Author: Rhys Gregory

Today (Tues 8 Nov), school leaders’ union NAHT Cymru releases findings from a survey which received responses from 670 school leaders in Wales, revealing the desperate cuts schools are having to make in the face of rising costs and government underfunding. The majority of schools in Wales report that they will have to make redundancies next year: Around three quarters (73%) say they will have to make teaching assistants redundant or reduce their hours More than half (61%) say they are looking at reducing the number of teachers or teaching hours Paul Whiteman, NAHT general secretary, said: “Schools are being hit by a perfect storm of costs.…

Award-winning bar The Botanist is launching an immersive game for its guests to play in celebration of Wales’ matches during the winter World Cup this November and December.   The prize for every winning player of the bar’s Champions of Beer is a free pint of Madri on the house, and there’s a 50/50 chance of winning every time. Guests must simply guess the correct winner of any Wales game to claim a free beer.  All you have to do to get involved is head to the venue to watch any of Wales’ games during the World Cup and buy a…

Globetrotting Jamie Tully has been appointed executive chef at a popular Mid Wales training restaurant with rooms just days after its four star grading by Visit Wales. Tully has joined Chartists 1770 at The Trewythen in Llanidloes where he is working closely with head chef Paul Fox and four other chefs, including three apprentices. One of his first jobs was to devise a mouth-watering Christmas menu which features traditional turkey as well as seasonal game dishes influenced by his trademark international flavours. Tully joins the restaurant with rooms from Teulu Restaurant at Caer Beris Manor Hotel, Builth Wells, where he…

A green-fingered gardener working in some of Cardiff’s most loved parks has been named ‘Apprentice of the Year.’ In 2018 Teaka Scriven was working as an engineer, enjoying looking after her back garden in the little spare time she had, and dreaming of a career change. That change came when her enthusiasm for taking on a new challenge bowled over the panel at interview and just four years later, she has been named the winner of the UK-wide APSE Environmental Services Apprentice of the Year award – something she says even she couldn’t quite believe. “When they called my name,…

Applications from community groups and organisations whose aim is to support people struggling with food poverty can now be submitted online. The Food Poverty Grant has been opened up for organisations who can apply for funding up to £3,500. Eligible spend could include things such as purchasing additional food as a result of increased demand, volunteer training costs, start-up costs for developing lunch clubs, community cafes and advice services around food poverty support. Councillor Simon Knoyle, Neath Port Talbot Council’s Cabinet Member for Finance, Performance and Social Justice, said: “I would urge any organisation that wishes to set up a…

Newport’s annual Remembrance parade and service will take place on Sunday 13 November in Newport city centre. The Newport Stedfast Band will lead the parade which will leave High Street at 10:35am making its way to the Cenotaph at Clarence Place.  The City of Newport Male Choir will also be in attendance at the cenotaph along with the Newport Borough Brass Band. The service, led by the Bishop of Monmouth, the Very Reverend Cherry Vann, will take place at the Newport Cenotaph at 10.58am with the guns sounding at 11am to mark the start of the two minute silence. Residents…

Construction expert Willmott Dixon has donated 10 laptops to support community groups in the Caerphilly county borough. The contractor is currently working with Caerphilly County Borough Council to help deliver its ambitious house building programme. Groups who have benefitted from the donation so far include Caerphilly Miners’ Centre, where the laptops are being used to support those using its dedicated Ukraine support café sessions.  Risca’s We Connect café project have also received laptops to help local residents access online services. Caerphilly Uniform Exchange, a recently established social enterprise, is using their donated laptop to help them with record keeping and…

1. Tredegar Remembrance Day Parade will be held in Tredegar on Sunday 13th November 2022. the arrangements include a Church service at St George’s Church between 10.00am-10:20am, then the parade will form outside the church setting off at 10:30am heading through Church Street, Commercial Street, (Queen Victoria Street), Castle Street and Morgan Street into Bedwellty Park making its way to the War Memorial where the normal Service of Remembrance will take place along with the Two Minutes Silence and Wreath Laying ceremony. After which attendees will then disband. 2. Ebbw Vale The Parade will assemble on Sunday 13th November 2022…

Monmouthshire County Council has taken another step forward in developing its proposals for a Replacement Local Development Plan. The Council recently agreed to produce a new growth strategy and has now published those proposals for consideration by the Place Scrutiny Committee on 10th November 2022. The new strategy aims to make provision for up to 2,200 new homes by 2033 in addition to the 3,700 homes already in the pipeline or completed since 2018.  On new site allocations, approximately a third of the new homes will be social housing for rent and another 17% will be affordable housing available at…

Residents of Merthyr Tydfil and beyond interested in a career in hospitality are being offered the chance to find out what positions are available at one of the county borough’s newest and most popular restaurants. The Mine at CF47 & Castelany’s Fine Dining, which opened almost a year ago, is a Welsh-Italian colliery-themed restaurant, tapas bar, wine bar and music venue in Merthyr Tydfil town centre. The restaurant is looking to take on more ‘front of house’ staff and the Council’s Employability team is supporting it by helping to stage a recruitment day at The College Merthyr Tydfil next Wednesday,…