This Is Our Wellington 16

This is our 

LOVE 

Wellington 

WELLINGTON: TWINNED WITH CHÂTENAY-MALABRY 

Stepping 

Inside 

into Spring! 

New youth club for 

town’s youngsters 

It all started 

in Wellington 

Les is a Wellington 

climate champion! 

The Mo 

Chaudry story... 

Unveiling Wellington’s 

hidden gem 

Issue Number 16 | April 2024 

This Is Our Wellington 16.indd 1 20/03/2024 16:29


Town Council 

www.wellington-shropshire.gov.uk 

How to contact Wellington Town Council 

Civic Offices, Larkin Way, Tan Bank, Wellington, 

Telford, Shropshire TF1 1LX 

Telephone: 01952 567697 

Email: wellingtontowncouncil@telford.gov.uk 

www.facebook.com/WellingtonTCShropshire 

Ward 

Councillors 

Do you know which Councillor represents your 

Ward? See list of Councillors below, contact 

details are via the Town Council. 

ARLESTON WARD 

Cllr Joan 

Gorse 

Cllr Emma 

Holding 

COLLEGE WARD 

Cllr Reg 

Snell 

02 

x.com/WellingtonTCI 

Wellington Town Council Officers 

Cllr Paul Davis 

Mayor 

Adrienne Taylor 

Communications and 

Events Assistant 

Karen Roper 

Chief Executive Officer 

Paola Armstrong 

Events, regeneration and 

Love Wellington 

Steve Warwood Wellington Town Crier 

Mick & Joe Talbot WEST team 

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 

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 


www.lovewellington.co.uk 

Caroline Mulvihill 

Events Manager and Deputy 

Chief Executive Officer 

Sally Themans 

Love Wellington, Wellington 

Regeneration & This is our 

Wellington Magazine 

Important Contacts and Numbers 

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 

Noise - Public Protection team 

Telephone: 01952 381818 

Email: 

environmental.health@telford.gov.uk 

Pest Control 

Telephone: 01952 384384 

Email: envmaintcs@telford.gov.uk 

Citizens Advice consumer helpline 

Telephone: 0808 223 1133 

Wellington Library 

Telephone: 01952 382990 

Email: wellington.library@telford.gov.uk 

BOROUGH 

COUNCILLOR 

Cllr Lee 

Carter 

DOTHILL WARD 

Cllr Lisa 

Jinks 

ERCALL WARD 

Cllr Miles 

Hosken 

Cllr John 

Latter 

BOROUGH 

COUNCILLOR 

Cllr Karen 

Tomlinson 

Cllr Lionel 

Woolley 

HAYGATE WARD 

BOROUGH 

COUNCILLOR 

Cllr Graham 

Cook 

PARK WARD 

Cllr Julie 

Pierce 

Cllr Simon 

Day 

BOROUGH 

COUNCILLOR 

Cllr Paul 

Davis 

SHAWBIRCH WARD 

Cllr Usman 

Ahmed 

Cllr Jim 

McGinn 

BOROUGH 

COUNCILLOR 

Cllr Giles 

Luter 

Cllr Crispin 

Barker 

Cllr Stuart 

Williams 

MEADOWS WARD 

Cllr Stephen 

deLauney 

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) Email: envmaintcs@telford.gov.uk 

Wellington Leisure Centre 

Telephone: 01952 382720 

Email: wellingtonleisure@telford.gov.uk 

Cllr Martin 

Jobe 

BOROUGH 

COUNCILLOR 

Cllr Bill 

Tomlinson 

Cllr Anthony 

Lowe 

BOROUGH 

COUNCILLOR 

Cllr Angela 

McClements 


Welcome 

A letter from the Mayor of Wellington, 


It has been an honour 

serving as your Mayor of 

Wellington this year 

This is our Wellington has 

been designed by Plus Two 

Media Limited. 

Plus 

Media 

Limited 

All text copyright 

© Wellington Town Council 

2024 / 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 in Wellington and 

Telford please contact James 

Baylis. Telephone: 07977 481186 

or email: 

james@plus2media.co.uk 

www.plus2media.co.uk 

Welcome to this edition of ‘This 

is our Wellington’ as we look 

forward to events coming up in 

the town, including celebrating 

the Wellington Orbit’s 5th 

Birthday, the Midsummer Fayre, the Italian 

Scooter Day, Wellington’s first food festival 

and of course, the Community Production of 

‘Children of Eden’ at All Saints Church. There 

will be details of all that is planned within the 

pages of the magazine. 

In March we delved into a bit of Wellington’s 

history, with our great Charter Day celebrations, 

the setting up of the Manor Court and the 

marmalade competition in the Pheasant pub. 

Huge thanks to Rob Francis Wellington H2A for 

organising this fun and important event and 

to the volunteers that make the event such a 

success. 

As we go to print, we’ve just celebrated the 

780th Wellington Market Charter. The public 

feedback on Wellington Market, now owned 

by Telford & Wrekin Council, is being compiled 

and shared. There are fantastic opportunities 

to enhance this gem in Wellington’s crown, 

ensuring it remains an asset for the next 800 

years! 

