Author: Rhys Gregory

A major redevelopment project on Talyllyn Railway has moved a step closer thanks to initial £110,000 support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This funding will allow the railway to develop a full application for more than £1 million towards the £3.5 million estimated cost of redeveloping Tywyn Pendre and Tywyn Wharf stations. Titled ‘Preserving our Past, Building Our Future’, the project will include the construction of a new engineering works, carriage maintenance and storage at Tywyn Pendre station. The existing works will be restored to include an accessible heritage display about the history of engineering on the railway and…

Wales’ former Chief Veterinary Officer, Christianne Glossop, has been appointed an Honorary Professor at Aberystwyth University’s School of Veterinary Science. Already a Fellow of the University, Professor Glossop was the first Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales when appointed in 2005, stepping down from the role in October this year. As Chief Vet she was responsible for protecting and promoting animal health and welfare in Wales. Her role in supporting the livestock industry has received particular recognition.  Her vision is “to see bovine TB eradicated from Wales once and for all” and she has remained resolute in driving forward the bovine…

Thousands of new trees will be planted in Cardiff over the next six months, at more than 150 different locations including parks, green spaces, community hubs, schools and streets. The trees, which are part of Cardiff Council’s Coed Caerdydd project to increase tree canopy cover in the city from 18.9% to 25%, will be planted with help of an army of volunteers at more than 60 community tree planting events, the first of which takes place in Splott on 7thNovember. The majority of the trees will be native species such as Oak, Birch, Rowan and Alder but some ornamental trees,…

Maurice Jones was delighted to take a step back in time when he saw media coverage of Swansea’s former Cavalier bar. The 70-year-old has an unbreakable link with the venue that was rediscovered when the council began a new regeneration project – 42 years ago he was one of the disc jockeys there! Press adverts would urge clubbers to “let your body roll to boogie, funk and soul.” Maurice said: “News coverage of the Cavalier last week brought back happy memories. It was lovely to see those wonderful photos of it frozen in time!” The Cavalier was part of the…

A new walking and cycling route is in development in a Swansea community. Hundreds of residents living at Parc Bryn Heulog near Birchgrove have, for years, been forced to walk in only one direction when leaving the estate, because of the absence of a pavement along the road. The latest plans to create a new walking and cycling route along Ynysallan Road, will now make it possible for residents exiting Herbert Thomas Way, to make their way in the opposite direction, to Ynystawe, on a bike or on foot. Parents living in the location who have children attending schools in…

Children’s author, poet, presenter and former UK Children’s Laureate Michael Rosen has visited Neath’s Maesmarchog Primary School where he officially opened new playground equipment and read some of his poems and stories. Later, Mr Rosen, also a political columnist and activist who has written 140 books, went to Onllwyn Welfare Hall to present ‘An evening of Fun, Poems and Stories for All’. The visit, on Thursday, October 20th, came about due to a link between Mr Rosen and the late former Aberavon MP Dr Hywel Francis. Dr Francis, as a past pupil of Maesmarchog Primary school, had been trying to…

Monthly drop-in events to provide help and advice to businesses in Pembrokeshire are restarting. The events are run by Pembrokeshire County Council in conjunction with the Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone Board’s Business Interaction Group, Business Wales and a range of business support professionals. The events, originally curtailed by the pandemic, aim to provide help and advice to businesses and start-ups with all aspects of business including finance, growth, marketing and business planning. The drop-in events are held at the Bridge Innovation Centre, Pembroke Dock. Organisations attending will vary from month to month but include Pembrokeshire Lottery, Business Wales, Business in…

A public consultation has been launched on Caerphilly Council’s Preferred Strategy for its new Local Development Plan, which will be used to determine what kinds of development can take place in Caerphilly County Borough between now and 2035. A series of in-person and online events will be held as part of the six-week public consultation, which runs until Wednesday, November 30th. The Preferred Strategy sets out the policy framework that will inform the development of detailed policies and allocations that the Council will use when determining future planning applications. It sets the framework for how land can be used, which…

After the Halloween festivities Blaenau Council have told residents that they will collect pumpkins on your usual recycling day. Break your pumpkin up and put it in your food caddy or place the whole pumpkin next to the caddy. They will collect on your usual recycling day after Halloween. What should I do with my pumpkins? This Halloween, remember how powerful food recycling can be. When carving your pumpkin, don’t throw the seeds in the centre away- recycle them or, even better, reduce your waste even more by making something delicious and healthy out of the insides, like this Spicy…

As work on the King Henry VIII School site has begun, Monmouthshire County Council’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Team have been hosting engagement sessions in Abergavenny’s primary schools to support pupils in their understanding of sustainability and sustainable school design. After the plans for the new 3-19 school were given the green light by Welsh Government, Full Council and the Planning Committee during last academic year, the building programme has made a successful start. For example, the new bus drop-off and parent pick-up on Pen-y-Pound Lane is now open and is operating successfully. Through consultations, Student Councils have helped the…