Category: News

Wrexham growing into a powerhouse

WREXHAM BUSINESS PROFESSIONALS , RAMADA PLAZA, WREXHAM APRIL 2013. Pictured is Neil Ashbridge, Agent for Wales,Bank of England, David Jones MBA BSc DL, Principal and Chief Executive, Deeside College, Peter Butler , GHP Leagal, Sir John Shortridge KCB, Chancellor of Glyndwr University, Gill Atkinson Coxeys and Stephen Waring, Founder and Chief Executive officer, Green Thumb.

Wrexham is fast becoming the economic and educational powerhouse of North Wales.

The town is geared up to serve business with some of the highest skilled and experienced professionals and the best educated – and the best paid – young people in the country.

That was the message from the business community and the men running the region’s higher and further education institutes to a meeting of 60 business leaders in Wrexham.

Sir Jon Shortridge, the Chancellor of Glyndwr University, told a meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals at the Ramada Hotel that it is top of the Welsh league for employment opportunities.

Later this year the merger of two of Wales’s top-performing Further Education colleges,  Deeside College and Yale College, Wrexham.

David Jones, the Chief Executive and Principal of Deeside College in Connah’s Quay, is the man chosen to lead the new college which will be launched on August 1.

He said: “Coleg Cambria will be the 1oth biggest Further Education college in the UK with a budget of £65 million.

“Expectations are high and Yale and Deeside together must be able to do more than we are doing because otherwise there’s no point in merging.

“We have to drive out wasteful costs and put those savings out into the front line and provide more and better and do that in what is a challenging economic environment.

He stressed the importance of the links between the new college and businesses in North East Wales and he said: “It is not just about students walking out with rafts of certificates.  If they’re not able to work in your businesses than we’re not fit for purpose.

The link between education and business is important and Yale and Deeside are two of the highest performing colleges in Wales and we score very well in working with employers, our finances are very good.

“For the most recent financial year we both had surpluses of over £2 million and as a percentage of income that would put Yale at the top of the Welsh table with Deeside second.

“We do see ourselves as businesses and if we don’t provide the best business products then we won’t be around for very long – we have to manage really, really well, just like the best businesses do.

“We want to be the best college in Wales and the best in the UK and we are working with Glyndwr University to get into the international market as well.

“Coleg Cambria is a very exciting opportunity and we’re very, very ambitious about what we want to do and that’s about making North East Wales and Wrexham a place where people have got jobs and where people want to come to work”.

According to Sir Jon, he was keen to establish a close relationship between Glyndwr University and Coleg Cambria.

He explained that 99 per cent of the university’s intake came from state schools and that they were in the top ten in the UK for students from deprived area.

Sir Jon added: “We achieve the highest employment rates for its graduated in Wales.  Ninety-four per cent of our graduates are in employment within six months or are continuing in education and that’s the best performance in Wales.

“The starting salaries they receive are the second highest in Wales – only Cardiff University students will get into jobs with higher starting salaries and we’re about 12 per cent above average for starting salaries.

“Our student fees are also the lowest in Wales so we take students from some of the poorest backgrounds and give them huge employment opportunities and charge less than any other university in Wales.

“Glyndwr is also a most entrepreneurial university in Wales – we bought the Wrexham football ground, we bough Optic centre in St Asaph and at our own risk we are undertaking world-leading research there into mirrors for extra large telescopes.

“Our big contribution to research has been commended both by David Willetts, the Universities and Science Minister, and the Prime Minister, David Cameron.

“We are a community-based university which puts £100 million into the local economy any which supports local employers ad particularly local businesses, providing tailored opportunities for staff to get qualifications while in employment”.

The meeting also heard from Neil Ashbridge, the Bank of England’s Agent for Wales, who gave an off-the-record private briefing about the current economic situation and the outlook for the future, and Stephen Waring, the founder of lawn care company GreenThumb, who has developed his business into a multi-million pound franchise operation.

Anthony Lewis, of Chartered Accountants Coxeys, a member of Wrexham Business Professionals, agreed it was vitally important for businesses and education to work closely.

He said: “In coming together we can identify the skills needed to enable businesses to become more successful.

“It’s important that Universities and Colleges develop courses which provide all the skills business and industry needs to help them develop.

“As a business person and an employer and from what our clients tell us the business community like to clear training and career paths from school to further and higher education and into work.

“That means providing the right people with the right skills – small and medium sized businesses don’t have the skills to manage that transition themselves and need that support to come from the educators.

“North East Wales in general and Wrexham in particular is becoming an economic and educational power house that’s making a huge increasing contribution to the regional economy”.

The guest speakers at the next meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals on June 11 will be retired industrialist and
former Lord Lieutenant Trefor Jones CBE CVO and business guru Professor Dylan Jones-Evans. For more information contact Nicola Mathews at Coxeys on 01978 355477.

