Author: Rhys Gregory

New figures show close to a quarter of a million visits were made to Swansea Arena in its first year of operation. Developed by Swansea Council as part of the city’s Copr Bay district, the arena is run by Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG). Over 241,000 people enjoyed ticketed events, conferences, exhibitions, banquets, graduations and creative learning events at the venue up to March 2023. The Hollywood Vampires – including Johnny Depp and Alice Cooper – were the most recent stars to take to the stage at the venue last Friday evening. The Proclaimers and Busted are among the stars due to perform at the…

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co, has announced the sale of Crick Care Home in the Monmouthshire village of Crick. Crick Care Home is a managed nursing home registered with the CIW to provide care for up to 49 residents. The business occupies an impressive, attractive manor house building, with a purpose-built extension on a site of just under an acre. The property, which comprises 47 bedrooms and boasts large rooms, a warm homely feel and excellent garden facilities, is located in the small village of Crick in Caldicot, Monmouthshire, which is just a few miles from the established…

In total there have been 55 incidents investigated by the RSPCA in Wales following calls to the charity concerning dog fighting since 2019. Last year (2022) there were 25 dog fighting incidents – an increase from 10 the following year (2021). The leading animal welfare charity released the new figures as part of their Cancel Out Our Cruelty Campaign which launched at the start of the month. RSPCA dog fighting expert and Special Operations Unit (SOU) chief inspector for Wales, Ian Muttitt, said: “Sadly we are back seeing pre-pandemic levels of dog fighting incidents. “Across England and Wales we were seeing…

Penderyn Distillery, Wales’ most esteemed whisky producer, is proud to announce the opening of its third distillery in Swansea. The impressive whisky distillery, located at the historic Hafod Morfa Copperworks, officially opens its doors on July 14, 2023. The completion of this state-of-the-art distillery is the result of a collaborative effort between Penderyn Distillery, Swansea Council, Swansea University, and several funding sources. The National Lottery Heritage Fund, Welsh Government Economy and Transport funding, and Welsh Government Targeted Regeneration Investment funding, and Penderyn themselves, have collectively contributed £15 million to the successful realisation of this ambitious project. The Hafod Morfa Copperworks,…

Voluntary youth groups and organisations in Ceredigion can apply for a grant to spend on suitable Youth Work activity. In September 2021, the Wales Interim Youth Work Board’s final report made 14 recommendations to enhance and improve the Youth Work offer in Wales. Ceredigion County Council along with other local authorities in Wales have received additional funding from Welsh Government through the Youth Support Grant in support of Recommendation 12 which was ‘Welsh Government should increase the availability of youth work services through the medium of Welsh’. Voluntary youth groups and organisations in Ceredigion can apply for up to £20,000…

St John Ambulance Cymru are pleased to announce the appointment of three new trustees to support the charity to achieve its mission to enhance the health and wellbeing of communities in Wales. Gillian Knight, Rhys Jenkins and Professor Jean White CBE MStJ will serve a three year term, and alongside the rest of the Board, they will be responsible for ensuring that St John Ambulance Cymru is properly governed, financially stable and uses resources appropriately. Gillian Knight is a Nursing Officer at the Office of the Chief Nursing Officer (OCNO), Welsh Government. Gill has worked in the Welsh NHS for…

The world’s most competitive paratriathletes will descend on Swansea Bay on Saturday 15 July for the 2023 World Triathlon Para Series. The Prince of Wales Dock and SA1 Waterfront will once again host this standalone event which plays a crucial role in the qualification process for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games. In a rare opportunity for Great Britain’s paratriathletes to compete on home soil, they will be hoping that the support of a home crowd will give them the competitive edge they need to secure a spot on the podium next month. Not only will this event feature some of…

A local-stone built barn in an idyllic setting in the heart of Monmouthshire will get pulses racing when it comes to auction later this month. The substantial former agricultural building in the village of  Llanellen, close to the border town of Abergavenny, is being sold by Paul Fosh Auctions. Listed with a guide price of £300,000-plus the iconic property has more than just looks and position close to a canal, to get potential bidders twitching. Sean Roper, of Newport-based Paul Fosh Auctions, said: “Idyllic is an overused word when describing a building and its location but there is no other…

The new rebound facility at Serennu Children’s Centre in Rogerstone was officially opened on 6 July by Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan MS. The new trampoline and bouldering facility enhance options at the Centre, which provides care, treatment, and activities to support children and young people with disabilities and/or developmental difficulties.   Following opening addresses by ABUHB Chair Ann Lloyd and Sparkle Founder and Trustee Dr Sabine Maguire, the Deputy Minister shared how much she values the work of the Sparkle and ABUHB teams to enhance the lives of children with complex needs who access the Centre. These…

St David’s has partnered with leading baby feeding experts, Fraupow, to enhance its baby feeding spaces at the shopping centre as part of a new programme to improve the experience for shopping parents and provide the ultimate family day out. The shopping centre has collaborated with Fraupow to provide more functional, family-friendly areas for parents to relax while feeding and spending time with their young children. New amenities include complimentary access to ecofriendly reusable breast pads, electric bottle warmers, supportive feeding cushions and signage with free access to virtual midwife support for pregnancy and postpartum advice.  The collaboration with Fraupow is part…