Author: Alice Gregory

Ken Skates MS, who represents Clwyd South in the Senedd and is the new Cabinet Minister for Transport and North Wales can’t wait for the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod this summer.   Ken, also a Vice-President of the festival met up with Eisteddfod organisers for an update as they step up plans for the biggest Eisteddfod for generations. This year, the Llangollen Eisteddfod has partnered with promoters Cuffe and Taylor, and are bringing some of the World’s biggest artists to the town with Bryan Adams arriving in just 50 days-time.  In June and July, the likes of Kaiser Chiefs, Jess Glynne,…

There’s a blooming magic carpet ride in store for bluebell fans in West Wales this spring. The Great Gardens of West Wales – a six-strong group of fabulous venues in Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Ceredigion – are throwing open their gates in celebration of this floral favourite. Your passport to this wildflower spectacular is the Great Gardens of West Wales leaflet which, as well as being a perfect bluebell trail guide, also offers you a wealth of information on these magnificent gardens. The bluebell, Hyacinthoides non-scripta, also has the common names: wood bell, fairy flower and wild hyacinth. Millions of bulbs…

The 2024 Order of St John UK Awards for Organ Donation took place earlier this week, honouring individuals who have given the priceless gift of life through organ donation. The awards are held throughout the UK and are run by the regional St John Priories in conjunction with their partner Organ Donation Team, who are part of NHS Blood and Transplant. The Welsh Organ Donor Awards took place at Cornerstone in Cardiff on Tuesday, to honour donors from across Wales and the English borders. St John Ambulance Cymru have been running the awards with the South Wales Organ Donation Team…

Seventy-two year old Veteran, Margaret ‘Marg’ Davies, does not take the obvious path through life. On Thursday 25th April 2024, she embarked on her 11th annual 100-mile solo charity walk, which will take her across her home county of Pembrokeshire, Wales. She aims to cover 10-15 miles per day, dedicating her journey to her late uncle, Corporal W G Mauvan Jenkins. FROM ART SCHOOL TO ‘ARMY’ Marg was born in 1951 in Pembroke Dock, Pembrokeshire, to Lynda and Tom (T. W.) Davies. Her father owned shoe shops in Meyrick Street, Pembroke Dock, while Marg attended Albion Square Junior School and…

Calling all dog lovers in North Wales! Make sure you don’t miss out on a paw-some fun day and dog show at RSPCA Bryn-Y-Maen Animal Centre on Sunday 19 May. The annual event – held at the Upper Colwyn Bay centre – will take place between 11am and 4pm. Entry will cost £4 per car and each dog show class will be £3 entry. Dogs can be registered on the day from 10am and the classes start at 11am. They include classes for puppies, a golden oldie class (seven years plus), happiest dog and rescue dog of the year -…

The Original Style Tile Showroom, on Newport Road, now has a new name above its door as the showroom re-brands to Clay & Rock! Clay & Rock is a premium tile, stone and bathroom furniture supplier with a commitment to quality, excellence and a passion for creating beautiful spaces. Part of the Original Style Group, Clay & Rock offers an expanded range of quality tiles and stone collections, alongside baths, taps and bathroom furniture from the likes of Victoria & Albert, Perrin & Rowe and Parker Howley – to name a few. The Cardiff Clay & Rock showroom remains home to…

Browne Jacobson is providing expert advice to lawyers at the Department for Transport on major infrastructure projects such as the National Parking Platform after securing a Government Legal Department (GLD) contract. The UK and Ireland law firm has been appointed as sole legal adviser to the Department for Transport Legal Advisers (DfTLA), a division of the GLD that provides legal services to the Department for Transport (DfT) and its executive agencies. The three-year contract, awarded under the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) framework in late 2023, includes overflow capacity and resilience support, working on a partnership basis with in-house lawyers. Browne…

Family and friends rallied around a Swansea mum wanting to thank hospital staff who cared for her during the darkest days of her life. They were joined by a West End singing star to raise more than £6,000, which mother-of-four Laura Vavoulas has now donated to the Chemotherapy Day Unit (CDU) at the South West Wales Cancer Centre. Laura was diagnosed with triple negative breast cancer, a particularly aggressive form of the disease in the autumn of 2022. She was aged 34 at the time, with her children aged between five and 14. “That day I felt like my whole…

Chart-topping indie rockers The Snuts will support Nothing But Thieves when they headline TK Maxx presents Depot Live at Cardiff Castle this summer. In celebration of their Number 1 album Dead Club City, Nothing But Thieves will bring their Welcome to The DCC World Tour to the iconic outdoor venue on Wednesday June 19 and it is announced today they will be joined on the night by The Snuts. Opening the show will be punk outfit Bad Nerves. Future festival headliners in the making, The Snuts are well and truly in their stride. With chart-topping albums under their belts, songs…

Communities across Wales joined in droves for Keep Wales Tidy’s Spring Clean Cymru 2024. Between 15 – 31st March, individuals, households, community groups and businesses across Wales joined forces to pick up litter from our streets, beaches, parks and beauty spots. Nearly 5,000 bags of litter were collected across the country during the campaign, protecting the environment and showing that even small acts on your doorstep can make a big difference. The Great Big School Clean also took place alongside Spring Clean Cymru, encouraging schools across Wales to get involved and helping children to learn the importance of caring for…