Author: Rhys Gregory

Half of those most at risk of dying from Covid in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot have received their first dose of the vaccine. This is an immense achievement which has seen 44,480 people vaccinated so far, the vast majority of them either by their GP surgery or in one of our three Mass Vaccination Centres. It means we are on course to hit the milestone of reaching everyone in priority groups one to four – over 70s, care home residents, frontline health and social care workers and those deemed clinically extremely vulnerable/shielding – by mid February. Dr Keith Reid,…

A new cycle and walking route in the north of Swansea is expected to be completed in the coming weeks. The 1.4 kilometre shared use path stretching between Kingsbridge and Gowerton has been developed using Welsh Government Active Travel funding. Swansea Council is putting the finishing touches to the route which will eventually include a link directly to the train station in Gowerton. The latest off-road cycle and walking route is part of the Council’s overall plans to link up all communities across Swansea with dedicated cycle infrastructure, meaning residents all around Swansea will be no more than 500m away…

In property development, ecological consultants are an essential part of the planning permission process. Their role is an important one, and without them, the world of construction becomes a far darker place. Of course, some consultants will be better than others, and their instrumental role is incumbent upon how well they perform and what values they hold dear. So, what should you look for in a quality ecological consultancy firm? After the jump you will find a brief overview on what role top tier ecological consultants play. An Ethical Role Unlike many other entities out there today, ecological consultancy companies…

South Wales Police have launched a murder investigation following the death of a man whose body was discovered in the Penylan area of Cardiff on Thursday, 28 January, 2021. The man – who has not yet been identified – was discovered by a member of the public at approximately 11.30pm in Westville Road. An incident room has been set up at Cardiff Central Police Station and the investigation is being led by South Wales Police’s major crime team. Officers are appealing for anybody with information to come forward. In particular, they’d like to speak to anybody who may have seen…

A new plastic-free and vegan chewing gum has launched named Nopla; a Welsh manufacturer with an aim to revolutionise the market and care for the planet by providing biodegradable and vegan alternatives to familiar favourite chewing gum brands. In line with the launch, a study took place to find out how many Brits were actually aware that there was plastic in chewing gum in the first place. Research by Nopla, 100% plastic-free gum, has found that just 1 in 4 are aware that most chewing gum contains plastic. In fact, a survey of more than 2,000 Brits revealed most people…

The youngest children in Wales could begin returning to school after the February half term, if rates of coronavirus continue to fall, First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced today. The First Minister confirmed the alert level four lockdown restrictions will remain in place in Wales for the next three weeks, following a review of the measures. He will also provide more details of a £200m package to top-up support for businesses. Rates of coronavirus across Wales have fallen below 200 cases per 100,000 people for the first time since early November. And every day, thousands more people receive their first…

The UK is in lockdown once again and while at home, many of us are thinking of adopting a pet. Whether you live alone or with your partner or family, there are lots of great reasons to consider adopting a pet into your home. Of course, before adopting any pet, it’s important to ensure that you will still be able to care for them after lockdown is over and when the world goes back to normal. Getting a dog is a huge amount of responsibility, so it’s a wise idea to take your time and decide if it really is…

A TEACHER who was diagnosed with breast cancer on maternity leave during the COVID-19 pandemic has been chosen to launch Cancer Research UK’s World Cancer campaign in Wales. Amy Isidoro from Cwmbran was just 29 when she went to the GP in July last year after finding a lump, deep within her breast.     The mum-of-two, who had given birth to her son, Benjamin, six months earlier, said: “The lump was actually quite hard to detect as I could only feel it when lying down. “Although I was young, I just wanted to rule anything out so I could either deal…

From Christmas and birthday presents to items sold on online marketplaces like Ebay and Gumtree, most of us need to send packages abroad from time to time. However, since we officially left the European Union on the 1st of January, sending packages to EU countries is slightly different. So, what do you need to know before sending items abroad?  You must declare it! Put simply, sending packages to EU countries will now be treated the same was as sending to any other international region. Anyone sending parcels to EU territories from England, Scotland or Wales will now need to complete…

A host of Welsh language music and content has been announced for the sixth Dydd Miwsig Cymru – Welsh Language Music Day, including acoustic and DJ sets, and an exclusive interview with Hollywood actor Rhys Ifans about the Welsh language music that shaped his life. Welsh Language Music Day (Friday 5th February 2021) celebrates all forms of Welsh language music, from indie, rock, punk, funk, folk, electronica to hip hop and everything in between. With the world fighting the coronavirus pandemic and music fans unable to attend live performances in person, the celebrations for Dydd Miwsig Cymru are heading online…