Author: Rhys Gregory

Gemma Grainger’s Cymru will face Portugal in an international challenge match on Tuesday 11 April (KO 17:30) in Guimarães. Portugal, who are ranked 22nd in the world rankings, booked their place in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup last month after beating Cameroon in the intercontinental play-off final. The fixture will take place at Estádio D. Afonso Henriques and will be the first meeting between the two sides since 2018, when they played out a goalless draw in a friendly in Almada. Broadcast details for the match will be confirmed in due course. The game comes five days after Cymru’s…

They say a dog can be your best friend and that’s certainly the case when you are trading standards officers on the hunt for illegal tobacco products. This is Cooper, a specially-trained dog who has been helping Swansea Trading Standards to unearth hiding places for counterfeit and illicit tobacco. In this particular operation officers searched five premises and illegal tobacco and vapes were found in four of them with three arrests made. David Hopkins, Swansea Council’s joint deputy leader and Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Performance, said: “Cooper has a real nose for finding illegal tobacco. Some of the…

Caerphilly County Borough Council has approved plans to develop a new centre for vulnerable learners on the site of the former Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School. The approved plans will see the Council adapt and refurbish the former Grammar School building at Pontllanfraith to create a bespoke facility for vulnerable learners.  The new facility will include 10 teaching spaces, along with smaller group rooms, a meeting room, staff room, main hall, teaching kitchen and café. A new building on the site will provide a 4 court sports hall with changing facilities, in addition to a planned outdoor multi-use games area with a…

Pobl Living have officially opened the doors to their brand-new Sales & Marketing Suite at Chartist Garden Village and are inviting anyone who is interested in purchasing a home at the site to come and have a look around the gorgeous show home, a four bedroom ‘Humberstone’. The Sales team are currently taking registers of interest for the first homes to be completed on the development, which are due to be ready in Summer 2023. Chartist Garden Village occupies an enviable position adjacent to Sir Harold Finch Memorial Park in the popular village of Pontllanfraith. The new development consists of…

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has unanimously approved a range of proposals to address the issue of private empty homes. During a meeting held on 8th March Cabinet members approved the ‘Private Sector Empty Homes Strategy 2023 – 28’ which sets out the Council’s plans to tackle the high number of private empty homes in the county borough.  It also sets out a range of initiatives available to the Council to help owners bring their empty homes back into use. As well as offering support and assistance through a range of grants and loans, the Council’s dedicated Empty Homes Team…

A new footbridge over the River Taff linking Merthyr Leisure Village, Rhydycar and the town centre is en route from its construction site in Shropshire. Manufactured by Beaver Bridges, the structure will be installed this Sunday (12 March) and a section of Avenue de Clichy closed for the day to enable a crane to lift it into place. The former bridge, which had height restrictions and was too narrow for pedestrians and cyclists to pass one another, is being replaced as part of the Council’s Active Travel improvements programme funded by Welsh Government. The new structure is being relocated slightly…

Schools and colleges across Wales are set to benefit from £60m in funding to make buildings more energy efficient. The Minister for Education and Welsh Language Jeremy Miles has announced £50m for schools and £10m in funding for Further Education colleges. The new funding will help schools and colleges with energy efficiency and decarbonisation priorities. Work being funded includes replacement of roofs, heating and ventilation works introducing efficient low carbon solutions and electrical systems including LED lighting. The Minister recently visited Perthcelyn Community Primary School in Mountain Ash. The school has received just over £66k in Welsh Government funding this…

Two teenagers who averted a serious car accident thanks to their quick thinking and the owner of a wig service for people suffering hair loss, are among those shortlisted for this year’s St David Awards. The St David Awards are Wales’ national awards, which recognise people who have done extraordinary things. This year’s awards celebrate people who have been nominated by the public in nine different categories, including bravery, business and community spirit. A special award will also be given by First Minister Mark Drakeford. Announcing the shortlist First Minister, Mark Drakeford said: “I would like to thank everyone who…

More than 90% of young care leavers who are eligible have signed up for the Basic Income pilot scheme in the first six months since it was launched. Early feedback from care leavers point to the many ways in which the income is being used to enhance their lives, including learning how to manage their money and saving. Although the pilot scheme is still in its infancy and will be rigorously assessed by an independently appointed evaluation team, one person working with care leavers said it had ‘empowered them to be able to make decisions they weren’t able to before’.…

Early March is the period where many of us start planning our summer holiday. For those who are not attracted by tourism hotspots, a good alternative is to visit a less touristic destination. If this is your case, what about visiting Pennsylvania, in the United States? This part of the country has a lot to offer and is particularly linked to Welsh culture, as the Welsh were among the first settlers to colonise Pennsylvania. In this article you will find some of the most interesting things to do in Pennsylvania and some advice to prepare your trip, like how to…