Author: Rhys Gregory

Volunteer lifesavers in a remote rural area of North Wales are appealing for new recruits after being equipped with vital Wi-Fi radios to keep in touch thanks to cash from Brenig Wind Ltd. The Uwchaled First Responders, who cover the upper reaches of the Conwy Valley around Cerrigydrudion, have just received a grant of £835 from from the Brenig Wind Farm Fund to keep them on air with a new radio licence. The Fund, administered by rural regeneration agency Cadwyn Clwyd, is releasing a further £80,000 which will take the amount distributed in three years to over half a million…

A New Zealand farming couple, who over 40 years hosted more than 200 UK agricultural students and visitors, is inviting them to a special ‘friendship reunion’. Geoff and Ailsa Neilson farmed near Dunedin on New Zealand’s South Island, and plan to travel to Wales in the new year to meet up with the many friends they have made through their long association with the Welsh Agricultural College in Aberystwyth (now the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences). Between 1977 and 2019, the Neilsons opened their home and their sheep and beef farm to students – offering them the valuable…

With just over 12 weeks to go until Santa pays his annual visit, the countdown to Christmas is already on. Here’s a preview of some of the magical memories waiting to be made in Cardiff this Christmas. 1. Ice-skating in the grounds of a Castle.  Cardiff’s Winter Wonderland Ice Rink and Ice Walk returns to the beautiful grounds of Cardiff Castle this year. Whether it’s a romantic sunset skate against a backdrop of the Norman Keep, or a day of family fun (complete with a colony of penguin skate-aids for smaller guests), the under cover rink is suitable for all…

Museum of Cardiff has received a Visit Wales Gold Award for delivering a memorable visitor experience. The museum, housed in the former Old Library building on the Hayes in Cardiff city centre, aims to tell the history of Cardiff through the stories of the people who have lived and worked in the city over the centuries. Cabinet Member for Culture, Leisure and Parks, Cllr Jennifer Burke-Davies, said: “The Museum of Cardiff does a fantastic job of bringing Cardiff’s history to life for visitors, it really is a must-visit attraction for anybody with an interest in our city’s fascinating past and…

Businesses throughout Swansea will benefit from work packages forming part of a key new development in the city centre. An online meet the buyer event is being held to help inform supply chain businesses about opportunities in the council’s development of a community hub in Oxford Street’s former BHS/What! building. Hosted by main contractor Kier Construction, it’s due to take place on Wednesday, October 12. One-to-one appointments can be booked online: www.bit.ly/BHSmtb. A wide variety of sub-contractor packages for the project will range from steelwork and green walls to carpentry, ceramic tiling and balustrading. Council leader Rob Stewart said: “The…

A new ‘Safer Streets’ initiative has been launched in Bridgend County Borough, with the aim of delivering new approaches to address women’s safety, neighbourhood crime and anti-social behaviour. The programme is a joint initiative between Bridgend County Borough Council and the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales and was recently awarded almost £750,000 of funding from the Home Office as part of a £75m programme that encourages Police and Crime Commissioners and local authorities to bid for investment for initiatives to prevent neighbourhood crime. An official launch was held at ‘The Zone’, which is a community support centre that…

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has approved ambitious regeneration plans, which will see millions of pounds invested into the area. Cabinet members endorsed proposals for potential investment through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, which will contribute significantly to the Council’s existing Place Shaping programme. Caerphilly county borough has a conditional allocation of £28,272,298 through the fund and an allocation of £5,901,499 for Multiply, a UK Government adult numeracy programme, up to March 2025. Cllr Jamie Pritchard, the Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Regeneration said “We have worked around the clock in order to highlight the key interventions and…

Merthyr Tydfil takes centre stage this week in a new exciting multi-platform drama being shown on digital and broadcast channels and through live events in three Welsh locations over seven days. GALWAD: A STORY FROM OUR FUTURE blends conventional forms of storytelling (audio drama, TV drama and live performance) with creative technology, ‘citizen journalism’ and social media to form a new kind of cultural event in which the audience is invited to follow a story in real-time over a week. One of the partners in this Creative Wales commissioned project is Wellbeing@Merthyr (Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Trust), where county borough councillors,…

Merthyr Tydfil Council is delighted to confirm that Merthyr Tydfil’s Christmas lights will be switched on this year on Saturday 19 November. The previous two years have seen the event reduced to a ‘virtual’ ceremony because of the coronavirus pandemic.  But Christmas 2022’s lighting-up will be bigger and better than ever. The Christmas Family Fun Day is organised by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, supported by The Big Heart of Merthyr Tydfil Business Improvement District and St Tydfil Shopping Centre.

Welsh local authorities have been invited to bid to build two new schools, the Welsh Government has announced, as it launches its Sustainable Schools Challenge. The projects will be expected to be innovative and demonstrate collaboration with local communities, including pupils and families, in the design, delivery and management of the schools. The Welsh Government will provide up to £15m for each school, totalling £30m, to cover the costs of each project. Bids have been invited from all 22 Welsh local authorities, with one school to be built in northern Wales and one in southern Wales. The designs will be…