Thanks to funding from the Woodland Trust Bellevue Park now has an interpretation panel which gives information on some of the park’s most significant trees.
This year the Woodland Trust are helping fund projects within the Council worth £20,000 and there will be a further £20,000 available next year.
The funding is part of the Street Trees Project which promotes and celebrates the benefits of urban trees.
Picture shows Clare Morgan of the Woodland Trust handing Cllr David A Bithell a cheque for £5,000 as part of this year’s funding.
At the handing over of the cheque the Friends of Bellevue planted a Freemans Maple, which produces a breathtaking display of red leaves each Autumn. It was planted in memory of Kay Lewis who recently passed away. Kay was a much loved and long standing member of the Friends group and will be sorely missed by all who knew her. the Friends of Bellevue are a group of local volunteers who help to organise and run events, raise money and generally look after the best interests of Bellevue Park.
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for the Environment, said:
“I would like to thank the Woodland Trust for their welcome funding for this interpretation board which will be very useful to visitors to the park who will be able to identify specific trees.”
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Did you know our Executive Board meets once a month and makes important decisions on behalf of the people of Wrexham? It usually meets on the second Tuesday of every month, and the agenda is made public a few days before that.
You can attend the public section of the meetings which begin at 10am at the Guildhall or you can view it live as every Executive Board meeting is webcast. If you can’t make the meeting you can also view a recording of the meeting online later.
The next meeting is on 12 December and the agenda has just been made available online here.
It’s a pretty routine meeting with a number of items up for decision or discussion which includes the management arrangements for the new arts and markets facility Tŷ Pawb and the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme.
You can ask a question at Executive Board if you give the necessary notice and if you want to keep up to date with what’s likely to be discussed at future meetings you can check out the Forward Work programme that’s available here.
In addition to Executive Board meetings we also have full Council which usually meets 5 times a year where items that can only be decided by full Council, such as the level of Council Tax, are debated.
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The tour is part of Wrexham Museum’s Buried in the Borderlands project and is funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund’s Saving Treasures: Telling Stories project, in collaboration with the National Museum of Wales.
The coins date back to the 15th century, and were discovered buried in the Whitewell area by metal detectorists, along with a gold and sapphire ring.
The coins date from the reign of Edward I right up to Edward IV. The hoard was deliberately buried in about 1465 – although it is not known who buried them, or why.
The visit by Wrexham Museum to the school follows months of works by pupils at Bronington VAP, who carried out a school project on the coins earlier in the academic year, and also wrote a poem based on the find.
“Very grateful to Wrexham Museum”
Angela Birkinshaw, Headteacher at Bronington Voluntary Aided Primary School, said: “I was incredibly pleased that we were able to get the coins to the school, and I’m very grateful to Wrexham Museum and everyone else involved for ensuring the children had the chance to see the coins close-up.
“Given the fact that the school isn’t far from where the coins were discovered, it was so important to us that the pupils had the chance to be made aware of the history of their immediate area, and in their own school.
Mrs Birkinshaw added: “I’m also glad that representatives from Wrexham Museum were on hand to give the children an idea of just how significant the hoard is.
“I should add that the children hugely enjoyed the day and the chance to see the coins close up – it’s not every day that they get to see such important historical artefacts.”
Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said: “It’s good to see that the children at Bronington Voluntary Aided Primary School had the chance to see such important historical finds up close, and I’m glad to see that the children welcomed the exhibition enthusiastically.”
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This article is written as part of a series of posts about the #DrinkLessEnjoyMore campaign
Hopefully you’ll never have to use it, but if your night out goes a bit pear-shaped, there’s a place you can go for help.
Hafan y Dref is Wrexham’s welfare centre and is staffed by British Red Cross volunteers. It offers a safe place for people feeling vulnerable or unwell on a night out in the town.
Lost your friends? No battery on your phone to call them? Too drunk to get home?
The centre is there to help.
Where is it?
Hafan y Dref is in part of the toilet block at the bottom of Town Hill – opposite the nightclub called South. So it’s easy to find.
Sometimes people come into the centre themselves. Others are helped there by police officers, street pastors and so on.
Door staff and CCTV operators can also radio for assistance at the scene of an incident.
The centre offers a triage-service and immediate first aid if you’re injured or suffering from too much to drink.
The volunteers also offer emotional and practical support if you’re feeling vulnerable.
What’s more, they don’t pass judgement. If you need help, they just help you.
Hafan y Dref opened in December 2015, and helped over 300 people last Saturday night alone.
Michelle McBurnie, of the British Red Cross, says: “I regularly work in Hafan y Dref.
“I remember one night the team was contacted by door staff to attend a male who was unconscious on the pavement opposite their premises.
