This new video from the NHS encourages young people to get vaccinated.
Some of the stats relate to England, but the message is universal – no matter how fit and healthy you are, you never know how Covid will affect you…it’s a lottery.
People who have renewed their garden waste collections for 2021/22 have been contacting us recently to say they haven’t received their new sticker.
The stickers have now been sent out and are starting to arrive at properties around Wrexham, so if you haven’t already had yours over the past couple of days, don’t worry, it’ll be with you very soon.
Thanks for staying patient
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We’d like to thank residents for staying patient whilst waiting for the new stickers to arrive. We expect everyone who signed up earlier in the year will get their new sticker over the next few days, ready for the end of the month. Those who only signed up recently should allow at least 10 working days to receive their new sticker pack from the date they signed up.
“If your sticker doesn’t arrive in time for your first collection, please still put your bin out on your collection day as our crews can use the in-cab technology in their vehicle to check whether you’ve paid, so that your garden waste can be collected. Thanks.”
Changes to stickers
This year, the bin stickers look different as they don’t display the address for your property, but please don’t be concerned about this.
Our crews use the in-cab technology in their vehicles to check whether your property has paid for the service, so we don’t need to have addresses on the stickers when we make our collections.
Please display your new sticker on your bin lid when it arrives. Thanks.
Like you, we’re fed up with the unacceptable levels of fly tipping that’s taking place in the county borough.
That’s why we’ve brought in mobile CCTV cameras which will allow us to be flexible and respond to reports of fly-tipping, particularly where we are seeing repeated occurrences. We hope that these cameras will assist us in catching and prosecuting offenders; and ultimately improving our local communities.
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We’ve tried many campaigns and offered general advice to those who are continuing to fly tip but enough is enough now and we’re actively going after offenders.
“It’s not only some residents who are using their cars to illegally dump their rubbish but also the “man in a van” type of offender who offers their services for skip runs, often on Facebook or similar sites, then promptly drives to a secluded area to just dump it. Leaving the council with no option but to remove it.
“We cannot put up with it anymore and we will now be using resources not only to clear any fly tipping but also to fine those responsible.
If you come across fly-tipping in your local area, or whilst you’re out and about, you can report it online (https://www.wrexham.gov.uk/service/contact/report-it) or by calling our Contact Centre. Please don’t touch or move the waste, as you could be interfering with the evidence which would help us to catch the people responsible.
It’s your responsibility
You may think that by paying someone to collect and dispose of your waste, you’re being responsible; but it’s important that you check how and where you waste will end up, otherwise you could still be issued with a ‘Fixed Penalty Notice’ if your waste is found fly-tipped.
You can ask to see a ‘waste carrier’s license’ from anyone offering this type of service, although this doesn’t necessarily guarantee that they will dispose of your waste properly, so always be sure you ask for information about disposal! A ‘man-in-a-van’ type service is not allowed to use our household recycling centres, as these are intended for residents only.
Household Recycling Centres
Our household recycling centres are located in Brymbo, Plas Madoc and Wrexham Industrial Estate. By taking the time to use these you can be guaranteed that your waste will not end up being fly tipped and is more likely to be recycled if at all possible.
There’ll be a pop-up vaccination clinic at Tesco in Wrexham this Tuesday, August 24 from 10am until 4pm (with supplies of both Pfizer and AZ) – offering first and second doses to all aged 16+.
No appointment needed – just turn up.
(Can’t make it? Don’t worry. You can book a jab at a local vaccination centre.
[button color=”” size=”large” type=”square_outlined” target=”new” link=”https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination-information/covid-19-vaccination-online-booking/”] BOOK ONLINE [/button]
They’re particularly interested in hearing from those who have experienced engaging with services in this area and those views of the wider, diverse community.
They’re looking for solutions and ideas for improvement to help them produce their Palliative and End of Life Care Strategy.
It’s being held via Teams at 6pm on September 8 and you can use this Teams link to join.
📢 There’ll be a pop-up vaccination clinic at Tesco in Cefn Mawr this Saturday (August 21) from 10am until 4pm (with supplies of both Pfizer and AZ) – offering first and second doses to all aged 16+.
No appointment needed – just turn up.
Can’t make it? Don’t worry. You can book a jab at a local vaccination centre.
[button color=”” size=”large” type=”square_outlined” target=”new” link=”https://bcuhb.nhs.wales/covid-19/covid-19-vaccination-information/covid-19-vaccination-online-booking/”] BOOK ONLINE [/button]
If you haven’t already signed up for the 2021/22 garden waste collection service, you’ll need to do it soon to take advantage of a full 12 months service.
If you want to get a full years’ service, just head over to wrexham.gov.uk/gardenwaste and make your way through the very easy-to-follow instructions to pay. It’s by far the quickest and easiest way, and you get to do it at a time that’s convenient for you.
