Author: Alice Gregory

A Cardiff Metropolitan University student who started a crafting business while battling a long-term illness, has been selected as a Prince’s Trust Young Ambassador and is now using her experience to speak out and inspire other young people. Following years in and out of hospital with an eating disorder, Molly Leonard, 26, from Rhoose, Cardiff, discovered a passion for mindful crafting. Molly started running sessions for other patients, where people could come together and do a variety of crafting activities or just have an opportunity to talk. Since leaving hospital, Molly has gone on to continue her mindful crafting sessions…

Tears flowed as relatives of the victims were in the audience for a premiere of a poignant new opera to mark the 90th anniversary of the Gresford Colliery Disaster. There was a standing ovation at the end of the emotionally charged performance of Gresford – Up From Underground on the opening night of the North Wales International Music Festival at St Asaph Cathedral. It told the story of how 266 men and boys were killed when a massive underground explosion and fire ripped through the pit near Wrexham on September 22, 1934. Following the explosion six men managed to escape…

This September, voco St. David’s Cardiff is proud to join IHG’s global Giving for Good initiative, celebrating a month of positive action, community engagement, and charitable giving. Throughout the month, the five-star hotel, set in the heart of Cardiff Bay, will be buzzing with exciting and ambitious activities as it unites with colleagues, guests, and the local community to make a real difference. Now in its seventh year, Giving for Good month is a chance for IHG hotel’s to use its global scale to collectively make a positive contribution  to  its people, communities and planet. During September, the hotel will be collecting…

Cardiff Bay Yacht Club has raised nearly £2,000 for British Heart Foundation (BHF) Cymru as part of an annual fundraiser. 26 boats took to the water over the August Bank Holiday weekend for the heart charity, in an event organised by the club’s vice-president, Idris Dibble. Idris, who was also celebrating his 70th birthday through the event, has had a long-standing relationship with the charity. He said, “25 years ago, my nephew Chris needed a heart transplant and after a four year wait for a donor, he received successful surgery at the Freeman Hospital in Newcastle”. “When Chris’s father Nick…

Eric Goulden from Bangor is taking on an extra special fundraising challenge in aid of St John Ambulance Cymru over the next year, having committed to walking the entire perimeter of Wales, including Offa’s Dyke and the Wales Coast Path. As a dedicated volunteer for the charity, Eric is passionate about supporting St John Ambulance Cymru’s work in the community and is going over and above with his fundraising efforts. Eric is a current member of the charity’s Holyhead Division and has been a volunteer for various organisations for the last 15 years. After retiring from his engineering career last…

An identification initiative launched to raise the profile of Welsh sea bass is providing a financial boost for Welsh fishermen and fish wholesalers. Prized for its quality and flavour, sea bass is one of the main fin fish species caught around the Welsh coast, and in 2022, some 53 tonnes of bass were landed in Wales. Launched as a trial in 2023, the #WelshSeafood tagged sea bass pilot scheme saw fishermen begin tagging their responsibly caught seabass. This provides customers with sustainability and traceability assurance and helps preserve fish stocks for future generations. Each tag has a unique number, and…

The wait is over! Newport’s much-anticipated Popeyes® restaurant flung open its doors this morning, with excited fans lining up as early as 7 p.m. the night before to be among the first to savour the brand’s legendary Louisiana chicken. The brand-new restaurant, which can be found at Newport Retail Park, features a ‘Park & Serve’ option in four designated orange parking bays. Customers will be able to drive to Popeyes, order from the comfort of their car and the Popeyes team will bring their famous Louisiana chicken straight to your car window. Customers looking to experience the spirit of New…

Mon Timber is celebrating after being shortlisted in the buildings category of the prestigious Wood Awards for its work on the restoration of the iconic Bristol Beacon. Mon Timber, a branch of Premier Forest Products, worked alongside contractors Ian Williams Carpentry (IWC) and Willmott Dixon to renew the historic Grade 2 listed site earlier this year. They completed bespoke projects to regenerate the interior of the building with beautiful wooden features, with acoustic prowess to match. The Wood Awards is the UK’s premier competition for excellence in architecture and product design in wood. Established in 1971, the Wood Awards recognises,…

The livestock competitions schedule for the 2024 Royal Welsh Winter Fair is now available online. The Royal Welsh Agricultural Society is inviting farmers, breeders and exhibitors to visit the official website – https://rwas.wales/winter-fair/competitions/ –  to view the full competition details, entry requirements and key dates. This year’s winter fair, scheduled for November 25 and 26, promises to showcase the best livestock from across the country in a festive celebration.

A college nursery had an ‘Excellent’ start to the academic year with an outstanding inspection result. The report by Care Inspectorate Wales (CIW) and Estyn deemed Toybox Children’s Nursery, based at Coleg Cambria Deeside, to be Excellent in three categories – Wellbeing, Care and Development, and Leadership and Management. The news comes after the much-loved facility was a finalist in the Setting of the Year category at last year’s Early Years Wales Awards, and having revamped its outdoor play area, which features safety surfaces, fencing, wooden furniture and equipment. With more than 90 children and 35 staff on-site, Toybox is…