Looking ahead to June, residents from 

our twin town of Châtenay-Malabry will visit 

Wellington during the Midsummer Fayre and 

there will be the popular Wellington Open 

Gardens weekend on June 29-30. 

I recently had the pleasure of visiting the 

new Youth Club at Telford Interfaith Centre 

on New Street. The Junior Youth Club meets 

every Monday from 5.30 to 7 pm, followed by 

the Senior Youth Club. These clubs are free and 

represent a valuable addition to Wellington’s 

offerings for young people. Donations of games 

or volunteering would be greatly appreciated, as 

your support is crucial for the success of these 

youth clubs. 

It has been an honour serving as your Mayor 

of Wellington this year. Meeting the wonderful 

people of Wellington has been a pleasure as 

we witness the town’s continued regeneration 

and thriving community spirit. As the civic 

year concludes, I extend my gratitude to all 

volunteers, town councillors, and staff who 

contribute so much to our community, working 

diligently behind the scenes. 

I wish you all well and hope that you enjoy 

this edition and continue to enjoy living in 

Wellington. 


03 

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Cover Picture credit: 

l Cover shot pic of 

Wellington Cemetary by 

Paul Brooks 

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 

04 

WELLINGTON 

HISTORY 

GROUP 

TALKS 

l May 16 

‘The Sound of Hurry’: the 

Holyhead Road, Joe Patton 

(tribute to Allan Frost) 

l July 18 

The Walker Legacy, part 2, 

Wendy Palin 

l Sept 19 

William Withering, eminent 

son of Wellington 

Diana Clarke 

l Nov 21 

James Oliver (Wellington 

benefactor) 

Andrew Beach and Judy 

Meeson. 

All talks are held at Wellington 

Library at 7:30pm 

D-Day 

Heroes 

To commemorate all those 

that showed such bravery and 

commitment at the largest 

naval, air and land operation 

in history, Wellington Town 

council will be raising a special 

commemorative flag outside 

the offices. There will also be 

a D-Day proclamation by our 

Wellington Town Crier Steve 

Warwood and a poem for 

schools to commemorate the 

D-Day heroes. 

Thursday 6 June has been 

declared ‘National Fish & Chip 

Day’ and we hope our excellent 

Wellington fish and chip shops 

will embrace this; as well 

as any shops, businesses or 

residents who would like to 

light a D-Day 80 Lamp Light 

of Peace. To order these visit 

lamplightofpeace.co.uk 

STRAY HORNS TO LIGHT UP 

MIDSUMMER FAYRE EVENT 

Wellington Midsummer Fayre will 

light up the town on Saturday 8 

June. This ever-popular event 

already has the Conwy Jester 

and the Wellington Brass Band 

confirmed with, new for this year’s festivities, the 

Stray Horns - who promise a lively atmosphere 

with their roaming music. 

The fun starts from 10am to 3pm, with stalls 

dotting the churchyard, and performers scattered 

around All Saints and Market Square. A costumed 

procession at 1pm will add to the pageantry. 

In the evening there will be a Ceilidh at the 

Belmont Hall where visitors from our twin town 

will get a taste of Wellington hospitality. The 

Wellington Midsummer Fayre is always a day of 

fun, music, and community spirit and summer 

tradition. 

Brass band brilliance! 

Wellington (Telford) Brass 

Band secured a welldeserved 

second place out 

of 16 outstanding bands 

at the Regional National 

Championships in Corby, with 

a performance of ‘Corineus’ by 

Christopher Bond conducted by 

Ian Johnson. 

The result has earnt them 

an invitation to the prestigious 

National Championship of Great 

Britain finals in Cheltenham on 

September 15. The last time the 

band qualified for this event was 

in 2009, having been crowned 

National Champions in 2008 – 

so it is excellent to see them 

back on the national stage. 

The band is truly local, 

rehearsing at Arleston 

Community Centre where the 

trustees have installed acoustic 

panels for them. 

Cheers to the musicians, 

conductor, and the entire 

Wellington (Telford) Brass Band 

for this fantastic news and their 

continued dedication to musical 

distinction. 


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

Wellington Open Gardens 

LOVE 

Wrekin Eatin’ 

food festival 

There will be a delicious new 

addition to Wellington’s events 

calendar this July. The Wrekin 

Eatin’ Festival, which will be held at 

Wellington Cricket Club, will feature 

an array of local street food traders 

paired with live entertainment and 

family activities. 

Now in its third year Wellington 

Open Gardens is back offering 

the chance to discover hidden 

gems across Wellington, Little 

Wenlock and Rushton. 

In the past two years, Wellington Open 

Gardens has raised an impressive £5,000 

for Community Resource, supporting 

those facing difficulties across the county. 

Once again, over the weekend of 29-30 

June, residents will get together with Love 

Wellington to open their beautiful private 

back gardens in aid of this local charity. 

