Author: Rhys Gregory

Tourism, hospitality, attraction and activity businesses across Mid Wales are being encouraged to be creative to capitalise on this year’s theme adopted by Visit Wales,  “Llwybrau. Wales, by Trails”. Val Hawkins, chief executive of MWT Cymru (Mid Wales Tourism), believes the theme, which encourages both visitors and residents to explore epic trails, is perfectly suited to Powys, Ceredigion and  Southern Snowdonia. MWT Cymru represents around 600 tourism, hospitality, attraction and activity businesses across the rural heartland of Wales. Visit Wales, the tourism arm of the Welsh Government, wants trails to be the springboard into exciting experiences and new opportunities. The theme…

Clenergy EV were delighted to welcome the Welsh Minister for the Economy, Vaughan Gething, to their new office opening this month. In attendance were organisations from across Wales, which Clenergy EV has supported with EV charge point software since 2020. Invited to the day were representatives from Swansea Council, Carmarthenshire County Council, Vale of Glamorgan Council and the Dragon Charging Network. The event highlighted how much has been achieved by organisations in the electric vehicle ecosystem within Wales in meeting their net-zero commitments, of which Clenergy EV provides a pivotal role. Clenergy EV has grown rapidly in the past 3…

From Manufacturing Wales to Tata Steel UK, Ledwood Mechanical Engineering to RWE, Floventis to NPTC Group of Colleges, momentum is gathering behind a freeport bid that will accelerate Wales’ decarbonisation and act as a catalyst for the transformation of Wales’ industrial cluster. Over 100 organisations and politicians have come together to back the transformational bid for a Celtic Freeport. Supporters include global industrial giants and Welsh engineering and construction businesses, green energy developers, decarbonisation groups and trade associations, universities, colleges and local politicians. On 24 November 2022, a public-private consortium lodged its bid for a Celtic Freeport with the UK…

Preliminary works have started on the site of the latest Welsh medium Primary School project for Pembrokeshire County Council. Following the decisions of Cabinet during the latter part of 2022 to fund a shortfall in capital funding towards the Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Penfro project, the construction contract has been awarded to Morgan Sindall Construction & Infrastructure Ltd. Preliminary works on the site in Pembroke have now commenced. Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Education and the Welsh Language, Cllr Guy Woodham, said he was delighted the project had been given the go ahead. “I am very pleased that after much…

A Blue Plaque has been unveiled by Rhondda Cynon Taf Mayor, Councillor Wendy Treeby, at Dewi Sant Health Park, the site of the former Pontypridd Union Workhouse. Rhondda Cynon Taf has many Blue Plaques across the County Borough, commemorating the lives of individuals and buildings of historical significance. The Blue Plaque at Dewi Sant Health Park was unveiled by Rhondda Cynon Taf Mayor, Councillor Wendy Treeby, accompanied by Rhodri Powell MBE, former Directorate Manager of Pathology for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (1989-2001). Mr Powell, on behalf of Llantrisant and District Local History Society, nominated the location of the…

Further development work towards extending rail services from Aberdare to Hirwaun is underway, after the Council secured important Welsh Government funding through the Cardiff Capital Region Transport Authority. The Council has secured £239,633 to fund further studies towards delivering the significant Metro Plus project, which will complement the ongoing delivery of the South Wales Metro that will see four trains an hour serving Aberdare. Previous work within the project’s appraisal process (which is currently at WelTAG Stage 2, Outline Business Case) considered two options for the project, and identified a preferred option for development. The preferred option would extend the…

The Newport Medieval Ship project has hit its latest milestone after conservation of the ship timbers finished earlier this month. The project, led by the council and its partners at the Friends of Newport Ship (FONS), took delivery of the final batch of timbers from specialist conservation contractor, Mary Rose Archaeological Services. The fifteenth-century ship was discovered in the banks of the River Usk in 2002 during construction work for the Riverfront Theatre. The ship’s timbers were disassembled and lifted out of a side channel piece by piece, with work finishing in spring 2003. The next stage of the project…

Millions of people who lost their lives in the Holocaust during the Second World War and in genocides around the world have been remembered with a special memorial event at Caldicot Hub. The event hosted by Friends of Caldicot Library was held on Thursday 26th of January, ahead of the annual commemoration of Holocaust Memorial Day on Friday 27th of January. Members of the public, Monmouthshire County Council cabinet members and colleagues were all in attendance to hear the stories of survivors, listen to readings and to light candles in the victims’ memory. This year the theme for Holocaust Memorial…

A small but mighty team from Caedraw Primary School made the long journey to Birmingham to compete in the F1 in Schools UK National Finals. Held at the NEC, the Autosport Show hosts the Formula 1 in Schools STEM competition where children are challenged to design, build and race a gas canister-powered model Formula 1 car. Caedraw Primary is proud of its strong history in competing, including being crowned as previous F1 winners, successfully led by Miss Jodi Stokes and Mr Scott Beale. ‘Team Astro’ consisting of Joshua Pike, Korey Mason, Alfie Williams and Jake Williams were the students selected…

Minister Julie James has this week (Monday, January 30) announced a new £50m scheme to bring more empty homes back to life. The National Empty Homes Grant scheme, that will run over the next two years, has been developed to build on the success of previous Welsh Government initiatives like the Valleys Taskforce Empty Homes Grant. The National Empty Homes Scheme could see up to 2,000 long-term empty properties brought back into use. This scheme will run alongside with other Welsh Government schemes like Leasing Scheme Wales which is designed to improve access to longer term affordable housing in the…