Earlier this month saw National Trust Cymru team up with Wrexham County Borough Council to light up two significant landmarks in Wrexham. Chirk Castle and Erddig were lit up to show their support for Wrexham’s UK City of Culture 2025 bid.
Wrexham is the only region in Wales through to the longlist of areas competing for UK City of Culture 2025 title, with the next stage in February when the finalists will be reduced from eight to three before the winner is announced in May 2022.
Residents in Chirk might have seen some unfamiliar lights beaming from the hill or heard the sound of a choir singing in the distance as The Fron Male Voice Choir lined the illuminated castle walls, signing loudly and proudly in support for the bid.
The following evening the house at Erddig was lit up as the NEW Sinfonia brass quartet played and the orchestra performed Calon Lân.
The light display mirrored the logo for #Wrecsam2025, with the ‘colour splash’ representing coal dust as a nod to the city’s industrial past, while the colours used are to represent the vibrancy and diversity of every single person who lives, works and plays in Wrexham.
Gillian Roberts, General Manager at Erddig and Chirk Castle, National Trust Cymru said;
“Erddig is a fond favourite with the community in Wrexham - a much-loved home, garden and estate filled with the stories of a family and their servants. While Chirk Castle lies meters away from the border - a medieval fortress of the Welsh Marches, award winning garden and 480-acre estate.
“These sites are rich in history, culture and natural heritage, and each year we welcome 350,000 visitors to discover and learn, however one of our key pillars here is our community work.
“Our youth club at Erddig, partnership with Nightingale House Hospice and Home-Start Wrexham, and our annual Camp at the Castle event ensures that the wider area remains vibrant, thriving communities that maintain and promote our cultural traditions in an inclusive and innovative way. We believe this bid provides a great opportunity to delivering regeneration strategies for the area, redefining Wrexham as a city of culture and learning.”
Justin Albert, Director, National Trust Cymru adds;
“At National Trust Cymru, we recognise the value of history, nature, and beauty to bring people together to celebrate culture. This offers us the potential to harness all of this rich and unique heritage, language and culture to secure an innovative and prosperous future for the communities and businesses of Wrexham and North East Wales and to ensure the UK and the world have the opportunity to learn about and celebrate this truly amazing area.”
“We are delighted to be part of the partnership to develop the application and we are committed to the exciting journey ahead.”
People are encouraged to share their experiences of what they think’s awesome about Wrexham by using the hashtag #Wrecsam2025.