“On arrival, his partner was on the phone to ambulance control requesting assistance.
“It was clear he wasn’t ill, just extremely intoxicated. Volunteers cancelled the ambulance and he was brought back to the welfare centre where his mother was called to come and collect him.
“Thinking about and limiting how much you’re drinking during your night out, could stop you from getting into some dangerous situations later on.”
Often, people visit the centre for some ‘time out.’ They have a coffee or a lie down, or recover from over-indulging maybe.
Most cases are alcohol-related. Although staff have given support and advice to people with mental health issues too.
The focus is on providing a ‘social return’, with people able to get support when they need it, and public health messages being passed on.
A safe and enjoyable night out
The volunteers at the centre work with lots of different organisations – including Wrexham Council, Wrexham street pastors, local businesses, the police and health services.
They help ensure people experiencing the nightlife in Wrexham have a safe and enjoyable night out.
Wrexham Council and its partners recently launched the #DrinkLessEnjoyMore campaign, encouraging young people to look after themselves by cutting back on how much they drink before they go out…as well as how much they drink once they get to the bars, pubs and clubs in Wrexham.
It’s true that by drinking less – and knowing your limits – you can have a much better night out.
The Hafan y Dref centre opens 10.30pm-4.30am on Saturdays, and extra shifts are laid on at Christmas and Easter.
The centre is funded by Wrexham County Borough Council, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Welsh Ambulance Service.
For more information about the #DrinkLessEnjoyMore campaign click here
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Fed up of dragging toddlers along when you’re Christmas Shopping and fancy a break. Why not head down to Cafe in the Corner in the South Arcade of the former People’s Market for a welcome tea or coffee.
Your little ones can also post their very own letter to Santa as owners Kev and Sue Dipple have put together a festive post box complete with Santa and every child that posts a letter gets a lollipop!
Sue and Kev have been at the South Arcade since last September, having moved from the former People’s Market main hall before the works to create the £4.5 million arts and markets facility Tŷ Pawb started at the beginning of this year.
Heroes from across the universe descended on Glyndwr University campus over the weekend for Wales Comic Con.
Thousands from across the UK and even overseas came to see and meet their favourite heroes. Clearly the Wrexham event is very popular with Comic Con goers who view the Wales event as one of the best in the UK.
There was a lively and colourful feel to the event with many visitors dressing for the occasion and looking cool as their favourite hero.
Many celebrities also took their place to have their photos taken and sign autographs with actors from Pirates of the Caribbean, Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings, Torchwood and stars from the world of Wrestling including favourite Sting.
Our favourite was Flash Gordon, alias Sam J Jones, who took up the whole corner and loved talking to fans old and young. We give him special mention as he did “save everyone of us”
Visitors could also take advantage of the free gaming rooms which were very popular with the younger generation. Food and drink was in plentiful supply and the Q and A sessions were packed out with keen fans wanting to ask questions of their favourite characters.
“Huge economic benefits”
The event is not only enjoyable for everyone but it also brings with it huge economic benefits to Wrexham with people travelling from places such as France, Belgium, Northern Ireland, South Wales, London, Telford, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Bangor, St Helen’s, Manchester, Derby, Leamington Spa and Shropshire.
It is estimated that the event brings in £1 million to the Wrexham economy as people travel into the area, use eateries and accommodation during their visit.
Events like these put Wrexham on the map and the experience they had means they will be back as the Wales Comic Con in Wrexham now holds two events a year in response to public demand.
We thank Comic Con organisers for letting us loose on the site over the weekend and for the superb organisation that meant we knew what what was going on, where and when.
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If so, then this is your chance to have a say on how your Housing Service is run.
We’re carrying out a survey so you can tell us what you think about all aspects of your Housing Service, what issues matter most to you and how you’d like us to develop the service for the future.
The results of the survey will help us develop our new Tenant and Leaseholder Participation Strategy. This a key document for helping to shape the future of Housing in Wrexham.
Your input will help us to define how you want your homes and local environments to be managed, what services and improvements are needed, what our priorities should be and how we work together to achieve these.
Lead Member for Housing, Cllr David Griffiths, said: “We are one of the largest social landlords in Wales and it is vital that we give opportunities for tenants to engage with us and have their say on their service so that we can get a better understanding of what issues are important to them. This particular survey is hugely important as we will be using the results to help inform and develop our New Tenant Participation Strategy.
“I would urge all tenants to take a few moments to complete the survey and ensure their views are expressed.”
Paper copies were made available in the recent Housing Hotline tenants newsletter. It will also be included in the upcoming Christmas edition of the newsletter.
All completed surveys will be entered into a £25 prize draw.
