This is Our Wellington issue 11

This is our 

LOVE 

Wellington 

WELLINGTON: TWINNED WITH CHÂTENAY-MALABRY 

Inside 

Spotlight on the 

Interfaith Council 

VIEWS OVER 

THE WREKIN 

Free shopping 

deliveries! 

Les is a Wellington 

High Street hero! 

Issue Number 11 | January 2023 

This Is Our Wellington 11.indd 1 23/12/2022 15:32


Town Council 

www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk 

How to contact Wellington Town Council 

Civic Offices, Larkin Way, Tan Bank, Wellington, 

Telford, Shropshire TF1 1LX 

Ward 

Councillors 

Do you know which Councillor represents 

your Ward? See list of Councillors below, 

contact details are via the Town Council. 

ARLESTON WARD 

Telephone: 01952 567697 

Email: wellingtontowncouncil@telford.gov.uk 

Cllr Joan 

Gorse 

Cllr Angela 

McClements 

Cllr Giles 

Luter 

www.facebook.com/WellingtonTCShropshire 

COLLEGE WARD 

twitter.com/WellingtonTCI 

Wellington Town Council Officers 

Cllr Dorothy Roberts 

Mayor 

Karen Roper 

Town Clerk 

Andrew Roberts 

Deputy Town Clerk 

Cllr Lee 

Carter 

Cllr John 

Latter 

Cllr Usman 

Ahmed 

Caroline Mulvihill 

Communications and 

Events Manager 

Paola Armstrong 

Wellington Festival and 

Love Wellington 

Steve Warwood Wellington Town Crier 

Sally Themans 

Love Wellington, Wellington 

Regeneration & This is our 

Wellington Magazine 

DOTHILL WARD 

02 

www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk 

www.lovewellington.co.uk 

Cllr Phil Morris- 

Jones MBE 

Cllr Karen 

Tomlinson 

Cllr Lisa Jinks 

Important Contacts and Numbers 

ERCALL WARD 

Rubbish and Recycling team – bins 

Email: recyclefortelford@telford.gov.uk 

Telephone: 01952 384384 

Planning and Development 

Telephone: 01952 380380 

Email: planning.control@telford.gov.uk 

Housing Solutions team 

Telephone: 01952 381925 

Neighbourhood and Enforcement 

Services 

Email: envmaintcs@telford.gov.uk 

Telephone: 01952 384384 (office hours) 

03451 559955 (out of hours) 

Roads and Highways 

Highways Maintenance team 

Telephone: 01952 384000 

Email: highways@telford.gov.uk 

Cllr Miles 

Hosken 

Cllr Dorothy 

Roberts 

HAYGATE WARD 

Cllr Sylvia 

Hall 

Birth, deaths and marriages 

Telephone: 01952 382444 

register.office@telford.gov.uk 

Abandoned rubbish - Neighbourhood 

and Leisure Services 

Telephone: 01952 384384 (office hours) 

or 03451 559955 (out of hours) 

Email: recyclefortelford@telford.gov.uk 

Child sexual exploitation 

Telephone: 01952 385385 

Citizens Advice Telford & The Wrekin 

Telephone: 0300 330 1165 

Telford and Wrekin Community Help Line 

01952 382030 

Family connect 01952 385385 

Job Box 01952 382888 

Mind 0300 1240365 

Maninplace 01952 248248 

Steer Clear knife crime 01952 214747 

Street Link – homeless 0300 500 0914 

Dog Fouling Telephone 01952 384384 

(office hours) 03451 559955 (out of hours) 


Noise - Public Protection team 

Telephone: 01952 381818 

Email: 

environmental.health@telford.gov.uk 

Pest Control 

Telephone: 01952 384384 


Citizens Advice consumer helpline 

Telephone: 0808 223 1133 

Wellington Library 

Telephone: 01952 382990 

Email: wellington.library@telford.gov.uk 

Wellington Leisure Centre 

Telephone: 01952 382720 

Email: wellingtonleisure@telford.gov.uk 

Cllr Graham 

Cook 

PARK WARD 

Cllr Chris 

Brittain 

Cllr Stephen 

deLauney 

Cllr John Alvey 

Cllr Julie 

Pierce 

SHAWBIRCH WARD 

Cllr Pat 

Fairclough 

Cllr Crispin 

Barker 

Cllr Paul 

Davis 

Cllr Anthony 

Lowe 



A message from the Mayor of Wellington 

A very happy New Year to 

all residents of Wellington 

This is our Wellington has 

been designed and printed by 

Plus Two Media Limited. 

Plus 

Media 

Limited 

All text copyright 

© Wellington Town Council 

2023 / Love Wellington 

Photographs supplied by Love 

Wellington and Wellington Town 

Council additional pictures from 

Wrekin News / Plus Two Media 

Limited archive. 

For more information about 

newsletter and brochure design 

and printing please contact James 

Baylis, Telephone: 07977 481186 

or email James: 

james@plus2media.co.uk 

www.plus2media.co.uk 

As we move into a Covid-recovery 

world there are new challenges 

for us all to face, with a cost of 

living crisis beginning to bite. 

