubs have strong links with one another – Borras Park chairman Ivan Povey was one of the first young people to take part in the exchange trip over to Germany back in 1980.

    As part of the week-long trip, youngsters from Markischer Kreis also toured Anfield Stadium and visited Alton Towers them park.

    “Very important we keep up cultural links”

    Cllr John Pritchard, the Mayor of Wrexham, said: “While twinning work with friends in Germany has lessened as budgets have tightened, it’s very important that we in Wrexham keep up our cultural links with Germany, and visits such as these do a lot towards keeping that international friendship going.

    “As such, I’m incredibly grateful to Borras Park Albion and TuS Plettenberg for their hard work in organising this visit, and was very pleased to be able to welcome young people from Markischer Kreis to the parlour and the Council Chamber during their visit.”

    Mark Griffiths, German exchange organiser at Borras Park Albion, said: “The visits take place every year, with the visits switching every other year – our young people will go over to visit Plettenberg next year.

    “I think it’s very important that young people from either side get to visit different parts of the world and see different cultures.

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  • Ty Pawb is open!

    Ty Pawb is open!

    Food stalls, market stalls, a brand new exhibition. And this is just for starters.

    Ty Pawb officially opened over the weekend, with a huge event on Easter Monday.

    Wrexham’s new markets, communities and arts development was the focus of the huge celebration, Dydd Llun Pawb, and people arrived in their thousands to take a look at what it was all about.

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    Now it has opened its doors, you can all in for your morning coffee at BL_NK C_NV_S, some Welsh tapas for lunch and a sweet treat from Just Desserts.

    The market stalls are now open offering anything from handbags to pick ‘n’ mix, retro clothes and vinyl to wool.

    There are also two galleries, one that meets national standards for the display of exhibitions, a number of performance spaces and a learning and development space.

    The old market hall has been transformed and is bright and airy with a modern feel.

    Take a look at this video of the opening at Dydd Llun Pawb:

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  • New ZipWire Leisure Park proposed for former colliery site in Gresford

    New ZipWire Leisure Park proposed for former colliery site in Gresford

    An idea for a new multi-use adventure park attraction is being considered for the former Wilderness tip site in Gresford, Wrexham.

    Go Below, an existing company based in Betws Y Coed, are working up plans to develop the site into a destination attraction featuring one of the fastest zipwires in the UK, freefall tower, adventure swing and a number of other outdoor pursuits.

    Previously the site, in Local Authority ownership, had planning permission for a ski slope, but with plans for the slope having fallen through, Go Below – a leading adventure company in North Wales – is looking into the concept to develop the land as an adventure park.

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    The proposal is still subject to agreeing terms for a potential lease and getting planning permission.

    Speaking about the development, Managing Director of Go Below, Miles Moulding said: “We’re really excited about the prospect of developing the adventure park at this site and with the easy accessibility to the site from North & Mid Wales and the North West of England, we’d see this as really enhancing the tourism destination offer here in Wrexham.

    “We envision there would be an artificial coal mine for people to explore, a climbing-tower, a big swing, some impressive ziplines and tracks for youngsters to ride around on in small electric vehicles. These activities would be supported by a small car park, reception building, kit-room etc.”

    Cllr Terry Evans, Lead Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, added:  “This project has the potential to support the rapid growth of Wrexham County Borough’s tourism economy, through both job creation and visitor spend. North Wales as a whole has developed a superb reputation as the adventure capital of the UK and here in Wrexham, we’re always looking to support inward investment that has the potential to further develop our local economy and tourism offer.

    “We’re looking forward to receiving the full planning application, should the project progress, later this year and the opportunity to work with Miles and the team at Go Below to support them as much as possible.”

    The next stage is to go through a period of time for public consultation and incorporate feedback into the proposal as far as practical.

    A drop-in event has been arranged for anybody who is interested to find out more about the event next Friday, April 13 between 6.30pm – 9pm at the Colliery Club in Gresford.

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  • Don’t think libraries are for you? Chirk Library want to prove you wrong!

    Don’t think libraries are for you? Chirk Library want to prove you wrong!

    Chirk library is getting ready for its open day which will take place this Saturday April 7th from 10am – 2pm.

    Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said: “This is a fantastic opportunity to find out what services your local library has to offer. Chirk library has an array of resources for all of the family to enjoy and this event will showcase it all. I would like to encourage everyone to discover what their local library has to offer”

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    The event will include fun for all ages including face painting, a treasure hunt, make and take children’s craft, story and rhyme time, a raffle and much more.

    You can even meet Chirk Library’s very own celebrity…Russ Bear!

    If you want more information, please contact Chirk Library: chirk.library@wrexham.gov.uk / 01691772344

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  • Wrexham’s Hockey Aces Aiming for Commonwealth Success

    Wrexham’s Hockey Aces Aiming for Commonwealth Success

    Over the years Wrexham has been responsible for producing some of the best Welsh talent ever seen in sport, and in 2018 it’s been no different.

    This week sees the beginning of the 21st annual Commonwealth Games get underway on the beautiful Gold Coast of Australia, where two competitors from Wrexham will be representing Wales on the world stage.

    The seasoned Xenna Hughes and newcomer Izzie Howell have already made an impact against India in the opening match with a shock 3-2 victory.

    “It feels pretty special and I’m really proud to represent Wrexham”

    Young Izzie Howell is just 18-years old and has made her Welsh debut at the games this week. Wrexham born and bred, Howell could have a big future in hockey having spent the last three years in Neston.

    “From about 12 years old I was part of Wrexham hockey club who supported me all through my junior training and into Ladies training and playing” said Howell.

    “As a junior I remember going to loads of mini tournaments and competitions and such competitive opportunities were also offered by the North Wales Team which I was a part of for a number of years.

    “Playing for various age groups and regional teams kept me really busy but gave me the experience I needed to progress and I’m grateful for all that was offered to me”.

    The life of a sporting star can be on the face of it quite glamorous but these Hockey stars know that they’ve had to work hard, putting the game first and sacrifice so much in order to reach the Gold Coast.

    With training in South Wales and long journey’s faced each week just to get out on the pitch, these woman are some of the most dedicated athletes in the country.

    “I’m really proud to represent Wrexham as there are a lot of people around there who supported me and continue to support me, so I’d really like to do them proud and show that whilst travelling to Cardiff to train can be tough, it is extremely rewarding when that commitment and hard work pays off.

    “My aspirations for this games I feel are quite realistic in that I just want to play good hockey and learn as much as I can tactically and gain as much international experience as possible.

    “My focus is to not get overwhelmed and just play the hockey I know I can play, contributing to the team in a positive way”.

    Howell’s debut came against India and she could go on to face Malaysia, South Africa or border rivals England in the preliminary stage, but no matter the result, it will be a fantastic achievement for a young woman from Wrexham.

    “I have to remind myself to take in and enjoy every moment”.

    25-year old Xenna made her debut seven years ago for her country and will be competing at her second games, but insists that this is the highlight.

    “The Gold Coast commonwealth Games is possibly ranked as the top of my career, even though it is my second games I remember hearing at Glasgow 2014 that the next games was in Australia and set a goal that I would be there with the Welsh team” said Hughes.

    “Knowing that I have had a goal that I have been working towards for four years makes all the hard work and hours of training even more worth it”.

    Having competed in Glasgow where Wales finished 9th with a win over Trinidad & Tobago, Hughes will be looking to better that but remain focused on the task at hand.

    “My aspirations for this games is to focus on the here and now by ensuring I perform to the best of my ability and stick to the game plan.

    “Within the whole experience I have to remind myself to take in and enjoy every moment of being here as it’s an incredible opportunity for us to show other countries what we can do, and understand how far we have come as a team.

    Wales as mentioned have come a long way but so has Xenna herself. Coming from a sporting background she’s the daughter of Wrexham-born footballing legend Mark Hughes, but she’s shaken that tag and proved to be a hockey heavyweight and inspiration to young woman in Wrexham.

    “In the early years of my hockey career I was invited to train once a week at Wrexham with others, both boys and girls – [they were] international players and [I] was amazed by the Wrexham pitch, as I was so use to sand based pitches – I used to love training as it meant I could then stay over at my grandparents house which was just a short drive away”.

    “I’m ecstatic to be able to represent my country as a player from North Wales as there are few of us, I am proud to be able to represent those from my birthplace as well as my country”.

    Everyone at Wrexham County Borough Council wishes Izzie and Xenna all the best of luck at this years games.

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  • Concerned about Alabama Rot?

