Author: Rhys Gregory

Vivien Price from Mumbles in Swansea is ten years old, but it’s not safe for her parents to take their eyes off her for a second. A rare genetic condition means she can have up to 12 severe seizures a day, each lasting more than an hour. Now an urgent appeal has been issued to help provide her with a specialist seat to keep her safe. The genetic mutation which causes Vivien’s epilepsy also means she has severe learning difficulties, is non-verbal and tube fed. She can’t walk without help and uses a wheelchair outside, but part of her condition…

Bridgend County Borough Council plays its part in promoting and protecting the biodiversity which has replaced the scarred landscape of the mining valleys, as well as the wildlife found at other green spaces throughout its communities. Nature has reclaimed the land that was once decimated by coal mining sites across the county borough.  Parc Calon Lan in the Garw Valley, and Ogmore Washeries in the Ogmore Valley, have colliery spoil sites which have been transformed into green spaces over several decades of natural colonisation and are now managed by the council as wildflower meadows. These sites, abundant in unique habitats…

This Saturday is UK Armed Forces Day. Swansea will be marking the occasion with a special ceremony at the Guildhall Rotunda at 11am to raise the Welsh Armed Forces Day Flag. The event is being hosted by the Lord Mayor of Swansea, Cllr Paxton Hood-Williams, and everyone is welcome to come along. There will be entertainment beforehand, but please aim to arrive by no later than 10.45am. It will be attended by a range of civic dignitaries and armed forces representatives. There is limited parking available in the area, so please bear that in mind. On Saturday evening we will…

A two-night road closure is needed on the A4119 between Coed Ely and Ynysmaerdy roundabouts (9pm to 6am, June 27 and 28) to safely lift a new footbridge into place as part of the ongoing dualling scheme. Alun Griffiths (Contractors) Ltd will be carrying out the bridge lift, at a location just south of Coed Ely roundabout, across two overnight work shifts. These will take place from 9pm to 6am on Thursday, June 27, and Friday, June 28 – subject to fair weather conditions. The works will therefore conclude by 6am on Saturday, June 29. Installing the footbridge requires a…

Once-in-a-generation reforms to strengthen democracy in Wales have passed into law this week (24 June) with the Senedd Cymru (Members and Elections) Act gaining Royal Assent. The landmark legislation, which was passed by a supermajority of Members of the Senedd in May, will create a modern, more effective Welsh Parliament to serve and represent people in Wales. Under the new law, the Senedd will gain increased capacity to scrutinise policies, laws, spending plans, and hold the Welsh Government to account. Key changes to be implemented in time for the 2026 Senedd elections include: 96 Members of the Senedd, elected using…

Azets has announced the formation of a new property tax team in South Wales. The new division, led by Amy Buckley, Head of Tax for Azets’ Central & West Region, will assist clients in key areas such as property investments and transactions. The creation of the specialist team within Azets comes on the back of OECD 2023 figures confirming property-related taxation amounted to 11.5% of GDP demonstrating how significant this area is in the UK. Commenting on the new team, Amy Buckley said: “As a business and as a region, we are delighted to be able to provide this specialist…

Whether it’s upgrading your home to be more energy-efficient, improving the safety and security of your property, or making necessary repairs, homeowners in the UK may find themselves faced with high costs. Luckily, there are various government grants and support available to help ease the financial burden. The main focus of this article is the energy efficiency grants, schemes and initiatives that the government has set aside for homeowners.  Energy Costs & Savings for Homeowners  Throughout the period of 2021-2023, homeowners and tenants all grappled with the unpredictability of the vulnerable energy market. The global energy crisis impacted everyone, from…

Patryk Kantor drove 120 miles to meet the girl in a park close to her home and drove her to an Air BnB. During his online conversations. he had pretended to be 17 years old but was in fact 25. The alarm was raised by the girl’s mother, who became concerned about some comments that she made. Kantor was arrested on March 28, 2024, two days after the initial call to police. He was identified and arrested thanks to CCTV enquiries and automatic number-plate recognition checks on his vehicle. He pleaded guilty to two counts of sexual activity with a…

New Theatre Cardiff have announced initial casting for this year’s magical pantomime, Cinderella which runs from Saturday 7 December 2024 – Sunday 5 January 2025. TV’s Morning Live and radio broadcaster Gethin Jones will lead the cast as Prince Charming. Alongside Gethin will be BBC Radio 2 presenter Owain Wyn Evans as Dandini, celebrated New Theatre Cardiff panto Dame extraordinaire Mike Doyle as the Baroness with Denquar Chupak returning as Cinderella and Stephanie Webber joining as the Fairy Godmother. Gethin Jones currently hosts the hugely popular Morning Live, every weekday on BBC1. His career started by chance on S4C. After…

A new first-time buyer study from the UK’s biggest property website Rightmove reveals that the average first-time buyer mortgage payment has risen by 61% since the last election year of 2019. Over the last five years, the average mortgage payment for a typical first-time buyer home has risen from £667 per month to £1,075 per month, as average mortgage rates have risen and remained elevated. The increase in average mortgage payments for first-time buyers has significantly outpaced wage growth. Over the same five-year period, average wages are up by 27%. The mortgage payment calculations assume first-time buyers are taking out…