We are all determined that the 

excellent work that has seen Wellington’s 

regeneration as one of the county’s most 

prominent and thriving towns not to be 

undone, and there are still exciting things 

happening in Wellington, details of which 

you will find in the pages of this magazine. 

In December Wellington Town Council 

voted to support The Wellington Orbit in the 

next phase of its development. The Orbit 

is a community run and owned cinema and 

hub in the middle of our town which brings 

arts and culture to the centre of Wellington. 

It has already proved itself since opening in 

2019, and from this year it will be showing 

live-streamed performances – meaning 

residents can enjoy live theatre from the 

likes of the National Theatre without leaving 

Wellington! 

Towards the end of last year we enjoyed 

a hugely successful Christmas Lights 

Switch On event, with many people 

showing appreciation of the new lights 

purchased by the town council and enjoying 

the entertainment put on including the 

Wellington (Telford) Brass Band. The evening 

was topped off by yet another super evening 

in our market which hosted their most 

popular late-night opening ever. 

Looking ahead to 2023 we will see 

continued regeneration of Wellington. This 

will see key buildings in the town centre, 

such as the old YMCA and Planet of Beauty, 

given a new lease of life. The town council’s 

Regeneration Partnership with Telford & 

Wrekin Council continues to forge ahead 

with dynamic ways to improve the centre of 

Wellington. 

This, combined with the generous 

community spirit of the people of 

Wellington, and the good news highlighted 

by Love Wellington bodes well for the future. 

I hope to welcome many of you in the 

spirit of this community, for the Mayor’s 

annual dinner at The Buckatree Hotel on 

Saturday 18 March, as well as to a Choir 

Evening* at Christ Church on Monday 6 

March – both of which will be fundraising for 

the Mayor’s Charities: KIP, an appointmentbased 

service offering assistance to people 

presenting as homeless or rough sleeping in 

the Telford & Wrekin area and also Combat 

Stress, a charity that helps veterans coping 

with PTSD. I hope you will support me in my 

fundraising efforts for such worthy causes. 

I do hope you enjoy this edition of ‘This is 

Our Wellington’. 

Kind regards 


*some ticket proceeds will be going 

to the Wrekin College Choir 

03 

Cover shots: Top of the Wrekin 

taken by Sue Minor, Millie looking 

out from the Wrekin by Manel 

Roura and top of the Wrekin in 

winter by Claire Bratley. 

The views expressed in This is Our 

Wellington are those of the individual 

contributors and not necessarily the 

views of the Wellington Town Council, 

Love Wellington or Plus Two Media 

Limited. 

@LoveWellington 

@LoveWellington1 

lovewellingtonshropshire 


LOVE 

Community News 

WELLINGTON 

HISTORY 

GROUP 

TALKS 

● 19 January 

The Closure of our Local 

Monasteries (Neil Clarke) 

● 16 March 

Cinderloo (Pete Jackson) 

● 18 May 

The Walker Legacy 

(Wendy Palin) 

BOWRING PARK UPDATE 

All start at 7.30pm in 

Wellington Library. 

04 

SAD 

FAREWELLS 

It is with great sadness 

to inform the Wellington 

community that both local 

historian Allan Frost and Fiona 

Hunter, founding director of 

Wellington Orbit, passed away 

just before Christmas. Both will 

be remembered for the huge 

contribution they made to 

Wellington life. 

WELLINGTON 

CIVIC 

SOCIETY 

On 5 May the Wellington Civic 

Society will visit Chirk Castle. 

If anyone would be interested 

in joining this trip please 

contact Eileen Sanderson via 

email e_sanderson@live.com 

or phone 07590 335000. 



Users of Wellington’s Bowring Park 

are enjoying several new facilities, 

including a new path in the park 

– which runs from the play area, 

behind the tennis court, right up to 

the cemetery entrance, providing a way into 

the park from the cemetery or the top of the 

overflow car park, without ploughing through 

mud in bad weather. There are also two new 

benches beside the main path as requested by 

park users to provide welcome places to sit and 

rest. 

Another innovation is the installation of 

interval markers – over a distance of 300 metres 

marked out on the main path. These 20 metre 

intervals are designed to set targets for people 

doing fitness or sprint training. Both the benches 

and the interval markers have been paid for by 

Cllr Miles Hoskins from his ward fund. 

Mayor’s pub quiz 

raises £240 for 

local charities 

The Mayor of Wellington, Cllr Dorothy 

Roberts, was delighted to raise £240 for her 

chosen charities at her recent pub quiz that 

was held at the Wrekin Inn. Seen here is the 

mayor with the winning team ‘The Red Lion 

2nd X1’. Congratulations! 

A variety of safety measures are being carried 

out around the main park entrance and the café 

providing alternative routes for pedestrians and 

the noticeboards have also been redesigned. 