Wednesday June 12th, 2013

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Domestic violence survivor backs Bolton centre’s support of charity

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A SURVIVOR of domestic violence who volunteers for the charity which helped her family and their pets escape abuse has praised a Bolton shopping centre for backing the cause so close to her heart.

Crompton Place Shopping Centre has declared Bolton-based Paws For Kids as its official charity and will be working closely with this worthy cause over the coming months to raise its profile and offer support with fundraising at the centre.

Someone who knows the value of the unique service provided by Paws For Kids is mum-of-four Anika Drew who strongly believes fears over the future of a much-loved family pet can be a terrible barrier to victims and their children leaving an abusive partner.

She is among the many helped by Paws For Kids, which aims to relieve the pressure for families caught in the cycle of domestic violence by providing support services to women and children, reducing the long-term effects of experiencing domestic abuse and organising the temporary fostering of pets belonging to these families to enable them to seek safe refuge.

The charity steps in to help families find a new and much safer life while giving pets a short-term home with a volunteer animal-loving family, with the aim of re-uniting them as soon as possible.

Anika said: “The backing by Crompton Place Shopping Centre  means the charity will be able to fund more placements for pets, and so ensure women and children can escape to a place of safety, secure in the knowledge their much-loved pet is being well-cared for.”

Malcolm Angus, Crompton Place Manager, said: “Paws For Kids has been to the shopping centre before to do collections but we have become so impressed with the charity and what they do, that we felt it was right to make it more official.

“Our aim will be to support them in any way we can with fundraising and also to help them raise more awareness of the very touching and good work that they do for families in and around Bolton.

“We also intend to support them with displays at the centre which will create a more lasting way of letting people know what a fantastic charity they are.”

Paws For Kids helped Anika, then 24, move into an emergency refuge with her two children, aged two and six at the time, when her home situation became unsafe.

And they managed to find a temporary home for her dog Marley, a former racing greyhound, plus three cats, a pair of ferrets and two rats, until Anika could set up a safe house for everybody, three months later.

The 30-year-old now lives on a 15-acre smallholding and has begun to provide a foster home for dogs through the charity, as a way of saying thanks. And, with the charity’s support, she has also built a good relationship with her ex-partner, and even started a university course.

Anika said: “Pets are often caught up a violent situation and women stay because there’s nowhere for the animal to go. If they leave the pet behind, the partner may use it as a way of getting her to come back to the house, or threaten violence to the pet – even killing it. Or he may simply not feed it, or abandon it.

“If a family friend or relative tries to help out by looking after the pet, it can put them in danger, as it gives the abusive partner a reason to visit their house, or to try and find out where the woman and children are staying.

“My situation happened very quickly, I had to leave almost straight away. But for many women in an abusive relationship, the move to a refuge for them and their children – and a foster home for their pet – can be arranged in advance, so they can prepare everything for leaving.

“The foster home is anonymous, so nobody except the charity knows where the pet is staying. It’s a real weight off your shoulders in that situation, knowing your pet is safe, and allows you to concentrate on sorting life for you and your children.”

Anika loves to see her foster dogs curled up in front of the fire at her 400-year-old renovated stone farmhouse, high in the hills.

Now with a new partner, Sebastian, and mum to two-year-old Olivia, John, three, Jasmine, eight, and Xander, 12, Anika  also finds time to care for cows, horses, chickens and geese, plus her three dogs and cats.

She’s presently fostering a Golden Labrador, who loves playing football with his new house-mates on her small-holding, though she’s conscious that he will be soon going back to his own family.

She said: “We take photos of the dogs we are fostering so Paws For Kids can pass them on the owners. It’s very helpful for children to see that their pet is happy, and having a fun break, but knowing they will be back together again.

“In abusive situations, caring for a pet is therapeutic – a child can tell their dog, or their cat, secrets and fears.

“I’ve had Labradors and an Alsatian staying with me – the charity matches the pet to the foster home, to make sure they are ok with cats, or chickens. Most of the foster dogs have never come across a cow or horse before, but they soon get used to them. They love having the chance to play around the farm, just taking themselves off to play with the other dogs. It’s like a holiday for them.”

Donations to the charity help pay towards the volunteers’ pet food bill – though Anika says having an extra doggie mouth to feed is no problem, as there’s so many already. Where possible, the charity tries to keep to the same feed as the pet is used to.

The charity also arranges for the pets who come into its care to be neutered, as often the owners have been unable to afford to do this, and to avoid having to re-home unplanned kittens and puppies.

The foster pet is also registered with a vet near its new temporary home, in case of any medical problems.

