Author: Rhys Gregory

Caerphilly county borough council’s education service has received a glowing report following a major inspection. Estyn, the Welsh education watchdog, carried out an in-depth inspection of the council’s education service back in June. The inspection team spent a week at the council’s HQ, interviewing a range of key stakeholders and reviewing huge amounts of data and performance information. The subsequent inspection report, published today (Monday 2 September), includes many positive findings about all aspects of the council’s education service. Cllr Carol Andrews, CCBC’s Cabinet Member for Education said, “We very much welcome the findings of this major inspection and I…

A £53,000 project to make woodland in the Elan Valley more accessible to visitors has been completed thanks to grant funding secured by Powys County Council. The work has included creating accessible paths, with better surfaces, accessible gates and steps to the top of Pen y Garreg Dam, in Penbont Woods, along with a viewing platform and an accessible picnic table. Two shelters, providing more information on the Celtic rainforest in the Elan Valley and the recently reopened Devil’s Gulch, have also been built. The work was made possible thanks to the 80% grant funding secured by the county council’s…

The Welsh Government has today announced a new £10m capital grant scheme to support the development of Smart Local Energy Systems (SLES) across Wales. This initiative is a key part of delivering Wales’s goal of generating 100% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2035 while empowering communities to take control of their energy futures. The grant scheme is open to community energy organisations, social enterprises, public sector bodies, and small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Applicants are encouraged to develop innovative projects that integrate local energy generation, storage, and infrastructure, making energy systems more efficient and delivering tangible local benefits,…

THESE are the first images of a groundbreaking new £230,000 college Esports arena. The cutting-edge facility has been built at Coleg Cambria Deeside and is one of only a handful of further education gaming complexes in the country. Lisa Radcliffe, Assistant Principal for Technical Studies, said state-of-the-art equipment and technology – including 36 YOYOTECH high-spec stations featuring the latest I7 Intel processors and RTX4070 graphics cards – secure Cambria’s position as a pioneer of Esports education in the UK. “Our aim at Deeside was to create a gaming hub and centre of excellence for our current and prospective students,” said…

A former chapel set amid glorious countryside in a  South Wales valleys village has a new owner after being snapped up at auction.. The impressive grade II listed Salem Chapel on Garth Terrace, in the village of Bedlinog, near Treharris, in Mid Glamorgan, sold for £26,500 after being listed with a guide price of £20,000. The lot attracted a total of eleven bids from five individual bidders. Sean Roper, of South Wales-Based Paul Fosh Auctions who sold the chapel, said: “This could be an ideal investment for someone with barrels of imagination and a wish to realise their dreams of…

How focused are you when it comes to your finances? Do you have a robust budget in place? Having a grasp of your income and expenditure is important if you’re planning for now and the future. But looking at your outgoings is just the starting point. From there, there are different aspects of finance to consider. One key area of personal finance is savings. Here, we look at the importance of having savings in place and the benefits of forming good saving habits. Why having savings is important In recent years, what we’re spending our money on has become a…

Two directors at North Wales’ leading law firm have jetted out to Africa to climb Mount Kilimanjaro. Ron Davison, Managing Director of Gamlins Law, and fellow director Dafydd Roberts will, along with eight other people, aim to scale the 5895m (19,340ft) mountain within seven days. The pair, who have been friends for over 20 years, will be raising vital funds for two causes, LawCare, the mental health charity for the legal sector, and Prostate Cancer UK. Ron and Dafydd have spent weeks climbing many of the peaks in Eryri (Snowdonia), North Wales along with trips to the Lake District. Ron…

When choosing a commercial boiler for your business, you would like to carefully consider a few variables, counting warm yield, fuel sort, effectiveness, establishment costs and upkeep necessities. Assessing these perspectives will guarantee that the boiler you select meets your operational needs and money related limitations. Commercial boiler service Kent include installation, maintenance, repairs and service. Companies offer expertise in these areas to ensure the efficient operation of your commercial heating system. Companies often advertise their services through direct contact, encouraging potential customers to request a quote for their needs. These services are important to ensure optimal operation and security…

The Welsh Rugby Union and Macron, the union’s Technical Partner since 2021, today revealed the new home and alternate kits which will be worn by the Wales senior men’s and women’s teams over the coming season. Designed and manufactured by Macron, both kits take inspiration from the national flag. The first outing for the new home kit will be when Wales Women face Australia at Rodney Parade in their second WXV2 warm-up match on Friday 20 September. The main body of the home jersey is a traditional Wales red, with a white crew neck decorated by two thin lines –…

A woman has been charged with murder following the death of a child in Gendros, Swansea, this week. Six-year-old Alexander Zurawski passed away at a property on Cwm Du Close on Thursday August 29. 41-year-old Karolina Zurawska, from Gendros, has been charged with murder in connection with Alexander’s death. She has also been charged with attempted murder in connection with an incident involving a 67-year-old man earlier on the same date. She will appear at Swansea Magistrates’ Court tomorrow (Monday September 2). Police are not looking for anyone else in connection with this incident. Chief Superintendent Chris Truscott, divisional commander…