Author: Rhys Gregory

The Velothon returns to the streets of South East Wales this weekend (July 8th).  This year, there will be three courses, 60km, 125km and a 140km race. For the safety of the competitors, all three events will take place on closed roads. With the exception of the 60km course which starts in Usk, the 125km and the 140km courses start and end in Cardiff. For these two events, competitors will leave Cardiff from the Civic Centre, heading down Castle Street, onto High Street and out of the city towards the Magic Roundabout. They will then head east – along Ocean…

As Wales basks in sunshine, with temperatures hotter than Spain, there is no better time to enjoy a holiday in the great outdoors. Camping season is well and truly upon us and to celebrate, outdoor specialists Blacks have put together a list of 5 of the top UK campsites in the mountains, in collaboration with camping experts Cool Camping. Gwerniago Farm in Snowdonia and Ynysfaen in The Brecon Beacons have made the list, and there’s still plenty of time to secure your spot this summer. A spokesperson for Blacks commented: “If you love the great outdoors, it’s hard to beat…

Barry-based chef Sam Evans (from the BBC’s Sam and Shauna’s Big Cook Out) has partnered with M&S to create Wales’ Best Ever Burger – the Run Rarebit Run Burger. Earlier this week, we announced that Sam Evans, has been awarded first runner up by M&S in a UK wide burger competition, for her creation ‘The Run Rarebit Run Burger’. Sam’s ultimate burger has been inspired by the best flavours in Wales – this includes cheese from producers Hafod and Teifi. We can now reveal the full recipe and method below, so you can create your very own ultimate Welsh burger.…

Warnings have been reissued to keep safe in the sun, after Morriston Hospital’s specialist burns centre revealed it has treated seven patients with severe sunburn in the last four weeks. Searing sunshine in a cloudless sky on Saturday also led to some people – including Wales Air show attendees – getting badly burned over the weekend. Morriston Hospital’s Emergency Department is currently dealing with a high number of people presenting with sunburn, and in some cases they have been severe enough to be referred to the Welsh Centre for Burns and Plastic Surgery. The centre provides care to people with…

Two successful businesswomen from Wales have this week announced a collaboration that is the true epitome of girl power, as Female Success Network, and Cardiff based The Go Girl Academy unite to empower young girls and businesswomen across the country. Female Success Network, co-founded by Newport based Sarah Stone, who has recently been shortlisted for Female Entrepreneur of the Year at the South Wales Business Awards, was established last year to support women globally in achieving the success they desire.  Bringing a new perspective to training, mentoring and knowledge sharing for women in business, Sarah and the team choose to…

Newport City Council has commissioned a study of sport and active recreation provision, jointly funded by Welsh Government.  Newport LIVE, the charitable trust which manages and operates sports and leisure services on behalf of the council, will also be working alongside the council and appointed consultants Mace. A detailed review of sports and recreation facilities across the city will be undertaken, before reporting back later this year. Councillor Debbie Harvey, Newport City Council’s cabinet member for culture and leisure, said: “We have a number of sporting and leisure facilities across the city and, for a number of reasons, we want…

The Summer Reading Challenge is back in Cardiff libraries and hubs and young readers across the city are encouraged to make mischief as part of this year’s challenge. The theme of this year’s challenge, organised by The Reading Agency and delivered in libraries across the country, is Mischief Makers, inspired by the much-loved children’s title Beano, which is celebrating its 80th anniversary. To take part in Mischief Makers, all children aged four to 11-years-old need to do is sign up at their nearest library and read any six books over the summer. They’ll also be given a colourful collector’s map…

Swansea Council has become a property investor, generating new income to be ploughed into its public services. Its new property investment strategy has just produced its first deal – and more will follow. The new income will help the delivery of council services. Local authorities across the UK have seen significant drops in Government funding and Swansea Council is aiming to become increasingly commercial. Cllr Clive Lloyd, the council’s cabinet member for service transformation and business operations, said: “This innovative new strategy will see us invest wisely and securely in Swansea commercial property. “We will invest around £5m a year,…

Prestatyn dad Luke Gratton has just returned from a life-changing adventure in Kenya, East Africa, with child development charity Compassion UK. The 38-year-old, who lives in the North Wales town with his wife and two sons, has gone from being a novice runner to taking on a Marathon in 40oc heat in rural Kenya to raise money to help children living in poverty there. Luke, a visual producer for npower, kicked off his training for the Muskathlon Challenge in aid of Compassion UK last June with 5km runs in his lunchbreaks. He gradually moved onto 10km runs and half marathons,…

Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s significant repair and improvement scheme on the Maerdy Mountain route last summer has been awarded a prestigious national award for outstanding engineering achievement. The substantial work took place from July to September 2017, undertaking significant stabilisation of the mountain following a landslip caused by severe weather in winter 2015/16 – affecting 150m of road at the Aberdare end of the route. The Council’s contractor for the works was Alun Griffiths Ltd. Taking advantage of a necessary full road closure, improvements to future-proof the entire Maerdy route were also undertaken thanks to significant funding through #RCTinvest –…