Author: Rhys Gregory

Make a Lasting First Impression The first message in online dating can make or break your chances of getting a response. So, how do you craft an opener that grabs attention, sparks curiosity, and sets the stage for a great conversation? With platforms like VeronikaLove, you have the opportunity to connect with amazing women—but standing out in their inbox requires the right approach. Here’s how to do it effectively. 1. Avoid the Boring & Generic Messages If you’re still sending messages like “Hey” or “How are you?”, it’s time for an upgrade. What NOT to send: “Hi” (Too short, gives…

Cardiff Rugby head coach Matt Sherratt has been appointed as head coach to lead the Wales senior side for the final three matches of the 2025 Guinness Six Nations Championship. Welsh Rugby Union CEO Abi Tierney has expressed her gratitude to Gatland for his service to Welsh rugby and called upon the nation to back Sherratt as he takes charge for the remaining fixtures of the current campaign, against Ireland, Scotland and England. “The WRU and Warren have agreed that making this change now is in the best interests of the Wales squad as it continues to compete in the…

Mermaid Quay, Cardiff Bay’s premier dining and leisure destination, has announced that work is set to begin on the transformation of its car park. After securing planning approval from Cardiff Council, the extension and improvements to the car park will create greater parking capacity for Cardiff Bay to help support the continued investment into the area. The Mermaid Quay car park will stop operating on Sunday 2nd March with demolition beginning shortly after. Following a three month demolition phase, construction of the new multi-storey facility will take around nine months with the car park due to reopen in April 2026.…

Unique multi-charity retail store Charity Super.Mkt is set to open its first ever Welsh venue at St David’s Cardiff on 14thFebruary, offering a curated collection of sustainable, affordable second-hand fashion and bringing together multiple charities under one roof. The ‘department store for second-hand style’, founded by Maria Chenoweth and Wayne Hemingway, will be launching at St David’s with a new partnership alongside the Royal Opera House, which invites guests to buy theatre costumes from past productions for the first time ever in a shopping centre. The store will also stock pieces from Charity Super.Mkt’s new Made Better initiative which upcycles…

Cash Access UK, the organisation set up to protect nationwide access to cash, has confirmed today the new banking hub in Risca is now open at 52 Tredegar Street. The official opening will take place at 11am on February 14 February, and everyone is welcome to attend. The hub will offer a counter service operated by the Post Office, where customers of all major banks can carry out regular cash transactions, Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm. There is also a community banker service where customers can talk to their own bank about more complicated issues on the day their bank is…

Your views are now wanted on an exciting new vision for a more reliable, connected and accessible transport network in South West Wales. The draft regional transport plan – which covers Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea – is also looking to ensure transport in future is affordable and convenient to create more options for local people. With online feedback now available here until midnight on Sunday April 6, the plan will help support the delivery of a rail and bus metro system in South West Wales. It also comes in advance of the Welsh Government’s Bus Bill, which…

A full night-time road closure is needed on the A4119 between Coed Ely and Ynysmaerdy on Monday, February 17 – which is being held at night to significantly minimise disruption (9pm to 6am). The dualling scheme is a major transportation project to improve connectivity and encourage economic activity – providing a dual carriageway on the A4119 gateway to the Rhondda, from Coed Ely to Ynysmaerdy. A new active travel bridge was also installed just south of Coed Ely roundabout, to enable walkers and cyclists to cross the road from a new community route into the village. The main work is…

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles will today set out new standards and expectations for high-quality and safe maternity and neonatal services in Wales. Health boards will be expected to give mothers-to-be the full choice of where to give birth, even if that means using services beyond their health board boundary. Pregnant women and their families will be given greater say in the development of services to help improve outcomes and experiences. The new Quality Statement on Maternity and Neonatal care and Perinatal Engagement Framework which are published today set out how the NHS will improve services and what good looks like.…

Pupils aged 7-11 at Griffithstown Primary School in Pontypool are being taught how to recognise signs of an online scam, like offers that are ‘too good to be true’ or requests for personal information. This year’s UK Safer Internet Day campaign addresses the scams children and young people are the most vulnerable to which can include phishing emails, gaming scams, and online financial sextortion. To mark Safer Internet Day today, Tuesday 11 February, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle, joined pupils and staff at Griffithstown Primary School for a lesson on online safety. The pupils from years 5 and…

The Welsh Government is working with a sight loss charity to improve the voting experience for disabled people by launching a series of accessible voting trials in Wales. The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) recently published a report that found only a quarter of blind people felt the current system allows them to vote independently and in secret. In response, the Cabinet Secretary for Housing and Local Government has announced £25,000 of funding for trials that will explore ways to make polling stations more accessible ahead of the 2026 Senedd Election. At the events, the Welsh Government, RNIB…