Wellington is proving an inspirational town
A town in Telford has been named alongside New York, Hong Kong, Karachi and Sydney as an inspirational town with people that make things happen.
A town in Telford has been named alongside New York, Hong Kong, Karachi and Sydney as an inspirational town with people that make things happen.
Wellington is one of 36 towns and cities worldwide to be featured on the Community Lovers Guide to the Universe website.
The site is an international project which was set up last year in Rotterdam by author Tessy Britton and Maurice Specht, based on Ms Britton’s book Hand Made, which captured stories about grassroots local projects that are seeking to improve local areas and bring people together.
Rob Francis, joint founder of local heritage group WellingtonH2A, was invited to highlight the community spirit of Wellington when he met Ms Britton last year.
And the town now has its own spot on the website alongside Australia’s Mensheds movement, which has created 400 workshops where men can get together and discuss health or family problems.
Also on the site is The Pie Lab in Alabama, where a group of young designers turned their studio into a pie shop which encouraged local people to come in and generate new ideas for their area, and Brixton Village Market in South London, where 20 empty shops were brought back to life by a series of creative projects and community-driven business start-ups.
Mr Francis said: “Local editors are being recruited around the world to collect stories from their town or city. When I met Tessy last year, she talked me into putting a Wellington version together.
“This will draw attention to the community activity going on in scores of places worldwide – things not organised by councils or charities or big companies, just ideas that have taken root amongst a few people making things happen.
“We should be really excited that Wellington is on that list of places in the first wave because it means we have the chance to share what we’re doing.”
Among the ideas and projects being highlighted in Wellington are AFC Telford United, the new Peace Garden, Walkers are Welcome, and Sank•tuary, which offers free flip-flops, lollipops and space blankets, basic first-aid and support for young people who go out clubbing on Saturday nights.
Comments for: "Wellington is proving an inspirational town"
Drone
Sank•tuary!! Wooh, how dope! What's wrong with "Sanctuary" ? Imagine how much time they'd save by not having to spell it three or four times during every business call.
"No, with a 'K'. And then a bullet point marker between the 'K' and the 'T'. Yes, a bullet point. No, not the arrow one, the dot one. Hello? Hello??"
GB
And there was me thinking that it was just an empty shop and charity shop ghetto...
bob
Then you'd be wrong. There are hardly any empty shops in Wellington Town centre now and you'll be pleased to know that not all of them are charity shops.
Why not give it a go instead of mouthing off your ill informed opinions.
Wellington Revolution
We all have lazy, foolish ideas sometimes, GB, don't be too hard on yourself! You just need to look a bit harder in future :)
Merkio
Wellington is going through a great Renaissance at the minute and long may it continue. Every week a new business appears to be opening and with help from groups like H2A and the wider Wellington Community word is getting out that Wellington is not the dying town with only charity shops it once was.
Phoenix_on_the_Wrekin
@Drone, I expect they named it in a popular way to entice the 'young' not the 'old'. No different from any generation, probably yours as well, that adapted words or changed their meaning to a vernacular one. I see you use the Americanisation of disbelief/horror yourself, the 'hello hello'. As they sometimes say these days...'Wicked!'. I personally think people should applaud projects in the area that can impact the health and welfare of its residents and visitors. 'Sank.tuary' are at least out on the streets supporting a project they believe in and not being a keyboard warrior like some. As for GB, I invite you to visit the town and really look around at the thriving and diverse community from the newly opened Caribbean take-away to the fantastic florist or the wonderful market and local butchers. Blinkered visits are a thing of the past, we can only hope!
Drone
Well done, you win "The Year's Most Po-faced Post" award.
twisting my melon
In fairness i think you've been nailed there, to the point where you have to insult a perfectly good comment..
Drone
Fair enough!
P.Travers.
Could you give me the address in Wellington of the Caribbean takeaway? Thank you. Desperate!!
Anthony Nicholls
Wellington resilient a market town as ever there was, is a spearhead of a turn in the tide of the out of town supermarket culture that many have been seduced by.