The Friends Group, volunteers, members of 

both councils and idVerde staff have worked 

together to construct a bug hotel, providing a 

vital habitat for insects. 



This is our Wellington | www.lovewellington.co.uk 

LOVE 

Somebody cares. Wellington 

cares... 

There are some warm 

spaces in Wellington as 

well as special initiatives 

to help those that are 

finding the cost-of-living 

crisis difficult this winter. 

On Mondays Arleston 

Community Centre 

welcomes participants 

to ‘Cooking on a budget’ 

sessions from 10am- 

1pm. At the same venue 

on Tuesdays there will 

be ‘Tea, Toast and Talk’ 

between 9am-12noon 

with breakfast/brunch, 

hot drinks and games 

as well as support and 

advice. 

On Wednesdays there 

is a warm welcome at 

Admaston House from 

9.15am-5pm organised 

by St Christopher’s 

Trust; with games and 

activities, workspaces 

with Wifi, hot soup at lunchtime and hot and cold drinks. Also on Wednesdays 

there are ‘Tea and Toast’ mornings at Christ Church Wellington from 8.30- 

10.30am. 

There is also a warm space at the Interfaith Hub on New Street every 

Thursday 1-6pm and Saturday 1-5pm; with hot meals, games and chat. 

Cllr Angela McClements commented, “These very welcome initiatives will 

help and support our most vulnerable residents during a very difficult time for 

everyone, providing a warm and welcoming space over the coming months.” 

The warm space initiatives will run throughout the winter. Somebody cares. 

Wellington cares. 

WELLINGTON MAN’S ROLE AT WORLD CUP 

With world cup mania hitting the nation before 

Christmas, it brought a memory of the role in 

the famous 1966 world cup by one Wellington 

man. Brian Roberts was a youngster in the 

Royal Marines band and played at the 1966 

World Cup Final at Wembley. Retired police 

officer Brian, now 76, said, “It was an amazing 

occasion - and we were busy; we played 

before the match, at half time - and were 

supposed to come on at the final whistle but 

it went into extra time. All I can remember was 

the noise. It was deafening. It was the most 

brilliant experience.” 

And Brian hasn’t hung up his bugle yet – only 

in November he played the Last Post for the 

Remembrance at the Bucks Head. A fabulous 

bit of Wellington history. 

Interfaith in Wellington 

● Les Pointer and Cllr Raj Mehta. 

Founded in 2018 Telford & Wrekin Interfaith Council 

started their mission to keep ‘Unity in Community’ 

- building and maintaining conversation and cooperation 

between all faith and cultural groups. 

The council opened their centre in New Street 

Wellington in October 2021 which gives them a hub 

from which, with their family of volunteers, they 

provide a range of support locally. They are the 

official Out of Hours Foodbank for the Borough of 

Telford and their mission is clear - if they receive 

a request for help – whoever and whatever the 

circumstances, they will support. 

Between April 2020 - Sept 2022 they supplied 

over 296,384 meals - 90% of which are delivered 

by their volunteers. 

The Interfaith Council also annually collect 

Easter Eggs for children and at Christmas provide 

treats with food parcels and visit many areas 

with Santa and his sleigh as well as cooking a hot 

meal for locals on Christmas Day and providing a 

warm and welcoming environment. When Love 

Wellington visited it was clear that here is a team 

of people with the spirit of friendship and cooperation 

the heart of their organisation who are 

very much dedicated to their core message: ‘To 

make the world a better place’ who are always very 

thankful for local support and donations - whether 

monetary or food goods. 

05 


LOVE 

Love Wellington News 

06 

BUSINESS 

WHATSAPP 

GROUP 

Wellington businesses 

are always encouraged 

and welcome to join the 

Love Wellington Business 

WhatsApp group which has 

130 members and shares 

news of campaigns and 

meetings. To join please email 

lovewellington2020@gmail. 

co.uk 

PRIDE IN OUR HIGH 

STREET GRANTS MAKE A 

DIFFERENCE 

The latest Wellington business 

to benefit from Telford & 

Wrekin Council’s Pride in Our 

High Street Façade grants 

is Cash Converters on New 

Street with a new façade 

and signage. Other grants 

available are Eco grants 

and a new Diversification 

grant. If you are a business 

and would like to apply 

for a grant please email 

PrideInOurHighstreet@ 

telford.gov.uk explaining 

what you would like to apply 

for. 

‘SHOP JACKET’ FOR 

PLANET OF BEAUTY 

Planet of Beauty is set to get 

an exciting new makeover – a 

‘shop jacket’ with a threedimensional 

design – making 

it look like a toy shop inside. 

This key property at one 

of Wellington’s gateways 

was purchased by Telford 

& Wrekin Council last year. 

Unfortunately, considerable 

structural work needs to be 

carried out – so while this 

remedial work is taking place 

the council is keen to ensure 

the building in the heart of 

Wellington and key part of 

the regeneration, looks as 

attractive as possible. 

