Author: Rhys Gregory

A special fund of over £50,000 has been set up to help rural communities across North East Wales battle the coronavirus epidemic. The cash is being administered by regeneration agency Cadwyn Clwyd who are appealing to local organisations to come forward and share in funds worth up to £3,000 each. It’s aimed at helping develop new ways of providing local services such as Meals on Wheels and other outreach programmes to help people in rural Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham, particularly the elderly and most vulnerable. Cadwyn Clwyd operate through Local Action Groups in each county and the chair of the…

The University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) has launched a series of podcasts to engage and inspire current and future students. The series ‘Made for Uni’ discusses a variety of topics, with the first podcast offering a number of suggestions on how to look after yourself – both physically and mentally – during this strange and difficult time. With the majority of us now staying at home, this podcast is a great way of hearing how some of our students are keeping themselves busy. The first two programmes are presented by two third-year students, Siobhan Eleri and Chloe Jones. …

Young people with complex needs associated with autism are progressing well at a specialist school and residential service in Cardiff thanks to ‘positive and calming classroom routines that maximise learning’, according to a new report. The latest annual Estyn monitoring inspection at Ty Coryton shows that pupils are supported to form ‘trusting relationships with staff’ and ‘respond positively to the caring and inclusive ethos of the school’. Ty Coryton was also praised for ‘strongly’ promoting values of ‘tolerance and respect’, and for supporting its pupils in developing ‘valuable independence skills’ effectively too. Ty Coryton is part of Orbis Education and…

An outdoor sports enthusiast has turned his passion for life on the wild side into a business converting run of the mill cars and vans into life-changing adventure vehicles. Tommy Chamings started Simple Camper Vans in Caernarfon after friends admired the conversion job he’d done on his old Peugeot Partner and asked him to do the same for them – the fold-out kit converts into a sleeping platform and a seating area with a table. The Sheffield University mechanical engineering graduate from Llandudno now has bespoke designs for over 20 different vehicles and with starting prices at £299 no shortage…

A couple returned to Swansea University to leave their own legacy at the place where they first met more than 60 years ago. John and Diana Lomax, who are both 90, planted a sapling on the Singleton campus as part of the University’s centenary oaks project which will see new trees planted during 2020. Mature oak trees already dominate the landscape at Singleton, providing a home for wildlife and benefiting the community by filtering the air, reducing flooding, moderating temperatures and offering a sense of wellbeing. Under the guidance of the University’s biodiversity officer Ben Sampson, students and staff have…

Simple but important new emergency coronavirus laws came into force on last week across Wales regarding shops.  In addition to the requirements that apply across both England and Wales, Welsh businesses that are permitted to remain open to the public are also now required to ‘take all reasonable measures to ensure that a distance of two metres is maintained between any persons on the business premises.’ The businesses must also ensure that persons are only admitted to their premises in sufficiently small numbers to ensure that the required distance is maintained, and to also take all reasonable measures to ensure…

The National Trust is asking people to celebrate the blossom season – emulating Hanami the ancient Japanese tradition of viewing and celebrating blossom as the first sign of spring. The conservation charity is encouraging those who can see a tree in flower to take a moment to pause, actively notice and enjoy the fleeting beauty of blossom, and share their images on social media for those who can’t see blossom themselves – to kick off a new British tradition of #BlossomWatch. The move is part of the Trust’s campaign to help people of all ages to become more connected with…

Hay Festival has today launched #IMAGINETHEWORLD, a global series of new digital initiatives to connect, inspire and entertain book lovers and home learners in isolated times. Launched this week, the new Hay Festival Podcast gives free access to conversations with the greatest writers and thinkers from Hay Festival events globally, supported by Baillie Gifford. Available on all the major podcasting feeds, series 1 kicks off with Hay Festival president Stephen Fry in conversation with East West Street author Philippe Sands, while upcoming guests include Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Hilary Mantel, Naomi Klein, Caitlin Moran and more. Hay Player offers full digital access to the…

Cardiff Council has issued an urgent appeal for social  care and social workers to join the authority and play a vital role in helping communities through the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The Council is seeking to recruit new and former social care workers as soon as possible to help ensure the delivery of care and support for Cardiff’s vulnerable people during a time of intense demand. The authority is also looking for more social workers to join the Social Work Cardiff team and is keen to hear from practitioners at all levels, from newly qualified to experienced social workers as well…

People across Wales and the UK have joined in a second “Clap for Carers” tribute, to say thanks to NHS staff and other key workers involved in the fight against the coronavirus pandemic. Front-line workers including delivery drivers, supermarket staff, care workers and bin collectors were among those honoured. Households across Cardiff got involved, banging pots and pans, while others rang bicycle bells and more. The event is now expected to happen every Thursday at 20:00 BST. Households gathered on doorstep, gardens and windows to pay tribute to the efforts of key workers during the crisis. Vaughan Gething, Cabinet Secretary…