Together, the team collected 9 bags of litter, as well as tubs of paint, an old children’s play tunnel, and large numbers of discarded vapes from the streets. Every bag filled and every item removed helps make our community cleaner, safer, and something we can all be proud of.

A huge thank you to everyone who took part, especially:

Councillor Chairman Phil Vaughan

Barbara Lloyd – Cefn Mawr and District Museum’s finest

David Roden – Tesco’s amazing Community Champion

Jamie Evans – Tesco Team Manager

Jacqueline Palmer – the best litter picker in Wales, and possibly the UK, from the #StayOnSide Cefn Litter Pickers

Andrew Ruscoe – Community Development Officer

Your support, hard work, and community spirit are greatly appreciated.

A big thank you to all involved, and very well done to everyone who helped make a real difference today.

#Newbridge#CommunityLitterPick#StayOnSide#CefnLitterPickers#CommunityPride#KeepingWrexhamTidy

Supported by Keep Wales Tidy – North East Wales and Wrexham County Borough Council

Councillor Isabel Twigg and former Councillor Ben Twigg were delighted to support Ysgol y Grango students this morning at our beautiful Plaskynaston Bowls Pavilion in Cefn

Thanks to Active Wrexham’s Liam Jones and Wrexham County Borough Council Play Services Officer Jay Davies, the students enjoyed a fantastic introduction to Crown Green Bowls as part of a brilliant intergenerational project

Councillor Isabel Twigg said:

“It was an absolute joy to be part of this wonderful project today. Seeing the Ysgol Grango pupils smiling, learning new skills and enjoying Crown Green Bowls together was truly heart warming. Bringing generations together through sport is so important, and I feel very passionate about creating opportunities like this for our young people and community.”

Not only did the students get the chance to play and be coached, but Councillor Twigg also helped donate bowls for the schools through Active Wrexham, thanks to the generous support of Hampden Bowls Club

A lovely morning full of

fun

friendship

learning

community spirit

#CefnCommunityCouncil#ActiveWrexham#YsgolGrango#CrownGreenBowls#CommunitySpirit#IntergenerationalProject#PlaskynastonBowls#Cefn

Cefn Community Council Chairman, Mr Phil Vaughan, was delighted to give Ysgol y Grango students a private guided tour of the wonderful, volunteer-led Cefn Mawr and District Museum

This special visit was organised by Liam Jones of Active Wrexham and Wrexham County Borough Council‘s Jay Davies

During the visit, Mr Vaughan spoke passionately about the rich history of Cefn Mawr, sharing fascinating stories about our community, its proud industrial past, its important links to Monsanto, and even the connection to local football legend Neco Williams

The students enjoyed a truly inspiring experience, learning more about the people, places and stories that have helped shape Cefn into the community it is today

Chairman Phil Vaughan said:

“It was a real pleasure to welcome the students to Cefn Mawr Museum and share some of the incredible history of our area. Our heritage is something we should all be proud of, and it is so important that young people have the chance to learn about Cefn’s past, its industries, its people, and the stories that make our community so special. The museum is a wonderful place, run with great dedication by volunteers, and I was delighted to help bring its history to life for the next generation.”

A huge thank you to everyone involved in making the visit so special, especially Liam Jones of Active Wrexham, Jay Davies of Wrexham Council, and the fantastic volunteers who help keep Cefn Mawr Museum such a treasured part of our community.

A morning of

learning

local pride

community spirit

inspiration

#CefnCommunityCouncil#CefnMawrMuseum#YsgolGrango#ActiveWrexham#WrexhamCouncil#LocalHistory#CommunityPride#VolunteerLed#CefnMawr#NecoWilliams#Monsanto#HeritageMatters

In a fantastic cross-community collaboration between Cefn Community Council and Penycae Community Council, Clerk Kathleen Coventry and Community Development Officer Andrew Ruscoe presented Councillor Phillips with two hedgehog house kits for Penycae Community Garden and the Pant Fields

These new hedgehog homes will help support and protect our local wildlife and are another great example of communities working together for nature

A huge thank you to everyone involved, and to Cefn Community Council for its ambassadorial role in helping Wrexham Council support our precious hedgehogs

#SaveOurHedgehogs#CommunityWorkingTogether#Penycae#CefnCommunityCouncil#Wrexham#ProtectWildlife#HedgehogHomes

Huge thanks to Christine Redmond for supporting the #StayOnSide Project by taking our Ysgol Acrefair -designed dog fouling posters into Newbridge to help tackle the recent issues being experienced.

