Author: Rhys Gregory

A “supremely gifted” 20-year-old pianist has been crowned the best young musician in Wales. Rufus Edwards, from Bersham, near Wrexham, was declared the winner of the prestigious Pendine Young Musician of Wales competition at the North Wales International Music Festival. He  came out on top after a spellbinding final at St Asaph Cathedral which was recorded by BBC Radio Cymru. The rising star was presented with the Pendine Trophy and a cash prize of £2,000 by Mario Kreft MBE, the proprietor of the Wrexham and Caernarfon based Pendine Park care organisation who sponsored the competition via the Pendine Arts and…

More than 200 people (217) have died waiting for an organ transplant in Wales over the past ten years because they didn’t receive the lifesaving organs they desperately needed in time, new figures reveal. Figures released by NHS Blood and Transplant to mark Organ Donation Week show that 4,900 people in the whole of the UK died while actively waiting for a lifesaving transplant, and a further 7,700 were removed from the active list after being deemed too sick to receive one, with many dying soon after – highlighting the urgent need to increase organ donation registrations. Earlier this year,…

The BBC will be celebrating the life and times of Welsh icon and global superstar, Richard Burton later this year, 100 years since his birth in Pontrhydyfen in November 1925. A brand-new documentary has been commissioned to coincide with the centenary. The BBC will also show the critically acclaimed biopic of his early life, Mr Burton starring Toby Jones and Harry Lawtey. The documentary, Richard Burton – Wild Genius (1 x 60) looks through a new lens at the miner’s son from Wales who, against the odds, became one of greatest actors of his generation. Tracing his extraordinary journey from…

Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court has granted an Emergency Prohibition Order (EPO) on The Royal Oak Hotel, Lampeter, prohibiting the use of the bar and cellar areas. The Order confirms emergency action already taken by Ceredigion County Council to protect public health. The Council’s Public Protection team initiated its investigation after receiving a complaint from a member of the public reporting cockroaches. An unannounced inspection on 08 September 2025 found widespread cockroach activity within the bar, including live and dead insects on monitoring boards and a live adult cockroach was observed. Evidence of cockroaches was also noted in the cellar. By agreement…

Football legend Gareth Bale inspired the next generation as he stepped up his drive to promote sporting opportunities for young people at the Celtic Manor Resort. The fourth annual Gareth Bale Festival of Sport took place on the weekend (Saturday 20th September) and saw more than 100 children from some of the most underserved communities in Wales given the chance to try out a wide variety of sports, while 84 young golfers contested an elite junior championship at the renowned Ryder Cup venue. Organised in partnership with Wales Golf, StreetGames and CAA Sports – with support from the R&A – the festival saw…

The Guide Dogs charity has teamed up with Cardiff Airport, which is aiming to be recognised throughout the UK as a flagship airport for accessibility. Guide Dogs has been training staff at the airport to help passengers with sight loss, including guide dog owners, long cane users and young people. Staff have learnt skills including sighted guiding techniques, how to recognise when someone may need support, and how to offer this safely. A behind-the-scenes video of a training day is available on the Guide Dogs YouTube channel. It shows a member of staff helping Gary, a long cane user who…

A man from Swansea has been jailed after being found guilty of multiple counts of sexual assault. 71-year-old Stewart Read, from Gorseinon, intentionally touched two separate victims on multiple occasions. He was ultimately found guilty of nine counts of sexual assault on a female victim. Read has been sentenced to four and a half years in prison. Detective Constable Sarah Cook said: “Stewart Read is clearly an incredibly dangerous man who repeatedly lays his hands on women in a sexual manner without their consent. “He obviously derived a sick pleasure from what he was doing, and his not guilty pleas…

The construction of the new £60 million Willows High in Splott has reached a major milestone with a traditional “topping out” ceremony marking the completion of the highest point of the build. To honour the occasion, a ceremonial tree was gifted to the school, symbolising growth and new beginnings. The event was jointly hosted by Cardiff Council and Morgan Sindall Construction, the contractor responsible for the design and delivery of the state-of-the-art facility. The new Willows High is one of the latest projects delivered as part of Cardiff Council and Welsh Government’s Band B Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme. Once…

A vibrant new Gaming Den has opened at St Mellons Youth Club, bringing a safe, modern space with digital technologies to young people in East Cardiff. The project has been delivered by Kier in partnership with Cardiff Youth Service and Wates Group as part of the Community Wellbeing benefits associated with the construction of the new Court School, to be known as Ysgol Cynefin. It highlights the building contractors ongoing commitment to delivering meaningful social value alongside its core construction work. Volunteers transformed the space into a dynamic and inclusive environment, complete with a state-of-the-art media wall and gaming area.…

Neath Port Talbot Council has announced its support for a voluntary ban on the sale, purchase, and use of plastic flying ring toys on council-owned beaches, to protect marine wildlife from the dangers posed by discarded plastic. A full meeting of the council on Wednesday, September 17th, 2025, approved a notice of motion calling for voluntary action to discourage the use of the rings specifically at Aberavon Beach and the associated Small Beach (Little Warren). As part of the notice of motion the council also endorsed the national campaign for a UK-wide ban on flying rings and formally requested that…