Author: Rhys Gregory

Chocolate fans are in for a cocoa-powered treat as Hotel Chocolat, the luxury cacao grower and chocolatier, announces the opening of its latest concept store at Llandudno Retail Park. Opening on 12th July, this new location will be home to the beloved Velvetiser Café, serving the iconic Velvetised™ drinking chocolate alongside a range of hot drinks. Guests can explore a wide selection of customisable combinations, choosing from 18 different Velvetised flavours served hot, over ice, or as a Choc Shake. Drinks can be tailored with dairy milk or plant-based alternatives, and topped with an array of delicious extras for that…

CHARITIES and community organisations in a seaside resort will unite to share ideas, best practice and explore ways to overcome challenges facing the third sector. Organised by Rhyl Neighbourhood Board – the collective behind the growing Ein Rhyl/Our Rhyl campaign – a free workshop is to be held at the town’s rugby club on Thursday (July 3). The session runs from 2pm-4pm and will be delivered by Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council (DVSC), a key stakeholder and part of the team tasked with engaging the private and public sectors and educators and helping to shape a £20m masterplan that will improve…

Aberystwyth University researchers have launched new resources to help teachers implement the new curriculum for Wales. The Welsh Government started introducing the new Curriculum for Wales in 2022 and academics from Aberystwyth University have been helping support teachers to develop and fully implement it. As part of the National Professional Enquiry Project, Dr Siân Lloyd-Williams and Gwilym ap Gruffudd have published a new booklet about professional enquiry. Its aim is to support and guide educational practitioners who are interested in developing their practice through looking at changes they can make in the classroom. The launch came during a conference held…

South Caernarfon Creameries launches fundraising initiative aimed at providing life-saving defibrillators to rural communities. Last week, South Caernarfon Creameries installed its first on-site defibrillator, accessible to all, marking the official launch of its new campaign. The Creamery is now inviting local groups to help identify rural areas in need of life-saving defibrillators. The campaign will continue with a fundraising sponsored walk along the Llŷn Peninsula coastal path, on Saturday 30th August, approximately 18 miles, with all proceeds going towards the purchase and installation of defibrillators. Alan Wyn Jones, Managing Director of SCC said, “Being Wales’s oldest and largest dairy co-operative,…

The prestigious Welsh Law Awards are officially open for applications, inviting legal professionals across Wales to submit their achievements for consideration in the 2025 ceremony. Now in its seventh year, the Welsh Law Awards continues to be the highlight of the Welsh legal calendar, celebrating excellence and innovation within the sector. The 2025 Welsh Law Awards ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 9th, 2025, at the iconic Hilton Hotel in Cardiff. The evening will be hosted by one of Wales’s most beloved radio and television personalities, Sara Edwards. “Since 2019, the Welsh Law Awards has shone a spotlight on…

A man from Merthyr Tydfil has been jailed for killing Catherine Bradford when he lost control of a car he was driving through Dowlais on September 19, 2022. Alex Rickwood, 32, of Wern Isaf, Dowlais, appeared to be sentenced at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Monday, June 30. Just before he was due to stand trial, in May (2025), more than two and half years after the incident, he changed his not guilty pleas to causing death by dangerous driving, causing death by driving an uninsured vehicle, and fraudulently using a trade plate, to guilty pleas. At the time of…

More than two million passengers have used the new Cardiff Bus Interchange in its first year since opening. The interchange, which opened on 30 June 2024, is now serving between 8,000 and 9,000 passengers a day and has 58 bus services an hour operating from its city centre location. Following the addition of 14 more routes in September 2024, the number of services using the interchange has increased from 1,830 to 3,476 each week. Gavin Hawkins, Bus Interchange Operations Manager, said: “Celebrating the first anniversary of Cardiff Bus Interchange, we’re proud to see the vision come to life — with a…

Over the Autumn months, an exciting waste and recycling campaign ‘The Recycling Showdown’ involved artist Jason Hicks, along with CCBC’s Recycling Advisors, delivering educational workshops at five schools across the borough, educating Year 5 and 6 pupils the importance of recycling correctly. During the workshop, pupils had the opportunity to design recycling themed hero and villain characters. The top hero voted by residents was announced as Recycle Flower, designed by pupils at Park Primary School, and the top voted villain was Colin the Corn, designed by pupils at Crumlin High Level Primary School. Following the announcement, Jason began to bring the…

On Saturday, June 28th, Penderyn Square transformed into a vibrant party hub, drawing in a whopping 2,000 people who were eager to soak up the energy of the most epic 80’s festival to hit our town. As the first festival of its kind, it was a celebration that left a fabulous impression on Merthyr Tydfil. “We’re absolutely thrilled with the overwhelming success of the Day Fever Festival,” exclaimed Cllr Brent Carter, Leader of the Council. “It was amazing to see our town come alive with music, laughter, and a sense of community. The festival has not only put our town…

The first young people to graduate from a pilot project to improve grassroots access into the gaming and animation sectors have secured coveted places on games development degrees and work in the industry. 80% of the 30 students who studied on Media Academy Cymru’s (MAC) initial Gêm Project progressed to FE courses in South Wales, four are studying gaming-related courses at university and one is currently working as a game tester for one of Wales’ leading game developers. MAC provide alternative education programmes for young people aged 16–25 who are not in education or employment. They are internationally known for…