With at least ten gardens across the area 

to explore, including the kitchen garden 

at the Orbit plus the stunning grounds 

of Sunnycroft, it promises to be another 

fantastic weekend. Gardens confirmed to 

be returning this year are: Woodford Green, 

Apley Castle, The Alley (Little Wenlock), 

Windy Ridge (Little Wenlock), Golf Links 

Lane, Upper Farm House (Rushton), Herbert 

A long-awaited new Youth Club started at Telford 

Interfaith Centre on New Street in February. There is a 

Junior Youth Club (Yrs 6,7 and 8) on Mondays 5.30-7pm 

and a Senior Youth Club (Year 9+) also on a Monday, from 

7.15-8.45pm. 

The clubs are free to attend and are being run by 

SYA – All About Youth and are a welcome addition for 

the young citizens of Wellington. Any donations of 

games would be gratefully received, or if you could 

volunteer time then that would also be welcome. For 

more information, please contact Becca Lewis on email 

becca@sya.org.uk. 

Seen here are Cllrs Paul Davis Mayor of Wellington and 

Raj Mehta of Telford Interfaith Council together with 

staff from SYA and members of the new youth clubs. 

Avenue, Telford Road and Minsterley 

Close; and this year will be joined by 

Wellington Allotments and Khan Close. 

Most gardens are open from 11am until 4pm 

to explore over both days with some also 

kindly offering tea, coffee, and cake over 

the weekend for a small charge with all 

donations going to Community Resource. 

Wristbands and trail maps, available 

for purchase online or at the Orbit from 

late April, grant access to all participating 

gardens including the grounds of Sunnycroft 

and wristband holders can enjoy a 10% 

discount at the Orbit during the weekend. 

Note that due to the varied garden terrains, 

the trail is not wheelchair-accessible 

(except for Sunnycroft), and only service 

dogs are permitted. 

This event is proudly sponsored by 

Greenthumb. Keep an eye on Love 

Wellington Facebook to see when tickets 

are released online. 

New youth club in Wellington 

The event will be organised 

entirely by the volunteers at the 

cricket club as a way of raising 

vital funds in a time of rising costs. 

Organisers are interested in talking 

to any local vendors interested in 

attending, plus any local businesses 

or organisations wanting to help 

deliver or sponsor the event. 

Visit wellingtoncc.co.uk/wrekineatin 

for more details and follow the 

club’s social media for more on the 

event over the coming weeks. 

Easter trail 

around town 

Easter week saw over 300 

Wellington youngsters to following a 

Wellington Easter Egg Hunt around 

the town centre. 

Organised by Love Wellington 

and sponsored by Wellington Town 

Council, younger members of the 

Wellington community spotted 

easter eggs displayed in various 

shop windows around the town and 

collected a special Easter treat from 

the Wellington Orbit. 

05 


Wellington Regeneration News 

SUPPORT FOR OUR TOWN 

06 

As part of the ‘Pride in Our High Street’ initiative of 

on-going commitment to revitalise and support 

Wellington and other towns in the borough, Telford & 

Wrekin Council are offering budding entrepreneurs in 

Wellington the opportunity to take advantage of two 

start up grants: 

BUSINESS START-UP GRANT 

This is a fund of up to £10k to help businesses looking to open in 

a currently empty retail unit. Certain eligibility criteria exist, and 

any new business must show that it is not duplicating or displacing 

an existing business. Applicants must also be able to demonstrate 

that they have finance in place to contribute a minimum of 

20% total start up costs. Grant recipients are also expected to 

actively participate in and support high street events and act as 

Mannleys expansion 

ready for start of April 

Award-winning estate agents Mannleys, which completed the 

purchase of a Wellington town centre building on Market Street just 

a year ago, has expanded again into the vacant unit next door. 

This sees the building undergoing a complete refurbishment of 

the entire ground floor and welcome investment into Wellington. 

Aaron Manley said, “It’s a great way to bring all sides of our business 

together and create a more modern and unified set up for clients. 

We started the refurbishment after Christmas and are expanding 

the space by about 400 square feet. It should be completed at the 

beginning of April.” 

The first floor will now offer a number of office spaces in a town 

centre location which will be available to rent by other businesses. 

“We want to support the local community which we serve so it 

made total sense to invest permanently in this building and now to 

open it up to others.” 

ambassadors for the town. 

BUSINESS START UP TRIAL GRANT 

This grant provides the opportunity to test out a business idea with 

a high street ‘pop up’ or market stall. Grants range up to £2500 in 

Wellington Market. 

To find out more, please visit telford.gov.uk/info/20715/pride_ 

in_our_high_street 

The High Streets team ask that potential applicants discuss 

their circumstances with the team before making an application. 

They can be reached on 01952 387805 or by emailing 

prideinourhighstreet@telford.gov.uk. 

Pictured above, some previous Pride in Our High Street grant 

recipients. 

l Directors of Mannleys Estate Agents Chris Mann and Aaron Manley 

are pictured at their offices in Wellington which are currently being 

expanded and refurbished. 


