Author: Rhys Gregory

As Wales returns to lockdown once again, many young people and their families will no doubt be disappointed that this year’s Halloween parties are off the cards. But although we can’t meet face to face, there are plenty of ways to have fun indoors during the spooky season. Sight loss charity RNIB is hosting three frighteningly fun online events for children and young people with a visual impairment as part of their Shape and Share programme. Join in with the Halloween Family Spooktacular Trick or Treat quiz on Thursday 29th October for an hour of thrilling, chilling questions. The quiz…

South Wales recycling plant, Dragon Recycling Solutions, has secured a £414,250 funding package from NatWest to purchase new premises after outgrowing its previous two rented sites, with plans to more than double the size of the company in the next six months. The firm, which recycles plastic, utility meters and hazardous materials for clients including Honda, Cadent and National Grid, has used the finance to purchase a 43,000 sq ft industrial site in Tafarnaubach, Tredegar. The new premises, a former government training centre, will undergo a six-week demolition process to remove the internal structure of the building and create a…

A care home boss has told of her despair after Covid testing failures forced her home into an unnecessary shutdown – twice in 13 days. Clare Roberts, who manages Haulfryn Care Ltd in Cymau, Wrexham, said she had been living on constant edge since a night care worker had falsely tested positive for coronavirus two weeks ago. It took a further five tests – one of which was another false-positive – before the employee was finally declared disease-free and the home’s red status could be lifted for the second time. The distraught care boss said she had now lost faith…

A Cardiff mother who was diagnosed with cancer at the age of 32, gave birth to a second ‘miracle baby’ this year and is set to celebrate with a special brunch this October to raise money for lifesaving cancer research. Leanne Hugglestone, now 40, wants to ensure cancer patients are not forgotten about through the COVID-19 pandemic and is calling on people across Wales to join her and host a special Sunday Brunch fundraiser for Cancer Research UK as part of this year’s Stand Up To Cancer campaign. With local lockdowns now in place across Wales and events cancelled she’s…

A small number of pupils at Ysgol Henry Richard, Tregaron have been asked to self-isolate for 14 days following the confirmation of a COVID-19 case at the school. The Contact Group have been asked to self-isolate as a precautionary measure in the first instance. All confirmed contacts of the positive case must remain at home for 14 days to reduce the possible spread of the virus to family, friends and the wider community. In addition, pupils travelling on the same bus as the confirmed positive case have also been contacted and asked to self-isolate for 14 days again as a…

In responding to the Welsh Government’s latest Sustainable Farming consultation, the Farmers’ Union of Wales has supported a number of proposed technical changes to the Basic Payment Scheme (BPS) – but is adamant that plans to move Rural Development principles and objectives away from supporting farming, rural economies and jobs are wrong. The Sustainable Farming and our Land: Simplifying Agricultural Support consultation set out eleven technical proposals relating to the BPS, which is expected to remain in place for a number of years while a new ‘Sustainable Farming Scheme’ (SFS) is developed. However, a second section of the consultation proposed…

We all do it from time to time but if John Talbot misplaces his pen then he could well lose his life. You see, his is no ordinary pen as it contains a syringe which administers a lifesaving injection. The 65-year-old from Swansea has a rare condition that sees his airways swell and become restricted but a quick injection with his medical pen remedies the situation preventing almost certain asphyxiation. The stark reality was brought home to him a few weeks ago when he was rushed to Morriston Hospital, after such an episode, and his wife told to ready herself…

Bangor University is to become a world-leading nuclear research site after a £3 million Welsh Government investment in 15 new science posts. The highly qualified jobs will be at the university’s Nuclear Futures Institute and have recharged the region’s nuclear ambitions after the disappointment of Hitachi’s pull-out from the Wylfa Two project. The cash injection has been welcomed by NFI Director Professor Bill Lee, one of the UK’s leading nuclear scientists, who says it will enable the university to expand its work in the nuclear field into medicine, control and instrumentation, structural materials and fusion energy. He said that it…

Remembrance Day events form an important part of the annual events calendar. This year however, additional precautions are required to comply with Coronavirus Regulations and safeguards. Events of up to 30 people can currently take place so long as rigorous infection prevention and control measures are in place. Memorial Garden Events: When planning an event in a Memorial Garden you need to ensure you have taken the following into account: A register of attendees should be maintained, that includes names, addresses, phone numbers and if possible, email addresses.  This list should be prepared in advance of the event and attendance…

There’s only one mask you will need this Halloween – a face covering that will protect others and protect the NHS during the Welsh Government ‘fire-break’ restrictions in the fight against the Covid-19 virus. This year will be a very different Halloween due to the continuing trend of increasing numbers of positive Covid-19 cases across Wales and Rhondda Cynon Taf. As of 6pm, Friday October 23rd, the Welsh Government ‘fire-break’ restrictions were implemented, meaning all residents and businesses MUST follow the guidelines in order to help stop the spread of the virus any further. During the ‘fire-break’, people should only be…