Author: Rhys Gregory

A full road closure will be in place on a section of the B4251 Commercial Street, Pontllanfraith (Next to Bridge Vets) between Saturday 15th  and Tuesday 18th January. The works are to allow the council to undertake Investigatory works to a damaged surface water culvert. Works are subject to weather conditions and other circumstances allowing satisfactory progress. Access to the vets and petrol station will be maintained from the West via the B4251. Access to Tram Road, businesses and residential properties to the East of the works will be maintained from the East via the B4251. Additional 24-hour 2-Way traffic…

School Crossing Patrol Officer Carol Evans has hung up her high-viz jacket and her patrol sign for the final time and has retired after an amazing 35-year career at Pontrhondda Primary School. Mrs Evans, 65, of Llwynypia, Rhondda, has helped generations of children safely across the road to and from school each day, in all kinds of weather, all year around. Married to Anthony for 47 years, she now plans to enjoy her retirement with her family, which includes her two children and three grandchildren. Having worked as both a school lunchtime assistant as well as school crossing patrol, known…

A new, secure indoor bike-parking facility is set to open in Cardiff city centre in early 2022. Cardiff Council has partnered with social enterprise, The Bike Lock Ltd, to bring forward this exciting project using funding from Welsh Government’s Burns Commission Active Travel grant. The much-needed facilities are set to open on Windsor Place in early 2022 and will include: Secure storage for at least 50 bikes; Shower, locker and changing facilities; and, A remote workspace and coffee bar. Plans for the Bike Lock to act as a delivery hub for cargo bike delivery in the city centre are also…

Help us to help you this winter urges Health Minister Eluned Morgan as more funding to relieve pressures and help the NHS and social care this winter is announced. To help the NHS recover from the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, alleviate waiting times and reduce winter pressures, a further £12.5 million has been announced to support people to live independently following a hospital stay and help pharmacies support more people to stay well without needing to see a GP. The funding will help relieve pressures on the social care system and pharmacists still feeling the effects of the pandemic. £10 million…

Lighting is a crucial part of your home’s overall design and aesthetic. Lighting can evoke many different effects depending on the type you choose, such as pendant lights, lamps, lanterns, and chandeliers, but finding out the right lighting for your home can be a difficult and daunting task. If you’re struggling to figure out the best lighting to illuminate and add character to your home, then you might like to create your own lighting designs to best fit each room. So, if you want to get creative, here are some DIY lighting ideas to help you gather some inspiration. Furniture…

The race to boost business is afoot. Given the hit that many entrepreneurs took following the pandemic, many are looking for new ways to increase their revenue without further economic blunders. So here are 6 niche and affordable ways you can meet your goals in 2022. Celebrity endorsements A fundamental part of business growth within any industry is celebrity endorsements and influencer marketing. It’s a relatively low-budget moneymaking opportunity if done right.  LinkedIn found that celebrity endorsements can boost business revenue by 10x more than traditional methods. Why? People buy from people – especially those they idolise and trust. Celebrities…

HMRC’s one-month postponement of the Self Assessment deadline to the end of February is a welcome reprieve given the current staffing absences businesses, their accountants, as well as HMRC itself, are experiencing due to the Omicron variant. Lloyd Powell, head of ACCA Cymru Wales explains: “This New Year is critical for many SMEs and individual taxpayers who are coping with the uncertainty due to Covid-19 restrictions over the festive season, and so this extra month to get organised and file their returns for 20/21 is much needed at such an exceptional and turbulent time. It will also help HMRC’s resilience…

A group of GP practices has launched a new scheme to help the environment by recycling inhalers that are no longer needed. The Upper Valleys Cluster, which is made up of four general practices – Amman Tawe Partnership, Dulais Valley Primary Care Centre, Pontardawe Primary Care Centre and Vale of Neath Practice – is trialling the project until the end of January as a way of cutting down on harmful emissions. Patients registered with any of these practices can hand in their used inhalers at any of the pharmacies based within the cluster. When inhalers are thrown away and end…

An award-winning painter has boosted a research charity after hosting an exhibition in honour of her sister who has dementia. Fine art painter Angela Scott teamed up with leading ceramist Caroline Pearce for the special fundraising event, which raised money for Alzheimer’s Research. Angela’s sister, Jenny Holbrook, has been living at the Pendine Park’s Hillbury Care Home in Wrexham since March after her health deteriorated during the first lockdown. The talented artist wanted to show her gratitude to the staff at the home for their care and dedication and hosted an exhibition in the studio of her home at Sodylt…

THE Welsh Ambulance Service has revealed the most inappropriate calls made to 999 in the past year. Among them was someone who had eaten a mouldy tomato and someone who had got their plaster cast wet. One person with an earring lodged inside their ear asked for a “lift” to the Emergency Department, while another dialled 999 for a papercut. Of the 470,653 incidents recorded by the service in the last 12 months, nearly a quarter were non-essential, including someone with diarrhoea and someone enquiring about their medication. In the face of unprecedented demand, the ambulance service is reminding people…