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

LOVE 

LoveWellington.co.uk 

A reminder that the LoveWellington.co.uk website is up and running – with a 

shopping and business directory, details and maps of 18 guided walks, cycle 

routes, news of festivals, local history and community place makers – making 

it the ‘go to’ place to find out about Wellington. 

WELLINGTON EMBRACES 

‘SAFE PLACES’ INITIATIVE 

At our last Love 

Wellington meeting for 

Wellington businesses, 

we were delighted to 

welcome Ann Shaw 

and Ruby Hartshorn of Safe Place 

Shropshire. This community and 

volunteer-led initiative, supported 

by Shropshire Council, Telford & 

Wrekin Council and West Mercia 

Police, provides a network of ‘shortterm 

safe havens’ for people who 

may require additional support and 

assistance when they are out and 

about in the community. 

It means that vulnerable 

individuals can identify places 

in Wellington that they know they can go 

to and immediately receive support and 

understanding about their issues. This 

includes people with learning disabilities 

or those who live with anxiety attacks or 

dementia. 

Wellington businesses have really taken this 

initiative to heart, with a number of new 

locations signing up in recent weeks. 

Businesses display a sticker that identifies it 

as a ‘Safe Place’ and anyone can use them, 

and any business can sign up. 

Currently the safe spaces in Wellington 

are: All Saints Parish Centre, Baker & Son 

Schoolwear, Boots, Buster Deals, Cancer 

Research Charity Shop, Catherine’s Bakery, 

LOVE 

Easy Living, Fabric Krafts and Nets 4 U, 

Flying Juice Tattoo, Gratitude Café, Heron 

Foods, N’Chanted, One Stop (Bagley Drive), 

One Stop (Dawley Road), Oxfam Charity 

Shop, Park Street Kitchen, PDSA Charity 

Shop, Ren’s, Salvation Army Charity Shop, 

Savers, Sofia’s Coffee Shop, Telford Interfaith 

Community Hub, The Boardroom Gaming 

Café, The Little Green Pantry, The Sevens, 

TSB, Wellington Civic & Leisure Centre, 

Wellington Library, Wellington Orbit, 

Wellington Police Station, Zoe Trends. 

For more information 

email safeplaceschair@gmail.com 

or safeplacessecretary@gmail.com 

Text or phone 07941 398933 or 07970 

816030. 

l Ann Shaw and 

Ruby Hartshorn 

of Safe Place 

Shropshire 

Book about 

Wellington’s 

regeneration 

A book about the significant 

improvements in Wellington in the 

last four years is being written by an 

academic who has seen dramatic 

change in the town and wanted to 

capture it for posterity. 

Dr Tadzio Jodlowski is currently 

a lecturer at the University of 

Staffordshire having previously taught 

at Manchester Metropolitan Business 

School, and is the author of two 

books already. 

He had the idea for a book about 

the upturn in Wellington’s fortunes 

on returning to the town to live after 

several years away, “Returning to 

Shropshire, I was impressed by a 

sense of revival in my hometown, 

created by Wellington Town Council’s 

Regeneration Partnership, ‘Love 

Wellington’, and a group of dedicated 

business owners. Inspired by this 

endeavour, I decided to capture 

their stories and provide them with a 

well-deserved round of applause. It 

became evident to me that this was 

an example of collective resilience, 

which was capable of inspiring others 

to do the same. Here’s to the future 

of Wellington!” 

07 


EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW 

It all started 

in Wellington 

Successful business entrepreneur Mo 

Chaudry shares his memories of growing 

up and playing sports in Wellington 

exclusively for This Is Our Wellington. 

08 

The remarkable journey of Mo Chaudry, from his humble 

beginnings in Wellington to owning a diverse business 

empire and his commitment to giving back to the 

community – including a number of Wellington based 

clubs. We caught up with Mo to hear his inspirational story 

as he shared some of his memories of growing up in Wellington and 

share his thoughts on the importance of positive role models from 

within the community, particularly for young people. 

Mo Chaudry was born in the Rawalpindi district of Pakistan and 

the family moved to England when he was nine, settling first in Luton 

and later in Wellington. He attended Wellington Grammar School and 

New College, where, although very bright, he tended to concentrate 

more on the sports field, particularly the cricket pitch where he 

excelled - than in the classroom! 

Wellington was a far cry from Pakistan and for Luton for that 

matter, “My first memory of Wellington, was like going back in time – 

it was such a tranquil place with a lot of space compared to inner city 

Luton” he told TIOW. 

Mo quickly found inspiration. Another Wellington lad, Richard 

Noakes, was the junior captain and invited Mo to play for Wellington 

Juniors. “He was very supportive and helpful, as was Mr Graham a 

local former cricket pro who further fostered my love for sport and 

cricket.” 

Mo was also inspired by Kevin Humphreys – another Wellington 

Grammar School boy – who he first encountered aged about 14; 

“There was an annual cricket match between the school first eleven 

and the staff. Everyone had to watch the match. I noticed one 

of the pupils scored 50 and he seemed like a superstar to me. I 

must have thought at the time “I want to be like this boy, to be so 

good at cricket” so I started to play at Wellington Cricket Club”. 