This is community spirit in action.

The message has come from local young people.

The action is being led by local residents.

And together, we can make a real difference.

Dog mess is not just unpleasant — it can spread harmful bacteria and parasites, create health risks for children and other animals, and spoil the places we all share.

Bag it

Bin it

Respect your community

Let’s empower each other to take pride in our streets, protect public spaces, and send a clear message that dog fouling is not acceptable.

Thank you Christine.

Thank you Ysgol Acrefair.

Thank you to everyone backing the campaign.

Let’s work together and win the war on dog poo!

#StayOnSide #WarOnDogPoo #BagItBinIt #CommunityPride #CleanerStreets #Newbridge #YsgolAcrefair #WorkingTogether

A groundbreaking new chapter in Welsh Schools’ grassroots sport is set to begin this spring, as the NEWFA Primary Schools Regional Futsal League officially launches in Wrexham — a project being hailed as a historic milestone for school sport in the region.

The pilot league, which begins on Friday 17th April 2026 at Plas Madoc Leisure Centre, has secured official backing from the North East Wales Football Association (NEWFA), thanks to the support of Chief Executive Dave Fawkes and Cefn West Councillor Stella Matthews.

The opening fixtures will see:

• Year 5/6 Boys League: Ysgol Rhosymedre vs Ysgol Dee Valley Federation
• Year 5/6 Girls Friendly: Ysgol Rhosymedre vs Ysgol Dee Valley Federation

A Historic Moment for Welsh School Sport

While futsal has continued to grow across Wales — including national leagues and youth development pathways — structured school-based Sports leagues at primary level have been notably absent for many years now.

This new initiative is believed to be:

The first official futsal league for primary school children (11 and under) in Wrexham,
Recent years have seen individual milestones — such as the first all-girls schools’ futsal tournament in Cefn in 2025 — but this league represents a long-term, structured competition, marking a major step forward.

Driven by Passion and Personal Experience

The project has been championed by Community Development Officer and former Great Britain Futsal & Football Manager Andrew Ruscoe, who has long advocated for the return of organised school sports leagues.

Ruscoe, who grew up playing in structured leagues himself, highlighted the gap facing today’s young people:

“This is something I’ve been passionate about for a long time. Growing up, we had regular school sports leagues — they were a huge part of our development, not just as players but as people. Over time, those opportunities have reduced, and I’ve always believed we needed to bring them back.”
“To now see this become a reality — with schools, partners and the wider community coming together — is incredibly special. This isn’t just about futsal, it’s about giving children opportunities, creating memories, and building something that can grow for years to come.”
“I’m extremely grateful to everyone who has believed in this vision and helped make it happen. This is for the children — and it’s only the beginning.”

A True Community Collaboration

The league has been developed through strong partnership working across the community, with key contributions from local leaders, schools, and organisations.

Cefn West Councillor Stella Matthews, who chaired the Leagues development meetings and has chaired the trust running Plas Madoc leisure centre for the last 10 years, said:

“Since representing Cefn West and becoming a governor at Ysgol Acrefair, I have seen how important the local sports events organised by Cefn Community Council are to the youngsters, events such as Councillor Derek Wrights Football Tournament and the Cefn Schools Olympics.
I am sure this pilot will be a great success and hopefully we can expand the scheme to include the wider area of Wrexham South and I congratulate everyone involved”

