Author: Rhys Gregory

More than 9,400 young people in Wales started their Duke of Edinburgh’s Award in 2021/22, newly released figures reveal.  Young people gave an amazing 49,842 hours of volunteering in communities across Wales through their DofE, with an equivalent value of £230,270 – showing their capacity to be a powerful force for good, despite the challenges of recent years.  Across the UK, 321,622 young people started their DofE in 2021/22 – the highest in the charity’s 66-year history.  The record-breaking numbers, published today, show a surge in appetite for extracurricular opportunities like the DofE, as young people continue to navigate challenges…

Amsterdam is the capital of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. Besides being the seat of government, it is mostly renowned for being top of the must-visit tourist destinations in Europe. Amsterdam is a fun place with many interesting activities available to blow visitors’ minds. Amsterdam retains Europe’s medieval history and culture, and it is also a rich site for modern-day infrastructure and architecture. On the website things to do in Amsterdam, the city is described as one of the most authentic cities that draw tourists all year round. Amsterdam has something for everyone who visits, from its historic buildings to…

WALES’ first LGBTQ+ fringe festival will take place throughout June in Cardiff, marking Pride Month with a city-wide programme of theatre, comedy, live music, film, drag, visual art exhibitions, dance and digital arts. Headed up by the team behind The Queer Emporium, the festival is set to host events at over 40 venues across the city, with the Morgan Quarter acting as a central hub for the activity. The Queer Emporium has been located in the historic Morgan Arcade since 2021, and sits amongst some of the city’s best quality local and independent retailers. The Morgan Quarter will be joining…

Cardiff Bus has unveiled its summer service plans which launch Thursday 2nd June. For days out in Cardiff Bay, there will be additional Baycar services which will run every 15 minutes, 7 days a week, from 5th June until 3 September. The increased services will allow passengers easy travel to enjoy all that the Bay has to offer including boat rides, great food and drinks in the variety of cafes and restaurants, Techniquest, the Wales Millennium Centre, The Norwegian Church, Senedd and much more. The service will also allow passengers ease of access to the popular Cardiff International Food and…

A leading civil engineering company has set the highest of health and safety standards for a 14thconsecutive year. Ruthin-based Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK has been awarded a 14th successive gold award from The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA). Jones Bros has also been named among the recipients of the President’s Award, given to companies that earn gold award status for 10 or more years in a row. The RoSPA health and safety awards are one of the most prestigious and recognised schemes in the world with almost 2,000 entries every year from 50 countries and a…

Thirty new jobs have been created at a trailblazing adventure centre in North Wales where staff perks include free accommodation at a plush Hilton hotel. It’s among a raft of extra fringe benefits at Adventure Parc Snowdonia, in Dolgarrog, Conwy, which are designed to help the workforce combat the cost of living crisis. The team can also enjoy free surf sessions and take advantage of a 25 per cent discount on food and other activities. And when they go on holiday themselves they can benefit from discounts of up to 80 per cent when they stay at any other Hilton…

A group of more than 50 housing association tenants had a right royal time to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Smiles were wide and voices were loud as they partied at Trinity Community Centre in Llandudno at the first such social event Cartrefi Conwy had been able to host for its community there since the Covid-19 restrictions eased. As well as the array of home-made food, bunting, fancy hats and decorated tables the party goers enjoyed bingo games, a raffle and music from the Colwyn Bay Ukulele Group. The musicians encouraged everyone to singalong as they played a selection of…

A WELSH Ambulance Service stalwart who changed the face of ambulance education has been recognised in the Queen’s Jubilee Birthday Honours List. Jeff Price, the Trust’s Senior Education and Development Lead before his retirement in August, has been awarded the prestigious Queen’s Ambulance Service Medal. Jeff, from Usk, Monmouthshire, began his ambulance career in 1983 after a brief period with the RAF Police, during which time he served in Northern Ireland. He initially joined as a patient care service operative and later held roles as a paramedic and station supervisor before his journey into training began. Jeff, who himself has…

An award-winning day nursery in Cardiff is passionate about providing opportunities and support for staff, children and parents to use the Welsh language. Whitchurch-based Si-Lwli, which was named Nursery of the Year for Wales in 2018, has 21 staff who care for 105 children between the ages of six months and four years. Such is the demand for places in the nursery that parents have to join a growing waiting list. Apart from promoting the Welsh language, the nursery is equally passionate about developing skilled staff. At least half of the workforce has achieved apprenticeships ranging from levels 2 to…

The Autism Cymru Charity Cup football match was back on a level playing field and raising money for good causes again after a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The annual football match took place in Ebbw Vale for the first time since 2018 to jointly raise £650 for the National Autistic Society and Ukraine Appeal Funds. It is the seventh time that Orbis Education and Care, which runs schools, residential homes and day facilities for individuals with complex needs, has held the event. Each year, Orbis fields two football teams; from its children’s homes and schools, and from…