He took to it naturally and there followed a great cricketing career 

and friendships, with Mo playing for Wellington, Shifnal and indeed 

Shropshire. As Mo says, “The best friendships are made from a 

common love for something and in our case it was cricket.” Mo 

currently sponsors Wellington Cricket club after they reached out to 

him during Covid. 

Between school and higher education, Mo worked for a time 

at Sankey’s in Wellington and after graduation he started his 


l Mo in Station Road 

Wellington holding his 

niece 

09 

career in the financial services industry as an insurance canvasser, 

distinguishing himself by prioritising customer service and people 

over mere sales. Going solo, he rapidly achieved success as an 

independent financial adviser, eventually venturing into commercial 

property. But his love for sport continued, “I used to do a bit 

of boxing training at GKN Sankey’s boxing club to help with my 

Karate training, and I believe boxing is another sport that is very 

beneficial to keep young people on the straight and narrow.” As a 

consequence, Mo also sponsors Wellington Boxing Academy which 

is run by Mo Fiaz and whose president is the former world middle 

weight champion Richie Woodhall. 

In 1999, Mo acquired Waterworld in Stoke on Trent from The Rank 

Group, transforming the struggling venture into a national attraction 

after a multi-million-pound revamp. Today, Waterworld attracts 

nearly half a million visitors annually, a testament to Mo’s business 

acumen. His commitment to the community is evident in the 

surrounding area of Stoke, where saving jobs through his business 

ventures has always been a priority. He has become one of the 

largest employers in the area, supporting up to 500 jobs. 

Mo retains his links with Wellington, where his mother and wider 

family still live, working with pupils at the former New College and 

speaking at the annual awards at the Charlton School as well as 

being the keynote speaker at the Shropshire Chamber Awards. 

“Wellington is where it all started – this lovely market town with 

a fantastic countryside, fresh air, nice people and of course the 

Wrekin as the local landmark. Over the years the Wrekin would draw 

me to it and I have walked and occasionally jogged up it on countless 

occasions and still even now try and walk up it occasionally when I 

visit my family.” 

The beauty of the town, the back-drop of the Wrekin when playing 

at Wellington will stay with me for ever. There cannot be many 

better backdrops and locations to play cricket. I even remember 

some amazing ‘big’ matches – the minor counties hosting India at 

Wellington and meeting Kapil Dev as a starstruck 15 year old!” 

The friendliness of the people and particularly the cricket club is 

my lasting memory and how they welcomed me with open arms and 

became my second family. Mixing and spending time playing cricket 

in Wellington opened my eyes to the world of possibilities.” 


LOVE 

Love Wellington Climate News 

Wellington E-cargo cycle 

deliveries saving carbon 

10 

In 2023 Wellington Town 

Council purchased a Tern 

E-cargo bike to support the 

market and independent 

traders and businesses in 

our town and to provide carbon 

neutral deliveries within a 3 mile 

radius on market days. In the 

3 months from December to 

February, the team of volunteers 

clocked up over 1200 miles - 

almost 2000 kilometres. 

The Statista quantitative study 

of the carbon footprint of travel in 

the UK in 2023 gives a small diesel 

car or van statistic of 170grams 

of carbon dioxide equivalent/km. 

Assuming 75% of deliveries would 

have been done by the traders 

in their own diesel vehicles, 

that equates to 1500 x 170 – a 

staggering 255,000 grams of 

carbon dioxide saved. 

In short, the volunteers are 

doing their bit to save the planet 

as well as providing a convenient 

service to customers who 

cannot or prefer not to venture 

out to collect their shopping 

for whatever reason, as well as 

encouraging shoppers to use our 

Wellington businesses and ‘shop 

local’. The delivery riders also 

collect donated items for the 

local charity shops. The service 

is completely free of charge 

GREEN FESTIVAL 

Save the Date: SATURDAY 27 JULY 

although any small donations 

for items such hi-viz jackets for 

volunteers, display panels etc. are 

welcome. 

The scheme has been awarded 

a £500 Transition Together 

grant by The National Lottery 

Community Fund which will 

allow for marketing to expand 

awareness of the service. To use 

the service call (or preferably text) 

07398 136120 with your name and 

a brief message of how they can 

help you. 

The team are also on the 

lookout for more volunteers to 

add to the 11 men and 1 woman; 

you need to be a competent all 

weather cyclist who can spare 2 

hours/week on market days. It’s 

fun! 

Climate Champion! 

A trader in Wellington for over 20 years, 

Les Gough has contributed to the 

climate emergency by giving shoes, boots 

and handbags a new lease of life and 

helping to stem the ‘throwaway culture’. 

Based in New Street, having previously 

spent 15 years in Wellington Market, he 

is a real favourite amongst the locals and 

always has a smile and a friendly word for 

all who pop in. 

