Author: Rhys Gregory

World-class cycling returns to Caerphilly County Borough next month as Stage 6 of the Lloyds Tour of Britain Men races from Newport to Cardiff via Caerphilly County Borough on Sunday 7th September. The stage will feature the world’s top professional riders including Geraint Thomas’s final appearance in a road race. There will be several opportunities to support the riders with approximate timings having been released: Start  Newport (Geraint Thomas National Velodrome): 11:45 Pontymister: 12:06 Wattsville: 12:14 Blackwood: 12:26 Crumlin: 12:37 Markham: 13:14 Rhymney: 13:32 Deri: 13:53 Bargoed: 13:59 Nelson: 14:11 Ystrad Mynach: 14:17 Caerphilly: 14:26 Cardiff: 14:45 Finish Times are…

Crews have begun the long-awaited restoration of Pont-Y-Cafnau bridge, a remarkable piece of industrial heritage that has stood as a testament to Welsh ingenuity for over two centuries. These works, commencing Monday 4 August, are scheduled to complete by Autumn 2025. The ambitious project, backed by a £4.5 million joint investment from the Welsh Government through Cadw and Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council, marks the beginning of a new chapter for what’s believed to be the world’s oldest surviving iron railway bridge. Built in 1793 by the pioneering Cyfarthfa Ironworks Company, this isn’t just any bridge – it’s a marvel…

A group of learners from California have participated in a two-week digital media camp alongside a Welsh youth group in a visit made possible thanks to Taith. Taith is a unique Welsh international exchange programme that provides opportunities for learners, young people and staff to participate in exchanges with international partners. Taith is especially committed to supporting individuals from disadvantaged communities and underrepresented groups to participate in cultural exchanges. The Cardiff Content Creators 2025 summer programme, which was organised by Cardiff Council Youth Service, focused on storytelling, filming, editing, and virtual production techniques. Nine learners from Carlsbad High School and…

The number of harmful drinkers could be reduced by nearly 5,000 people under plans to raise the minimum unit price of alcohol in Wales. The Welsh Government is consulting on both maintaining the Minimum Unit Pricing (MUP) for alcohol in Wales beyond March 2026 and raising the unit price from 50p to 65p. The policy, which came into force in Wales in March 2020, aims to tackle alcohol-related harm by reducing alcohol consumption in hazardous and harmful drinkers. Minimum Unit Pricing is targeted at high-strength drinks sold at very low prices and drunk in large volumes. Modelling data suggests raising…

Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies, currently the Chief Executive of Mudiad Meithrin, has been appointed as the Chief Executive of the new professional learning and leadership body for the education sector. The professional learning and leadership body will come into being from 1st September 2025, will lead the delivery of professional learning to support practitioners, including teaching assistants, teachers, senior leaders, headteachers and school improvement advisors in maintained schools and Pupil Referral Units in Wales along their career pathways. Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle said: “I am pleased to welcome Dr Gwenllian Lansdown Davies as the new Chief Executive of…

A trio of major Welsh food and drink companies have benefited from root cause analysis training thanks to the support of the Welsh Government’s HELIX Programme, previously named Project HELIX. With funding from the Welsh Government, ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre at Cardiff Metropolitan University has delivered bespoke onsite training to Brecon based Beacon Foods, Merthyr Tydfil’s Kepak, and Llantrisant’s the Welsh Pantry. Root cause analysis is a problem-solving tool that enables food manufacturers to investigate the underlying causes of potential food safety management issues and put in place permanent solutions that prevent problems from reoccurring. Food safety management experts from…

A new course for health and social care staff will help meet the needs of Welsh-speaking patients and develop the Welsh language skills of the workforce. Health Secretary Jeremy Miles will officially launch Cwrs Croeso at the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham this week. The course has been developed by the National Centre for Learning Welsh specifically for health and social care staff. It will introduce essential keywords and phrases staff can use in their everyday conversations with Welsh-speaking patients and service users. This includes expressions of comfort, offering refreshments, or pronouncing Welsh names – all of which can significantly enhance…

Red Dragon Darts, a global leader in darts engineering and one of Wales’ most iconic sporting exports, is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a landmark campaign combining heritage, innovation and elite-level performance. The campaign begins on 7 August with the release of the “50 Year Classics” – a limited-edition revival of the brand’s most celebrated darts from the past five decades. Founded in 1975 by two former Ford engineers in a South Wales garage, Red Dragon revolutionised the sport by becoming the first company to mass produce precision tungsten darts in 1978 – making professional-quality darts accessible to all. Today,…

The much-anticipated Pick Your Own Strawberries season is now open at Porth Farm, Caersws, which is part of the growing movement #BackBritishFarming. The owners are inviting families, friends and fruit lovers of all ages to visit and enjoy one of the “sweetest experiences of the year”. Also available to pick are sunflowers, meadow flowers and summer vegetables, including new potatoes. Blackcurrants and raspberries have all been picked but Porth Farm’s pumpkin patch will be ready this autumn. Set in the picturesque Upper Severn Valley countryside, the farm offers a day out filled with fresh air, local produce, a small adventure playground, cabin…

FOUR leading educational institutions have united to form the North Wales Tertiary Alliance (NWTA) – a landmark partnership to strengthen education and skills development, fuel economic growth, and improve life opportunities across the region. Launched today (Tuesday) at the National Eisteddfod in Wrexham, the Alliance includes Bangor University, Wrexham University, Coleg Cambria, and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai. Together, they aim to build a more coherent, inclusive, and connected tertiary education system that better serves learners, communities, and industries at every level. The NWTA is founded on a shared mission to align further and higher education with regional and national priorities, supporting…