FREE SHOPPING DELIVERIES TO 

HELP WELLINGTON BUSINESSES 

This autumn and winter has seen 

a team of volunteers offering 

to deliver people’s purchases 

by electric bike in and around 

Wellington. The five fully trained 

bikers offer the service on Thursdays, Fridays 

and Saturdays as part of a pilot project run 

by the Shropshire Cycle Hub, a community 

charity which improves access to healthy, 

sustainable transport. The hub have secured 

the use of an e-cargo bike until April as well 

as another bike with a cargo trailer. 

This free of charge service provides 

convenience for Wellington shoppers and 

supports the town’s distinctive range of small 

shops and market traders, whilst reducing 

unnecessary car or van journeys. The 

initiative even caught the attention of BBC 

Midlands Today – who came to film the volunteers in December! 

Anyone interested in using the service should call or text 07398 136120. The five cycle volunteers, 

from left; Peter Brench, Cllr Anthony Lowe, Rob Hubbleday, Jim Percival and Paul Kalinaukas. 

Business meeting big success 

Around 20 businesses attended 

a meeting in Wellington recently 

to discuss a range of issues 

affecting the town. Organised 

by Love Wellington the event 

was the latest in a series of local 

initiatives. “It was a successful 

and productive meeting, 

attracting a wide range of 

businesses, including retailers, 

professional specialists, 

hospitality venues and the 

creative services,” said Sally 

Themans of Love Wellington. 

The meeting was hosted 

by Anthony’s of Wellington 

and was also attended by 

representatives of the police, 

Telford & Wrekin Council and 

the Shropshire Cycle Hub. 

Matters discussed were Market Street 

roadworks and the reporting of crime in the area, 

e-cargo bike deliveries and late night shopping 

evenings in the run up to Christmas. Connor 

Wilcock of Love Mobility in the town centre said 

that he had taken over his shop in the last year 

and this was his first business meeting, “It was 

very informative and a good opportunity for me 

to hear how everyone else is getting on - I will 

definitely attend the next business meeting,” he 

commented. 



LOVE 

PHEASANT SCOOPS TOP PRIZE 

New 

businesses 

open their 

doors 

● Lucy’s Shoebox (Market) 

● Beauty HQ (New Street) 

The Pheasant Inn, home of Rowton 

Brewery, received the award for 

‘County Pub of The Year 2022’ from 

Telford & East Shropshire’s Campaign 

for Real Ale group. 

The pub is very much a family 

business, with father and son Jim and 

Peter Preston receiving the award 

which celebrates both the quality 

of cask ale served at the pub and its 

welcoming atmosphere. Jim founded 

Rowton Brewery at the pub in 2008 

and the family has been running the 

venue for the last 6 years. They serve 

Rowton Brewery beers as well as 

cask ale from some of the best-loved 

breweries from around the country. 

The award is voted for by hundreds of 

local members of the Campaign for 

Real Ale and was presented by Branch 

Chairman Adrian Zawierka. 

“It’s one of the biggest accolades 

Rowton Brewery has had,” Jim said. His 

son Peter agrees, “The Pheasant Inn is 

a community pub and you can’t have 

a pub without people, so we’d like to 

thank everyone who has dropped in 

this year.” 

Dozens of real ale enthusiasts 

support pubs and breweries through 

the Campaign for Real Ale – helping 

to identify wonderful pubs serving 

well-kept ale that warrant inclusion 

in the Good Beer Guide, the latest 

celebratory 50th edition has just been 

published. 

● Pon Deh Cawna (Nadine’s Jamaican food) 

● Bath & Bed (Market) 

● Shadow Stylez (Market) 

● Bocadillos (Outdoor Market) 

● Welford CBD and Sweet Shack swapped 

locations (Market Annexe) 

● Caroline’s Nails and Beauty Academy 

(Market Annexe) 

● Bellissimo Beauty (Market Square) 

07 

‘Beauty Full’ awards for Wellington salon 

Michelle Fenly, owner of Shades & Fades Hair 

and Beauty Salon in Wellington is celebrating 

not one, but two awards in 2022 having bagged 

silver place as ‘Stylist of the Year’ and bronze as 

‘Colour Specialist of the Year.’ 

Michelle only opened her salon, which is 

located within RISE fitness at AFC Telford Utd, 

in October 2021 having decided to take the leap 

from being a mobile hairdresser and said, “It’s 

been an incredible year. I am so grateful to have 

won these awards. Being self-employed is a 

huge commitment but this confirms that 

it is all worth it. My clients have been 

incredibly supportive and I’m very 

excited to see what 2023 brings.” 

Well done! 

● International Aesthetics and Wellbeing 

Institute (Crown St) 

● The Welldeck (which has moved to the 

Food Court in the Market) 

● Spud n’ Pudz (Market Annex) 


WELLINGTON IN BLOOM FOR THE THIRD YEAR RUNNING AND THE 

FIRST EVER WELLINGTON OPEN GARDENS WEEKEND IN JULY. 

