As part of Food Waste Action Week we’re raising awareness of how food waste can contribute to climate change as well as how reducing food waste can save you money in your weekly food shop.
In the UK we throw away a massive 6.6 million tonnes of household food waste a year. This waste is responsible for nearly 25 million tonnes of CO2 emissions, equivalent to 5.4% of the UK’s emissions.
When food is wasted, all the energy and water it took to grow, harvest, transport, and package it is wasted.
The majority of that waste, about 4.5 million tonnes, is food that could have been eaten and is worth around £14 billion – that’s £60 a month on average for a family with two children! It also requires an area almost the size of Wales to produce all the food and drink currently wasted in the UK.
In a recent survey by Love Food Hate Waste it was found that 81% of people are concerned about climate change but only 32% of those saw a clear link with food waste.
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said, “Every household will inevitably have some waste – through things like peelings and food bones, and we need to make sure that these get recycled.
“Here in Wrexham we are all able to recycle our food waste and we’ve provide food caddies and liners to make it easy to do. Many households take advantage of this service and are recycling but there’s always room for improvement.
“Please, if you’re not already recycling your food consider starting it this week. It will help us all to get carbon neutral by 2030.”
We’ll be providing more information about how you can reduce your food waste throughout this week so keep an eye out for it, it could save you and your family money as well as being environmentally friendly.”
One of the leading literary festivals in Wales will be held again in Wrexham during 2022. The Wrexham Carnival of Words is in its eighth year and will be held at libraries and venues across the county from 23rd – 30th April.
Leading authors attending this year’s full and busy week include Mark Billingham (The Rabbit Hole), Barbara Erskine (The Dream Weavers)) Millie Johnson (The Woman in the Middle), Matthew Hall (creator of Keeping Faith – BBC TV series), Sarah Hilary (Fragile) and popular retired school inspector Gervase Phinn. Former Government Minister Alan Johnson will also be discussing his first fictional novel (The late Train to Gypsy Hill).
There is something for everyone – from the latest crime thrillers to children’s story times plus a fascinating tale about investigating paranormal phenomena by the first Anglican deliverance minister to write about his experiences.
Fans of crime fiction won’t want to miss the ever-popular Murder Mystery at Wrexham Library when participants will test their sleuthing skills by playing detective for the evening to figure out “whodunnit?”; which will include a guest appearance by bestselling crime writer Kate Ellis.
There will be an open mic Poetry Night with Viva Voce; Welsh language events with Bethan Gwanas, Iestyn Tyne and Elan Grug Muse. Local authors will also feature, include bestselling crime writer Simon McCleave talking about his series The Snowdonia Killings; and a fascinating event with Chris Clode (Slate Quarries of North Wales).
Welcome to Your Vote Day is March 10 and the Electoral Commission is asking charities and public sector organisations to help them raise awareness.
The Electoral Commission is running Welcome to Your Vote Day to raise awareness about the right to vote amongst recently-enfranchised qualifying foreign citizens in Wales.
They’re encouraging charities and public sector organisations to run voter information sessions, ahead of the council elections on May 5, using their new resources for qualifying foreign citizens, which include an FAQ in various languages and facilitator guide. They’ve also published a communications pack that you can use to spread the word across your channels, alongside our ‘Welcome to Your Vote’ digital resources.
All the resources are available on the Electoral Commission’s website. Please share these with colleagues and organisations in your local area. If you have your own events or activities planned for the day, let us know by using the hashtags #WelcomeToYourVoteDay.
If you would like further information about the campaign please email infowales@electoralcommission.org.uk.
Last year, the Boundary Commission for Wales asked you to tell them your thoughts on changes to parliamentary boundaries in Wales.
Now you have a second chance to have your say.
During the first consultation back in autumn 2021, comments and representations were sent to the Boundary Commission and they would now like to hear what your think of those comments to enhance the debate.
You have until March 30 to let them know your thoughts.
Once the deadline has passed, all the comments and debates from both consultations will be used to develop revised proposals, which will be published in the autumn this year.
Derek Lee Adamson appeared before Wrexham Magistrates recently and was found guilty and jailed following a successful prosecution by Wrexham’s Animal Welfare Team.
The court heard that as a result of his neglect two calves died and others were not cared for adequately.
Failing to feed a proper diet and adequate water to animals
Failing to clean animal housing and equipment
Failing to ensure proper certification was in place
Mr Adamson was jailed for 48 weeks, ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge and was disqualified from keeping animals for 20 years.
Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said, “This is an excellent result for the team following the wholly inadequate care of animals in his care and causing unnecessary suffering.
“Animal welfare is a huge responsibility and this custodial sentence shows the severity of the offences in this case.”
The 3 defendants Mr Akarsu Bulent, Cuma Ali Acun and Gholam Reza Noori, leaseholders of 1a Station Avenue, Chirk, were found guilty recently at Mold Magistrates court, for illegally operating an unlicensed House in Multiple Occupation (HMO).
The defendants were given a 12 month conditional discharge, and ordered to pay costs. The property was inspected last year by a Public Protection Officer and was found to have unsafe living conditions.
The defendants had also failed to apply for a HMO licence for the living accommodation above the restaurant when they purchased the property.
Cllr Hugh Jones, Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said, “This prosecution sends a strong message to any persons considering operating an unlicensed HMO and flouting housing legislation which is in place to keep tenants safe .
“We will not hesitate to take enforcement action where landlords fail to comply with the law.”
Guest Article – Tŷ Pawb “Welcome to Terracottapolis
Wrexham’s considerable contribution to the story of brick, tile and terracotta manufacture forms the foundation for this exhibition.
