Author: Rhys Gregory

A man has bravely told of how he overcame suicidal feelings and years of alcohol misuse after being sexually abused by his foster father at the age of 13. Paul, who is now aged 42, said he owed his life to counsellors at the Rape and Sexual Abuse Support Centre (RASASC) North Wales who provided one-to-one support to help him recover from his horrific childhood experiences and rebuild his life. He was speaking after it was revealed RASASC NW – which receives funding from North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones – has been awarded the Lime Culture Independent…

Yesterday’s reopening announcements from Wales’ First Minister are welcomed by the Welsh Independent Restaurant Collective (WIRC) – a group representing more than 400 Welsh hospitality member businesses who have been lobbying for a roadmap to viable trading with a #wereinthedarkmark social media campaign. But the WIRC “continues to press for certainty and support” at a time when there is no longer any funding in place to support them while they remain closed, and when Wales continues to lag the rest of the UK in re-opening. The WIRC was set up in May 2020 to address the challenges of the Covid…

Welsh food and drink producers have been put through their paces as part of a new ‘Scale-Up Challenge’ to help grow their enterprises and build commercial confidence. Led by experts and mentors, the ‘Scale-Up Challenge’ programme has been created by Cywain – a Menter a Busnes project that supports the development of growth-orientated businesses. The six weekly sessions covered a wealth of practical advice to help smaller companies scale-up their activities to develop their businesses, and is part of the Covid recovery strategy to grow businesses and jobs. Topics covered in the ‘Scale-Up Challenge’ were, having the right attitude, finance and resilience,…

A new, national touring exhibition, which shows how shared processes, skills and values associated with creative making contribute to thriving commons neighbourhoods, is set to be launched in Newtown when galleries are allowed to reopen. “The commons means: Things we share, Places we share, Systems we share, Ideas we share and Culture we share,” said Peter Barnes, On the Commons co-founder. This thought-provoking Craftspace exhibition will run at the Oriel Davies Gallery, Newtown until June 26. In the meantime, plans are underway to provide a virtual tour of the exhibition via the Craftspace website www.craftspace.co.uk. The exhibition highlights ‘acts of…

Picture specialist James Forster is offering institutions and people residing in Wales and the Welsh Marches a route to London’s international art market in his new role. James has joined West London based auctioneers, Chiswick Auction, as a consultant picture valuer to provide professional valuations and a route to sale for paintings and works of art from all eras and mediums. Having lived in South Shropshire for the last six years, he knows Wales and the Welsh Marches well from his time as head of the picture department at Halls Fine Art in Shrewsbury. With fine art market salerooms reopening to the public in April,…

A farm shop and kitchen in the heart of Ceredigion has been presented with a national rural business award. The Moody Cow Farm Shop and Welsh Kitchen, in Aberaeron, has won the Best Rural Diversification Projectcategory at this year’s Rural Business Awards. The award, sponsored by leading property consultancy Fisher German, recognises rural businesses that have gone above and beyond to offer something different to bring in more customers. The farm shop and kitchen is based within Bargoed Farm, owned by Chris and Geraint Thomas. The determined couple moved to the derelict farm in 2010 after previously diversifying their cattle…

Adventure Travel, formerly known as NAT Group, has introduced additional services to support the new Bayside Mass Vaccination Centre on the former Toys R Us site in Cardiff Bay. Bayside, which opened its doors last week, is situated in the International Sports Village and is serving residents living in Cardiff and the eastern part of Vale of Glamorgan. It is the fourth vaccination hub for the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, adding to existing sites in Splott, Pentwyn and Barry. To allow residents to access the vaccination centre sustainably and easily, while helping to ease traffic congestion in the…

Tiny Toes Ballet Bridgend & Vale of Glamorgan runs children’s ballet dance classes that are adventure-themed and focus on learning through dance, in a fun, supportive and encouraging environment. Classes are offered across the Bridgend & Vale area, and pre-covid almost 200 young dancers enjoyed their weekly classes. The local dance school, run by Jessica Barnes, has been shortlisted as a finalist in not one, but two prestigious awards within the kids activity sector: – finalist in the “Franchise of the Year” category at the Wales Children’s Activities and Services Awards. –  finalist in the “Start Up Business” category at…

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Countryside and Wildlife Team has begun a project to re-introduce grazing animals to the Bryn Tip Local Nature Reserve in the Afan Valley to improve the condition of the reserve’s grassland. The team has won funding for the Bryn Tip Conservation Grazing Project – which will see ponies and cows living on the nature reserve for several months of the year – from the Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature grant and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Grazing animals play an important role in maintaining ecosystems by stimulating plants to grow and the project will establish…

A further 12 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued across Rhondda Cynon Taf last week in relation to dog control offences – as the Council continues to enforce the rules which are in place to prevent dog fouling. Rhondda Cynon Taf is home to countryside landscapes and open spaces which are there for the enjoyment of all residents, and the Council takes a zero-tolerance approach to actions which spoil these areas – including dog fouling and fly tipping. Dedicated Streetcare officers carry out regular patrols and will continue to issue enforcement notices for these types of offences. We continue to ask…