Author: Rhys Gregory

An ambitious cricket club is on the lookout for a new heavy roller for its spectacular ground beside the Menai Straits after receiving a grant funded by cash seized from criminals. Caernarfon Cricket Club was only formed in 2015 but they are already making an impact on the game after back-to-back promotions in the North Wales Cricket League. They will start the new season in April in Division Two after winning the Division Three title last summer but they need a new motorised roller to bring the pitches at their beautiful Aber Foreshore ground up to scratch. They used to…

A search has been launched to find the unsung heroes and heroines of social care in Wales who have “risen magnificently” to the challenge of the Covid-19 pandemic. Entries are being sought for the 2022 Wales Care Awards, to honour the skill and devotion of people who work in social care looking after vulnerable children and adults. The event is making a welcome return after being cancelled during the last two years because of the pandemic The awards were introduced Care Forum Wales to inspire excellence in the care sector. As ever, this year’s event will take place in the…

Cardiff Animation Festival (CAF) has announced the full programme for its return to Cardiff on 7–10 April 2022. For the first time, CAF will be both online and in person, with online events running from 7–24 April. This year, the festival runners have crammed over 60 events into the in-person programme and 30 online, including feature films, shorts screenings, workshops, industry panels, masterclasses, networking opportunities, parties and more. Stand-out guests include the Oscar®-nominated Joanna Quinn, the animation team behind groundbreaking feature Flee, and Elizabeth Ito, creator of Netflix’s City of Ghosts. The Heads of Creature Effects from the BBC and…

In a year that saw the first Mazda vehicles roll off the Hofu Plant No.1 production line, Mazda welcomed Victoria Park Mazda to its UK dealer network. Now marking its 40th Anniversary, the Welsh dealership has received a commemorative plaque to celebrate the significant milestone. Established as a Mazda dealership since 1982, Victoria Park Mazda is one of Mazda’s longest-serving dealerships across the UK and has built a reputation for delivering first-class customer service in Cardiff. Currently located on Hadfield Road, Cardiff, the family-run business was named as the UK’s top Mazda dealership as ‘Dealer of the Year’ in 1989…

Swansea Building Society posted its best-ever set of results in 2021 as it helped to enable more individuals and families to realise their goals than ever before. Its total assets, mortgage balances, savings, capital and profits all reached record highs last year. This was partly achieved on the back of keeping its branch offices open for face-to-face and telephone/e-mail contact, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing it to welcome many new savers and mortgage customers. For the 12 months to December 31, 2021, the Society’s total assets increased by £49.1 million to £463.5 million, a 12% increase on…

BikePark Wales has announced its first ever Easter beginners weekend which will run from Saturday 16th – Sunday 17th April in response to the ever-growing popularity of mountain biking in the UK. As part of the weekend offering, visitors to the park can hire all their equipment including their bike and protective gear, access top-quality coaching and guiding, and enjoy the après-scene at the on-site café. There will also be a fleet of dedicated uplift buses to get riders up and down the trails throughout the day. There really is something for everybody and beginners can choose from three packages: ‘Pedal…

Gavin Taylor has joined ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre in a new role to help food and drink businesses to become more productive and sustainable by minimising their process waste. Based at Cardiff Metropolitan University, ZERO2FIVE offers eligible companies help with waste reduction, process efficiency, new product development and compliance with food standards through the Welsh Government and EU-backed Project HELIX.Gavin has nearly 30 year’s experience in the industry, working across production operations for large food businesses in Wales including the English Provender Company, Billingtons Foodservice and BAR Food Ltd. In his new role, Gavin will lead process waste management services…

Cardiff’s iconic Norwegian Church is preparing to reopen as a café, arts centre and music venue next month. The move follows Cardiff Council’s decision to transfer the activities of the Norwegian Church Charitable Trust to a new charity led by the Welsh Norwegian Society. This is part of the authority’s aim of securing the long-term future of the city’s heritage assets. The distinctive white building, close to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay and the site of author Roald Dahl’s baptism, was closed at the start of the pandemic in 2020, but is set to re-open in early April under the…

A special ground-breaking ceremony marks the start of construction on a new primary school to be located at the St Edeyrns development. The new £6million primary school will be the first provided as part of Cardiff’s Local Development Plan (LDP) and will become the brand-new home for St Mellons Church in Wales Primary School, which will relocate from its current site in Llanrumney. The ground was cutat the site by Leader of Cardiff Council, Cllr Huw Thomas, Cardiff Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Sarah Merry, St Mellons CIW Primary School Headteacher Jane Marchesi and Chair of Governors…

A new campaign is asking beauticians, hairdressers and barbers to help raise awareness about domestic abuse. People in the hair and beauty industry often have good relationships and intimate conversations with their clients and can be well placed to point them in the direction of support should they need it. Neath Port Talbot and Swansea Council are working with Welsh Woman’s Aid on the new ‘Heads Up’ campaign. As well as providing information and promotional material to businesses in the region, two free training sessions aimed at those in the industry are also being held on March 22 and 30.…