Author: Rhys Gregory

Ever wondered what it would be like to handpick wine grapes? Kerry Vale Vineyard, on the Powys-Shropshire border near Churchstoke, is looking for volunteers next week to help it pick what owners Geoff and June Ferguson say will be a bumper crop. The fine weather has led to good growing conditions for British vineyards and the eight-year-old vineyard is optimistic about its harvest and expects to pull approximately 10 tons of grapes from 6,000 vines. “It’s an incredibly busy but exciting time at Kerry Vale at the moment,” said Geoff. [aoa id=”1″][/aoa] The vineyard has three grape varieties; Rondo, Phoenix…

Montgomery entrepreneur Fran Louise has her mum to thank for her passion for nature and the great outdoors. She finds the natural environment keeps her mentally and physically fit and delights in the wonderful landscapes of the Welsh borders. Fran, 28, always knew she was not destined to work indoors and with her new venture, the Woodland Pack company, she’s found a way to marry her love of nature, her experience as a teaching assistant and her skills as a Montgomery Walking Group walk leader together. Fran got the idea for developing Woodland Pack through her involvement with Shropshire Wildlife…

Children had plenty of fun on their plates and picked up healthy tips at Bridgend County Borough Council’s first ever ‘Food and Fun’ programme. [aoa id=”1″]Held over three weeks at Afon Y Felin Primary School, the programme saw some of the school’s pupils joined by youngsters from the nearby Corneli Primary School, Pil Primary School, Mynydd Cynffig Primary School and Ysgol Y Ferch o’r Sger to enjoy a summer of activities and healthy eating. The food-based fun included cooking and nutrition sessions, while the menu of activities also included rugby with Ospreys in the Community, pond dipping, yoga, Parkour (stunts),…

The Council has completed important highway improvements in Tonyrefail to increase pedestrian safety – to complement the huge Education investment being delivered in the local area throughout 2018/19. [aoa id=”1″] Tonyrefail is benefitting from a total investment of £44m in Education and Leisure investment, funded through #RCTinvest and the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Education programme. From September 2018, Tonyrefail Comprehensive and Tonyrefail Primary will become a 3-19 school – called Tonyrefail Community School – located on the secondary school site. A brand new primary building has been completed in time for the new school year in September 2018 while…

Booking’s for Santa’s Toy Mine 2018 at the Welsh Mining Experience, Rhondda Heritage Park are now open. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has once again granted permission for Father Christmas and his helpers to land his sleigh at its popular family attraction and he is setting up his Toy Mine at the former colliery from 24th November until 24th December 2018. A trip to Santa’s Toy Mine is a must during the festive season and while Christmas may seem some way off, visits are always in great demand, with many tours getting booked up months in advance, especially for Christmas Eve.…

Around 17,000 properties will be piloting a new scheme to recycle glass from their homes. [aoa id=”1″] The pilot will begin on October 15thand will run for at least 12 weeks. It will involve selected households from ten wards across the city. Residents which will be part of this scheme will have a letter sent to their home giving initial information on the pilot from September 10thonwards. Each household taking part will receive a new caddy and detailed leaflet from 1stOctober. The residents will be asked to put all their glass into this lockable container instead of the green bags.…

Swansea Bay Business Club has returned to its 2018 season of networking events with a business breakfast held at St Brides Spa & Hotel in Saundersfoot. [aoa id=”1″] The event returned to West Wales after its there success last year. A sold out crowd heard from Chief Executive of the Port of Milford Haven, Alec Don, as he spoke to guests about the on-going multi-million pound waterfront development at the port. During the breakfast, Alec touched on the importance of investment in the diversity of the local economy and how building up businesses that have resilient and reliable earnings at…

A new work by a royal composer about the death of Rudyard Kipling’s son in the First World War will have its world premiere in North Wales. [aoa id=”1″] The poignant piece by Professor Paul Mealor, who was brought up in Connah’s Quay in Flintshire, will be performed in St Asaph Cathedral as part of the North Wales International Music Festival on Saturday, September 15. It’s been inspired by Kipling’s poem, My Boy Jack, which will be narrated by Welsh poet, author and broadcaster Aled Lewis Evans. The heart-breaking story was featured in the acclaimed 2007 film, My Boy Jack,…

The life of an inspirational Mold fundraiser is to be celebrated at a special fundraising event at the town’s Theatr Clwyd. [aoa id=”1″] Beryl Powell MBE passed away last year aged 83 after a lifetime spent raising hundreds of thousands of pounds for North West Cancer Research and other good causes. Sharon Knott, the current chair of the Mold committee of North West Cancer Research says Beryl was an inspiration to everyone who knew her. [/aoa] She said: “Beryl was a member of the Mold committee for 56 years, almost the entire time the committee has existed. And for 30…

A police boss says the majority frontline officers in North Wales should be armed with tasers so they can protect themselves from an increasing number of assaults. [aoa id=”1″] North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones spoke out after a shocking series of attacks over the August Bank Holiday weekend in Caernarfon, Bangor, Bala, Wrexham and Flintshire. One policeman had his eye gouged, another suffered a broken nose and five more were assaulted, including being head butted and kicked. Last year figures showed a dramatic trebling in the number of assaults on police in North Wales over the…