WELLINGTON FESTIVAL, WELLINGTON WALKING FESTIVAL AND 

FAMILY FUN DAYS IN THE PARK AND ‘CHARLTONBURY’ MUSICFEST 

08 

QUEEN’S PLATINUM JUBILEE CELEBRATIONS 

AND MIDSUMMER FAYRE 

202 

A YEAR 

PICTUR 

GARDEN PARTY AT SUNNYCROFT TO CELEBRATE WELLINGTON 

WINNING ‘SHROPSHIRE’S OUTSTANDING COMMUNITY’ AWARD 

WELLINGTON MARCHES TO REMEMBER 

LATE NIGHT MARKET EVENT 


WELLINGTON TRAILS – EASTER BUNNIES 

AND WELLINGTON WITCHES 

CHARTER DAY BACK IN FORCE! 

22 

EAR IN 

TURES 

HIGH STREET HEROES, NEW BUSINESSES AND WELLINGTON 

WORKING TOGETHER 

09 

BAYLEY MILE AND WELLINGTON’S FIRST EVER 10K 

FUN IN THE SQUARE… ITALIAN SCOOTER DAY, TELFORD & WREKIN 

HIGH STREET CELEBRATION DAY, TELFORDAIRES PERFORM AT 

‘SOUNDS IN THE SQUARE’ 


LOVE 

Love Wellington News 

10 

GOLDEN 

WELLY 

WINNERS! 

Competition was hot for 

the coveted ‘Golden Welly 

best dressed window’ this 

Christmas as judges from 

Rotary, Wellington Town 

Councillors and our mayor 

took to the streets for the 

annual competition organised 

by Caroline Mulvihill at 

Wellington Town Council. 

The winner of the shop 

category was Wool Magic 

with Beautiful Bargains 

second, whilst The Sweet 

Shack in the Market Annex 

won the best market stall 

category with Bloomers 

second. Mayor of Wellington 


presented the golden wellies 

as well as a cash prize. 




WELLINGTON’S DAN GROWING 

‘MEN WALKING AND TALKING’ 

Dan Reid, of Shawbirch, launched an 

important initiative in 2021 which has 

fulfilled a need and is now spreading 

nationwide. ‘Men Walking and Talking’ has 

been created to support men aged over 18 

with their mental and physical health. 

“We currently run 11 mental health walks 

on a weekly basis across towns in Shropshire, 

Worcestershire, Warwickshire, Cheshire, 

Somerset and mid Wales,” explained Dan, 

who set up the first group after struggles 

with his own mental health. 

“After going to see a therapist and working 

on the reasons I felt the way I did, I was able 

to start conversations with other men about 

mental health. It became clear that men felt there were not enough spaces where they could feel 

comfortable and able to open up without fear of judgement.” 

There is now a network of volunteer group leaders who run walks on a weekly basis helping to 

create a culture that it is not weak to speak. The Telford Men Walking and Talking group meets 

outside TGI Fridays on Fridays at 7pm. All are welcome. 

The Sky Begins At My Feet 

Those who braved the elements 

and climbed The Wrekin over 

the festive period will have 

been pleased to see ‘The 

Sky Begins At My Feet’ art 

installation for 2022 – the 

Platinum Jubilee year – at the 

summit. 

Created by Wellington Arts 

Collective and commissioned 

by Telford & Wrekin Council, 

this commemorative public 

art piece was installed at the 

summit of the Wrekin in the 

autumn as part of the late 

Queen’s Platinum Jubilee 2022 

legacy. 

Wellington Arts Collective, 

a collection of Wellington and 

Telford based artists, designed 

and produced community 

inspired artwork to fit into the 

historic landscape with seven individual relief 

portraits made by artist Sharon Griffin which 

acknowledge and celebrate the rich diversity 

and heritage of the people who live and work in 

Telford, either past or present. 

Joining these depictions are decorative smaller 

relief tiles made by local community groups and 

school children. Telford & Wrekin Council are 

grateful to the Raby Estate and Historic England. 



LOVE 

WELLINGTON’S HEART 

AT CHRISTMAS 

LOVE 

So many Wellington businesses displayed the generosity of our town and 

our community spirit over Christmas. Harley’s Barbershop, on Tan Bank, 

took delivery of donated wrapped presents for local children who would 

have gone without this year, which were distributed by the Interfaith 

Council. 

The Green Cove in Wellington Market ran a service where people could donate 

items for homeless people over the winter with all the donations going to the KiP 

project. The Polish Saturday School collected new toys, pyjamas and books for 

the children in the hospital wards at PRH and Shrewsbury with drop off points 

at Wellington Orbit and Anthony’s of Wellington Farm Shop and The Little Green 

Pantry was the drop off point in Wellington for the Christmas Smile project. 

Cash Providers in New Street delivered toys and goodies to children at the 

Princess Royal Hospital, whilst Ed Lowe at 

The Plough in Wellington collected over 1,200 

selection boxes for children in care homes and 

hospices. Well done all! 

