Author: Rhys Gregory

Letter to the Editor, sent on behalf of Diabetic Eye Screening Wales’ (DESW) Head of Programme Jude Kay and Royal National Institute of the Blind (RNIB) Cymru’s Director Ansley Workman and Diabetes UK Cymru’s Director Dai Williams: This diabetes week (14 to 20 June) we’re urging your readers with diabetes to attend their eye screening appointments. It is vital that people in Wales who are living with diabetes who are eligible for eye screening attend their appointment when invited. Diabetic retinopathy is a serious sight condition that can lead to significant sight loss. But screening can catch signs of the…

After working for the NHS for more than half a century, Christine Fitzgerald has decided to finally call it a day at the age of 70. During her time as a nurse in hospitals and in the community, Christine made lifelong friends and has countless happy memories to look back on. But it so nearly didn’t happen. “I left school at 15,” Christine recalled. “I always thought I’d love to be a nurse. “But I got a job in Swansea, and I was really happy. “Time went on. I was 19, and I thought, if I don’t do something about…

Health Minister Eluned Morgan has thanked Wales’ fantastic vaccination teams as she confirmed all eligible adults in Wales will have been offered a vaccine by Monday (June 14) – six weeks ahead of schedule. It is not too late for anyone who has changed their mind about having a vaccine to get an appointment – Wales has a “no one left behind” policy and all health boards have systems in place to enable people to get an appointment if they think they have been missed of the list or if they have changed their mind. Vaccination clinics across Wales are…

A PARAMEDIC who was spat at by a patient at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic has re-lived the ‘traumatic’ ordeal. Lisa O’Sullivan, who is based in Blackweir, Cardiff, was also verbally abused by the man she was attempting to treat in the city’s Callaghan Square last August. Fortunately, South Wales Police officers were already at scene and arrested the man. He has since been sentenced to 14 weeks in prison. Lisa, 34, recalls: “I’d been called to reports of a man having a seizure on Callaghan Square – it was a high-priority ‘Red’ call so I made my way…

Star employers, inspirational learners and dedicated work-based learning practitioners across Wales have been shortlisted for this year’s prestigious Apprenticeship Awards Cymru on June 17. The annual celebration of outstanding achievement in training and apprenticeships will see 35 finalists compete in 12 categories for awards at a virtual ceremony. Highlight of the of the work-based learning calendar, the awards showcase businesses and individuals who have excelled on the Welsh Government’s Apprenticeship and Traineeship Programmes and gone the extra mile to achieve success during these unprecedented times. The Apprenticeship Awards Cymru are jointly organised by the Welsh Government and the National Training…

A report which details responses from a consultation on initial proposals for a new Cathays High School, will be shared with Cardiff Council’s Cabinet when it meets on Thursday 17 June. Concluding in March 2020, the consultation provided members of the public with an opportunity to share their views and in total 494 responses were received. Whilst there was substantial support for the redevelopment of the school, there were also a number of concerns raised including; potential changes and increase to traffic, impact on public open access space and use of existing local leisure amenities. As a result, the report…

A multi-million pound flood defence designed to cope with a one-in-200-year storm, and rising sea levels caused by climate change, could be built to protect the south east of Cardiff. Plans for the £25m coastal protection scheme, on the banks of the River Rhymney, have been released by Cardiff Council. The new flood defence, which could be ready by 2023, will help: Manage flood risk to just under 1,200 properties; Prevent material from Lamby Way landfill site eroding into the sea; Protect key road infrastructure, a supermarket and the Rover Way Travellers site for the next 100 years. Cabinet Member…

Cardiff’s Castle Street looks set to reopen to general traffic in the autumn as soon as necessary road works, road markings, and signage have been put in place to make it safe. A recommendation to reopen the street, which was closed to help food and drink businesses remain viable during the height of the pandemic last year, will be brought before Cardiff Council’s Cabinet at its next meeting on Thursday, June17. It follows a consultation offering the public two options: 1. To allow general traffic to use the street; 2. To allow only buses, taxis and cyclists to use the…

Significant future plans to improve travel connectivity between communities in Rhondda Cynon Taf and north west Cardiff have been announced, following the first stage of a Welsh Government-funded transport study. The study into the ‘North West Transport Corridor’ was commissioned in July 2019 and has now identified short and long-term public transport options from Pontyclun, Talbot Green, Llantrisant, Beddau, Creigiau and Plasdwr towards Cardiff City Centre – while encouraging travel in the opposite direction into Rhondda Cynon Taf. Rhondda Cynon Taf and Cardiff Councils will now review the plans in order to investigate how they can best serve local residents…

SOME of Gower’s best-loved heritage, leisure and natural beauty destinations are set for a £325,000 spruce-up in the coming months. Swansea Council has secured Welsh Government grants to help protect the natural beauty of some of our most scenic locations like Clyne Valley, Pennard Castle and Fairwood Common. At the same time some of the money will be going to help manage the pressure of visitor numbers on locations like the Blue Flag beach at Port Eynon and nearby Horton. David Hopkins, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Delivery and Operations, said there is already feasibility work underway to develop…