Author: Rhys Gregory

Caerphilly County Borough Council Cabinet have approved a report to allocate further funding towards the councils ambitious Place Shaping programme. The council’s capital investment programme aims to enhance local infrastructure and community facilities through its ambitious Place Shaping Programme, a part of the wider Mobilising Team Caerphilly transformation work. This initiative focuses on delivering vital capital projects, aiming to create thriving communities and sustainable development for the future. Specifically, cabinet have now agreed to utilise £9.21m of unallocated capital funding to support the progression of several exciting projects, including: Plasyfelin Primary School Ysgol Y Lawnt and Upper Rhymney Primary School…

In 2019, Blaina RFC and Blaina Cricket Club took the bold decision to merge and take over the running of their sports ground in a Community Asset Transfer. The newly formed Blaina Community Sports Club. Five years on, Central Park Blaina is looking great. In addition to activities on the pitch, they also host many community activities and private functions. They provide employment for 4 staff members and make every effort to operate both efficiently and profitably. The club felt it was now the right time to remodel their pavilion to enable them to make better use of the space.…

A once-neglected patch of land at TogetherWORKS in Caldicot has blossomed into a vibrant community garden, thanks to the tireless efforts of dedicated volunteers. Flower beds and thriving vegetable plots now grace this green haven, inviting everyone to come, sit, and enjoy. The Caldicot Community Garden is more than just a place to grow plants. It’s a hub for community connection. Visitors are invited to sip coffee among the colourful blooms, while community groups and passersby find solace in this peaceful oasis. Whether you’re seeking tranquillity or a spot to savour your lunch, the garden welcomes all. To honour the…

A project to renovate and bring a Victorian-era building back into active use has received grant funding in Rhyl. The former Post Office building in the heart of the town centre has been vacant for almost a decade and its condition has continued to decline year on year. The renovation project will see the creation of quality ground floor commercial and retail space as well as two residential one-bedroom apartments. The two units will comply with Welsh Development Quality Requirements (WDQR) 2021 as well as Lifetime Home Standards, ensuring that the homes are modern, energy efficient and affordable. Up to…

Applications are open for the School Essentials Grant that can provide up to £200 to help with the cost of the school day. The School Essentials Grant is available to families on lower incomes and those who qualify for certain benefits. All looked after children also qualify for the grant. It can be used to buy school essentials such as uniform, stationery and equipment. All learners in compulsory school years are eligible and families can claim the grant once per school year per child. It provides: £125 per child £200 for children entering Year 7 Kathryn Matthews, Community Focused Schools…

An iconic Cardiff hotel, which has welcomed over 1.5 million guests, is celebrating its 25thanniversary. voco St David’s Cardiff, the five-star hotel and spa in the heart of Cardiff Bay, is one of a handful of iconic landmarks in the Welsh capital celebrating 25 years in 2024. Opened in 1999 by Rocco Forte Hotels, St David’s was the first five-star hotel in Wales. It launched in a momentous year for the country – dubbed the year of Cool Cymru – which saw Wales’ first parliament in more than 600 years open in Cardiff Bay, the completion of the Cardiff Bay…

This year, surfing will be part of the Olympic Games for only the second time. University of South Wales (USW) graduate, Dr Joanna Parsonage, is the Research and Innovation Manager at Surfing Australia and her role is integral to the success of the Australian team as they prepare to compete. Having studied for her postgraduate degree in Sports, Health and Exercise Science at USW (then known as the University of Glamorgan), Joanna later emigrated to Australia to embark on a PhD opportunity with Surfing Australia that would end up changing her life. At USW, Joanna’s research centred on strength and…

While Welsh football may have its own league, the four biggest clubs all play in the English Football League. Swansea City and Cardiff City are both in the Championship once again next season. One league down you’ll find Wrexham who will play in League One, and Newport County in the bottom tier of the English Football League in League 2. Swansea City The Swans were glad to see the end of the 2023/24 season. After losing manager Russell Martin to Southampton in June 2023, Michael Duff was replaced mid season by Luke Williams. Williams managed 22 games where he won…

Cybercrime has come to be a definitive concern in modern life, impacting as many as 22% of businesses each twelve months as much of our lives inevitably move from the real world to the digital. Social connections, commerce, groceries and more are conducted in online spaces, using online banking and necessitating the presence of personal information on the internet. Cybercrime has hence become simpler, more profitable and less risky for modern criminals – not to mention global in scope. Cybercrime is rife, from small-scale theft of social media accounts to large-scale ransomware hacks that impact vital public services – but…

A fast-growing Welsh food distribution company is to open a new Shropshire depot as it plans its expansion into England’s West Midlands. A chance meeting between David Cattrall, Managing Director of Harlech Foodservice, and Matthew Farrall, who heads major North-Wales-based haulier Farrall’s has led to the deal. It will see Harlech, founded in 1972 by Colin and Gill Foskett, from Wellington, in Shropshire, operate in an area of Farrall’s new site in Telford in Shropshire and give them a foothold in an area they have identified as ripe for growth. It is part of an ambitious expansion programme which has…