Author: Rhys Gregory

The First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford, has written a letter to South Wales Police to thank all the emergency services, government partners and volunteers who responded to the recent flooding incident in Skewen. The letter said: “I wanted to write to personally thank members of the South Wales Strategic Coordination Group for the effective and joined-up emergency response following the mine blow-out incident and flooding at Skewen. “I had the opportunity to visit Skewen on Sunday and it was heartbreaking to see the devastating effect of the incident on the local community. “I am grateful for the immediate response…

The Pontypridd YMCA redevelopment continues to make progress on site towards completion later in 2021 – and the latest landmark, the removal of the tower crane, requires a road closure at Morgan Street this Sunday. The £4.48m refurbishment is being jointly delivered by the Council, Pontypridd YMCA, Artis Community and Arts Council of Wales – in order to revitalise the venue which has been at the heart of Pontypridd since 1910. Works to bring it back into use got underway in 2020, and the project will maintain the iconic Shelley Hall at the heart of the building and also provide…

For many Bridgend county borough residents, daily exercise has become an essential tool for helping them to cope with life during lockdown. Whether it’s a chance to escape home schooling for a while or to move around after sitting down at your desk all day, exercise offers physical, mental and emotional benefits. Welsh Government regulations state that you must take your outdoor exercise locally. It should start and finish from your home unless you have a specific mobility issue. You can leave home as often as you like to exercise alone, with members of your household or support bubble and/or…

Bridgend Indoor Market will reopen on Wednesday 10 February with essential retailers being able to resume trading. The market will be open from 9am to 3pm, Monday to Saturday, and five food traders are preparing to reopen. They include a bakery, butcher and delicatessen, as well as fruit and veg, and health food stalls. A one-way system will be in place with two-metre markings on the floor to help ensure social distancing and hand sanitiser stations available. Councillor Charles Smith, Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration, said: “The reopening of the indoor market will allow essential retailers to begin trading…

Newport City Council has commenced work on two new active travel routes in the city. The routes at Tredegar Park and Monkey Island will add to the city’s existing active travel network, providing residents with more opportunities to make journeys either on foot or by cycling. The Tredegar Park route will run through the park continuing through the pedestrian subway to provide a link to the old golf course by the A48. The route will also make use of the same low level lighting which has been installed on the recently completed active travel route in Coed Melyn Park, which…

Residents in the Caerphilly county borough are being asked to give their views on local walking and cycling routes. Caerphilly County Borough Council is working with Sustrans Cymru as part of Welsh Government’s Active Travel Network Map consultation (ATNM). The Council will use findings from the consultation to upgrade and create new walking and cycling routes, making journeys on foot or by bike easier and safer for everyone.  New and improved active travel routes will also encourage more people to use active travel for local journeys; reducing traffic and improving air quality. To give your views on the existing active…

Congrats- love is in the air! After replying a big Yes to the love of your life it’s about that moment to capture the exciting new step in your life. Planning for your engagement shoot can be tasking from choosing your location to capturing those beautiful smiles in the photos. When it comes to your engagement shoot there are a lot of decisions that need to be made. These important decisions go a long way to ensure that you show off your ring and have the best memorable pictures.  Here are six tips to consider when planning for your engagement…

The Wales Cancer Research Centre has teamed up with Cardiff University to launch a competition and education pack to mark World Cancer Day (today). Developed with teachers, researchers and poets, this new education pack aims to inspire a future generation of cancer researchers while improving skills in literacy and digital competency. The RIME project (Research Inspires ME) features a quiz that educates about cancer risk factors, a tool to help children assess the validity of medical research claims they find online and a competition that challenges them to get creative and write a poem about cancer research. Bringing together the…

A mixed use development coming to Cardiff has received financial backing from Principality Commercial. Developed by property company Portabella, Laundry Quarter, a former laundry mill site will bring 34 houses and apartments to the Pontcanna area. Nine retail spaces are also being developed, to provide opportunities for independent businesses to trade. Principality has provided £7m in funding for the first phase of the development, comprising of 13 houses and apartments. The development includes four and five bed homes, finished to a modern standard as well as one and two bed apartments with prices starting from £270,000. The first phase of…

The consumption of nicotine dates back hundreds of years, as early as 2000 years ago, when it was associated with cultural or religious ceremonies. Smoking cigarettes was only introduced in the early 19th century, replacing the activity of using pipes, and was in the height of its popularity in the 1960’s. Today, roughly over 1 billion people smoke cigarettes, which is about 20% of the global population, which is indicative of the popularity of another form of nicotine consumption; vaping. While it is true that a large factor is that people are more aware of the health risks of smoking,…