Author: Alice Gregory

Britain’s youngest blacksmiths, Ollie and Harvey, have created their biggest project yet! Dixie the Dragon, which is on tour visiting venues across Wrexham and surrounding areas before heading to Stok Cae Ras, its forever home, on 27thApril. The duo built the dragon as a fundraiser for Nightingale House Hospice, and it will be featured in season 3 of the Welcome to Wrexham TV series. At the start of the year, Ollie and Harvey got together with their family to create a plan for a big fundraiser to start the year. That’s where the ambitious idea to create a life-size Welsh…

There are a number of rabbits at RSPCA Bryn-y-Maen Animal Centre in Upper Colwyn Bay currently awaiting their forever home. Emma and Cleo, Rikki, Madison, Polly, Dolly Bunton, Cracker and Pretzel, Fluff, Bam Bam and Dougie (below) are all hop-ing for the right family to come forward to rehome them. The RSPCA is seeing unwanted and abandoned rabbits across Wales while rehoming has also slowed, meaning more and more rabbits are waiting for their forever homes. The typical image of the Easter bunny means that rabbits can be popular at this time of year and parents may find themselves buying…

RSPCA Cymru has launched an appeal for information to try and find the owner of a pony removed from Gelligaer and Merthyr Common due to concerns for the animal’s welfare. A chestnut filly – who is believed to be aged under the age of one – was removed from the common yesterday (Tuesday 26 March) with assistance from members of the specialist RSPCA Equine Officer team, World Horse Welfare and Caerphilly County Borough Council. RSPCA Inspector Suzi Smith said: “This is a young pony who was found to be significantly lame on the right hind and therefore it was decided…

Collaboration to meet the evolving needs of apprentices and employers was the cross cutting theme for keynote speakers at a conference focused on apprenticeships, skills and economic growth in Wales. Against a background of apprenticeship funding cuts by the Welsh Government, the National Training Federation for Wales (NTFW) attracted around 150 delegates to the successful conference at the International Convention Centre Wales in Newport. Headline sponsor was City & Guilds. Rhian Edwards, the Welsh Government’s deputy director of further education and apprenticeships, thanked work-based learning providers for working with the government during the “most painful budget choices for Wales in…

Irish garage punk band Sprints will join IDLES when they bring their world tour to the Welsh capital this summer. IDLES will perform a headline set at TK Maxx presents Depot Live at Cardiff Castle on Friday July 12 and it is now announced they will be joined on the night by the chart-topping Dublin four-piece. Sprints have steadily grown in stature over the last three years, sharing two acclaimed EPs and building a fearsome live reputation opening for the likes of Yard Act and Suede. Most recently they released debut album Letter to Self to critical acclaim with NME…

Veteran folk rockers Lindisfarne take to the stage at the Tredegar House Folk Festival near Newport this May. It was back in 1970 that the late Alan Hull and Rod Clements emerged from Tyneside to carve out a unique place for themselves fronting one of British rock’s most original bands. Famed for hits such as “Run For Home”, “Meet Me On The Corner” and “Lady Eleanor”, the ever-popular Geordies under the steerage of Clements enjoyed a run of sell-out appearances in 2023 at over 50 venues nationwide. Says Rod: “We’re not exactly shoe-gazers – we have a lot of fun…

Grosvenor Casino Cardiff raised money for local care facility City Hospice pitting Welsh sporting celebrities, including Gavin Gwyne and Craig Quinnell, against each other in a charity poker tournament It was aces high when Welsh sporting legends went head to head to help raise more than £6,000 for a local hospice at Grosvenor Casino Cardiff’s charity poker tournament last week. The tournament was flushed with sporting legends including Welsh professional boxer, Gavin Gwynne, and former Welsh Rugby Union player, Craig Quinnell, who joined 80 poker players battling it out to come out on top in aid of Cardiff’s care facility,…

A housebuilder has donated 50 Easter eggs and 50 colouring books to the Kids Cancer Charity in Swansea. Bellway Wales, which is building 184 new homes at Parc Mawr, in Penllergaer near Swansea, has given the chocolate treats and books for young cancer patients across South Wales. Kids Cancer Charity was set up in Swansea in 1989 and supports children affected by cancer throughout the UK by helping the whole family – from diagnosis, through treatment and beyond. The organisation offers emotional support, play therapy and free holiday breaks. Danielle Brown, Sales Advisor at Bellway Homes visited the charity’s headquarters…

A mum from Bristol will be running the ABP Newport Marathon to give back to the charity that supported her while her son underwent heart surgery. Emilie Bioud, who had previously never run, will be raising money for the Grand Appeal by taking on the marathon challenge on Sunday 28 April. The 38-year-old gave birth to her son Mateo at Southmead Hospital in May 2020. However, just days later Emilie and her husband Simon, noticed something wasn’t quite right. She said: “I’d had a difficult birth and needed an emergency C-section. It was during Covid and we were sent home,…

A new Legal Director has been appointed at commercial law firm, Darwin Gray. Commercial property specialist Julia Bridge joins Darwin Gray, following 20 years of experience at international law firm, Eversheds Sutherland. With her extensive experience dealing with public and private sector clients, Julia’s arrival will further bolster Darwin Gray’s award-winning Commercial Property team. Julia’s broad experience includes advising on freehold and leasehold sales and purchases and resolving complex title and ownership issues. She has particular expertise in the transport sector, advising on compulsory purchase-related transactions on significant infrastructure projects for road and rail clients. In regard to her appointment,…