Author: Rhys Gregory

Businesses in Wrexham can make use of a free translation and advice service to help use more day to day Welsh, as the newly-awarded city prepares to welcome the National Eisteddfod in 2025. Any business looking to incorporate more Welsh into its website content, product signage, social media posts or advertising can make use of Helo Blod – a free Welsh translation and advice service set up by the Welsh Government. Launched in March 2020 to support the Welsh Government’s Cymraeg 2050 strategy, Helo Blod offers businesses and charities up to 500 words a month translated, free of charge. The…

The daughter of the late Rev Wilbert Awdry, author of the famous ‘Railway Series’ which included Thomas the Tank engine, has spoken of her pride after attending the second ‘Awdry Extravaganza’ at Talyllyn Railway last month. Veronica Chambers attended the weekend event, organised to celebrate her father’s work, with her grandson and great grandchildren. The Rev. Awdry was an Anglican priest and railway enthusiast who became an enthusiastic member and volunteer guard on the Talyllyn Railway in 1952. His  experiences inspired him to create a fictitious Skarloey Railway, which became the subject of an additional series of books within his…

Some of the world’s finest musicians will appear at this year’s Gŵyl Machynlleth Festival from August 21-28. Star performers include soprano Natalya Romaniw, renowned Welsh tenor Dennis O’Neill, who leads an opera masterclass and acclaimed pianist Elisabeth Leonskaja. The festival will serve up a mix of genres and styles, including chamber music, solo artists, quartets and ensembles playing classical, traditional and international music. All concerts take place in the historic Tabernacle Auditorium and there’s a special ‘free festival’ fringe programme with a children’s concert, outdoor market day concert and workshops. Three days of Welsh music precede the classical programme with…

Those who attend this Friday’s show will be able to escape into the open-air with fairytale Rapunzel, the story of a girl’s longing to break free from her imposed lockdown and explore the world outside. With wicked witches, lovable trolls, a fairytale prince and miles of golden hair, the show will feature slapstick humour, puppetry and much more. It’s being presented at the Swansea Council-run venue by theatre company IKP. Council cabinet member Robert Francis-Davies said: “This should be a lovely, fun and exciting event for everybody. “We’d encourage all those attending the event to bring a camping chair, blanket and picnic…

Double-Olympic triathlon champion Alistair Brownlee will be among the elite athletes taking to the water and the roads across the city and Gower this Sunday in the first IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea event. Welsh paratriathlete Rhys Jones will be taking part in the Volvo 2022 World Triathlon Para Series Swansea the day before – fresh from his fifth place at the Commonwealth Games at the weekend. Around 2,000 athletes will be participating in the IRONMAN 70.3 event, 700 from the Swansea area alone, with around 10,000 spectators expected to line the route. Top IRONMAN professionals will include Britain’s Kat Matthews. She…

Ten young people from across Cardiff have been invited to the Microsoft Centre in London. The group, aged 13-17, have been involved in developing the online services for Cardiff Youth Services and have taken part in coding and programming workshops arranged by the Cardiff Commitment. During the experience the group learnt more about coding, Minecraft and the type of jobs within the industry. They also visited iconic London landmarks such as Buckingham Palace and Big Ben. For many of the group, this was the first time they had visited London and for one it was the first time they had…

Since the announcement that the UK would be hosting the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 on behalf of Ukraine, there has been much speculation on whether or not Cardiff would be putting itself forward to host the event. However, it has now been confirmed by Cardiff Council that the city’s bid to host the music competition won’t go ahead. In a joint statement released this week, it said it would not feasible for the Principality Stadium to host the event due to the busy schedule of events already planned for next year. To host the Eurovision Song Contest, it would mean cancelling…

Progress continues on the multi-million-pound redevelopment of Maesteg Town Hall with the steel frame for the new glass extension recently erected and installed by contractors Knox and Wells. New floor levels in the extension have been formed and from the Talbot Street entrance, a new series of stairs provides access to what will be the lower ground library and café area. Decorators have recently arrived on site preparing to paint the ceiling of the new library. As well as a new series of stairs to the ground floor, access to the first floor will be provided by a new staircase…

A £16m project to transform the Newport Transporter Bridge into a major tourist attraction got underway earlier this week. Councillor Jane Mudd, leader of the council, led the celebrations at a sod-cutting ceremony at the bridge site this morning to mark the start of work to build a new visitor centre. The project will also see extensive restoration work carried out on the bridge, which will ensure its preservation for future generations. The new centre, which will be linked to the bridge via a walkway, will allow us to bring the history of the bridge to life through showcasing the…

Merthyr Tydfil has this week played host to a variety of activities across the county borough to celebrate national play day as part of the ‘summer of fun’. The theme for this year’s Playday is ‘all to play for’ – building play opportunities for all children and aims to highlight that play is for everyone. The activities today have all been funded by the Welsh government’s ‘Summer of Fun’ 2022 initiative, and celebrates this fantastic day. Providers have organised music, art, dance, physical activity, sport, and pool playing activities up and down Merthyr Tydfil to celebrate the day. ‘Summer of…