MyTLC app 

The MyTLC app which connects Telford 

businesses with visitors, shoppers and 

residents is up and running. The app, which is 

sponsored by Telford & Wrekin Council, provides 

information and offers from businesses all in one 

place, aiming to increase footfall and encourage 

people to ‘shop local’. 

There are over 600 users 165 businesses – all 

posting special offers which can change daily. 

Show your 

Love for 

Wellington this 

Valentines! 

Love will soon be in the air as we 

approach Valentine’s Day and so 

it’s time to ‘Show your Love for 

Wellington’ this February and help 

our Wellington businesses in the 

process – as well as get the chance 

to win a voucher for a special meal in one of our 

local eateries. 

Love Wellington is asking customers to send 

in photos of themselves in the local Wellington 

businesses they love holding the ‘Show your Love 

for Wellington’ poster and writing a ‘love letter’ 

to say why you love that particular business. All 

entries will be posted on Love Wellington and 

entered into the draw. Please send entries to 

lovewellington2020@gmail.co.uk 

CELEBRATING ONE 

YEAR OF WELLINGTON 

COMMUNITY ART 

GALLERY! 

Cofounders Mary Herber Davies and Heather Reid 

are celebrating one year since they opened the 

gallery ‘WelliArt’. A non-profit organisation, and 

a hub of creativity and connection for diverse 

local artists and art lovers, WelliArt has helped 

to make art accessible to a wider sphere of our 

community. The community gallery on Duke 

Street has seen over 2,700 visitors in its first year 

and a network of 38 local artists and artisans 

have displayed work and made sales through the 

gallery. 

They have also hosted three art exhibitions, 

a therapeutic art group, an art and craft 

fair, children’s holiday art clubs as well as 

monthly workshops for home-educated 

children, workshops for adults, and 

corporate team-building workshops. 

Mary and Heather are keen to thank 

their sponsors, House of Prayer Trust 

and Creative Training Spaces, as well 

as all the artists, patrons, donors, 

volunteers, and visitors who have 

contributed to the success of their 

first year. 

11 

This Is Our Wellington 11.indd 11 23/12/2022 15:42


27 th Year... 

The Wellington Festival marks its 27 th year in 

2023 and, as usual, there will be all sort of 

creative competitions for all ages – as well as 

the quest for our next resident poet! 

Wellington Festival 2023 

Peggie Harrison Schools 

Poetry Competition 

12 

The Peggie Harrison 

Schools Poetry 

Competition, as part 

of the Wellington 

Festival, returns and this 

year the theme is ‘The 

Great Outdoors’. This year 

there will be a number of 

different categories which 

the judges will be looking at: 

Inspirational; Presentation 

and Original Language Use. 

The competition is open to all 

primary school pupils and KS3 

secondary pupils in Wellington. 

Entries are to be handed in 

to Wellington Library (please 

note their opening hours have 

changed) and the deadline is 

Saturday 1 April. 

Winners will be chosen 

and invited to a presentation 

on Saturday 13 May. Please 

ensure your name, age and 

school is on the back of your 

entry. 

Short Story competition 

This year the theme for the short story competition is ‘The 

Great Outdoors’. 

The winner will receive £100 and the successful entry will 

be published in a future edition of ‘This Is Our Wellington’ 

magazine, as well as the festival page of the Wellington Town 

Council website. We welcome entries from Wellington residents 

aged 16+years and the story must not have been published or 

have won a previous competition. Maximum word count is 300. 

Please email your entry and be sure to include your name 

and contact details to paola.armstrong@telford.gov.uk with a 

subject heading of Short Story. 

The closing date is Sunday 2 April. 

wellington-shropshire.gov.uk/wellington-festival-2022 



Search for the next 

Wellington Resident Poet 

When retired Telford College lecturer Stuart Taylor passed away suddenly in 

2018, his family set up ‘Gifted on Behalf of Stuart Taylor’. Amanda Jenkins, 

Stuart’s wife, was encouraged by his love of poetry to explore the idea of 

setting up the position of a Wellington ‘Resident Poet’ and, given Wellington’s 

literary connections, this is a wonderful way of paying tribute to a man who 

inspired so many local people. 

Our current Resident Poet, Liz Carter, has done a truly outstanding job 

over the past year with her heartfelt words covering a number of topics 

including Mental Health and Remembrance. 

Applicants are required to write a short poem with the theme ‘The Great 

Outdoors’ and must be a resident of Wellington. There is no age limit, but 

should the winner be under the age of 16 they will need to be accompanied 

by an adult for events. 

The post of ‘Wellington’s Resident Poet’ lasts for a year and a minimum 

of eight poems will be required to be written during that time to mark 

significant Wellington or national events. 

The winner, who will also win a £500 prize, will see their poem published in 

a future edition of ‘This Is Our Wellington’ magazine and on the festival page 

of the Wellington Town Council website. 

Please email your entry and be sure to include your name and contact 

details to paola.armstrong@telford.gov.uk with a subject heading of 

Wellington Poet by Sunday 2 April. 

