Telford People

A pioneering new partnership in Telford is transforming how hundreds of health professionals support disabled residents to stay active and healthy. Find out how a “fundamental shift” in local care is helping to break down long-standing barriers to physical activity across the borough.

Alfie Hall, a Year 8 student at Burton Borough School has been selected to represent his local scout group at the World Scout Jamboree in Poland.

Pupils from a local primary school have been busy on-site at a major £16m regeneration project in Wellington. The children are working alongside developers to ensure a new neighbourhood is a hit with both residents and local wildlife. Read more to see how these young “Eco Warriors” are making their mark on the town’s future.

Telford’s history and its future took centre stage in Parliament this week as MP Shaun Davies name-checked several local legends and businesses during a key debate. From history preservation to community support, find out which local heroes received a special mention in the House of Commons.

Paul Watling was welcomed back to the cabinet at Telford & Wrekin Council on Thursday to resume his position as the portfolio holder for adult social care and health.

Since the waste contract began in 2014, the scheme has handed out more than £178,000 to 208 different projects across the borough.

Telford Community Basketball CIC was among the successful applicants, securing money for their Hoops for Health project which uses sport to improve wellbeing for young people.

A local independent author has released a new children’s fantasy book after being challenged to do so by the pupils he works with in Telford. Joe, who works with children aged between 2 and 11, wrote The Fae in the Faraway Forest following a specific request during a school breakfast club.

A self confessed ‘non gardener’ has hung up the secateurs after 15 years volunteering with a gardening group in an award winning park.

Colin Thompson, 82, from Priorslee, first joined The Friends of Telford Town Park (FOTTP) in 2010 – and was on hand just three days after meeting them.

The Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust is saving £30,000 a year following the installation of a new dialysis delivery system at Hollinswood House.

David Roberts and Jeremy Harris from the medical equipment team coordinated the move to a Central Delivery System.

Funds raised will help support the charity in its work around community engagement, sports participation, education and employment, and health and wellbeing.

Health and safety restrictions apply, with a maximum individual weight of 15st – and anyone aged over 60 will need to have a fitness to jump form signed by their GP.

This week though a grateful resident visited a Hollinswood & Randlay Parish Council meeting to say thank you for a Christmas hamper he had received after his name was pulled out in a draw.

“I was stuck for words,” said Mr Knott who first moved to Randlay in 1979 and liked the area so much he has been in the same house for 46 years.

Volunteers aged 14-16 years-old will be able to help with fundraising and preparations for events for the Trust’s charity, SaTH Charity, based at William Farr House in Shrewsbury.

Volunteers who are aged 16-18 years-old, in addition to the opportunities for under 16s, can also undertake meet and greet, companionship, and ward support roles. Volunteers aged over 18 years-old can become a volunteer driver or drive the patient transport buggy, as well as take on x-ray and A&E support roles.

Hadley Learning Community Secondary School received £1,000 from idverde’s Community Investment Fund, which is part of the company’s grounds and cleansing contract with Telford & Wrekin Council.

And they have put the donation to good use by creating a ‘Nurture to Bloom’ garden on the school site.

Shropshire’s young people are being called on to create an exhibition of artwork honouring the incredible work of a man who grew up in the county.

Andrew (Vern) Stokes OBE, MVO, DL left school in Telford at 16 to join the British Army and has since held various distinguished positions, including Garrison Sergeant Major for the past decade.

Telford College is one of just four finalists in the category for ‘innovation in training and delivery’.

Mark Jones, who signed up for Telford College’s ‘Into Employment’ programme to make learning opportunities more attainable for hard-to-reach individuals, won the New Directions award.

At a meeting of Telford & Wrekin Council’s Cabinet, members voted unanimously in favour of a new youth strategy for the Borough.

The strategy has been developed in recent months in consultation with different groups of young people across the Borough to ensure it’s a true representation of their voice and needs.

Arthog Outreach scored “top marks” for the quality of its outdoor education provision in a recent inspection.

As weather forecasters warn of a possibly significant dumping of snow on Thursday night I paid a visit to Telford’s gritter HQ.

Telford & Wrekin Council’s decision making centre at Granville House, in Donnington, has an array of screens including a weather radar map, and data on the state of the borough’s 1,000 kilometres of roads.

Scott Saunders, who has been involved with event medicine for 30 years, was awarded the British Empire Medal for his services to emergency response and volunteering across Telford.

Shaun Davies MP for Telford has presented special letters of recognition from the Secretary of State for Defence, The Rt Hon John Healey MP, to three Telford residents and organisations.

Year 6 pupils at Captain Webb Primary School in Dawley have been showcasing their creative talents this month. The school recently reached out to share the work of their young writers following a similar project held last year.

The winning entry from Ariella was a completely independent piece of work. She described the student as a talented writer and said the school is excited to see what she creates in the future.

Chris Nutt, who worked at Fujitsu and initiated the firm sending volunteers to the Friends of Telford Town Park (FOTTP) group as part of a staff welfare programme, died suddenly in December 2024, aged 40.

A bench in memory of him has now been installed by Fujitsu and the Friends as they were so grateful for the work he did and wanted to honour him.

Students Lucas Davies and Tyler Klimkowski volunteered to take on the project.

The planters, made from wooden delivery pallets and copper pipe off-cuts, have been delivered to the Friends of Wellington Station.

Hospital chiefs failed to refer a patient “in an appropriate and timely manner”, which may have led to the woman’s death.

That is the conclusion of a coroner who has sent a “prevention of future deaths” report to the Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital (SaTH) NHS Trust.

Pupils from Ercall Wood Academy in Wellington hosted their third annual Christmas afternoon tea and welcomed older members of the local community for the celebrations.

Principal Nick Murphy said the much-loved event had become a highlight of the Academy’s calendar and reflected the school’s commitment to community engagement and bringing multiple generations together.

Telford College students have donated dozens of Christmas gift boxes to a local charity which supports homeless and vulnerable people.

Students from the college’s foundation learning department have made up a total of 35 festive gift boxes for Stay Telford & Wrekin, from donations collected around the campus.

The new Shropshire Youth Awareness Day which saw the county turn blue to show its support has so far raised more than £10,000 for youth charities across the county and the amount is still rising. 

Pic: The High Sheriff of Shropshire Jane Trowbridge with pupils at Wombridge Primary School taking part in the Youth Awareness Day

The government announced new planning reforms that could see more homes built on Shropshire’s Green Belt. Wrekin MP Mark Pritchard spoke out in the House of Commons against the changes, which were unveiled by the Housing Minister just before the Christmas recess.

Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year and has set itself an ambitious goal – to raise £75,000 to help tackle loneliness and social isolation among older people across the county.

Members of the charity’s Khushdil Day Centre, based at the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Hadley, have enthusiastically risen to the challenge. Through a series of fundraising activities, they have already raised more than £1,900 to support older people throughout Shropshire.