Author: Rhys Gregory

Children, young people and guests joined a steel signing ceremony on the site of the new King Henry VIII 3-19 School building in Abergavenny. The signed steel will form part of the building’s structure for future generations to discover in many years to come. Cllr. Martyn Groucutt, Cabinet Member for Education said: “This ceremony is a great next step in King Henry VIII 3-19 School’s build journey. It’s amazing how the structure is taking shape in this stunning location – it will be such a wonderful learning environment for children. This fabulous school is going to be the first carbon…

Troedyrhiw Community Primary School has proudly launched their award-winning Preloved, Nearly New shop, the first of two shipping containers to be opened in Y Stryd Fawr Troedyrhiw. Sue Davies, Director of The Foundation of Community Engagement, presented the school with not one but two awards in the last year for their inspirational community work; initially with the Silver award and now with the Gold Award in Community Engagement. Preloved, Nearly New offers good quality second-hand clothing and uniform for the local community at a ‘pay as you feel’ service, meaning families donate items they no longer need and pay whatever they…

A declaration committing to the radical reform of care services for children and young people has been signed by the First Minister Mark Drakeford today (10 May). The declaration, developed jointly by care-experienced children and young people and Ministers, outlines the Welsh Government’s commitment to putting the voice of children and young people at the heart of the transformation of children’s services. It commits the Welsh Government to deliver a wide range of changes to the current care system, to enable a ‘children first’ approach in everything we do and to make sure that everything is done to help children…

Climate Change Minister Julie James has spoken about meeting people on ‘journeys of hope’ at a new drop-in centre in Neath. The Minister was speaking after a visit to The Salvation Army’s Fresh Expression and Core Recovery Plant in Neath town centre. The centre officially opened in November 2021 and now provides drop-in services for people in need. These services come from multi-agency support and include housing advice, counselling services, assistance with benefits and medical care. The centre also provides opportunities for clients to engage in activities that help build their confidence and ability to move into independent living. Climate Change…

Good GCSE and A Level results open doors for your child. For instance, students with good GCSE results will have high predicted grades and therefore be more likely to get offers from top universities. Additionally, getting good grades at A Level is essential for students with university offers. Unfortunately, some parents leave the task of getting good grades at GCSE or A Level to the child and their teachers. As parents, you can also play your part in ensuring your child is successful and passes their GCSEs. Here are some ways you can help your child pass their exams:  Find…

Accountancy body the Association for Chartered Certified Accountants (ACCA) has called for improved reporting on poor payment practices and an extension of the power of the Small Business Commissioner, as part of action to tackle the crippling effect of late payment on small businesses. In its response to government consultations reviewing late payment measures ACCA pointed out that late payment remains a persistent problem across the UK economy. Poor payment practices have a domino effect on cashflow across supply chains, with devastating consequences for small businesses. The accountancy body, whose members work in finance across the economy, including as advisors…

A Cardiff family-run estate agent says a surge in property rents in the private rented sector combined with a decrease in rental properties available was inevitable following the introduction of new legislation over recent years. According to the Office for National Statistics, property rents in Wales have risen by 4.4% in the past year, the highest annual percentage change since 2010. Demand for properties now outweighs supply which is pushing prices even higher. Thomas H Wood, which has showrooms in Whitchurch and Radyr, says this situation has been forthcoming for some time. John Wood, Director of Thomas H Wood, said:…

Hundreds of thousands of small businesses are trapped in contracts that mean their latest bills are at last summer’s peak market rate for energy – even though wholesale prices have fallen since last winter, new research shows. The Federation of Small Businesses is urging energy suppliers to allow small firms locked into fixed tariffs from last year to renegotiate contracts to better reflect the significantly lower wholesale energy prices we see today. This comes a month after massive cuts to government support on energy bills for businesses. Since 1 April 2023, the Energy Bill Relief Scheme has been downgraded to…

Ceredigion County Council’s staff and staff of social care providers in Ceredigion will benefit from a new learning experience through Virtual Reality training. The Council’s Learning and Development Team are delivering training on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) and Trauma using Virtual Reality. Using Virtual Reality headsets provides an immersive learning experience and allows participants to experience the impact of adverse childhood experiences from a child’s perspective. Adverse childhood experiences can include trauma, neglect and abuse all of which can impact upon a child’s behaviour and their future. Councillor Bryan Davies is the Leader of Ceredigion County Council and Cabinet member…

Caerphilly County Borough Council has broken ground at the location of Ffos Caerffili Market, marking the start of the regeneration work in Caerphilly – thanks to a financial partnership between Caerphilly County Borough Council and Welsh Government’s  Transforming Towns initiative. The progress marks the beginning of the wider Caerphilly 2035 Placemaking plan. To mark the occasion, Cllr Jamie Pritchard, Cllr Sean Morgan, Hamish Munro of Caerphilly County Borough Council and the Lancer Scott team got together to officially put the first spade in the ground. Cllr Sean Morgan, Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, and Cllr Jamie Pritchard have both…