Poem for the Mayor by our current Poet 

in residence, Liz Carter 

Serving our 

community/coming 

together 

Streets that swirl with kindness 

Roads that rumble with grace 

Wide open-hearted community spaces 

Converging in all our well-loved places 

Where neighbours gather and greet in the lanes 

And Wellington’s heart is renewed once again 

Strings full of lights and trees full of life 

Look for the givers who break up the night 

For the salt of the earth and the lights in the world 

For helpers like Stay, and YMCA, 

For Severn Hospice and 

Wrekin Community fridge. 

Look for the carers, the sharers of joy 

The tearers of hardship, the fillers of voids 

For T-A-C-T 

And the Rotary 

and Christians against Poverty 

For Maninplace 

And the PDSA 

And the PRH 

And all who seek to ease the everyday 

Look for the circles who bring us together 

The people who deepen Wellington’s treasure 

For the Townswomen’s Guild 

For the friendships they build 

For the generous variety 

of our Civic Society 

For the History Group 

And the wonders they bring to view 

Look for the angels, the bringers of hope 

The makers of peace, where love overflows 

For the warmth of Hope House 

A crown of our town 

For the wide-open doors 

of Telford Crisis Support 

For all who cascade with more and more and more. 

We’re thankful for our bringers of light 

Our rivers of givers who break up the night 

As winter impends 

And darkness rends 

We look out to the streets 

And to those in need 

Can we speed with warmth in our feet 

And invite all we meet to Wellington’s lavish feast? 

13 

wellington-shropshire.gov.uk/wellington-festival-2022 


Wellington Town Council News 

14 

MAYORS 

EVENTS 

2023 

● Saturday 18 March Dinner 

at the Buckatree Hall 

Hotel £40 per head – 

dinner and raffle 

● Wrekin College Choral 

Monday 6 March Choir 

evening £10 per head – 

proceeds to be split with 

the choir and the Mayor’s 

charities 

● Film evening ‘Arsenic 

and Old Lace’ with a 

reception – date to be 

confirme d. 

CHRISTMAS 

LIGHTS 

Wellington Town Council very 

much hopes that everyone 

enjoyed the new Christmas 

Lights this year. The low energy 

alternative are a huge upgrade 

and received many positive 

comments. 

TOWN COUNCIL SPENDING 

Last year Wellington had the third lowest 

precept request when compared with 

neighbouring urban Telford parishes. The 

services Wellington Town Council have agreed 

to continue to provide within the 2023/24 

budget are: 

● Public toilets facility at both the Parade and 

Bowring Park 

● Support for the Bowring Café 

● Planting and grounds maintenance at the 

Bowring Park 

● Provision of additional grounds 

maintenance/clearance/ general services 

through the West Team 

● Provision of major financial and 

administrative contribution to the Dothill 

Nature Park 

● Provision of substantial financial support to 

the Arleston Community Centre 

● Provision of administrative support and 

make substantial finance budget available 

for Wellington Town Centre regeneration 

projects 

● Comment on local planning applications 

and make contributions to planning policy 

documents as requested 

● Award grants to local organisations and to 

community groups 

● Deploy speed indicator devices to 

contribute to road safety 

Budget for 2023/24 

(subject to full council approval Jan 2023) 

Expenditure 

● 1. Management and Administration 

£123,962 

● Provide social public events such as 

Remembrance Services and Christmas 

Lights Switch On, as well as the Bayley Mile, 

OAP event at The Wellington Orbit and 

activities for children in the summer holidays 

● Provide support to the Mayor including 

organisation of diary, fundraising and Civic 

Events 

● Provide the Wellington Festival 

● Contribute to the Community Action Team 

partnership on issues such as parking and 

environmental enforcement 

● Provision of floral hanging baskets 

● Provision of Christmas lights / tree 

● Deliver a quarterly magazine to every 

household 

● Provide extensive communications to the 

public through social media & websites 

● Support the civic/administrative 

requirements of the council by facilitating 

planned meetings 

● Significant contribution to the regeneration 

of Wellington 

● Significant contribution to the upgrading of 

Market Street 

● Significant contribution to the Climate 

Emergency efforts in Wellington 

● Provision of local elections 

● Continuously improve appropriate 

communications working with ‘Love 

Wellington’ 

6 

1 

Wellington Town Council has made an 

investment recently on a new piece of 

equipment- which will result in more 

effective and efficient of footpath 

clearance in the future by the Wellington 

Environmental Services Team. 

● 2. Civic Expenses 

£37,865 

● 3. Community Funding 

£27,000 

● 4. Events & Communications 

£119,394 

● 5. Public Amenities 

£116,066 

● 6. Partnership Projects including 

Regeneration 

£139,165 

5 

Wellington Town Council proposes to make no change 

to the precept. So the full Council Tax Band D charge 

will remain at £74.55. 

