Shoppers donned beer goggles and braved an obstacle course as part of a drive to raise awareness of alcohol related issues.

Members of the Caia Park Health Team set up camp at Eagles Meadow shopping centre, Wrexham.

Armed with information booklets and goodie bags they set out to let shoppers know the dangers of over-drinking.

They also had specially-designed goggles that recreate the visual distortion, loss of perception and lack of control that impair people under the influence of alcohol.

Shopper William Bradfield put on the goggles and tackled the obstacle course.

He said: “It did feel like you were drunk. Your body was swaying and your eyes we’re blurry, so it was quite hard to balance. It made it more complicated to walk. It’s a fun way to make people aware of the issues around alcohol.”

The 42-year-old mental health nurse from Llandudno added: “I think it’s good that the Caia Park Health Team came to Eagles Meadow to raise awareness in this way.

“It’s good because people should be aware of the damages of alcohol, to your body, to the liver and everything else. It also has a big impact on society and can cause long-term health issues.”

James Duckers, a health improvement practitioner, with the Caia Park Health Team, said: “The  beer goggles are a great way of  making people aware of the consequences of over drinking.

“Coming to a place like Eagles Meadow enables us to see people that won’t necessarily come to us as a service directly.

“It allows us to spread that message far and wide, because they tend to go back and share it with their families and friends.”

Dealing with alcohol related issues costs the NHS Wales over £80 million a year.

But most people with drink related health problems are not addicted to alcohol. They’re people who have drunk more than the guidelines for a number of years.

According to the lower risk guidelines women should not regularly drink more than two to three units of alcohol a day and men should not regularly drink more than three to four units a day. Everyone should aim to have at least two alcohol free days a week.

Failure to stick the guidelines increases the risk of cancer of the mouth, throat, oesophagus or larynx, and breast cancer in women. It also increases the risk of a stroke, heart disease, high blood pressure, liver disease, pancreatic and reduced fertility.

Two large glasses of wine a day could male you three times more likely to get mouth cancer

The Caia Park Health Team formed an alliance at Eagles Meadow with the Choose Well Winter Campaign.

The campaign is part of a drive relieve the growing pressure on hospital accident and emergency departments this winter.

Dr Aruni Sen, Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Wrexham Maelor Hospital, says it’s imperative Emergency Departments (A&E) and ambulance services are only used for serious illnesses or injuries this winter.

He said: “The Choose Well Campaign is a North Wales initiative which will help patients make the right choices. It’s vital we don’t allow our Emergency Departments to get clogged up as has happened in the past.

“The Choose Well Campaign works like a temperature chart with blue at the bottom for symptoms such as hangovers, a grazed knee or perhaps a cough. These conditions simply do not require treatment at an Emergency Department and can be dealt with using by self-care.

“Moving up the scale to green we have conditions such as diarrhoea, upset stomachs or a runny nose, all symptoms that can be sorted out with a visit to a pharmacist.

“Then at the top of the scale, the red section, we have choking, chest pains, blood loss or serious injury. These are clearly matters that should be dealt with at an Emergency Department and may require a 999 call for an ambulance.

“It’s all about giving the public the right information so they make the correct, and right, choice. We should not be clogging up Emergency Departments by presenting for treatment with very minor injuries or conditions.”

Adam Johnson, communications leader for the Choose Well Winter Campaign, relished the opportunity to go to Eagles Meadow to spread the message.

He said: “Face to face is the best way of getting information across to the public. They understand a bit more if you actually explain it, and they take an interest as well.

“The message with Choose Well with winter is just be sensible, be safe. It also overlaps with the alcohol awareness message from the Caia Park Health Team. At the end of the day, you’re not going to have a good time if you end up in hospital. It’s going to ruin your night.”

Eagles Meadow Manager Kevin Critchley was pleased to be able to help.

He said: “It is important to encourage people to be sensible especially this time of year when thoughts turn to the festive season and ultimately choose well to help their own health and safety.”

