Author: Rhys Gregory

Entries to the British Heart Foundation (BHF) Heart Hero Awards 2022 are now open and the charity is asking people across Wales to nominate their local Heart Hero. BHF Cymru is encouraging people to recognise those who make a difference to people living with a heart condition. There are several Heart Hero categories, from a healthcare professional working to support heart patients in their community, to innovative fundraisers who found new and creative ways of raising money for the BHF, groups or individuals making an outstanding contribution to the heart community. The charity wants your nominations and for you to…

Twenty-two charities and community groups providing crisis support to people facing food poverty have received funding from Swansea Council. The demand for foodbanks and other support has increased in recent months and so an additional £42,000 was made available to the council from the Welsh Government. Among the organisations to successfully apply for funding were Birchgrove Foodbank, Congolese Development Project, Matthew’s House, Pontarddulais Partnership, SAM Recovery,  St Thomas’ Church, The Centre for African Entrepreneurship and The Wallich. All money allocated was for items to help tackle food poverty and included the purchase of food, storage, packaging, transport costs and FareShare…

Work to prepare for the development of a new transport interchange in Welshpool has begun. The Welsh Government funded scheme will see a new transport interchange incorporating a bus station, car parking, a taxi rank and large covered bike shelter, built in Welshpool. Ideally situated in the current Church Street carpark, this new development is close to the town centre, with easy access to the shops, the tourist information centre, toilets, and train station. “The location and layout of this exciting new transport interchange has been developed through close consultation with the towns key stakeholders.” explains Cllr Heulwen Hulme, Cabinet…

Children and young people to be at the heart of decision making, as Welsh Government sets out how it will make Wales a wonderful place to grow up, live and work. To mark St David’s Day, the Deputy Minister for Social Services, Julie Morgan has published ‘The Children and Young People’s Plan’. The plan outlines seven cross government priorities, for the next four years, to help achieve this ambition and deliver Welsh Government’s commitment to support children and young people. Developed alongside children and young people, following a consultation exercise with 173 children and young people and partner organisations across…

To mark St David’s Day, Education and Welsh Language Minister Jeremy Miles has announced 11 new capital projects to support the growth of the Welsh language. The naming of the projects follows a bidding process which will now see them proceed to the next stage of the business case process and apply for funding from the Welsh-medium Capital Grant, totalling over £30 million, following the announcement of the funding last year. The funding is aimed at increasing capacity in Welsh-medium schools, establishing new Welsh-medium provision and supporting early language immersion as well as helping learners of all ages improve their…

The First Minister’s message to the people of Wales on St David’s Day Happy St David’s Day – Dydd Gwyl Ddewi hapus i chi. As we celebrate our national day, we’re also welcoming in the spring. It’s a time when nature’s colour starts to reappear after the long winter months. A time to look forward with hope for the future. This is especially true this year, as we hope to leave the worst of the pandemic behind us. It’s been a difficult two years during which we’ve all made sacrifices to keep each other safe. I want to thank everyone…

A Fochriw resident has been fined for fly tipping on mountain land off Bogey Road after County Borough Council Environmental Health Officers identified the culprit. The woman paid a £400 fixed penalty notice (FPN) for dumping cardboard packaging and bags of assorted household waste. Council Environmental Enforcement Officer Rob Thomas said: “We’re determined to deter the minority of irresponsible individuals whose actions blight Merthyr Tydfil’s roads and countryside. We will not hesitate in issuing penalty notices or initiating prosecutions where offenders are identified.” Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Public Protection Cllr Geraint Thomas said: “In a recent reorganisation of Council…

Caerphilly County Borough Council have joined forces with a number of local businesses to bring the best shopping experience to your doorstep. Funded through the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns programme, the Campaign will run throughout 2022 with the aim to encourage residents to #ChooseLocal and explore each of our key town centres (Bargoed, Blackwood, Caerphilly, Risca, Newbridge, Ystrad Mynach) and surrounding areas to fulfil all your general shopping needs. If you Choose Local this year, you will discover the fantastic selection of unique independent retailers and big names that adorn our local high streets and surrounding areas. If you fancy…

An expected 700 children from Haverfordwest and beyond will take to the streets of the county town today, March 1st for a parade to celebrate St David’s Day. The parade, organised by Pembrokeshire County Council and the Pembrokeshire Language Forum, will start at 10am from the carpark behind the former county library building on Dew Street. Led by the fantastic Samba Doc they will head down High Street, through Bridge Street and across the Old Bridge, back through Quay Street, then finishing at County Hall for an open-air jamboree led by Sian Elin Williams. There is also a special shop window competition…

Blaenau Gwent Council’s Community Services Scrutiny committee has welcomed a Fly Tipping Enforcement Activity 2021/22 report and will continue to support the waste regulation work and development of the Frontline Enforcement Service. A new Frontline Enforcement Team has been in operation since September 2021. This has resulted in a more co-ordinated and integrated approach in dealing with illegal accumulations of waste in town centres and rural / semi-rural settings. There are a number of legal sanctions available to the Frontline Enforcement Team which are contained within the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Since April 2021 until February 2022 the following waste…