Author: Rhys Gregory

A Newport-based family lawyer is expecting a surge in enquiries this week from couples who have been waiting to split until the new ‘no-fault’ divorce law comes into effect on Wednesday. Senior associate in Harding Evans’ Family Law department, Leah Thomas, said 6 April will be a historic day for couples wanting to separate. After years of campaigning for the divorce process in England and Wales to be changed, a major reform is coming into effect to remove the concept of fault and the need to blame one of the parties. Described by the Law Society as “bringing UK divorce…

THOUSANDS of visitors are set to take Swansea’s Oystermouth Castle by storm as it throws open its gates for the 2022 season. Swansea Council and the Friends of Oystermouth Castle run the historical attraction, which overlooks Mumbles and Swansea Bay. It will be open to the public from 11am-5pm Monday to Sunday from April 2 to September 30 and every weekend in October. Visitors will be able to head back in time to taste a little bit of medieval life on opening day, Saturday, April 2, with Swansea-based re-enactors Gwerin y Gŵyr at the immersive, interactive experience Medieval Living History…

Thousands of children and young people across Cardiff have taken advantage of eight weeks of leisure, sports and cultural events held in the city as part of the Winter of Wellbeing festival. The festival, following on from last year’s Summer of Smiles, featured scores of free activities designed to give young people up to the age of 25 and their families a range of experiences, including stand-up paddleboard lessons, a barista course, indoor rock climbing, a silent disco, gaming, arts and crafts and theatre shows. Jointly funded by the Welsh Government and Cardiff Council, the Winter of Wellbeing began in…

A number of freshly planted trees at playing fields in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen have been snapped in what has been described as “a mindless act of vandalism”. The trees had recently been planted at Parc y Werin in Gwaun-Cae-Gurwen where Neath Port Talbot Council has recently secured All Wales Play Opportunity Grant Funding of around £40,000. The money was invested in a Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) facility. The trees were planted to complement the facility and were designed to enhance the area for many years to come. A Neath Port Talbot Council spokesman said: “This facility is designed to benefit people…

Illegally dumping three black bags of waste has cost a Newport resident more than £1,000. Carlie Hastie Davies, aged 37, of Broadmead Park, pleaded guilty to the offence at Newport Magistrates Court. In September last year, Newport City Council officers responded to a report of illegally deposited waste around a tree on Broadmead Park. Correspondence was found in three bags relating to Davies who had received a warning for doing the same thing six months earlier. In March, the magistrates fined her £400 and ordered her to pay costs of £606.28 plus a victims’ surcharge of £40.

On the last day of the official tree planting season, which runs from October to March, Her Majesty The Queen has sent a message to thank people all over the United Kingdom who have come together to plant over a million Jubilee trees in her name. With a focus on planting sustainably, Her Majesty’s message marks the halfway point for The Queen’s Green Canopy initiative which spans two official tree planting seasons. Tree planting will commence again in October 2022, through until the end of the Jubilee year.Her Majesty and The Prince of Wales, Patron of the QGC, marked the…

Those were the words of Deputy Climate Change Minister, Lee Waters as he unveiled plans to bring forward legislation to change the way bus services are delivered across Wales. The Deputy Minister said designing a system that is ‘easy to use, easy to access and well connected’ would be his top priority to offer people a ‘real sustainable transport alternative’ to the private car. The Bus White Paper, published today, is a key step towards a new model for running buses in Wales and a chance for us look at what Wales needs from its public transport services. The Welsh…

More than £13million will support Trade Unions deliver skills solutions and learning support to workers over the next three years, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething announced today. The Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF) programme and the Wales TUC Trade Union Education programme support Trade Unions in Wales to develop the essential skills and employability of the workforce, with a particular emphasis on removing barriers for traditional non-learners. The new phase of the Wales Union Learning Fund (WULF) programme will see 18 unions receive funding to provide a range of activities to upskill individuals in the workplace and progress their career aspirations.…

A support service helping people in Wales living with the long-term effects of COVID-19 will benefit from a further £5m of Welsh Government funding. The extra funding follows the first six-month review of the Adferiad (Recovery) programme, which found it was treating and managing the needs of people who had sought help for their debilitating symptoms. The model of community-led rehabilitation services has been welcomed by people who have used the services and by clinicians as an effective way to support people. Rehabilitation services, which have developed using this model, include the Wellness with Welsh National Opera long-COVID programme, which…

Age Connects Cardiff & the Vale has received £15,000 funding from the Postcode Community Trust. Funded entirely by players of People’s Postcode Lottery, the grant will support part of the salary costs for a Grants Officer. Jeff Hawkins (CEO) said: “We are delighted to have received this grant as there are very few trusts or grant-making bodies that will support specific infrastructure costs. “We were very fortunate during the pandemic to have received several small grants to enable us to maintain our services at a critical time when demand was so high but as we move into the post-pandemic period,…