Author: Rhys Gregory

Newport City Council’s Leader, Councillor Jane Mudd, has announced that the popular Newport Food Festival will return this year on Saturday 8 October. The Covid pandemic put one of the city’s top events on hold for two years following the last successful festival in October 2019. Councillor Mudd said: “I’m delighted that we can start preparing for the 2022 Newport Food Festival after an unavoidable hiatus. “It attracted fantastic producers and suppliers both from the local area and slightly further afield and many thousands of visitors since its inception in 2010. “I know it has been sorely missed and its…

A mystery man, known only as Mr. S from Pembrokeshire, has won £10,000 a month for a year matching the five main numbers in the Set For Life draw on Monday 20 December. The lucky Pembrokeshire resident, who played a personal selection of random numbers via The National Lottery website, has become one of over eight million players that win each week on The National Lottery’s range of games. Interactive winners have the opportunity to release their name, remain anonymous or like this winner, release some details through partial publicity. Camelot’s Andy Carter, Senior Winners’ Advisor at The National Lottery, said,…

A silver-lead mine in Mid Wales which dates back more than 250 years is launching a new visitor attraction in time for the February half term school holiday. The brand-new Kindling’s Treasure Trail at The Silver Mountain Experience, near Ponterwyd, Aberystwyth challenges children to find all the treasure with the chance of winning a treat. Steeped in mining history, The Silver Mountain Experience is open throughout the winter season, offering visitors unique tours that explore the history of the site, both above and below ground. Visitors can take a journey into the history of the mine and get a glimpse…

Watford fans have learned not to get too attached to their managers these days. There are few clubs in England who dispense with the services of coaches as often as the Hornets, as Claudio Ranieri became the latest to be shown the exit door after just four months in charge. Roy Hodgson is the next man tasked with keeping Watford in the Premier League this season, but with the team currently sat 19th in the Premier League at the time of writing, the pressure is on for the 74-year-old to reverse Watford’s position in the football betting odds for relegation.…

More than £4.5m is being invested into a programme investigating hospital-acquired Covid-19 infections in Wales Health Minister Eluned Morgan has pledged that all incidents of Covid-19 caught in hospitals will be investigated and lessons will be learnt to reduce the chances of it happening to anyone else. The funding will go towards supporting a framework used by health boards to report and investigate hospital-acquired infections. Wales is the only nation in the UK to record every incident of a hospital-acquired infection – also known as nosocomial infections – via the ICNET database. The investment over two years will support health…

Health Technology Wales has embarked on a search for technology with the potential to transform Wales’ social sector. It has launched a social care open topic call requesting that technologies and models of care and support that offer benefits to those who use social care are referred to them for assessment. Health Technology Wales, which appraises evidence and produces national guidance to inform the adoption of technologies within Welsh Care Systems, is inviting people accessing social care, social care professionals, researchers, technology developers and members of the public to submit their ideas by February 25th 2022. These ideas could include…

YOUNG people will receive tailored skills and employability support on an exclusive virtual programme with a transformative North Wales charity. Sixteen to 25 year olds in Conwy county who are NEET (not in Education, Employment or Training) have the opportunity to join WeMindTheGap’s WeDiscoverprogramme from February 14. The initiative gives participants a chance to gain new skills and experiences and, with the support of a mentor, build a plan for a bright future. Run in partnership with Conwy Employment Hub – which oversees the successful Communities for Work, Communities for Work Plus, and PaCE initiatives – it is a free…

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has this week (26 January) approved proposals to progress plans to create a centre for vulnerable learners, which will form part of the portfolio provision on the site of the former Pontllanfraith Comprehensive School. Cabinet members considered the results of a community engagement exercise, as part of their decision, where 80% of respondents were in support of the proposals.  A planning application and full business case will now be submitted to Welsh Government. If planning is granted and Welsh Government approve the council’s business case, the facility will support the development of existing provision in…

Thousands of working families in Wales could be missing out on an opportunity to get up to £2,000 a year to help with the cost of childcare, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) is reminding parents, ahead of February half term. Tax-Free Childcare – the 20% childcare top-up – provides eligible working families with up to £500 every three months (or £1,000 if their child is disabled) towards the cost of holiday clubs, before and after-school clubs, childminders and nurseries, and other accredited childcare schemes. More than 11,035 working families used the scheme in September 2021, in Wales. Overall, HMRC paid…

A report which outlines how older people in Cardiff will be supported over the next five years, is to be presented to Cardiff Council’s Cabinet when it meets next week (Thursday 20, 2022). The Ageing Well Strategy sets out a series of proposals with a focus on how the Council’s internal services can work closely to meet the needs of older people, whilst supporting the work of independent and third sector providers and the Regional Partnership Board. The strategy has six key aims: Supporting older people to stay active and connected in an age friendly city Supporting older people to…