After last year’s disappointing cancellation of the Green Festival due 

to extreme weather conditions, the Green Festival is due to take 

place on Saturday 27 July this year in the Market Square and the 

grounds of All Saints Church. The team are working hard behind the 

scenes and anyone interested in having a stall please email: 

wellingtongreenfestival@gmail.co.uk 

LES THE 

WELLINGTON 

COBBLER 


Sustainable Sundays 

Climate Action Hub Telford 

are a local charity and 

received funding from 

Telford & Wrekin Council 

Climate Grant to provide 

monthly ‘Sustainable Sunday’ events to 

promote sustainable living by reusing 

and sharing resources and reducing 

carbon emissions. 

Each month focuses on a different 

aspect of what can be done as the 

Wellington community to share 

ideas, projects and talk about the 

organisations and individuals who 

are building climate resilience our 

communities. 

The follow items are at every event: 

Swap any items for free or take any 

for a pay as you can donation. Includes 

gifts, clothes, household items, books, 

DVDs, toys etc. 

Eco library: Amazing books and 

magazines to borrow on nature, climate 

and living life in a more sustainable way. 

Terracycle and recycling facilities 

and the opportunity to recycle mobile 

phones, electronic gadgets, jewellery, 

stamps and coins. 

Vegan refreshments available 

throughout the day including lunch 

options from 12.30pm onwards. 

All provided on a pay-as-you-can 

donation basis. 

So far almost 200kgs of items have 

been donated with over 150 donated 

items being taken, so the swaps are 

working well. 

Wellington Walkers are Welcome 

for had a collection point for outdoor 

clothing for refugees who they are 

supporting to explore the local area - 

this collection filled a car boot! 

Previous speakers have included 

Dave Green from Shropshire and 

Telford Community Energy, Kev 

Oubridge from Big Solar Coop, Andy 

Tunstall from My Low Carbon, Rob 

Narraway from Marches Energy Agency, 

as well as Mike King and Kev Bundy 

providing useful information on how 

people can make their homes more 

energy efficient and install renewables 

at home. Gary Evans and Katy from 

Connected Mobiles have also provided 

information about their mobile phone 

repair and recycle initiative. 

l Pictured at the first Sustainable 

Sunday are: Willie Gormley of Telford 

Repair Cafe and Men in Sheds, 

Elizabeth Penfold Wells of Telford 

Terracycle, Trustee of Climate Action 

Hub Telford (CAHT), Juliet Soria of 

CAHT, Jane Bundy Trustee CAHT, Dave 

Staniforth of Shropshire Cycle Hub and 

Wellington Cycle Delivery Scheme, 

Cllr Anthony Lowe of Wellington Cycle 

Delivery Scheme, Fiona Morgan Trustee 

of CAHT, Louise Lomax of Transition 

Telford and Master Composters, James 

Mann of Transition Telford and Cllr Julie 

Pierce of Wellington Town Coucil. 

REGENERATION 

NEWS EXTRA 

Happy Birthday 

businesses! 

Two key businesses in Wellington 

celebrated two years of trading in 

the town this spring – Zoe Trends on 

Market Street and The Boardroom 

Gaming Café on New Street. Both 

businesses were recipients of Telford & Wrekin 

Council’s Pride in Our High Street Grants for 

new and dynamic businesses going into empty 

premises and have greatly enhanced the diversity 

of what is on offer in Wellington. 

Jon Drew, who regularly hosts the Love 

Wellington business meetings, and organised 

the fun and games for the Wellington Pancake 

Day celebration, the ‘silly science’ show at the 

Christmas Lights Switch On as well as hosting 

events as part of the Bowring Park Fun Days 

said, “I’d really like to express our thanks to the 

business and the wider community for their 

continued support for the last two years.” 

Zoe Trends, which is a boutique selling both 

ladies and menswear has gone from strength to 

strength since opening, and Theodora Manu who 

runs it is always getting involved in activities in 

Wellington, including dressing up in costume and 

joining the Manor Court at this year’s Charter Day. 

11 

Upcoming dates and themes... 

APRIL 21 

Get Growing! Wildlife friendly 

gardening advice and help to 

grow your own veg. 

MAY 19 

Sustainable Fashion Show and 

Clothes Swap – look good 

without costing the earth. 

JUNE 2 

Eco Art Workshop for adults 

and children. 

JULY 14 

Zero waste cooking workshop 

– save money and the planet. 

AUGUST 11 

Eco activities for kids and 

school uniform swap. 


Unveiling Wellington’s 

hidden gem: The Thomas 

Telford @Wappenshall 

Wharf project 

Nestled on the outer northern edge of Wellington, a transformative restoration 

project is underway; poised to beckon history enthusiasts, tourists, and locals 

alike. The Thomas Telford @Wappenshall Wharf project - an endeavour to 

preserve the past and a visionary initiative to rejuvenate tourism and bring 

economic benefits to Wellington. 

12 

In 1797, the Duke of Sutherland 

inaugurated the original 

Shrewsbury Canal, the second 

canal to be built in the UK at 

that time. This canal played a 

pivotal role in propelling the industrial 

revolution forward by facilitating 

the transportation of limestone and 

coal from the Ironbridge Gorge to 

Shrewsbury. The network of canals in 

Shropshire, including the Shrewsbury 

and Newport Canals, operated until 

1835, when the Shrewsbury Canal was 

connected to the broader national 

canal network by what is now known 

as the Newport Canal. 

