Author: Rhys Gregory

Leading arts professional David Wilson has been appointed the new Director of Aberystwyth Arts Centre at Aberystwyth University. David is currently Director at Theatr Brycheiniog in Brecon, a post he has held since 2019. Professor Elizabeth Treasure, Vice-Chancellor of Aberystwyth University, said: “David Wilson is an experienced arts professional, with a rich and varied career, and I am delighted that he will be bringing all that expertise to the role of Director of Aberystwyth Arts Centre. “The Arts Centre is a focal point for the local community here in Aberystwyth, and also pivotal to the artistic life of mid and…

The first large-scale new water storage reservoir in the UK since the 1980s took a major step forward as a joint venture between Wales and England-based civil engineering contractors was appointed to build the flagship development.  North Wales-based Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK and Mackley, whose head office is in West Sussex, have united as Future Water MJJV Limited to construct the Havant Thicket Reservoir in Hampshire in a contract worth £167 million.  With more than 150 years’ experience across a wide range of sectors, including water, energy, coastal protection and flood defence, Future Water MJJV is qualified in tackling…

Over 100 new arrivals will boost the number of nurses in Morriston Hospital thanks to the health board’s first recruitment event in India. A trip to Kochi has led to the employment of 107 nurses, some with 15 years’ experience, to help fill the void of Band 5 nurses within Swansea Bay. The new recruits are a mixture of medical, surgical and theatre nurses, and they will arrive in Swansea in February. Following compliance checks and obtaining a visa, nurses will face a four-week OSCE (Objective Structured Clinical Examination) training programme in the health board’s Nurse Education Training Suite based…

The regeneration of the Swansea region has been announced as the headline topic at this year’s Swansea Conference on March 29. The conference’s opening session at 9.30am in Swansea Arena will be a Swansea Region Regeneration Update featuring speakers including council leader Rob Stewart, Debbie Green, Chief Executive of Coastal Housing, Professor Elwen Evans from Swansea University, and Tonia and Ian Morgan from contractor Morganstone. The session will cover recent milestones including the opening of Swansea Arena, the new bridge over Oystermouth Road, the neighbouring coastal park, the completion of a £3m improvement of Wind Street, and improvements to The…

As the world grapples with the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic and concerns around the current outbreak of Bird Flu and its transmission to mammals, leading academics and experts from across Wales met at Aberystwyth University on Friday 17 February 2023 to discuss their ideas on One Health in Wales. One Health is a collaborative multidisciplinary approach bringing together partners working in the fields of human, animal and environment health to work on common challenges. Human health is closely related to the environment and animals and the impact of a virus like Covid-19, or Bird Flu can be enormous, affecting…

When dairy farmers Emyr and Evelyn Wigley retired, they planned to travel, spend holidays in their caravan and go on walking adventures in the British countryside, all things they had put off whilst devoting their time to farming. Tragically, soon into their retirement, Evelyn was diagnosed with ovarian cancer and she passed away aged 69 in 2015. Emyr, who lives at Deytheur, Llansantffraid, on the Powys-Shropshire border, immediately pledged to do something positive to combat ovarian cancer, which he describes as an “evil disease”, as a tribute to her. Because of the couple’s long connection with the farming community, he…

Young people filled the Council chamber recently as they got involved with Democracy Matters. The event organised by Pembrokeshire County Council Chairman Cllr Pat Davies with the Electoral Services Team and the Children and Young People’s Rights Office was well attended by invited youngsters. There were teens from local youth clubs, The Hive, Sea Cadets, Young Farmers Clubs, Pembrokeshire College, youth outreach, Pembrokeshire Youth Assembly and other youth groups. A panel made up of Cllr Davies, Cllr Simon Hancock, Ella Downing from the Electoral Commission, Jess Blair from the Electoral Reform Society and Alistair Birch from Pembrokeshire County Council Were…

RCT Council announced that temporary traffic management is required on the Mountain Ash Cross Valley Link bridge to rectify an ongoing issue with two loose manhole covers. Temporary three-way traffic lights are required at the Miskin Road end of the bridge from Thursday, February 23. The permanent signals will then be brought back into use on Sunday evening (February 26). The Council’s contractor will reset the manhole covers with concrete repairs, and then allow curing time before traffic passes over them to ensure their stability. Repairs are paid for by the contractors at no cost to the Council, scheduled during…

Newport Central Library, Museum and Art Gallery in John Frost Square will reopen to the public at the end of this month. Some council services will also be operating from the building following a major programme of Welsh Government grant-funded works that have taken place over recent months. Councillor Jane Mudd, Leader of Newport City Council, said: “Residents will be able to access a range of council services in a much more accessible venue in the heart of the city centre, close to the bus station and car parks. “It makes much better use of a council-owned building and the…

A report outlining the progress that has been made towards The Caerphilly Town 2035 Placemaking Plan has been released by Caerphilly County Borough Council this week. The Place Making Plan sets out an exciting blueprint for the regeneration of Caerphilly town centre and involves close collaboration between a number of key agencies including the council, Welsh Government, CADW and Transport for Wales. The report, which was considered by the council’s Housing and Regeneration Scrutiny Committee, also includes an update on the council’s successful bid to utilise £20 million of Levelling Up Funding, to build a new contemporary Wellbeing Centre, in…