Author: Rhys Gregory

Following a detailed pre-construction process, works are now underway on the new, £38 million Caerphilly Leisure and Wellbeing Hub. The new facility will be conveniently located close to the town’s public transport hub, providing improved accessibility for residents across the whole county borough. The development is transforming an area of dis-used scrub land into a vibrant community hub that will support and encourage healthy, active lives. Alliance Leisure has been appointed by Caerphilly County Borough Council to deliver the project and will work alongside Morgan Sindall (Contractor), Architect Watson Batty with Hadron Consulting overseeing project management through the UK Leisure Framework, owned and managed by Denbighshire Leisure Limited (DLL). “The…

From this week, individuals and businesses in Wales will benefit from an almost six-fold increase in the amount of subsidy available for accredited training opportunities. With the Welsh Government increasing its investment in the Flexible Skills Programme from £1.3m a year to over £7.5m, support will be in place for employees to take advantage of thousands of individual places on upskilling or re-skilling training courses. The expansion aligns with the First Minister’s commitment to create a future Wales driven by jobs and green growth and follows increasing demand from Welsh employers for support to develop employees’ skills in response to…

Thursday May 1st saw the sixth annual Welsh Fitness Awards take place. 2025’s Welsh Fitness Awards were the most closely contested in its history. The awards were held at the iconic Hilton Hotel in Cardiff and hosted by one of the UK’s leading MMA and boxing MC’s – Jonathan “Voice of the Vale” Millard. The evening was also an opportunity to thank the 2025 sponsors, University of Wales – Trinity Saint David and DNA Definitive. The Welsh Fitness Awards is delighted to announce the winners for the 2025 Welsh Fitness Awards as follows: Female Athlete of the Year Zoe Hodgkinson…

With less than a week to go until the 2025 Royal Welsh Spring Festival, organisers are delighted to reveal an exciting programme of events, competitions and entertainment for visitors of all ages. This year’s Festival marks the first event in the calendar for the 2025 Feature County, Caernarfon, represented by President Mr John Owen and Ambassador, Rhys Griffith. Visitors will notice the Festival’s vibrant new branding, which incorporates the traditional ‘Brethyn Cymreig’ pattern, emphasising the Society’s deep commitment to Welsh heritage whilst appealing to families with bright, welcoming colours. The refreshed name reflects the Festival’s broad appeal to audiences from…

After a year of fundraising activities, not-for-profit housing organisation United Welsh is pleased to announce it has raised over £6,100 for Velindre Cancer Centre. After selecting Velindre as the charity of the year for 2024/25, staff got to work fundraising for the cancer centre.  People across the organisation took part in a range of activities to range funds, including bake sales, running races and walking 30,000 steps a day. Velindre, the Hospital of Hope has been providing specialist treatment and supportive care to cancer patients and families for over 65 years. Money raised for Velindre Charity helps fund ground breaking…

A business leader is driving forward a campaign to encourage more women to take up top roles in the automotive industry after being shocked by its lack of diversity. Laura Hall, the managing director of Maverick Diagnostics, based in Holt, near Wrexham, is a member of The Automotive 30% Club that’s battling for a better gender balance in the sector. She will be outlining her crusade at the next meeting of the Wrexham Business Professionals organisation at the Maesgwyn Hall in Wrexham on Friday, June 27. The influential group is made up of successful businesses and skilled professionals working together to…

TWO Welsh primary schools are helping to build powerful links with war-affected Ukraine through a new international education initiative.  YGG Pontybrenin in Swansea and Tir-y-berth Primary School in Caerphilly, are among four schools from Wales selected to take part in the UK–Ukraine School Partnerships Programme, a British Council initiative funded by the UK Government. The programme has connected 100 schools – 50 in the UK and 50 in Ukraine – using a shared love of reading to foster cultural understanding, build resilience and support emotional wellbeing. And the Welsh schools haven’t just joined the programme – they’re leading it. Last…

A FORMER student has swapped college life for Championship glory. Harry Ashfield, who this year completed a Level 3 Sports qualification at Coleg Cambria Yale, is celebrating promotion from League 1 with Wrexham AFC. Having signed a new contract earlier this year, taking him to the end of the 2026/27 season, the marauding midfielder can’t wait for life in the Championship, where they will face the likes of Southampton, Ipswich Town and Leicester City. A former Darland High School pupil, he said: “I am still in shock that we have managed to be promoted three times in a row, from…

Acclaimed chef, Larkin Cen, is returning to Wales’ iconic Celtic Manor Resort, bringing his signature style of modern Asian cuisine back to where his culinary journey first took flight. Cardiff-born and originally trained as a lawyer, Larkin swapped the courtroom for the kitchen after making his mark in the finals of MasterChef in 2013. He went on to open Cen at Celtic Manor Resort in 2016 – a bold Asian dining concept that quickly earned recognition for its fusion of traditional Chinese flavours and contemporary flair. Following a successful three years at the five-star resort, Larkin expanded his culinary vision…

Big Splash, Wales’ largest free outdoor arts festival, returns to Newport this summer – and organisers are calling on local performers to take to the stage. Whether you’re a choir, dance group, band, poetry collective or a solo act, this is an open invitation to perform at this year’s event and be part of the celebrations. Presented by The Riverfront Theatre and Arts Centre, Big Splash is a much-loved annual festival, drawing thousands of visitors to the city with live music, street theatre, dance, crafts, workshops and activities for all the family. At the heart of it all are the…