Author: Rhys Gregory

“No-one in Wales should die from bowel cancer”- that’s the message from a landmark plan launched today by Moondance Cancer Initiative to move Wales towards zero deaths from the cancer which currently kills over 900 people a year. For the first time ever, patients, clinicians and professionals have come together to create Towards Zero Deaths from Bowel Cancer, a compelling case for change with a clear set of actions showing how the 2,300 people diagnosed with bowel cancer in Wales each year can have the best chance to survive and thrive. Moondance Cancer Initiative is committing more than £1.5m in…

A scanner that will play a vital role in detecting cancer is on its way to Neath Port Talbot Hospital – and it hasn’t cost the NHS a penny. The £80,000 ultrasound machine will soon be used in the head and neck lump clinic within the hospital’s Rapid Diagnosis Centre. It was paid for by dedicated fundraisers with Neath Port Talbot Cancer Challenge, which has donated £1 million to local cancer services since it was formed just over 25 years ago. Suspicious neck lumps can have several potential diagnoses, including a number of different cancers. GPs can refer patients aged…

Students and researchers came together to discuss AI and its wide variety of applications at a special event hosted by Swansea University. The annual conference of  UKRI Centre for Doctoral Training in Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning and Advanced Computing  (AIMLAC) was held in collaboration with the Zienkiewicz Institute for Modelling, Data and AI, at the University’s Bay Campus. It saw more than 50 participants taking part in a varied programme of presentations on applications of AI and machine learning in particle physics and astronomy, health, and engineering, while also highlighting developments in computer science. Many of the speakers were doctoral researchers…

Virtual reality (VR) is helping patients in a secure hospital unit experience the great outdoors. The move is just one of several benefits brought about through the use of digital technology in the Swansea Bay’s Caswell Clinic – a medium secure, forensic mental health unit for men and women. The project, which allows access to a VR head set with iPad, Chromebooks and tablets, is being supported by Digital Communities Wales. Patients are also being taught how to use computers, set up email, use online bank accounts and access relaxation apps. Access is individually assessed by the clinical teams and…

Every ’73’ number plate banned by the DVLA has been released and the list includes BE73 END and FA73 DCK. Each year, two sets of number plates are released. This year, the ‘23’ number plate was released in March, with the ‘73’ plates set to be issued in September. As there are over one million plates released each time, it is unsurprising that there are some unfortunate combinations of letters and numbers which spell – or almost spell – offensive words. Before each release, the DVLA bans a group of number plates that they have identified as being too offensive…

The 4* country house hotel and spa Tre-Ysgawen Hall has been sold to property development company K2RE for an undisclosed sum. The 30-bedroom hotel in Capel Coch, Llangefni on the Isle of Anglesey also includes a gym, swimming pool, spa bath, thermal suite and six beauty treatment rooms as well as conferencing and banqueting space for up to 200 people and has been under the same ownership and management company for over 27 years. Commercial real estate firm Colliers has handled the sale. K2RE plans to invest in the characterful property. Tre-Ysgawen Hall was originally built as a luxurious family home…

The Eco warriors of Cefn Glas Infant School have been recognised for their efforts in sustainability, as well as in developing their school grounds to promote biodiversity and grow their own food produce. The school’s ‘Trashion Show’, showcasing outfits made from recyclable waste, as well as its ability to reduce paper usage by half, have both contributed to its success. However, the transformation of the school grounds into a usable to space to plant, tend to vegetation and work together for a collective cause, has been paramount in receiving the award. Teaching the children so many skills and values, the…

SWANSEA’S Wales Airshow had a fantastic weekend with hundreds of thousands of people enjoying the country’s biggest free outdoor event. Two days of flying delighted visitors from across the UK. The council-organised event also saw huge crowds enjoy interactive activities on the ground. The Red Arrows dedicated its heart manoeuvre on Saturday to the Morgan’s Army Charitable Foundation. It’s the charity named for Morgan Ridler, the three-year-old Gorseinon boy who passed away from a rare cancer on Wednesday. Council cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies said: “As one of the highlights of the annual Swansea events calendar, the annual show was a…

Neath Port Talbot Council is stepping up its efforts to get people’s views on what matters most to them so their feedback can be used to ensure the council’s future planning and priority setting aligns with what is needed and will help shape its decision making at what is a challenging time. Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Cllr Steve Hunt, explained : “Back in 2021 we ran a ‘Let’s Talk’ campaign to help us understand how the pandemic had impacted on different parts of our county borough and what mattered most to local people then, and in the future. “Almost…

Behind the doors of an unassuming building in Haverfordwest there is a hive of activity as those involved with the Pembrokeshire Supported Employment Hub get to work. An open day at the Snowdrop Lane site last week was an opportunity for anyone interested to take a closer look at the work of the Pembrokeshire Supported Employment Programme and its key role in supporting people with disabilities to gain work. The Supported Employment Programme provides supported employment in a range of occupations including furniture making, grounds maintenance, craft, catering, retail, administration IT, construction and Health and Safety. The open day was…