Author: Rhys Gregory

A visitor attraction in the historic mining town of Blaenau Ffestiniog is on course to develop new trails and create jobs as it joins a campaign to encourage more families across Wales to spend summer holidays with social enterprises. [aoa id=”1″] A quarter of a million mountain bikers have visited Antur Stiniog’s Llechwedd Slate Mountain site in the past 12 months, with 15,000 visitors across the not-for-profit mountain biking centres other locations. Now the organisation has partnered with the Wales Co-Operative Centre to be part of its Social Summer 2019 campaign, which is encouraging families across Wales to make more…

A flower train beautifully decorated by Tywyn Gardening Club has made its popular, annual summer evening excursion on Talyllyn Railway, maintaining a tradition that began 30 years ago. The train ran to Abergynolwyn Station where refreshments were available and Côr Meibion Bro Dysynni (Bro Dysynni Male Voice Choir) provided the entertainment. The club, which made floral arrangements for the engine front and each carriage, ran a raffle to cover the choir’s costs. All profits from the excursion went to the club to help fund its various community activities.

Organisations across south Wales recently came together to support young people in the city, helping to educate and support them around all things wellbeing.  [aoa id=”1″] Hosted and run by Cardiff City FC Community Foundation, organisations and local charities including the South Wales Police, Coles Funeral Directors, EYST, PAPYRUS, Switched On, YMCA, Youth Cymru and more, flocked to Cardiff City Stadium to offer and share their knowledge and services, engaging young people considered hardest to reach in our communities. With over 50 children up to the age of 13 in attendance, the Foundation provided a safe environment for children to learn more…

Keep Wales Tidy are targeting rivers, waterways and beaches across Wales in a month-long campaign. In partnership with McDonald’s, Marine Clean Cymru will take place from the 20th of September to 20th of October. Marine litter is a growing threat to our aquatic and coastal environment, with 80% coming from land-based sources it isn’t just relevant to coastal communities. [aoa id=”1″] Once again, the campaign will coincide with the Marine Conservation Society’s annual Great British Beach Clean (20-23 September) the UK’s largest national beach cleaning and litter survey programme. Litter data collected and submitted will be used to identify the…

A young female cat has been rescued in Trebanog, after becoming trapped on a steep roof. RSPCA Cymru was contacted after the visibly-frightened cat was spotted atop the two-storied block of flats, on Henllys in the South Wales village. The animal welfare charity enlisted the support of South Wales Fire and Rescue Service, who had the equipment to climb the flats to reach the troubled cat. However, the white cat with brown patches would retreat whenever approached – and ultimately firefighters had to utilise an RSPCA net to grab the cat and bring her to safety. The rescue took place…

Drug deaths in England and Wales have reached the highest number and highest annual increase since records began back in 1993, the Office for National Statistics has recently revealed.  And unfortunately, the ONS has also revealed that the same can be said for drug deaths across Wales. Analysis of ONS data by addiction treatment experts UKAT shows that Wales has seen a concerning 40% rise in drug poisoning deaths in the last 5 years. The ONS report reveals that between 2016-18, drug poisoning deaths across Wales reached a record high of 858, up from 769 between 2015-17 and up from…

In celebration of Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend, a number of local businesses, including St David’s Dewi Sant shopping centre, National Museum Cardiff and South Wales Police are converting its bathrooms to gender neutral. [aoa id=”1″] Celebrating its 20th year, Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend held over the August bank holiday (23-25th August). Pride Cymru’s Big Weekend is Wales’s biggest celebration of equality and diversity and over the three-day event the festival hosts over 50,000 people in the Welsh capital to raise awareness of equality and diversity and supporting the LGBT+ community To celebrate this milestone, Pride Cymru has created a…

Cardiff Bus has announced that Gareth Stevens has been appointed as the operators new Operations and Commercial Director. [aoa id=”1″] A well-known expert within the bus industry, Gareth Stevens has been promoted to the role after spending the last six years as the operator’s Commercial Manager. On his appointment Mr Stevens said: “I am delighted to have been promoted to this role. Having started in the public transport industry at a young age, I’m grateful to have had the opportunity to see and experience the improvements made to bus travel, and to be involved with developing and implementing these changes…

The national airport for Wales is preparing to welcome over 27,000 passengers this Bank Holiday weekend (Friday 23 – Monday 26 August), rounding off what has been the busiest summer in over 10 years. [aoa id=”1″] Many customers are jetting off for some late summer sunshine in popular beach destinations such as Croatia, Egypt, Greece and Spain, for some relaxation before the kids go back to school. With good weather on the cards in the UK and Ireland this weekend, customers are making the most of the Bank Holiday by planning ‘staycations’ to destinations like Belfast, Jersey Edinburgh and Dublin…

LEADING independent school Christ College Brecon is celebrating excellent successes by its GCSE students in this year’s results. [aoa id=”1″] The new, fully linear GCSEs are graded 9-1 with grade 9 classified as a super ** grade and 8 as the old A*.  At Christ College, 26% of all grades were 9 and 8 and 41% were 7+. Pupils achieved an overall pass rate of 96% with 98% of pupils achieving a minimum of 5 GCSE passes including Maths, English and a science. Performance was outstanding in Maths with 39% at 9 and 8 with 15% at the highest grade…