Author: Rhys Gregory

Families with a taste for scary things are invited to Oystermouth Castle this Halloween. The ancient landmark will play host to the Haunted Castle Experience on the night of Monday, October 31. Live actors will be seeking to scare – but not harm – visitors as they walk through enclosed centuries-old spaces. The event is being organised by the council and Friends of Oystermouth Castle. They promise that the spooky goings-on will be delivered with a smile! Council cabinet member Elliott King said: “Visitors can come dressed-up as their favourite horror characters and navigate their way through the 12th century…

On Saturday, 17 September, a new exhibition – ‘Record: Folk, Protest and Pop’ opened at the Riverside gallery, Haverfordwest. The exhibition explores the musical tradition of Wales throughout the centuries – from the crwth to Catatonia – using various items from The Welsh Music Archive and Screen and Sound Archive located at The National Library. ‘Record’ will explore why Wales is often described as the country of song, where our musical tradition began and how it developed. The exhibition looks at the early folk music traditions in Wales through the medium of manuscripts such as Melus-seiniau Cymru, one of the…

The team responsible for delivering housing services at Caerphilly County Borough Council recently welcomed 10 new apprentices to its workforce; joining 9 apprentices appointed by the team in January this year. Caerphilly Homes has recruited the apprentices, across a number of trades including electricians, plumbers, plasterers and carpenters, to support its repairs and improvements services. Robert Price, the Council’s single source supply partner, also welcomed the new apprentices to Team Caerphilly with donations of tool kits to get them started in their new careers. Cllr Shayne Cook, the Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said “As well as providing invaluable opportunities…

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has approved community engagement plans to address local concerns raised around the Bryn Group, including the reestablishment of a liaison group consisting of residents and other stakeholders. The Bryn Group, based in Gelligaer, operate a materials recovery facility, as well as a dairy farm, quarry and low carbon renewable electricity plant at the site. The site is complex with multiple operations and activities which are in part regulated by the Council’s Environmental Health and Planning teams and partly by Natural Resources Wales. During a meeting held on 19th October, Cabinet members agreed to several measures…

Work will commence on demolishing the Civic Centre in Ebbw Vale on Monday, 24th October 2022. The junction from the A4046 (Tesco road) down into the Civic Centre area will be closed from Sunday evening (23rd October) for the duration of the works, which are expected to last around 23 weeks. Access to Bridge Street Health Centre and Ebbw Vale Job Centre Plus will be maintained at all times via the B4486 Cemetery Road. The car park at the rear of the building (Western Terrace) will be fenced off, however a turning circle will be provided for motorists. The footpath…

Engaging with Higher Apprenticeships has helped Newtown High School to move out of special measures by improving leadership and management, teaching and learning standards. The school, which has 1,200 pupils, was put into special measures following an  Estyn inspection in 2015 when weaknesses were identified in leadership and management, self-assessment and overall planning for continuous improvement. To address these issues, 18 staff members have either completed or are working towards a Higher Apprenticeship (Levels 4 and 5) in Leadership and Management delivered by Cardiff-based training provider Portal Training. The school was removed from special measures in October last year and…

Bridgend County Borough Council’s Employability Bridgend team have officially opened a new support hub for job seekers in Porthcawl. The new hub, which is located at Old Portway Surgery, in the centre of Porthcawl, offers easy access to expert advice and support for all aspects of training and employment. The hub will be open on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Thursdays from 9:30am to 2:30pm, offering a range of resources, from mentoring to jobs searching. They will also be hosting a monthly coffee morning for Ukrainian refugees and their host families, starting on 25th October, 12 -1pm Since 2016, Employability Bridgend has…

Stephen Daldry’s multi award-winning National Theatre production of JB Priestley’s classic thriller returns to the New Theatre Cardiff this week. When you hear the name An Inspector Calls, it immediately conjures up memories of GCSEs and reading the book in school. Be it some time ago, this production has been reinvigorated for the current time and echoes the current political and social climate of today, making it relatable for today’s audience as a timeless classic. For those of you unfamiliar with the story, let me bring you up to speed… When Inspector Goole (Liam Brennan) arrives unexpectedly at the prosperous…

City Hospice’s annual Light Up A Life campaign, which remembers and celebrates the lives of loved ones, has returned for 2022. This year’s campaign runs from October until December 31 and there are several innovative ways for supporters to get involved. The digital ‘Virtual Star in the Sky’ feature, which allows people to make a donation and leave a message of remembrance on a virtual star in the Cardiff skyline in memory of their loved ones, is back by popular demand. With no restrictions in place this year, remembrance and fundraising events will take place during the campaign period, including…

Lidl stores across Wales now have a brand-new range of Welsh beef products on shelves, as part of the retailer’s commitment to supporting local farmers. Already stocking Welsh dairy and eggs, as well as a Welsh lamb collection, the new Birchwood beef range takes Lidl’s investment in Welsh-reared cattle to a value of over £9m a year and £12m in Welsh livestock overall. Working directly with 130 farms and farming families across Wales, the new beef range is fully traceable from field to store; enabling Welsh shoppers to enjoy beef that is locally reared and of the highest quality. This…