Author: Rhys Gregory

Atebol, a Welsh publishing house specialising in children’s books and educational resources, has been shortlisted in two categories at the Bett UK 2024 Awards – a celebration of the most innovative solutions and technologies transforming the lives of students and educators worldwide. The Bett Awards are a highlight of Bett UK, the world’s biggest EdTech event. Taking place at London’s ExCeL Centre from 24-26 January 2024, the show will bring together more than 30,000 educators, innovators, and changemakers from around the world. Produced in association with the British Educational Suppliers Association (BESA), the Bett Awards recognise excellence across all realms of…

An 18-year-old cook from Pembroke Dock is encouraging more young people to find their passion through Jobs Growth Wales+ after it helped give her the skills, qualifications and confidence to pursue her dream job. Annmarie Coates, 18, signed up for the Welsh Government programme after her family encouraged her to seek support from her local training provider to improve her communication skills and explore potential employment opportunities. Annmarie is currently awaiting a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder. The Jobs Growth Wales+ programme helped Annmarie reignite her love for cooking, gain new qualifications, and develop her confidence in talking to others.…

Potentially impactful snow is possible for some next week, as an arctic airmass exerts its influence on the UK’s weather. A northerly airflow will bring cold arctic air to the UK from Sunday and into early next week, with snow showers focused across northern areas of Scotland and Northern Ireland. Through the middle of next week, with cold air firmly in place over the UK, there’s a chance of disruptive snow for some areas as milder Atlantic air pushes in from the southwest. However, with around a week to go until that transition occurs, there’s still plenty of detail to…

A Caerphilly woman pleaded guilty to six animal welfare offences after 26 birds were found in an unsuitable environment with their needs not being met – with many found in a suffering state. The 26 wild birds – under the care of Caerphilly Bird Rescue – included pigeons, blackbirds, crows, jackdaws, a peregrine falcon and a common buzzard. These birds were found with numerous ailments and injuries which had not been treated adequately, including fractured wings, damaged eyes and legs, and bumble foot condition. The environment and bird cages were found to be unhygienic and hazardous and an RSPCA inspector…

South Wales Police officers spotted a suspicious vehicle on Five Mile Lane, Barry. With the help of the Police Helicopter (NPAS), officers were able to track down and arrest two men for possession with intent to supply class C. Sgt Rollnick from Barry NPT said: “These two suspects had been on our radar for a few weeks. Eventually their luck ran out. Drug dealers in Barry have to be lucky every day, we only have to be lucky once. We relentlessly pursue drug dealers in this town, and one by one they can expect prison.” If you have any information…

The St Athan Foodshare scheme is an extension of the wider Llantwit Food Project, led by the Food Vale Partnership overseen by the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board Public Health team and delivered in collaboration with local partners, including the Vale of Glamorgan Council and Glamorgan Voluntary Services. The partnership aims to build a thriving, healthy and sustainable food system in the Vale. Following a successful first year in Llantwit Major, the project secured space at the Gathering Place, Flemingston Road, St Athan CF62 4JH to hold a fortnightly food pantry. Led by Food Vale with funding from the…

A total of 40 projects have been successful in their bids for funding through the Shared Prosperity Fund. This follows an ‘open call’ for grant funding that was published in the summer of 2023 when over 100 applications were received. Out of the 40 successful bids, seven of these organisations received confirmation of their funding last month, with work underway with the other organisations, so that the grant agreements can be finalised and agreed in the New Year. The seven organisations that have received funding will deliver a variety of projects across Cardiff to support jobs growth and training, improve…

A plan to invest in Cardiff’s skatepark infrastructure and which could see six new skateparks built by 2032 and many existing skateparks converted into modern concrete based facilities, has been revealed by Cardiff Council. The ‘Skateboard Amenities Strategy,’ which was developed by Cardiff Council with the support of internationally renowned skate park consultants Van de Zalm and New Line Skate Parks, aims to support and grow the skateboarding community, foster a diverse user group, and create skate amenities that support a wide range of uses and skill levels. Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks and Events, Cllr Jennifer Burke, said: “We…

A play staged at Swansea’s Grand Theatre has been named as one of the UK’s best of 2023. Sorter is listed by influential arts publication The Stage as one of last year’s top 50 productions across the UK and Ireland. Staged in March, it was presented by the Grand-based Grand Ambition team. Written by Grand Ambition co-founder Richard Mylan, Sorter tells the story of two heroin addicts and was seen by more than 1,300 people. Starring Mylan and Swansea-born Sophie Melville, it was the team’s first original production. It drew on Mylan’s own experiences in recovering from heroin addiction. It…

Newport City Council’s cabinet is recommending that all members support a proposal to charge a council tax premium of 100 per cent on long-term empty properties and second homes. Most local authorities in Wales have already introduced a council tax premium. Councils are allowed to charge up to 300 per cent. A consultation on a proposed charge found that 76 per cent of 470 responses were in favour of the council doing more to tackle the problem of vacant homes. More than half supported the introduction of a council tax premium with only around a third disagreeing. The most popular…