Author: Rhys Gregory

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:…

An Aberdare music venue is staging Covaid, an online, streamed concert to raise funds for the Cwm Taf Morgannwg NHS Trust. Jacs Aberdare has organised eight hours of original music and entertainment on September 5. Most of the artists are local to the Cynon Valley, while others come from the wider Valleys music scene. The event’s sponsors include digital media business Tantrwm Limited, Penderyn Distillery, Taylormade Facades, and Mountain Ash Embroidery. The concert is free, but Jacs is asking for donations on Just Giving to the Cwm Taf NHS Trust. You can watch it by tuning in to the Jacs…

Face mask artwork has been added to two Cardiff Bus vehicles to highlight the importance of wearing face coverings while using public transport. The operator, which is reintroducing services and increasing frequencies from 1st September, has added the artwork to the buses to remind passengers to wear face masks when they travel. Face coverings across all public transport in Wales have been made compulsory, except for exemptions on health grounds. Passengers are required to ensure they adhere to health and safety guidelines, including using hand sanitiser and social distancing where possible, when travelling with Cardiff Bus. Earlier this month the…

The Bank of Mum and Dad will be a driving force behind the recovery of Britain’s housing market as buyers struggle with the economic impact of the COVID-19 crisis, new research from Legal & General and Cebr shows. Nearly one in four housing transactions (23%) will be backed by ‘BoMaD’ in 2020, with a quarter (24%) of borrowers now more reliant on financial support from family and friends. A year of two halves Mirroring the impact of the lockdown on the UK housing market, the Bank of Mum and Dad will lend just £3.5bn to loved ones this year –…

Millions of pieces of personal protective equipment (PPE) delivered to frontline NHS staff, 25,000 antigen tests administered to the public, more than 100 care homes visited, four ambulance decontamination units established and two field hospitals built. Just some of the work in which Armed Forces personnel drafted in to support Swansea Bay NHS during the Covid-19 pandemic have played a crucial role. But at a special event to celebrate the historic collaboration, it was stressed that despite the haste of their deployment, they very quickly became part of one team. “To be able to work with the military during this…