Author: Rhys Gregory

Llantrisant is set to become a hotspot for the fast-growing sport of padel as Unbound Padel Ltd opens its doors with help from a £225,000 funding package from NatWest. The new club, located in Llantrisant Business Park, will become the new home for padel enthusiasts and newcomers in the area. The investment has enabled the transformation of industrial units into professionally designed, premium indoor padel courts, a welcoming café, and accessible facilities, marking a significant step forward for inclusive sport in South Wales. Since opening, Unbound Padel Club has brought five new jobs to Llantrisant and is tackling Wales’ lack…

The Heart of Wales Line Community Rail Partnership (CRP) has launched a new grant scheme with funding from Transport for Wales to encourage participation in sport and sustainable travel. The new ‘Train 2 Play’ initiative will provide grants of up to £400 to support events taking place within two miles of a station on the Heart of Wales Line, which runs from Shrewsbury to Swansea, between July 1 and October 31, 2026. Funding can be used towards costs including venue hire, coaching fees, equipment, advertising and promotional activity. Sports clubs, associations and community organisations are encouraged to develop events that…

Morgan Sindall Construction’s Wales business celebrated the opening of SEN Portfield School in Haverfordwest, marking the completion of the main phase of new build works. The £25M, 2,600sq-ft school is carbon net zero in operation. To mark the occasion, representatives from the Morgan Sindall project team and Pembrokeshire County Council gathered to the site to enjoy speeches, refreshments, and tour the school. Procured through the South West Wales Regional Contractors Framework and delivered in collaboration with engineering consultants AtkinsRéalis, the first phase of the project focused on refurbishing the existing school building. The single-storey school has been transformed to provide…

Cardiff Foodbank has launched The Great Summer Street Collection, encouraging residents across Cardiff to organise food collections where they live to help the charity that provides emergency food and support to people in crisis. This June, Cardiff residents are being invited to become local foodraisers by sharing the food bank’s most-needed items list with neighbours and acting as a collection point for donated goods. In 2025, Cardiff Foodbank provided 19,203 three-day emergency parcels for people in crisis. The initiative has been specifically developed to alleviate the seasonal drop in donations that the charity experiences. The Great Summer Street Collection aims…

Llangollen and Corwen Railway is set to kickstart the school Summer holidays in spectacular style with a special “Steam into Summer” event featuring two home fleet steam locomotives in action across the Dee Valley. Taking place on Saturday, July 18, 2026, the event has been specially organised to celebrate the start of the Summer holidays and will see five return services operating between Llangollen and Corwen, calling at all stations along the railway’s picturesque 10-mile route through the Dee Valley. Visitors will be able to enjoy unlimited travel throughout the day with a special Day Ranger Ticket priced online at…

The Development Bank of Wales has provided a £180,000 Green Business Loan to JJP Services Ltd to support a major on-site renewable energy investment at its headquarters in Llanidloes. The new funding will enable the electrical services business to install a 100kWp solar PV array with battery storage, significantly reducing its reliance on grid electricity while supporting its net zero ambitions. Founded and led by sole director Mike Prior, JJP Services employs 18 full-time and two part-time staff and has more than 20 years’ experience delivering electrical installation and project management services across Wales. The business previously secured £150,000 funding…

A 17-strong team of walkers from Cygnet successfully conquered Yr Wyddfa/Snowdon and raised £10,000 for the Air Ambulances UK in memory of a former colleague. The team were guided on the trek by Group CEO, Professor Tony Romero, who has enjoyed leading this charity challenge for the past three years, raising more than £30,000 for different charities. The chosen charity this year is in memory of a Cygnet colleague, Ann Fox, who passed away whilst on duty at Cygnet’s Tabley House nursing home in Knutsford, Cheshire. Tabley House manager Deb Jones said: “Ann was a much-loved and valued member of…

South Wales Police are appealing for information after a stolen JCB was driven into a business premises in Llanrumney in the early hours of Monday morning. Officers were called to Countisbury Avenue at around 1.45am on Monday, June 8, following reports that a JCB had been driven into a commercial property. Police say the JCB had previously been reported stolen from a farm in St Mellons and enquiries are continuing to establish exactly what happened. An investigation is now underway, with officers urging the public not to speculate about the incident while enquiries continue. Inspector Meg Butler said: “Extensive enquiries…

A spacious end of terrace South Wales valleys home offering five bedrooms and four reception rooms is on offer for the price of a decent second-hand car. The unusual property in the town of Brynmawr, near to the former steel town of Ebbw Vale, is listed for sale with Paul Fosh Auctions for £15,000. Gemma Vaughan, of Paul Fosh Auctions, said: “This is a really exciting opportunity to acquire an exceptionally spacious property offering extensive accommodation arranged over no less than four floors. “This impressive property, at 103, Worcester Street, Brynmawr, offers accommodation on a considerable scale with the ground…

The Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) Wales has announced its North Wales Small Business Conference 2026, taking place at Venue Cymru, Llandudno, on Wednesday 8 July. Sponsored by the Welsh Government, the Ministry of Defence and Business News Wales, the event will bring together small business owners, entrepreneurs and aspiring founders to share practical insights for modern business success. A range of expert speakers and successful entrepreneurs will focus on key areas designed to help businesses start, grow and thrive, including: Using AI tools to improve productivity and save time Building a stronger brand Turning interest into sales and repeat…