Author: Rhys Gregory

The UK’s leading charity for adoptive families has welcomed the Government’s announcement that it will extend the Adoption Support Fund for a further year, providing life changing support for adopters and their children. But Adoption UK warns that a long-term commitment is crucial. The Government committed £45m for the current financial year and has so far invested more than £200m in the Adoption Support Fund (ASF) since its introduction in 2015, benefitting 61,000 families. The budget for the next financial year has not yet been confirmed. Today’s announcement means thousands of adoptive families will continue to be offered a range of therapeutic support aimed at helping their children…

A free helpline has been launched to support people in Swansea over the age of 66 who may be missing out on extra income through unclaimed benefits. Government figures show that two in every five people who qualify for Pension Credit do not claim what they are entitled to and are on average missing out on £39-a-week. Swansea Council’s Welfare Rights Team has joined with partner organisations in the area to launch a campaign to raise awareness and increase take-up. It includes a free phone number 0800 112 4763 for people to call between 10am and 3pm Monday to Thursday…

Bridgend County Borough Council is seeking an operator for a new road train attraction in Porthcawl. Plans to establish the service, which will run between Sandy Bay and Rest Bay to connect the town centre with the seafront, were approved by the council in November. The seasonal service will normally be expected to operate from the end of March or the beginning of Easter until the end of September. Services outside this period will be at the discretion of the operator and subject to any necessary approvals. The operator will be responsible for providing the land train, all maintenance, repair,…

The Swansea Bay Covid-19 vaccination programme received a major boost this week when The Margam Orangery Mass Vaccination Centre in Margam Park opened its doors. The centre will be open for a limited number of days in its first week. It will then build its operation to deliver upwards of 500 doses of vaccine per day, to help safeguard the health of residents in Neath Port Talbot and across the Swansea Bay region. Vaccinations will be by invitation only. People will be contacted by letter or phone when it is their turn to be given their vaccination at hospital, at…

Housing Minister Julie James has set out extensive reforms which, if approved by the Senedd, would give Wales the most comprehensive building safety regime in the UK and provide residents with a stronger voice on matters affecting their homes. Proposals in the Building Safety White Paper cover all multi-occupied residential buildings, from a house converted into two flats, to a high-rise apartment block. The White Paper sets out major reforms to the way we design, build, manage and live in properties so that safety is observed at all stage of a building’s lifecycle, whilst proposing clear lines of accountability for…

Young people aged 11-14yrs in Wales are being invited to participate in a series of free, virtual CyberFirst courses to help students explore their passion for technology and inspire the next generation of cybersecurity talent. Created by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ, and delivered in partnership with QA and the  educational charity The Smallpeice Trust, the CyberFirst courses are designed to show students interested in computing and cyber security what a diverse range of career paths are available in the field and to help them develop the skills they need to excel. The content…

South Wales Police are investigating a fatal road traffic collision which occurred at approximately 16:50 hours on the 11th January 2021 on the A465 northbound carriageway between Glynneath and Hirwaun. The incident involved a white Ford Fiesta motor vehicle driven by a 19 year old male. Sadly, the driver was declared deceased at the scene and his family are being supported by specially trained officers. The road was closed for approximately six hours whilst the investigation was carried out and South Wales Police would like to thank the public for their patience during the road closure. Officers would like to…

Virgin Media is on the hunt for Cardiff and South Wales’ unsung hero; an individual, organisation or community group, which has gone the extra mile during the pandemic and has made a huge difference to people’s lives. They could be recognised and rewarded for their efforts with an incredible technology makeover worth up to £10,000. The winner will be decided by a panel of judges, including the nation’s hero, Captain Sir Tom Moore, TV presenter, Konnie Huq and others. Virgin Media is asking for people in South Wales to nominate their ‘Local Legends’ – the individuals, community groups, or not-for-profit…

UK residents will now be able to apply for a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC), the government announced today. Under Britain’s new agreement with the EU, UK residents’ rights to emergency and medically necessary healthcare will continue when travelling in the EU. This includes medically necessary treatment for a pre-existing or chronic condition. Current European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) are valid as long as they are in date and people can continue to use these when travelling to the EU. The public only need to apply for their new GHIC when their current EHICexpires. Both cards will offer equivalent protection…

The number of people who have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine between 8 December 2020 to Sunday 10 January 2021 is 2,286,572. More than 2.2 million people in the UK have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine, the latest figures show as the government begins daily publications on vaccination uptake. The number of people who have received the first dose of a COVID-19 vaccine between 8 December to Sunday 10 January is 2,286,572. The breakdown in each nation is: England: 1,959,151 Scotland: 163,377 Wales: 86,039 Northern Ireland: 78,005 More than 2.6 million vaccine doses (2,675,213)…