Author: Rhys Gregory

His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales has praised the Wales Air Ambulance Charity’s lifesaving impact, as he joined supporters to mark its 25th anniversary at a special Gala Dinner on Friday 26 June. The Charity’s Royal Patron attended the landmark event, which brought together volunteers, patients, crew members, partners and supporters to celebrate 25 years of delivering critical care across Wales. The Gala was hosted by television and radio presenter, Jason Mohammed. Over the past quarter of a century, Wales Air Ambulance has grown from a single aircraft operating limited hours into a nationwide, 24/7 service delivering advanced, hospital-standard…

Cardiff Council has welcomed a new five‑year plan developed in collaboration with the Cymru Football Foundation and Football Association of Wales. New Local Football Facility Plans have been launched across Wales to help meet growing demand for football and improve the quality, accessibility and sustainability of football facilities in communities. Developed by the Cymru Football Foundation (CFF) in partnership with the Football Association of Wales (FAW), the plans have been created in collaboration with all 22 local authorities in Wales, to identify local priorities for new and improved football facilities. The plans respond to a significant rise in participation since…

Motorists are being advised of a series of night-time road closures on the A4059 near Cwmbach as the next phase of repairs to the Afon Cynon Bridge gets underway. The closures will take place over 10 consecutive nights between Monday, July 6 and Wednesday, July 15, with the road closed from 8pm until 5am each night. The final closure will end at 5am on Thursday, July 16. The bridge, located between the Cwmbach and Asda roundabouts, spans both the River Cynon and the railway line. A major maintenance scheme began last year, with contractor Horan Construction Ltd returning to site…

Sport Caerphilly and Welsh Boxing have been recognised at the Welsh Sports Association (WSA) Sports Industry Awards 2026 after winning the Best Innovation Award for their VR Adaptive Boxing project. Delivered through schools across Caerphilly County Borough, the programme uses virtual reality technology to make boxing more accessible and inclusive, helping to remove barriers to participation and create opportunities for more young people to engage in physical activity. The project supports the aims the council’s Sport and Active Recreation Strategy 2019-2029 by increasing participation and ensuring opportunities to be active are accessible to all. The innovative programme provides a safe,…

Powys County Council has confirmed that a previously proposed traffic restriction at the Gurkha Corner junction in Brecon will not be introduced following a review of feedback received from local councillors, residents and businesses. The junction forms part of the wider Brecon Town Centre improvement works, which aim to make the town centre safer, more accessible and easier to navigate for all users. The restriction had originally been proposed following feedback received during consultation on the scheme in 2025, with the aim of reducing unnecessary traffic in the town centre, improving safety and making traffic movements clearer. The original design…

The Welsh Government has announced early action to help the NHS and social care prepare for the winter. The aim is for safer and more resilient ambulance, emergency department and acute hospital services over the challenging winter period. This includes targeting support for older people with complex needs, tackling corridor care and helping people to return home from hospital when they are ready. Last winter brought real pressures on the health and social care system which saw too many people wait too long for care and support. This year, NHS Wales and social care partners are being asked to plan…

Seventeen and 18-year-olds in Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan are set to be offered the Meningitis B vaccine from July as part of a targeted vaccination programme. Cardiff and Vale University Health Board will send appointment letters to everyone born between September 1, 2007, and August 31, 2008. The health board has stressed that this is a strictly targeted programme and those born outside these dates are not currently eligible. Eligible young people will require two doses of the MenB vaccine to receive protection. The first dose will be offered from late July, with the second dose scheduled four…

Ali Namjo, 36, from Clase, Swansea, has been sentenced to 16 years for sexually assaulting a child. Namjo denied two counts of assaulting a child by penetration and common assault but was found guilty following a trial at Cardiff Crown Court in March 2026. He was sentenced at the same court on Monday, June 29. The 16-year sentence comprises of 15 years in custody followed by an extended one-year licence period. Namjo will also be a registered sex offender for the rest of his life. In a Victim Impact Statement, the girl’s mother described the impact of Namjo’s offending on…

A man from Swansea has been jailed after he was found to be involved in a seven-figure drugs operation. 41-year-old Jason Partridge and 40-year-old Samantha Phillips, both from Fforestfach, were subject of a Section 23 drugs warrant at their home address in February 2024. During the warrant, a large quantity of Class C drugs was found in boxes addressed to Partridge and seized. Officers also found chocolate tubs filled with postal receipts of recorded deliveries, one of which having a value of £15,000. Phillips’ phone contained a price list for all of the items being sold by Partridge. Financial investigators…

North Wales Police is urging motorists to familiarise themselves with their vehicle’s built in emergency call system after seeing an increase in accidental 999 calls. The technology, known as eCall, has been fitted to all new cars since 2018 and is designed to automatically contact the emergency services following a serious collision. However, Communications Operators are receiving more calls from drivers who have unintentionally activated the system or mistakenly believed the SOS button connected them to breakdown or recovery services. The force says the rise in accidental activations is placing unnecessary pressure on control room staff, as every eCall activation…