At the heart of this canal heritage 

lies Wappenshall Junction, a place 

with historical significance as it 

marked the convergence of major 

transport routes. Thomas Telford, 

the renowned civil engineer, built 

the spur from the Shropshire Union 

Canal to link up with the Shrewsbury 

Canal at Wappenshall Junction, and 

the restoration work pays homage 

to Telford’s engineering brilliance. 

And the Shrewsbury and Newport 

Canals Trust, formed to restore these 

canals to navigation once more, 

have embarked on restoring this vital 

historical link. 

The project gained momentum in 

2009 when Telford & Wrekin Council 

acquired the junction and its wharf 

and leased it back to the Shrewsbury 

and Newport Canals Trust. Despite 

unsuccessful attempts to secure 


National Lottery Heritage funding, dedicated 

individuals like retired engineer Bernie Jones plus a 

committed team of volunteers have propelled the 

restoration forward with sheer determination and 

community support. 

“The first phase of the project focuses on the East 

Basin, which has seen the digging out and rewatering 

of the basin and where a café is taking shape in the 

smaller of the two grade II listed warehouses. Notably, 

a well-known Wellington business will operate the 

café which is scheduled to open in the summer” said 

Bernie. 

Phase two involves renovating the larger warehouse 

into the Thomas Telford Visitor Centre. This centre 

will not only showcase the engineering marvels of 

Telford but also serve as a gateway for visitors to 

explore Wellington, as the largest nearby town. 

Crucially, the entire project is self-funded and 

locally sponsored with local tradesmen, building 

13 

For more information about the @Wappenshall Wharf project . . . 

For membership details please visit sncanal.org.uk 

To follow progress of the project and hear when the café opens please follow on Facebook 

facebook.com/ShrewsburyAndNewportCanalTrust 

companies, and volunteers playing a pivotal role in 

moving the project forward. 

For Wellington residents eager to contribute, 

joining the Shrewsbury and Newport Canals Trust is 

the first step. “Volunteers are welcomed, and you 

don’t necessarily need to don a hard hat and hi 

viz vest!” said Bernie, “although we regularly have 

20 volunteers on site every Friday and Saturday 

there are plenty more ways to be involved, 

whether assisting with events, PR, fundraising, 

or contributing to the quarterly magazine – any 

contribution is welcome. The collective efforts 

of our community can ensure that this important 

piece of history comes alive and thrives.” 

As the Thomas Telford @Wappenshall Wharf 

project unfolds, it not only breathes life into a 

bygone era but also sets the stage for a vibrant 

future, where locals and visitors can come 

together to appreciate the rich tapestry of history 

that defines this hidden gem on Wellington’s 

doorstep. 


14 

New 

face at 


Town 

Council 

Adrienne Taylor has joined 

the staff of Wellington Town 

Council as Events Assistant, 

helping to keep the vibrant 

and engaging events that are 

put on throughout the year 

for Wellington residents and 

visitors running smoothly. 

Adrienne is well known 

in Wellington, having run 

the Daberhashery based 

in the Market and then on 

Market Approach for several 

years. Adrienne has always 

been hugely supportive of 

the various Love Wellington 

promotions – and has 

collaborated on numerous 

projects - knitted bunnies, 

crochet lambs, making 

bunting etc. to help bring 

the businesses and the 

community together. She also 

organised a number of hugely 

popular ‘Craft Jumble Sales’ 

at the Belmont Hall. Her skills 

and experience will make her 

a great asset to the existing 

team. 

“I’m so excited about this 

new position and look forward 

to being back in the centre 

of all that is Wellington!” said 

Adrienne. 

l Adrienne Taylor 

Wellington Town Council News 

HIGH SHERIFF ENJOYS 

VISIT TO WELLINGTON 

The High Sheriff of Shropshire, 

Mandy Thorn, visited 

Wellington where she 

enjoyed the pancake fun in 

the market square and met 

many businesses in the town, including 

Lucy Buckley from Lucy’s Shoebox in 

Wellington Market, pictured here with 

the High Sheriff and Cllr Paul Davis 

Mayor of Wellington. Lucy was a finalist 

in the National Association of British 

Market Authorities (NABMA) Young 

Trader of the Year and was also, in a 

previous year, a recipient of the High 

Sheriff’s Outstanding Young Citizen 

award. 

The High Sheriff also met with 

volunteers from Wellington Cycle 

Delivery Scheme and with our local 

policing team. 



Twinning news 

Wellington has been twinned with 

Châtenay-Malabry in France 

for almost 25 years and this 

summer 22 visitors from France 

will be in Wellington from June 

7- 10 staying with host families. Arrangements 

are in place for guests to participate in the 

Midsummer Fayre, ceilidh and buffet supper in 

the evening on June 8 and there will be a ‘Civic 

Dinner’ the following day at The Cock Hotel 

for guests, hosts, members, the mayor and 

councillors. 

