Author: Rhys Gregory

STUDENTS achieved their goal of supporting the community in partnership with a North Wales football club. [aoa id=”1″] Youngsters on the second Traineeship Construction Academy at Coleg Cambria have been busy revamping facilities at Ruthin FC. The 16 to 18 year-old learners are taking part in a six-week initiative – which was set up by Bodelwyddan-based Wynne Construction – to develop their basic building skills while helping the team as it looks to make improvements off the pitch to its clubhouse and grounds. Nicola Gaughran, Operations Manager for the Academy, said the college is always looking to give back to…

COLEG CAMBRIA has launched the UK’s first foundation degree dedicated to Offender Management. In partnership with the University of Chester’s Institute of Policing, the two-year qualification could lead to careers in the criminal justice arena, including the prison service. [aoa id=”1″] Successful students are also given the opportunity to progress onto a third year to obtain a degree in Policing, Law and Investigation at the University. Modules include Restorative Justice, Effective Decision Making, Investigative Interviewing, Community Engagement and Partnership Working, Leading and Managing People, and Accountability, Value and Ethics. Yvette Jackson Monk, Programme Leader and Lecturer in Public Services, said…

Today (12th November 2018), FOR Cardiff, the city’s business improvement district, has re-opened St Johns Gardens after being permanently closed in May. At 11am today, FOR Cardiff Ambassadors re-opened the gates so the public could once again enjoy the space. The gardens, located opposite the entrance to Cardiff Market, were closed by Cardiff Council in May due to concerns over anti-social behavior in the gardens. [aoa id=”1″][/aoa] During the revamp period, FOR Cardiff have worked with Cardiff Council and the Probation Service to clear overgrown plants, improve light visibility, refurbish benches and paint railings so the gardens could be restored…

During the opening week of the world’s largest, free, youth film festival, over 100 pupils from St Teilo’s Church in Wales High School and Cathays High School got the opportunity to learn about everyday science and the fact that we have the know-how in Wales to resurrect dinosaurs.  A screening of blockbuster Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom in Chapter Arts Centre – a joint initiative between Into Film Cymru and Wales Gene Park as part of the Into Film Festival – was followed by an exclusive talk from BAFTA nominated Dr Rhys Jones, an Evolutionary Biologist at Cardiff University, who explained the advances in medical genetics research. [aoa id=”1″][/aoa] Speaking at…

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford today announced Wales has secured more than €100m to support major research and development projects from a flagship EU fund. [aoa id=”1″] Horizon 2020 is the EU’s largest ever research and innovation programme, supporting cutting-edge science and technology and international collaboration to deliver solutions to key challenges facing society. Since the launch of the highly-competitive programme, Welsh businesses and universities have been involved in more than 2,800 international collaborations. These have delivered significant economic benefits for Wales and have helped to put Welsh universities at the forefront of research. [/aoa] Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said: “Today…

Businesses from across Wales are encouraged to enter the prestigious Welsh Business Awards 2018 ahead of the forthcoming deadline. With less than a month to submit their entries for the awards, entrants are now urged to enter the awards, before the deadline on Friday 7 December. The Welsh Business Awards by the South Wales Chamber of Commerce aim to celebrate innovative and successful businesses across Wales. Over the years, the awards have increased in popularity and cemented their place in the Welsh business calendar. Heather Myers, CEO of South and Mid Wales Chambers of Commerce, said: “Being recognised by these…

BAFTA Award-winning television star and writer Ruth Jones is making her highly anticipated return to the stage in The Nightingales at Cardiff’s New Theatre next week from 19 – 24 November. The production, directed by RSC Associate Artist Christopher Luscombe and written by William Gaminara is a thought-provoking, bittersweet play which follows the lives of a small community acapella group in their weekly singing practice, and the impact of new arrival, Maggie. Ruth Jones (Maggie) is best known for playing Nessa in the BBC’s multi award winning Gavin and Stacey which she co-wrote and created with James Corden. She also…

New figures released today by TV Licensing show that after more than 50 years of colour transmissions, more than 300 black and white TV Licences are still in force across Wales, although numbers are steadily declining.   [aoa id=”1″] Despite an increase in the use of smart televisions, as well as tablets and smart-phones to access TV content, a surprising number of Welsh households are spurning 21st Century technology in favour of nostalgic monochrome TV sets.   According to this year’s figures, Cardiff leads the way with 43 black and white licences, followed by Carmarthenshire with 28 monochrome licences and Monmouthshire…

In response to today’s statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education, UCAC education union has said that professional learning for the education workforce is critical to the success of the reforms to the curriculum and the Additional Learning Needs system. Dilwyn Roberts-Young, UCAC General Secretary said: “The scale of change to our education system over the next few years is mind-boggling. To imagine that such change can be achieved without a very substantial investment in professional learning would be foolish in the extreme. “UCAC is pleased therefore that the Cabinet Secretary has announced specific funding to support the scale of…

Flu can kill or leave you seriously ill and you are particularly at risk if you have a long-term health condition. That is the stark warning from a pharmacist as those with diabetes, asthma, heart disease and other chronic illnesses are urged to get the vaccine. Pharmacist Alwyn Fortune of Sheppards in Kenfig Hill, near Bridgend, said: “Flu can kill. Flu can lead to chest infections and pneumonia. “So if patients have been vaccinated against the flu, when they are exposed to the virus the antibodies are already there to be able to fight it off so they either won’t…