Author: Rhys Gregory

Six cherry trees gifted from Japan have been planted in Margam Country Park to celebrate enduring friendship between the UK and Japan. The six Japanese cherry trees – or Sakura in Japanese – are some of more than 6,000 of the trees gifted to the UK as part of the Sakura Cherry Tree friendship project paid for by a variety of Japanese businesses. At Margam Country Park on Tuesday (March 22nd, 2022) when the trees were planted were the Honorary Consul for Japan, Mr Keith Dunn OBE, the Mayor of Neath Port Talbot, Cllr John Warman, Neath Port Talbot Council…

The ever-popular Easter Egg-stravaganza returns on Good Friday, 15th April & Saturday 16th April with a traditional Easter Egg hunt PLUS a brand-new Underground Bunny Adventure. Themed activities over the two days will include an Easter Egg Hunt and arts and crafts for just £3 per child, with accompanying adults free. A small children’s funfair will also be on site and rides are included in the ticket price. All egg hunters can roam around one of Rhondda Cynon Taf’s most popular Tourist destinations, searching for giant eggs and of course, there’s a chocolate egg at the end. An exciting addition…

The National Lido of Wales, Lido Ponty, will re-open for its main 2022 season on Saturday, April 9. This means it will be open throughout the Easter school holidays, offering two early morning swims, plus six sessions with all three pools and inflatables, every single day! Tickets for the first sessions are set to go on sale on Monday, April 4 – so get that date in your diaries. Cllr Andrew Morgan, Leader of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council, said: “The National Lido of Wales enjoyed a record-breaking season last year, with more visitors than ever before enjoying its three outdoor heated…

Risca Community Comprehensive School will hold a dog walk at Cwmcarn Forest to raise funds for its Autism Spectrum Condition (ASC) centre. The walk will take place on Sunday, April 3, and coincides with World Autism Awareness Week. All are welcome to the event, which begins at 10.45am at Cwmcarn Forest car park. The ASC centre at the school currently has 21 pupils, aged between 11 and 16, who receive support and learn key skills. Funds raised at this years’ event will go towards developing their nurture garden ,a seating area, plant seeds and to help complete the calming area…

Rhymney and Risca High Street are the first to ‘go live’ with free public Wifi as part of Caerphilly Council’s ongoing Council’s ongoing support to regenerate our town centres. With funding from the Welsh Government Transforming Towns Fund and the former Rhymney Valleys Task Force Fund, the project to install Wifi infrastructure began in 2020 and has seen the preparatory works completed in 7 key towns. The initiative forms a key part of our Choose Local Campaign that aims to encourage residents to #ChooseLocal and explore each of our key town centres surrounding areas to fulfil shopping and everyday needs. Residents can…

This summer, Birmingham plays host to the 2022 Commonwealth Games. A multisport event that takes place every four years and includes athletes from all of the Commonwealth countries across the globe. Unlike in the Olympics, in the Commonwealth Games athletes compete for Wales rather than Great Britain. Proceeding the games is the Queen’s Baton Relay. This is a relay around the world held prior to the beginning of the Commonwealth Games. The Baton carries a message from the Head of the Commonwealth, currently Queen Elizabeth II. The Relay traditionally begins at Buckingham Palace in London where the Queen entrusts the baton to the first relay runner. At…

New clinics in Wales are helping to diagnose patients with concerning symptoms more quickly as part of nationwide work to cut cancer waiting times. Health Minister Eluned Morgan has welcomed the opening of Rapid Diagnostic Centres (RDC) across Wales. These RDCs are part of a national programme supporting health boards in Wales to provide GPs with an additional option to investigate vague symptoms that may be caused by cancer. The Rapid Diagnostic Centre can provide quick reassurance to people with no cancer, help to diagnose a range of other chronic health conditions or refer people on for cancer treatment more…

The Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, has announced that funding for mental health and well-being support for school staff will be trebled in the next financial year. The spending on support for school staff will increase from £350,000 in 2021-22 to £1.25 million in 2022-23. The Welsh Government plans to increase this funding year-on-year to over £3 million by 2024-25. The increased funding is part of the Welsh Government’s ‘whole School approach’, with total funding for schools, for pupils and staff, increasing to £12.2 million in the next financial year. The funding will be more than double…

The Minister for Education and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, has announced that learners with Additional Learning Needs (ALN) will benefit from a further £4.5million investment. The funding will support special schools, specialist units and third sector organisations to address the disruption caused by the pandemic. The funding is in addition to £26 million already allocated this financial year to local authorities and education settings for ALN learners. £4 million will go directly to special schools and specialist units to help provide extra support for children and young people with ALN. £500,000 will be awarded to Children in Wales to distribute…

Today (24 March) is Voter Registration Day, when young people in Wales will be reminded to follow the simple steps to register to vote, so they can have their say in the local elections on the 5 May. For 16-17 year olds this will be their first ever opportunity to vote in local elections following the Welsh Government lowering the voting age, but they must register before the deadline – midnight on the 14 April. A nationwide advertising campaign to encourage voter registration is already being rolled out by Welsh Government, but key figures are now urging young people to…