Author: Rhys Gregory

Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden had the opportunity to join the Summer Reading Challenge and Summer of Fun activities at Merthyr Library this week. The Summer Reading Challenge (SRC), led by The Reading Agency, is a much-loved initiative that features in libraries each year and is designed to keep children reading over the summer holidays. This year it’s built around STEM learning under the theme Gadgeteers. Libraries across Wales have also joined forces with the Welsh Government’s Summer of Fun programme and, inspired by the SRC Gadgeteers, are providing children with even more STEM related events and activities over the summer…

Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan has this week [17th August] launched a consultation on improving the experiences for many people using health and social care services.  The consultation will seek responses on proposed legislation to support the commitment to eliminate profit from the care of children looked after. This is a key element of the Co-operation Agreement between the Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru. The initial focus of the proposals is on the private provision of residential care for children, alongside independent sector foster care. The Welsh Government and Plaid Cymru share a vision for the future care…

A lucky lady celebrating her 40th birthday at Club 3000 Bingo in Cardiff received an unexpected birthday present on Saturday 13th, thanks to winning a life changing £50,000 on the National Bingo Game. On Saturday evening 13th August, while playing at the evening session all her numbers came up on the National Bingo Game and she scooped the top prize of a whopping £50,000 Jackpot. Club 3000 Cardiff is the luckiest club in Wales, as less than three months ago a member in the Cardiff Club also won the £50,000 jackpot prize! There were double celebrations as the lucky winner…

With the price of everything seemingly skyrocketing the one thing we’re looking for from our second hand cars is economy. Economical to buy, economical to repair – but most importantly, with petrol and diesel prices the way they are, economical to fuel. Swapping your car for one that’s economical doesn’t have to involve any great sacrifice these days, either. With a budget of just £3,000 you can have a car that’s as efficient as most modern hybrids without any real compromise in drivability. The majority of the most efficient cars are diesel, and they’re well represented in this list. But…

There is a cyclical debate which takes place, mostly on social media, every time we have a heatwave in the UK. It begins with people expressing concern at the temperature creeping towards 40 on the thermometer, and wondering how we’ll cope. A response then comes from people sarcastically saying, in so many words: “Oh no, it’s getting hot! In summer! How will we cope?”. The rest of the debate then becomes a tit-for-tat of pointing out how it’s not usual for things to get this hot, responses that actually there was a day back in 1976 when it was very…

Slot machines were first deployed in casinos as a distraction for casual players. In contrast to conventional table games, slot machines don’t need any prior gambling experience, and anybody may participate with a relatively little wager.  Slot machines gradually overtook other games to emerge as the most well-liked and lucrative ones in town, accounting for more than 60% of all gaming earnings made in the United States each year. This invention proved to be a colossal success. Slot machine technology has advanced significantly over the years. Computer-controlled machines have almost entirely supplanted traditional mechanical designs. But the game itself has…

Pobl Group today announced the appointment of Julia Cherrett as Chair Designate, confirming that current Chair, Wendy Bourton OBE, is to stand down after serving six years in post.   Julia is expected to be formally confirmed in the role at the Group’s Annual General Meeting which is taking place in September.  As she prepares to hand over the reins to Julia, Wendy reflected on a successful six years that has seen Pobl establish itself as Wales’ largest social housing and care provider and set ambitious targets for further growth this decade.  Wendy said:  “It’s been a simply amazing six years, as Pobl has matured into the strong, resilient, and successful Welsh housing and care provider it is today.…

The contract bottling arm of Hensol Castle Distillery is on track to more than double its turnover by the end of 2022, as it expands its storage facilities with the lease of a new warehouse. Contract bottling, which represents 80% of the distillery’s revenue, has doubled year-on-year from a turnover of £1.2 million (excluding duty) in its financial year (April-March) 2020/21 to £2.5 million last year (2021/22), and is expected to reach £4.3m in the current year (2022/23). To support the growing demand for the distillery’s services, the business has signed a five-year lease on a 20,000 sq ft off-site…

The first homes at a housing development near Swansea have gone on the market after a sales office was launched on site. Bellway is building 184 properties at Parc Mawr, on land off Brynrhos Crescent to the south of the village of Penllergaer. The development will include 147 two, three and four-bedroom houses for private sale and 37 affordable homes available for local people through shared ownership or rent, as well as public open space including a children’s play area. The first residents are expected to move into their new homes in January 2023, with building work progressing well at…

Cardiff Bus is advising customers of changes to bus stop arrangements on Saturday 27th August as the Pride Cymru parade returns to Cardiff city centre. Between 10:30 and 14:00 some city centre roads will close and as a result bus routes and stops will be revised.  Bus stops within Grangetown will also be affected as buses will not be able to enter and exit the city centre via their usual route. Routes 1, 2, 5, 6 baycar, 7, 99 and X45 will start and end at Callaghan Square North-side (outside Eversheds).  Between Penarth Road / Clare Road and Callaghan Square…