Author: Rhys Gregory

Transport for Wales (TfW) has announced changes to its rail replacement service in Barmouth due to road closures beginning in early November. Church Street in Barmouth is set to close for eight weeks from Monday 6 November to allow Welsh Water to complete repairs to a damaged sewer. The road currently forms part of the route for the TfW rail replacement service which is in place between Machynlleth and Pwllheli while Network Rail carries out work on Barmouth Bridge. The main diversion through the town will be via the Quay but due to a low bridge the larger coaches currently…

Localised work will soon begin in Cilfynydd – to install a replacement culvert inlet grille in the Nant Cae Dudwg. The work location is off Pant-Du Road, near the junction with Cilfynydd Road – with the grille located in the watercourse behind the terraced properties on Cilfynydd Road. The scheme will improve the infrastructure and intends to enhance the performance of the culvert inlet, to better manage debris, and increase flow capacity within the watercourse at this location . The work will begin on Monday, October 30, lasting around three weeks. The work will be carried out by the RCT…

This autumn, Merthyr Tydfil town centre will welcome a new boutique hotel — within the former walls of historic bakery and confectioners, Howfield’s & Son (est. 1921). Howfields Hotel, the circa £2m development will also see the addition of a high-end restaurant, stylish bar, and 13 luxury private flats — bringing a new era of elegance and modernity to the town centre. At the helm of the project is Glynneath-based development company, RWP Properties, which has invested significantly into the venture. RWP Properties Director, Richard Powell, said: “I’ve been watching the development of Merthyr Tydfil town centre with great interest…

Powys County Council has reminded residents that the Brecon Household Waste Recycling Centre in the Ffrwdgrech Industrial Estate will be closing temporarily on Thursday 16 November to undergo important safety upgrades and improve the site user experience. Whilst the recycling centre is closed, residents wishing to recycle items not collected at the kerbside, will be able to visit one of the other four centres in the county, the closest of which are in Llandrindod Wells (open Wed, Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun) and Lower Cwmtwrch (open Mon, Thurs, Fri, Sat and Sun). Cardboard can still be taken to one of…

Details of a £4.6m programme to reduce flood risk using nature-based solutions have been published today, delivering towards a Programme for Government commitment (Wednesday, October 25). The Welsh Government’s Natural Flood Management Accelerator Programme was confirmed via a joint statement between Climate Change Minister Julie James and Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, Lesley Griffiths. The Ministers say the two-year programme follows a Programme for Government commitment to deliver nature-based flood management solutions across all major river catchments. The programme will help Risk Management Authorities work together with Welsh farmers, landowners and third sector organisations on nature-based solutions that…

The Health Minister has thanked GPs for progress made in tackling the 8am bottleneck and making it easier for people to get appointments. But the Minister said more needs to be done to ensure everyone in Wales can expect the same service, and called on the public to help by reducing some of the 80,000 missed appointments every month. 95% of practices across Wales have said they are now providing a mix of remote, face to face, urgent and pre-bookable appointments, and that people can contact their practice throughout the day to make an appointment. These practices have also said…

Climate Change Minister Julie James has this week (Tuesday, October 24) introduced a new Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) which will see the biggest changes to social housing standards in more than 20 years. The Minister said the new WHQS will replace the existing Standard to ‘better reflect changes in the way people live, work and feel about their homes’. The original Standard was introduced in 2002 and since then Welsh Government, together with social landlord delivery partners, has invested billions of pounds to significantly improve and maintain the quality of social homes across Wales. A formal public consultation of…

The Education Minister Jeremy Miles has this week published new guidance to help schools to work with families and relevant agencies to make sure learners come to school. Jeremy Miles said: “Since the pandemic, too many young people are missing out on invaluable school time. This can impact on their wellbeing, their social skills, and their education.  We can be in no doubt that our education system is still very much recovering from the impact of the pandemic. Schools have been working hard to support learners back into to the classroom, but this is a crisis which needs a national…

Popham Kidney Support, the Swansea-based kidney charity, recently hosted its commemorative fundraising event: Wally’s Way. The memorable evening was held on October 20 at Morgans Hotel in Swansea, in honour of the charity’s namesake, Paul ‘Wally’ Popham. This one-off event not only commemorated the tenth anniversary of Paul Popham’s passing but also celebrated a decade of the charity’s dedicated service. Wally’s Way brought together supporters of the community and football lovers alike, with several sponsors playing a crucial role in making this night a success: Bevan and Buckland, McAlister & Co, Swansea.com, Swansea City FC, and Morgans Hotel. In memory…

We all think of the deep sea, its immense beauty, and mysterious creatures that are often undiscovered by modern science. But there’s so much more hidden beneath the surface in these murky depths than meets the eye.  From historic shipwrecks to narwhal migrations; from thermophilic bacteria colonies to unique geological formations, this blog post will explore some of the most fascinating facts about life in the depths of our planet’s oceans – starting us off on an incredible journey that is sure to amaze and inspire you! Uncovering the mysteries of the deep sea Exploring the vast and unfathomable depths…