The Wellington Twinning Association is always 

keen to welcome new members to extend the 

hand of friendship to our friends in Châtenay- 

Malabry and organises regular walks, often with 

a coffee stop, quiz evenings and other social and 

fund-raising events and all are very welcome - 

no knowledge of French is necessary! 

To get in touch please email 

wellingtonshropshiretwinning@gmail.com or 

call 07795 03168. 

WEST team 

The Wellington Environmental 

Services Team – or WEST 

team – have been busy 

clearing paths, alleyways and 

cycle routes in and around 

Wellington. 

The team consists of father 

and son team Mick and Joe 

Talbot who have worked for 

Wellington Town Council for 

eight years. 

Well done and keep up the 

good work! 

Free CPR Training 

The Mayor of Wellington, Cllr Paul Davis, is organising free training for 100 Wellington residents. The workshops 

will help to teach people in the local community what to do in an emergency and equip them with the skills to 

help someone who have stopped breathing, are choking or have suffered a heart attack. 

BEFORE 

l Thursday 25 April 10-12 noon and 1-3pm 

l Friday 24 May 10-12 noon and 1-3pm 

l Thursday 20 June10-12noon and 1-3pm 

l Friday 12 July 10-12noon and 1-3pm 

l Friday 20 September 10-12noon and 1-3pm 

15 

Venues will be Arleston Community Centre and the Committee Room at the Wellington Civic and Leisure 

Centre. 

Please keep a look out on the Wellington Town Council website and social media for further details. 

New Streetwatch volunteers 

Four new ‘Streetwatch 

Volunteers’ have now started 

working with Wellington Safer 

Neighbourhood Team and will be 

working with the local policing 

team to assist PC’s and PCSO’s in 

their areas with local issues. 

Local Wellington residents 

Alan Fisher, Sally Harrington, 

Sharon King, Alistair Cox have all 

volunteered their time and are 

pictured here with PCSO Evie 

Dunkley and PC Ryan Davies. 

If you would like to take part 

and join the Streetwatch scheme 

and need more information follow the link orlo.uk/a6eUT 

Thank you to the new volunteers! 

AFTER 

BEFORE 

AFTER 


What’s going on in 

WELLINGTON 

Welcome to Wellington’s packed schedule of events over the spring and summer... 

All details are correct at time of going to print. Please keep an eye on the Love Wellington and Wellington Town 

Council FaceBook Accounts for updates about events as arrangements are confirmed. 

Wednesday 8 May 

Bayley Mile – a mile long race for local 

school children around Wellington 

Saturday 11 May 

Presentation to winners of Wellington 

Peggie Harrison Schools poetry competition 

Community Production – ‘Children of Eden’ 

at All Saints Church, Wellington 

Orbit 5th Birthday Celebration 

Saturday 8 June 

D-Day Commemorations 

Telford & Wrekin Council will be supporting 

the national programme and helping our 

communities to celebrate the D Day 80th 

anniversary. More details will be released 

shortly. 

Midsummer Fayre 

All Saints Church and Market Square from 

10.30-3pm 

Weekend of 29 & 30 June 

Wellington Open Gardens Weekend 

Throughout Wellington and Little Wenlock 

Sunday 7 July 

‘Wrekin Eatin’ Food Festival at Wellington 

Cricket Club 

Open air production of Julius Caesar at 

Bowring Park by Oddsocks Theatre 

Sunday 7 July 7.30pm 

Shakespearian shenanigans turning tragedy 

to comedy. To book telfordtheatre.com/ 

summer 

Saturday 20 July 

Italian Scooter Day - Market Square & 

central Wellington 

Friday 21 & Saturday 22 July 

Art Exhibition at Methodist Church (TBC) 

Wednesday 24 July 

11am - 1pm 

Wellington Family Fun Days at Bowring Park 

Saturday 27 July 

10am-3pm 

Green Festival, Wellington 

Friday 2 August 

11am - 1pm 


Saturday 3 August 

10am – 3pm 

Saturdays in the Square, Wellington (Telford) 

Brass Band 

Wednesday 7 August 

11am - 1pm 



10am – 3pm 

Saturdays in the Square, Wellington – Orbit 

Rocks 

Thursday 15 – Monday 19 August 

Jollies Inflatables at Bowring Park 


11am – 1pm 

Saturdays in the Square, High Street 

Celebration Day Wellington 


11am - 1pm 



11am – 1pm 

Saturdays in the Square, Wellington ‘Wheels 

& Reels’ 


11am - 1pm 



11am – 1pm 

Saturdays in the Square, Wellington 

Friday 6 September 

Comedy of Errors 

Open Air production in Bowring Park 

Monday 9 - Sunday 15 September 

Wellington Walking Festival 

A festival programme can be downloaded 

from wellingtonwalkersarewelcome.org.uk 

LOVE 

This Is Our Wellington 16.indd 16 20/03/2024 16:30

This Is Our Wellington 16

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