    Concerned about Alabama Rot?

    If you’re a dog owner, make sure you read this.

    We’ve had a couple of queries over the last week where concerned dog owners have asked us about Alabama Rot.

    Please be assured that there are currently no known cases of Alabama Rot in Wrexham’s country parks.

    If you are concerned, the advice is to clean your dog’s feet with water – please do this when you get home to avoid infecting areas of the park – making sure you remove all woodland dirt and mud.

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    This will also give you the chance to have a good look at you dog for any early signs of the disease.

    What are the signs?

    1. Firstly, look for skin lesions, appearing as swelling, red skin or open, ulcer-like wounds
    2. Your dog may also have sore skin that hasn’t been caused by an injury (usually below the knee)
    3. Finally, after 2-7 days, your dog will show signs of kidney failure – vomiting, reduced hunger and unusual tiredness.

    If you spot any of these symptoms, make sure you contact your vet as soon as possible.

    Again, please be assured that no cases of the disease have been reported in the Wrexham area since 2016, but if the situation changes we will make people aware.

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  • Tŷ Pawb has its official opening

    Tŷ Pawb has its official opening

    Tŷ Pawb, Wrexham’s new £4.5 million Markets, Communities and Arts development, has been officially opened prior to the public celebration of Dydd Llun Pawb on Monday.

    The event also signalled the opening of “Is This Planet Earth” exhibition curated by Angela Kingston who was on hand to speak about the works on display. The exhibition is made up of the work of ten different artists and will explore what the earth might look like in the future, with a strong focus on environmental and ecological changes. The exhibition will feature Wrexham-specific artwork, along with some pieces looking at global themes.

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    Work on the new facility began in January 2017 with Wynne Construction taking on the challenge of transforming the former market hall into today’s bright, airy new facility that will add to Wrexham’s thriving arts scene with the addition of a food hall and market stalls.

    Members of the community have been involved throughout works with projects and workshops and even the new name for the facility “Tŷ Pawb” came as a result of a stakeholder workshop, which included representatives from the arts and market traders in Wrexham, followed by a public vote.

    “Innovative and exciting”

    Cllr Hugh Jones, who unveiled the official plaque said of the opening: “I am very pleased and proud to be here along with representatives from the Arts Council Wales, and members of the arts and markets community in Wrexham. Tŷ Pawb is something we have all worked hard to deliver for the people of Wrexham and the wider areas. It’s innovative and exciting and shows both our commitment to our markets and to the thriving arts scene in Wrexham. I would like to thank everyone involved in this project and wish them a successful future. Particular thanks should go to the Arts Council Wales. Without their generous financial support none of this would have happened and I am very happy that their Chair, Phil George is with us today to mark this occasion.”

    “Strong Partnership”

    Phil George, Chair of Arts Council Wales was also on hand for the opening, he said: “In these challenging times for public funding, it is thrilling to welcome the opening of the innovative Tŷ Pawb which has been made possible by a strong partnership between the Arts Council of Wales, Wrexham Council and the Welsh Government. I’m convinced that this exciting fusion of arts spaces with market stalls will be really attractive and effective. It will both meet local needs and help to build Wrexham as a destination for visitors. Regeneration and artistic imagination will go hand in hand, as they so often do”.

    Tŷ Pawb now provides two galleries, one to national standards for the display of exhibitions, a number of performance spaces that will be flexible in use, market stalls, a learning and education space and a food court. Other features include a Shepherd’s Hut workshop, new furniture and seating.

    “Focal point for visitors”

    Wal Pawb, a a huge public artwork was created by artist Katie Cuddon. It’s bright, bold and playful and will create a focal point for visitors to the new centre. Furniture was commissioned by Tim Denton who worked with the community to make 90% of the furniture to be used in the new facility. Read more about this here

    Following the official opening attention now turns to the huge celebratory event planned for Monday, April 2, which begins at 12.30 with a parade from Hope Street led by which will be led by North Wales’ self-proclaimed “brass band with attitude” Band Pres Llareggub Bras Band. Part of the parade will also feature six giant sculptures representing six different aspects of Wrexham’s history and community. Many of the town’s charities, youth and communitiy organisations will make up the parade which make its way through the town centre to the main entrance of Tŷ Pawb on Market Street.

