Author: Rhys Gregory

Following a recent successful pilot of new electric vehicles (EVs) by the social care work force, Bridgend County Borough Council has taken delivery of two, new electric cars. The social services directorate trialled the use of an electric vehicle with a team of social care staff, including team leaders, which resulted in positive feedback from all who engaged in the three-week trial. As a result, staff could soon have access to an electric vehicle to carry out their visits across the county borough, reducing the use and wear and tear on their own vehicles. It is hoped that by being able to access…

Lost and stray dogs from across Cardiff will soon be able to live in luxury while they wait to be reunited with their owners or permanently rehomed, after a fundraising campaign spearheaded by local charity the Rescue Hotel, and Cardiff Dogs Home Ambassador, Sam Warburton, raised more than £500,000 to refurbish the kennels at Cardiff Dogs Home. The success of the campaign, which will see larger and more comfortable kennels installed in the Cardiff Council operated Dogs Home, comes on the back of a significant Pets at Home Foundation Grant of £180,000. Speaking about the fundraising campaign, former Wales Rugby…

At a public meeting held in the Margam Park’s Orangery on Monday, April 24th, 2023, volunteers and representatives from across Neath Port Talbot supported an invitation for the Urdd to host the 2025 Urdd Eisteddfod at Margam Park. Siân Eirian, the Urdd’s Arts and Eisteddfod Director said: “On behalf of the Urdd I am pleased to announce that Margam Park will be the home of the 2025 Urdd Eisteddfod.  It was great to see unanimous and enthusiastic support from representatives from across the county at the public meeting tonight to invite the Urdd Eisteddfod back to the area. “The Urdd…

June will see the return of the world’s last seagoing paddle steamer to Pembrokeshire including the first mooring at Tenby for more than 30 years. This summer’s sailings of the Waverley includes visits to Pembrokeshire on June 17th and 18th, with cruises around the south coast, Caldey Island, St Govan’s Head and Skokholm, Skomer and Ramsey Islands planned. The paddle steamer, launched in 1947, was gifted for £1 to the Paddle Steamer Preservation Society in 1974 and is owned and maintained by registered charity Waverley Steam Navigation Co. Ltd on its behalf. Waverley is named after Sir Walter Scott’s Waverley…

An event is planned to be held at 3pm on Friday 28th April to officially open a new memorial in Lansbury Park. The memorial has been installed by Caerphilly County Borough Council on green space in Maxton Park to commemorate Darren Smith who was posthumously awarded The Queen’s Gallantry Medal for exemplary bravery. Darren lost his life trying to save two-year-old Geraint Lewis and his nine-month-old sister Jade from a fire in their home on the estate in December 1989. It replaces the commemorative plaque that was located in the former GP surgery in Lansbury Park and also incorporates the…

Blackwood Town Centre has become the latest town to benefit from free public access Wi-Fi. Apart of a wider provision that has already been rolled out in Bargoed, Rhymney, Ystrad Mynach and Risca – the initiative aims to improve the experience for visitors of the high street by helping people to access online stores and to engage with local businesses online. The expansion of the free public Wi-Fi position has already been a success in the four other town centres across the county borough with the provision contributing towards the Council’s ongoing support to regenerate our town centres. The initiative…

The Council has identified funding for the Ebbw Vale Cableway to keep it open. Earlier this month, it was announced that Blaenau Gwent Council were scrapping the £2m cable car system to save money due to a council budget shortfall of £6.6m. In addition to this, the on-going maintenance costs were estimated to be in the region of £50,000 a year. Following the announcement, the cable car was due to close on April 28, however due to a new funding source, the transport system will now remain open. Leader of the Council Steve Thomas says: “Following work undertaken by officers…

Blaenau Gwent Council is supporting its most vulnerable residents with a range of support as cost of living expenses continue to rise. The Council provided grant funding of £29,500 to support 30 warm hub schemes earlier this year. Up to £1,000 was made available initially to organisations to help provide refreshments or a substantial meal, a provision for advice and support and or further enrichment activity such as exercise, arts and should be available for the whole community to use. Further funding was provided in late March from the Council’s discretionary cost of living scheme to extend the warm hub…

Monmouthshire museums run by MonHeritage, part of Monmouthshire County Council, have received a welcome boost thanks to the latest funding awards. Plans to relocate Monmouth’s museum into Shire Hall is a step closer thanks to news that it has been awarded a Development Grant of £349,928 from The National Lottery Heritage Fund. The welcomed funding will enable the Council to take forward the redevelopment of the Shire Hall as an accredited museum. An additional £241,697 grant was awarded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund (Dynamic Collections) to improve cataloguing of the Monmouth Collection and to consult with local communities on…

A group of young researchers have been praised for their work on a report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child about the experiences of young people and their human rights in Wales, by the Deputy Minister for Social Services Julie Morgan. The Young Wales Report to the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child has been co-produced by six young volunteer researchers and staff from Young Wales, a Children in Wales initiative which is funded by Welsh Government. The group submitted the report during a visit to Geneva for a United Nations Committee…