Author: Rhys Gregory

New trees are now being planted at Swansea city centre’s first new park since Victorian times. When complete, the 1.1-acre coastal park at the city’s emerging new £135m Copr Bay phase one district will feature a selection of new trees, including cherries and pines. They’re among over 70 new trees being introduced as part of the district. New trees will also feature on the ramp leading to the new bridge over Oystermouth Road, along with six new elm trees on the central reserve close to Oystermouth Road’s junction with West Way. Water features and bug hotels will also be included…

Proposals worth £750m to further transform Swansea city centre and develop new homes and attractions along the coast and riverfront have taken a major step forward. Swansea Council has now appointed award-winning regeneration company Urban Splash as its preferred development partner for a number of key sites, including the Civic Centre, Swansea Central North and a plot of land running alongside the River Tawe in the St Thomas area of the city. Early ideas for each site have been proposed, which will now be worked up in more detail before plenty of opportunities for local people to give their feedback…

Two Cardiff men who illegally dumped waste in Newport were successfully prosecuted and ordered to pay £1,540 each at the city’s magistrates’ court. Bradley Robert Lynn, aged 23, of Splott, and Connor Anthony Leighton Williams, aged 28, of Trowbridge, both pleaded guilty to an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. CCTV captured Lynn and Williams depositing controlled waste from an unregistered, untaxed commercial vehicle at the access to the former LG site in Coedkernew on two separate occasions. Newport City Council worked with Gwent Police Rural Crime Team and Fly Tipping Action Wales to bring the defendants to court.…

RCT has formally agreed £9m plans to provide Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Llyn-y-Forwyn in Ferndale with a new school building – utilising a new site to deliver improved facilities and expand the local Welsh Medium primary offer. A report to Cabinet on Tuesday, September 21, provided the latest progress update on the proposal. Throughout this year, several important landmarks have been achieved to deliver the new school by 2024 – including a public consultation (March to April) which showed local support for the project, and the publication of a Statutory Notice following Cabinet’s approval in June. The Statutory Notice allowed for…

A new app to support jobseekers and those looking to change careers in Cardiff to access real-time information and advice about the Council’s employability services is now available to download. The Into Work Cardiff mobile app provides information on the wide range of employment support services delivered by the Council’s Into Work Advice Services including job clubs, one to one mentoring projects, Adult Learning courses, training, employment event, help accessing funding and more, all at the user’s fingertips on their smartphone or tablet. Developed for Into Work Advice Services by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), the app is built on TCS’ DigiGOV™…

Coleg Cambria, North Wales Police, Wrexham Council and other stakeholders have joined forces to construct a three-metre ‘Knife Dragon’ using weapons safely handed in at local police stations as part of regional amnesty campaigns. The sculpture is under construction at the college’s Bersham Road site, where students and staff will spend the next year welding and fabricating submitted items – including blades and knuckle dusters – onto a steel frame. Inspired by the 20ft ‘Knife Angel’ designed by artist Alfie Bradley, unveiled in 2017, Assistant Principal for the Institute of Technology and Site Lead at Bersham Road Karl Jackson said:…

COLEG CAMBRIA will get a world-class skills boost after being selected to join an elite training programme. The north east Wales college is one of 12 institutions to become part of the WorldSkills UK Centre of Excellence, in addition to 20 announced last autumn when the three-year pilot project was launched. The Centre of Excellence – partnered and funded by educational charity and awarding body NCFE – will see more than 40,000 young students and apprentices – from all socio-economic groups across the UK – armed with world-class skills. It aims to supercharge the quality and delivery of technical and…

Fashion Design students at the University of South Wales (USW) have worked with Welsh footwear brand Bedroom Athletics to launch the first ever pair of digital slippers. Aiming to help customers better understand the construction and materials used in the design and manufacture of their products, Bedroom Athletics collaborated with the students to create four key styles, using the innovative design platform Clo3d. The students worked with technical specifications and images supplied by the company for the designs, which will be used to further enhance digital techniques in the design and fit of its products. Carys Ward, a final year…

Grŵp Resilience in Pembrokeshire has received a grant of £7,880 from The National Lottery Community Fund in Wales to fund the Greener Healing project. This project will support people with mental health needs to take part in green social activity and evaluate how this affects them. Vicky Moller, Chairman of Grŵp Resilience, which is a network of businesses, communities and organisations committed to working inclusively in the long-term interests of nature and people, explains: “We found that many people with urgent social and mental wellbeing needs are happiest when they feel useful and doing practical things with others. This project will…

Fighting Homelessness, in partnership with Llanrumney Phoenix Boxing Gym, uses boxing to help members of the homeless community improve their mental and physical health. People taking part have already shown improvements in a range of life skills; for example dealing with substance misuse and making applications for housing.   Fighting Homelessness successfully applied for a grant of £4,360 from The National Lottery Community Fund. Cardiff Council Supported Accommodation Officer and programme creator, Rob Green, explained the positive impact the programme is having:   “The difference the programme has made to some of the guys is amazing. We’ve had some brilliant outcomes – some of them have gone on to work experience, some paid work. Another of our residents has been transformed – he…