    “Grand firework finale”

    There will be a ribbon cutting when the parade arrives at Tŷ Pawb and then the activities will continue until 9pm with a grand firework finale. In between there will be activities for children organised by our Play Team and along Chester Street there will be a fairground stall with a Victorian twist, a host of arts, craft, food and drink stall, Techniquest Glyndwr’s StarDome Planetarium and live music from artists including The Big Beat, Wrexham Community Choir, Baby brave and the Black Park Accordion Club.

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  • Get pushy about our news :)

    Get pushy about our news 🙂

    Push-notifications are like elasticated jogging bottoms. Sometimes they’re useful. Sometimes they’re annoying.

    But if you like to stay up-to-speed with our stories, we have some good news…

    You can now get push notifications from this blog if you’re using Chrome, Safari or Android.


    Testing it out

    If you sign up, you’ll get a little message to your phone or browser every time we post a new article – with a link back to the story.

    You’ll receive notifications in both Welsh and English, and – if you get fed-up – you can unsubscribe any time via the settings on your browser.

    We’re just testing it out, but if you don’t want to miss any stories, give it a try.

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  • A fond farewell to Trevor

    A fond farewell to Trevor

    We’re saying goodbye to one of our long serving senior members of staff .

    Head of Corporate and Customer Services and Council Monitoring Officer, Trevor Coxon, will  retire at the end of March this year. Trevor, a qualified solicitor, began his career in 1979 with Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council in Staffordshire where he served his articles qualifying as a solicitor in 1981.

    He joined Staffordshire Moorlands District Council in 1986 rising to the role of Assistant Chief Executive and Monitoring Officer before moving to his current Welsh Unitary Authority in July 2003 as Chief Legal and Administration Officer. He has held his current position of Head of Corporate and Customer Services and Monitoring Officer since April 2011.

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    “I have thoroughly enjoyed my career particularly these last 15 years in Wrexham, which is now my home. I am looking forward to spending time with my wife and family and indulging my passion for cycling which I have taken up since moving to North Wales,” said Trevor.

    He is succeeded in the post of Head of Corporate and Customer Services by his current Deputy Monitoring Officer, Sioned Wyn Davies.

    Leader of the Council, Cllr Mark Pritchard, paid tribute to Trevor:

    “valuable member of staff”

    “I believe I speak on behalf of all councillors when I say what a genuinely nice person Trevor is. He is a valuable a member of staff and has, on many occasions, given us all a wealth of valuable and excellent advice. He is a man of principle and intengrity and has always acted with dedication and professionalism and kept us safe.. His sense of humour is second to none, as is his commitment to Wrexham Council. Both his wisdom and his wit will be missed. I would like to thank him for all his service with us and wish him a long and happy retirement.

    At his final council meeting members from all political persuasions paid further tribute to Trevor and wished him well for his retirement.

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  • Calling all 11-25 year olds – we need you!

    Calling all 11-25 year olds – we need you!

    Second voice advocacy service is looking for young people to join their advisory group.
    Second voice helps young people get their voices heard. So, it makes sense that the advisory group for the service is made up of young people.

    The group meets monthly at the INFO shop on Lambpit Street and they would love to see some new faces joining their team.

    Not only could you meet new people and make friends but you could also learn new skills, which would look great on your CV!

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    Some of the things that the group has been involved in so far include:
    – Interviewing all new advocates before they start the training
    – Consulting on new policies and guidance that is aimed at young people
    – Helping to promote the service, including making promotional videos
    – Designing any publicity for Second Voice

    If you join the advisory group, all of the hours will be logged with Millennium Volunteering and Stars Award at AVOW.

    Cllr Andrew Atkinson, Lead Member said, “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people to have their voices heard. Being part of the advisory group for Second Voice would mean you would gain new skills and experience as well as being able to consult on policies and guidelines that directly affect young people. I would like to encourage anyone aged 11-25 to consider joining the group”

    What is advocacy?

    Advocacy is when someone else helps you to have your say, helping put right something that is wrong, like making a complaint or putting your side of the story across in situations where you feel you are unable.
    Second voice is an advocacy project that has been set up to help make sure that when you need some help to explain or complain about things that are important to you, there is a trained advocate available to support.

    To express your interest in joining the advisory group please contact: 01978 295600

    For more information about the Second Voice advocacy service, please contact: secondvoice@wrexham.co.uk
    0800 0322630

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