Author: Rhys Gregory

House prices in Wales rose to a new average peak price of £215,810 in Q2 2021 (April-June), with the strongest rate of growth reported over the past year. The figures have been released from Principality Building Society’s Wales House Price Index for Q2 2021, which demonstrates the rise and fall in house prices in each of the 22 local authorities in Wales. Despite annual house price inflation of 12.5%, there is some sign that the strong pace of increases seen around the turn of the year has begun to abate, with the quarterly rate of increase now down to 1.4%.…

Two organisations in Ceredigion, Penparcau Community Forum Ltd and Woody’s Lodge, have achieved the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme (ERS) Silver Award for 2021. Awarded by the Reserve Forces’ and Cadets’ Association for Wales (RFCA), the awards recognises employers who have actively demonstrated their support for the Armed Forces community through implementing practical policies in the workplace. Following the announcement of the awards, Ceredigion County Council’s Chairman and Ceredigion’s Armed Forces Champion, Councillor Paul Hinge said: “As Armed Forces Champion I’m delighted that two high profile charities that operate in Ceredigion have been recognised for their contribution in the Employers Recognition…

South Wales Police is continuing to investigate the death of a two year-old boy in Broadlands, Bridgend. He has been named as Reid Steele. He was admitted to the University Hospital of Wales on Wednesday evening from an address on the Broadlands Estate in Bridgend, but he died in hospital the following day (Thursday, Aug 12). His family have paid the following tribute to him: ‘He was a super, super-happy, gorgeous, wonderful and intelligent little boy who lit up everyone’s lives. He loved the garden and the beach, picking raspberries and going for walks collecting shells. He was a very…

Welsh apparel brand Antur Supply Co. launch a Kickstarter crowd fund-raising campaign to manufacture their groundbreaking performance denim jeans. Designed in Wales, the reimagined classic denim jeans were developed as a reaction to poor quality fast-fashion jeans. 30% stronger than traditional jeans, with four times more stretch the Antur jeans are made with a custom blend of Cotton, Coolmax and Lycra for improved comfort and durability. Before founding Antur Supply Co in 2018, 29-year-old entrepreneur, Osian Gwynedd travelled around Asia and lived in Canada. Wherever in the world he was, he found himself frustrated with the constant wear and tears in his usual jeans.…

A record amount of investment is being made in essential maintenance and building upgrades in schools in Swansea this year. Money is being spent on roofs, heating and electrical systems, playground resurfacing, wall and door replacements and structural repairs. The funding from Swansea Council and the Welsh Government will improve learning environments for thousands of pupils. Schools are the main beneficiaries of a £9m pot of cash to maintain public buildings set aside in this year’s budget. It comes on top of the £150m 21st Century Schools and Colleges programme – itself the biggest-ever investment in new schools and upgrades in…

Councils in Gwent are alerting residents who receive community health and social care to expect possible changes in their support because of high demand on services and staff shortages. A combination of the move to COVID-19 Alert Level 0, which has meant additional requests for community care, together with the need for staff to take leave over the summer holidays, has increased pressure on community care services across Wales. Councils in Gwent are prioritising resources within teams and running recruitment campaigns to deal with staff shortages. However, it is possible there will be some changes to the support people receive,…

Libraries and Community Hubs across the city are preparing to welcome customers back through the doors on a pop-in basis, without the need for an appointment. From Monday, August 16, there will no longer be the need to book an appointment to visit libraries and hubs to browse the book shelves, use the public access PCs  or to use study space in the building and customers can drop by at their convenience. Social distancing measures will still be in place inside the buildings and customers will be required to wear a mask, unless they are exempt. The numbers of people…

Tickets have gone on sale for a magical new lights trail set to light up the hearts of a nation this Christmas as Wales gets set to launch its premier festive illumination experience in Cardiff city centre. Christmas at Bute Park will take visitors on a breath-taking tour of festive delight around one of the capital city’s most beloved landmarks and through the biggest Christmas lights trail Wales has ever seen. From late November the park will be taken over by laser shows, an enchanting fairy tree avenue, a mesmerising lily pond, flickering fire sculptures, spectacular mirror ball displays, huge…

Buying a home can be stressful because there are many things that you need to think about. Quality is one important thing and the kitchen is by far the most important room in the home which is why a good quality kitchen is highly valuable. Italian kitchen furniture brands, such as those recommended by kitchen designer Gruppo Cucine, are well known for their quality and as a first-time homeowner, you want something that will last. Something beautiful and still modern. Italian kitchens fit this bill effortlessly and in this article, we will explore 4 very popular Italian kitchen brands that…

South Wales Police’s Major Crime Investigations team have launched a murder investigation following the death of a two-year-old boy at the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff Thursday afternoon. The child was admitted after being found in a critical condition at an address in Broadlands, Bridgend at approximately 8.30pm on Wednesday night. A 31 year-old woman has been arrested on suspicion of murder and remains in police custody. Detective Chief Inspector Matt Davies, said: “I understand this incident will have caused concerns in the local community, but I must stress we are not currently looking for anyone else in connection…