Author: Rhys Gregory

The Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay is heading back to Rhondda Cynon Taf this weekend ahead of the Commonwealth Games. It was last in our County Borough five years ago and was welcomed into Ynysangharad War Memorial Park in Pontypridd by thousands of well-wishers before it made its way to the Gold Coast in Australia for the 2018 Commonwealth Games. Ahead of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games this July, the Birmingham 2022 Queen’s Baton Relay once again travels through Wales and makes a welcome return to Rhondda Cynon Taf on Saturday, July 2. It will then make its way through…

With the increase in fuel prices, Trading Standards officers from Merthyr Tydfil have carried out checks at petrol stations across the county to ensure accurate measures of fuel are being delivered to consumers. In total, 74 fuel pumps across five sites were tested and all were found to be correct. Councillor Michelle Symonds, Cabinet Member for Public Protection & Housing, said: “Although our officers can’t do anything around the price increase, we can at least ensure consumers are getting the measures they’re paying for. “During this cost of living crisis our Trading Standards team will continue to monitor businesses to…

Owners of lorries and classic tractors, cars and motorcycles, including motorsport models, are being encouraged to support the Mid Wales Autumn Fayre, which returns to the Royal Welsh Showground at Builth Wells on October 29-30. The event, organised by Andrew Powell with support from Cambrian Training Company, aims to be acelebration of food and drink, arts and crafts. There will also be a Truck Fest with up to 100 lorries taking part. Mr Powell, who is already more than half way towards reaching his target, is keen to hear from owners of lorries, classic tractors, cars, motorcycles and motorsport vehicles.…

Aldi is on the hunt for new store locations in Wales as part of its rapid expansion drive. The priority areas where it is looking include Barry and Chepstow. Aldi, which already has more than 960 stores across the UK, is looking for freehold town-centre or edge-of-town sites that are around 1.5 acres. Each site should be able to accommodate a 20,000 sq foot store with around 100 parking spaces. Ideally the location will be near a main road with good visibility and access. The UK’s fifth-largest supermarket even offers a finder’s fee for people who recommend a site, including…

Street Food Warehouse, the company behind the best street food festivals across the Wales and the South West is finally returning to Milford Waterfront after a two year break. Taking place on Milford Waterfront (SA73 3AF) 5th – 7th August 2022. It’s been a long two years of cancelled events and disappointment, but this has only fueled the fire for the organisers to make sure that this year’s event will be the most finger-licking, mouth-watering, lip-smacking food festival that the town has experienced! General entry tickets for the are FREE but will need to be ordered in advance. There are…

Wales’ biggest ever festive lights trail is back – and tickets are on sale now. Christmas at Bute Park is set to shine brighter than ever in 2022 as it returns for its second year with a host of new sights in tow. The award-winning event is set to follow up its sell-out debut in 2021 with an exciting ‘hypnotic laser journey’, an ‘epic orb of iridescent colour’ and a whole lot more on offer. This year the trail will also take in a magical ‘Light Canyon’ awash with a thousand mesmerising stars, an epic light orb experience, and will…

Two new-to-Wales fashion retailers are set to arrive in St David’s Dewi Sant Cardiff this summer. Designer footwear brand Carvela and women’s fashion boutique Mint Velvet will both open stand-alone stores at the city shopping centre. Carvela will showcase its innovative collection of shoes, bags and accessories. Designed by women for women with pioneering construction techniques, Carvela’s creations are set to appeal to the style conscious and offers a range of extended sizes and widths. The 2,130 sq ft store will be located on the lower level of the Grand Arcade, adjacent to sister brand Kurt Geiger, and is due…

A multi-award-winning visitor attraction is urgently seeking a new home in Mid Wales. Falconry Experience Wales, which has been based near Machynlleth for 20 years, is hunting a smallholding to rent with accommodation for the owners and its family of birds of prey. The business, which is run by Barry Macdonald and Luce Green, would ideally like to stay in Mid Wales but needs a smallholding which has farm buildings or an area for enclosures and flying the birds. “We could link in with an existing tourism business because many of our guests, who travel from across the UK and…

Transport for Wales (TfW) has created arrival hubs at Cardiff and Wrexham railway stations to help Ukrainian nationals. Rooms within the railway stations have been refurbished and provide facilities including an area for children. Ukrainians fleeing war can use these facilities when arriving into the city before moving on to Welsh Government welcome centres or to family, friends or sponsors. The arrival hubs are fully supported by Cardiff Council and Wrexham County Borough Council and donations have been kindly received from the Blackwood Community Sainsburys in Pontllanfraith. James Price, Transport for Wales CEO said: “At TfW we are doing everything…

A mum of two has turned personal tragedies into a children’s literary series aimed at helping young minds deal with real life issues with the release of her latest picture book – written to help little ones with their self-esteem. Jess Childs’ new picture book ‘Ivy and the Mole’ takes a look at the journey we all make as human beings towards learning to love our true selves, and how identifying that one-off superpower that lies inside each one of us is the key to taking us there. It is the second instalment in her’ ‘Big Issues for Little People’…