Anika added: “I am sad to see the dogs go, as you do grow to love them in the weeks or months they are with you. But when they go it’s a positive thing, because it means a family is back together again.”

Carole Marsden, Project Manager for Paws For Kids, said: “Paws for Kids helps local people and their pets escape violence and abuse. We rely heavily on the generosity of the local community and individuals who donate what they can to help people and their beloved pets build a brighter future.

“We are delighted that Crompton Place has chosen us as its charity of the year, not only will this help to raise awareness of the charity’s work, it will also raise awareness of the help available in Bolton for families experiencing domestic violence.

“This valuable support from Crompton Place will also provide a wonderful opportunity for us to recruit volunteer pet foster carers enabling us to help even more women and children escape domestic abuse

If you’d like to help Paws For Kids, then www.pawsforkids.org.uk

Tuesday June 4th, 2013

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Chorley high fliers’ 11,000ft sky-dive to raise cash for Twincess Appeal

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A CHORLEY appeal set up by the parents of two little girls with Down’s Syndrome is getting a high-flying helping hand from Boots in Market Walk.

Staff at the busy store are organising a parachute jump from 11,000ft to raise cash for the Twincess appeal, run by Jodi and Matt Parry, whose 22-month-old twin daughters Abigail and Isobel were both born with Down’s Syndrome.

The appeal was set up by the Parrys to raise awareness of the twins’ condition and also to provide a resource for other families in a similar situation. Patrons for Twincess include Tom Smith, Lancashire and England cricketer and also Jonjo Kerr – X-Factor finalist.

Jodi will be making the 120mph sky-dive above Lancaster in September, and joining her will be Arron Raw, husband of Leonie Raw, who manages the Boots store in Market Walk.

And also getting ready to make the jump is Deborah Leeson, who has just moved from the store in Market Walk to manage Boots’ Leyland store, and who is a close friend of Leonie and the Parrys.

Jodi, who also has a four-year-old son Finlay, said: “We asked Leonie and the staff at Boots if they could help with a raffle prize – and they came up with idea of a parachute jump instead, to help raise money.

“I’ve never done anything like this before, though I did a 200ft abseil in Buxton last year for the Appeal. I’m not really scared of heights, it’s hitting the floor I’m scared about!

“I am so grateful for the help from for our Twincess Appeal, we do really appreciate everything that people do for us. We hate asking for help, and we were overwhelmed with the response we got in this instance,” added Jodi, 33.

Boots manager Leonie said her 37-year-old husband, who has a tattoo parlour in Kearsley, near Bolton, was aiming to raise around £1,000 with the jump. The group of eight will make a “tandem” sky-dive from a Cessna Grand Caravan Black Hawk 208, strapped to an experienced parachutist.

Leonie added: “Arron’s always wanted to do this, but I’d never let him before! But this is a great campaign and we are happy to help. Jodi is a regular customer with the girls and Finlay, and we always take time to make a fuss of them all when they come in.”

Leonie, who has a two-year-old son Che, plus an eight-year-old stepdaughter, Sia, added: “We’ve also helped with other events for the charity, such as a five-a-side football match, when Arron made the banners.”

Sandra Hawkins, Market Walk Manager, said she thought the Twincess fundraising efforts by Boots was very brave and wished them lots of luck with their parachute jump.

Sandra said: “There is always some fantastic fundraising adventure going on amongst the Market Walk stores somewhere and this is a terrific example.

“Market Walk is at the heart of a very generous community and so I feel sure our customers will support Leonie and her team raise money for the Parry family’s Twincess appeal.

“It is great to see such a lovely local cause get so much attention from the community and well deserved it is too.”

Also aiming to raise around £1,000 with the sky-dive is Deborah, 31, who has two children, Jessica nine, and Nathan, two, as well as being  godmother to Abigail and Isobel.

“They are lovely little girls,” she said. “I’ve never done a jump like this before and I am a bit nervous. But there are about eight of us doing it, so I’m sure we will have good fun as well.”

The Twincess Appeal aims to raise awareness of Down’s Syndrome, said Jodi, a constable with Greater Manchester Police at Bury, where Matt is an acting sergeant and intelligence co-ordinator.

So far the appeal has raised £22,000, which has gone to smaller charities and to help pay for a “crash pad” for the girls, where they can play games that strengthen their muscles and aid their development.

“We want to educate midwives and nurses about what it is like to care for a child with Down’s, and remove the ‘taboo’ that surrounds the condition.  We also want to provide a resource for parents who are also experiencing similar issues with their families,” said Jodi.

While she’s at work, the identical twins go to nursery with Finlay, who is about to start infant school.

Jodi admits she was shocked when she was told she was expecting twins – but refused to take any tests to check for genetic conditions, because of the fears of a miscarriage.

