Author: Rhys Gregory

A man from Swansea has been jailed after he was caught exchanging sexual messages with a decoy account which he believed to be a 14-year-old girl. 34-year-old Guy Brigdale, from Fforestfach, pleaded guilty to numerous offences following the messages he sent in January of this year, which included: Attempting to engage in sexual communication with a child Attempting to cause/incite a girl aged 13-15 to engage in sexual activity Attempting to cause a child aged 13-15 to watch/look at an image of sexual activity Attempting to meet a child under the age of 16 following grooming Breaching a Sexual Harm…

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has been awarded more than £530,000 in Welsh Government Brilliant Basics funding, enabling major improvements to visitor facilities at key destinations across the county. Two successful project bids will benefit from this latest round of funding – the Barry Island Visitor Experience Improvement Project has secured £233,813.62 to support a range of new facilities, including changing rooms, beach wheelchairs, and digital water quality displays. A second award of £300,000 has been granted to Countryside Services for the refurbishment of toilet facilities at both Porthkerry and Cosmeston Country Parks, enhancing comfort and accessibility for park users.…

A brand-new pop-up space has officially opened in Maesteg Market, as part of a creative opportunity from Bridgend County Borough Council’s Economic Development and Enterprise team. The pop-up space in Unit 14 of Maesteg Market, titled “For a Limited Time Only…?” will provide a unique opportunity for businesses and individuals to test their business ideas in a high visibility, low risk setting at no cost to them. Pink Freak Boutique, a Bridgend-based business, is the first business to take advantage of the pop-up space to showcase their products. The boutique provides alternative makeup tools and accessories and will be based…

Huge quantities of counterfeit and unsafe toys thought to be valued between £6 – £10million have been seized, in one of the largest multi-agency operations in the UK. Trading Standards Officers from Swansea Council have taken the lead in ‘Operation Grinch’ which has targeted four toy warehouse locations on a large industrial estate in Southall, London. Swansea’s Trading Standards were joined by dozens of police officers from London in the raid, along with Trading Standards officers from Neath Port Talbot, Newport, Buckinghamshire, Kent and Surrey Council, as well as brand representatives from major toy firms. The London-based raid follows on…

Foster carers are encouraging others to consider fostering a child and create lasting connections in Neath Port Talbot. Foster Care Fortnight, the biggest fostering awareness campaign of the year, takes place between May 12 and May 25 this year, with this year’s theme celebrating the power of relationships. Whether it’s the bond between a carer and a child, the relationship created with supportive social workers, or the friendships built with other foster carers in a community, strong relationships are the golden thread that run through all fostering stories. In Wales, there are more than 7,000 children in care, but only…

The Bryn Meadows Caerphilly 10K and 2K Run returned on Sunday 11th May 2025, welcoming around 3,000 runners to Caerphilly town centre in one of the region’s most popular running events. This year marked a significant milestone, with both the 10K and 2K selling out for the first time in the event’s history, highlighting its growing popularity and strong community support. Around 2,000 runners took on the 10K route, which winds through the town centre past iconic landmarks including the Tommy Cooper statue, giant cheese sculpture, and Caerphilly Castle. The course remains a favourite with runners of all levels thanks…

The Welsh Government has awarded more than £1.5m to 25 organisations working with families in poverty across Wales. These projects will improve how services work together, focusing on practical solutions to help lift children out of poverty and create better opportunities for their futures. The funding, from the Child Poverty Innovation and Supporting Communities Grant, will connect services better so families can more easily find the support they need. Abergele Community Action will work with young people who face exclusion from opportunities. Their programme offers job skills and personal development, giving these young people a chance to build better futures.…

For once, tourism businesses in Mid Wales are enjoying being kept in the dark! That’s because the darkest region in Wales, which has the country’s only International Dark Sky Park, is set to become an astro-tourism destination. The darkest region title is based on a recent report by Land Use Consultants for NRW, which also revealed that the Cambrian Mountains and the Epynt Mountain were the darkest landscapes. Being so rural and often remote, tourism and hospitality businesses in this part of Wales are best positioned to benefit from the astro-tourism boom. Food, drink and craft businesses are already capitalising on…

A new wellness concept is set to make waves in the heart of Cardiff, as OREN Wellness officially opens its doors this week in Penylan, thanks in part to £50,000 of Start Up Loans finance. Founded by 27-year-old Kelly Powling, a Cardiff-born entrepreneur with a flair for building brands, OREN offers a premium space for movement, recovery and community. The studio specialises in reformer pilates, mat pilates, yoga and barre, alongside recovery therapies such as infrared saunas, red light therapy, and ice baths. OREN is also the first studio in Cardiff to offer on-demand reformer pilates, which allows clients to…

The highly anticipated Cardiff Wine Festival will return for its 4th edition this week. Taking place on 16th and 17th May, and promising two days of wine tastings across three sittings, the Cardiff Wine Festival is organised by Cardiff Wine Events – a collaboration between WinesnVines (independent wine merchants) and Vinitalia (operators of popular Cardiff Italian restaurant, Casanova). This year, the event has moved to a new home at The Hilton for 2025 – embracing a chic blend of classic-meets-contemporary luxury, the new venue will provide an elegant setting to spend the day trying out a variety of delicious and interesting wines and spirits. The…