EDUCATION

WGU teaching quality and lecturers recognised in UK’s biggest student-voted awards

The quality of teaching and lecturers at Wrexham Glyndwr University (WGU) has been recognised at the UK’s biggest student-voted awards – after being ranked second overall, out of 80 participating universities. Staff and student representatives attended the annual Whatuni Student Choice Awards (WUSCA) ceremony in London, after being nominated in five categories:

• Lecturers and Teaching Quality

• Career Prospects

• Student Support

• Postgraduate

• International

Former St David’s pupil contributes to Coronation

The exquisite work of a former St David’s College pupil was on full display during the King’s Coronation. As millions of people from across the world tuned in to watch, master silversmith Tim Gibbs (pictured), a former pupil of the Llandudno school, had designed and made the ‘finials’ for the Anointing screen that were clearly visible during the ceremony. They were located at the bottom of the Anointing screen and the Eagle at the

Rydal Penrhos Partners with Disability Charity Sense

Colwyn Bay independent school Rydal Penrhos has announced its charity partner for the next academic year. The coeducational day school, which is itself a registered charity, regularly engages in charity work and supports various non-profit organisations both local and international. For 2023/24, Rydal Penrhos will partner with Sense, a charity that supports individuals who are deafblind or have complex disabilities. Sense, with over 65 years of experience in providing personalised support and 20 centres across England, Wales and Northern Ireland, are driven by the belief that anyone should be able to take part in life, no matter their disability. Rydal Penrhos has previously collaborated with Sense on various fundraising efforts and will begin the new partnership with the annual Rydal Penrhos ‘Walkathon’ event in July.

The institution scored highly in all areas it was shortlisted in – as well as being ranked second for lecturers and teaching quality, WGU was the top-scoring university in Wales in for student support and by postgraduate students. In these two areas, WGU also finished in the top five of the whole of the UK sector. WGU was also ranked joint fourth by international students and in eighth place for career prospects. Overall, the university was placed 20th out of more than 80 institutions in University of the Year.

top was created by a friend of Tim’s. He very kindly donated a silver cross to St David’s that sits front, centre and very proudly in our Chapel. It comes as no surprise that Tim has been commissioned to make the ‘finials’ for the Coronation, as his heirloom pieces are of museum standard much sought after by private collectors, private galleries and completed several commissions, the most notable being the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. Tim trained at Birmingham School of Jewellery and Silversmithing. “I was privileged to have been involved with the Coronation in this way-I only had three weeks to make them!” he commented.

College Campuses are Gearing Up for Huge Community Fun Days

Grŵp Llandrillo Menai is gearing up to welcome hundreds of local people to its Community Fun Days this June.

Events will be taking place at:

Coleg Menai - Llangefni Campus: Saturday 10th June, 10am – 2pm

Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor - Dolgellau Campus: Saturday 17th June, 11am – 2pm

The fun-filled events will be a fantastic day out for all the family with a host of exciting experiences and workshops going on to suit all tastes!

The events are free, open to everyone, and are aimed at:

• Parents who want to visit the campus to view the facilities and speak to staff

• School pupils

• Local residents who are interested in what the college and local services have to offer

• People who are interested in getting a job or starting a new career

• And finally… families who just want a fun day out!

On the day, you can try out a whole host of exciting activities, while tantalising your taste buds with a wide range of delicious food options. There will also be the opportunity to speak to, and get careers advice from, representatives from a range of organisations including the Fire Service, Army and many other local companies.

Ruthin Artisan Markets relocates

Ruthin Artisan Markets, a popular monthly event showcasing local artisans and their products, is moving from Ruthin Gaol to the rear of Ruthin Market Hall. Starting from the last Saturday of each month, the market will open at 10am and run until 3.30pm. The move to the new location will provide a more cohesive space for vendors and visitors, as well as better access to amenities such as parking and public transportation, the main bus stop is across the road. In addition, Ruthin Market Hall and its café will be open on the artisan market days, providing even more options for visitors to enjoy. The organisers are excited to be moving to this new location and look forward to welcoming both their regular and new visitors, as they believe that this move will help them provide an even better experience for everyone involved. The market will continue to feature a wide variety of handmade and locally sourced products, including crafts, food, and gifts. Visitors can expect to find unique and high-quality items that are not available anywhere else. For more information about Ruthin Artisan Markets and the upcoming events, please visit their website or follow them on social media.

More of us are living from payday to payday

A recent Panorama documentary highlighted the very real squeeze that we are all feeling, as years of wage stagnation, dating back to 2008, have been exacerbated by the more recent wave of price increases. Meanwhile a report by Welsh think tank the Bevan Foundation stated that almost half of Welsh people (48 per cent) felt that their mental health has been affected by the cost-of-living crisis. Around three in ten Welsh people reported their physical health had been negatively affected by their financial position. With prices rising faster than wages, responsible employers are looking for ways to help support their staff.

