Author: Rhys Gregory

Ten years ago on 23 June 2011 actor and RWCMD Fellow Kate Burton unveiled the bronze bust of her father, the great Welsh actor Richard Burton, opening the Royal Welsh College of Music & Drama’s world-class facilities.    The award-winning new buildings included the acoustically outstanding Dora Stoutzker Concert Hall, the Richard Burton Theatre, the Carne Foyer and The Linbury Gallery.     Today the College launches a year of celebration with ten selected events over the course of the next year, showcasing all that the College has achieved over the decade and signposting its ambition for the next ten years.      ‘The College believes passionately in our sense of artistic community and our world-class new buildings have enabled us to welcome students, artists and audiences…

A group of schoolchildren have opened a new bridge in Gwynedd and become the first people to walk across it, following a year-long road closure. The 16 pupils from Ysgol Felinwnda near Llanfaglan also had the chance to talk to staff from the Balfour Beatty Jones Bros joint venture, which is delivering the £135m Caernarfon and Bontnewydd Bypass project. The bridge forms part of an unnamed road, known locally as Lôn Felinwnda, which adjoins the bypass site. Four year 6 pupils, having also experienced their own share of closures over the past year, had the honour of cutting the ribbon.…

The bid to secure World Heritage status for the slate areas of Gwynedd has reached the final stage before UNESCO decides whether the nomination will secure the designation. Following consideration from the International Council on Monuments and Sites, the UNESCO World Heritage Committee will now make a final decision on the application at their meeting in late July. If accepted, the landscape will earn its place as the fourth UNESCO World Heritage Site in Wales. The application includes the communities of Dyffryn Ogwen; Dinorwig; Dyffryn Nantlle; Cwmystradllyn and Cwm Pennant; Ffestiniog and Porthmadog; Abergynolwyn and Tywyn. The bid – led…

It would appear that Hollywood stars Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElenney aren’t the only investors in Wrexham as Openreach – the UK’s largest network provider – announced it is to build its full fibre network in the town. Wrexham has enjoyed considerable media attention ever since the famous duo took ownership of Wrexham FC and in further good news for its residents the town will have access to some of the fastest and most reliable broadband speeds in Europe. People living and working in Wrexham will soon be able to download the latest Ryan Reynolds blockbuster movie in seconds thanks…

Bridgend County Borough Council has received confirmation that a funding bid which will enable it to acquire and demolish Bridgend town centre’s police station has been agreed by Welsh Government’s capital panel. The police station site, which is located at Cheapside, forms a significant part of the council’s regeneration plans for the town centre, and has already been marked as the potential location for an all-new college campus. Early discussions have taken place between the council, South Wales Police and Bridgend College as part of the local authority’s draft regeneration masterplan for Bridgend town centre. With plans to move police…

The sculpture of bees is made of willow and each bee has been individually handcrafted to give each of the bees a unique design and personality.  There are nine bees in total (four large and five small bees) displayed on the side of the Raven’s Cafe. Tania Bryan, Director of NONaffArt, the company that produced the sculpture said “We were delighted to be given the opportunity by the council to showcase local Welsh creative talent and to give the community the opportunity to experience and explore local myths and legends associated with Twmbarlwm. Bees have always had a connection to…

A walk-in vaccination session for Newport residents is being held at Newport Centre this Saturday (26th June) between 10am and 4pm. No appointment is required and anyone over the age of 18 will be able to get their 1st vaccination dose. Both Astra Zeneca and Pfizer vaccinations will be available. Those attending will need to bring ID (British or other) and proof of address if not stated on their ID (e.g. a utility bill). Walk-in vaccination clinic Saturday 26 June, 10am-4pm Newport Centre Kingsway NP20 1UH

A new world-class rail testing facility on a former opencast mining site at the head of the Dulais and Swansea valleys will transform the local area by creating new high quality jobs, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, said today on his first visit to the site. The Global Centre of Rail Excellence (GCRE) – a train, rail infrastructure and technology testing facility – will be located on the site of Nant Helen opencast mine in Onllwyn, which is currently operated by Celtic Energy. The centre will provide a unique capability in the UK and Europe. It will support innovation in the…

Eight museums and libraries will benefit from £1.1million funding through the Welsh Government’s Transformation Capital Grants. The Scheme aims to support local museums, archives and libraries to revitalise facilities with a particular focus on widening access, partnership working and developing sustainable services. Five libraries will be modernised with the funding going towards new community facilities, and supporting the establishment of wider ‘hubs’ where people can access library services alongside a range of other amenities.   Treorchy Library will be redeveloped and will work in partnership with the Park & Dare Theatre to create a new cultural hub for Treorchy to create…

For quite some time now, no matter where you are from, traveling has been banned. Well, not entirely banned, but traveling abroad, something we never considered as impossible, is now precisely that, impossible, but things are changing, and since there is a vaccine now, everything should get back as it once was in every sphere of our life, traveling included. The problem is that vaccination of the whole population requires time, and it is not something that can be done overnight. Because of that, the only thing we can do is take all the necessary precautions to remain safe while…