Author: Rhys Gregory

Brilliant people implementing brave ideas to improve cancer outcomes in Wales can now enter the country’s only dedicated cancer awards. Established in 2022, the Moondance Cancer Awards are returning for a second time to celebrate and spotlight individuals and teams across NHS Wales and its partners who deliver, lead and innovate cancer services. The celebration and awards night will take place at Depot, Cardiff, on Thursday 13 June 2024. Hosted by journalist and presenter, Sean Fletcher, the evening is not your typical awards night and will include a range of street food and live music from a local indie band.…

A ‘replica gun’ toting, cowboy builder has been sentenced to four years and five months in prison at Cardiff Crown Court for defrauding four victims out of £113,000, after carrying out shoddy and dangerous building work to their Cardiff homes, and for possession of an imitation firearm in an unrelated case. Daniele Roche, 47, from Porth claimed to a be a qualified bricklayer and capable tradesman who carried out a range of home improvements and building work through his companies – DRJ Builders and DWK Builders. The court heard last Friday (February 9) that the claims made by Mr Roche…

Neath Port Talbot Council is set to launch its new Foster Plus Step Down scheme, designed to support the transition of young people in care from children’s homes to local foster families. Existing and prospective foster carers are invited to attend a drop-in informational event at the Gwyn Hall in Neath on Monday 19th February 2024, from 10:30 to 14:30. Attendees will have the opportunity to speak and ask questions to those directly involved in delivering the scheme. The scheme targets children and young people who are ready to move to a foster home but currently live outside the area.…

RCT Council and Linc Cymru (Linc) announced that a new contractor has been appointed to construct the extra care housing scheme in Porth and that work will resume on site in the coming weeks. The exciting scheme will bring the former Dan y Mynydd Care Home site back into use by building a state-of-the-art development containing 60 extra care apartments. The four-storey building will include a dining area, a hair salon, an activity room, a day care centre and offices, along with an external car park. The old care home buildings were demolished and planning permission for the extra care…

Officers in Port Talbot have found that metal is being stolen from a critical gas pipe servicing the local area. This gas pipe is vital for the communities of Port Talbot and the Neath Valley, ensuring people can heat their homes and businesses can operate effectively. Damage to the pipeline must be avoided at all costs to keep the gas flowing safely to local homes and businesses. If the pipeline is not in full working order, local homes and businesses would be without the use of gas for a considerable period of time. Theft of metal from any gas pipeline…

Allelys, the haulage company responsible for transporting the abnormal load vehicle, has announced the second of the transportations are scheduled to take place on Tuesday 20 February 2024. Between the hours of 7.00pm on Tuesday 20 February and 01.30am on Wednesday 21 February, the second of the transportations – the generator – is due to take place. It is scheduled to depart Dowlais top at 7.00pm and will travel on the A4054 between Pentrebach roundabout and Caedraw roundabout, reaching this point at approximately 9.00pm. It will then go onto the A4102 towards the A470 Rhydycar roundabout. It is due to arrive…

‘Merthyr Forever’, a song written especially for the Borough, rang out across social media channels on Friday February 9th. Welsh Music Day was celebrated across Merthyr Tydfil, an event which is a National celebration, saw schools across Merthyr Tydfil celebrating through a variety of activities. Troed y Rhiw Primary School celebrated the day through learning the ‘Hei Mistar Urdd’ song as well as dancing and singing along to some of their favourite songs! In Foundation learning, the children had lots of fun in their Welsh Music Disco! There was more fun at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Santes Tudful, who held a…

Pembrokeshire County Council’s Youth Offending Team were joined by the Dyfed-Powys Police and Crime Commissioner at a recent crime prevention event. The Pembrokeshire Youth Offending Team were at Haverfordwest VC High School to deliver a Crime Time session for Year Eight learners, in collaboration with School Beat Police Officers. Police and Crime Commissioner Dafydd Llywelyn attended the event as part of community engagement day. Pembrokeshire County Council’s Chief Officer for Youth and Community Education, Steve Davis, said that Mr Llywelyn’s visit to see the delivery of the Crime Time prevention project was greatly appreciated. “The project he visited involves pupils…

New ways of delivering domiciliary care are being trialled in several local authority areas to provide greater independence and control for people receiving care. The Welsh Government is providing innovation funding of £380,000, to support two projects that utilise technology to support the ongoing transformation of how domiciliary care is delivered in Wales, Deputy Minister for Social Services Julie Morgan has announced. SBRI Centre of Excellence and the Welsh Government are supporting collaborative projects that see the public sector, private sector and third sector working together to address core domiciliary care challenges by developing innovative solutions and services to help…

Palmerston Primary School have used Big Fresh funding to build a new outdoor seating area for the pupils to enjoy alfresco dining and outdoor lessons. The outdoor area has been named ‘Smart Space’ in honour of their Kitchen Manager/Cook Tracey Smart, who with her team provide nutritionally balanced meals for all pupils. Headteacher Sarah Cason said: “This is a fantastic facility that can be enjoyed by the students in the warmer months. The outside space will enhance wellbeing and enable our teachers to provide outdoor lessons which will improve student teacher engagement.” The project which was completed by donations from…