Author: Rhys Gregory

A brand new non-emergency healthcare telephone number has launched, (November 24), in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board area. The new 111 service will now be available in the areas of Merthyr Tydfil and Rhondda Cynon Taf. The number is already being used in the Bridgend area of the health board. 111 is a FREE to call number and instead of having to ring different numbers to contact NHS Direct Wales or GP out-of-hours, dialling 111 will give access to both services. Alan Lawrie, the health board’s executive director of operations, said: “The main benefit to patients is that…

Volunteers from Cardiff visited Tesco in Pengham Green and other areas of Cardiff to reimagine a scene from Greenpeace’s new animation, Monster, in which a jaguar turns up in a boy’s kitchen to tell him about the destruction of his forest home for industrial meat production. Greenpeace volunteers took photos with cut-outs of the jaguar and the boy outside Tesco to raise awareness of the supermarket’s part in the destruction of forests like the Amazon. Tesco is driving this destruction by selling more soya-fed meat than any UK supermarket, much of it from companies owned by rainforest destroyers. Clare James…

The Cardiff-based football club Caerau Ely juniors has been crowned Wales’ Community Club Of The Year, after previously receiving the same title in the South Wales region earlier this year. The title was awarded by the Football Association of Wales (FAW) as part of a yearly competition that celebrates different aspects of grassroots football, in partnership with McDonald’s. While the award would usually be announced during a national match, this year the manager of the junior section of the club Gareth West had to accept it online due to pandemic restrictions. But this doesn’t take away from the pride that…

With the appearance of home Internet, a lot of people could open an exciting experience of gambling. Previously, it was luxury entertainment to the rich. Nowadays, thanks to online casinos, every person can afford to feel the thrill of making bets in poker or spinning the reels of slots. The next stage was the development of mobile technologies, both devices and high-speed Internet are now accessible to any person on the planet. So, in addition to the possibility to gamble, users can now play slots on mobile phones any time they are in a mood for this or when they…

At approximately 12:30am on Sunday, 29th November, 2020, police were called to Cromwell Street following a serious assault at an address. A 19 year-old man sustained a serious but non-life threatening puncture injury and is currently in a stable condition in hospital. An investigation into the incident is now underway. Two men, 27 and 45, were arrested in connection with the incident and are currently in police custody – those involved are understood to be known to one another. It is believed that there were a number of people at the address at the time of the incident and anybody…

Work is complete on the second phase of affordable homes at the £100m Ely Mill development, including three zero carbon homes. Funded by Principality Commercial, the lending arm of Wales’ largest building society, and developed by Tirion Homes, the 78 properties have all been let by Cadwyn Housing Association. Within the portfolio of 78 homes are three carbon zero properties, which incorporate systems that can adapt heating and power supplies to the owner’s requirements, helping to save energy. The trial, coordinated by housing developer Sero, is part of the UK’s largest rollout of a demand-side approach to energy management at…

Colourful Christmas elves will soon be spreading Christmas cheer and important Covid-19 safety messages in Cardiff city centre. Decked out in a variety of festive costumes the eight elves, alongside a team of 12 safety stewards, will have an important message for visitors – to keep Cardiff safe this Christmas. Cabinet Member for Culture and Leisure, Cllr Peter Bradbury, said: “We want Christmas in Cardiff to be full of seasonal cheer, and the Elf and Safety team offer a friendly, light-hearted way of delivering a really important message. “Christmas is the season of goodwill and in keeping with that spirit…

Local councils across Wales are set to receive an additional £2.6m to help them meet the increasing demand for the Welsh Government’s Council Tax Reduction Scheme. Since the start of the financial year, it is estimated that applications for the Council Tax Reduction Scheme have risen by almost 10,000. With large numbers of households facing reduced income or unemployment due to the pandemic, the scheme continues to provide a lifeline to many low income households across Wales. This additional funding takes the total amount of covid-19 support for the scheme to nearly £5.5m, helping local authorities to manage the increase…

Everyone living or working in Lower Cynon Valley will be offered a coronavirus test, becoming the second area in Wales to introduce mass testing, following Merthyr Tydfil. All residents and workers without symptoms will be offered repeat coronavirus testing between Saturday 5th December and Sunday 20th December, to help find more positive cases and break the chains of transmission. Anyone with coronavirus symptoms should book a test online or by calling 119 to attend an existing testing site for a PCR self-swab test. Testing will be delivered in partnership between the Welsh Government, UK Government, Rhondda Cynon Taf County Borough Council, Cwm…

The Office for National Statistics has published its report on excess winter deaths, revealing an estimated figure of 2,000 for Wales during 2018/19, a significant increase on the previous winter figure of 1,400. The report, which excludes deaths related to Covid 19, says respiratory diseases continue to be the main cause of excess winter deaths. However, this year’s figure is lower than the average for the previous five years. Age Cymru’s chief executive, Victoria Lloyd said: “This year we have all witnessed the increase in the death rate as a result of Covid 19 and our thoughts are with each…