Author: Rhys Gregory

Hundreds of Pembrokeshire schoolchildren will take to the streets of Haverfordwest on Friday, March 7th as the popular St David’s Day parade returns. Organised by the Pembrokeshire Language Forum and Pembrokeshire County Council, the annual parade will set off at 10am for a celebratory procession through the town. Led by the energetic Samba Doc, the parade starts from the car park behind the former county library building on Dew Street. The children come down High Street, through Bridge Street, across the Old Bridge, back along Quay Street, and finally arrive at Picton Playing Fields, for an open-air jamboree. “This event is a…

Construction work for the exciting Marks and Spencer site redevelopment in Pontypridd Town Centre will start from February 17. The Council will work closely with its appointed contractor to minimise disruption locally. Last month, the Council announced that more than £5.6 million has been secured to deliver the ‘riverside plaza’ project at 97-102 Taff Street – thanks to significant support from Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns Programme (£3.68 million) and the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund (£1.95 million). It was also announced that Horan Construction Ltd has been appointed as the construction phase contractor. The project is a key part of…

Greenfields Day Nursery, a registered Full Daycare Nursery with over nine years of successful operation in Rogerstone, is excited to announce the opening of its brand-new childcare centre in Blackwood on February 3rd, 2025. This new facility, the only full-day care setting in Blackwood Town Centre, aims to provide an enriching and nurturing environment for children aged 0-5, while supporting local families and the community. Thanks to the support from Caerphilly Borough County Council and funding from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), Greenfields Nursery received a £25,000 Business Development Grant through Caerphilly Borough County Council which helped with the…

Derek Walker, the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales has visited Caerphilly to see for himself the work being undertaken as part of the Caerphilly Town 2035 Placemaking Plan. Mr Walker toured planned regeneration sites including the Caerphilly Leisure and Wellbeing Hub and the Pentrebane Street redevelopment site. The commissioner also visited the recently developed container-style market Ffos Caerffili, with Hefin David MS and the leader of Caerphilly County Borough Council, Cllr Sean Morgan. Supported by Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns fund, the intention of the placemaking plan is to help the area reach its potential as a modern, thriving town for…

With LGBT+ History Month underway, communities across Wales are looking forward to a season of Pride celebrations in the coming months. From small towns to cities, these events will bring people together, creating welcoming spaces where everyone can celebrate diversity, feel seen, and be themselves. The Welsh Government supports grassroots Pride events, helping them grow, reach more people, hire Welsh performers, and create welcoming spaces shaped by and for LGBTQ+ people and their allies. Last year, Pride events across Wales received Welsh Government support, including the one in Brecon. Michael Price, Chair of Brecon Pride, said: “Pride events like Brecon…

The minister responsible for apprenticeship policy in Wales returned this week to the college where he himself studied as an apprentice to celebrate Apprenticeship Week and extol the benefits of this route into employment. Having left school at 17, the Skills Minister, Jack Sargeant, studied at Deeside College (now Coleg Cambria) and later Wrexham University. Throughout this time he was earning whilst learning at an industrial placement. Apprenticeship Week Wales kicks off today [Monday 10th] and celebrates the value apprenticeships bring to learners, employers and the wider Welsh economy. Addressing students, ex-apprentices and industry representatives at the college, he said:…

A dedicated women’s health research centre opening this April will provide vital evidence to improve healthcare for women in Wales. The Women’s Health Research Wales centre for excellence will benefit from a £3m investment from Health and Care Research Wales, supported by the Welsh Government, on top of £750,000 available for other dedicated women’s health research projects. The funding boost represents a significant commitment to address health inequalities and shape future services for women, as set out in the Women’s Health Plan for Wales. Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing Sarah Murphy, with responsibility for women’s health, said: “This new…

Having played a major role in the £10 million Swansea Palace Theatre refurbishment, a Welsh firm is looking to expand in 2025. Newport’s Tube and Steel Supplies (TSS) fabricated and installed balustrading for the famous theatre which once hosted a young Charlie Chaplin, and now the Grade II listed building has a new lease of life as a centre for business and enterprise. Tata Steel subsidiary, UKSE, has invested £100,000 in TSS to underpin its plan to take on a new team of 4 to cope with demand for their quality balustrading service, and to provide working capital. The UKSE…

Welsh food and drink companies are set to make a significant impact at Gulfood, one of the world’s largest food and drink exhibitions, taking place in Dubai later this month. Gulfood 2025 is a five-day event that takes place from 17-21 February 2025 at the Dubai World Trade Centre. It is set to host a record 5,500+ exhibitors from over 190 countries, unveiling new business opportunities, meeting with suppliers, sampling new food products, and assisting with solutions to new and evolving global challenges. Supported by the Welsh Government, fifteen companies from across the industry will be attending under the Food…

A buy-out of Cardigan-based Arjay Factors funded by the Development Bank of Wales has given young entrepreneurs Danny and Lowri Grota the opportunity to take on their first business venture. The couple, who are both 27 years old and expecting their first baby imminently, have purchased Arjay Factors on the Pentood Industrial Estate in Cardigan. Danny is a fully qualified mechanic and Lowri is an experienced office manager and administrator. Arjay Factors provides car, van and 4×4 mechanical parts direct to the public and local garages.  It is a successful auto-parts business that has been owned and managed by John…