Author: Rhys Gregory

Glenda Rees from Cadoxton, Barry, was looking forward to an extra special Christmas with her daughter Gemma but instead, she is planning Gemma’s funeral after she died suddenly from cardiac arrest. Gemma Rees, 42, a mother of four who worked as a carer for young people with autism at Beechwood College in Sully, passed away unexpectedly on 14 November. Mum Glenda, who is distraught at having lost her only daughter after losing both her husband and son in the last few years, can’t afford to pay for Gemma’s funeral so a family friend has set up a Go Fund Me…

When the Children Law team at Harding Evans discovered that Newport City Council had lost regular contributors of Christmas gifts for children from low income families this year, and with Christmas fast approaching, they offered to help. The families being supported by Newport City Council are on low incomes and are struggling financially with funding gifts for their children to open on Christmas Day this year. As well as collecting presents from the team internally at Harding Evans, local businesses and organisations, including The Warehouse Church, Cooltherm UK Ltd and DRAC Consulting, also donated to the appeal. Siobhan Downes, Partner…

The Ramblers Cymru flagship project, Paths to Wellbeing, which is working with the community in Llanybydder, Carmarthenshire recently opened up the path at Pen-Lan. Unfortunately, the path had become flooded after fly tipping had taken place in the local stream with bags of rubbish polluting the water and causing it to disperse over the paths, making it impossible for people to walk there. Thankfully Ramblers Cymru’s project officer Zoe Richards and local volunteers managed to remove the bags and restore access to the path once again. South West Wales Paths to Wellbeing officer Zoe said: “We have been working closely…

Macmillan Cancer Support has warned that Wales has once again registered its worst ever performance on cancer treatment targets since current records began. Data released today shows that in October only 52.2% of people with cancer started their treatment on time – leaving 810 people to face anxious delays in just one month alone. Macmillan warns that people with cancer in Wales now face a situation where almost 1 in 2 of them will experience delays in the life-saving cancer care they so desperately need. For some cancer types, those delays are becoming even more worrying, with only 33.7% of…

Genesis Biosciences has recently made a key appointment in its Cardiff-based headquarters to support their global capabilities. Multi-lingual Katie Thomas has been appointed as their Commercial & Operations Assistant and will aid the business in its international affairs using her ability to speak French, German and Italian. After graduating from Aberystwyth University in 2016 with a double-major in French and German and a minor in Italian, Katie moved to Italy where she taught English as a Foreign Language (EFL) for three years and achieved non-native fluency before stepping into the world of business. Her move to Genesis will be her…

Returning after a two-year Covid-enforced absence, the famous Boxing Day Swim in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, is back. The fundraising event, that attracts thousands of participants, many donned in fancy-dress, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year. From the early days, when just a handful of locals attended, the event has grown over the years, attracting visitors far and wide, with the Pembrokeshire swim now ranked in the top 10 of Britain’s barmiest seasonal swims. Besides, the fun element, over the decades, the Tenby swim has helped raise more than £300,000 for charities and good causes. And this year the organisers, the Tenby…

Wales’s recent adventures at the World Cup in Qatar may have come to an end but steps are being taken in Cardiff to ensure the next generation develop the skills needed to ensure the wait for another shot at World Cup glory isn’t as long. One element of this work is the recent removal of the fixed mini goal posts in Cardiff’s parks. Cardiff was the only Council in Wales to provide these fixed posts and their removal follows changes by FAW to the size of pitches for various age groups. The change to smaller pitches aims to increase thenumber…

wansea Council’s Cabinet has agreed to go out to consultation on a programme of investment that will see an average £1.9m a day spent on key services like schools, care and community services next year. Despite services facing huge national energy and inflation pressures totalling £44m and a real-terms cut in Government funding, the council is aiming to spend millions of pounds more in services like education, care and community services the council deliver every day. A Cabinet meeting today (December 22) agreed proposals for the budget for 2023/24 that will go out for consultation from January 3. After that…

A £400,000 refurbishment at Maesteg Sports Centre is now underway, in a move that will improve accessibility as well as benefiting both the physical and mental health of residents right across the community. The project is made possible thanks to investment from Bridgend County Borough Council, Halo Leisure and Sport Wales, who are all working in partnership to make sure residents receive the best service possible. The upgrade will include a larger gym area with brand-new cardio machines, a strength and conditioning space, a wellness zone, and various other new pieces of equipment. Improvements are also being made to the…

Aberavon MP Stephen Kinnock has paid a visit to the Neath hub which is collecting and distributing donations such as clothes, mobile phone sim cards, clean bedding and other items to Ukrainian refugees located in Neath Port Talbot. The hub, run by NPT Safe and Well, has been working closely with local businessman Chris O’Callaghan, the former Aberavon RFC coach and player and ex-Cambridge Blue who has links with the business Goods for Good ( https://goodsforgood.org.uk/ ) which has also been helping to donate new clothes and other essential items to the hub. Mr Kinnock, who praised the work going…