Author: Rhys Gregory

Earlier this year, Bridgend County Borough put itself on the map as one of the country’s most beautiful areas after scooping nine Green Flag awards. Among the success stories was Tremains Wood, a small ancient woodland area in the centre of a Brackla housing area, which received a Community Award, its maiden Green Flag triumph. The journey to achieving the award started in January with Tremains Wood Rangers Dana Boon and Mark Payn highlighting the site’s best features and the works that are being implemented in an application The woods were then visited by a judge who assessed them against…

Urgent changes to the way in which people receive their Covid-19 booster vaccinations are being introduced as national efforts to fight the spread of the new Omicron variant get underway. The move follows the recent announcement from Welsh Government confirming that all eligible adults in Wales will be offered a Covid-19 vaccination booster shot by the end of the month. To achieve this, Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board now needs to deliver 166,000 boosters across the region by 31 December 2021. For Bridgend County Borough, it means that a number of important changes need to be introduced at the…

Dr Meng Khaw, National Director for Health Protection and Screening Services for Public Health Wales, said: “Public Health Wales is today (Wednesday 15 December) confirming 30 new cases of Omicron variant in Wales, bringing us to a total of 62 cases. “Part of the increase today is linked to a change in case definition agreed across the UK, as cases previously identified as highly probable are now classed as confirmed by genotyping.  However, as we have indicated previously, a rapid increase over the coming days and weeks is expected.” The breakdown of Omicron cases by health board area is as…

A Cardiff council park is set for major improvement works in the New Year. Works to improve Maindy (GelligaerStreet) Park will start on site January 2022with an anticipated opening date ahead of the Easter holiday. The extensive park improvements include: Installation of a new play area, including some new play equipment and relocation and refurbishment of the existing. A separate natural play area New paths New sport games: table tennis & teqball -a ball sport that is played on a curved table, combining elements of football and table tennis. Picnic tables, some with combined board games New seating and re-positioned…

The creation of a revitalised community, providing new homes and enhanced environments for existing residents in the south of the city, has taken a major stride forward today. Eighty-one new sustainable and energy-efficient homes for older people have gained planning consent, part of Phase 1 of the Channel View regeneration masterplan that will breathe new life into this area of Grangetown as well as increasing the supply of much-needed affordable homes in the city. Impressive architecture, innovative, green infrastructure, a strong emphasis on place-making and improving the local environment are key aspects of the first phase of the redevelopment, which…

A housing scheme in Cardiff Council’s ambitious new build programme providing flexible, sustainable, low-carbon accommodation for older residents to help maintain their independence in their own homes for longer has been given the go ahead today. Planning approval has been given for one of the Council’s innovative Community Living schemes in Riverside, on the site of Canton Community Hall, which will also secure good quality community facilities for the local area. The scheme will help boost the city’s supply of good quality council homes, contributing to the Council’s target of 1,000 new homes by 2022 and more than 2,500 in…

All community pharmacies in Wales will be able to offer an extended range of services from April 2022 as part of substantial reforms agreed by the Health Minister. The changes mean patients will have accessible and convenient NHS services closer to home which will in turn free up GP and other NHS services for patients with more complex needs. The Health Minister Eluned Morgan has approved changes following re-negotiation of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework with Community Pharmacy Wales, the representative body for community pharmacies in Wales. The agreement will introduce a national clinical community pharmacy service enabling all pharmacies…

Over 93% of Welsh farm businesses have today received their Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) 2021 full or balance payments, Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced. This exceeds the number made early in the payment window last year and means £227m has been paid into bank accounts of more than 15,000 farmers throughout Wales. This includes the £159m already paid as BPS Advance payments on 15 October. Changes to legislation at the beginning of the year simplified the requirements of BPS for 2021. This resulted in a more straightforward application for farmers and allowed early BPS Advance payments to be…

The Welsh Government has today announced over £24m of additional funding to support learners who have felt the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic the most. The funding includes: £7.5m to support learners in exam years £7m to support learners whose attendance has dropped during the pandemic £9.5m to support FE and Sixth Form learners with transition to the next stage of their education or career. £7.5m will be used to provide extra support for learners in exam years, with additional teaching time and learning resources. It will help learners to develop their skills, knowledge and confidence, as well as supporting…

The landscape of business is constantly changing, with some experiencing lucrative quarters and others suffering from circumstances outside of their control that cause them to crash. In today’s world, with so many different industries serving a variety of consumers and audiences, which are the ones on the rise in terms of revenue? As we enter into a new year filled with opportunity, we thought it only fitting to explore those industries that are in a great position going into 2022. Although there are many more, the ones below are set to change the world even more in the coming years.…