Author: Rhys Gregory

Strengthening its position in the digital and creative market, independent integrated agency Four Communications Group (Four) has acquired south Wales based agency Cheeky Monkey Creative.  Rebranding as Four Cymru, the agency will join Four’s current Welsh operations based in Aberystwyth and Cardiff as well as working as part of Four’s international digital and creative teams based in London and the United Arab Emirates. Following the deal, Four Cymru will be sixteen strong – a significant portion of the 77-strong creative, digital and performance unit at Four. In total Four has some 315 employees and is one of the UK and…

Two eight-year-old dog lovers are taking on a mammoth hike up Pen-y-Fan to raise money for Dogs Trust. Cousins Belle Bracegirdle and Lucie Bettosi who live near Newport are walking up the highest mountain in South Wales accompanied by Belle’s mum, Hayley Akrill, in July. Hayley and Belle lost their beloved family dog, Stella back in April, who they adopted from Dogs Trust Bridgend 14 years ago. Stella is the driving force behind the challenge and the motivation for raising money for the dog welfare charity. So far the girls have raised more than £350 to help the charity care for dogs who have found themselves without a forever home but are hoping for an extra boost before the…

A local football team in Hereford is set for success after receiving a match kit donation from Principality Building Society. The kit, donated to Belmont Wanderer’s FC Ladies Team by the Society’s Hereford branch, has recently helped see the team through to third place in the Herefordshire Ladies Development league as well as the semi-finals in the County Cup. Since its establishment in 2011, Belmont Wanderers FC have been committed to supporting the development of players in Hereford at grassroots levels, with junior and senior teams. The club has grown to provide opportunities for 300 players and 22 teams, with…

A social care leader has made a renewed call for coronavirus vaccinations to be made obligatory for care staff who work with elderly and vulnerable people in Wales. Mario Kreft MBE, the chair of Care Forum Wales, said the idea had been given fresh impetus  after it was revealed that vaccinations would in future be mandatory for care home and domiciliary care workers in England. According to Care Forum Wales, the Welsh Government should be taking a stronger line and insisting that people working in care homes should have the jab unless they have a medical or religious reason not…

A new member is joining the ‘Great Little Trains of Wales’ group, with the Corris Railway joining the existing eleven Welsh scenic railways in the consortium. The railways which make up the Great Little Trains of Wales (GLTW) offer and an incredibly special way to journey through the very best scenery in the British Isles, on a historic narrow-gauge steam train. Each railway shares the same passion for its history and surroundings and takes pride in the charm of its old-time steam trains, polished paintwork and brass, but each railway also offers something a little quirky and different to passengers.…

RUNNERS are being invited to get their entries in for an 80’s themed 2021 Admiral Swansea Bay 10k. Following the most recent announcement from Welsh Government regarding outdoor events, Swansea Council is delighted to be able to continue to plan for this year’s Admiral Swansea Bay 10k on Sunday 19 September. Like all other running events in Wales, last year’s event was postponed as a result of the Covid pandemic. This year’s event is a really special one as it will mark the 40th race for this highly popular race, offering a flat and superbly scenic course. Since its inception in 1981, the event has consistently…

Neath Port Talbot Council is to begin a pioneering air quality monitoring project aimed at providing accurate “real time” measurement of pollution so solutions for greener, healthier communities can be found. The project, the first of its kind in Wales, is a pilot study testing the concept of localised air pollution monitoring and is part of the Swansea Bay City Deal programme and is delivered as part of the council’s Decarbonisation and Renewable Energy (DARE) Strategy. Entitled ‘Supporting Innovation and Low Carbon Growth’, it is led by Neath Port Talbot Council which will be collaborating with South Wales based Vortex…

A brand new childcare setting has been completed at Waunceirch Primary School as part of Neath Port Talbot Council’s bid to offer more childcare facilities for working parents. The £700K setting was jointly funded with Welsh Government providing a grant of £610,000, plus an additional £90,799 from the Council. It is the first of a number of settings to be based within schools, totalling more than £4m of investment via Welsh Government’s Childcare Offer for Wales Capital funding and the 21st Century Schools programme. Further childcare settings planned at Abbey Primary School (Neath) and Rhos Primary are underway in readiness…

Major road improvements are underway in Bridgend county borough as part of a £2.7m investment into the local highway network. Work on 40 local roads is being carried out with resurfacing works having already been completed on: Gordon Avenue/Highfield Avenue, Porthcawl West Road, Porthcawl Carlton Place, Porthcawl Cheltenham Road, Nottage North Street, Caerau, Fron Heulog, Cefn Glas Coegnant Close, Brackla Industrial Estate Next week work is due to start on the A4063 Maesteg Road in Tondu with preparatory works planned first and then resurfacing getting underway at the start of July. Over the next few weeks, resurfacing works will also…

On Wednesday 16th June, 2021, it was approved at a Full Council meeting to appoint Ellis Cooper as the new Chief Executive of Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council. The appointment of a Chief Executive requires a formal Council decision, and on 19th May 2021 Full Council agreed the shortlisting and interview arrangements to assist with this recruitment process. Merthyr Council commissioned a leading external recruitment agency Penna to assist with the recruitment process. Given the importance of the position to the Council, another Welsh Chief Executive, with particular experience of the requirements of the role, also worked alongside the recruitment…