From mid-19th Century up to as late as 2008, Wrexham was known world-wide for its manufacture and international distribution of bricks, tiles and terracotta products. Nicknamed ‘Terracottapolis’, Wrexham produced distinctively red bricks and decorative tiles that have been used extensively in some of the grandest buildings across the British Isles.
The exhibition will utilise artefacts from Wrexham Museum’s collection. These items will be accompanied and complemented by contemporary works of art from local practitioners.
The Brick Man comes to Wrexham
A highlight of the exhibition will be The Brick Man by Antony Gormley, creator of the Angel of the North sculpture in Gateshead.
The Brick Man is a 6ft model for a proposed 120ft tall sculpture that was selected from a competition for an inner-city site at the Holbeck Triangle near Leeds City Station in the late 1980s. The full-scale sculpture was never realised after it ran into objections from city planners. The model and archive for the project in the collection of Leeds Museums and Galleries are now all that remains.
Accompanying the model will be archive material from the planning stages of the sculpture. This includes letters and press cuttings that offer a fascinating insight into the public reaction and conversations that took place around the original proposals.
The loan of The Brick Man from Leeds Museums & Galleries is supported by the Weston Loan Programme with Art Fund. Created by the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund, the Weston Loan Programme is the first ever UK-wide funding scheme to enable smaller and local authority museums to borrow works of art and artefacts from national collections.
The exhibition also acts as a partner to Lydia Meehan’s Wal Pawb commission which launched in 2020.
Wal Pawb is a biennial commission of six artworks to be displayed across two Tri-Vision billboards within Tŷ Pawb.
Wrexham’s prolific tile and terracotta industry formed the visual and conceptual basis for Lydia Meehan’s publication, titled ‘Everybody’s Wall and Other Meeting Points’.
Celebrating Wrexham’s industrial heritage
Cllr Hugh Jones, Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said: “The manufacturing of bricks, tiles and terracotta was once a major part of Wrexham’s industry, with products being shipped for construction projects all over the UK.
“Famous names such as Dennis of Ruabon are still recognised across the country and fondly remembered by many local people.
“Tales From Terracottapolis will celebrate this story, weaving original local artefacts together with contemporary artworks. I hope the exhibition will be enjoyed by many who were part of this industry and that it will also help us introduce a brand new audience to Wrexham’s rich industrial and manufacturing heritage.”
Sophia Weston, Trustee of the Garfield Weston Foundation, said: “One of the key aims of the Weston Loan Programme is to help museums tell compelling stories through exciting loans that have relevance to local heritage, so we are delighted to support the display of Antony Gormley’s The Brick Man in Wrexham.”
Plan your visit
Tales from Terracottapolis will be on show from 19th March – 11th June.
Gallery opening times: 10am-4pm, Monday-Saturday.
Join us for the opening event on 6pm on Friday 18th March.
Tales From Terracottapolis is a partnership project between Tŷ Pawb and Wrexham Museum and Archives
The exhibition is supported by the Arts Council of Wales, Wrexham County Borough Council, Leeds Museums and Galleries, Henry Moore Institute’s Archive of Sculptors Papers, the Garfield Weston Foundation and Art Fund.
We’re looking for an Allocations Assistant to help with the allocation of our housing stock.
The successful applicant will be required to manage the Council’s registers, carry out pre tenancy work, complete home visits, be the single point of contact for applicants on the housing register and be responsible for communicating all aspects of the process to the service user.
What’s expected of the Allocations Assistant?
Be the single point of contact for applicants on the Council’s housing register and responsible for communicating all aspects of the process to them and deal with any concerns or enquiries.
Work in partnership with all internal departments and external agencies to ensure corporate performance indicators are met relating to empty properties, waiting list applications and homeless prevention.
To have a particular set of decision making and analytical skills, as the you’ll often be required to analyse and make decisions based on sensitive and confidential information relating to a client’s circumstances.
Excellent communication and negotiating skills in order to relay sometimes complex and contentious information and decisions to both vulnerable or at times potentially violent or aggressive individuals.
We welcome applications from suitably qualified candidates regardless of race, gender, disability, sexuality, religious belief or age.
The Council is committed to developing its bilingual workforce and welcomes applications from candidates who demonstrate their capability to work in both English and Welsh. Applications submitted in Welsh will not be treated less favourably than an application submitted in English.
Action Fraud has received nearly 200 reports about this in one week.
Roger Mapleson, Trading Standards and Licensing Lead advises, “Action Fraud has received nearly 200 reports about this in just one week so please be careful.
“If you are suspicious about any email you should report it by forwarding it to Report@phishing.gov.uk then delete it. Never follow any links as it could prove very costly.”
This type of scam is known as “phishing” and is used by criminals to often follow a link which then download a virus onto your computer or steal bank details or other personal information.
Consumer advice can be obtained from the Citizens Advice Consumer Service? They can be contacted on 0808 223 1144 (Welsh) or 0808 223 1133 (English).
The funding will allow us to secure long term leases on properties and make them available to those who are in housing need.
Financial assistance in the form of grants will be available for landlords to help improve their properties and a guaranteed rental income.
Cllr David Griffiths, Lead Member for Housing said, “This is excellent news particularly for those most vulnerable members of our communities who cannot access the private rental sector due to their financial circumstances.”
“Preventing homelessness in all its forms is a priority for us and this funding will give us a significant extra resource in helping to prevent and relieve homelessness throughout the borough.”
“We’re looking for a range of different property types and sizes, particularly single person and larger family homes, in all parts of the borough.
The properties will be managed by our in-house local lettings agency which has been operating since 2015, working with landlords to help create sustainable tenancies for households in housing need and improve standards across the borough.
For more information interested landlords should contact our local lettings agency team by emailing locallettings@wrexham.gov.uk
