Author: Rhys Gregory

Many families will be worried about the rising cost of living, especially while preparing for the new school term. There is support available for learners and their families in Wales who may be struggling to afford school costs such as uniform and transport, as well as some free schemes to help your child with their learning. Here are eight education subsidies and schemes that you could qualify for. Support with school day costs Learners who are currently eligible for free school meals can apply for a grant towards school uniform, school trips, and kit. The grant this year is for…

The first ever Welsh e-sports team are heading to the 2022 Commonwealth Games’ Esports Championships in Birmingham to compete in the prestigious inaugural main event, thanks to support from the Welsh Government’s Creative Wales agency. Esports is a form of competition using video games played competitively for spectators, typically by professionals. Esports is a growing industry. It provides people of all-abilities the opportunity to participate a wide range of competitions, providing them with the opportunity to develop new and existing skills. Esports Wales, the not-for-profit Welsh body for competitive and grassroots gaming, is heading towards an action-packed summer at the…

A new £1.85m scheme is helping five local authorities in Wales to tackle chewing gum staining. Councils in Blaenau Gwent, Denbighshire, Flintshire, Newport and Swansea will receive funding from the Chewing Gum Taskforce Grant Scheme to help them clean gum off pavements in their local area this summer and to invest in long-term behaviour change to help prevent the issue in future. Chewing gum litter wastes millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money every year; the annual clean-up cost across the UK is estimated at £7 million. Created last year by the UK Government and working together with Welsh Government, Scottish…

The headline NatWest Wales Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – registered 51.6 in July, down from 53.6 in June, to signal only a marginal upturn in output across the Welsh private sector. The rise in business activity was the slowest in the current 17-month sequence of growth and slightly softer than the UK average. Greater output was linked to a further uptick in client demand and new order inflows. Welsh private sector firms registered a further expansion in new business during…

When searching for a new square air filter, you want the best product possible. Unfortunately, this can be somewhat of a problem because there are so many different types of filters that you don’t even know about. Let’s discuss the various types of square air filters and help you better understand how they work. Look For Eco-friendly Filters As much as possible, it is always good to look for eco-friendly filters. This is because these kinds of filters help remove dust particles from the air and reduce the amount of carbon dioxide released into the atmosphere by more than 95%.…

If an insured event destroys or damages your home or valuables, homeowners’ insurance pays compensation. It covers you if you harm someone or damage property. Four main functions of homeowner’s insurance: Repair or replace your home, yard, and personal items Provide for you to reside elsewhere during repairs. Cover personal liability protection if you’re sued for someone’s harm. Homeowners insurance is different from mortgages, which you may need if you pay less than 20% down. FHA and other government loans may mandate mortgage insurance regardless of down payment. Mortgage insurance reimburses your lender if you default. Mortgage Insurance policy protects your lender;…

The two games of Baccarat and Blackjack are considered ‘sister games’. With the latter now widely considered as the most popular card game of all time, it may surprise some to learn that it was originally heavily influenced by the former. Blackjack was in fact previously named ‘Vingt et Un’, with Baccarat once known as ‘Chemin de Fer’.  We’re going to briefly look into some of the aspects of each game in relation to one another, aiming to arm you with tips & tricks to help you perform well at the Blackjack table (be that online or in a land…

The organisers of the Cardiff 10K & 2K Fun Run, Front Runner Events has announced the postponement of this year’s race. The Cardiff 10K was due to take place next month on Sunday, 4th September 2022, but will now no longer be going ahead. The event which was founded in 1985 by Kidney Wales is one of Wales’ largest 10k road races. It is also one of the UK’s top 5 10K’s and a favourite amongst athletes of all abilities. When Front Runner Events took over the running of the race last year, they said if you had deferred your Cardiff…

Work will start on site from August 15 to deliver the A4119 Coed Ely dualling scheme. The traffic management arrangements have now been confirmed, with all disruptive works taking place at night to minimise disruption. The major scheme will provide 1.5km of dual carriageway and a separate shared community route from Coed Ely Roundabout to Llantrisant Business Park – along with a new active travel bridge crossing the A4119 south of Coed Ely roundabout, to provide a new shared community route into the village. Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd will deliver the work, for completion in 2024. The contractor recently held…

The popular Food and Fun scheme is running in two Blaenau Gwent schools this summer, giving children and young people the opportunity to socialise; get active and enjoy healthy nutritious meals. Food and Fun is a school-based programme funded by Welsh Government and co-ordinated by the Welsh Local Government Association. The schemes are then delivered locally by the Local Authority; school staff and a range of local partners and organisations to provide a fun social environment during the school summer holidays. Around 140 pupils are taking part in the scheme this year. The Council’s Executive Member for People & Education,…