Author: Rhys Gregory

Higher Apprentice Ciara Lynch is making a name for herself in the construction and civil engineering sector, thanks to her outstanding work as an assistant technician with Swansea Council. Ciara, 22, from Morriston, Swansea, has achieved a HNC in Construction and the Built Environment and a Higher Apprenticeship Level 4 in Construction Site Supervision at Bridgend College. She has now begun a Degree in Civil Engineering. Having received an Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) Quest Scholarship, she aims to develop a professional accreditation at technician level and ultimately become a  Chartered Civil Engineer. A science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM)…

A valleys learner is one step closer to achieving his dreams of becoming a professional footballer after landing a scholarship to train and study at a leading college in the US. Owain Jones, 19, from Tonypandy, is set to head stateside this summer after securing a place at New York-based Jamestown Community College. The talented player, who is currently completing a Level 3 qualification in Sport at Coleg y Cymoedd’s Nantgarw campus, will train with the college’s acclaimed athletics department to advance his skills in football and help kickstart his dream career of playing professionally. Owain was presented with the…

Cardiff Bus customers are being alerted to service changes taking place across its network from this weekend. The operator is set to alter services from Sunday March 21st to reflect the current ‘stay local’ Welsh Government rule. With this new guidance, the operator recognises that more customers will be returning to work and school, so in response will be increasing journey frequencies and running busses on more routes. Timetable changes will affect services 1, 2, 4, 6, 8, 9,  11, 13, 15, 17, 18, 21, 23, 23, 25, 27, 28, 28A, 28B, 30, 35, 44, 44B, 45, 45B, 49, 50,…

A Welsh rugby fan from Tredegar has won a competition to have his story on a seat at the nation’s home of rugby, Principality Stadium. Paul Higgins, 58, from Tredegar, was awarded the prize in a competition run by Principality Building Society after sharing an emotional memory from inside the Stadium. As a cancer survivor, Paul considers this particular day as the turning point in his life when overcoming his diagnosis, while watching Wales play at home. As proud partners of the Stadium, Wales’ largest building society launched the competition to find Welsh rugby fans’ best memories and unique stories…

Detectives investigating an attempted robbery from a dog owner in Pentwyn, Cardiff, have released e-fits of the three suspects. The incident happened lunchtime on Thursday, February 25 on the wooded trail that runs between Eastern Avenue and the Rumney River near Pentwyn. A 30-year-old man was walking his two dogs near the Rumney River when three men, one armed with a craft knife, tried to steal his eight-year-old Labrador. As he is fought off the suspects, a dog poo bag he was carrying split and the contents burst over one of the men who all fled empty handed. A member…

Newport City Council will begin introducing new 20mph speed limits across a number of residential streets in six city wards. The measures are being introduced to help improve safety within residential streets, with evidence showing that lower speeds lead to fewer collisions, and also reduce the severity of any collisions and injuries that may occur. The measures will also help ensure safety within residential streets while coronavirus-related social distancing regulations remain in force. The new speed limits will be introduced into streets across the following six wards: Allt-yr-Yn Bettws Lliswerry Malpas Ringland Victoria The measures, which will be phased in…

Nature in Cardiff will receive a boost this year as more ‘one-cut’ mowing regimes, where the grass is not cut until September are introduced. New sites are being introduced in parks and safe highway locations, as part of the Council’s One Planet response to the climate and biodiversity crisis and cover an area of 3.8 hectares. These additional areas take the amount of council owned land managed in this way to 87 hectares (the equivalent of approximately 161 football pitches). More than 9 of these 87 hectares are being managed with additional ‘cut and lift’ procedures, to remove the grass…

The Deputy Minister and Chief Whip, Jane Hutt has announced funding of £1,946,849 for improvements to community-based facilities right across Wales through the Community Facilities Programme (CFP). This programme, which funds projects up to a maximum of £250,000, or up to £25,000 for smaller grants, helps well-used community facilities to improve their financial and/ or environmental sustainability, providing opportunities for local people to improve their day to day lives. Since the CFP opened in 2015, the Welsh Government has funded 222 grants across Wales totalling £35.4 million. Each project represents a well-used community facility which brings people together. Some of these…

Locations across Wales are being made available for remote working, giving people an alternative to working from home or working in a traditional office environment. The Welsh Government is encouraging an increase in remote working and has set a long-term ambition for 30% of the Welsh workforce to work away from a traditional office, to be achieved by giving people more options and choice on their workplace. This ambition is intended to help town centres, reduce congestion and cut carbon emissions. In Haverfordwest HaverHub’s new coworking space offers a space to work in the community, while TownSq’s latest hub Costigan’s…

Major restoration work on the Newport Transporter Bridge has been given the green light today thanks to Welsh Government funding. Finance Minister Rebecca Evans has confirmed that the Welsh Government will provide a £1.5m shortfall in capital funding, as part of the 2021-22 Budget, to help the planned work to get underway. The £11.9m project is being delivered in conjunction with Newport City Council and the National Heritage Lottery Fund. It will fund the major renovation work of the bridge and the development of a new visitor centre in south east Wales. The multi-million pound makeover is forecast to attract…