Author: Alice Gregory

Three dynamic new strategies have been launched which collectively aim to invest in culture and heritage for the benefit of local people while also making Neath Port Talbot a nationally recognised visitor destination by 2030. The Neath Port Talbot Culture Strategy, Heritage Strategy, and Destination Management Plan were all officially unveiled at a launch evening in Neath’s Gwyn Hall on Tuesday, July 16th, 2024. During the event, which was hosted by TV presenter, author and Associate Professor of History at Swansea University’s School of Culture and Communication, Dr Alex Langlands, the brand new ‘Stand Up for South Wales Comedy Festival’…

Rising Star of Strictly Come Dancing and Celebrity Big Brother, Nikita Kuzmin, will bring his brand-new show, MIDNIGHT DANCER to Wales Millennium Centre on his first ever solo UK and Ireland Tour. Nikita is joined by a sharp and chic cast of talented dancers and vocalists in a show like no other, jam-packed with the hits we all know and love in an evening bursting with happiness, euphoria and of course, world-class dance. Joining forces with the team behind Oti Mabuse: I Am Here and Johannes Radebe’s trilogy of sell out shows, MIDNIGHT DANCER promises to be an unforgettable night of entertainment. Get ready to…

UK & Ireland law firm Browne Jacobson has strengthened its Welsh private sector offering with the appointment of Corporate Partner, Tom Saunderson, in the firm’s growing Cardiff office. Tom joins the firm from Acuity Law. His expertise covers a broad spectrum of M&A and investment work, with a particular focus on early-stage & high-growth companies. He has advised a number of large corporates on their acquisition strategies over a number of years, whilst also supporting exciting high growth businesses on a wide range of issues, including scaling, fundraising and incentivising key personnel. Tom’s appointment comes at a time of continued…

Valleys to Coast Housing is delighted to be leading the exciting and innovative Growth for Good Project, working with Keep Wales Tidy to set up three food-growing hubs in the next year within Bridgend. The hubs will be located at Wildmill Estate, Blaencaerau Estate and Heol Y Frenhines, Cefn Glas. The Growth for Good Project is funded by the Local Places for Nature scheme. It is being delivered by the National Lottery Heritage Fund in partnership with the Welsh Government. The food-growing hubs will be community-led and supported by the team at Valleys to Coast. The hubs will be open…

Bridgend, Wales (July 2024) – MS Society Cymru is thrilled to announce that a group of Year 8 students from Bryntirion Comprehensive School in Bridgend has won the First Give competition, securing a £1,000 prize for the charity. This victory brings their total donation to an impressive £1,305, marking a significant achievement in youth-led fundraising and awareness efforts for Multiple Sclerosis (MS). The First Give School Final, held on Thursday, 11th July, saw 13-year-old students Pranay, Ben, Iestyn, Ollie, Kathleen, and Daniel from class 8T deliver a powerful presentation about MS and the work of MS Society Cymru. Their dedication,…

Golfers from across England, Scotland and Wales gathered at Clyne Golf Club on Friday 12th July to support Swansea-based charity, Popham Kidney Support. The competition successfully raised an impressive £12,500, which will be used to support children and their families living with kidney disease. One ongoing project to benefit from the funds raised is a “Residential Activity Weekend,” where the children are accompanied by renal social workers and support staff. Local children suffering with CKD benefit greatly from these weekends, engaging in activities that would be typically out of reach for them. Additionally, the weekends provide much-needed respite for their…

A dedicated daughter braved torrential rain and gale-force winds to complete a gruelling month-long challenge to fundraise for a cause close to her heart. Janet Knight undertook the challenge posed by Alzheimer’s Research UK to walk a mile each for a month, having looked after both parents who had Alzheimer’s over the past 26 years. But the 71-year-old, who has lived in Llanfair near Harlech for nearly 35 years, easily accomplished the task and tracking software on her mobile phone showed she walked more than 100 miles during the month. Janet, a former accounts clerk at the Metcalfe’s Catering Equipment…

A talented young drummer was a cymbal of dedication and commitment in helping her country to the podium at an international music competition. Maddie Johnston, a pupil at St Gerard’s School in Bangor, represented Wales at the European Youth Brass Band Championships (EYBBC), held in Palanga, Lithuania The 14 year-old, from Brynsiencyn, Anglesey, was sponsored and supported by the school, whose headteacher Campbell Harrison said they were “incredibly proud” of Maddie’s achievements. Mum Rosie, a teacher at St Gerard’s, added: “They were the youngest band in the championships and did amazingly well to finish third. “All of the children were…

ERS, the UK’s largest specialist motor insurer with a 75-year legacy, has launched a Trainee Underwriter Programme from its Swansea office. This initiative aims to create new career opportunities in underwriting for talent based in Wales. In April, the first group of trainee underwriters joined the programme which offers a mix of practical training and academic studies, leading to industry-recognised insurance qualifications accredited by the Chartered Insurance Institute (CII). All trainees get the opportunity to spend time in London, gaining both insights into the insurance industry and Lloyd’s of London operations. ERS is situated in its spacious Crucible Park office…

Aberystwyth University is one of the UK’s leading employers for LGBTQ+ inclusivity according to a leading charity. Aberystwyth University is ranked 45th in the UK in the 2024 Stonewall Workplace Equality Index published this week. Up 59 places on its 2023 ranking, Aberystwyth has also been awarded Gold status for its work in supporting LGBTQ+ staff to be themselves at work. Aberystwyth joins a number of top construction, legal, health, finance and education organisations who made the annual Top 100 list of LGBTQ+ inclusive employers. Professor Neil Glasser, Pro Vice-Chancellor with responsibility for diversity and inclusion at Aberystwyth University, has…