Author: Rhys Gregory

Carol Vorderman (Countdown, BBC Radio Wales) is taking a trip down memory lane as she reconnects with her childhood home of north Wales in a new series. In Carol Vorderman: Closer to Home – a three part series starting next Tuesday and available on BBC iPlayer – the tv and radio presenter reflects on her life, revisits significant places from her past and enjoys an epic exploration of her former home. Carol said: “My heart is here in Wales. I love travelling around and capturing every moment. In this series, I’ll be reconnecting with the place where I grew up;…

Smokers are being encouraged to quit smoking for the new year ahead of new smoke-free laws being introduced in Wales. From 1 March, Wales’ ban on smoking in hospital grounds, children’s playgrounds and school grounds, as well as outdoor day-care and child-minding settings, will be introduced. Anyone caught breaking the law could face a £100 fine. It is hoped preventing smoking on hospital sites will promote healthier care environments and support smokers using hospital services to quit. The new restrictions build on the smoking ban introduced in 2007 which made indoor enclosed public places and workplaces smoke-free. To protect more…

Plans are in place to minimise any possible disruption at the port of Holyhead following the end of the EU Transition period overnight. It is expected that the first few days of January will be quiet at the port with traffic picking up later next week. From today (1 January) ferry operators will require freight customers bound for Ireland to link customs information to their booking and if they arrive without having done so they will not be able to enter the port. The reasonable worst case scenario published by the UK Government highlights that 40-70% of HGVs arriving at…

Police in Cardiff are appealing for information following an attempted robbery and an assault which occurred on two boys in the Canton area of Cardiff last night (Wednesday, 30 December, 2020). At approximately 7.30pm, two boys, aged 14 and 12, were approached by a group of approximately ten males at the junction of Wells Street and Rolls Street. Members of the group demanded an electric scooter from one of the victims but he managed to get away from them before anything was taken. The other boy was approached by the same group and was assaulted with what has been described…

THE Welsh Ambulance Service is urging the public to see in the New Year safely at home. With Wales in a full Alert Level 4 Lockdown and the wider UK on the verge of mass vaccination against Coronavirus, now is a critical time. The Trust is asking the public to keep their community safe by not venturing outside their household or support bubble and risk spreading or contracting the virus. Director of Operations for the Welsh Ambulance Service, Lee Brooks, said: “We would ask the public to please only leave your home for the essential reasons as set out in…

The Chair of the British Medical Association in Wales is calling for better access to the COVID-19 vaccination for frontline staff. In a statement released today, Dr David Bailey said that staff are still struggling to access the vaccination in certain part of Wales, and that the process of the roll-out remains unclear. Dr David Bailey, Chair BMA Welsh Council, said: “Despite calling for the publication of health board plans and improved communication to staff on the ground, we’re still hearing of doctors and other healthcare professionals struggling to access vaccinations in some parts of Wales and a complete lack…

Wales’ first woman consultant cardiac surgeon and two senior nurses who are all leaders in their fields have been recognised in the Queen’s New Year Honours. Professor Farah Bhatti of Morriston Hospital in Swansea, who was also the first British woman of Pakistani heritage appointed as a consultant cardiac surgeon in the UK, has been awarded an OBE for services to diversity in the NHS in Wales. Senior matron Carol Doggett, head of nursing – medicine and ECHO (emergency care and hospital operations) at Morriston Hospital, has been made an MBE for services to leadership and nursing care for intensive…

Wales’ three National Park Authorities are calling for the public to follow Welsh Government guidelines over the Christmas break and to show continued patience by staying home and staying safe. While Wales remains in lockdown, there are increasing fears that people will ignore Welsh Government regulations and attempt to access popular National Park hot spots over the festive period, putting themselves and the Park’s fragile rural communities at greater risk. The Park Authorities are reminding all UK residents to remember that Wales is in lockdown with only essential travel permitted, therefore people are unable to drive to visit any of…

South Wales Police officers, staff and volunteers have been recognised in the New Year honours list. The following have been honoured for their dedicated service to the communities of South Wales: Sergeant Tim Barrell – Queen’s Police Medal Detective Constable Richard Paskell – MBE Steve Jones, police staff – BEM Force chaplain Glynne James – BEM Special Constable Robert Davies – BEM Reacting to the honours, Chief Constable Jeremy Vaughan said: “I’m delighted that the efforts of South Wales Police officers, staff and volunteers have again been recognised in the New Year honours list, and I’m thrilled for Tim, Richie,…

The staggering amount of waste generated at Christmas can be finally revealed, with a total of 302,913 tonnes of waste being dumped this week alone across the UK, as bins are filled to the brim. “Even with a slightly toned-down Christmas this year, we all know how full the bins get after Christmas – it’s now clear the huge environmental impact all this waste has. The numbers are simply astonishing – 2,000 tonnes of uneaten cheese chucked out for example”, explains Charlotte Green from recycling firm TradeWaste.co.uk The online survey carried out by TradeWaste asked 4,500 people about the contents…