By Lesley Griffiths

MS for Wrexham

Earlier this year a new dedicated facility for community health care services opened in Wrexham and I had the pleasure of visiting last week.

Located on Wrexham Technology Park, the opening of Plas Gororau has enabled Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board to transfer certain non-acute healthcare services, including phlebotomy facilities and mental health services, from the main Maelor Hospital site.

The refurbished facility, which has received funding support from the Welsh Government, is also the location of Wrexham’s new purpose-built vaccination centre. It has replaced the former temporary centre at Wrexham University and is currently offering eligible people their COVID-19 Spring boosters.

Significantly, Plas Gororau provides over 200 car parking spaces for staff and patients. It is only a short walk from the Maelor’s main entrance so as well as patients benefitting from a brand-new facility, the development will help alleviate some of the parking pressures at the main hospital site.

The work is ongoing and the Health Board expects even more non-acute services to be transferred to the site in future.

May is National Walking Month and pupils at a Wrexham primary school have been learning all about the benefits of keeping active.

I recently spent time with students from Victoria Community Primary School and found out more about how they’re encouraged to walk, wheel, scoot or cycle to school.

The visit was organised by Living Streets Cymru, the charity that initiated the campaign and aims to make walking for short journeys as easy and accessible as possible.

Victoria CP School joined WOW - the walk to school challenge from Living Streets in December. Since then, the school has seen an increase of families choosing to travel actively to school by either walking, wheeling, cycling, scooting or using the Park and Stride scheme. In April, only 31% per cent of journeys were driving all the way to school.

Across Wales, Welsh Government support is helping thousands of children enjoy the benefits of walking, wheeling and cycling to school. Victoria CP School is one of eight running the WOW programme in Wrexham thanks to this support.

Walking and wheeling to school is a wonderful thing: it benefits our health, it's good for the environment, and it's a great way to spend time in our local communities. I'm sure other families will feel encouraged to leave the car at home and walk or wheel to school.

As always, if you’re a constituent in Wrexham and there is an issue I could help you with, please contact me via email: lesley.griffiths@senedd.wales or call 01978 355743.