Author: Alice Gregory

A new free community festival will take place in Hirlae, Bangor this month, bringing live performances, creative workshops, food and drink stalls, and much more to this city. Gŵyl Adda Fest is a free, open-air event set to take place on September 28th. The festival aims to celebrate the arts, culture, language, and music, bringing families of all ages together to enjoy an exciting lineup of performances from Welsh artists. The day will include creative activities, participating opportunities, and food and drink stalls. Organised by Welsh language theatre company, Frân Wen, the festival will also be the set for the…

Leading energy efficiency company Consumer Energy Solutions (CES) has raised money for their charity of the year, Crisis, by taking part in the Swansea beach rugby tournament, Beach Rugby Wales. The tournament, founded in 2006, sees a host of ex-international rugby stars taking part alongside newbies to the sport. 48 teams took part in this year’s event, sponsored by Nathaniel Cars MG. Swansea-based CES fielded a team in the annual tournament which took place last month, led by Scott Barclay and Kyle Fisher, raising over £500 for Crisis. Crisis is a national charity that helps people directly out of homelessness…

On 3rd October 2024, 31 large castles from the Wales Air Ambulance ‘Castles in the Sky’ trail will go up for auction with all proceeds going towards the charity’s fundraising efforts. The art trail, delivered in partnership with creative producers Wild in Art, has been brightening Swansea’s city centre and surrounding areas throughout the summer and early September. Each striking castle design has been sponsored by a business and created by an artist, with the unique designs taking inspiration from Welsh culture, history, landscape and art. The jewel in the auction’s crown is set to be A Tribute to Dr Who, designed by renowned portrait…

High Contrast – one of the UK’s most prolific drum and bass artists – will host a digital masterclass with the University of South Wales later this month as part of the new Cardiff Music City Festival (CMCF). Born and bred in Cardiff, High Contrast’s journey from young music enthusiast to internationally renowned DJ and producer has inspired countless others to follow in his footsteps, thanks to his unique sound of emotional melodies, complex rhythms and meticulous production techniques. The music production masterclass will take place on Saturday 28 September at 4.30pm, at USW’s Cardiff Campus. The digital event, live…

A group of rising stars at a bakery have been hailed as “the future of the company” after completing new qualifications in record time. The glowing praise came for the eight apprentices at the Jones Village Bakery in Wrexham came from their Coleg Cambria tutor Yvonne Evans. She was speaking after presenting them with certificates after gaining a Level 2 NVQ Diploma in bakery skills and knowledge. Usually, 18 months is allowed to complete the course but the Village Bakery apprentices were able to do all the work in a year, she said, because the company was so supportive. Ms…

Up and coming chef Lloyd Ryland and local multi-business entrepreneur Ryan Thomas have joined forces to upgrade the offer for visitors at Neath Port Talbot’s popular Afan Forest Park Visitor Centre. The business partners have recently been granted a new lease of the visitor centre and campsite by the council and plan to open an upmarket café, restaurant and takeaway at the Afan Valley attraction which also boasts a campsite complete with electric hook-ups for campervans. And for history and culture enthusiasts, the site offers the South Wales Miners’ Museum which is also run independently. For the many mountain bike…

Talented knitter Gill Wright is helping to make an “amazing” woollen version of the floating harbour that was key to the success of the D-Day landings, The recreation of the Mulberry Harbour in miniature will be added as an extra section to The Longest Yarn, a spectacular 80-metre long series of panels at an exhibition in Llandudno in North Wales. The display, named in a nod to the famous D-Day film, The Longest Day, was created to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the massive air, sea and land invasion of Normandy on June 6, 1944. Gill, from Ashton in Makerfield,…

Bryn Ivor Lodge care home in Castleton, Cardiff was transformed into Graceland after one of their Resident, a superfan, won an online competition for a free Elvis Presley Tribute Show. Lead Activities Co-ordinator, Anna Przybylska, entered the competition on behalf of one of her residents, Mr Peter Routledge and was thrilled to be chosen as one of the competition’s winners. Mr Victor Andrews, International award-winning Elvis Presley Tribute, also a best Welsh Champion, offered free shows throughout September. He was met with massive response from South Wales care homes and in the end decided to give the show to 10…

An MP has hailed the ingenuity and innovation of a flagship North Wales company after it unveiled a “big beast” of a trailer. Liz Saville Roberts, who represents Dwyfor Meirionnydd, was speaking after a visit to the main group office of Ifor Williams Trailers in Corwen. During the tour, Ms Saville Roberts was  shown the newly-launched livestock trailer which at 16 feet long is the biggest in the popular range that’s beloved by farmers across the world. The Ty’n Llidiart site makes components for its five other manufacturing sites in Denbighshire and Deeside where 600 people are employed. As well…

Swansea’s Catherine Robinson, account executive at Howden’s south Wales office, has raised £4,833 for multiple cancer care charities since April 2023. Starting with the London Marathon in 2023, Catherine raised £3,453 for Young Lives vs Cancer. The following year, she ran the 2024 Edinburgh Marathon for the same charity, raising £1,130 and additionally raised £250 for Macmillan Cancer Support through taking part in its Marathon Hike in July of this year. Catherine will be running the London Marathon once again to raise funds for Young Lives vs Cancer in April 2025. On why fundraising for these charities is so important…