Author: Rhys Gregory

Cardiff Bus is celebrating one year since the launch of its electric bus fleet and is proud to reveal the substantial environment impact the buses have had since they were introduced. January 2022 saw the operator unveil its new fleet of 36 fully electric buses as part of its commitment to reducing its emissions and air pollution in the capital city. After a year of being on the road, the electric buses have spent 94,976 hours in operation, travelled 1,403,603 kms and saved 1,000 tonnes of CO2. The purchase of the Yutong E12 zero-emission single-decker bus fleet was the largest…

The crisis in social care has claimed another victim with the closure of a care home in the Wrexham area. Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales said the loss of the 28 much-needed beds at Trewythen Hall Care Home in Gresford was a disaster for the vulnerable residents and their families. The home closed its doors just before Christmas after working with Wrexham County Borough Council to find alternative accommodation for the residents. It comes at a time when hospitals like the Maelor in Wrexham are at breaking point because of so-called bed-blocking with patients unable to…

Staff at a much loved North Wales children’s hospice have had a weight taken off their shoulders thanks to an impressive piece of kit paid for by a leading law firm. Tŷ Gobaith, in the Conwy Valley, which cares for youngsters with life-threatening conditions from across the region, have just taken delivery of a new wheelchair weighing machine worth £750 thanks to a donation from the Swayne Johnson Charitable Trust. It means that young people in wheelchairs can simply drive their chairs or be pushed onto the specialist scales and the new acquisition has been welcomed by staff and by…

With plummeting temperatures due to return this week, it is important to make sure our four-legged friends are prepared for the cold. After a fairly mild Christmas for most across the UK, temperatures are set to drop below 0°C over the next few days. Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, is issuing guidance to owners about how to keep your dog safe and warm during the cold snap, including how to avoid potential hazards on your winter walks. Runa Hanaghan, Deputy Veterinary Surgeon at Dogs Trust, said: “There are lots of simple things you can do to help…

A little Shetland pony brought a smile to the face of a revered horse whisperer who has dementia. The touching encounter happened when the diminutive pony called Dottie, just 40 inches high, visited Pendine Park’s Bodlondeb care home in Wrexham where Hilary Paul now lives. Hilary is admired around the world for her compassionate training methods  and remarkable understanding or horses. Among her fans was the late Nicholas Evans, whose novel, The Horse Whisperer inspired the hit 1998 film of the same name, starring Robert Redford. Around the time of the movie’s release she also met the author, who died…

An adorable pooch called Tecwyn is stealing the show on the Welsh version of Gogglebox. Viewers have fallen in love with the small, white-haired Bichon Westie dog who sits on the sofa alongside his owners, Glain Jones and Dafydd Jones, during the filming of S4C’s Gogglebocs Cymru at their home in Denbigh. The hit show that goes out at 9pm on Wednesdays has also led to a lot of recognition and leg-pulling for the couple themselves who’ve been partners for the past 14 years. On one occasion a shopper at the Marks and Spencer superstore in Ellesmere Port realised who…

School leaders’ union NAHT Cyrmu, which represents leaders in the majority of schools in Wales, have this week (Mon 16 Jan) announced the results of its formal industrial action ballot on pay and funding, which began on Fri 11 November and closed on Weds 11 Jan. The ballot results show an exceptionally strong appetite for taking industrial action, with 95% voting ‘Yes’ to action short of strike (ASOS) and 75% voting ‘Yes’ to strike, with a turnout of 55% of the union’s membership. Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: “The results of this ballot are unprecedented, and reflect the sheer…

Plans to complete Cardiff’s International Sports Village – delivering an outstanding sports and leisure destination that could attract two million visitors annually – will reach another milestone this week. Cardiff Council’s Cabinet is expected to approve a report which shows plans for a new waterfront, residential and retail district, alongside an International Sports Village (ISV) which will be powered by ‘green’ energy. The ISV will boast a new Central Performance Hub designed to support athletes across different sports, a new Velodrome, a closed loop circuit, outdoor leisure facilities, and a new ‘clip and climb’ facility – all brought to Cardiff…

A community project in West Cross that offers a free brunch and a chance to socialise every Wednesday is expanding its opening hours thanks to funding from Swansea Council and the Welsh Government. The Red Community Project, based in the Linden Centre, is now open to offer a safe, warm and welcoming space between 9.30am and noon for its Warm Wednesdays and also between noon and 3pm every Monday when it operates a food bank. It is one of more than 70 projects in all areas of Swansea to have been offered funding under the council’s Swansea Spaces initiative in…

Transport for Wales (TfW) is expanding the fflecsi service in Pembrokeshire, allowing more communities across the county to benefit from demand responsive transport. Working in partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council, the new fflecsi zone replaces the current 315 bus service and will connect villages and hamlets in the Dale Peninsula to Milford Haven and Haverfordwest – integrating with wider public transport routes. The expansion begins on Monday 30 January and will link up with the highly successful fflecsi service in north-west Pembrokeshire, which has seen an increase in passenger demand since it began operating in September 2020. Together, the two…