Author: Rhys Gregory

Welsh football has won a prestigious honour after the Football Association of Wales was named the Sport Organisation of the Year at the UK Sport Industry Awards 2023, during a ceremony in London on 27 April.  The Sport Organisation of the Year Award comes as the FAW is nearing the halfway point of its 2021-2026 strategic plan – Our Wales – and reflects the incredible work of the volunteers, clubs, staff, and partners from across Welsh football. The Sport Industry Awards celebrate the work that is done around the sector from world-leading events of all formats and scale, or using sport as…

Design, fit-out and refurbishment specialist Paramount has strengthened its position in the property sector by adding construction to its set of core services. In a move that “signals the start of an exciting new era”, commercial and residential construction activity will propel Paramount towards the £40-million turnover mark. To drive forward the new ‘Build’ offering, which heralds a new phase in Paramount’s exceptional growth, the company’s leadership team has been boosted by key appointments. Paramount’s board of directors has been bolstered with Paul Thomas in a new post as Construction Director and in conjunction with Commercial Director Dimitri Tsakiris will…

Eligible students in school sixth forms or college settings are reminded that increased support is now available from the Student Finance Wales Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) scheme. Starting from this month, the payment will increase from £30 per week to £40. The weekly grant, which is paid every two weeks, is designed to support 16 to 18-year-olds from low-income households with further education costs, such as transport. Students may be eligible to receive the EMA award if they: are above the compulsory school age; will be aged 16, 17 or 18 years old on or before 31 August; normally live in…

A Cardiff landlady has been ordered to pay just over £3,000 for failing to comply with the licensing conditions for a property that was being rented out as a House of Multiple Occupation. The rented property, 50 Ninian Road in Plasnewydd, is a three storey, Victorian, terraced house made up of eight bedsits with shared kitchen and bathroom facilities. Mrs Nayer Javedfrom Penylan Place, Cardiff pleaded guilty to one offence on October 13th, 2022. The management company, Umbrellas Homes Ltd and the sole director Mr Farshid Mansouri from Woodville Road, Cardiff, also pleaded guilty to several separate offences under the…

There was a time when we all hoped to be in a job for life but how many can claim today to have worked for the same employer – doing more or less the same tasks – for the past 50 years? Step forward Mark West, alias ‘Westy’, who retires this week, 51 years since he began work as an impressionable 15-year-old trainee gardener in Cardiff Council’s Parks department. Mark said: “I’ve loved this job from the day I started on £7 a week and I still love it just as much now. Even when I’m not working, I’m looking…

Provided by Swansea Council’s West Glamorgan Archive Service, the photo from the early 20th century shows businesses operating on The Strand at the time, as well as old motorcars, a delivery vehicle and a carriage. Its release comes as preparations continue on new plans to breathe fresh life into The Strand and celebrate the street’s history. Swansea Council plans include the creation of small retail units for local traders at the historic Victorian arches on The Strand, which will be brought back into use. An elevator from The Strand to High Street will also be introduced and work will be carried…

Establishing a company and investment board to begin delivering the Celtic Freeport, which promises to create 16,000 jobs in south west Wales over the coming years, is one of a number of key priorities for Neath Port Talbot Council’s Rainbow Coalition for 2023/24. The coalition’s priorities in areas such as education, social services, valleys and villages, climate change, leisure, tourism and town centres are now enshrined in Neath Port Talbot Council’s updated Strategic Change Programme for 2023-24 which was approved by a full meeting of Neath Port Talbot Council on Wednesday, April 26th, 2023. The Strategic Change Programme provides a…

It’s official: IRONMAN Wales is one of the best IRONMAN events anywhere in the world. And that verdict comes directly from the remarkable men and women who tackle the tough triathlons all over the globe. Run in partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council, IRONMAN Wales scored in the top 10 globally and top 10 in Europe, the Middle East and Africa in eight out of nine categories in the IRONMAN Athletes’ Choice Awards. IRONMAN Wales is the only race to have scored in the top 10 in so many categories, underlining just how the iconic Pembrokeshire race is a firm favourite.…

The Council has provided 20 new bus shelters and various other bus stop improvements along the key bus route between Porth, Tonyrefail and Gilfach Goch – using a significant funding allocation from Welsh Government. Works to improve the Strategic Bus Corridor have been completed using major funding from Welsh Government’s Local Transport Fund allocated for 2022/23, as well as a 10% Council contribution. The programme of work represents a £480,000 investment – with improvements delivered across the electoral wards of Cymer, Tonyrefail East, Tonyrefail West and Gilfach Goch. Delivered by the Council’s Streetcare team, the investment has provided improvements to…

Following a recent Estyn monitoring inspection visit, Newport High School has been removed from special measures. Her Majesty’s Inspectorate for Education and Training in Wales has confirmed that the school has made sufficient progress and no longer requires this level of intervention. Councillor Jane Mudd, leader of the council, said: “This decision is testament to the hard work and dedication of the head teacher, staff and governing body. I’m delighted to see that Estyn has recognised the great strides made by the school and I’m sure that will continue. Congratulations to all concerned.” Head teacher Gill Lee said: “We are…