A high-flying college in North Wales has been honoured by the Queen for helping the £24 billion aerospace industry to take off in the UK.

Coleg Cambria was awarded the prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Further and Higher Education at a ceremony at St  James’s Palace in London.

Their Centre of Excellence for Aerospace Development has trained more than 5,000 learners since it was set up in 2002.

It was established by the former Deeside College which this year became part of Coleg Cambria with campuses in Connah’s Quay, Northop, Wrexham and Llysfasi.

The initiative has resulted in Airbus employees at the wing-making factory in Broughton gaining more than 7,000 nationally recognised qualifications.

The centre’s staff have also been instrumental in setting up Airbus Academies in the UK, France, Germany and Spain.

They also work closely with other locally-based aerospace firms like Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, Raytheon, Magellan and Apple Aviation.

As a result, the Centre of Excellence has won a raft of awards over the years, culminating in this latest prize from the Queen which is designed to  promote and recognise “world class excellence” in UK universities and colleges.

Being awarded the prize was a source of great pride to Coleg Cambria Chair John Clutton and the Principal and Chief Executive, David Jones, who attended the ceremony.

Mr Clutton said: “It is excellent recognition of the superb work that’s been carried out between Airbus and Coleg Cambria over many years.

“What this partnership does for the local area is quite phenomenal and the recent $20 billion order for for 50 more Airbus A380s is great news.

“The fact that wing production is centred in North East Wales is a great boost in  terms of securing employment, securing the future of young people in Flintshire, Wrexham and Denbighshire.

“Our focus at Coleg Cambria is to provide for the region as many opportunities as it can for the workforce, for young people and for the whole of the community.”

It was a sentiment echoed by Mr Jones who added: “This is a significant achievement for Coleg Cambria and we are delighted to receive this commendation.

“The Queen’s Awards have a very intensive and demanding assessment process, and most are won by the UK’s leading Universities.

“It proves that the staff and students at Coleg Cambria can match the very best in UK and global education.  I thank them all for their dedication and professionalism, together with all our colleagues at Airbus and across the wider aerospace sector that we are so proud to support.”

According to Airbus, which employs 6,000 people in Broughton, the college had played an important role in their success.

Mick Fleming,  Head of HR-Employment, Training and Competence Management at Airbus, said: “Our collaboration with Coleg Cambria is an exemplar of best practice that has helped underpin the phenomenal commercial success of our operation at Broughton.

“The aerospace facilities at the college are outstanding and a unique feature of this project has seen college staff being based within Airbus. This has played a hugely important role in the positive outcomes achieved by our apprentices and existing employees.

“The prize won by Coleg Cambria is richly deserved because of their immense contribution to Airbus and the wider aerospace sector.”

Among the first to congratulate the college was Lord Barry Jones, the former MP for Alyn and Deeside.

According to Lord Jones, the college had ensured the aerospace industry had a “world class workforce” and provided job security for thousands of employees.

He added: “The impact of a skilled workforce at Airbus has also been extremely beneficial to the local economy and especially the positive impact on local retail businesses.”

The “sector-leading” college’s application was supported by Welsh Secretary David Jones.

He said: “The College’s contribution to upskilling the Airbus workforce has made a significant contribution to addressing the Welsh Government’s targets for skills and training in Wales.

“This project has created a very positive impact at national, regional and local levels and as such is well deserving of a national award that recognises the achievements of Airbus learners, staff and the college as a whole.”

Also impressed was Ken Skates, the Welsh Government’s Deputy Minister for Skills and Technology, who said: “This award is richly deserved. Coleg Cambria Deeside has shown a great commitment to Airbus and the wider aerospace sector for very many years.

“Their approach to apprenticeships sets a benchmark for others to follow and their broader support for developments in the aerospace sector should  be applauded.

“This award is just recognition of their vision and engagement and  I would like to congratulate all who are involved.”