Wrexham Council to ‘Crowdfund’ For ‘Veteran Standards & Ceremonial Flags’ Project

Wrexham Council are to launch their first crowdfunding project after proposals to do so were passed unanimously by members of the Executive Board yesterday. 

Last week Wrexham.com reported that Wrexham Council were seeking approval from members of the Executive Board to begin ‘crowdfunding’ to raise funds to safeguard Wrexham’s local veteran standards and ceremonial flags.

Crowdfunding is an ‘alternative form of funding’ and is the process of raising money from a large group of people to fund a community project or the like.

Speaking at yesterday’s Executive Board meeting, Armed Forces Champion, Cllr David Griffiths said: “It is something which is very dear to my heart. We must not forget the veterans and Wrexham is renowned for the support it gives to its armed forces. Whenever we have something in Wrexham the people come out and give applause.

“An idea is a way of individuals or groups to donate to a cause. We are using space hive which has been used before by Cardiff Council, Camden and Manchester. They have used it for civic, we are asking for a project Wrexham can participate in and creating a future for the people who have put in the sacrifices.”

The meeting was told a total of £15,000-£20,000 would be needed for the trial project, which would safeguard the standards, or ceremonial flags, belonging to five veterans’ associations with a Wrexham connection specifically the Eighth Army Veterans, Normandy Veterans , Korean Veterans and Burma Star Veterans.

Speaking at yesterday’s meeting Cllr Griffiths added that he was aware the Dunkirk Veterans standard is believed to be in St Giles and hoped to find out more information.

Cllr Griffiths added: “When I went into it, I went into it naively. It is a very intricate work which goes into it, each flag costs £3k-£4k. It is very delicate work for doing it.

“At this moment i will be pleading with organisations and individuals. There will be bag packing in supermarkets and bucket collections, so we can put the flags up in council chambers for everyone to see. Hope the board give the full support that is needed for this.”

The proposed crowdfunding trial was welcomed by members of the Executive Board meeting, with Cllr Neil Rogers saying: “I am happy to second because of the contribution that was made by those men and women who served this country so loyally. As Cllr Griffiths and Cllr Jones have explained, when events have taken place, such as the freedom of the borough people of Wrexham come out and give their support.

“Recognising the fact it will soon be 25 years since the first Gulf War, we are giving the people of Wrexham the chance to remember.”

Like other local authorities in the UK Wrexham Council are proposing to use Spacehive.com, with a £4,000+vat subscription fee referenced which ought to cover several projects being run via the Council’s own subsection (or Hive) ever year. Additional fees of 5% per completed project are also mentioned which will be included in the target amount, along with per-donation costs in line with usual internet transactions.

Questions were raised about the cost of the cost of creating and maintaining the Space Hive License. Cllr Dana Davies said: “Where have to buy the license, how flexible is it? As potentially we can make this self financing if it can allow multiple projects and supports the wider community as well.

“The more things we can make self financing, the less difficult decisions we have to make.”

Cllr Jones noted as this would be a trial project Wrexham Council would not have to pay for a licence and that multiple projects can be involved.

The recommendation to trial crowdfunding for the project was passed unanimously by members of the Executive Board.