Author: Rhys Gregory

Hosted by Eddie Butler, the inaugural Older Person’s Awards organised by Age Connects Wales took place via Facebook Live on Wednesday 17th November 2021. Selected by an independent judging panel, worthy winners of the Regional Later Life Hero category were the team of volunteers at the Wellbeing Centre on Holton Road in Barry. Nona Hexter, who manages the Age Connects Wellbeing Centre and was responsible for nominating the team of volunteers for the awards explains “We have a loyal and dedicated group of volunteers who help run the Wellbeing Centre, most of whom are of older age. Following the easing…

A new link made of up three archways is being constructed as part of Swansea’s emerging Copr Bay district. Aimed at generating better connections between the city centre and the waterfront, the link will lead from the Swansea Arena site to the Maritime Quarter. The archways replace a narrow tunnel that was in place there beforehand. It’s among the new features of the £135m Copr Bay phase one district being developed by Swansea Council and advised by development managers RivingtonHark. As well as the Swansea Arena, the district also includes a 1.1-acre coastal park, the new bridge over Oystermouth Road,…

A man who carried out substandard work on a shed in north Pembrokeshire and became unpleasant when challenged has been ordered to pay over £19,000. Benjamin Michael Davies, trading as BMD Agricultural Sheds, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates Court on Monday 22nd November, for a case brought by Pembrokeshire Trading Standards. Davies, aged 31, was charged with and admitted five offences under the Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. Davies pleaded guilty to: one count of engaging in a commercial practice which was a misleading action; one count of engaging in a commercial practice which contravened the requirements of professional…

Following the written statement from the Minister for Education this week (Monday), all secondary school learners and staff will be required to wear face coverings indoors where physical distancing is not possible. Due to the uncertainty of the new Omicron variant and the need to keep learning going, Pembrokeshire County Council has taken the decision to put this Welsh Government Ministerial Decision into effect from today, Wednesday 1st of December. Cllr Guy Woodham, the Cabinet Member for Education and Lifelong Learning said: “Continuing to support learners and staff safety is our top priority. “Given that there is still much to…

Bridgend County Borough residents are being warned not to put highly flammable items with the kerbside recycling or bin bag collections. The warning comes after a small fire broke out in a recycling truck while the crew were on collection duties. The crew were alerted to the blaze by a loud popping sound and were able to remove the burning items from the truck to control the flames until South Wales Fire and Rescue arrived on scene. After clearing the damage, the cause of the fire was found to be a discarded power bank as well as a battery-operated drill…

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas in Caerphilly Town Centre as it prepares for the Winter Food and Craft Market. As the penultimate market in a series of Winter Food and Craft Markets being held throughout the Borough, Caerphilly Town Centre is set to be transformed into a winter wonderland with over 50 food and craft stalls. There will be cakes and brownies from regular attendees Popty Cara and Good and Proper Brownies as well glazed nuts, Indian produce, mulled wine and cider. There will also be a selection of Christmas decorations and gift stalls a plenty, to…

RCT Council has confirmed that FREE festive parking from 10am each day will return to Aberdare and Pontypridd this December, as we encourage residents to Shop Local this Christmas in support of our high street traders. For the eighth successive year, parking charges will be ceased for the whole of December – Wednesday, December 1, to Friday, December 31 (from 10am each day). Throughout the pandemic, businesses have responded to various restrictions to protect the NHS and to keep us all safe, including the closure of non-essential businesses at key times. So it’s even more important that we consider shopping…

Health Minister Eluned Morgan today (1 December) announced new changes to the GP contract to help to improve access to appointments. The changes, which are backed by £12m of extra investment, will end the morning scramble to book an appointment. The revised contract will make it clear the practice of releasing appointments daily at 8am is no longer acceptable. Instead, the new GP access commitment will help ensure people are triaged appropriately and if an appointment is needed, people receive one, which is right for their clinical needs. Where appropriate, people may be signposted to another service – or healthcare…

5G is all over the place. Even if you have no idea what it is, you have probably heard your favorite phone operator bragging about safer and more stable connections, infrastructure, and whatnot. The 5th generation mobile network is supposed to bring more reliable data transfers, with no interruptions, high coverage, low latency, and massive capacity. One thing’s for sure, it is as revolutionary as the internet itself. What many believe is that it will also change the world of gaming. Whether that is true or not, only time will tell. At least that is what Aleksandra Maj claims. This…

Business confidence in Wales rose more than any other nation or region in the UK during November, rising 14 points to 37% , according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. Companies in Wales reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up 17 points at 44%.  When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up nine points to 30%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 37%. The Business Barometer, which questions 1,200 businesses monthly, provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide. A new balance of 37% of businesses in the region expect to increase staff levels over the next year, up 21 points on last month. Overall, UK business…