Author: Rhys Gregory

For many families with young children, Christmas is the most magical time of the year. But for some, the prospect of mixing a curious toddler with a delicately decorated Christmas tree is a recipe for a festive disaster. This year Habitat is coming to the rescue of parents around the country with a half-height parasol tree, that keeps precious baubles away from prying hands! The six foot half parasol tree is proving a hit with families with young kids, curious toddlers and feisty felines that might be intent on Christmas tree destruction. The faux stems are handily positioned to stay out…

MOLD continues to go from strength to strength and buck national retail trends. The town centre has seen more than 50 businesses open or expand in the last two years. And as the area readies itself for the Christmas shopping season, town councillors are proudly reflecting on a vacancy rate of just 5.8% – far below the 14.5% British average. Mayor Cllr Sarah Taylor pointed to initiatives including the relaunched Totally Mold voucher scheme – 88 traders have signed up so far – and upcoming events such as NovemberFest and the popular Frost Fair as drivers in boosting footfall and…

A syndicate of 24 business angels has completed a £500,000 investment in Concentric Health, a Cardiff-based health technology start-up transforming how decisions are made about our health with a new market-leading digital consent to treatment application. Led by lead technology investor Ed Parkinson, the syndicate has invested £345,000, along with £72,500 match-funding from the Development Bank of Wales’ Wales Angel Co-investment Fund and £82,500 from other private investors. The equity investment will accelerate the delivery of recent six-figure contracts and help fund the recruitment of three new roles. Founded by clinicians Dafydd Loughran and Edward St John, and Chief Technology…

A teacher at Coychurch Primary School has taken part in the Office for Climate Education’s first ever “Teachers COP” event, presenting to a global audience on the eco-work of the school. Melanie Treadwell was one of only three UK-based teachers chosen to make a presentation on leading the way in Climate Education at the event, and the only primary school teacher to do so. The event in Glasgow, which preceded the COP26 climate change conference, involved teachers from around the world and provided an opportunity to vote on adopting a statement with concrete propositions to improve climate change education. Built…

Homegrown Love Island winner Liam Reardon is very much looking forward to being part of this year’s Merthyr Tydfil ‘virtual’ Christmas lights switch-on radio broadcast. Our popular local resident said he wished he could carry out a real switch-on on Saturday 13 November, but understood the need to prevent crowds gathering in the town centre. The County Borough Council and partners Big Heart of Merthyr Tydfil Business Improvement District and St Tydfil Shopping Centre have decided not to have a live event again this year due to Covid-19 infections still being at a high rate across the UK. As in…

RCT Council has announced plans for a further 3G facility to be constructed in the northern Rhondda Fawr area, sited at the Baglan Field in Penyrenglyn, Treherbert. Once completed, it will mean that Rhondda Cynon Taf will be home to 14 3G facilities spread across the County Borough, and crucially means that the ambition to ensure that residents have access to such a facility within a 3-mile radius of wherever they live will be achieved. The facility will be situated adjacent to Penyrenglyn Primary School and will provide a full-size 3G football pitch, as well as three 5-a-side pitches.  The…

Persimmon Homes has resubmitted plans for a new primary school to serve the future Llanilid housing development, working with the Council towards its delivery – and residents can now view and comment upon the proposals. The housing developer has previously received outline planning permission for 1,850 homes at the former Llanilid Opencast Site, and this is considered to be the first phase of what is likely to be a larger development at this location – with the potential for at least 3,000 further homes to be built. In order to serve this expanding community, new local education provision is being…

Wales will be taking on Fiji on Sunday November 14that Principality Stadium. With the kick-off taking place at 3.15pm – there will be a full city centre road closure from 11.15am until 6.15pm to ensure all ticket holders are able to get into the stadium safely. Those attending the rugby match are strongly advised to leave large bags at home and pay attention to the prohibited items listed at principalitystadium.wales before they travel into the city. Road closures From 7am, Scott Road and Park Street will be closed because of the need to prepare Gate 5 and protect queuing fans. The following…

“Defibrillators can only save lives if people know where they are”. That’s the message from a Cardiff father of two, who suffered a cardiac arrest while playing football with his son at Eastern Leisure Centre, despite considering himself fit and healthy at the time. The British Heart Foundation’s new campaign urges people in Wales to register defibrillators on a new national database, called The Circuit – the National Defibrillator Network, which could help save thousands of lives from cardiac arrests in the coming years. Andrew Barnett’s story has been chosen as part of the campaign to highlight the issue. In…

The Minister responsible for veteran’s support in Wales has thanked past and present Armed Forces personnel for their bravery, as the nation remembers the sacrifices of all personnel since World War One. Speaking in the Senedd earlier this week, Deputy Minister for Social Partnership, Hannah Blythyn, said: “November serves as a poignant opportunity for us all to remember, reflect and recognise all who fought in previous conflicts from across the UK and Commonwealth Countries, and the tremendous bravery and sacrifices they made to preserve our way of life. “Whether at home or abroad, for those who have served and those…