Author: Rhys Gregory

Construction work will begin on two more 3G sports pitches – for school and community use in Beddau and Penywaun – as the Council’s investment in ‘all-weather’ sports facilities continues. [aoa id=”1″] The new facilities will be built at Bryncelynnog Comprehensive School and Ysgol Gyfun Rhydywaun, with works getting underway on Monday, October 29. These are the 12th and 13th‘all-weather’ surfaces to be delivered in recent years, as the Council continues its ambitious aim to provide residents with a 3G pitch within three miles, no matter where they live in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The new facility in Beddau will be…

Protect Your Family has been launched by Comparison Creator, the software development company who specialise in product comparison. [aoa id=”1″] The service will initially list funeral plans from five well-known brands including the Co-operative, Dignity and Age UK, allowing consumers to compare options from the material of the coffin included through to the features and benefits of a funeral plan. Protect Your Family is an independent comparison service and only compares funeral plan providers who are regulated by the Funeral Planning Authority. It has partnered with financial information company Defaqto, which assess all financial products and awards star ratings, allowing…

Signum Health has been selected as one of only 34 companies to be recognised as offering the highest potential to help NHS England meet the challenges of an ageing population and scarce resources. [aoa id=”1″] The prestigious accelerator scheme, which has already saved in excess of £50 million for the NHS, is designed to work intensively with digital companies to refine, develop and scale their innovation across the NHS and social care sector. This is the first year the Accelerator has been launched outside London, with the South West Accelerator only choosing five companies, Signum Health being one. [/aoa] Signum…

Welsh firms want the Chancellor to take action to create a better environment for skills and development in today’s Budget, according to new research from Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking. [aoa id=”1″] Lloyds Bank asked Welsh firms what they would like the Chancellor to announce in his Budget to help their business. A focus on skills was the highest ranked priority for one in five (17 per cent) Welsh businesses. Increased investment in transport infrastructure was the priority for 14 per cent, while a pledge for the UK to have the lowest corporation tax rate in the G7 was top of…

Here’s our guide to the top Halloween and Autumn half term events taking place this week in Cardiff. Monday 29th October Circus Workshop – STAR Hub Join No Fit State for circus workshop, children age 5+ 12pm – 2pm. https://www.better.org.uk/leisure-centre/cardiff/star Creepy Crawlies (Oct 29 – 30) The return of our ever-popular Hallowe’en animal sessions. This hour-long session will enable visitors to get close to variety of creepy creatures, from maggots, and frogs to lizards and snakes. Booking Essential.  Please visit www.cardiffcastle.com to book tickets 02920 878 100 Spider Encounter(Oct 29 – 30) What makes people so scared of spiders? Join us for…

The Welsh Government is urging the UK Government to take action now to back up its recent recognition that austerity must end and increase public spending to meet the growing demands for public services. In a letter to the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford set out Wales’ priorities ahead of the Autumn Budget today (Monday 29 October 2018). [aoa id=”1″] The Finance Secretary is urging the UK government to make a series of commitments to Wales, including: delivering on its promise that Wales will not lose a penny of funding from the decision to leave the…

Working mother Corinna Roberts says that completing an apprenticeship has boosted her confidence and skills and brought value and fresh ideas to the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in Newport where she works. [aoa id=”1″] Corinna, 26, who lives in Tonypandy, has achieved a Foundation Apprenticeship and an Apprenticeship in Business Administration and secured a permanent Civil Service job while juggling parental responsibilities and learning to manage her mental health. Supported by training provider ALS Training, she plans to continue her learning journey by progressing to either a Higher Apprenticeship (Level 4), a Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development or an…

Residents are being asked to be considerate if they are planning on having a Bonfire Night display at home. Denbighshire County Council is urging the public to consider neighbours who may be frightened or distressed by the noise and commotion. Cllr Tony Thomas, lead member with responsibility for Public Protection, said: “There are a number of organised displays, in Denbighshire and across the region, scheduled for Bonfire Night and we would recommend people attend those rather than have their own fireworks party in their back garden, for both safety and social reasons. “If people want to hold their own event,…

Residents and businesses in Porth are encouraged to have their say on the Council’s draft Town Centre regeneration strategy – which would transform the area by introducing a modern Transport Hub and Station Quarter. [aoa id=”1″] A six-week public consultation into the draft strategy begins on Monday, October 29, after Cabinet agreed to consult on the plans. The Council is asking individuals, groups, businesses and organisations in Porth for their views on the draft strategy, and there are a number of ways the community can participate. The draft strategy includes transformational plans for Porth, to vastly improve connectivity in the…

Professor Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones, Chair in Ancient History, Archaeology and Religion at Cardiff University, has learnt Welsh to help improve his students’ learning experiences. Lloyd, 51, grew up near Bridgend in a non Welsh speaking family, but has had a strong interest in the language for around 25 years, since working within the costume department for the Welsh language soap opera, Pobol y Cwm, produced by the BBC and broadcast each weekday on S4C. Lloyd explains, “I knew very little Welsh before I started working on Pobol y Cwm. I gained a good understanding of the language and was able to…