Catering Team Win Top Award

Ysgol Heulfan’s Catering Team have been recognised at a national awards ceremony for the excellent service they provide to pupils.

The team won the Welsh Primary School Catering Team of the Year at the Local Authority Caters Association Awards for Excellence, which was held in Cardiff last month.

The team were praised for their outstanding contribution they have made to raising the profile of their excellent service within the school, and were praised for their ‘dedication and commitment to providing good, wholesome food to pupils.’

They have enthusiastically embraced all the new challenges, and supported Heulfan’s whole school approach to health and wellbeing. The team has a total of 72 years experience in school catering, and their motivation and positive attitude remains strong as ever.

The team who won this award are Mrs Dilys Jones Cook-in-Charge and catering assistants Pam Woodfine, Debbie Jones, Maureen Curtis.

Headteacher Mrs Julie Thomas-Haigh, who is extremely supportive of her catering team, praised the kitchen staff for their loyalty and dedication over the years.

Mrs Thomas-Haigh said:

“We consider our canteen staff to be special people. Without Dilys and the team we would struggle with many of the initiatives that we have introduced during the last 2 years.”

Councillor Arfon Jones also has strong support for the catering team at Heulfan, especially regarding the Local Community and a newly opened Luncheon Club, where the meals are freshly prepared and cooked by Dilys and her team each week.

Cllr Jones said:

“Mrs Jones and her team do over and above what is required or expected in respect of community cohesion and supporting the Welsh Assembly’s Continuing Care agenda.”

Lynda Wright, Catering Manager for Wrexham School Meals Service said:

“This award represents a significant accolade for the Ysgol Heulfan catering team. Dilys and her catering assistants are fully deserving of the praise and recongition from the industry.”

Wrexham Wedding Directory Wedding Fayre

Wrexham Wedding Directory are organising a Wedding Fayre at The Cross Lanes Hotel, Marchwiel, Wrexham on 5th September 2010 11am – 4pm. All wedding businesses attending will be local to the Wrexham area giving. This gives the Bride and Groom a wonderful opportunity to browse the best of the wedding specialists in the area, set in a beautiful location for a wedding. Entry is free and there will be a range of business attending including photographers, florists, bridal wear, groom attire, entertainers and wedding cars to name but a few. Any information please contact Grahm on 01691 773587 or visit
http://www.wrexhamweddingdirectory.co.uk.

Sponsored Drag Walk

A sponsored 3 mile walk in aid of Nightingale House Hospice (for men only) is on the 21st March at The Racecourse Ground, Wrexham. Time: 11am. For age 14+. Contact Kim Houghton on 01978 316800 or Email kim.houghton@nightingalehouse.co.uk. Advanced booking is required. Ticket Price: £10.

AC DC tribute night in Llay

There will be an AC DC tribute night in Llay Welfare on Saturday13th March. The group is called DC79 tickets available from Andy 07884244235. Cost: £6. All monies raised for llay youth club. Find this and more events at http://www.wrexhamevents.co.uk.

FAIRTRADE WALES at the Big Swap Tea Party

Eleanor Burnham, Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for North Wales was delighted to join Fairtrade Wales at their Big Swap Tea Party at the Senedd last week and has added her name to the Big Swap campaign to swap a usual item in her shopping trolley for a fair trade alternative.

Eleanor Burnham said ” During Fairtrade fortnight, Fairtrade Wales has been asking people join them in their Big Swap. I have swapped my usual beauty products for their fairtrade alternative but I know other people have swapped their usual bananas for Fairtrade bananas, cotton socks for Fairtrade cotton socks or their usual cup of tea for a Fairtrade cuppa. I hope as many people will join the campaign and commit to swapping a product in their shopping trolley to Fairtrade and will visit www.thebigswap.org.uk to make their pledge”

For two weeks every year, communities across Wales and the rest of the UK celebrate ‘Fairtrade Fortnight.’ Fairtrade Fortnight unites all Fairtrade supporters, bringing together retailers, licensees, producers, businesses and campaigners in a nationwide effort to promote awareness and sales of Fairtrade products.

This year the theme is ‘The Big Swap’ The aim is to get 1,000,001 pledges from consumers and businesses across the UK to swap one non Fairtrade product for its Fairtrade alternative; every swap will be proof that the UK wants developing world producers to get a better deal.

fair trade swap 2

fair trade stand 2

Scrap ‘dead duck’ air-link that no-one wants to operate

Commenting on the news that the troubled North-South Air link has suffered a further set back after no operators made suitable bids for the latest tender, Welsh Lib Dem candidate for Wrexham Dr Tom Rippeth said:

“It is astounding that even at the shockingly high level of public subsidy, Ieuan Wyn Jones is offering operators, not one has come forward with a suitable bid.

