Author: Rhys Gregory

Employers working in the property and construction sector had a unique opportunity to meet some of the most talented built environment undergraduates in the region, and hear from Sophie Howe, the future generations commissioner for Wales, at the Women in Property South Wales Student Awards held recently in Cardiff.  Seven students took part in the regional Awards this year, representing disciplines including engineering, architecture, surveying and planning. Georgia Thomson, Chair of Women in Property South Wales branch, said: “With the industry suffering a skills shortage and with increasing demand for sustainable new housing, commercial development and infrastructure, there is stiff…

A 26-year-old man has been sent to prison today for eight years after pleading guilty to causing death by dangerous driving. Steven Rowe, from Swansea Road, Merthyr Tydfil was sentenced at Newport Crown Court today (Wednesday July 6). He was convicted of causing the death of Robbie Lee Selway, 21, and three counts of causing serious injury by dangerous driving. Rowe must also serve an extended three year probation period and was given a 13 years and four months driving disqualification. On Thursday May 13, last year Rowe was driving a stolen Ford Fiesta on the A465 Heads of Valleys…

The National Cycle Museum charity in Llandrindod Wells is holding its fundraising annual Grand Mid Wales Cycle Jumble on Saturday, July 16 at Cefnllys School. Stalls open at 8.30am with £4 for admission before 9.30am and £1 afterwards. Inside tables, which must by booked in advance, cost £10 and outside tables cost £7. To book a table or to donate unwanted cycle parts in good condition to the museum charity, contact Steve Griffith at [email protected] . The museum, which is open on Monday and Tuesday from 10am to 4pm and on Saturday from 10am to 2pm, is appealing for extra…

For the first time in the long history of the UK’s greatest adventure sailing race, two school teams are entered and will start with the race fleet from Barmouth on July 9th. Teams of staff and pupils from Sedbergh and Shrewsbury Schools are entered into the Challenge Class, which was introduced to encourage wider participation in the demanding race. The class allows more teams of sailors and runners to experience the unique course, which challenges sailors to race non- stop through the tidal gates and stunning scenery of West coast from the mid-Wales resort town of Barmouth to Fort William…

A team of rocket enthusiasts from USW travelled to Scotland last month to take part in the Mach-22 Launch Competition and Conference. The six undergraduates competed against teams from across the UK in the event, which was designed to give university students an opportunity to develop practical, hands-on aerodynamics, mechanical, electronics and communication skills, with industrial technical support provided remotely to the teams. The event was held at Machrihanish Airbase, in Argyll, and saw USW’s Team Enillydd, which was made up of members of the University’s Rocketry Society, up against teams from University of Edinburgh, Imperial College London, Open University,…

AN INSPIRATIONAL young woman refused to let multiple disabilities stop her from caring for both humans and animals in two important new placements. Despite being both partially blind and deaf since birth, dyslexic and suffering with Labyrinthitis and chronic migraines throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, Jess Watson continues to put others ahead of herself. The 26 year-old travels weekly by bus with assistance dog Jingle to Ysbyty Glan Clwyd in Bodelwyddan, where she spends time with patients on the stroke ward, playing games, listening and talking to them in her role as a support worker. Jess, who grew up in Stoke,…

An impressive 130 Welsh competitors have been announced as finalists for the WorldSkills UK National Finals taking place this November. The announcement follows a series of regional competitions that took place across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, hosting a string of talented young people. Wales has maintained its top spot of having the highest number of competitors of all UK regions since 2015. This year, over 1 in 4 of the finalists are Welsh and with two categories still yet to be announced, it’s incredibly likely this number will increase. WorldSkills supports young people across the world to take…

A new show giving an entertaining exploration into Obsessive Compulsive Disorder will be premiered by award-winning theatre company StammerMouth at Chapter Arts Centre in Cardiff this month. CHOO CHOO!’ (Or… Have You Ever Thought About Pushing Someone Off Of a Train Platform? (‘Cos I Have.)’ – showing from 20 -23 July – takes the audience on a journey into the workings of OCD and a mind that isn’t always very nice to its owner. The production combines the talents of writer Nye Russell Thompson (StammerMouth) and director Nerida Bradley (Revolt. She Said. Revolt again) and is a disability led performance…

Dogs Trust is offering free workshops in South Wales this Summer to help families understand dogs and learn how to live happily and safely alongside them. The charity, which find new homes for thousands of dogs every year, is offering the ‘How to stay safe this Summer’ workshops to families with children aged seven and over. The workshops will be held at Dogs Trust Bridgend and Canolfan Y Bont, Pontarddulais and must be booked in advance as places are limited. Dogs Trust Education Officer, Claire Kendrick, says: “As we spend more time with our four-legged friends during the holiday periods, Summer is…

Aberystwyth is the best university in Wales for student satisfaction according to the latest National Student Survey (NSS) which is published today, Wednesday 6 July 2022. Based on the universities featured in the latest edition of The Times / Sunday Times Good University Guide, Aberystwyth has also climbed to second in the UK for overall student satisfaction. The result means that Aberystwyth has come top in Wales and featured as one of the top ten universities in the UK for student satisfaction in each of the last seven editions of the NSS. The University also continues to outperform the UK…