Author: Alice Gregory

This Sunday 1st September, a dedicated team of North Wales Police officers and PCSOs, known as the ‘Blue Light Runners’ took on the Altrincham 10K to raise funds for The Christie Charity. This group of colleagues, mainly from the Wrexham area, is rallying together to support their friends and loved ones currently being treated for cancer, with proceeds going towards The Christie Charity’s vital work. Alison Heron, a PCSO from Wrexham who has lived in North Wales all her life, spearheaded the fundraising campaign. Alison, who enjoys running and has completed several 10K races in the past, was inspired to…

Children and young people in South Wales will get the chance to participate in a brand-new choir thanks to the Cardiff shoppers and a little help from Tesco. The Mountain and Marsh Ministry Area received £500 from Tesco’s Stronger Starts scheme to create this new choir for the youth of South Wales. The grant will allow children and young people aged 10 to 16 years old to apply and audition for the new musical collective for free. The grant means there will be no need for subscription fees for any of the children, young people or their parents, making it…

A final call has been made to Wales’s finest young musicians to enter a prestigious new competition. The Pendine Young Musician of Wales competition is being launched at the North Wales International Music Festival that’s being held at St Asaph Cathedral between September 12 to 21. It’s being funded by the festival’s headline sponsors, the Pendine Park care organisation via the Pendine Arts and Community Trust which supports community and arts activities. The performances during the final will be broadcast on BBC Radio Cymru and the winner will receive a cash prize of £2,000 and the Pendine Trophy, as well…

One of the UK’s largest provider of hospice care at home is scaling up services in Torfaen from new offices at Mamhilad Park Estate. St. David’s Hospice Care has taken office space on a flexible lease at the popular business park. A team of four specialist clinical nurses will deliver palliative care to over 300 patients in their homes throughout Torfaen. The Chief Executive of St David’s Hospice Care is Emma Saysell. She said: “It’s 45 years since Heulwen Egerton set up the original  Gwent Hospice Group. We’re now one of the UK’s largest provider of hospice at home care,…

One of Wales’ top research and development facilities has helped a Flintshire-based start-up accelerate production of equipment that will help save the lives of military dogs. The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru, part of the University of Sheffield, has worked closely with design consultancy Dylunio Solutions, which was seeking to develop a respiratory system to protect canines from toxic fumes while on active duty. The product is now undergoing testing in the United States with the end customer who commissioned the project. The key milestone has been reached quicker thanks to the work of AMRC Cymru’s Accelerating Decarbonisation and…

A 25-year-old mother of two from Swansea is preparing for a busy back to school period, thanks to her business supplying personalised gifts. Caitlyn Jones launched Three Little Birdies at the end of November 2023 and specialises in seasonal ranges of bespoke products. Her Back to School range features personalised rucksacks with the option of choosing a colour and personalising both motif and child’s name. Caitlyn’s bridal party gift bags have been particularly popular this summer and include a personalised robe, hanger, slippers, flute and bag. Former teaching assistant Caitlyn, named the business Three Little Birdies after the childhood nickname…

An ambitious Gwynedd football team has hit the back of the net with new kits thanks to Europe’s largest trailer maker. Clwb Pêl Droed Llanuwchllyn (Llanuwchllyn Football Club) near Bala have taken delivery of a blue strip for home and a yellow one for away games as well as tracksuits and hoodies for team members and team officials donated by Ifor Williams Trailers. The home jerseys, which are blue trimmed in yellow and proudly carry the team Dragon crest as well as the sponsor’s logo, were handed over to the club’s chairman, Dei Charles Jones, and star striker Iolo Jones…

Cardiff Bay’s leading entertainment venue, The Red Dragon Centre, is partnering with anti-bullying charity BulliesOut to host a weekend of awareness activities. Taking place on August 31-September 1, the Centre will be offering fun and free activities and information around the topic of bullying, targeting all ages. There will also be a pre-loved pop-up shop for guests to grab a second-hand bargain. Established in 2006, BulliesOut is a dedicated and ambitious anti-bullying charity. Through its award-winning work with individuals, schools, youth and community settings and the workplace, each year they provide counselling, training, anti-bullying and wellbeing workshops, and support to…

A mighty oak tree on the famous Gregynog Estate in Mid Wales that’s at least 500 years old has been named as Wales’ nomination for the Woodland Trust’s Tree of the Year competition. The ancient oak measures a mighty nine metres at its widest point and is the only tree from Wales nominated for the UK competition. People can now vote for the Gregynog Oak online at www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/trees-woods-and-wildlife/british-trees/tree-of-the-year/ Located in the Great Wood at Gregynog, the tree is up against 11 other amazing oaks from across the UK. Voting is open until 11.59pm on October 21 and the Woodland Trust…

Former work colleagues have been fondly remembering “Auntie Mair” on the 50th anniversary of Ffestiniog Travel, a business that has organised holidays for thousands of rail enthusiasts over the past half century. Ffestiniog Travel founder and director, Alan Heywood, explained Mair Watson’s key link to the origins of the overseas railway travel company, which now employs eight staff, runs more than 40 tours a year and has a turnover of £2.5 million. Alan, who is now retired but works on a voluntary basis, was traffic manager at Ffestiniog Railway in 1969 when Mair, who had been working at Butlins, joined…