Author: Rhys Gregory

A new energy-efficient housing development in Gwynedd is beginning to take shape, with a number of environmentally friendly initiatives at the heart of the work.     Bodelwyddan-based Wynne Construction, appointed by housing association Adra on a design and build contract, is on schedule to build 30 properties off Pen Y Ffridd Road in Bangor.     The contractor is using modern and innovative methods of construction to deliver the mix of two and three bedroom homes.     The houses are timber frame, with the structure built off-site to increase safety, provide a consistent quality, reduce vehicle movement to and from site,…

Trophies awarded to David ‘Dai’ Owen Jones, a popular Welsh international full-back of the 1930s, are to be auctioned this month. The auction will take place at Leicestershire-based Gildings Auctioneers at 10am on Tuesday October 10th. It includes an impressive silver-plated table lighter modelled as a dragon, thought to be made by Mappin & Webb. Engraved with the inscription “Football Association of Wales, International Champions 1933 & 1934, Presented to Mr. D.O. Jones”, it commemorates Wales winning The British Home Championship, the annual home nations tournament which ran for 100 years from the 1883-84 season. The collection, which is being…

After welcoming a record-breaking 100,000 festival-goers on site earlier this Summer, Wales’ biggest and best festival ‘In It Together’ have announced the first details of the 2024 line-up.  Next year’s festival will see a diverse array of star-studded performances from superstar artists Razorlight, Sam Ryder, Billy Ocean, Blue, Scouting for Girls, Sister Sledge, Gruff Rhys, and more.  With the headliners still to be announced, 2024 is already shaping up to be the biggest and best In It Together yet! Earlier this year the family-friendly weekender well and truly cemented its status as the number 1 festival in Wales, with headliners The Kooks, Anne-Marie and James playing to sold out crowds under the glorious May…

Gower Power, a community energy group established 10 years ago in Swansea, has launched a community share offer to fund the transfer of Brynwhilach solar farm at Llangyfilach, Swansea, into community ownership. The share offer builds on the success of two previous share offers from Gower Power which have supported several exciting local community projects focussing mainly on sustainable energy and growing food. It will enable local people who care about climate change to put their money to work to tackle the issue directly, earn a fair return on their investment, and greatly increase the solar farm’s economic contribution to…

Rob Page has announced his squad of 26 players for Cymru’s return to the Stōk Cae Ras in Wrexham against Gibraltar (Wednesday 11 October) and the UEFA EURO 2024 qualifier against Croatia at the Cardiff City Stadium (Sunday 15 October). Charlie Savage and Owen Beck have received their first senior team call-ups, stepping up from the U21s, while Luke Harris and Dylan Levitt return to the squad after missing out last month. Aaron Ramsey, Brennan Johnson and Morgan Fox are unavailable due to injury, while Regan Poole receives his first senior team call-up since 2019. The sell-out match against Gibraltar…

Principality Building Society is to boost access to cash provision in a Welsh community hit by high street bank closures, via a cash kiosk pilot in partnership with shared-banking innovator OneBanx. The cash kiosk will be hosted in Principality’s Cowbridge branch and is the first of its kind to be installed in Wales. It enables individuals and business customers of major banks and building societies to deposit and withdraw cash without needing to use a card. There is no charge for the service and the money is received immediately by the customer, and the service is also available in the…

Sometimes the brightest moments are behind the darkest clouds, and that was certainly true for Barry Railway Station’s café owner. Al Edge set up Coaltrain’s coffee shop & gallery after his Cardiff based vintage clothing business folded during lockdown. Al heard about the chance to take up a lease on the vacant café on Transport for Wales’ Barry Station. “I saw it as a chance to restart and do something new,” said Al, who is originally from the northeast of England. “We’d moved to Barry just before lockdown anyway and it all just seemed to fall in to place. Everything’s…

South Wales Police is investigating an incident which happened in a park close to the Llanedeyrn Hub in Cardiff. At around 3.10pm on Monday, October 2, an unknown man approached a young girl, asked if she any cigarettes, and attempted to touch her. She told him to stop, and he left. The suspect is described as white, wearing a black hoodie, black bottoms, and smelt of alcohol. Detective Inspector Mike Healy said: “The young girl was naturally very frightened and this is a concerning incident. “Detectives are carrying out extensive enquiries to identify and arrest this individual as soon as…

Following an investigation by Shared Regulatory Services (SRS), Blaengarw builder, Drew Joyce, has received a sentence of nine months imprisonment, which has been suspended for two years. In a case brought by Bridgend County Borough Council, Joyce was charged with offences under the Fraud Act 2006 and the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008, relating to the uncompleted jobs which he had started in both 2019 and 2020. Cardiff Crown Court heard of the misery Drew Joyce inflicted on two residents after they agreed for him to undertake building work and home improvements. Both residents described how Joyce failed…

Monmouthshire County Council is celebrating 10 years since the Active Travel Act was launched in Wales. Although the concept of active travel has been around for a while, not everyone is familiar with the term. Active travel describes making essential journeys, such as travelling to work, on the school run or travelling to appointments, by foot or by wheeling. The wheeling part can cover bicycles (electric or just by pedal power), scooters, wheelchairs, adapted bicycles or mobility scooters etc. Cllr. Catrin Maby, Cabinet Member for Climate Change and Environment, said: “I would like to thank all of Monmouthshire’s residents who…