Author: Rhys Gregory

The latest investment into local leisure facilities to be delivered as a result of the partnership between Bridgend County Borough Council and Halo Leisure Ltd has seen the opening of an all-new ‘JumpINGym’ indoor soft play area at Maesteg Sports Centre. Specially designed to provide local children with a secure environment where they can explore and have fun safely, the new facility includes a seating area where parents, carers and guardians can relax, unwind and watch the fun. Spread across two levels which have been designed to offer adventure-themed play opportunities, the new JumpINGym includes a twin lane slide and a rope…

Bridgend County Borough Council’s Employability Bridgend team have officially opened a new support hub for job seekers in Maesteg town centre. The Employability programme which is funded by Welsh Government and the European Social Fund is designed to overcome the employment challenges faced by people in local communities. Since 2016, Employability Bridgend has supported over five thousand individuals, including 740 young people. 1,800 received training, 360 were supported into volunteering and 1,740 into employment. Also, 160 people who were already in work were supported to get a better employment position. The hub, which is located at Tŷ Llynfi, Llynfi Road, Maesteg,…

Cardiff’s multi-award-winning Food and Fun programme will reach more children than ever this summer, helping to ease the financial pressures on many families across the city during the school holiday period. The school holiday enrichment programme which provides healthy nutritious meals alongside opportunities to socialise, engage in physical activity and learn new skills, will this year be delivered to 29 of Cardiff’s schools, meaning that more than 1500 children and young people will access the provision. The exciting programme of educational, skills and sports provision will be delivered by a number of city-wide partners with Cardiff and Vale University Health Board supporting…

More than £1m has been set aside to pay for a new full-size all-weather 3G pitch at Olchfa School. An update on the project that will transform sports facilities for pupils and the wider community has gone before Swansea Council’s Cabinet. The council and school governors identified a parcel of land that was surplus to requirements and it was agreed that it would be sold to fund the new 3G pitch. That land is now in the process of being bought by a developer and subject to the successful completion of the land sale, work can then start on the…

RCT Council is close to completing its major scheme to strengthen highway structures at Station Road in Treorchy – and requires temporary traffic lights at the start of the school summer holiday to complete the final work. The important scheme to maintain the Nant Cwm Parc Cantilever and Institute Bridge has taken place over the last two summers, ensuring these structures that support the A4061 are repaired and future-proofed. The work carried out by contractor Walters Ltd this year has included a river diversion to enable works in the channel, and demolition of the concrete parapet on the A4061 Station…

Caerphilly county borough council has unanimously agreed to stand alongside Trade Unions in demanding an increase in funding for local authorities from the UK Government. The Leader of Caerphilly CBC, Cllr Sean Morgan, submitted a Notice of Motion at a meeting of Full Council this week, urging all elected members to support a call for the UK Government to provide a full increase in funding support for local authorities. Data from the Local Government Association (LGA) has identified a decrease in UK Government funding of almost 60 percent between 2010 and 2020. Cllr Morgan has pledged to do all he…

Social work students will be eligible for greater financial support from September as part of an extra £3.5 million package of support, the Deputy Minister for Social Services has announced. The enhanced financial support will be available for both undergraduate and postgraduate students in Wales via the Social Work Bursary, which will provide almost £10 million over the next three years to assist future social workers. Eligible undergraduates studying for the social work degree will be able to access up to £3,750 per year over the three-year course in addition to the funding available to them through Student Finance Wales.…

Year 11 pupils from across Wales have been taking part in a residential summer school funded by the Welsh Government as part of the Seren Foundation programme. The summer school, which is taking place at Aberystwyth University, is part of a pilot programme working with universities in Wales over the next three years. It is part of the Welsh Government’s Cooperation agreement with Plaid Cymru to expand the current summer school partnerships and set up new pilots in Welsh institutions. The theme for the 3-day workshop in Aberystwyth is Climate Literacy, and how the arts and humanities can speak to…

The Health Minister Eluned Morgan has accepted the recommendations of NHS pay review bodies and is today announcing a pay rise for NHS staff in Wales. The recommendation of the NHS Pay Review Body (NHSPRB), for all NHS staff on Agenda for Change terms and conditions – including nurses, cleaners, porters, healthcare support workers and healthcare professionals, is for a £1,400 pay rise on most pay grades. But the Health Minister said the Welsh Government will implement this recommendation on top of the Real Living Wage top-up previously announced, which came into effect in April. For the lowest paid staff…

You may have noticed that when you pluck the string near the nose’s bridge, it sounds fairly bright. On the other hand, when you pluck right down close to the neck, there is a rounder and softer tone. Likewise, if you put a pickup close to the guitar’s bridge, there is a brighter and sharper sound compared to a pickup that you may put near the neck. This is the reason why players use several guitar pickups – as it allows them to choose from various sounds.  A pickup is basically a microphone designed for an electric guitar. A guitar…