Author: Rhys Gregory

Fast becoming an unmissable highlight of the UK new music calendar, Cardiff’s Sŵn Festival today announces the second batch of names for its 2022 edition, taking place across the Welsh capital from October 21st to 23rd. Local Welsh acts joining the line-up include Greta Isaac, Sŵnami, Omaloma, CVC and Kiddus. They join the already stellar programme, which includes hometown heroes Panic Shack, who will play the opening night on Friday, Oct 21st at the 1000-capacity Tramshed. Joined by BC Camplight – who return to Cardiff for their biggest headline show to date in the Welsh capital – alongside Brighton quartet Lime Garden, and transatlantic alt-rock duo Prima Queen, it promises to be a rapturous…

A SIX-FOOT sculpture created by one of the country’s leading wood carvers will be unveiled at a community event in support of an aspirational £5.2million clocktower revamp. Rossett-based artist Simon O’Rourke installed the equine-inspired piece in time for the September 17 fun day at the Grade II-listed John Summers site in Deeside. Made from cedar, the image references the logo of Queensferry-based Enbarr Foundation – which is behind the epic redevelopment – portraying a horse leaping from waves through a crown and paying tribute to the Queen in celebration of the recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Designed in partnership with pupils…

A children’s cancer charity has received a financial boost from Cardiff-based housebuilder Bellway Wales. The housebuilder donated £500 to LATCH Welsh Children’s Cancer Charity, which offers support services and accommodation for children and their families who are being treated by the Oncology Unit at the Children’s Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Bellway also provided a number of items from the charity’s Amazon Wishlist, including artificial plants, cushions, and lamps for its on-site family accommodation. Menai Owen-Jones, Chief Executive of LATCH, said: “This donation of £500 from Bellway, in addition to the very generous gifts the company has purchased from our…

A global provider of sports equipment is tripling its warehouse and office space after experiencing significant growth over the past three years. To cope with rising demand, Net World Sports is consolidating its current 130,000 sq ft of space across eight different locations, by opening a new 411,000 sq ft facility in Wrexham. With support from Lloyds Bank, the new £25million development will allow the business to operate from one facility and house its range of 10,000+ products including sports, fitness, leisure, home, and garden equipment. The new facility will offer 230 employees 200 car parking spaces, five meeting rooms,…

Bring your little ones along to Little Scare-lings at Dobbies’ Swansea store this Halloween, where they will become certified scarers and enjoy an afternoon of spine-chilling family-friendly activities. Taking place in Swansea between 27 – 30 October, Little Scare-lings is a spooktacular way to get ready for the Halloween festivities, and kids up to age 10 are encouraged to come dressed in their most terrifying costume where their scare-factor will be put to the test. Children will have the chance to perfect their scare tactics, showcase their monster strut in a group parade, and take part in making their very…

One week to go until the brand-new stage adaptation of Helen Forrester’s Twopence To Cross The Mersey comes to Rhyl Pavilion Theatre Based on the late author’s million-selling autobiography, the play written by Rob Fennah, chronicles Helen’s early life during The Great Depression in 1930s Liverpool. Play writer Rob Fennah has shared exclusive insight into author Helen’s life, ahead of the show starting at Rhyl Pavilion next week. Featuring a cast of 9 playing over 40 characters, the period drama is set in the early 1930s in the midst of the Great Depression. Helen’s spendthrift father was declared bankrupt forcing…

The dock-feeder canal underneath Churchill Way has re-surfaced – with the ongoing removal of sixty-nine 7.5 tonne concrete beams that separates the canal from the carriageway. Seventy metres of the dock-feeder will be fully uncovered by the end of next week, with work underway to build two footbridges across the canal, as part of the scheme. The dock feeder on Churchill Way serviced the 25-mile-long Glamorganshire Canal from Merthyr Tydfil to Cardiff – which brought steel and iron down to the city. The dock-feeder provided water to the docks in Cardiff Bay, to ensure the docks could operate 24 hours…

​​​​​​​One of Swansea’s most historic landmarks will offer free entry to visitors this Saturday, September 10. The centuries-old Oystermouth Castle is taking part in a Wales-wide initiative that encourages people to enjoy the country’s heritage buildings. The Mumbles event is being organised by volunteer group Friends of Oystermouth Castle which, along with Swansea Council, runs the iconic venue. Council cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies said: “Saturday’s event is a big chance for people from around Swansea to enjoy everything this wonderful attraction has to offer – for free.” Saturday’s Oystermouth Castle Open Doors event is part of wider activity by Cadw,…

A council project to bring new life to the historic Hafod-Morfa Copperworks has secured an extra £750,000 in grant support. The scheme, that’s due to see Welsh distillery Penderyn open an attraction in the site’s disused powerhouse next year, will also help the council redevelop other under-used areas of the Lower Swansea Valley. The powerhouse scheme’s latest grants are from the National Lottery Heritage Fund (£250,000) and the Welsh Government’s Regional Capital Stimulus Funding Programme (£500,000). Council cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies said: “This initiative is going to be a big boost for our regeneration work.” He plans to detail the…

Plans for new sea defences to help protect Mumbles for decades to come are about to take another big step forward. The council’s cabinet will meet on September 15 to consider proposals for the scheme’s funding agreement between Welsh Government and the council, the construction cost and the award of the construction contract. If these details are approved, the council-driven project – which has undergone several years of careful planning and consultation – will be set to move towards construction, a phased approach from late this year to around summer 2024. The 1.2km project – from Knab Rock slipway to…