The girls arrived six weeks early and were born by caesarean section at 34 weeks, three minutes apart.

They were whisked off to a specialist neonatal unit and it was two weeks before doctor warned Jodi that they were showing signs of Down’s.

Later it was established that Abigail is deaf in one ear, while Isobel has a hole in her heart.

“I sometimes think that the delay in us finding out was to enable the bond that all parents have with their babies to develop. The love was so strong that there was no news in the world could have ever taken that away from me,” writes Jodi in a blog on the charity’s website.

Today they are just learning to walk and say their first words. “They have just had some specialist boots made, to assist them with their standing. They both have a thyroid condition and we’ve had to up their medicine so their skin is suffering a little, but otherwise they are relatively fine,” said Jodi.

To donate to the Twincess Appeal go to www.twincess.org or to sponsor the Boots parachute jump, pop into the store in Market Walk.

Monday June 3rd, 2013

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Scuba divers plunge back 80 years in time to try out antique underwater kit

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A GROUP of experienced divers turned the clock back almost 80 years when they took the plunge wearing old-fashioned underwater equipment.

Nine scuba divers, mostly from Black Country Divers, which is a branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) from Halesowen, donned a heavy antique diving helmet dating back to 1932 and other period kit including lead-bottomed boots as they explored the chilly depths of the National Diving Centre at Stoney Cove in Leicestershire.

The nostalgia exercise was the brainchild of the Black Country Divers’ Diving Officer Dan Higgins who dreamed it up as a way of celebrating his recent 40th birthday.

It is a timely exercise because it is also the diamond jubilee year for the national diving organisation of which Dan and his club are members.

BSAC is the UK’s governing body for the sport of scuba diving and is made up of 1,000+ family friendly and sociable branch clubs, like Black Country Divers, up and down the country and abroad.

It was formed in 1953 when equipment like that used by Dan and his fellow divers was still in use and now trains and represents 35,000 active scuba divers and snorkelers.

Diving with him were seven fellow members of Black Country Divers, which was formed in 1994 and currently has about 30 members who meet at Halesowen swimming pool every Wednesday evening.

Making sure everything went smoothly and safely were five members of the Historical Diving Society which loaned the old-fashioned equipment for the occasion.

Back on the surface later in the day, Dan said: “I’d been thinking of doing something like this for a while now. My cousin, who is also a diver, went down in old-fashioned gear off Cornwall to mark his 40th birthday.

“I turned 40 a few weeks ago, so I thought it would be good to try it myself along with some of the other members from our club.

“It really came together when we met up with some of the people from the Historical Diving Society at The Dive Show in Birmingham last autumn. They said they’d come along and help and loan us the equipment.

“On the day nine divers – that’s two from our club plus two others from BSAC clubs in Wolverhampton and Birmingham – took it turns to go into the water and we had an absolutely fantastic time.

“It was a beautiful sunny day, which helped with underwater visibility and meant you could see for about five or six metres once you were down there. The water temperature was about 10 degrees, which wasn’t too uncomfortable.”

He added: “We were wearing a large brass diving helmet dating from 1932, which I believe was once used by Royal Navy divers and could even have been on underwater operations during the Second World War.

“We also had on old-style heavy diving suit made of canvas over rubber. Although it wasn’t actually old, it is an exact reproduction of kit used 60 to 80 years ago. We kept warm by wearing fleece suits underneath it.

“On our feet we had on heavy boots with lead soles which helped keep us down on the bottom.

“The air was pumped down into the helmet through a long pipe from a hand-operated machine on the surface. A couple of guys were doing that.

“Once we were down there we didn’t go very deep, just about six metres to a shelf which goes around the edge, and spent the time mooching about trying to get used to the equipment, which was so different from the lightweight kit we have these days.

“It was really heavy and all the equipment we were wearing weighed about 13 stone altogether, but it was fascinating to see how well it all worked and everything went without a hitch thanks to the group from the Historical Diving Society.

“It was a really fantastic experience and we’re all really glad we did it.

“In fact, we enjoyed ourselves so much that some of us are now thinking of joining the Historical Diving Society so we can wear the equipment again.”

Mary Tetley, Chief Executive of BSAC, said: “Given this is BSAC’s diamond jubilee year, it is very fitting that BSAC club members are taking part in this experience.

“But to be honest, it is no great surprise because BSAC members are always enjoying amazing and exciting adventures and this is a great example of what the world of scuba diving with BSAC can open up for you.”

Dan, whose day job is an intensive care nurse at a hospital in the Midlands, has been a serious underwater enthusiast for the past five years and has dived all over the world including on a number of famous wrecks such as the HMS M2 submarine off Dorset.

Friday May 31st, 2013

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