Author: Rhys Gregory

Visitors, competitors and music lovers from around the world can now experience the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod like never before with the launch of the festival’s brand-new official mobile app. Available now on both the Apple App Store and Google Play, the free app has been designed to put everything visitors need in one convenient place, making it easier than ever to plan a visit, follow the competitions and stay connected throughout the festival. Whether attending for a day, supporting family and friends, volunteering or enjoying the full week of music and culture, the app offers instant access to everything…

Work has officially begun on the redevelopment of Coleg Gwent’s Crosskeys Campus, marking the beginning of an exciting new chapter for education and skills in the local community. Following the completion of an initial phase of demolition works, the campus – which first opened in the 1960’s as a training hub for the mining industry – will now be transformed into a modern, sustainable learning environment, designed to support future generations of learners. The redevelopment will be delivered in multiple phases. The first phase will include the creation of a new Energy Centre, state-of-the-art catering facilities, business and IT learning…

A popular maths practice platform used by thousands of Welsh primary school pupils is being made available in Welsh for the first time. Sumdog, which is already used in more than 200 schools across Wales, will launch its Welsh-language version this September. It will be the first resource of its kind to be available in Welsh, align with the Curriculum for Wales and adjust to every primary school pupil’s maths level. Rhidian James, who has taught in Welsh and English-medium schools across Wales for more than 17 years, led the initiative for Sumdog. He said he hoped it was “just…

A new study has examined just how mothers influence the size of their child’s head – and as a result, its brain size and future IQ – during the first trimester of their pregnancy. The evidence for this rests on indirect studies of prenatal oestrogen as measured by digit ratio – the relationship between the length of index and ring fingers, known as the 2D:4D ratio. Newborns who have experienced high oestrogen relative to testosterone have long index fingers (2D) relative to their ring fingers (4D) and large head circumference. Now a collaboration between Swansea University and the Medical University…

As the United States celebrates 250 years since the Declaration of Independence, Wales is preparing a cultural gift of its own: a specially commissioned orchestral work that celebrates the enduring relationship between the two nations. To mark the milestone, Wales is gifting Symffoni’r Môr Mawr – A Transatlantic Symphony – a new 15-minute orchestral work with voices by multi-award-winning composer Katie Jenkins, originally from Pontypridd and now based in New York. Created in the two languages of Wales and recorded with leading Welsh and International artists, the piece will be presented to the American people as part of the USA250 commemorations.…

Plantasia are rolling out the red carpet for the latest additions to their tropical zoo in Swansea, South Wales. Four Emperor Tamarins are arriving at Plantasia this week and excitement is mounting amongst the team as they prepare for their arrival. The troop of adorable primates are young siblings, named Logan, Raven, Quinn and Kronk. Visitors are in for a treat! These striking monkeys, named after their resemblance to the German Emperor Wilhelm II with their distinctive white “moustache”, are joining from Twycross Zoo, where they were born. Twycross Zoo, set on the Leicestershire/Warwickshire border in England, is an internationally…

Motorists will be able to use Swansea’s newest city centre car park from Monday 13 July, with the opening of the new 628-space Copr Bay North facility. Located on the city centre side of the bridge over Oystermouth Road, the seven-storey car park has been designed to cater for a range of users, offering standard parking bays, accessible spaces, electric vehicle charging bays and motorcycle parking. The new facility will form part of Swansea Council’s 1-2-3-4-5 parking scheme, meaning drivers will pay £1 per hour for up to five hours, with a maximum daily charge of £5 for up to…

The fifth and final statue in the groundbreaking Monumental Welsh Women project was unveiled on Thursday 25th June at Rhondda Heritage Park Museum, marking the culmination of a five-year campaign to celebrate the lives and achievements of remarkable Welsh women through public sculpture. The latest monument honours Elizabeth Andrews OBE (1882–1960), one of the most influential Welsh political activists of the early twentieth century. A suffragist, socialist and champion of working-class women, Andrews dedicated her life to improving the lives of women, children and mining families across Wales. Born into a mining family and forced to leave school at an…

Powys County Council’s Cabinet will be asked to consider the next stage of a proposal to change the language category of Sennybridge Community Primary School and make it fully Welsh-medium. At its meeting on 14 July, Cabinet will receive a report on the outcome of a public consultation that was carried out between 15 April and 27 May 2026 on proposals to change the language lessons are delivered in at the school. The proposal would see Sennybridge Primary School move from its current dual-stream model to become a Welsh-medium school. If approved, the change would be introduced gradually, year-by-year, beginning…

Following the success of last year’s pop-up market in Maesteg town centre, the council’s Economic Development and Enterprise team has launched a similar initiative in Caerau, called “From Caerau. For Caerau”. The pop-up venue, located in the former Credit Union building at 177 Caerau Road, is designed to offer local start-ups, creatives, and community groups in the local area a chance to test the market for their new business ventures. The pop-up initiative offers short-term, no-cost access to empty premises for individuals and organisations to test their ideas, showcase products, and engage with customers in a high-visibility, low-risk environment. Expressions…