Our Wrexham Community Corner feature for September includes stories from Moneypenny, Ysgol Rhiwabon, Nightingale House and Sam Rowlands, MS.
Moneypenny
Leading customer conversations provider Moneypenny has launched a dedicated hospitality team in response to rising demand from pubs, restaurants, and hotels looking to operate more efficiently amid soaring costs and National Insurance hikes.
Hospitality venues across the UK face mounting financial pressures. Consequently, many are turning to outsourcing to streamline operations, reduce staffing burdens, and improve service without increasing overheads. Moneypenny has seen a 26% increase in hospitality enquiries over the past 12 months. This has prompted the creation of a specialised team trained to handle the unique needs of the sector.
The rise in National Insurance is another cost pressure forcing businesses to rethink how they operate. “Outsourcing our calls to Moneypenny allows us to focus on growth, without having to invest heavily in more staff, especially if they’re only needed to meet seasonality demands.” Comments Ryan Davies, Director from Llanerch Vineyard Hotel (The UK’s pioneering vineyard hotel and award-winning restaurant.)
The new hospitality team provides 24/7 phone answering, live chat, online booking, and customer service support. This service enables venues to offer a seamless experience even during busy periods without having to stretch their in-house teams.
Ysgol Rhiwabon
Following a successful year, August 21st marks a special day for Year 11 students, staff, and families at Ysgol Rhiwabon. Not only have they achieved an excellent set of results, but their success and celebrations also coincide with the 450th anniversary of the school’s founding, and the Year 11 cohort contributes to its proud history and bright future.
Ysgol Rhiwabon Staff and Governors are very proud of the achievements of the year group. The Class of 2025 has displayed some outstanding individual achievements. They also contributed to a collective success which the school and local community can celebrate together.
Just a few of the highlights include:
- A rise in the number of students securing A*/A grades across all their subjects.
- A significant increase in the highest grades in Chemistry, Physics, Biology and Mathematics.
- Impressive achievements in Art and French, with half the cohort achieving A/A*.
- Student of the Year Awards for Ysgol Rhiwabon learners studying college courses.
- The majority of learners achieved a higher pass in the Skills Challenge Certificate, demonstrating their cross-curricular skills.
Mrs Ferron-Evans, Headteacher, commented, “Our students, supported by their families, have worked very hard to secure success. We are delighted to see their results. Every year, I am impressed with the way school staff support these outcomes. They deserve a special mention for working tirelessly to secure this success.”
The featured image is of Alfie Elliot, Maja Sarnowska and Amy Saunders. All three students achieved outstanding AA passes across the full range of subjects studied.
Nightingale House Hospice
“You don’t go there to die, you go there to live”. Sheila and Paul Smith from Borras have shared their experiences with Nightingale House Hospice.
For Sheila and Paul, Nightingale House Hospice in Wrexham has been a place of comfort, community, and renewal. This wasn’t just during a time of illness, but throughout an important chapter in their lives.
Sheila is a retired nurse who ended her professional career at Nightingale House. She was already familiar with the hospice’s compassionate approach. When she became unwell a year ago, her husband Paul stepped away from work to care for her full-time. Naturally, they turned to a place they both trusted.
Now, having experienced hospice care from a different perspective, Sheila has developed a new appreciation for the care she once helped deliver. From the updated Wellbeing Centre to services such as complementary therapies, rehabilitation support, GP liaison, and dietary advice, the couple were impressed by both the speed and the quality of support.
Paul said: “The staff are friendly, kind, and always supportive. It’s not just about the patient, it’s about the whole family.
Sheila said, “I knew how excellent the care was. The staff could not have done more for us both, and they continue to go above and beyond. It’s completely different from what people expect. It’s full of life, laughter, and warmth. You don’t go there to die, you go there to live.”
Coleg Cambria
Louis Jones is preparing to take the next exciting step in his academic journey. He has received an offer to study Physics at Durham University. DU is one of the UK’s top institutions for the subject. Having completed A Levels in Physics, Maths, and Further Maths at Coleg Cambria Yale, the 18-year-old former Ysgol Bryn Alyn pupil has already made a name for himself in the world of physics.
He earned a prestigious Gold Award in the British Physics Olympiad. This is a highly competitive national competition that recognises exceptional talent and problem-solving ability among sixth-form students.
Louis credits much of his success to the support he’s received from Coleg Cambria. He said: “The staff have been incredibly supportive and dedicated to helping us achieve our goals. If I weren’t at Cambria, I wouldn’t have had the opportunity to take part in the Olympiad or attend the amazing events they helped connect me with.”
He was also selected for a three-day physics and engineering residential at Magdalen College, Oxford. There, he explored cutting-edge topics such as Helmholtz resonance and origami-based spacecraft engineering techniques used by NASA — an experience that further deepened his passion for science.
Visit cambria.ac.uk for more on studying for A Levels at Coleg Cambria. Alternatively, email admissions@cambria.ac.uk, call 0300 30 30 007 or use the Chat now! | Coleg Cambria Customer Support facility on the website.
Sam Rowlands, MS
Sam Rowlands, Welsh Parliament Member for North Wales, mentioned seven parks receiving prestigious Green Flag Awards in North-East Wales.
Mr Rowlands, Chair of the Senedd’s Cross-Party Group on Tourism, was commenting after it was announced that Wepre Park, Greenfield Valley, and Bailey Hill in Flintshire and Alyn Waters, Ponciau Banks, Belleview Park and Tŷ Mawr in Wrexham had received Green Flag Awards for 2025.
He said, “It is great to see all these popular parks receiving national recognition for being some of the UK’s best green spaces. It is good news for local people who use the facility and certainly helps to keep North Wales firmly on the tourist map.
Sam also praised the police who keep the public safe on railways across North Wales. He said, “I was delighted to hear about how the British Transport Police protect railways across Wales and the rest of the UK. It was great to learn more about the valuable role they play in keeping people safe on the railways. This is so important and makes people feel more comfortable using public transport.
We hope you enjoyed reading “Wrexham Community Corner – September 2025”. Click here for more stories about our local communities.
