Blog

Sometimes the biggest hurdle to me trying anything new, is my mind. Thinking it’s not for me, it won’t suit me, I won’t know anyone there or I don’t know how to do it has stopped me from taking many fitness classes. Boxing was no exception. Lockdown has gotten me out of the group exercise habit, sneaking in a free you tube workout before breakfast or just watching one whilst I ate breakfast, was about as much as I did…

The Development Bank of Wales has raised £53,705 for Alzheimer’s Research UK over a 19 month period as their Charity of the Year for 2019/20. Fundraising was extended by seven months to allow virtual fundraising to go ahead in light of Covid 19 restrictions.   Members of staff kicked off fundraising with a charity choir performance and a pirate ball in Cardiff in September 2019, a 24-hour cycling challenge at the velodrome in Newport in October 2019 and a quiz…

Strictly Come Dancing’s head judge Shirley Ballas is offering people and projects from Cardiff and the Vale of Glamorgan the chance to waltz off with a National Lottery Award by getting their nominations in before the Monday 7 June deadline. The National Lottery Awards are the annual search for the UK’s favourite National Lottery funded people and organisations and they celebrate the inspirational individuals and groups who do extraordinary things in their community, especially during these challenging times. In 2020,…

While many choirs have resorted to using online technology for practices and concerts during lockdown, Llandaff Cathedral Choral Society and Friends have set the bar high by producing three concerts of entirely original works. Following their concerts of music for Christmas and St. David’s Day, the choir is now releasing a performance of Iain James Veitch’s Jazz Missa Brevis on May 31st. Composed in 2018, the Missa Brevis is an unusual piece for mixed choir and jazz piano trio. As Veitch explains ‘I hope that using the jazz…

Goldies Cymru session leaders Rachel Parry (front) and Cheryl Davies who currently lead the online GoldiesLive weekly sessions.   The Goldies Cymru Charity is celebrating after receiving £12,000 to continue its musical services for people living with dementia. The money will enable the Cardiff-based charity to reach out through Songs and Smiles across South Wales for people suffering with dementia to support their wellbeing.   The grant was received from Music for Dementia’s £500,000 Paul & Nick Harvey Fund, which…

New online marketplace Boxini is making it easier than ever to shop local, from the comfort of your own home. Launched last year, Boxini gives you access to delicious, fresh, and top-quality groceries from independent local businesses in South Wales. It has never been easier to support local in one convenient doorstep delivery. Dominic and Dan Gambarini from Cardiff, launched Boxini last year, providing a new way to shop at popular independent stores during and after the pandemic. Of Welsh…

Invisible Cities, the social enterprise operating  in Cardiff, Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow and York  Invisible Cities – Train people who have previously  experienced  homelessness, to become walking tour guides of their own city  – is inviting supporters, friends, customers and partners to take part in a virtual mile-covering challenge, to celebrate Invisible Cities turning 5.  Running from April until July there are 4 legs (one per month) that collectively make-up 500 miles as participants virtually move between Invisible Cities locations. Participants are invited to sign up for one leg, or all 4 and the challenge is to complete…

Kath Fisher [Community Fundraising Manager, Noah’s Ark], Robert Payne [Charity Officer – South Wales Freemasons], Isaac San Miguel [Heart Patient], Kelly Enticott [Hospital Play Assistant] all at the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital, Cardiff.   Thousands of young patients at the Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales in Cardiff will continue to receive support from a vital play service seven days a week, thanks to a grant of £50,000 from South Wales Freemasons. The play specialist team at Wales’ only children’s…

Over 60 of the UK’s leading artists have donated works to be auctioned online from Saturday 15th – Sunday 30th May 2021 to raise vital funds for Horatio’s Garden, a charity that supports patients, their loved ones and NHS staff affected by spinal injury through creating and nurturing beautiful, accessible, therapeutic gardens in NHS spinal injury centres. There are five currently in existence and the charity plans to bring a stunning sanctuary to each of the 11 NHS spinal injury…

The independent charity Crimestoppers has launched an appeal for anonymous information to urgently recover a car that may be linked to the murder of Tomasz Waga. 23-year-old Tomasz’ body was found by a member of the public in Westville Road, Penylan, late on Thursday, 28 January. It is believed that he travelled from Dagenham, east London to Newport Road in Cardiff, where a disturbance took place an hour before he was found. He died as a result of a sustained…