1 week Ago By D R
Wrexham.com has invited local Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd to write a monthly article with updates on their work in their respective Parliaments and closer to home – you can find them all here . In this month’s column Wrexham’s Member of the Senedd, Lesley Griffiths, writes: Many readers will be aware of the tragic events that unfolded over ninety years ago when 266 men and boys lost their lives in the Gresford Colliery disaster.
The devastating explosion that ripped through the Dennis section of the mine on Saturday 22 September, 1934 was one of the worst mining disasters in British history and its impact on the community was seismic. To this day, those involved and with knowledge of the disaster believe the catastrophic incident has been overlooked. An inquiry held in the aftermath of the disaster was deeply flawed.
No one was ever held accountable, with a fine of around £150 relating to bookkeeping errors rather than circumstances surrounding the explosion. On Wednesday (2 April), I had the honour of speaking in the Senedd about the disaster. The aim of my Short Debate was to help raise awareness of the tragedy and the impact it had on so many families.
After speaking in the Chamber last year to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the disaster, I wrote to the UK Government Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens MP, to ascertain whether it would be possible for a further inquiry to be undertaken. Regretfully, the request was rejected. Having the opportunity to speak about Gresford at length in the Senedd has allowed me to delve into the history and the personal accounts of those who have helped keep the memories of Gresford alive.
Praise must go to people like Emily and Margaret Capper and Ted Mackay whose tireless campaigning eventually saw the construction of a fitting memorial. Ruby McBurney, daughter of William Crump who was killed in the disaster, together with her sister, Evelyn and friend Margery Morrison, were instrumental in raising funds to pay for a plaque at the memorial containing the names of the 266 men who lost their lives. The Friends of Gresford Colliery Disaster Memorial, which was established around ten years ago, is still going strong and many members have family connections to the disaster.
Rev Canon David Griffiths conducted the memorial services for 33 years and George Powell and Alan and Margaret Jones from the Wrexham Miners Project are preserving our mining history. After a challenging period in which the future of the building was under threat, the centre is now a thriving community hub. If anyone wishes to watch the debate in full, it can be viewed via YouTube .
I recently visited Transport for Wales’ (TfW) Wrexham office to discuss a number of items, including the ongoing issue of the managing of rail services on Wrexham AFC match days. Constituents often express their frustrations with me when services are delayed or, more often, if there aren’t enough carriages to cope with the amount of passengers. The task for TfW is challenging.
Each fixture has different requirements for passengers travelling, such as the day of the week. Planning in advance can also be tricky with kick off times moving more frequently for television coverage. I have received assurances TfW will constantly monitor and review its matchday arrangements and it will continue to work with me, North Wales Police, British Transport Police and Wrexham AFC to support the movement of fans, pre and post event.
Following my latest meeting, I was pleased to learn extra trains were in place to cater for Wrexham’s match vs Stockport County and Wales’ game against Kazakhstan in Cardiff, both of which took place on the same day last month. The nature of this issue means there will always be complexities that will make planning difficult but as long as constituents continue to highlight any issues with me, I will always raise their concerns with the relevant authorities. Last month marked Endometriosis Action Month, with a special event taking place in the Senedd highlighting the debilitating effects of the condition.
Around 1 in 10 women in Wales are affected by endometriosis. As part of the Women’s Health Plan which was published in December, the Welsh Government has been clear endometriosis is one of the key priority areas. There is still work to be done but the Plan has helped ensure specialist endometriosis nurses are available in every health board and the Welsh Government launched the dedicated Endometriosis Cymru website.
Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus Pawb March is #EndometriosisActionMonth . Join us in taking action by visiting [ @EndometriosisUK to find out more: https://t.co/tKau4l3d1S pic.
twitter.com/5NjZ0QTntU — Endometriosis UK Wales (@EndoUKWales) March 1, 2025 It was a pleasure catching up with the team at the Erlas Victorian Walled Garden. I remain proud to be patron of such a wonderful organisation and there are plenty of Easter events taking place over the coming weeks.
Visitors of all ages are welcome to attend. Erlas Victorian Walled Garden are excited to announce our Easter Event! Everyone is invited to come along to our garden to decorate an Easter Decoration to hang on our Easter Tree. Take a scroll around our garden & enjoy refreshments in Ty Paned.
Entrance and parking is free. pic.twitter.
com/OTPRe3DeO6 — Erlas Victorian Walled Garden (@ErlasGarden) April 2, 2025 As always, if you’re a constituent and there is anything I could help you with, please email me: [email protected] or call 01978 355743.
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