A few have influenced the wavering spirits and helped people believe in what we can all still achieve for ourselves.
WE ARE WELLINGTON UNDER THE WREKIN. UNIQUE IN MANY WAYS. WE ARE PROUD OF IT.
Come to the Midsummer Fayre, Barn Dance, Wrekin Barrel race, Entertainment in the Square throughout the summer Saturdays.
Look at the Wellington Summer Revels leaflet for more quality events than you can shake a stick at jockey lad!
If you had to buy a Town to live and work in I Wouldn't be able to afford Wellington!!!
It's Awesome.
It's where I would bring my children up by choice.
nick
Well done to Wellington H2A for getting such positive publicity. The town has a lot of advantages with the best market in Shropshire, a centrally located railway station and some good local shops and pubs. It is definitely on the up! - there are some great development opportunities with the Arriva bus depot moving out of the town centre. This large site has potential for a new retail/leisure complex including a much needed independent cinema for the area.
Bill Jones
There are positive signs in Wellington with very few empty shops and everyone in the town seems to have a more optimistic outlook. There seem to be lots of opportunities in the town with a couple of key development sites up for sale - the town still needs 'visitors attractions' and should develop its position as the gateway to the Wrekin. There seems to be a lot going on and the new Wellington is the best in the county.
Bill Jones
I should have said 'Wellington Library' is the best in the county.
David
Sorry, I think I've entered an alternative universe here... we are talking about the same Wellington?
Peter
I must admit I thought they must have confused it with the one in New Zealand, or Somerset, or somewhere...
I obviously need to pay it a visit more often - the market was always worth a visit, but last time I had a stroll around the town it had a worrying number of charity shops. A bit like Oakengates in that respect.
Wellington Revolution
I know - for those who aren't emersed in all this stuff, it might sound like we're talking about a different town, and I admit that some days I walk around the town and feel like it's all gone a bit wrong somewhere. Yet the exciting thing is that in spite of the charity shops, and the loss of some very good shops, there's a growing amount of energy to make things different - and if you know where to look, it's increasingly tangible.
When I bring friends to the town for an event like the Midsummer Fayre, we eat at the Old Orleton, we drink at the Cock Hotel, we go to the Shropshire deli stall in the market and to my dad's butchers, and on the Sunday, we visit the National Trust place Sunnycroft or head up The Wrekin. They're left thinking 'that's a nice town' - so we can do it if we try.
What we need now is for businesses (and would-be businesses) to pick up the baton from those of us organsing cultural events and make sure we have more shops, pubs and restaurants to match. There are lots of opportunities in town at the moment with large sites ripe for redevelopment - the trouble is that these are opportunities that can be easily missed. So, Shropshire, wake up to what's happening in Wellington and be part of it.
R Hughes
As an outsider, I can see that Wellington has improved with the new Civic centre and innovative library. The Market is also a good attraction. However, it urgently needs some new leisure facilities to bring visitors into the town in the evening - a cinema? a couple of new restaurants and smarter pubs?. It is work in progress - the free parking is a big bonus!!
Bob
Although few people in their right mind would open pubs at the minute, 2 have been renovated and reopened recently. The historic White Lion and the tired chav haven that was Rasputins is now back as the Raven and a very vibrant sports bar, not to mention the £1 Million Weatherspoons spent on their new Wellington pub!
Now if someone would care to renovate and reopen the Charlton Arms we'd be most grateful!
Katherine de Gama
Great news for Wellington:)
F Murton
Its great to see Wellington improving and there are things going on in the evenings too. There are people trying to develop evening events and in the autumn the Literary Festival will give people plenty to do as the evenings draw in. Keep an eye out for things at Wrekin College - especially a one night cinema...showing the original silent movie version of "Phantom of the Opera" (which was banned in here in England in 1925 for as it was considered too horrific!).
We hope it will be a real gothic evening in the College Chapel with a special improvised organ accompaniment from Alex Mason from Shrewsbury School.
Nick
Great idea - well done to the Wrekin College!