Author: Rhys Gregory

Schools across Wales could be missing out on thousands of pounds in essential funding as eligible families overlook the School Essentials Grant. At Ysgol Hamadryad in Butetown, Headteacher Mrs Morgan and Deputy Headteacher, Mr Jones are urging parents to check their eligibility this September. Mrs Morgan has experienced firsthand the positive impacts the funding can have not just on families and pupils, but for the wider school community too. Mrs Morgan said: “The School Essentials Grant is vital for our families, especially with the continuing rise of living costs. It offers up to £200 per child to help with key…

A team from Lab 22 have claimed the top spot in the 2025 Scimitar Business Challenge at the Brecon Carreg CDF 10K. The team of 100, named Lab 22 – Hospitality Vs 10K Challenge, completed the challenge with a time of 3:20:21 and in doing so have raised more than £9,000 for charity. They also took home a trophy, iTabs for their finishers medals and a prize from Scimitar. Closely behind them was The Great Defenders (3:24:44) and HWM Global (3:51:37). Tani, from the award-winning Cardiff cocktail bar Lab 22, who recruited the team said: “I am super proud of…

Sephora has confirmed it will open its first store in Wales this autumn, with doors set to open at St David’s Centre in Cardiff on Thursday 23 October 2025. The launch marks Sephora UK’s 11th store and its first location outside of England, making it a major milestone in the retailer’s expansion. Since opening its debut London store in 2023, the global beauty brand has rapidly grown its UK presence, with new stores in Liverpool, Sheffield, Manchester and more. To celebrate the Cardiff opening, Sephora will introduce its new Beauty Bonus Card giveaway, which gives every shopper who makes a…

South Wales Police have confirmed that human remains discovered in the Brecon Beacons last month are those of missing Aberdare man, Jordan Moray. On Friday, 29 August 2025, officers received a report of human remains being found in a remote area near Llwyn On Reservoir. Following enquiries, it has been confirmed that the remains are those of Jordan, who was reported missing in July 2019 from his home in Cwmbach, Aberdare. Police said the Coroner has been updated and Jordan’s death is not being treated as suspicious. His next of kin have been informed and the family has asked for…

Transport for Wales (TfW) and InPost, have joined forces to bring parcel lockers to seven stations across the South Wales network. InPost is a leading provider in logistics solutions for the European e-commerce industry. They provide secure, easy to use parcel lockers that help make online shopping more convenient for consumers. The introduction of these lockers to the Transport for Wales network will allow customers to conveniently send and receive parcels with their daily commute or journey. The lockers give customers the ability to ‘trip-chain’ (combining two trips into one) which can help save time and reduce the need for…

A Bridgend based training partner has recently expanded their business with support from Bridgend County Borough Council’s Economic Development and Enterprise Team. Bowtec UK, based in Pyle, were founded in 2022 to provide high-quality accredited training to businesses and their employees stay safe during work. They are an approved nuclear training provider with multiple accreditations and have partnered with several organisations across the UK, including Hinkley Point C, Europe’s largest construction project. The company were awarded a £4,000 Start-Up Grant to support the purchase of a new training rig, which allowed for the training company to increase their training capability…

A new chapter in Cardiff’s educational landscape begins as Fairoak Primary School officially opens, serving the communities of Cathays, Gabalfa, Heath, Llandaff North, and Plasnewydd. The school brings together pupils, staff, and families from the former Allensbank and Gladstone Primary Schools, offering 420 English-medium places and a nursery. The opening has been met with widespread excitement. Parents and community members have expressed pride in the new school’s vision for a vibrant and inclusive environment. Reflecting on the first day, parent and mum of three, Jen Williams said; “It’s a really emotional but a really wonderful day to see these two…

More than 150 new homes, better links with the city centre and plenty of green spaces are among the plans set to transform a long-empty St Thomas riverside site into a vibrant community. Swansea Council’s Cabinet is being asked to approve a stage-one proposal for the seven-acre site, which is on the eastern bank of the River Tawe just north of the river bridges. As part of its 20-year strategic partnership with Swansea Council across seven city centre sites, regeneration specialist Urban Splash is also proposing new flexible space for leisure, retail or café use at the site, along with…

New artist impressions have been released to show how Swansea’s Castle Square will look once its makeover is complete. The images show a greener, more vibrant space at the heart of the city centre – packed with new trees, lawns, seating areas and spaces for people to meet, relax and enjoy events. Swansea Council is behind the square’s transformation, with contractor Knights Brown currently on site carrying out enabling works. The new Castle Square will feature: More than 40% of the space landscaped with greenery, trees and planting Two new pavilion-style buildings for cafés, restaurants or retail A green-roof terrace…

The countdown to this year’s sellout Admiral Swansea Bay 10k is on and it promises to be one of the best-ever. The main event gets under starters orders at 11am and thousands of spectators will see around 5,000 runners take part. Crowds are likely to start gathering from around 8.30am. Cllr Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council, said: “The Admiral Swansea Bay 10k has become a key part of Swansea’s event calendar and is one of the best of its kind in the UK. “Alongside the elite runners leading the front, many other people of all ages will take to…