Author: Rhys Gregory

TV star Alex Jones was moved to tears when she heard how heroic care home fundraisers helped a toddler win her battle against the odds to walk down the aisle at her mum’s wedding. The kind hearted care team from Pendine Park’s Bodlondeb  care home in Wrexham, were joyously reunited with smiling four year old Nova Martin Roxburgh and her family in front of TV cameras filming the BBC’s Reunion Hotel, hosted by Alex who’s best known as the main presenter of The One Show. The hit series offers people a chance to reconnect with those who have been pivotal…

A North Wales housing association does more than put a roof over people’s heads – it also provides many of them with jobs. Cartrefi Conwy and its subsidiary Creating Enterprise have revealed that 30 of their staff – more than 15 per cent of the overall workforce – are also tenants. It’s believed the percentage of tenants they employ is “incredibly rare” and much higher than any other housing association in the UK. Roles range from painters and plumbers to community workers, admin and finance jobs. Among the tenants they employ is single mother of two Clare Murphy, 47, from…

A nurse who has seen the horrors of war at first hand and successfully battled cancer is aiming for a fresh start thanks to a life-changing TV show. Andrea Davies-Tuthill, 52, from Merthyr Tydfil,  who recently finished treatment for breast cancer, wants to restore her health and stamina by taking part in a popular S4C programme, FFIT Cymru. Her skills as a theatre nurse are also used in her work with the Army Reserve for 34 years, which has seen her deployed to Afghanistan to treat both soldiers and civilians injured in the conflict. Andrea jumped at the chance of…

A North Wales textiles firm has undergone a management buy-out backed by a seven-figure sum from the Development Bank of Wales. Based on Wrexham Industrial Estate, Riva UK was first established in 1993 by Rita Bird who was then joined by her son Carl. They now employ over 50 people and supply custom engineered textile solutions to a variety of blue chip companies. This includes the automotive, emergency services, aerospace and industrial sectors. Joe Quinlan has served as operations manager for Riva since 2017. He will take over from outgoing Managing Director, Carl Bird, who has agreed to stay on…

Two young bakers from the south Wales valleys have made it to the finals of a national competition designed to find the UK’s top young pastry chef. Coleg y Cymoedd learners Mali Leese, 18, from Merthyr Tydfil, and Jack Morris, 18, from Caerphilly, are the only Welsh finalists in this year’s Chef’s Forum Student Pastry Chef of the Year competition. The pair will compete against each other, as well as six other talented young chefs from across the UK, at a grand final in West London College on Wednesday 10th May, to secure the coveted title of top pastry chef.…

With much resource invested into programmes to renovate and revive vacant and underutilised properties in the town, Bridgend County Borough Council continues to address the issue of empty commercial properties with a multi strategy approach. A range of buildings in town centres across the county borough, are shining examples of successful town centre projects. The Townscape Heritage Initiative scheme, operating from 2002 to 2020, awarded over £5m to 66 properties to support and finance necessary major remediation. The scheme supported the regeneration of the Elder Yard Scheme, 2 Caroline Street, as well as the former Victoria Public House, all located…

People across the UK are being asked to join ‘The Big Help Out’ this week to mark His Majesty The King’s Coronation, but in Cardiff’s parks volunteers have been a ‘big help’ all year – with the number of hours they spend working in the city’s green spaces returning to pre-Covid levels for the first time. Grangemoor Park, a former landfill site in Grangetown offering panoramic views of the city, is one of many parks to have benefitted from the hard work of volunteers recently. Jon Wallis, a regular conservation volunteer with Cardiff Council was one of five volunteers working…

Neath Port Talbot Council is seeking applications for projects that can be delivered as part of the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) on a dedicated website which is now ‘live’. The UKSPF is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda. Neath Port Talbot’s total three-year allocation is £27.3m in core funding plus £5.7m for projects to improve adult numeracy (in those over 19) under the ‘Multiply’ programme. The fund will be ‘unlocked’ via a three year Investment Plan which has been approved by the UK Government. All UKSPF funded projects need to address the challenges and opportunities…

Important maintenance work to the Lanelay Bridge in Talbot Green will start next week, as the Council carries out a comprehensive refurbishment scheme to repair and future-proof the large structure. The masonry arch bridge carries Lanelay Road over the River Ely near the A473 roundabout, and repairs will get underway from Monday, May 15. The Council has appointed Centregreat Ltd as the contractor with responsibility for delivering this maintenance work, which will last around eight weeks in total. The work will include removal of loose pointing from the arch and abutments, removal of vegetation from the headwalls and parapets, repairs…

Newport City Council, Job Centre Plus and Restart Newport are joining forces again to hold a jobs fair in Newport Market on Wednesday 24 May. Similar events in the city centre have been a big hit with both job seekers and employers. Businesses from all sectors are due to attend the event including Tesco, Stagecoach, Newport City Homes and Business Wales. Newport Market is an ideal venue, offering excellent facilities and a great city centre location close to public transport links with public car parks a short walk away. The free event will take place between 10am and 2pm. To…