Author: Rhys Gregory

Swansea is all set for a brilliant, colourful and free weekend of top class art exhibitions, events and much more besides. October 11 and 12 will see a packed line-up of free events taking place in venues across the city in a vibrant two-day celebration of local, national and international talent headlined by Michael Sheen and Russell T Davies. The weekend promises a mix of programming including more than 100 hours of thought-provoking exhibitions, engaging bookable workshops, live music and performance showcasing diverse local talent and international artists alike. This year’s highlight acts include new media artists Limbic Cinema, whose…

Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Cllr Steve Hunt, officially opened Pontardawe Arts Centre’s new cinema on October 6th, 2025, ushering in a new era of first-release blockbuster movies for the Swansea Valley. The 74-seat cinema in the centre of Pontardawe features state-of-the-art projection, an immersive Dolby Atmos sound system and comfortable seating, and is part of a major £2m redevelopment project including a new café bar, updated theatre facilities and other building improvements. The project has received funding from the Arts Council of Wales and the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the Welsh Government via its Transforming Towns programme, Neath Port…

RCT Council and Linc Cymru (Linc) have provided a progress update on the exciting project that is building a new extra care housing development in Porth. The state-of-the art facility will deliver 60 extra care apartments and first-class amenities, with work on course for completion in spring 2026. Last year, contractor Intelle Construction restarted the project’s work activity, to transform the unused former Dan y Mynydd Care Home site into a modern extra care development. The four-storey building will also provide its residents with key facilities such as a dining area, hair salon, activity room, and day care centre –…

Over 1,200 primary school pupils from across Caerphilly County Borough took part in the annual Primary Schools Cross Country event on Thursday 2nd October, hosted by Sport Caerphilly at Blackwood Showfield. The event saw 21 schools compete in the morning and 23 schools in the afternoon, with races across Year 3/4 and Year 5/6 age groups for both boys and girls. Morning Overall Winners Year 3/4 Girls – St Helens RC Primary School Year 3/4 Boys – Libanus Primary School Year 5/6 Girls – Plasyfelin Primary School Year 5/6 Boys – Machen Primary School Afternoon Overall Winners Year 3/4 Girls…

New literacy support will be rolled out to schools across Wales, following over £8m investment. Bangor University has been successful in being awarded a grant of £8.2 million over the next three years for the CAL:ON Cymru project. This allows them to establish a centre of excellence for literacy teaching and deliver bilingual nationally available support for all learners aged 3 to 16. CAL:ON Cymru stands for the ‘Centre for the Advancement of Literacy: research-led Outcomes and Nation-wide change’ Through professional learning and the provision of expertise, guidance and tools it will empower schools to enhance their teaching of literacy.…

Motorists are advised to plan ahead before they travel in the coming months as essential resurfacing works are set to begin on the A470 and A483 in Builth Wells from 3rd November 2025 to 1st March 2026. Due to the narrow nature of the trunk road in Builth Wells, the road will need to be closed at various times throughout this period. The work has been planned in three phases to reduce disruption to the local community and businesses over the Christmas period with all traffic management being removed by 5th Dec before being reimplemented on 5th January. A Public…

The Welsh Government has confirmed that it is working closely with UK Highways A55 DBFO Ltd to enable the partial reopening of the Menai Suspension Bridge to cars, motorcyclists, cyclists, and pedestrians in the coming days. The bridge is expected to open daily between 07:00 and 19:00, with full closure overnight. During operational hours, access will be restricted to vehicles weighing up to 3 tonnes. Traffic management measures will be in place, allowing one-way movement off the island in the morning and onto the island in the afternoon. Cyclists will be required to dismount and use the pedestrian footway when…

FESTIVE delights and frightful family fun await visitors to an award-winning farm estate in the run-up to Christmas. As the nights draw in and winter approaches, Rhug Estate is gearing up for a magical series of events that promise plenty of atmosphere, creativity, and delicious food. From pumpkin picking and spooky Halloween fun to chef-led tasting evenings, creative workshops, and traditional Christmas celebrations, there will be something to thrill people of all ages at the 12,500-acre organic farm – based near Corwen in Denbighshire – in the weeks ahead. The season includes an intimate culinary experience hosted by Rhug’s talented…

The National Library of Wales in Aberystwyth has opened a new permanent exhibition celebrating one of the most inspiring peace campaigns in Welsh history: the Welsh Women’s Peace Petition. The exhibition is a place to learn, reflect and draw inspiration – where history meets hope and where seeds of action are sown to build a peaceful future for Wales and the world. Central to the Peacemakers exhibition will be a copy of the iconic appeal and the famous oak chest that carried the message of peace across the Atlantic to America. The pages of the petition will be shown alongside…

Iconic Welsh brewer, Tomos Watkin Brewery, is proud to announce that as of next week, its much-loved Welsh ales, Blodwen and Dragon’s Keep, will be available in every Waitrose and Sainsbury’s store across Wales. This dual listing marks a major step forward for the independent brewery, following recent successes with Ocado nationally and CKS Supermarkets across South Wales. It highlights a growing appetite for authentic Welsh beer on supermarket shelves and represents an important milestone in Tomos Watkin’s journey under its new ownership. The acquisition by local entrepreneurial couple, Joelle and Saraha Drummond has breathed fresh life into the historic…