Author: Rhys Gregory

Rhondda Cynon Taf swimmer Calum Jarvis is competing at the Olympic Games in Tokyo, one of 27 Welsh athletes representing Team Great Britain. For 18 of the 27 competitors, Calum included, this will be their very first Olympic Games. The group of elite athletes will be aiming to emulate the achievements of the Welsh contingent in Rio five years ago. They won a record 10 medals – four of them gold. Calum, 29, of Ystrad, Rhondda, will be competing in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay, having become a key figure in British 4x200m relay teams over the past few years. Councillor Jill…

A care worker from Rhondda Cynon Taf is among the 12 extraordinary care workers recognised as Care Stars who shone brightly during the past 15 months in Wales. Conor O’Leary, a residential child care practitioner for Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, has been recognised for going above and beyond during the pandemic. When the children’s home Conor worked at lost half its staff overnight because they had to shield, Conor did not hesitate to move into the home for two weeks. Conor provided invaluable support and care and made a frightening time for the children in his care a…

Here’s all you need to know about the Maerdy Mountain Road summer work – including details about the road closure, bus arrangements, the need for the work and why it is being carried out now. RCT Council has previously given advanced notice of the A4233 road closure, between Monk Street in Aberdare and Station Road in Maerdy. It will close from 8am to 6pm from each Monday to Friday – between Monday, July 26, and Wednesday, September 1. An alternative route for motorists will be clearly signposted, and access will be maintained for emergency services. What work is being carried out this summer? This is part of the ongoing effort to mitigate structural issues on the mountainside, exacerbated by unprecedented weather in Storm Dennis, and…

Following the success of the first fflecsi pilot in Wales which launched in two areas of Newport last year (Rogerstone and St Julian’s), Transport for Wales, in partnership with Newport City Council and Newport Bus are undertaking a huge expansion of the fflecsiservice, meaning that a fleet of 9 small brand new buses will now serve the whole of Newport. This new service will complement and enhance the existing scheduled bus services and will launch this summer. The fflecsi buses will give many more people across Newport access to public transport, operating from 6.00am until 11.00pm (Monday – Saturday) enabling…

Having an older home means you’ve got a space that likely has some character to it. Perhaps you have some interesting architectural details, a traditional home layout and design, and even historical elements in the house. But just because you have an older home doesn’t mean it has to be used as your overall design concept. There are plenty of ways you can use modern décor and design in an older home to freshen it up and make the space feel customised and even luxurious. If you’re looking for décor and design tips or even some inspiration, these ideas are…

Oriented Strand Board or OSB is a great replacement for plywood. OSB is thicker and thus stronger than plywood. You can use it for flooring, roof decking, sheathing in walls or even making furniture. OSB is made by mixing resin with strands of young wood. This makes the board hard. The manufacturers waterproof the board before selling. However, you may still need to waterproof it before making your furniture or other things to provide additional moisture protection and ensure its durability. This is especially important for outdoor applications of OSB. Here we will discuss how to make OSB waterproof. Main…

Too many people associate a healthy lifestyle with an expensive sports suit and a premium subscription to an elite gym nearby. This myth is particularly damaging for students – young people exposed to numerous stresses and overloads and having no extra money for their hobbies and interests. Thus, they postpone doing sports to the better times when they have money to invest.  To help those who want to be healthy and sporty but don’t have time or money for the gym, Writing Essays For Money experts have compiled a handy guide on a free and accessible sport – running. Here…

The successful close of a £1.5 million funding round to power customer trials of Welsh hydrogen cars is now imminent with the Development Bank of Wales having confirmed its support for Llandrindod Wells-based Riversimple. Visited by HRH The Prince of Wales earlier this month, Riversimple has secured a £580,000 investment from Angels Invest Wales with a syndicate of Welsh business angels led by lead investor Andrew Diplock. Match funding of £250,000 is coming from the Wales Angel Co-investment Fund which is managed by the Development Bank of Wales. The crowd funding campaign launched by Seedrs  is now overfunded and it has…

Jollibee has opened its doors to the people of Cardiff, with the global restaurant chain’s first store launch in Wales. A queue of approximately 125 people started forming at 6am on Saturday morning, wrapping around the store on Queen Street, stretching down Charles Street, as Jollibee fans eagerly awaited a taste of Jollibee’s world famous fried chicken. Adam Parkinson, Business Head of Jollibee Europe, officially cut the ribbon in the opening ceremony alongside the Cardiff team and Jollibee’s iconic bee mascot. Adam Parkinson, Business Head of Jollibee Europe, said: “The turnout has been incredible and it’s encouraging to see the…

A thought-provoking new report, published on Wednesday 21st July, has looked at the breadth of wildlife in Gwent, recording the ecological successes and identifying those species most at risk. The Greater Gwent State of Nature report is intended to inform the forthcoming Local Nature Recovery Action Plans and other conservation work. It is hoped that the information within the report will be used to direct further recording and monitoring, as well as future conservation action. The report, funded by the Welsh Government’s Enabling of Natural Resources and Well-being Grant, has covered the five Local Authorities of Greater Gwent; Blaenau Gwent, Caerphilly, Monmouthshire, Newport…