Chairman of Cefn Community Council, Mr Phil Vaughan, added:
“Cefn Community Council are incredibly proud to be part of this historic moment for our area. To see something like this come to life, which will benefit so many young people, is truly special and exactly what community partnership working is all about.
This project shows what can be achieved when schools, organisations, and local leaders come together with a shared vision. We are making history here in Wrexham, and that is something everyone involved should be extremely proud of.
On behalf of the Council, I would like to sincerely thank all of our collaborative partners who have worked so hard to make this happen. This is just the beginning, and we look forward to seeing it grow and inspire future generations”
Further supporting partners include:

• Dave Fawkes, NEWFA Chief Executive Officer
• Tom Evison, Deputy Headteacher at Ysgol Min-Y-Ddol
• Denise Chadwick, Plas Madoc Leisure Centre
• Liam Jones, Active Wrexham

Quotes from partners:

• Dave Fawkes (NEWFA CEO):

“This is a landmark moment for school sport in North East Wales, and NEWFA is immensely proud to support the launch of the Primary Schools Regional Futsal League. What makes this initiative so special is that it is rooted in opportunity, inclusion, and the belief that every child should have the chance to experience the joy, discipline, and sense of belonging that sport can provide.
This is about much more than futsal. It is about investing in our young people, supporting schools, and creating a structure that can inspire participation and development for years to come. The commitment shown by all those involved has been outstanding, and it is a credit to the strength of partnership working within the community. We believe this can be the start of something truly important — not just for Wrexham, but potentially for the future of primary school sport across the North East Wales Region. NEWFA is honoured to play a part in that journey”

Denise Chadwick (Plas Madoc Leisure Centre):

• We are thrilled that Plas Madoc Leisure Centre is part of this Community Collaboration

Removing Barriers and Building for the Future

Thanks to NEWFA sponsorship, the pilot league will remove the £17.50 match fee, helping ensure accessibility for all schools.
However, organisers are encouraging schools to consider small voluntary contributions from parents to help build sustainability for future participation as the league expands.

The Start of Something Bigger

There is strong optimism that this pilot marks the beginning of a wider rollout across the borough — and potentially beyond.
With clear demand identified by schools themselves, the league demonstrates what can be achieved when communities work together with a shared purpose.

As Ruscoe added:

“We are proving that this can be done. The appetite is there, the need is there — and now we have the platform to grow something really special for young people across Wrexham and beyond.”

A big welcome to Wrexham Litter Pickers very own Kelly Evans, who has joined our mission to help protect and save local hedgehogs.

Through our role as Hedgehog Ambassadors, supported by Wrexham County Borough Council Local Places for Nature fund, we’re proud to keep doing our bit for local wildlife.

Great to have you on board, Kelly — hopefully together we can help save another hedgehog

This was made possible through our Hedgehog Champions campaign, thanks to support from Wrexham County Borough Council’s Local Places for Nature Fund. 🌿
Together, we are helping to protect and support our local hedgehogs. 🦔✨

HedgehogChampions #SaveOurHedgehogs #Wrexham #LocalPlacesForNature

Yesterday, Amy received her free Hedgehog House kit 🏡 as part of our ambassadorial role as Hedgehog Champions

🦔✨ This is another positive step in helping protect and support hedgehogs in our community by giving them a safe space to shelter and thrive. We are proud to be delivering this initiative thanks to support from Wrexham County Borough Council’s Local Places for Nature Fund 🌿, helping us take practical action to protect one of our most loved local species .Every Hedgehog House kit given out is another small but important step towards creating a safer environment for our local hedgehogs

🦔🍃A huge thank you to everyone supporting this mission 🙌 together, we can make a real difference for our local wildlife. 💚

HedgehogChampions #SaveOurHedgehogs #LocalPlacesForNature #Wrexham #WildlifeConservation #CommunityAction

🕰️ Opening hours:
10:00am – 12:30pm

📖 Need help with local history, research or local knowledge?
The museum is a great place to visit if you would like support, information or to learn more about the rich history of our area.

✅ Free admission
All we ask is that visitors please sign our visitor book.

📧 For enquiries:
pmv014@outlook.com

❤️ Please support your local museum
Come in, have a look around, and discover more about Cefn Mawr’s fascinating heritage.

CefnCommunityCouncil #CefnMawrMuseum #LocalHeritage #HistoryMatters #CommunityMuseum