The 2021/22 service kicks off on Monday, August 30, 2021, and runs until Friday, September 2, 2022. The charge for has been frozen at £25 per green bin per year.
People can still sign up after August 30, but their service will run from the date they sign up until September 2, 2022. For example, if someone signed up in early-October the service would still cost £25, but they would only get around 11 months of collections.
So it’s better to sign up now and get more collections.
“Get the best value”
Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Environment and Transport, said: “To get the best value it’s really important to sign up sooner rather than later. We’ve had a good response with regards to renewals, but we know there are still people who intend to sign up, but who haven’t quite got around to it for one reason or another. To those people, we really encourage them to sign up by visiting wrexham.gov.uk/gardenwaste as soon as possible, so they don’t miss out on any collections. We want people to get the best value for their money.”
Pay online where possible
The best way to pay for the service is by visiting wrexham.gov.uk/gardenwaste. It’s by far the quickest and easiest way to pay and you get to do it at a time that’s convenient for you.
If it isn’t possible for you to pay online you can call Streetscene to make a card payment, but you are likely to experience a wait if you do so. We highly recommend paying for the service online.
New stickers for 2021/22
Residents who renew the service will be issued with a new sticker, which will need to be displayed clearly on your bin lid to ensure collections from August 30. Please allow at least 10 working days to receive your new sticker pack from the date you sign up.
Renewed but haven’t had your new sticker yet?
People who signed up earlier in the year should receive their sticker pack in August, before the service starts at the end of the month.
If your sticker doesn’t arrive in time for your first collection, please still put your bin out on your collection day as our crews can use the in-cab technology in the recycling wagon to check whether you’ve paid, so that your garden waste can be collected.
No cash or cheque payments
Last year, we had a number of customers who attempted to pay for the service by sending cash and cheques to us. We must reiterate that we are unable to accept these payments.
As you may recall, the service start date was delayed last year due to the coronavirus pandemic and consequently all subscriptions were extended until August 31, 2021.
If you are signed up for this service, but don’t renew for 2021/22 we won’t collect your green bin(s) from August 31.
I don’t want to renew the service – will you remove my garden waste bin?
Any unwanted garden waste bins can be removed on request. You can request removal of a garden waste bin online through our ‘new and replacement bin or boxes’ form.
Once requested it may take a number of weeks for the bin to be collected. In the meantime, make sure your bin remains empty, accessible, but not left out causing an obstruction.
It may be worth keeping hold of your old garden waste bin for now because, if your garden waste bin has been removed and you change your mind in future, there is a charge for a new one.
What can I do with my garden waste if I do not want to pay for the collection service?
You can take your garden waste to one of our household waste recycling centres (free of charge). Alternatively, you could compost garden waste at home.
Tŷ Pawb with architects Featherstone Young has received another top architecture award.
Tŷ Pawb is one of the three buildings in Wales to receive the RSAW Welsh Architecture Award 2021, part of the national Royal Society of British Architects (RIBA) Awards.
The win means Tŷ Pawb will now be eligible for the 2021 RIBA National Awards and the 2021 Stirling Prize, one of the most prestigious architectural awards in the UK.
The other two winners included a 19th century cottage known as House in North Wales and Maggie’s Cardiff, which is a cancer care centre.
An ‘imaginatively and courageously repurposed’ community and arts venue The jury’s report on Tŷ Pawb states: “The previously named People’s Market has been imaginatively and courageously repurposed as a Lottery-funded community and arts venue while also retaining its former functions.”
The report goes on to say: “The strength of this project undoubtedly lies in what it seeks to achieve through reuse and repurposing of town centre building stock rather than the pursuit of an architectural statement.
“Tŷ Pawb takes a new look at the provision of facilities for the arts, seeking to make it accessible to all and inject relevance into the everyday lives of those who wouldn’t otherwise be attracted to a traditional gallery.”
‘A huge team effort with social value at its heart’
Sarah Featherstone, Director at Featherstone Young Architects said: “It means a great deal to us to have won an RSAW Award for Tŷ Pawb. This has been a transformative project for Wrexham. It was the result of a huge team effort with social value at its heart.
“Flexibility and experimentation were key drivers of the design and it has been immensely gratifying to see Tŷ Pawb flourishing in its full spectrum of uses. Alongside exhibition programme and the market. unplanned informal events take place – pop-up open mic, tea dances, pizza workshops, street dance to name but a few; the reciprocal benefits of sharing resources have been important to the success of Tŷ Pawb.”
One of Wrexham’s best-loved attractions
The award is one of several architectural honours Tŷ Pawb has received since opening in 2018.
