Author: Rhys Gregory

Gwersyll Glan-llyn, one of Urdd Gobaith Cymru’s popular residential centres, unveils new self-contained accommodation following a major £800,000 facelift. Today (25 March 2021) marks an exciting new chapter in the history of the Urdd’s Glan-llyn outdoor education centre in North Wales, as it opens a 10-bedroom self-contained accommodation, Glan-llyn Isa’, following an £800,000 transformation project. Glan-llyn Isa’ is a beautiful 150-year-old stone house situated some 200 metres from the main Glan-llyn centre, which has been attracting visitors for over 70 years. The renovation work has seen Glan-llyn Isa’ undergo a complete interior transformation and is designed to be self-sufficient from…

A Bridgend-based charity is looking for skilled and experienced people to join its Board of Trustees and help support people who have been homeless. Emmaus South Wales offers people who have been homeless or socially excluded a place to live for as long as it is needed, work experience in its social enterprises, funded training, and daily support. The charity believes that this combination of support is vital in helping people to rebuild their lives. Trustees play a vital role, volunteering their time and working together to support and steer the direction of the organisation. Emmaus South Wales is encouraging…

A brand new primary care centre will open its doors in Mountain Ash next week, bringing modern healthcare services to the local community. The £4m purpose-built facility, named Tŷ Calon Lān, will become home to the newly merged GP practice, Meddygfa Glan Cynon Surgery (formerly Cynon Vale Medical Centre and Rhos House Surgery), delivering GP services to over 11,000 patients in the area. A number of community services will also be based at the building, including the district nursing and health visitor teams. The 1,373 square meter site will provide state-of-the-art space for the GP practice, which will enable a…

An ambitious football club has started a £200,000 pitch improvement scheme in time for the planned re-launch of the new Lock Stock Ardal North West Division next season. Denbigh Town have begun work on the latest in a series of major improvements to their Central Park ground which has already seen the club build a 475-seat main stand and a new clubhouse and install floodlights and secure perimeter fencing. It is part of a long-term plan to improve the facilities to enable Denbigh Town Football Club to play at the top level of Welsh football, the Cymru Premier League. The…

Properties with land in the beautiful North Wales countryside are being snapped up by working from home city slickers freed from the office by the pandemic. That’s the evidence from a rocketing property market which has been boosted not just by the stamp duty holiday but also by lockdown changes in working practices. North Wales law firm Swayne Johnson, which has six offices across the region from Menai Bridge on Anglesey to Tattenhall, near Chester, have seen their conveyancing workload rise by 50 per cent since the first pandemic lockdown ended in July. One of the drivers of that growth…

Over 300,000 young people across Wales have been inspired to follow entrepreneurial ambitions through Welsh Government’s Big Ideas Wales service in the last 5 years. The youth entrepreneurship service has met this extraordinary milestone through its Role Model Network. Entrepreneurs across Wales, have joined the Big Ideas Wales Role Model network to share their experience with budding entrepreneurs through workshops, with the aim of opening young people’s minds to new ideas and opportunities that exist and help them think positively about their own future. Ken Skates, Minister for Economy said: “I am delighted to hear of the success of the…

Patients in Wales have embraced virtual consultations with their GPs and other medics, as the coronavirus pandemic has created a step change in the way people access the NHS. Across Wales, 139,650 patients have had a virtual consultation through the NHS Wales Video Consulting Service since it was rolled out in response to the pandemic in March 2020, with more than 91 per cent of patients saying they would use the service again and 92 percent rating the experience as “excellent, very good or good”. Swansea is leading the way in adapting to new ways of accessing the NHS with nearly…

Zip World, the adventure company behind the fastest zip-line in the world, has today announced that all being well, its new site in South Wales, Zip World Tower, will be opening to visitors on 22nd April. Launching with two new experiences, Zip World Phoenix and Big Red, the site has been designed to create a lasting legacy to its deep-routed mining heritage. Zip World Tower represents a major boost for South Wales growing tourism economy – with the development creating 56 jobs during its first phase and forecasting 100,000 visitors within the first year of operation. Funding for the project was…

Deeside teenager Lewis O’Neill has turned his life around and is looking forward to a career as a furniture upholsterer after being set on the right track by the Welsh Government’s Traineeship Programme. Completing Traineeship Engagement and Level 1 Programmes and achieving a City & Guilds Level 1 Extended Award in Employability persuaded Lewis, 17, from Garden City, to seek a career where he could work with his hands. Lewis, who left school without any qualifications and ended up in the justice system, has said that for the first time in his life he has enjoyed learning. A work placement…

Housing and Local Government Minister Julie James has announced an extra £12m of funding for local authorities to fix potholes and improve roads, pavements and active travel routes across Wales. The additional funding will allow local authorities to continue with planned highways maintenance works, boosting the economy and making active travel safer. Local authorities will also be better able to respond to the impact of recent weather events, including damage to highways caused by the recent flooding. The £12m additional funding further highlights the Welsh Government’s commitment to high quality active travel and public transport. Llwybr Newydd, the Welsh Government’s…