Author: Rhys Gregory

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)…

We have all heard for years how artificial intelligence will change the world forever. It will change how we work, how we play, how we interact with one another and, well, how we do almost everything. But when? And where? The conversation surrounding artificial intelligence has been around for so long that it almost feels like the excitement about its arrival has come and gone. Many have admitted reaching the conclusion that perhaps artificial intelligence is something that will remain a part of science fiction, something that, ultimately, works better in theory than in practice. However, it is worth remembering…

The 55 year-old man who died following a road traffic collision on the M4 motorway in the early hours of Wednesday 6th January has been named as Martin Crowden, originally from the Fairwater area and now from Caerphilly. Mr Crowden was a pedestrian and was in collision with a heavy good vehicle. Martin’s wife Maxine has paid tribute to him, saying:  “To be asked to say in a few words what the loss of Martin has had on us all as a family, is almost impossible. “He was my loving husband, father to his two girls, brother and just a…

All eligible adults will be offered a Covid vaccine by the autumn, under ambitious plans published by the Welsh Government today [Monday January 11]. Health Minister Vaughan Gething will today publish the Covid-19 Vaccination Strategy, which sets out three key milestones. It comes as the latest figures show more than 86,000 people have received the vaccine. Wales will publish daily vaccine figures from today. The three milestones set out in the plan are: By mid-February – all care home residents and staff; frontline health and social care staff; everyone over 70 and everyone who is clinically extremely vulnerable will have…