4 

3 

2 


This is our Wellington | www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk 

Applications for grants 

Wellington Town Council awards minor 

grants to local organisations, groups, 

committees and charities every year 

to help them with the role they play in 

the community. Applications are invited 

to be received before the end of 

March. Please call 01952 567697 or see 

wellington-shropshire.gov.uk to apply. 

Grants awarded this current financial 

year (ending 31 March 2023) 

● 6 th Wellington Brownies ........... £150 

● Telford Visually Impaired Group £250 

● Wellington LA21 Group ............ £275 

● Age UK – Shropshire/Telford & 

Did you know that 

whilst people are out 

and about having a 

night ‘on the town’ in 

Wellington are there are some 

guardian angels watching out 

for those who find themselves 

in need? The Telford ‘Street 

Pastors’ have been operating 

since 2011, and now have 22 

volunteers which includes 

Street Pastors and Prayer 

Pastors. 

The Street Pastors patrol two 

Saturday nights in every three weeks, 

generally at Telford Town Centre and 

Southwater during the first half of the 

patrol, while the second half is always 

spent in Wellington. 

Funded primarily by a grant from 

the Police and Crime Commissioner 

channelled through the Community 

Safety Partnership, the group also 

relies on grants and donations from 

churches and individuals. They are 

on hand to give out lollies and water 

to help with dehydration, pairs of flip 

flops for those who were too ambitious 

with the heels and foil blankets to 

prevent people getting too cold at 

night, as well as providing help and 

support. 

“Help varies from the short and 

simple – such as phoning for a taxi or 

Wrekin ................................... £500 

● Belmont Community Hall ........ £500 

● Telford Street Pastors ............. £500 

● Help for Heroes Funds .......... £1,200 

● Sounds in the Square ............ £1,500 

● Wellington & District Twinning 

Association ............................ £500 

● T&W Interfaith Council ......... £1,500 

● Wellington Orbit .................£466.22 

● Wrekin Flower Club .............. £1,000 

● Arleston Community Centre £7,000 

Annual Grant 

● Dothill Local Nature Reserve Friends 

£6,000 Annual Grant 

THE ANGELS BY OUR SIDES.. 

giving directions - to intensive support 

over a period of an hour or more. We 

have a vehicle and, if necessary, can 

give a lift home or to the hospital,” 

explained lead co-ordinator Vicky 

Brain. “We also find ourselves providing 

a listening ear, often talking about life 

issues and providing physical assistance 

for drunk/ill people and their 

concerned companions.” 

“The greatest highs come when we 

know that we have rescued someone 

from a situation where they were very 

vulnerable and ensured that they got 

home safely. 

Often people come up to us and 

thank us for the help they have 

received.” 

If you’d like more information please 

look up Telford Street Pastors on 

Facebook. 

Market Street 

transformation 

taking shape 

Regeneration work in Market Street 

is well underway and on set for 

completion according to schedule. 

● Councillor Lee Carter 

Phase 1 – the resurfacing of the road and 

footpath from Station Road to the Wilkinson’s 

store was completed in early December, 

making the area more accessible for 

pedestrians with wider and levelled footpaths 

while improving the overall look. Phase 2 from 

Wilkinson’s store to the junction of Bridge 

Street will be completed by spring 2023. 

The work also includes correcting, cleaning 

and filling any paving issues, replaced drainage 

systems and new parking and loading bays, 

making the area safer. New street lighting and 

traffic signs will be installed after Christmas. 

Councillor Lee Carter, Cabinet Member for 

Neighbourhood Services, Regeneration and 

the High Street said, “This is a great example 

of a project that clearly shows we are on the 

side of residents and businesses, making the 

area an even better place for people to do 

their shopping in terms of access, safety and 

as a genuinely pleasant place to spend time 

with unique shops and a growing evening 

entertainment offer too.” 

The second phase, due to commence in 

the New Year, will see upgrades to kerbs plus 

improvements to drainage and resurfacing of 

the footpaths and roads. 

15 


Jenny Duff at Beautiful Bargains 

Jon Drew at Boardroom Gaming Café 

WELLINGTON’S 

HIGH STREET HEROES 

Liz Chapple and Jason Gordon at Izzy’s Café 

Michael Young and Emma Dean at The Boot 

WELLINGTON BUSINESSES 

RECOGNISED... 

In Telford & Wrekin’s latest round of Pride in Our High 

Street ‘High Street Heroes’ the following businesses 

have been recognised: 

Jenny Duff at Beautiful Bargains, Jon Drew at 

Boardroom Gaming Café, Emma Dean and Michael 

Young at The Boot, Les Gough of the Wellington 

Cobbler and Liz Chapple and Jason Gordon at Izzy’s 

Café. 

The recipients are pictured with Mayor of Telford & 

Wrekin Cllr Raj Mehta and Borough Cllr Graham Cook. 

Congratulations to you all for the contribution you 

make to Wellington! 

Les Gough of the Wellington Cobbler 

Thank you to Telford & Wrekin 

for providing the pictures.

This is Our Wellington issue 11

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?