Author: Rhys Gregory

A new housing development on the site of the former Penallta Colliery near Hengoed, Caerphilly is now complete, with residents moved in and enjoying their new homes. Not-for-profit housing organisation United Welsh worked in partnership with Caerphilly Council and Morganstone Ltd to develop 48 homes for affordable rent and home ownership. 38 of the homes were allocated for rent through Caerphilly Council’s Common Housing Register, with a further 10 homes sold through Harmoni Homes – United Welsh’s brand for affordable homes for sale. Kerry and Rob Bailey purchased a three-bedroom home with Harmoni Homes. Kerry said: “We have been tenants…

Data-driven marketing and technology agency Yard has achieved B Corp status just two years after completing a seven figure management buy-in funded by the Development Bank of Wales. Yard Associates was first established in 2006 in Cardiff by founding Directors Stephan Briggs and Paul Newbury who met when working together at Lloyds Bank. Chief Executive Collette Easton became a shareholder with a stake in the business in 2021 alongside Owen Davies as Client Director when the Development Bank made its third investment in Yard with an equity stake worth 16%. Specialising in providing data driven analysis of consumer behaviour, Yard…

Street Food Circus is bringing a new street food festival to the grounds of Caldicot Castle. The Big Banquet will run across the late May bank holiday weekend (Saturday 27 May – Monday 29 May), bringing flavours from around the world served up by some of Wales’ top street food chefs, bartenders and mixologists. As well as more than a dozen top street food traders, the Street Food Circus will be bringing high-wire acts, walkabout performers, marshmallow fire pits and evening fire shows, guest DJs and buskers with lots of space for people to sit, meet, play and eat. Large,…

Work is progressing at a significant refurbishment project at a school in Merthyr Tydfil which will pave the way for the future construction of educational facilities in Wales.    Morgan Sindall Construction was appointed the contract for Pen Y Dre High School by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council last summer, which once complete will be the first major school refurbishment project delivering net zero carbon in operation in Wales.   The scheme is partially funded by the Welsh Government, as part of its Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme which aims to invest in and improve educational facilities.    The news follows an announcement from…

Residents of two Gwynedd specialist dementia care homes are catching the next train back in time after new simulation launches to replicate the historic North West Wales railways. Patients at Meddyg Care Group’s Criccieth and Porthmadog homes are boarding the ‘Meddyg Care Express’, a train carriage installation which will provide a new themed area for its occupants recreating traditional first-class rail travel. The simulator features a high-quality 60-inch screen showing hours of footage of the local region, as well as vintage lighting, luggage, storage racks, seating, and a table. Additionally, an expanded railway experience is found at Porthmadog, with the…

North has announced the appointment of David Crawford as its new Chief Executive Officer as it seeks to drive further growth and reinforce its position as the UK’s leading provider of smart integrated technology solutions. North operates at the forefront of the smart integrated technologies market, working with public and private sector clients to transform the way people, organisations and places work. Backed by Livingbridge, a global mid-market private equity firm, North is focused on driving growth across its advanced networking, Internet of Things (IoT) and intelligent security solutions and services. Crawford joins from Cellnex Telecom, Europe’s leading telecoms infrastructure…

Creative Wales has joined forces with Horizons and iconic Welsh venue, Clwb Ifor Bach, to produce a showcase of Welsh talent featured at this year’s The Great Escape in Brighton. The Great Escape is regarded as one of the UK’s most important festivals for new music and music lovers.  Showcase Cymru brings together emerging Welsh artists listed on this year’s bill and highlights the diversity and wealth of talent continuing to come out of the Welsh music scene. The showcase will take place across two days on the afternoons of the 11th and 12th May 2023 at One Church Brighton,…

Following on from a week of contrasts, with increasingly warmer conditions spreading north eastwards across the UK following below-average temperatures earlier in the week. Met Office Chief Meteorologist Steve Willington said: “The cold conditions from earlier in the week will linger longest in the far north of Scotland but the rest of the UK will see the transition to warmer, but more unsettled conditions. However, frost is still a possibility in central areas of the UK where cloud gives way to clearer spells. https://twitter.com/metoffice/status/1651209371836207104 “Following on from Wednesday’s largely cloudy conditions, two areas of rain will move in overnight. Western…

Forty-seven new, air-quality monitoring stations are to be placed across the city to help measure pollution in the air that we breathe. The monitors – which will identify levels of Nitrogen Dioxide and very small particles of dust known as Particulate Matter (PM10and PM2.5) – will further improve how Cardiff Council measures air pollution and better identify problems quickly and take steps to reduce pollution. They will be placed in the city’s four Air Quality Monitoring Areas (AQMAs) and more widely across the whole of the city, near areas of concern like schools and health centres following an assessment procedure…

A colourful parade with a carnival atmosphere will make its way through the city centre on Saturday as the annual Swansea Pride festival returns. This year the free festival which starts at 12 noon and runs until 7pm is taking place in the car park and grounds at the front of the Guildhall and the nearby Brangwyn Hall. It has been moved as the traditional venue at Museum Park has not recovered from weeks of heavy rain. Prior to the festival a parade will take place, starting out from Wind Street at 11am and then making its way through the…