Author: Rhys Gregory

Two brave primary school children, a community podcast and a retired Olympic athlete are among the winners of this year’s Mayor’s Citizenship Awards 2022. The awards, organised by Bridgend County Borough Council, recognise the outstanding achievements by local residents who have put their community on the map, or regularly go the extra mile to make a difference. The past couple of years have been an incredible time for acts of kindness, bravery and phenomenal achievements. We were inundated with nominations this year and deciding on our winners was no easy task. Bridgend County Borough truly has a wealth of amazing…

Pupils of Ty’n y Wern Primary School have been busy creating a walking trail around their local area as part of their entry to the Welsh heritage Competition. Each year the Welsh Heritage Schools Initiative Committee invites all schools in Wales to enter heritage projects in a nationwide competition. The school’s spring term humanities topic ‘Taith Trwy Trethomas’ saw each class researching the history of certain buildings in and around the locality. Their findings were used to produce the new and exciting walking trail – The TTT – Which will contribute to the school’s 12th entry into the competition. Each…

Local council elections are taking place across Wales on 5 May 2022. Historically voting has always taken place on a Thursday. However, Blaenau Gwent is one of four local authorities piloting ‘advance’ voting which will allow people to vote early on different days. In Blaenau Gwent, you will be able to vote on Tuesday 3 May and on Wednesday 4 May before the election at the Coleg Gwent in Ebbw Vale between 8am and 4pm.  Anyone resident in Blaenau Gwent can go vote here, regardless of where they live and the location of their usual traditional polling station. Andrea Jones,…

Creating opportunities for young people within our community is a key ambition across Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. Working in partnership with EE we have together developed a unique employability pilot scheme called ‘Seren Dyfodol’ working with schools in the County Borough. The scheme sits within the County Borough’s Pathway to Work Programme for young people who have experienced care. This innovative scheme will support and mentor young people with homework, work experience and sport activities of their choice across 2 years. The scheme’s ambition is to support our young people in developing confidence in their abilities and ensuring that…

M-SParc has been chosen as the accountable body for the Offshore Energy Alliance – a supply chain cluster established to take advantage of the opportunities offered by offshore energy in North Wales. The Offshore Energy Alliance pulls together the activities of off-shore wind and other low carbon energy projects along the North Wales coast, all for the benefit of the local supply chain. The Welsh Government is supporting the formalisation of the alliance and has assisted by providing financial support to M-SParc as the accountable body. The North Wales coast is a prime location to take advantage of growing demand…

Actions the Welsh Government will take to champion older people and challenge the way we think about ageing have been published by Julie Morgan, the Deputy Minister for Social Services. Written in partnership with older people and their representatives, the delivery plan sets out the steps Welsh Government will take to achieve the vision set out in Age Friendly Wales: Our Strategy for an Ageing Society. £1.1 million is being made available to local authorities to support their work to become age friendly and ensure older people are involved in the design and planning of local services. Actions in the…

Health Minister Eluned Morgan has confirmed Wales will extend the NHS Wales Bursary scheme to eligible healthcare students studying in the 2023-24 academic year. Student nurses, midwives and allied healthcare professionals who commit to working in Wales for up to two years after qualifying are eligible for the bursary, which provides non-repayable support covering tuition fees and living costs. Today’s announcement provides certainty about the bursary arrangements until 2024 to help students and course providers plan for the future. The Welsh Government intends to consult on the best way of continuing to support people studying healthcare programmes in Wales to…

Are you looking to get back in shape? It is around this time of the year that people find a burst of motivation with the weather improving, people having more energy and people often planning vacations where they will want to look and feel their best. So, what can you be doing to get in shape for the warmer months of the year? The Benefits of Being Fit & Healthy First, you should know the benefits of being fit and healthy. In addition to looking great for the photos going on Instagram while on holiday, you will find that being…

Many British expats fantasize about living the perfect retirement life overseas. However, making that dream a reality will require a well-structured pension and investment plan. Whether you have already made a move out of the UK or are in the process of booking your tickets, knowing how expats transfer pensions abroad is key to having a robust retirement plan. This article will discuss certain things an expat who wishes to transfer their pensions overseas should know. If you are a UK expat, continue reading; you will find out that knowing how to transfer your UK pensions abroad isn’t the only…

Having a lot of essays and assignments to write and little time left might make students feel stressed and nervous. And they have a good reason to feel this way. Their academic progress is at stake and it depends on the submission of these essays and assignments too, not only on the grades from the exams. To submit a compelling written paper, you need time.  Time to choose your topic, time to research, time to take notes, time to outline, and in the end, time to write it. But many students have hectic lifestyles and sometimes, they might not have…