Author: Rhys Gregory

A 10-year-old who set about raising £800 for a charity which cared for his late grandfather by walking 250 miles in March has smashed his target – raising over £3000. Steffan Francis chose to walk the distance over the month in aid of Marie Curie, after they cared for his Taid, Graham Francis, in his final days at their Cardiff and the Vale Hospice in Penarth. The UK’s leading end of life charity provides round the clock care and support at the hospice, with people across Wales living with a terminal illness also supported in their own homes, or via…

Teachers in Wales are split over whether schools will be ready for major curriculum change next year, but don’t agree that delaying implementation would stop them preparing. A survey by Caerphilly-based school improvement company Impact Wales found that just over half of teachers surveyed (50.4%) think not enough schools will be ready to implement Curriculum for Wales in September 2022. Some 47.2% think some schools will be ready by the deadline, which has been set by outgoing education minister Kirsty Williams, and only 2.4% think all schools will be ready. Primary school teachers are more pessimistic than their secondary school peers, with…

The development of 12 new homes on the former site of St Cuthbert’s Church at Clarence Embankment in Butetown, Cardiff is underway. Working in partnership with Cardiff Council and M&J Cosgrove Construction Ltd, the United Welsh development will create 8 one-bedroom apartments and 4 two-bedroom apartments for affordable rent. Lynn Morgan, Director of Development for United Welsh, said: “There continues to be a high need for affordable housing in Cardiff. The tenants of these new homes will enjoy living in an ideal location in the city, close to excellent facilities such as the brand-new Grange Pavilion. “We are looking forward…

Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board is setting up a reserve list as part of its vaccination programme. Appointment letters have now been sent to all over 50’s in Cwm Taf Morgannwg and will be landing on doorsteps in the next week or two. To make sure any cancelled appointments are filled, and that no vaccine is wasted, 40 to 49 year olds can now apply to be put on the Health Board’s reserve list. Currently it is only for people in the 40-49 age bracket and anyone who applies to be on the list must be willing to be…

Staff at Menter a Busnes (MaB) are turning their fundraising talents towards supporting the Wales Air Ambulance Charity’s life-saving services. Each year the independent economic development company adopts a charity to support for 12 months. In 2020 the charity was Hope House – Tŷ Gobaith and Tŷ Hafan children’s hospices. Despite Covid-19 restrictions, the MaB team raised £8,169.35 (including GiftAid) achieved by – among other things – walking the accumulative length of the Wales Coastal Path (870 miles) by Christmas Eve. In 2021 MaB will be raising funds for the Wales Air Ambulance Charity, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary. MaB…

The highly successful Aspire Merthyr Tydfil Shared Apprenticeship Programme Team, along with partner Blaenau Gwent Aspire, is in the running for a prestigious annual national award. The teams have been selected as finalists in the Apprenticeship Awards Cymru, a virtual event taking place on 29 April and the highlight of the work-based learning calendar. Apprenticeship Awards Cymru recognises and celebrates the contribution of work-based learning practitioners, apprentices, outstanding achievers and dedicated employers who have excelled on the Welsh Government’s Apprenticeship and Traineeship Programmes. Aspire Merthyr Tydfil and Aspire Blaenau Gwent have been chosen, along with four other organisations, in the…

A new enforcement team will be in action this summer in Bridgend county borough to help tackle fly tipping and waste issues. Bridgend County Borough Council has set aside funding to tackle these crimes following a rise in the number of incidents. Fly-tipping is illegally dumping waste and anyone found guilty of fly-tipping can be fined up to £50,000 and face up to six months in prison. This can be increased to five years if hazardous waste is dumped, such as toxic waste or asbestos. While the local authority’s Cleaner Streets Team are proactive in identifying illegal fly-tipping and there…

Bridgend County Borough Council has waived fees for football and rugby clubs using outdoor sports facilities for the rest of the 2020-21 season. The decision has been made to reflect the exceptional circumstances of the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic and the commitment of clubs and town and community councils to engage with the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) programme. Charges for changing facilities and pitches managed by the parks department were waived during the 2019-20 season and as a gesture of goodwill, the council has now decided to remove fees for the rest of the current season, which finishes at the end…

New and emerging or established freelance artists are being invited to display their work at the Grand Pavilion in Porthcawl as part of an ongoing Promenade Poster Exhibition. Awen Cultural Trust is opening up the opportunity to artists for exhibitions between May and August 2021. Artwork will be displayed in the building’s external poster boards and in the windows for periods of four to six weeks. Awen’s chief executive Richard Hughes said: “As this Grade II listed theatre prepares to reopen for shows, this is an exciting opportunity for artists to showcase their artwork and make an impact in a…

A licensed premises has been served with a £1,000 Fixed Penalty Notice for breaking Covid-19 regulations. Llanharry Workingmen’s Club were found to be in breach of the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 5) which are in force to control, minimise and prevent the risk of exposure to COVID-19. Officers who attended the premises found a gathering of people at the venue, at a time when licensed premises are required to close, unless their licence allows them to sell alcohol for consumption off-premises. A statement by the Club Chairman, Cllr Barry Stephens JP, has issued an apology on Facebook, saying that…