Author: Rhys Gregory

Learners and tutors across Caerphilly and Rhondda Cynon Taf have been celebrating as Coleg y Cymoedd rolls out the red carpet following another year of successful A level and vocational results, which has seen three learners bag spots at Oxford University and hundreds of others confirm their first-choice universities. The South Wales college, which serves more than 9,000 learners and is the biggest A level provider in Caerphilly and RCT, seems to have developed a knack for prepping its brightest for the UK’s best universities, with a steady flow of former learners heading to Oxford and Cambridge, including six over…

Openreach is starting work to build a new ultrafast broadband network for Pendine in Carmarthenshire – giving both residents and businesses access to some of the fastest, most reliable broadband available. The once-in-a-generation, full fibre broadband upgrade will let locals connect multiple devices at gigabit-capable speeds and help businesses trade online and compete for decades to come. Pendine, known for its rich history and breathtaking landscapes, is a vast 7 mile stretch of beach where numerous World Land Speed record attempts have taken place over the years. From Sir Malcolm Campbell’s first land speed record of 146.16 miles per hour…

A piece of the jigsaw puzzle that could unlock 1,000 years of history at a Flintshire-based heritage site has been unearthed. An excavation, funded by the UK Government Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF), has led to the discovery of a horse bridle mount dating back to the late Iron Age at the Greenfield Valley Heritage Park. The artifact, which is up to 2,000 years old, was found within the remains of a newly discovered settlement that likely belonged to the Iron Age Deceangli tribe but appears to have continued into the early Roman period. The region occupied by the Celtic clan, which spread as far west as the River Conwy and included…

ZOE BAYLEY-JONES is on the road to a caring career after overcoming adversity to secure top A Level results. The Coleg Cambria learner – Yale Sixth Form’s Student of the Year – plans to become a Children’s Nurse in the future. Having studied Psychology, English and the Welsh Baccalaureate, she will now move on to a degree in Children’s Nursing at the University of York. Zoe, 19, from Wrexham, reflected on the “challenges’ of learning post-pandemic and thanked staff at Cambria for their support, notably progress coach, Natalie Kaye. “My time at college has been so up and down but…

The time students spend in part-time work has increased on average by 154%, with the average student working 46.39 hours per month, up from 18.3 hours per month in 2023 as revealed by the NatWest Student Living Index. Students in Salford, Ormskirk and Derby spend the most hours in part-time work, each averaging more than 60 hours a month. The NatWest Student Living Index surveyed, 6,186 students to determine the most affordable place to study. The survey considers a range of factors, including how much students spend going out and the income they earn from part-time work. Belfast is the…

A Welsh mead, brewed in support of the charity, Bees for Development, has been awarded two Great Taste stars by the Guild of Fine Food. Hive Mind Mead & Brew Co’s Zambian Forest Honey Mead was described by Great Taste judges as “a wonderful mead that is beautifully executed and delicate”. The mead is brewed with honey sourced from Zambian beekeepers whose businesses have been helped by Bees for Development, and Hive Mind also donates ten percent of the profits from its sales to the charity to support its work. Great Taste is the world’s largest food and drink accreditation…

An opticians in Colwyn Bay has raised more than £1,100 to send five-year-old Henry Castle on the trip of a lifetime following the end of his cancer treatment. Henry has been bravely battling leukaemia since the age of one and has contracted life-threatening sepsis on multiple occasions. After four years of treatment, Henry has finished his chemotherapy and is set to visit Disney World Resort in Orlando Florida with his family later this month, thanks to generous donations from charities and local businesses. Specsavers Colwyn Bay is one of the many businesses that has helped raise funds for the Castle…

THE Red Dragon Centre, Cardiff Bay’s leading entertainment venue, has announced the latest addition to its host of tenants. The Fitness Quarter is a new gym business launching for the first time at The Red Dragon Centre. Set to open on September 2, it will be taking over from Simply Gym which closed in April earlier this year. The Fitness Quarter will be reopening the gym facility with a full repertoire of equipment including fixed resistance, cardio and free weight machines, tailored classes and sauna facilities. There will also be a dedicated ‘ladies only’ section of the gym. In celebration…

The historic Ruthin Gaol is inviting visitors this summer to come and join in on a number of fun activities, all included in the admission price. The new escape themed trail has now opened, which uses stories of real escapes from the Gaol to inform hidden clues and items around the Gaol, and depending on which trail is chosen, visitors may get caught or escape. For younger visitors, there are a number of teddies hidden away around the Gaol, ready to be discovered by eagle-eyed visitors. Visitors this summer will also be tasked with creating a link in a ‘Chain’,…

NEATH PORT TALBOT Council Leader, Cllr Steve Hunt, has given his full backing to the UK Government’s immediate release of £13.5m to support supply chain businesses and workers affected by Tata Steel’s decision to transition to greener steelmaking. Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens made the announcement at her second meeting as chair of the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board. The funding is the first release from the Tata Steel / Port Talbot Transition Board fund, which will support local businesses that are heavily reliant on Tata Steel as their primary customer, allowing them to turn towards new markets and…