Author: Rhys Gregory

The Dragonfly pub in Coedkernew, Newport, has been given a full transformation, and after hearing so much about the changes, we decided it was time to see what all the fuss was about. The Dragonfly has been a familiar sight for the past 20 years, sitting neatly between Newport and Cardiff on the A48. Its location makes it an easy spot for both cities, whether for a midweek lunch, weekend escape or relaxed evening meal. Walking inside, the difference is clear straight away. Although it’s a modern building, the refurbishment has given it a country farmhouse feel, with rustic beams,…

Leading UK timber supplier, Premier Forest Products, is celebrating after winning two categories including the overall Timber Trader of the Year prize at the 2025 Timber Trades Journal (TTJ) Awards. The Newport-headquartered business also won Timber Garden Product Supplier of the Year at the annual awards ceremony, held at the Hilton London Bankside on Friday 19 September. Premier Forest was shortlisted for four awards at this year’s TTJ Awards, which have been running since 1997, all in the voted for categories. These categories recognise service excellence and product quality across the timber industry with voting open to customers throughout the…

The A40 at Pontargothi Road Bridge will be closed later this month for essential emergency works. Traffic Wales has confirmed that the closure is needed to allow for debris removal, structural maintenance, and flood alleviation works to be carried out safely. The full closure will take place on Friday 26 September 2025, between 9.30am and 3pm. A diversion route will be in place during the works, and drivers are advised to allow extra time for their journeys.

Last week, Welsh referee Ben Whitehouse spoke at the Chamber Wales event, sharing what rugby officiating can teach us about leadership under pressure. This week, he has gone further, opening up about what life as a professional referee really looks like, and how his biggest health challenge has shaped the way he now lives and works. Whitehouse often gets asked: “Oh, you referee rugby, what’s your day job then?” “Twenty-five years ago, it might have been fair to ask. Refereeing wasn’t necessarily a full-time job back then. But today? When you’re working in the United Rugby Championship flying across countries,…

National Trust Cymru can share that Penrhyn Castle, the neo-Norman castle situated on the outskirts of Bangor, Gwynedd was a filming location for a brand-new Netflix production ‘House of Guinness’. The series explores an epic story inspired by one of Europe’s most famous and enduring dynasties – the Guinness Family. Set in 19th-century Dublin and New York, the story begins immediately after the death of Sir Benjamin Guinness, the man responsible for the extraordinary success of the Guinness brewery, and the far-reaching impact of his will on the fate of his four adult children, Arthur, Edward, Anne, and Ben, as…

Households with £2,000 in savings are around 60% less likely to fall behind on household bills, according to new research from the University of Bristol’s Personal Finance Research Centre, commissioned by the Building Societies Association (BSA) for UK Savings Week. The study, which followed thousands of UK households over a decade, provides new evidence that savings play a crucial role in protecting families from financial shocks, such as unexpected costs or income loss. The protective power of savings £2,000 is a turning point Households with this buffer have 60% lower odds of falling behind with bills and have a much…

BBC Cymru Wales has commissioned a second instalment with Ruth and Steve, who will be heading to the Welsh seaside for another weekend of nostalgia, laughter and shared memories in Ruth and Steve: From Porthcawl with Love. The programme will follow on from Ruth and Steve: From Merthyr with Love, which broadcast earlier this year as part of a collection of programmes celebrating Merthyr Tydfil. This time, they’ll be visiting Ruth’s hometown of Porthcawl – which is just 20 miles down the south Wales coast from the famous Barry Island where Gavin & Stacey is set. As Porthcawl celebrates its…

Organisations across Wales can now apply for grant funding to hold community events about climate issues – with the return of the Welsh Government’s Climate Conversations Fund. Applications for the 2025 grant fund are now open and applications from third sector organisations, local government bodies, industry and business networks, education providers and more are welcome. The opportunity runs annually as part of Wales Climate Week to open up conversations beyond the main week, support community dialogue on climate change and enable people across Wales to have their voices heard on topics that impact us all. Wales Climate Week 2025 will take…

A new initiative fronted by TV personality Brenda Edwards, launched by Specsavers with advice and guidance from Glaucoma UK, hopes to prevent sight loss in people from African-Caribbean communities, who have an up to four times increased risk of developing the condition and may develop it earlier in life. Dubbed The Auntie Army, it calls on self-appointed ‘aunties’ to talk their friends, family and other loved ones into an eye test and identify glaucoma before it causes avoidable vision loss. The new movement comes as research commissioned by Specsavers reveals that adults from African-Caribbean backgrounds in Wales are over two-thirds…

ONE of Wales’s best-performing schools is set to showcase its focus on student wellbeing, inclusive learning, and the transition from primary to secondary education. Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay will open its doors to prospective learners and their families on Tuesday September 30 from 4.30pm to 7.30pm. Visitors will have the chance to explore the school’s outstanding facilities, meet dedicated staff, hear from current pupils, and gain a real sense of the warm and welcoming community at Eirias. Headteacher Zoe Evans will deliver talks at 5pm and 6.30pm in the school hall. She said: “We are very proud of the…