Author: Rhys Gregory

Newport Council, along with partners Monmouthshire, Brecon and Abergavenny Canals Trust, has been undertaking a series of works designed to improve the sections of the canal within the Newport boundary. A major aspect of the improvement work has been clearing silt and vegetation from the canal bed from the Fourteen Locks site up to the Harry Roberts bridge. Some relining work has also taken place in this section, with further relining work planned between Fourteen Locks and Ruskin Avenue. The desilting and relining will improve water flow and retention, as well as improving the water environment for biodiversity purposes. A…

Caerphilly County Borough Council is appealing to residents, staff and local businesses for donations to support local foodbanks and communities this festive season. Foodbanks provide emergency food and support to families and individuals who find themselves in financial crisis. They rely heavily upon donations, particularly over Christmas, and have seen demand for their support increase because of the cost of living crisis. The Council is collecting cash donations as part of this year’s appeal to help foodbanks and community groups purchase the supplies they desperately need. Donations can be made online, via the Council’s website.

A successful bid for National Lottery Funding has secured £100,000 towards the regeneration of the Dell play area in Chepstow. The funding was obtained by the volunteer group Friends of the Dell Park Chepstow, in partnership with Chepstow Town Council and Monmouthshire County Council. This means creating a new destination play park should be underway early next year. This now brings the total raised for the new park to £225,000, with Chepstow Town Council already pledging £100,000 and £25,000 received from Monmouthshire County Council. The Town Council also contributed an additional £13,000 towards initial design fees and costs for the successful…

Learners from Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern will take part in the F1 in Schools world finals after taking the chequered flag and becoming the Welsh Champions of the UK nationals. Developing their STEM skills, the F1 in Schools competition encourages learners to design and manufacture a miniature F1 car using computer aided design software and computer aided manufacturing techniques (CAD/CAM). The aim is to create the fastest car possible with teams also being assessed on its design and engineering, their verbal presentation and the pit display. Team Hypernova, formed of six pupils from Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bro Edern, started their F1…

An award-winning young designer from Swansea who is making waves with her fashion collection is encouraging others with business aspirations to seek support from Business Wales this Global Entrepreneurship Week. Ffion McCormick Edwards founded Barefoot Tech in a bid to tackle the volume of old, unused wetsuits being sent to landfill, and has since won several high-profile contracts and sustainability awards, including the Sustainability Through Innovation Award at the National Environmental Awards. The business launched with help from Big Ideas Wales, part of the Business Wales service, which is funded by Welsh Government to support entrepreneurship among young people in…

Welsh Government boosts support for fuel vouchers and heat fund with additional £700,000 to help vulnerable households this winter. Households across Wales facing tough times and who have to pre-pay for their energy can access further help this winter, as the Welsh Government announces an additional £700,000 in funding for the Fuel Bank Foundation’s fuel voucher and Heat Fund scheme. This extra investment builds on a long-standing commitment to protect people facing fuel poverty, particularly those relying on pre-payment meters or lacking mains gas access. This year, the Welsh Government has provided a total of £1.2m to support an estimated…

Chaser bins are a vital tool for farmers in the harvesting season. These big trailers let farmers keep harvesting without stopping to empty the grain into a stationary bin since they are made to discharge grain from the combine harvester on demand effectively. Usually pulled behind the harvester, chaser bins gather grain while it is harvested and then move it to a truck or storage facility for additional processing. Different farming operations have particular requirements. Hence, chaser bins come in many sizes and designs. They include elements like augers or conveyor belts to effectively move the grain and hydraulic systems…

A Cardiff University scientist has received £2.1m from the Stand Up To Cancer fundraising campaign to discover better treatments for people with leukaemia. Professor Steven Knapper and his team are looking at ways to help acute myeloid leukaemia patients (AML) with a genetic mutation called FLT3. Around a third of people diagnosed with AML carry the FLT3 mutation which is harder to treat and is linked to worse outcomes. Thanks to funding from Stand Up to Cancer – a joint fundraising campaign from Cancer Research UK and Channel 4 – Professor Knapper’s research seeks to combine chemotherapy treatments with targeted…

An historic Grade II* listed farmhouse, considered ‘one of the most completely preserved early vernacular houses of the county’ has been brought to the market for sale by Savills. Dating back to the 1500s, Gelynis Farm is a substantial farmhouse, encompassing a two bedroom family home, and seven en-suite bedroom guest wing, which recently operated as a B&B. The unique property is situated in Morganstown, a semi-rural suburb on the north western edge of Cardiff, close to visitor destination, Castell Coch. The popular Taff Trail borders the grounds, providing direct access to and from the city centre (5.5 miles) and…

An animal behaviour therapist from North Wales has successfully expanded her business thanks to funding from the British Business Bank’s Start Up Loans programme. Rachel Phillips, 29, founded her animal behaviour consultancy, Rachel Phillips Behaviour, earlier this year, specialising in positive reinforcement techniques to address behavioural challenges in both dogs and horses. Through her work in local kennels and, more recently, with a national animal welfare charity, Rachel has witnessed first-hand the devastating consequences when animals reach a crisis point. Driven by these experiences, she became determined to use her expertise to intervene earlier and prevent animals from ever reaching…