Author: Rhys Gregory

As thousands of students and families prepare for UCAS application deadlines just after Christmas, new independent research released earlier this month (Wednesday, 14th December) reveals universities making up “areas of excellence” across the country – including here in Wales.   The team behind the renowned Complete University Guide have crunched the data to shine a light on some of the universities blazing a trail in Wales, including those ranked best in the UK for some subjects. The message could not be clearer – “you don’t have to go far to go far!”.   With cost-of-living putting increasing pressure on students…

Swansea-based enterprise education resource provider, 2B Enterprising, is celebrating after welcoming JCP Solicitors as its milestone 100th corporate partner supporting its innovative entrepreneurial education programme. 2B Enterprising has created The Bumbles of Honeywood learning resources which help to teach young children about enterprise, entrepreneurship, and essential life skills by following the Bumble Family of bees from Honeywood as they tackle a range of challenges together. JCP Solicitors is the 100th corporate partner to work with 2B Enterprising, providing the funding for a primary school to receive these engaging resources. The legal firm has been partnered with St Illtyd’s RC Primary…

Student and community sport teams will have access to some of the best facilities in the UK following the redevelopment of Cardiff University’s Llanrumney Sports Fields. The state-of-the-art training and playing facilities have been delivered in partnership with Cardiff City House of Sport (CCHOS), Cardiff Council and Sport Wales. Together the partners have developed four purposed built, floodlit, all-weather pitches to complement existing facilities on the site. New CCHOS training and academy facilities will also follow next year. Cardiff University’s Pro Vice-Chancellor for Education and Students, Claire Morgan said: “I’m a huge advocate for student sport and recognise how much…

Wales’ international food and drink trade event, BlasCymru/TasteWales, will take place on 25 and 26 October 2023, Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has confirmed. The two-day event organised by the Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales division brings together food and drink producers with national and international buyers and food industry professionals. The event, which will be held at ICC Wales in Newport, has been key in previous years in creating new business opportunities for Welsh businesses and has seen produce from Wales sent around the world for people to enjoy. Rural Affairs Minister, Lesley Griffiths said: “Wales is proud…

A first-of-its-kind strategy has been launched to set the future of the Welsh wine industry into focus over the next twelve years and increase the sector’s current value by 10-fold to reach £100 million by 2035. Developed at a pivotal time for Welsh vineyards, with the support of the Welsh Government’s Drinks Cluster, the industry-led strategy is designed to ensure Wales builds on its emerging reputation as an experimental producer of varying wines, following some impressive successes in recent years that have been rewarded with a number of international awards. The new industry strategy, launched at the Coal Exchange Hotel…

Two students from the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s BA Set Design and Production course have worked on the set of Disney +’s latest series, ‘Willow’. Following the success of the 1988 film of the same name, ‘Willow’ is an American fantasy adventure television series filmed at Dragon Studios, Bridgend and produced by Lucasfilm and Imagine Entertainment. Students Bethan Elsbury and Ellie Reynolds got the opportunity to work with the company’s Greens Team after their lecturer, Dave Atkinson saw the post being advertised and encouraged them to apply. Bethan said: “It was very surreal to have even a small involvement on such…

Since the sudden and tragic death of their daughter, Rachel, at the age of just 18, Paul and Kim Waters have tirelessly raised money for local charities, in her memory. These have ranged from night walks to sponsored kayaks, with Paul, Kim and their son Tom throwing themselves into their fundraising, and subsequently setting up the Rachel Waters Remembrance Fund. In October of this year, along with their close friend, Eira St John, they chose to raise money for end-of-life charity, Marie Curie, following the sudden death of Eira’s daughter, Kimberley, aged 32 years old. Kimberley was a palliative care…

A little man with a big heart – and strong legs – has raised more than £1,000 as a way of thanking staff who looked after him in hospital. Elliott Evans spent almost a fortnight in Morriston’s Oakwood Ward after banging his head while playing in a park. During that time, he celebrated his seventh birthday, with the nurses making a fuss and allowing him home with his family for the day. When mum Sam decided she wanted to do something to thank the NHS, Elliott got on board with the idea straight away. So the youngster, with support from…

Sir Gareth Edwards will be joined by many more legends of rugby at a special anniversary lunch to celebrate 50 years since the Welshman scored that try. Widely acclaimed as the greatest try ever scored, Sir Gareth rounded off an unforgettable length-of-the-pitch move in the Barbarians’ famous victory over New Zealand in Cardiff in 1973. The incredible moment will be celebrated at Newport’s International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) for what organisers believe will be the largest lunch ever held in Wales on 27th January 2023, exactly 50 years to the day since the match was played. The try scorer…

A local BNI Reliance chapter in Rhiwbina has raised a significant sum for Age Connects Cardiff and the Vale throughout 2022 as part of their charity of the year scheme. In January 2022, Age Connects were chosen as this year’s charity of the year, with the 40 businesses in the BNI group fundraising for them across the 12 months. The group, which meets weekly at the Pantmawr Inn, hosted multiple fundraising activities, including an abseil down St David’s Hotel, a pet photography competition and group members completing the Cardiff Half Marathon. Jam Kitchens, a member of the chapter, also made…