Author: Rhys Gregory

Neyland Community School is proud to have achieved Trauma Informed School status, underlining the school’s commitment to supporting pupils to learn and flourish. A Trauma Informed School (TIS) is one that equipped to support children with trauma or mental health problems which can act as a barrier to learning. To achieve the TIS status, the school had to demonstrate the implementation of the Protect, Relate, Regulate and Reflect principles. Applicants for the Trauma and Mental Health Informed Award must have completed TISUK staff training and demonstrate the use of emotionally available adults to support children who have experienced trauma. Following a…

RCT’s Cabinet could agree an additional, targeted investment of £6.95m for Council priorities over and above this year’s capital programme – for areas including road maintenance, repairs to structures, flood alleviation, parks and green spaces, and the Llanharan Sustainable Transport Corridor. A report to the Cabinet meeting on Thursday, September 19, details a proposed one-off capital investment for the current financial year (2024/25), and would be subject to approval by full Council. The Council has consistently brought forward this type of investment, on top of its annual capital programme, many times since 2015. The latest proposals could add to the…

Newport’s Cabinet has agreed a proposal which means the city’s new leisure and wellbeing centre can move to the construction stage which is anticipated to begin in November. The new leisure facility, which will be located on the riverfront in the city centre, will include a modern leisure pool with fun elements including a “lazy river”, slides and play equipment. There will also be a teaching pool for children’s swimming lessons and exercise sessions, modern changing facilities, a café and relaxation area, fitness suite, and a large active space for community use, group activities and children’s birthday parties. It is…

At a meeting this week, Newport City Council’s cabinet agreed to allocate an extra £600,000 of funding to the city’s secondary schools. Speaking about the decision, Councillor Dimitri Batrouni, leader of the council, said: “The deputy leader and I visited all of our secondary schools at the end of the summer term, to speak to head teachers about their work and get a feel for the challenges they are facing. “We have listened to those concerns, and we’re pleased to have been able to allocate this extra support which we hope will help alleviate some of the pressures highlighted to…

The Leader of Caerphilly county borough council is preparing the community for a number of difficult decisions, as the council works hard to plug a £45million gap in its budget over the next two years. Over recent weeks, the council has been asking residents across the county borough to have their say on plans relating to the future of a number of key services – namely the councils Meals Direct Service, Blackwood Miners Institute and Llancaiach Fawr Manor House. Cllr Sean Morgan said, “These are very difficult things to consider, but the council is faced with unprecedented financial constraints and…

A Nantyglo man has admitted illegally dumping waste in the county borough after removing it from a paying customer’s property. Lee Powell, of Waunheulog, pleaded guilty to three charges under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Council was awarded £1,665 in costs. Powell was caught after correspondence discovered at the scene led to a person who had used him to remove waste from their home, which was later dumped at Golf Road, Nantyglo. Powell ignored enquiries made by Council officers. The charges were then put before him at Cwmbran Magistrates Court, and he pleaded guilty to the unauthorised deposit…

The highly anticipated Swansea Fringe Festival is set to return from 3rd to 5th October, bringing an exciting array of music, comedy, spoken word, and theatre to the heart of the city. Now in its 9th year, the 2024 Swansea Fringe promises to be better than ever, featuring an eclectic lineup of local and national talent across a range of venues in Swansea. Over 60+ acts will appear across the 3 days with headliners across the diverse stages include Panic Shack, Angharad, Minas, Skunkadelic, Confessions of a Traitor, Geraint Løvgreen, comedian Nik Coppin, Sigiriya and King Goon. With last year’s…

A student who impressed managers on work experience has secured her first job at award-winning Welsh whisky producer Penderyn Distillery. Charlotte Hook’s first experience of the working world came with a placement at the distillery organised by her tutor on the Travel and Tourism BTEC at the College, Merthyr Tydfil, earlier this year. The 19-year-old from Aberdare performed so well in the role she was offered her first paid job at Penderyn Distillery, in the foothills of Bannau Brycheiniog, working as a tour guide. Charlotte said she quickly found a passion for sharing Penderyn Distillery’s story of success with people…

A LEADING tourism and leisure company is extending a series of offers for owners and the public after celebrating its busiest ever summer. And SF Parks is also preparing for the construction of yet another adrenaline-fuelled attraction at its popular White House Leisure Park in Towyn. The business – which owns the neighbouring Golden Gate resort, Riverside and Sun Valley in Rhuddlan, and Sirior Bach in Moelfre, Abergele – is to build a climbing wall alongside The Jump and high-ropes course which opened last year. With new incentives, including 25% off getaway breaks in September, and an extension on food…

Our Future Health, the UK’s largest health research programme, is opening clinics across Wales from 24th September, offering over 70,000 appointments across Wales over the next year. The first Welsh clinics will be at Boots stores in Bridgend, Cardiff, Merthyr Tydfil, Swansea and Wrexham, with around 20 clinics planned to open across Wales by September 2025. Our Future Health aims to transform the prevention, detection and treatment of conditions such as dementia, cancer, diabetes, heart disease, asthma and stroke. With up to five million volunteers right across the UK, the goal is to create one of the most detailed pictures ever…