Author: Rhys Gregory

Many are aware that Bangor-born Hugh Iorys Hughes was involved in the development of the Mullberry temporary harbours used during the D Day Landings- some of which were also built at Conwy Morfa. Less well-known if the contribution of Blaenau Ffestiniog-born Jack Derbyshire, who also played a pivotal role in the D- Day preparations. Jack graduated from Bangor University with a Physics degree in 1940. He then joined the Admiralty Research Establishment at Teddington. At Teddington he was assigned to  ‘Group W’, a small group of mathematicians and physicists, whose objective was to study the propagation of ocean waves over very…

Tenby is preparing to welcome the iconic paddle steamer the Waverly back into harbour this week. Last summer the last ocean going paddle steamer returned to Tenby after more than 30 years and hundreds of people crowded around the harbour to welcome the ship. Waverley Excursions are delighted to be returning to the area and will be ferrying passengers to and from the coastal town on Thursday, 6th June. The Waverly is due in to shore at around 5.45pm before setting off on an evening cruise at 6.15pm. Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said: “Hundreds of people…

More than 400 pupils from Neath Port Talbot schools took part in the 2024 National Urdd Eisteddfod at Meifod which ended last week. One of Europe’s largest annual youth festivals, this year’s Urdd was held between May 27th and June 1st on land near Welshpool. This year the Urdd celebrated a record-breaking 100,454 young people registering to compete in more than 400 competitions including more Welsh learners than ever before. Of the many accomplished singers, dancers and other entrants from Neath Port Talbot one of the stand-out performances came from Ystalyfera Uwchradd (Secondary Sector) Girls’ Singing Group (Parti Merched) which…

A Gwynedd B&B owner is in the running for an award for providing the warmest of Welsh welcomes – right down to duvets and pillows made with organic Welsh wool Mirain Gwyn has run the Taldraeth guesthouse in Penrhyndeudraeth on the edge of the Eryri National Park for the past eight years and is passionate about the Welsh language, culture and heritage. She and husband Geraint have transformed the former Victorian rectory into one of Wales’s most special places to stay with a Welsh ethos. Guests from all corners of the globe have been welcomed to Taldraeth, which has a…

The annual ‘What Kids Are Reading Report’, a nationwide study including over 26,000 pupils from Wales from leading edtech provider, Renaissance, shows a 4.4% year-on-year decrease in the number of books being read by children from Year 1 to Year 11. For the last 16 years, the report has tracked the book-reading habits of the nation’s pupils, and this is the first time, outside of the first year of the pandemic, there has been a decline in the number of books read since research began in 2008. 26,114,262 books were read by 1,273,795 pupils in the 2022-2023 academic year compared…

Cardiff Council has revealed plans to address the low number of children taking part in school swimming lessons. Deliveredby the Council’s Cardiff Commitment Curriculum Team,in partnership with Swim Wales, Cardiff Met Sport, GLL, Legacy Leisure, Urdd Gobaith Cymru and Public Health Wales, the projectaims to increase the number of schools delivering swim provision whilst promoting water safety among children through a new delivery model. Cardiff has one of the lowest levels of participation in swimming lessons in primary schools across all of Wales with only 57% of primary schools in the 2022/23 academic year able to send pupils to swimming…

This week, the Cabinet Secretary for Housing, Local Government and Planning, Julie James, visited properties benefiting from grant funding from the Optimised Retrofit Programme in Flintshire. The Optimised RetroFit Programme (ORP) is a whole house, pragmatic, approach to decarbonising existing homes. More bespoke than previous schemes, the ORP considers the materials homes are made from and how they heat and store energy. By taking a ‘test and learn’ approach, the programme can be used to identify the most efficient and cost-effective ways to deliver the best outcomes for residents. The programme is available to Registered Social Landlords and local authorities…

Sports4All offers free activity sessions for women in Cardiff and encourages Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic women and girls to improve their wellbeing through sport and physical activity. Today the Cabinet Secretary for Culture and Social Justice, Lesley Griffiths, visited a strength and balance session in Cardiff to see how Sport4All has benefited from Welsh Government funding. Women Connect First received £210,000 in multi-year funding through the Anti-racist Wales Culture Heritage and Sport Grant Scheme for the Local Sector. This funding aims to support women and girls from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic backgrounds to participate in active lifestyles; a…

What is the primary reason behind the growing appeal of residing in Portugal? Research indicates that British citizens are increasingly drawn to relocate to Portugal, attracted by its mild climate and affordable cost of living. Well- are these the only factors that make Portugal inherently attractive, or are there other reasons that haven’t been considered? Let’s find out together. Why Portugal is the Perfect Place for Expats? Employment opportunities, minimum wage, and living expenses are among the significant criteria when considering moving to another country. Let’s take a closer look at what Portugal has to offer. Job Opportunities in Portugal…

It’s important to keep your solar panels clean to help them work their best for a long time. When bad weather like storms, heavy rain, or snow hits, your panels can get dirty and covered in stuff that makes them not work well. Cleaning them regularly helps your solar energy system do its job well, giving you steady and dependable energy. Here are eight reasons why cleaning your solar panels after adverse weather is a must. This way, you can safeguard your investment and keep getting the most energy possible. Maximized Efficiency Adverse weather, such as heavy rain, snow, or…