Author: Rhys Gregory

Principality Building Society is marking one year of supporting Barnardo’s Cymru after raising and donating more than £335,000 to help vulnerable children and young people across Wales. To mark the anniversary, the Society hosted a week-long fundraising campaign across its Head Office and branch network in support of Barnardo’s Cymru’s work helping children and young people feel safer, happier, healthier and more hopeful for the future. Colleagues across Wales hosted bake sales, raffles and other fundraising activities during the week of 18–22 May, raising further donations to build on the partnership’s impact. The partnership is focused on raising both funds…

The refurbishment of the play area at Maesteg Welfare Park has now been officially completed as part of Bridgend County Borough Council’s ongoing investment in community play areas across the county borough. The improved facility features a wide range of new and inclusive play features designed to provide fun, accessible and engaging opportunities for children and families of all ages. The inclusive features include a mini swing with basket seat, a swirl roundabout, springers and emperor chimes. A toddler multi-unit, scramble nets, a hopper seesaw and much more are also all included within the recently upgraded play area. In addition,…

Work to refresh the clock tower at Bridgend Bus Station is set to begin shortly after funding was secured through Bridgend County Borough Council’s Public Realm programme. The project will see the tower re-rendered following more than 20 years of exposure to the weather, helping to improve the appearance of one of the main gateways into the county borough. Work is due to begin on 1 June 2026 and is expected to take around four weeks to complete. The refurbishment forms part of ongoing investment in public spaces across the county borough, aimed at creating cleaner, more welcoming environments for…

Locit, one of the UK’s fastest growing steel locker manufacturers, has secured a £1 million investment from the Development Bank of Wales, which will support its continued expansion, safeguard jobs and create new jobs in North Wales. Based on Deeside Industrial Estate in Flintshire, Locit was established in 2022 by managing director Richard Williams alongside investment from Arete Capital Partners LLP. In just four years, the business has grown rapidly from a standing start into one of the largest independent locker manufacturers in the UK, delivering revenues of around £8.8 million in FY25. The company has secured contracts with a…

A finalised regeneration strategy that sets out how investment and placemaking activity will be prioritised across Cardiff over the next five years was approved by Cabinet this week. The new framework designed to create a stronger, fairer and greener Cardiff for all has been developed to enhance the vitality and viability of Cardiff’s neighbourhoods. It has been developed in line with the Council’s Corporate Plan 2025–28 and the emerging Replacement Local Development Plan. The Regeneration Strategy 2025–2030 provides a city-wide framework for regeneration, bringing together council policies and programmes into a single, co‑ordinated approach to supporting neighbourhoods, strengthening district and…

Swansea’s tourism industry is going from strength to strength, thanks to its amazing attractions, businesses and beaches. Last year the industry was worth almost £700m, an increase of 2% on the year before, with visitor days and overnight stays also on the increase. These figures are supported by consistently strong annual hotel occupancy levels in Swansea in 2025 of 79%. Tracey McNulty, Head of Cultural Services, Parks and Cleansing said: ‘The impact of tourism on Swansea Bay, Mumbles and Gower is continuing to improve year on year, with even more visitors opting for an overnight stay. “The economic impact of…

Works will be taking place in and around the Landore park and ride site over the coming weeks. The existing bus station building will be taken down and there will be some minor changes to the junction layout. In the meantime, the Landore site will continue to operate as a park and ride facility until further notice. These works are necessary to prepare for the construction of the Skyline development’s base station at Hafod Morfa Copperworks. Access to the Landore park and ride site, as well as to the Penderyn Distillery, will remain unaffected although there will be a reduction…

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Museum Service has secured a £20,000 grant from the Pilgrim Trust to carry out essential conservation and building repairs to a historic Pembrokeshire cottage. Penrhos Cottage near Llanycefn, Maenclochog is Pembrokeshire’s last surviving tŷ unnos, or overnight cottage, a building deeply rooted in Welsh cultural history. Tŷ unnos were traditionally built on common land between sunset and sunrise, often with the support of the local community, as a way of providing shelter for those in need. The funding will enable specialist contractors to restore the exterior of the historic cottage, including repairs to the traditional thatched roof,…

A court has ordered a woman to pay Pembrokeshire County Council more than £99,000 in costs following an operation to remove 26 dogs from a property in Puncheston. Following serious concerns for their health and welfare, Council officers seized 20 adult dogs and six puppies from a property known as Penlan Oleu, Puncheston, after exercising powers under Section 18 of the Animal Welfare Act 2006. The enforcement action on December 2nd last year followed a detailed investigation into suspected illegal dog breeding activity at the address, owned by Ms Rachel Roberts. A warrant was initially obtained on November 25th 2025,…

The sporting craze that is sweeping the nation has arrived in Llantrisant, thanks to Rhondda Cynon Taf Council support for a local business. A former industrial warehouse, empty for two years, has been transformed into the state-of-the art, indoor, Unbound Padel club. In its first two weeks of opening, 500 court bookings were made and over 1,500 people visited from across the region – including Welsh rugby legend Sam Warburton and his family! The Council granted planning permission for the unit on Llantrisant Business Park to be converted by Unbound Padel and awarded a £15,000 Business Growth Grant, via the…