Author: Rhys Gregory

ONE of Wales’ leading public relations agencies Effective Communication is celebrating after being shortlisted for seven prestigious industry awards. The Cardiff-based agency is up for the awards at October’s Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Pride Awards Cymru, celebrating the outstanding work of the PR industry in Wales. Effective has been shortlisted for their work with a variety of clients, including Chambers Wales (Corporate and Business Communications Campaign), Luxury Lodges, the launch of Dylan Coastal Resorts (Consumer Relations Campaign and Travel, Leisure or Tourism Campaign), Veezu (Corporate and Business Communications Campaign and Consumer Relations), and BBI (Healthcare Campaign and STEM…

Swansea Council’s Rural Development Partnership is offering grants of up to £10,000 to innovative community-led projects that would boost the county’s rural areas. And those interested can find out how to submit strong applications by joining one of two free webinars being run over the next month. Andrew Stevens, the council’s cabinet member for business improvement and performance, said: “This a fantastic opportunity for those who have an idea they want to put into practice but need some assistance to get it started. “Alternatively, it may be a plan to help get off the ground with a project to recover…

Children will go free as parks across Swansea host a new family festival this summer. Residents of Townhill, Waunarlwydd, Morriston, Loughor and St Thomas will be among those who won’t have to travel too far for a fun day out. Family based activities and attractions at the series of two-day events will include two outdoor cinema screenings on the first day, followed by children’s activities including circus skills workshops, craft sessions, a bouncy castle, children’s rides, walkabout characters, sports activities and live music on the second day. Catering and a bar will be available on both days. Swansea Parks Fest…

Two families who have been forced to flee Afghanistan are settling into their new homes in Swansea with more set to arrive in the coming weeks and months. Swansea Council is taking part in a UK-wide scheme to welcome people who faced persecution as the Taliban take control of the country. This week two families where members had worked for the British Government but were evacuated last month have arrived in the city. They are being helped to settle in with support from the council and the Swansea-based charity EYST. Another family is due in Swansea shortly and in response…

Fforestfach youngster Steffan Roberts and his mum Eleanor are helping lead the charge for a greener Swansea and saving cash with swish reusable nappies rather than disposables. They’ve taken advantage of a long-standing Swansea Council scheme which is offering a £100 cashback to families who live in Swansea and want to switch from disposable nappies to something better for baby and the environment. The popular scheme has recently passed a landmark 1,000th application which will have resulted in hundreds of tonnes of disposable nappy waste being saved from landfill. An average child will get through around 5,000 disposable nappies before…

Thousands of city residents have been making the most of the #FreeRideSwansea bus trip offer. The bus journey offer has just finished another Friday-Monday long weekend and it’s been really popular among locals and visitors alike. Families are using #FreeRideSwansea to do some shopping, eat out or just enjoy time with friends because it’s easier than using the car and saves time, fuel and hassle. Leighton and his sons Ezra, Charlie and Joshua (pictured below) came into the city for a spot of food at Taco Bell with a visit after to the LC. He said: “Having free travel is…

Neath Port Talbot Council will open the window for applications to its Third Sector Grant Fund for the 2022-23 financial year on August 23rd, 2021. The ‘third sector’ is an umbrella term covering a range of different organisations belonging neither to the public sector nor the private sector (profit-making private enterprises) and are often referred to as being voluntary sector, non-governmental or non-profit organisations. This year the council is specifically focusing the Third Sector Grant Fund on activities that will help further develop community capacity and collaboration building on the community action which developed in the response to the Covid-19…

Work is due to start this week on a £700,000 drainage project in Ystalyfera which will reduce the flood risk to residents of the Varteg Estate and also benefit the surrounding community. With funding from the Welsh Government, the project will involve work to the Glan Yr Afon Culvert in Ystalyfera to stop surface water backing up in Varteg Road during periods of high rainfall. The scheme, scheduled to start on Monday, August 23rd, will take around ten weeks to complete with approximately 140 metres of new pipework being installed. It will involve tree and shrub removal to accommodate a…

The drop-in event is to be held between 11am and 2pm on Tuesday 24th August at the Neath Town Hall Community Centre (situated next to the Gwyn Hall). Members of the public, local businesses and anyone else with an interest in Neath town centre are welcome to attend the event. The event will be an opportunity for people to meet representatives from the Partnership and to find out more about some of the key initiatives ongoing in the town centre such as: South Wales Police’s Operation Lileum, the Business Crime Reduction Partnership, CCTV, homelessness services, and the support for vulnerable…

New Tredegar’s Winding House was taken over by children recently during a day of events held as part of Play Wales and Welsh Government’s Summer of Play. Over one hundred visitors took part in activities on Wednesday 4th August that ranged from window painting, pavement chalking, crafting, story times, yarn bombing the historic Victorian winding engine and most importantly…..playing! Cllr Philippa Marsden, Leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, said “The pandemic has had a significant impact on our children, so events like these are now more important than ever. I’d like to thank the team at the Winding House for…