“We have always said this subsidy was unsustainable in environmental and public expense terms, this news shows it is unsustainable in operational terms as well.

“This is a service for the few not the many and it will be scandalous if the Labour-Plaid Government re-act to this by just upping the level of subsidy offered. Ieuan should scrap it for good before he wastes any more public money on a dead duck instead of spending it on sustainable transport for all.”

The Wrexham Pure Mile 2010

Go to the Queensway Sports Stadium to do your Sainsbury’s Sport Relief Mile on March 21st. All ages and abilities are welcome to participate. So grab all the family, dust off those trainers and come on down to the track to help us make this event a fantastic success. Enter the Mile today, get sponsored and have a great day! Go to http://www.sportrelief.com/the-mile/wrexham-pure-mile for more information and to sign up.

Sausage Competition Triple Champ

Wrexham’s annual sausage competition has resulted in triple success for Lewis’ Farm Shop. The Eyton based butcher scooped the top gong in all three categories, which included ‘Best Traditional Pork Sausage’, ‘Best Speciality Sausage’ and ‘Overall Winner’.

The competition was held as part of Wrexham’s St. David’s Day celebrations and was open to butchers throughout the borough. Each had the task of impressing professional judge, Dennis Elliot, with their ability to conjure up a tasty, original banger, completely from scratch. It’s the second year running that Lewis’ Farm Shop have impressed the most after being victorious last year when the competition had it’s only original category of ‘best pork sausage’.

9 different butchers from across the region entered the competition, each entering a sausage in both categories, meaning 18 different sausages were judged. Dennis Elliot commented on the quality and effort of the entrants: “the standard was absolutely tremendous. Each and every one of the entrants and Wrexham as a whole should be very proud of its local produce.”

Lewis’ Farm Shop weren’t the only meat makers who had something to celebrate. RS Williams & Son (based in Bank Street, Wrexham) and D&J Thomas (Gardden Road, Rhos) both finished in the top three in each category.

Reduced Service until Library Reopens

Wrexham library will reopen its doors to the public on 22nd March following a refurbishment.

Until this grand opening takes place, Wrexham Library will be closed while all the books, DVDs, CDs, furniture and computers are packed up and taken over to the newly refurbished library on Rhosddu Road. Library users can still return or renew items in its present home in the former Kwik Save building, however, they won’t be able to take anything else out until the re-opening.

During the last few months Wrexham Library has undergone an impressive renovation. Not only are there both new and much improved services, the space itself is now more light, airy and inviting.

When you visit the library you will see a first floor extension; improved disabled access; wi-fi capability; enhanced book and DVD stocks; new computers and brand new self-service check-out stations.

On top of these exciting improvements, Wrexham Library has also become the latest venue for the BFI Mediatheque – the only site in Wales! The BFI Mediatheque is a ‘digital jukebox’ of films and television programmes from the BFI National Archive – the world’s most
significant collection of moving image material. The BFI Mediatheque in Wrexham will also feature a special collection of films and TV material of particular interest to Welsh viewers including the 1916 National Eisteddfod at Aberystwyth, and the earliest recording of an international football match when Wales played Ireland at the Racecourse in 1906.

This refurbishment has been financially supported by a grant of £310,000 from the Welsh Assembly Government.

Residents Have Say on Former Council Offices

Local people are having their say on how to breathe new life into the former council offices in Chirk.

The Gwyn Wylfa Development Trust – set-up to revitalise the long-empty building – has sent a questionnaire to residents asking how they’d like to see it used in future.

Mick Ramsey, one of the volunteers involved in setting up the trust, said: “We sent out the questionnaire because we’re keen to know how residents think the building could be used to benefit Chirk.

“The most popular suggestions include a tourist and heritage centre, and a café. It’s very early days and we can’t say yet how the building will be utilised, but the results have been recorded so they can be looked at as the project moves forward.”

The trust has been established by local volunteers with support from Wrexham Council, which still owns the site on Castle Road.

The group hopes to be granted a lease by the council which will allow it to drive forward the future renovation of the building.

Meanwhile, work is underway to change the layout of the former car park at the site. The council is turning the space into a public car park, with work expected to be complete by early April.

It’s hoped the extra parking will help attract visitors to the nearby Chirk Aqueduct, which – along with Pontcysyllte – forms part of the new World Heritage Site.