WREXHAM has begun to tell its story to the world after it officially launched its bid to be named the UK City of Culture 2025.

At Ty Pawb on Wednesday morning, supporters did a countdown from 25 (see what they did there?) before officially submitting the bid.

Speakers said it was time to celebrate all Wrexham had to offer - and win or lose - the county should make the most of the buzz of excitement generated by the bid.

Joanna Swash, CEO Moneypenny and Chair of our City of Culture Steering Group, Cllr Hugh Jones, and Ian Bancroft, Chief Executive Wrexham County Borough Council, spoke at the bid launch.

Cllr Jones said: "Today we come together as a community to tell our story. Not just to the people of Wrexham, not just to the people of Wales, not just to the people of the United Kingdom, but across the world.

"It is a story of people across the centuries and today more than ever who are proud, passionate and ambitious. It is the story the people of Wrexham will themselves tell.

They were joined by Wrexham poet Evrah Rose and Delwyn ‘Sheep’ Derrick, the founder of Bellevue FC.

 

Images from the Wrexham UK City of Culture 2025 bid video featuring Evrah Rose.

Images from the Wrexham UK City of Culture 2025 bid video featuring Evrah Rose.

 

Evrah said: "The people of Wrexham are absolutely amazing, we have so many diverse and amazing voices here. And its lovely that now is the time we get to spread the word of who we are. We are Wrexham, we are amazing, and we should all be proud of ourselves.

It was Delwyn that began the countdown before the bid was submitted.

One of the highlights of the bid so far is a video featuring Evrah Rose in collaboration with Mr Phormula.

For the bid, other local creatives will be encouraged to contribute to the decision-making and planning with the aim of getting as many communities and voices heard around Wrexham.

Although Wrexham Council are leading on the bid, local businesses and diverse communities are shaping how Wrexham's year of hosting will look in 2025.

The competition uses culture to 'level up' areas of the UK, bringing increased productivity and opportunities to selected areas of the country.

The aim is to explore how culture can reanimate public spaces and shopping areas, and work on how to best upgrade the local civic and artistic infrastructure to take full advantage of the opportunities that the levelling up agenda provides.

This is especially important as Wrexham recovers from the Covid pandemic.

People are encouraged to share their experiences of what they think’s awesome about Wrexham by using the hashtag #Wrecsam2025.