Author: Rhys Gregory

One of Swansea Bay’s flagship hospitals will play a vital role in tackling record-high surgical waiting lists under ambitious new proposals. The pandemic has put NHS services under huge pressure and caused elective (planned) operations to be postponed so available resources could be used for emergency and life-saving surgery. It’s not just the story here in Swansea Bay but across Wales and the rest of the UK. Some people had already waited a considerable time for elective surgery even before the pandemic. With far fewer operations carried out because of Covid-19, for many patients that long wait shows no sign…

Cardiff Metropolitan University’s School of Art and Design has invited pupils from Betty Campbell’s former school, Mount Stuart Primary, to display their artwork as part of a special exhibition to mark the unveiling of the monument dedicated to Wales’ first black Headteacher. Celebrations to mark the unveiling of Wales’ first monument of a named Welsh woman, following a public vote in 2019, are taking place across the city, including a special exhibition on the former education college campus where Betty began her teaching career. Pupils from Mount Stuart Primary, where Betty taught for almost 30 years, have curated a new…

Young people will have a chance to find a new job in retail as part of a scheme run by The Prince’s Trust in partnership with St David’s Dewi Sant. 16 to 30 year olds are being invited to join the ‘Get into Retail’ programme which starts this week, offering free training, support and practical work experience at one of St David’s retailers with the prospect of a job offer on completion. The first week of Get into Retail at St David’s includes a programme induction, employability sessions, sector insight from retail staff and creative team activities to develop essential…

The Poundland Foundation – the discount retailer’s new charity – has announced details of its first grants made to local children’s sports groups. On starting up in May, the charity pledged to invest £825,000 in its first year to support local communities, starting with kids’ activities, from soccer and cricket to cheerleading and lifesaving. Invitations for the first round of grants opened in June and the Poundland Foundation has now handed over payments of up to £750 to the first batch of 150 teams and organisations across the UK, Aberaman Ladies & Girls FC in Merthyr and Abercarn Utd Girls…

On Thursday 7th October, for the first time, Cardiff’s historic arcades are opening after-dark in a new shopping experience, A Night with the Locals. After another challenging year for many retailers, the University of South Wales set a brief for its students to devise a campaign to help boost the profile of the stores in Cardiff’s arcades. The winning concept was coined by University of South Wales Fashion Promotion student, Rebbeca Villis (23), which will see Cardiff’s Morgan Quarter bring ‘A Night the Locals’ to life. The event will celebrate independent and exclusive retailers and showcase the people behind the…

Researchers at Cardiff Metropolitan University are the first to help women return to running following childbirth using recovery methods traditionally used in sport. The team of academic and clinical experts at Cardiff School of Sport and Health Sciences joined forces with Swansea University to provide a unique understanding of how medical practitioners can best support women in returning to running following childbirth. This pioneering research has resulted in the publication of a set of evidence-informed key messages to assist medical practitioners, such as GPs, midwives and physiotherapists, working with postpartum women after childbirth. The research team surveyed 881 postpartum women…

Daring to Dream, a charity that supports the emotional health of patients in Wales, is staging an inclusive festival-at-home experience for those with chronic illness. Lleswyl: The Daring to Dream Festival will be live streamed on November 26 and comes after a successful first year for the new charity. The charity’s aim is to support and promote the emotional health and well-being of adult patients in Wales through tangible means, by providing music and arts programmes, personal care services and patient day room transformations on hospital wards. In Wales, many people living with chronic illness, disability, loneliness and isolation have…

RCT Council could develop several significant 21st Century Schools projects thanks to an additional £85m in funding from Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme – including the potential for a new special school, and improved facilities in Llanharry, Cymer, Glyn-coch, Penrhys, Llantwit Fardre and Talbot Green. On Monday, October 4, Cabinet Members will consider an update on the revised 21st Century Schools Strategic Outline Programme (SOP), which was recently approved in principle by Welsh Government. It outlines that the Council’s allocation has increased significantly from £167m to £252m, making an additional £85m available to transform schools through Band…

A digital innovation is saving Swansea Council thousands of pounds and its suppliers hundreds of valuable hours. The council’s switch from having many business contracts produced digitally rather than printed is also helping Swansea to tackle the climate emergency. In its first year, the council’s use of its new e-signature software saved more than 12,000 sheets of paper in the processing of more than 240 contracts. Suppliers who benefited from the time saved by the switch ranged from contractors building the Bay Field Hospital to suppliers of pot hole repair materials and from suppliers of tyres for council vehicles to…

The Open Spaces Society has appointed Gerald Davies as its local correspondent for part of Ceredigion   Gerald will look out for the society’s interests in his area, championing public paths, and commons, greens and other open spaces.   He was raised on a farm in mid Wales and studied agricultural engineering, and then spent over 35 years in land-based education with responsibility for a large estate.  Now he is retired, but continues to support land-based colleges in the evolution of their safety culture.    Gerald has experience of the issues in which the society is involved and has worked…