Author: Rhys Gregory

Santa arrived in style for the big Christmas lights switch-on at a care organisation. Father Christmas was travelling on an illuminated state-of-the-art sleigh made by the talented maintenance team at Pendine Park in Wrexham. The bearded man of the moment and his entourage of elves were given a rousing cheer by the delighted residents and staff. According to Pendine Park Artist in Residence Sarah Edwards, it was one of the most exciting days of the year. She said: “The Christmas lights switch on and Santa arriving with his sleigh is always a highlight of Christmas celebrations here at Pendine Park.…

Moondance Cancer Initiative has announced more than half a million pounds is to be given to seven projects led by teams from across NHS Wales as part of its latest funding round to improve cancer outcomes in Wales. Among the awarded projects is an innovation which introduces a new diagnostic test to Wales that could assist in earlier cancer diagnosis for patients with Barrett’s oesophagus. Cytosponge™ is a minimally invasive device that has been developed to collect cells from the oesophagus lining. The Cytosponge™ is a small capsule which is attached to a fine string. After swallowing, the capsule coating…

A talented young dancer melted hearts with her remarkable performance at a special Christmas concert. Efa Williams, 14, a pupil at Ysgol y Gogarth in Llandudno, took centre stage with her starring role at the service held at Bangor Cathedral. The teenager also made a bit of history as it was the first ever fully inclusive and accessible service at the cathedral. The Christmas Celebration was led by Naomi Wood, the cathedral’s Family Minister, and was attended by more than 180 people. It  was organised by mum-of-three Davina Carey-Evans, the current High Sheriff of Gwynedd, whose 27 year old son,…

A Flintshire community food group will be handing out plenty of Christmas cheer to its customers thanks to the generosity of a new business to the town. Buckley Community Fridge has just received a consignment of 100 chocolate selection packs from Denbigh-based Lock Stock Self-Storage which recently opened a new storage park on the town’s Globe Way. It’s a welcome seasonal bonus for the Community Fridge, based at The Old Library and open three times a week, which is seeing a surge in numbers at its doors as winter and the cost of living crisis bite. Chair Viv Blondek said:…

Manufacturing social enterprise Celtic Offsite is working with the Pobl Group to bring 60 new low carbon homes to Croespenmaen, Caerphilly. Pobl’s Ton y Felin development will include one-bedroom apartments and two and three-bedroom homes, with some available for social rent and others for shared ownership and outright market sale to suit a range of people. Celtic Offsite is part of not-for-profit housing organisation United Welsh. The team will manufacture the timber frame structures for the homes, with fitted insulation and windows, from their new factory in Caerphilly. The homes will then be completed on site with contractor M&J Cosgrove.…

Staff from a Gwynedd creamery braved wind, rain and mist to tackle Wales’s highest peak and raise a mountain of cash for two charities that are close to their hearts. The intrepid walkers from South Caernarfon Creameries climbed Snowdon last month and raised over £8,000 in sponsorship with the company, Wales’s largest farmer-owned dairy co-operative, backing their efforts with a further £5,000. The money was divided between Cofio Robin, which commemorates Robin Llyr Evans, who died tragically seven years ago in a fall at a newly-built sports stadium in Wuhan in China, and rural mental health charity The DPJ Foundation,…

A small social housing development in Bridgend has won a top national award for innovation. Ffordd Yr Eglwys, delivered by Valleys to Coast housing association, won the ‘delivering innovation’ category at the recent Ystadau Cymru awards run by Welsh Government. The four home development in North Cornelly was the first to be built by a social housing developer using a modular construction method, with structural insulated panels manufactured off-site. They are innovative not only in construction, but in design – offering one-bedroom accommodation set over a traditional two-storey house style. The scheme was delivered as part of the Rapid Rehousing…

Rail passengers are being warned to prepare for disruption across the Wales and Borders network during December and January. The National Union of Rail, Maritime, and Transport Workers (RMT) have announced strike action will take place on 13-14, 16-17 and 24-27 December and 3-4 and 6-7 January. This will significantly disrupt the rail network across the whole of Wales, England and Scotland. Transport for Wales is not involved in the industrial action. However, the industrial action resulting from the dispute between the unions and Network Rail means TfW will be unable to operate rail services on Network Rail infrastructure. Industrial…

With hospitals and GP surgeries reporting huge pressures upon their services, Public Health Wales is reassuring local communities about Group A Streptococcal infection (Strep A). Typically, Strep A causes infections of the skin and throat, such as impetigo, tonsillitis or pharyngitis, which are all usually mild illnesses. Scarlet fever is also caused by Strep A and can be easily treated with antibiotics. In very few cases, Strep A can cause ‘invasive Group A Streptococcal infection’ (iGAS), a rare complication which affects less than 20 children in Wales each year. Although iGAS is a worrying condition, the majority of these children…

Plans to improve Roath Park Dam by replacing the existing spillway, which is the waterfall beside the café, with a new wider and deeper spillway and adding a flood wall along the promenade have been published. Cardiff Council is responsible for the lake’s maintenance and is required to undertake regular inspections (under the Reservoirs Act (1975)).  The last inspection found that the spillway would not be large enough to withstand an extreme flooding event and improvements are therefore required. The plans have been developed following a study by engineering consultancy company Arup to identify the best options for ensuring the…