Author: Rhys Gregory

Floris, in Cardiff, Wales, an eco-friendly stationary brand], is among 12 small businesses to be selected as champions of UK start-ups by Start Up Loans, part of the British Business Bank. Start Up Loans Ambassador for Wales, Aoife Doherty set up her business in August 2020 after graduating from the University of Reading with a BA Hons in Graphic Design. She used the funding to help support the manufacturing of her products and design tools. The annual Start Up Loans Ambassadors programme, now in its sixth consecutive year, celebrates exceptional business owners who have followed the ambition of becoming their…

What happens in Vegas goes on tour this Christmas. The rebellious, rambunctious spirit of the 1960s is set to arrive at St David’s Hall on the 16th December 2021, as The Definitive Rat Pack brings the party to Cardiff as they visit the city as part of their festive tour. Capturing the trademark chemistry, class and camaraderie of the original Clan, the trio offers audiences a personal musical time machine and a ticket to a party with old-style Vegas spirit. The last time Wales was visited by Frank Sinatra he looked quite different – green with feathers! Frank SINGnatra, the…

Seven projects that improve health and wellbeing through friendship and activities have shared £25,000 in funding from Swansea Council. The grants have been provided to new and existing groups to support an expansion of Men’s Sheds in the city to help reduce loneliness and isolation. Swansea Community Workshop on High Street will use its grant to purchase a wood burner so visitors can attend its existing Men’s Shed in all months of the year. Volunteers will also install pottery wheels to offer new opportunities to develop skills, a vinyl cutter to generate income by selling planters with customer’s logos on…

Three eye-catching road rainbows will add colour and further vibrancy to Wind Street, Swansea’s emerging new all-day destination. The multi-coloured designs will span a newly-laid road being installed as part of the street’s Swansea Council-driven regeneration. One has already been installed – two more will follow. The 20mph one-way road – which will be accessible only to business traffic (and only then from 7-11am every day) – will also feature three informal pedestrian crossings complete with tactile kerbsides for those with a disability. Elliott King, the council’s LGBTQ+ champion, said: “Swansea is a welcoming and diverse city. Wind Street will…

Staff and pupils at Afon-y-Felin Primary School are celebrating after becoming the first primary school in the region to win the Cymraeg Campus Gold Award. Afon-y-Felin Primary School received the award, which is run by the Language Charter, for their commitment to the Welsh language after pupils took part in a range of initiatives led by Deputy Headteacher Denise Jones. As part of the journey to attaining the Gold Award, the school worked closely with a number of organisations including the Welsh Rugby Union, Bridgend College, Menter Bro Ogwr, Pîl Library and The Urdd. They also collaborated with Ysgol Calon-y-Cymoedd…

A new bicycle shelter/storage solution next to the town centre playpark and near Dolerw Park, Newtown is now officially open for use. The new facility has been funded by Welsh Government and Avanti West Coast through their Community Rail Partnership Fund, with additional support from Open Newtown, The Cambrian Rail Partnership, Newtown and Llanllwchaiarn Town Council and Powys County Council. The hub has been designed and constructed by Turvec Bike Storage Solutions using premium timber and glass panelling. With the addition of a sedum roof and integrated Solar PV array (providing the power for lights and charging points), the facility…

Community schemes in Monmouthshire have received a boost thanks to confirmation of funding from Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), the national body for voluntary organisations in Wales. As a result, Monmouthshire County Council and GAVO are launching a new scheme called Be Community Plus, aimed at groups and small scale organisations wanting to pilot new projects, upscale existing projects and test out new ideas. There will be two rounds of funding available and the deadlines for mentoring and funding applications are Wednesday 15th December 2021 (first round) and Monday 14th February 2022 (second round). The Be Community Plus project…

A community clean-up has been scheduled in Cwmfelinfach following a recent success in Lansbury Park. Taking place on Monday 22nd November, volunteers will work alongside the Community Cleansing Team to clean-up the woodland embankment and verges of Commercial Road, Cwmfelinfach, which are hot spots of littering. Plans come following the recent success in Lansbury Park, which saw members of the public volunteering and 30 bags of litter collected. Cllr. Nigel George Cabinet Member for Waste, Public Protection & Street Scene says “We are a beautiful Borough with award winning green spaces but are often let down by littering. I am…

RCT Council has completed a series of improvement works to the car park near Rhos Square in Mountain Ash, increasing parking capacity for the town centre and improving the general appearance of the area. The scheme got underway earlier this year as part of planned improvements for Rhos Square, known locally as Guto Square, which were included within the wider Mountain Ash Town Centre Regeneration Framework. The works were supported by Welsh Government funding, through its Transforming Towns Post Covid Recovery Grant. In order to transform the area, two buildings (37 and 39 Oxford Street) were initially demolished, along with…

Fly-tip in Rhondda Cynon Taf and you will be caught red handed as these SEVEN individuals have recently found out! In the last month SEVEN individuals have been held accountable in court for their reckless, fly-tipping actions. This has led to a total of over £3660 being issued in fines – that’s an average fine of over £520! This acts as a clear reminder that residents have a duty of care to dispose of their waste appropriately and to ensure that items are disposed of correctly. Failure to do this, could end up costing you a lot more than travelling…