Other awards received include the National Eisteddfod Gold Medal for Architecture 2019 and Architects Journal’s Retrofit of the Year 2019 and Best Cultural Building under 5m 2019
Cllr Hugh Jones, Wrexham Council’s Lead Member for Communities, Partnerships, Public Protection and Community Safety, said: “Thanks to incredible vision, creativity and ambition of Tŷ Pawb’s design team Wrexham now boasts a multi-award winning cultural facility which is widely recognised all over the UK as one of the finest examples of how a public building can be re-imagined into something new, innovative and exciting.”
“Since opening in 2018 Tŷ Pawb has grown to become one of our most treasured and best-loved local destinations. The atmosphere has been fantastic over the summer with live music and family activities returning, new local businesses joining the markets family and visitors returning to galleries, including the brand new Useful Art Space.
“This award is richly deserved. Huge congratulations to Featherstone Young and to the staff team for their success in bringing culture and community together under one roof.”
If your child is going up to ‘big school’ this autumn, you’re probably feeling a little nervous.
That’s only to be expected. Going from primary to secondary feels like a big step, and they’ll no longer be big fish in a little pond.
But there really is nothing to worry about, and by following these simple tips you can help your child adjust quickly.
Take a look…
Handy tips
1. Get them kitted out
Getting children kitted out for secondary school with uniform, pens, pencils, PE kit and so on can help them feel more confident and excited about going up.
You might even qualify for help with costs – check out this recent article about the Pupil Development Grant 👇👇👇
Transition days – where children from Year 6 get to visit their new secondary school – were cancelled in most places this year due to coronavirus.
It’s no substitute for a transition day, but you might be able to help them get their bearings by walking or driving past their new school so they can see where it is?
And if they’re catching the bus, maybe show them where to get on and off. It might help them feel more confident on the first day of term.
If you know a child who already attends your new secondary school, ask them to talk to your child and reassure them a bit.
It can also help your child if they feel like they know someone older at the school – especially if they don’t have bothers and sisters there.
But choose wisely! Sometimes older children like to make secondary school sound big and scary…so make sure you choose someone who isn’t going to frighten them!
4. Take a look at your school’s social media
Most schools have social media accounts – mainly Twitter and Facebook pages.
They might not be as busy as usual over the summer holidays, but they can still be a good way to get a feel for life at the school.
Maybe take a look with your child and follow the accounts.
5. Prepare them for homework
Although kids get homework in primary school, they’ll probably get more in secondary…and will need to get used to putting aside time each week.
It’s not easy to drum up enthusiasm for homework! But try just dropping it into conversation here and there…so they realise it’ll be part of their day-to-day routine.
And try to make sure they have a space where they’ll be able to do their work (e.g. somewhere quiet and a table or desk to work at).
6. Don’t make it feel like a big deal
Too much talk about secondary school could make it feel like a really big deal, and might them more anxious. So there’s probably a balance to strike.
Try to get them feeling enthusiastic and confident, without making the transition to secondary school feel like a massive life event (even though it probably is!).
Some nerves are only to be expected, but hopefully they’ll end up looking forward to September with excitement! 😊
Enjoy the adventure!
El is a Year 8 pupil at a Wrexham school. She says:
“I remember my first day at secondary. I was nervous when I walked up to the gates and felt so small compared to the older kids!
“But as soon as I went through the gates, the nerves turned to excitement and it was really good fun getting to know my new classmates and teachers.
“The school seemed big at first, but you soon find your way around. The teachers know that everything is new when you’re a Year 7, and they give you lots of help.
“Going up to secondary school is an adventure and something to look forward to.”
HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding parents and carers they have until 31 August 2021 to confirm whether their teenagers are staying in full-time education or training beyond 16.
Last week, teenagers across the UK received their GSCE or Scottish National Certificate results and many are now considering their future. If they decide to continue their full-time education or training, parents or carers will be eligible to continue receiving Child Benefit payments for their child.
HMRC has sent reminder letters to families receiving Child Benefit for their child in the last year of school or home education. If their child is staying in education beyond age 16, parents or carers must notify HMRC by the end of August, or their Child Benefit will be stopped.
It is quick and easy to update Child Benefit records via GOV.UK. Alternatively, parents or carers can return the 297b form sent to them by HMRC.
Child Benefit is paid to eligible parents or carers who are responsible for a child under 16, or under 20 if they are in full-time non-advanced education or approved training.
Parents or carers receiving Child Benefit and who also have an income over £50,000 (or their partner does), may have to pay the High Income Child Benefit Charge via an annual Self Assessment tax return.
Post Office card accounts are closing. From 30 November 2021, HMRC will stop making payments of Child Benefit, Guardians Allowance and tax credits, into Post Office card accounts. HMRC is reminding any Child Benefit and tax credits customers who use this account to receive their payments, that they will need to notify HMRC of their new bank, building society or credit union account details.
HMRC is encouraging customers to act now so they do not miss any payments once their Post Office account closes. They can contact HMRC’s helpline (0345 300 3900) or use their Personal Tax Account. To find out how to open a bank account, visit Citizens Advice.