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The Consultation identified that there was a funding shortfall of £13 million for 2018/20. This is in addition to the £18 million already saved over the last three years. Overall, we have had to make savings of £52 million since 2008.
Councillors will be shown the results in workshops over the coming weeks before finalising the budget details and setting the council tax in February.
Cllr Mark Pritchard, Leader of the Council, said: “A big thank you to everyone who gave us their feedback via the consultation. We now have some very difficult decisions to make in order to set a balanced budget and set the Council tax for 2018/19. Since 2008 we have already found £52 million and we now need to make £13 million of cuts for 2018/19.”
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This article is written as part of a series of posts about the #DrinkLessEnjoyMore campaign
If you are venturing out in Wrexham over the festive season we want to make sure you have a memorable night – for the right reasons. Take a look at our top tips to help make sure your night out is a safe and enjoyable one.
Tip 1: Don’t load up on drinks at home
It may seem like a great idea to have a few drinks at home before your night out. You may think that it could save you money and make you more relaxed , but drinking too much at home before a night out can ultimately cut your night short. People who drink at home before going out tend to lose track of how much they have had to drink and end up getting more drunk than they had planned. This can often make you more likely to:
Suffer illness due to excessive alcohol intake, including vomiting, which can bring your night to an unpleasant end
Be involved in a fight
Be injured from falling
Become more vulnerable
Tip 2: Look out for the Best Bar None signs
When you walk into a licenced premises and see this sign it means you , you have just stepped inside a Best Bar None (BBN) Wrexham accredited venue. Every BBN venue has put their premises to the test to prove just how committed they are to keeping you safer on your night out.
Tip 3: Eat before drinking
Make sure you eat before you go out. Food soaks up alcohol, slowing it down before it enters the bloodstream. It will provide more energy and lessen the effects the next day. Try spacing out your drinking and drink soft drinks or water between alcoholic drinks. This can slow the rate of your drinking.
Most people are not aware that alcohol is a poison and drinking too much can have immediate serious implications for your health.
Tip 5: Stay with your friends
Friends look after each other. Make sure you don’t get separated. If you are socializing with a group of people, then watch out for each other and make sure everyone stays safe.
Tip 6: Don’t leave your drinks unattended
Don’t leave any drinks unattended as this may increase the possibility of your drink being spiked. Spiking can happen to both men and women. Criminals do this in order to commit a crime against you such as theft, robbery or sexual assault. For these reasons also avoid accepting drinks from strangers. If you need to leave your drink for whatever reason, ask your friends to watch it.
Tip 7: There is help at hand if you need it
If you are feeling a little too drunk, look out for street pastors who provide compassionate support in the town centre and can help you. They work in partnership with police and can provide you with water and practical help if you need it.
You can also visit the Welfare Centre at Hafod y Wern, the centre is funded by Wrexham County Borough Council, the Welsh Air Ambulance Service and the Health Board. It is staffed by British Red Cross Personnel and offers medical assistance, a place to recover and pastoral care if you have a had too much to drink, have taken illegal drugs, or are feeling vulnerable.
Tip 8: Plan your journey home
Make sure that you check any taxi you get into is properly licenced. All private hire or hackney cab vehicles should be displaying white and purple coloured licence plates which should be on the outside of all vehicles.
Private hire vehicles will also have yellow adhesive signs in the rear windows.
All drivers should have an ID badge with their name, photograph, licence number and expiry date. If you can’t see it please ask to see it before you set off.
Tip 9: After your night out…
Drink a pint of water before going to bed to stop your body/skin dehydrating and give your body a few drink-free days to recover after a heavy drinking session.
More Information
Anyone who wants more information about the possible harms of drinking can visit these websites:
As Christmas approaches and we’re all gearing up for Christmas parties we are reminding everyone of the need to check that any taxi you get into is properly licensed.
All private hire or hackney cab vehicles should be displaying white and purple coloured licence plates which should be on the outside of all vehicles.
Private hire vehicles will also have yellow adhesive signs in the rear windows.
All drivers should have an ID badge with their name, photograph, licence number and expiry date. If you can’t see it please ask to see it before you set off.
Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said:
“It’s so easy to jump into a waiting taxi when you leave a night club or similar venue and expect to get home safely. Christmas is a time when some unscrupulous people see a chance to make a few pounds by posing as a legitimate taxi driver. On these occasions the vehicles will be unlicensed and will not have gone through the necessary tests for transporting the public and will not have adequate insurance so it’s worth a quick check before you get in and if you can’t see the driver’s ID badge, please ask to see it.”
During December Licensing Officers will be working with Wrexham Police to spot check taxis to ensure they are all legal and fit for purpose.
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