Author: Rhys Gregory

A mum-of-two completed the Brecon Carreg Cardiff Bay 10K on Sunday to raise awareness of a rare heart condition. Kathryn Seaward from Caerphilly was emotional as she crossed the finish line after her months of training to rebuild her cardiovascular health came to a head following a heart attack last year. The 37-year-old was taking part in the event to raise funds for Beat SCAD, a charity which supports SCAD (Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection) survivors and their families and funds research into the condition, after she was diagnosed with it in May 2023. She said: “After everything that’s happened in…

HOWDEN, the global insurance intermediary group, is raising a glass as a key supporter of one of west Wales’ most popular events. The international firm is a deluxe sponsor of The Big Beer Festival, the annual festival of food, beverages and live music organised by Milford Haven Round Table. The festival, said to be Pembrokeshire’s premier beer festival, will take place on Saturday May 25 at Milford Waterfront. The event will feature a selection of beverages, street food, and live entertainment with headline act 4th Street, as well as raise money for local charities. Milford Haven Round Table is the…

Nye is a co-production between the National Theatre and the Wales Millennium Centre, and is the perfect setting for a story told in a series of flashbacks exploring Aneurin (Nye) Bevan’s life, from school days to his death at age 62 years. Nye Bevan in case anyone in Wales didn’t know, oversaw the creation of the National Health Service (NHS) when appointed Minister for Health and Housing in the Attlee Government in June 1945. This play is highly recommended for anyone who supports and cares about the NHS. Through short personal stories, it reminds us of a time when many…

The winners of the Wales Business Awards 2024 have been announced by Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid at a ceremony at the Vale Hotel & Resort in Hensol. Businesses and organisations from across Wales came together to celebrate business success, innovation and best practice at the ceremony which was saw broadcaster Andrea Byrne return as host. 11 winners were crowned across 11 categories, with one of the lucky winners also receiving the Wales Business of the Year award which was presented by headline sponsor Jardine Norton. St Athan firm Metrology Engineering Services scooped the top prize in…

Rhian Wilkinson has announced her 26-player squad as Cymru look to build on an impressive start in their UEFA EURO 2025 qualifying campaign with two matches against Ukraine. Carrie Jones and Safia Middleton-Patel return to the squad after missing the April matches due to injury and four uncapped players have been selected; Poppy Soper, Ellen Jones, Olivia Francis and Tianna Teisar. Wilkinson has an almost full-strength squad available to select from including centurions Jess Fishlock, Sophie Ingle and Angharad James, but Elise Hughes is unavailable after picking up an ACL injury in the penultimate game of the season for her…

A Caerphilly-based IT firm has marked a strong year of growth after securing a number of prominent contracts in the defence, fintech and manufacturing sectors. Excellence IT, which specialises in offering fully managed IT support, infrastructure, cyber security and training has seen a 40% growth in its seven-figure revenue since last year and was named a Dell Gold Partner. The company is currently one of the few accredited Dell Gold Partners in Wales, an award that signifies technical expertise with strict training and qualification criteria. It’s also revenue-based, meaning only certain-sized firms are eligible. The company, based at De Clare…

Last month we appealed for information on an attempt robbery in Cardiff city centre. Two men have now been sent to prison, thanks to good teamwork by CCTV operators, response officers and detectives. On Friday March 1, 2024, a 19-year-old man was walking down Barrack Lane, behind M&S in Cardiff city centre, at around 10:30pm when two men wearing balaclavas, riding bikes, assaulted him and demanded his phone. He refused, called out for the help, and the suspects ran off when disturbed by a passing food delivery person. Police were contacted and CCTV operators began an immediate search of the city…

Two popular bus services will be returning to the Pembrokeshire coast from Saturday, 25th May. The Puffin Shuttle (service 400, operated by Richards Bros) runs between St Davids and Marloes, via Little Haven, Druidston, St Brides and Martins Haven (for boat trips to Skomer Island). The Strumble Shuttle (service 404, operated by Richards Bros) runs via the coast road between St Davids and Fishguard, including Abereiddy (for the Blue Lagoon), Porthgain, and Strumble Head. The Coastal Cruiser (service 387/388, operated by Pembrokeshire County Council) around the Angle peninsular will also revert to its summer timetable on May 25th. All three…

The construction phase to install the replacement Feeder Pipe Footbridge, located between Abercynon and Quakers Yard, is now underway. The works are anticipated to cause minimal disruption to local communities. The footbridge is located on the county borough boundary between Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil, spanning the River Taff between Alexandra Place and Tram Road. The structure sustained significant damage during Storm Dennis, and the bridge deck and parapets have since been removed. Planning permission was granted in April 2024 to install a replacement bridge, designed to be wider and more resilient to future storms. It will be 38-metres…

Newport City Council has welcomed councillor Ray Mogford as the 392nd Mayor of Newport. Councillor Mogford was born and brought up in Newport. He attended Hartridge High School and later joined the Royal Air Force where he studied avionics. After leaving the RAF he worked in the semiconductor industry and retired in 2022. Since being first elected to the council in 2012 councillor Mogford has served on a number of council committees, including the planning committee and the governance and audit committees. Most recently he has been chair of the democratic services committee and is on the board of governors…