Author: Rhys Gregory

Organic September, the UK’s largest campaign to support organic farmers and producers, will be encouraging everyone to make planet-positive decisions, to show that nature has the answer, and a small swap can make a big difference. Throughout September Rhug Estate will be taking part in the scheme to entice customers to make one swap to an organic product. Organic September is about celebrating everything organic and the hard work and dedication that goes into growing and making it work with nature, not against it. The year 2020 has brought huge changes to our world – now, more than ever, we…

A WREXHAM care home resident enjoyed a birthday to remember as she discovered a secret concert was taking place on the complex where she lives. The surprise gig was held in the grounds of Pendine Park’s Summerhill site, with residents and staff from the complex’s care homes coming together to enjoy musical offerings by three Wrexham-based acts. Despite heavy rain falling in the days leading up to the concert, the event outside the Highfield care home was blessed with bright sunshine. Dozens of residents sat under gazebos and enjoyed singing and clapping along to old classics such as We’ll Meet…

Budding entrepreneurs Martin Panek and Mike Gajewski from Port Talbot, have launched PG Heights, a window cleaning service that operates in the local community The two, who had been colleagues at a well-known Pizza takeaway, have not looked back since they started their new business in Autumn 2019, and are considering expansion. The firm received a £500 grant from the Kickstart programme, run jointly by Tata Steel subsidiary UKSE and Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.  The grant was used to buy specialist equipment for cleaning guttering, the Sky Vac. “We are very pleased with the support we have received…

A pioneering online learning programme, created by academics as part of research into the impact of Covid-19 on schooling, has provided an educational lifeline for a family of keyworkers in Flintshire. Top researchers from Bangor University have recruited families from across England and Wales for the study, which considers how best to teach children remotely during long periods of absence from school. The team, led by Dr Manon Jones, a senior lecturer and researcher at the School of Psychology at Bangor University, designed an eight-week online course for Key Stage 2 pupils delivered by qualified teachers to measure the success…

This month thousands of young people turning 18 across the UK will for the first time be able to access their Child Trust Fund accounts – a government funded savings scheme introduced by the last Labour Government and abolished by the Conservatives a decade ago. However, many people may have forgotten about this savings pot and Huw Irranca-Davies MS, is calling on all parents and teenagers to check they have access to government-backed trust funds, set up when they were born. Child Trust Funds were set up by the former UK Labour Government in 2002. All children born from 1…

A new rail network website focused on South West Wales is asking local people to share their favourite walks in the region. The South West Wales Connected Community Rail Partnership website has been set up to share inspiration, news and travel ideas from the communities covered by the South West Wales rail network. It contains information on all the places you can visit by rail in the region, news on businesses and community initiatives in the region and ideas for outings and activities. One area of focus is hyper-local walks: these are short walks that are close to home; they…

The 26 year-old man who died as a result of a collision which involved an off-road motorcycle shortly before 1.00pm on Sunday 30th August has been named as Cameron Samuel Rees, 26, from Gwaun Cae Gurwen. His family has paid tribute to him, saying: “Sadly on Sunday 30th August we lost our precious boy Sam, in a tragic motorbike accident. “Sam was a much loved son, step-son, brother, step-brother, brother-in-law, grandson, uncle, nephew, cousin, partner, friend and father to his wonderful little boy Calan. “Sam was a happy, cheeky chappy who always had a smile on his face and he…

The Welsh Government’s unique Economic Resilience Fund (ERF) is providing vital support to a global technology business based in Conwy county borough, Minister Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, has announced. Robertson Geologging Limited, headquartered in Deganwy, has received £51,000 from the ERF which is helping safeguard 40 jobs at the company and protect it from the severe impacts of the coronavirus pandemic. The ERF, which is part of the Welsh Government’s £1.7bn support package for businesses, is providing thousands of companies across Wales with significant financial support and complements the help provided by the UK Government. To date, more…

Eight people in Newport were celebrating over the weekend after winning £1,000 each thanks to their lucky postcode. The  neighbours netted the windfall when NP10 9FE was announced as a Daily Prize winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Tuesday 1st September 2020. People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Danyl Johnson sent his well-wishes to the winners. He said: “What a fantastic way to start the month! Congratulations to our winners, I hope they enjoy their winnings.” A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £600 million to date for thousands…

Adventurer and writer Will Millard (Go Fish with Will Millard, My Year with the Tribe, Hidden Cardiff) with a second series of Hidden Wales that sees him explore the country’s quirky, secret and forgotten history. The new series starts next Friday (September 4) on BBC One Wales at 7.30pm and over six episodes, Will gets unprecedented access to long-forgotten and off-limits locations, secret spots and decaying industrial sites that are on the verge of being lost forever. Through these discoveries, Will provides new insights into how the Welsh landscape, architecture and culture has evolved over the centuries. Will Millard said:…