Author: Rhys Gregory

A brand new tourism project aimed at boosting the rural economy by encouraging visitors to one of Wales’s most beautiful regions to make more of their stays has been launched in North East Wales. Stay, Eat, Do is intended to provide packages combining accommodation, food and activities across the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Wales’s largest AONB. It has been put together by the Clwydian Range Tourism Group following a feasibility study commissioned by rural regeneration agency Cadwyn Clwyd. The newly-appointed Project Co-ordinator Julie Masters said: “We want people to come here, stay longer and…

A learner from Coleg y Cymoedd studying towards her Foundation Degree in Photography has seen her work secure a series of national awards. Tracey Dobbs, 32, from Abertillery, has been awarded three gold awards with two national photography bodies. [aoa id=”1″] The artist, who specialises in children’s fine art portraits, is already a sought after thanks to her distinctive style which is more akin to gallery paintings than traditional photography. Not one to be pinned down to any one style, it was a street art image of a busker taken on the streets of Bath during a field trip that…

Charity concert Rock & Raise 2018, held at the Paget Rooms on Oct 27th 2018 was a huge success with the night raising an incredible £8000 for three worthy Welsh charities. Compared by TV presenter Rhydian Bowen Phillips the evening featured five live acts, including popular South Wales band The Woods, singer songwriter Chris Kelly, local & international rockabilly legend John Lewis, St Louis Express and Buster, Rosco & Friends. Co-organiser and The Woods band member Chris Wood said: “We’d like to thank all those involved in making the night such a great success by buying a ticket or making a…

The family of a seven-month-old baby from Aberdare are calling for people to make a new year’s resolution to sign up as potential stem cell donors, after being told that their little boy urgently needs a stem cell transplant to treat his cancer. Harri Stickler was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia, a rare type of blood cancer, on December 5th, 2018. His mum, Bethan, took her son to the GP after she noticed swelling under his eye and her instinct told her something wasn’t right. After seeing Harri, his GP called an ambulance which took him straight to Prince Charles…

ONE of the country’s most established building contractors has plans for major expansion in 2019 after doubling turnover. [aoa id=”1″] Founded by Trevor George Williams in 1971, TG Williams is a leading name in the construction industry, employing up to 30 staff in Denbighshire. Son Gary became managing director two years ago and has further strengthened the firm’s reputation in North Wales and beyond. Since graduating from the ION Leadership programme last summer, Gary and the St Asaph business have gone from strength to strength. [/aoa] TG Williams has reinvested profits back into the company, seen an increase in staff…

Ahead of Chinese New Year, The Red Dragon Centre will be celebrating with a special afternoon of free, traditional Chinese New Year activities, on Saturday 2nd February. [aoa id=”1″] To mark the Year of the Pig, the Cardiff Confucius Institute will be hosting a number of free workshops including lantern making, paper cutting and calligraphy. The Cardiff Confucius Institute helps share Chinese culture and language in Wales, as well as supporting collaboration between Wales and China. Visitors will have the chance to witness a theatrical Chinese Lion at live performances at 12.30pm, 2pm and 3.30pm. [/aoa] The Oriental Garden will…

ONE of Wales’ leading boarding and day independent schools, Christ College Brecon, has introduced an innovative Curriculum for Life programme, teaching its Sixth Form students valuable life skills beyond the classroom. The programme was introduced to the school’s Lower Sixth Form pupils at the start of the academic year as a means of helping to ease them into the adult world. It focuses on four aspects of life: Financial Literacy; Politics, Philosophy and Society; Wellbeing as well as The Next Step of Life. Liz McLean, Curriculum for Life Leader, said: “We wanted to enhance the current Sixth Form provision and…

As part of Lloyds Banking Group’s national pledge to lend £18billion to UK businesses, the Group expects to support firms in Wales with up to £1.1billion of lending during 2019. [aoa id=”1″] As part of the Group’s continued commitment to help British businesses prosper, today’s announcement underlines to existing and new businesses across Wales that the Group is committed to supporting businesses through 2019 and beyond. The £1.1billion is available to firms across Wales and will support entrepreneurs looking to start-up a new business, micro-businesses seeking to scale up and small businesses considering trading internationally for the first time. It…

South Wales Police can confirm the 73 year-old man who died following a vehicle collision in Maerdy on Sunday (13 Jan) is Malcolm Morgan who was from the local area. His family have paid the following tribute to him: “Malcolm was a loving husband, father and grandfather. He has always been a pillar of the community and was loved by so, so many. Known as Popo to most, he never said no to anything. His love of pigeons drove his whole family crazy – he was the Morgan half of the ‘Newman and Morgan’ pigeon racing partnership, racing for Ynyshir…

Theresa May’s Conservative government survives a no confidence this evening but by a narrow margin, 325 votes to 306. However, Theresa May still needs to get the vote from MPs to move her Brexit plan forward. This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.