Author: Rhys Gregory

A LEADING light in Welsh sport and politics has become the youngest ever council member of the national governing body for tennis. Coleg Cambria learner Jonathon Dawes, from Rhyl, was among a group of seven people appointed to the LTA (Lawn Tennis Association) Council. Student President at the college’s Deeside Sixth Form Centre, the 18 year-old is thrilled to have been selected for the prestigious position. “To be the youngest ever councillor in the LTA’s 133-year history is a huge honour,” said Jonathon. “Tennis has been a large part of my life for many years and encouraging more people of…

Another letting has been concluded at Cardiff’s tallest office building, with social justice law firm Thompsons Solicitors signing a lease at the 25-storey multi-let Capital Tower. New arrival Thompsons specialises in personal injury and medical negligence support to people across Wales and the UK.  It has taken a 10 year lease on a 2,299 sq ft 5th Floor office suite. Landlord Trinova was represented in the transaction by joint letting agents Knight Frank and Fletcher Morgan, and the tenant was represented by Avison Young. The 270 feet tall Capital Tower in Greyfriars Road is Cardiff’s tallest office building, and was…

A Bangor University graduate whose day job gets her up close and personal with the ocean’s most terrifying predator is featuring in a new Channel 4 marine wildlife series. Marine biologist Alison Towner has become a global expert in the ecology of great white sharks following almost 15 years of research in South Africa. The 35-year-old, who grew up in Ramsbottom, Lancashire, is now appearing in Work on the Wild Side – a ten-part series following vets and volunteers from across the UK who gave up their day jobs to rescue, rehabilitate and release some of the world’s most endangered…

Redrow, the leading UK housebuilder headquartered in north Wales, has secured planning permission from Newport City Council to develop 219 homes on the former University of South Wales campus in Caerleon. The resolution to grant planning permission was passed by the local authority’s planning committee back in January. Yesterday’s consent allows for the conversion of the grade-II listed Edwardian building which features in Netflix’s hit series, Sex Education. This, plus its two lodges, also listed, and a further property within the site, will be restored and converted into 49 homes, alongside 170 new-builds ranging from one- bedroom apartments to four-…

A former landfill site on the outskirts of Llangollen has taken on a new lease of life. Denbighshire County Council and the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) team have worked together with funding from the National Lottery Heritage Fund and European Rural Development Fund, to create a new nature reserve on the former landfill site at Wenffrwd – just outside Llangollen. Visitors are now able to use a small car park at the nature reserve and explore the new site by following the 0.5 miles of new surfaced path which winds through a variety…

When it comes to a holistic approach to meeting the health and social care needs of patients, the Cwmtawe Cluster has ‘virtually’ all the right answers. Two of the cluster’s GP practices – Cwmtawe Medical Group and Strawberry Place Surgery – are employing a virtual ward approach towards patients in order to match health care services to individuals. A virtual ward sees a range of health care professionals, pool their resources and expertise to take part in a weekly online meeting to discuss patients in the community- who may be deemed frail, have complex conditions, have recently been discharged from…

Detectives investigating the death of Tomasz Waga on 28th January have charged a third man in connection with his murder. Mario Qato, 25, from Tottenham in London has been charged with murder and will appear before Cardiff Magistrates Court on Friday 23rd April. Two other men have already been charged in connection with his death and are remanded in custody awaiting trial. Tomasz’s body was discovered by a member of the public at approximately 11.30pm on Thursday, January 28  in Westville Road, Penylan. Earlier that day Tomasz had travelled from Dagenham to 319 Newport Road, Cardiff, where a disturbance took…

Businesses in Wales are being warned about a scam letter claiming to be from UK Government telling firms they need to buy Covid-19 detection air purifying devices. The National Anti-Fraud Network (NAFN) says the correspondence claims to be from the Covid Task Force, part of the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) and carries its logo. The address on the letter is that of a residential property in London and says it is advising of a change in the law for businesses and the requirement to have “Covid safe air purifiers” installed from 3 May 2021. It states…

Bridgend County Borough Council’s foster care team has launched a new, specialist in-house foster care service aimed at working with children and young people who find it difficult to live within a family environment owing to their experience of trauma. The Transitional Carer Scheme involves short-term placements, on average up to 24 weeks, during which time the carer will build a one-to-one relationship with the young person, showing commitment, patience and dedication to help them to overcome barriers that may have led to the breakdown of placements in the past. This may include helping young people to understand themselves, how…

Cabinet members at Caerphilly County Borough Council have  approved a series of investments to the tune of £1.5million to take forward key regeneration projects across the county borough. The latest project approved by Cabinet today advances initial work to progress improvements to the strategic highway network in Caerphilly at Bedwas Bridge.  The A468/B4600 Bedwas Bridge roundabout is a key junction on the northern distributor road around Caerphilly town centre, linking Bedwas and Trethomas to the northern bypass. Congested through peak periods, enhancements will improve efficiency and reduce traffic in the town centre.  The funding will be used to progress initial…