Author: Rhys Gregory

Hay Festival Global has announced the free schools programme to open the spring edition in Hay-on-Wye, which takes place 23 May-2 June 2024. The schools programme brings together writers and young readers for a series of inspiring interactive activities and conversations in person and online with support from the Welsh Government and the Rothschild Foundation.  KS2 events on Thursday 23 May include writers Maz Evans, Katie & Kevin Tsang, Connor Allen, Yassmin Abdel-Magied, MG Leonard, Kiran Millwood- Hargrave, Lee Newbery, Jeff Kinney, Matt Goodfellow, Adam Rutherford, Tọlá Okogwu and Children’s Laureate Wales 2023-2025 Alex Wharton. KS3/4 events on Friday 24…

GS Verde Group, the award-winning corporate advisory firm, has appointed a new Tax Director, Emma Jones. This strategic move further strengthens the company’s leadership team and solidifies its commitment to providing clients with comprehensive tax advisory services as part of its ambitious plans for 2024. Emma’s appointment follows a period of significant growth for GS Verde Group, marked by its recent admission to the JP Jenkins share-dealing platform and the appointment of a new non-executive director in January 2024. Her expertise will be instrumental in steering the Group’s tax team under the leadership of Joel Dunning, Head of GS Verde…

A FOUR-METRE dragon constructed from thousands of weapons will breathe fire into a knife awareness campaign. The stunning metal sculpture is being built at Coleg Cambria’s Bersham Road site, in partnership with North Wales Police and Wrexham Council. Lecturer John Freeman and students have been safely welding and fabricated confiscated items – including samurai swords, bayonets, kitchen knives and knuckle dusters – and constructing them on steel frames. He expects the statue – which is of a dragon protecting a child – to be completed later this year. It will then be placed on a plinth of Welsh stone slate…

A large area of peatland, equivalent in size to 70 rugby pitches, has been successfully restored in Glyncorrwg, Neath Port Talbot. The Lost Peatlands of South Wales, a partnership project funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund, has been working to restore the 50-hectare site since February 2023. Peatlands, also known as bogs or mires, play a crucial role in environmental protection and combating climate change. In good condition, peatlands can act as giant sponges, absorbing and storing large amounts of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. They also provide a home to endangered plants and animals, help prevent flooding downstream by…

Caerphilly County Borough Council are on a mission to boost recycling rates and this week work has begun to help further improve the quality of recyclable materials collected at kerbside. In a Cabinet meeting, which took place on Wednesday 18th October, Members agreed the implementation of an enhanced education and engagement process which incorporates letters, home visits and, in a small number of cases, the option to serve legal notice on persistent offenders of kerbside recycling contamination. The borough’s existing kerbside recycling method includes a brown wheeled bin for all mixed dry recycling. Whilst this method results in the capture…

Caerphilly County Borough Council is proud to announce the renaming of the beloved football pitch to the “Glyn Davies Memorial Ground” in tribute to the late Glyn Davies. As a pivotal figure in Fochriw, Glyn’s significant contributions to both the local football scene and charitable initiatives have earned him a lasting place in the hearts of residents. Glyn Davies, affectionately known as the village’s Football Gaffa, dedicated countless hours to fostering a sense of unity through his passion for the local football club and charitable endeavours. His involvement in organising Fochriw Social Club’s “Stars in their Eyes” charity shows stands…

The Haystack Café, a farm Welsh-style café and coffee shop, is set to open its second venue in Merthyr Tydfil and will be based within the former Howfields Bakery building on the High Street. The owner, Liam Lazarus, has been fully supported by the Council though advice, guidance and also secured a grant for fit out from the Merthyr Tydfil Shared Prosperity Grants Programme. The highly anticipated opening, which will offer up to 25 new local jobs, will occur within the coming weeks and details on the opening will be issued a week before the launch date. Haystack have promised…

The NHS will benefit from £10m in additional capital funding to upgrade scanning equipment and digital infrastructure. The funding package includes: £5m for digital services to modernise elements of the IT infrastructure and support the provision of modernised and efficient patient care. £1m to upgrade MRI scanners. £1.3m for ultrasound scanning equipment. The extra funding is being made available today as the Welsh Government publishes its second supplementary budget – an annual, end-of-year budget, which formalises changes made during 2023-24. This year, the second supplementary budget includes changes the Finance Minister announced in October 2023 to provide additional support to…

New preliminary 20mph data published today shows that speeds have reduced by an average of 4mph on main roads since the national rollout of the default 20mph speed limit. The data, which was collected by Transport for Wales, monitored millions of vehicles’ speeds in nine different communities across Wales before and after implementation. Data gathered shows the average speeds on main roads dropped an average of 4mph – from 28.9mph to 24.8mph – providing clear evidence that speeds are moving in the right direction. Research shows a strong link between lowering speeds and decreasing the number of collisions and people…

Bluey’s Big Play will be visiting Wales Millennium Centre on 13 – 17 March as part of its first ever tour of the UK and Ireland, following sell-out shows across Australia and the USA. With an original story by Bluey creator Joe Brumm, and new music by Bluey composer, Joff Bush, this brand-new theatrical adaptation of the BAFTA & Emmy® award-winning children’s television series will tour the UK and Ireland until summer 2024. Audiences of all ages will get to see Bluey, her younger sister Bingo and Mum and Dad (Bandit and Chilli), as they’ve never seen them before, as…