Funding Approved For New ‘Science Garden’ at Wrexham’s Science Discovery Centre

A science and discovery centre in Wrexham is to benefit from a new ‘Science Garden’ which will make a ‘huge difference’ to visitor experience.

Residents of Wrexham and visitors to Techniquest Glyndŵr will soon be able to visit a new outdoor Science Garden which will be created at the Wrexham based science discovery centre.

Currently Techniquest Glyndwr operates solely indoors, with the ‘Science Garden’ set to add a new dimension to the visitor experience.

The garden will be developed thanks to a £18,604 grant from funding body WREN.

Scot Owen, Education Manager of Techniquest Glyndŵr believes that the new development will make a huge difference to the way that local people will be able to experience the Science Centre

Mr Owen said: “The Science Garden is a completely new development for us at Techniquest Glyndŵr. Up until now all of our interactive exhibits have been based indoors and have relied upon visitors coming to the centre and paying for admission. Thanks to this funding from WREN this Science Garden, being an outside area, will give us an opportunity to have displays and exhibits related to the natural sciences which previously we have been unable to have available.

“Furthermore, because the garden will be open to the public free of charge whenever the main centre is open it will mean that local residents will be able to pop round and enjoy the garden as it develops and gets established without having to pay any admission. We are really looking forward to the Science Garden taking shape over the next year and some of our staff are keen to utilise their knowledge and interest in the natural world by getting involved in making the garden happen.”

He added: We have been pleased to collaborate with colleagues in the School of Occupational Therapy in the University so that elements of the garden will offer sensory aspects such as texture, scent, sound as well as the broader themes of biodiversity, recycling and renewable energy that the garden will be seeking to demonstrate.

WREN is a not-for-profit business that awards grants for community, biodiversity and heritage projects from funds donated by FCC Environment through the Landfill Communities Fund.

Since 1998, WREN has granted over £200m to more than 7,000 projects which benefit people living within 10 miles of a FCC Environment landfill site.

Speaking about the grant, Meleri Jones, WREN Grant manager said: “We are pleased to support this project that will add to the visitors experience at Techniquest. We look forward to seeing the garden completed. Scot Owen hopes that the Science Garden will be ready for visitors by Spring 2017.”

The WREN grant application was supported by the North Wales Economic Ambitions Board and two companies that are involved in the construction of Wrexham’s new prison complex, LendLease and Crownhouse. These organisations contributed £2,000 to the project as third party funding as part of their support to local community projects.