Author: Rhys Gregory

This summer, children and young people across Bridgend county borough are being encouraged to undertake a new challenge with 21 things to try during the school holidays. Organised by Bridgend’s Young Ambassadors, the 21 things to do in Summer 21 challenge involves all kinds of activities ranging from watching a sunrise or sunset and going on a long walk to dancing in the rain, trying a new recipe and writing a letter to someone to make them feel good. 21 things to do in Summer 21 challenge visit somewhere you think is interesting within your community watch the sunset/sunrise or…

Merthyr Tydfil’s trailblazing new bus interchange is in the running for two national construction awards, only a month after its opening. The bus station has been shortlisted from almost 100 ‘outstanding’ entries – and in two categories – for the 2021 Constructing Excellence In Wales Awards, to be presented at the Senedd, Cardiff Bay on 23 September. Wales’s first fully electric transport hub and the only one that allows for the charging of electric vehicles on site, the interchange could come away with recognition both for ‘Sustainability’ and ‘Best Client’. Along with the project’s green credentials – it also has…

Staff and pupils who will be moving to the new Ysgol Y Graig Primary School, Cefn Coed, at the start of the Autumn Term have been shown around their new ‘home’. Teachers and classes from Key Stage 2 were given a tour by the construction company, Kier and were blown away at the new facilities, with one Year 4 pupil exclaiming “This is amazing – I can’t wait for September!” The new school will replace the existing ageing building with a two-storey state-of-the-art structure on the former Vaynor & Penderyn School site. The school has been built with energy efficiency…

Caerphilly County Borough Council has revealed plans to invest around £495,000 into play facilities for children and young people. It forms part of the Council’s Welsh Housing Quality Standard (WHQS) programme, which has already seen over £260 million invested into the homes of its tenants and communities.  These final environmental improvements are in addition to a wide range already delivered throughout the county borough, including skate parks, outdoor gyms, play areas, car parking and landscaping. Major upgrades and the addition of inclusive items are planned for existing play areas at Holly Road in Ty-Sign, Cwmalsie Crescent in Springfield and Cefn…

Work has begun on an innovative development that will bring new energy efficient council homes to Caerphilly. Caerphilly County Borough Council is developing 6 new 1-bedroom apartments on the site of the former 49 Club in Trecenydd.  The homes are expected to be completed in Spring 2022. Homes will be constructed to Passivhaus standard, consisting of very high levels of insulation, extremely high-performance windows with insulated frames, airtight building fabric and a mechanical heat ventilation system.  As well as helping to lower carbon emissions, these buildings will result in low energy costs for tenants and contribute towards housing need in…

A new plan to help food and drink companies across Wales get their products on the shelves of major retailers is being launched by the Welsh Government today. The Food and Drink Wales Retail Plan has been developed alongside an industry expert group and aims to see the turnover value for the food and drink industry in Wales grow proportionally more than the UK as a whole. It has eight key objectives including creating a stream of new entrepreneurial food and drink businesses and accelerate the growth of companies with a turnover of more than £10m in the retail sector.…

The countdown is on with less than 100 days to go until the return of Wales’s largest international food and drink event, BlasCymru/TasteWales. Organised by Food and Drink Wales, the Welsh Government’s Food Division, Blas Cymru is a national and international trade event and conference, providing an opportunity for buyers and producers to develop new business. One of the producers who will be attending BlasCymru/TasteWales 2021, to see first-hand the work being undertaken at the company will be Terry’s Patisserie. Based in Caerphilly, Terry’s Patisserie is an independent family run business established in 2011 specialising in producing and supplying a…

It’s a fact of life that often, we don’t have the funds available to get the things we really need. Saving is always the best port of call, but some may wish to use loans to cover the cost. Many do, in fact – according to The Money Charity, the average total debt per UK household in April 2021 was £61,509. This is a big figure, and indeed loans should never be used for frivolous spending as the risk of falling into a cycle of debt is very real. However, there are some good reasons why a person might want to use one – sensibly and smartly, and sure they are…

Whether you are just out of school, or already blooming in adulthood, it is never too far down the line to consider what the future may hold. Rather than burying your head in the sand until the time comes, you could instead think about your goals, potential needs, and the little things that you want out of life. In doing so, this can help you to come up with a plan for changing your current lifestyle, that could see life become easier as you age. Savings Putting money aside may sound incredibly dull, but it can benefit you in the…

Are you considering getting your own set of wheels? New car sales shrunk to a 30-year low in 2020, but a gradual easing of restrictions in 2021 has created new opportunities for road trips and other adventures. Driving is by no means cheap as you’ll need to factor in the price of the car itself, plus insurance, road tax and fuel – as well as driving lessons if you’re just getting started. There are ways to make car ownership more affordable though, like getting learner driver insurance instead of a tutor and buying a used car instead of a new one. So what advantages make cars worth the investment? You dictate your own schedule If you’ve relied on buses, trains or even flights…