Author: Rhys Gregory

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…

British Cycling has confirmed the route for the Lloyds National Road Championships in Ceredigion between June 26-29. A total of 10 coveted national champion’s jerseys are up for grabs across three days of racing, with the time-trial on Thursday, June 26, the circuit race on Friday, June 27 and the road race concluding the action on Sunday, June 29. Entries for all three events are now open and will close at midnight on Sunday, June 1. Lloyds National Time-Trial Championships, Aberaeron on June 26 The challenging time-trial route starts in Ffos- y-ffin and the route extends along the fast-rolling roads…

A campaign to raise awareness of the career opportunities within the food and drink industry in Wales, and challenge perceptions of careers in this field has been launched. The Sgiliau Bwyd a Diod Cymru / Food & Drink Skills Wales Programme is a Welsh Government funded programme committed to working with the food and drink industry to develop a skilled and capable workforce. It supports food and drink businesses with a focus on the Welsh food and drink processing and manufacturing industry to ensure employees have the right skills and training for their business. Working across all sectors within the…

Aberystwyth University scientists are helping to monitor the success of the reintroduction of Britain’s second rarest mammal. A member of the mustelid family, which also includes weasels, stoats, badgers and otters, pine martens are similar in size to a small domestic cat.  An elusive carnivore, they usually live in forested areas, where their diet consists mainly of small mammals, as well as fruit and berries. Once widespread across Scotland, England and Wales, excessive hunting and habitat loss led to pine martens becoming one of Britain’s rarest carnivores. Over the past decade, several reintroduction projects have successfully relocated animals from the…

North Wales Freemasons visited North Wales Mountain Rescue Association (NWMRA) to present a donation of £20,532. Lodges and Chapters in North Wales were invited to donate up to £250 each, which North Wales Freemasons Charity (NWFC) agreed to match fund up to £10,000, raising the magnificent sum of £20,532. Phil James, NWFC Chairman, together with members and trustees received a warm welcome and were given a regional overview and a tour of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue base. Phil James said, “I am delighted that the NWMRA community engagement initiative, launched by John Charles Hoult, Head of North Wales Freemasons,…