Latest news with #KnifeDragon
Leader Live
28-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Coleg Cambria partnership with UK's largest awarding body
The college - based in Deeside, Northop, Llysfasi and Wrexham - launched a raft of courses to begin this September in partnership with Pearson learning group, the UK's largest awarding body. They include hospitality, digital marketing and enterprise, and esports. Read more: Four-metre Knife Dragon will breathe fire into Welsh weapons campaign It comes after Cambria designed a Higher Technical Skills Strategy to enhance access and participation, encourage curriculum development and innovation, and forge partnerships within multiple industries to plug gaps in expertise and experience regionally. Cambria's Dean of Access and Higher Education (HE) Emma Hurst said: "These new higher education qualifications have been carefully developed in collaboration with industry leaders to ensure graduates are equipped with the practical skills and knowledge employers are looking for. Read more: New Flintshire school campus opens as first net zero carbon school "By aligning academic learning with real-world demands, we're empowering students to be job-ready, innovative, and at the forefront of their sectors, supporting not only their immediate career progression but also opening doors to promotion and new professional opportunities." HE Partnerships and Compliance Manager Donna Pritchard said they will also continue to promote Digital 2030 - digital skills, confidence and innovation in teaching and learning; equipping learners so they can use rapidly evolving technologies to their full potential, including Artificial Intelligence (AI). "We want Higher Technical Skills to become a priority within employer advisory boards and inform curriculum development and co-creation, ensuring programmes are tailored to meet the evolving demands of the local labour market," said Donna. Read more: Oscar winner thanks former Wrexham college for 'many fond memories' "Our vision is to remove barriers to education and help upskill in areas of demand whilst targeting pivotal issues such as the Welsh language, sustainability and net zero - we are successfully working towards that with Pearson and other stakeholders." For more information, visit and follow Coleg Cambria on social media. Alternatively, call 01978 515477 or email he@ Open events for adults will be held at Deeside, and Bersham Road and Yale in Wrexham, on Wednesday June 4, from 4pm-7pm. For more information and to book your place, visit:
Leader Live
28-05-2025
- Leader Live
Ten fully funded places available for people aged over 16
Ten fully funded places are now available for individuals aged 16 and over, who live locally and have an interest in exploring the outdoors, learning about green spaces, or discovering the region's industrial heritage. This entry-level training, delivered by Wales Best Guides, offers an engaging introduction to the art of tour guiding, following globally recognised best practices while highlighting unique stories, landscapes and people of North Wales. Participants will develop public speaking skills and build confidence, all while uncovering how nature has reclaimed sites of industrial heritage across the region. Read more: New funding deal gives Stiwt 'stability' during City of Culture bid Ruth Armstrong, senior community engagement coordinator, said: "We are really excited about this training opportunity, and hope that it will help local people re-discover a love for the Clywedog Valley in a new and interesting way." Throughout the course, attendees will observe a professional guided tour, collaborate in groups to research and explore local history, and practice delivering a guided segment in a friendly, supportive setting. There are no formal assessments, but participants may choose to complete a personal audit and action plan, which will be reviewed with their trainer." The training takes place at Minera Lead Mines over four weekly sessions, each lasting five hours from 9.30am-2.30pm on the following Thursdays: June 26, July 3, July 10 and July 17. Read more: Four-metre Knife Dragon will breathe fire into Welsh weapons campaign Upon completion of, participants will receive a Certificate of Attendance from Wales Official Tourist Guides Association (WOTGA). This course also serves as a steppingstone toward professional guiding qualifications. Graduates may go on to pursue accredited Level 1 and 2 White Badge courses, level 3 Green Badge training for regional guiding, or even Level 4 Blue Badge 'dragon' qualification, which covers all of Wales. These advanced programs can lead to freelance opportunities and income as a qualified WOTGA guide. To learn more or register, contact or call 01978 757524.
Leader Live
25-05-2025
- Leader Live
Sculpture will take position at Coleg Cambria Wrexham site
After almost four years of hard work by lecturer John Freeman and students, the hand-crafted statue of a dragon protecting a small child has taken its place outside Coleg Cambria's Bersham Road site in Wrexham. Built in partnership with Wrexham County Borough Council and North Wales Police, the first phase of the project is finished. The task now will be to raise the plinth of Welsh stone slate to form a castle alongside a "river of knives", due for completion in November. Knife dragon under construction. At night the dragon will be lit up in red, white and green colours, a symbol of Wales and a reminder of the devastating impact weapons crime can have on communities. "It has taken many days and weeks of dedication, with the amazing support and skill of our learners, to bring the sculpture to life," said John. "The staff have playfully named the dragon 'JohnFree' as I've spent every hour I haven't been lecturing in the workshop, safely shaping a range of confiscated weapons including kitchen knives, samurai swords, knuckle dusters and bayonets and welding them onto steel frames to form the main body and head. Read more: Wrexham pupils unveil railway celebration mural "The wings are made from wire mesh and strips, and took a long time to complete, but it's all finally done. "We are so happy with how it looks, almost identical to the model I had initially designed, and glad it will represent such an important cause." Karl Jackson, assistant principal for the Institute of Technology and Site Lead at Bersham Road, added: "The finished article is quite breathtaking, it will be a beacon not only for knife awareness but also for the talent and skill of the students who played their part in its construction, which all took place with health and safety the number one priority. Knife dragon outside Coleg Cambria's Bersham Road site in Wrexham. "The sculpture will stand proudly here at Bersham Road, a symbol for generations to come constructed entirely from weapons North Wales Police had collected via amnesty or confiscation. "Several thousand have been used for the knife dragon and it is quite staggering when you reflect on that, but what a powerful message this now sends out." District Inspector for Wrexham City Rhodri Ifans said while knife crime offences remain thankfully low in Wrexham, it is important "for us all to act to drive them down still further". Read more: New Flintshire school campus opens as first net zero carbon school "Knives are dangerous and there is no place for them on our streets. Every incident involving a knife has consequences for all those involved, and so this is an issue we take extremely seriously," he said. "As such, it is particularly important we can create opportunities to highlight knife crime and what we can do to prevent it. "We all have a responsibility to educate anyone who may think it acceptable to carry a knife and the Knife Dragon offers a way in which we can work with our partners on a project that just might prevent another tragedy. Knife dragon under construction. "Made with weapons we have seized from our own streets; they will never again be in position to harm anyone. "By working with our partners, we will continue to educate, enforce, and act on any information given to us to bring those involved in this type of offending to justice." Lead Member for Partnership and Community Safety at Wrexham County Borough Council, Cllr Paul Roberts, added: "This striking Knife Dragon will serve as a reminder to the devastating impact that knife crime and serious violence can have on local communities and families. Read more: Oscar winner thanks former Wrexham college for 'many fond memories' "Following on from the Knife Angel's visit to Wrexham in October 2022, with thanks to the staff and students at Coleg Cambria on its construction, the Knife Dragon will provide a permanent focus point to the partnership working and education around keeping knife crime low in Wrexham." • For the latest news and information from Coleg Cambria, visit • If you have concerns about knife crime, call North Wales Police on 101 or CrimeStoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. Alternatively, visit