Here in North Wales, Cambrian Credit Union are working with more than 50 employers to help their staff manage their money better. Employers from Natural Resources Wales to Airbus to Thorncliffe Building Supplies to Splashworld Plasmadoc have signed up to Moneyworks Wales with Cambrian Savings and Loans. The Moneyworks Wales scheme is open to all employers right across Wales and allows staff to save or borrow, direct from their salary. Backed by Welsh Government, TUC Wales and with more than 150 employers on board, Moneyworks Wales is a collaboration between credit unions across Wales to help staff manage their money. The fact is that the cost of living crisis has meant more of us are living from payday to payday, with little or no savings, meaning that every extra cost can become a financial emergency. With Moneyworks Wales, it is easy to start putting away a small amount each month, to build a financial buffer. Thanks to support from Stop Loan Sharks Wales, new Moneyworks savers or borrowers, working for one of our employer partners, will also be entered into a monthly draw to win £150* (T&C’s apply). There are budgeting tools, created by Moneyhelper, which are tailored for different stages of life, whether that’s getting your first car, through to planning for a new addition to your family or looking towards retirement. If you are just looking for a household budget calculator to look at income and outgoings, that’s available too.

Pirates make an entrance!

There’s an exciting Pirate themed Artisan Market in Colwyn Bay on Saturday June 17th! Alongside the many beautiful artisan stalls there’ll be plenty of Pirate shenanigans to enjoy and explore, including a real life mermaid, a crew of pirates with all their kit and caboodle, pirate songs and stories – and kids can enjoy a special treasure hunt collecting gold coins on their way around the market to win a pirate prize! Get into the swing of things yourselves with Pirate costumes, eye patches, peg legs and parrots most welcome! Plus there’ll be even more fun for the little ones with face painting, fun and games and street art activities for all to enjoy! And the grown-ups will be well entertained too with live music all day, hot street food and a pop-up bar to relax and enjoy a drink on the market! Come down and enjoy two large bustling streets filled with stalls selling incredible arts, crafts, candles, cakes, bakes and booze! Shiver me timbers – it’s going to be a real adventure on the market! Colwyn Bay, Station & Seaview Roads, 10-4pm.

With the support of Bay Of Colwyn Town Council

Lawyers looking forward to show season

Show season is coming up, and lawyers at a North Wales law firm say they are looking forward to meeting clients “old, new and future” during the summer months. Lanyon Bowdler, which has offices in Conwy and works with clients all over North Wales, will be at a number of shows, including Anglesey, Merioneth and the Royal Welsh Show. Edward Nutting (pictured), head of Lanyon Bowdler’s Conwy office, said the firm was always keen to support agricultural shows. “Community events, particularly agricultural shows, bring people together and are an excellent way of meeting clients old, new and future,” he said. “We always try to do something interactive and engaging, including teddy bear hoopla and providing a range of refreshments, which are always popular.

Agricultural shows are an integral part of the North Wales social scene, when farmers and business owners can catch up and share the latest news with each other, and we are very much looking forward to being involved.”

Penderyn celebrates 2nd Birthday in Llandudno!

Penderyn celebrated its second anniversary of their Llandudno Distillery on May 21st 2023. They are proud to be in the heart of Llandudno, and their latest addition to their Exhibition Centre is a Great Orme Goat which they have called Glasfryn. Their tours are open seven days a week and you can book online, so why not come and meet Glasfryn as well as find out what makes Penderyn the Home of Welsh Whisky? They also do 2.5 hour masterclasses and their shop is open seven days a week. You book online here: ww.penderyn.wales/visit

Local residents celebrate Coronation

Abbeyfield celebrated the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty the Queens Consort with a big party for all the residents with fabulous food prepared by Sara. Many of the residents remember the Queens’ Coronation on 2nd June 1953 and were very sad at her passing but they are thrilled with King Charles and Queen was enjoyed by all followed by tea and cake. Coronation Day saw all residents

TV church service and procession, a all had a very entertaining weekend. 98 year-old Barbara had her first selfie with Anna Hamblett the General Manager, and all the photos are on the Abbeyfield Colwyn Bay Facebook page together with our many celebrations. The residents are wondering what could be the next celebration, they enjoyed it so much.

Awards success for Peter Large

Peter Large Estate Agents in Abergele has just won the 2023 British Property Award for Conwy County. The successful Estate Agents is already the holder of the 2019 and 2021 Gold Winner Estate Agent in Conwy County awards. The team performed outstandingly throughout the extensive judging process, which focussed on customer service levels. Peter Large Estate Agents, Abergele, have now been shortlisted for a number of national awards which will be announced later in the year. The British Property Awards provides estate agents throughout the UK with an invaluable opportunity to compare the service that they provide against the service provided by their local, regional and national competition. Agents who go that extra mile and provide outstanding levels of customer service are rewarded with an accolade, which acts as a beacon to highlight these attributes in their local marketplace.

Retraction

In the last issue of North Wales Magazine we covered the Isle of Anglesey. In the feature we mentioned a property known as the Blue House. However it has since come to our attention that this property has not been abandoned as we suggested, and is in fact privately owned. We would like to apologise to the owner of the property, and to our readers for getting the information wrong. The property is, under no circumstances, to be visited by anyone without direct permission from the owner. We would like to publically apologise for any confusion caused by the mistake in the article.