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Yasmin John, a committed teacher from Cardiff, is in the running to scoop the ‘Best Teacher’ prize at the upcoming Into Film Awards – dubbed the ‘Oscars’ for young British filmmakers – in London on 18 March. Yasmin teaches in The Hollies, a primary school for children aged three to 11 years, with a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. The school is well known to organisers – leading education charity Into Film – as they were presented with the ‘Best Into Film…

#IdeasMeanBusiness  Millions of budding ‘innovators’ think they have a great idea – but nearly half don’t think they could actually make it a reality. Nearly ½ of young people think their age is a barrier to business success, while less than a third of people over 45 feel the same.   Research polling 2,000 UK adults found more than one in 10 have had a great idea they think they could make a fortune from, with 40% of young people claiming to have an innovative idea to make…

Three nations. Three days. Three triathlons. It’s Game On! Today Jo Whiley and her BBC Radio 2 team of Rev Kate Bottley and Richie Anderson officially begin their epic Sport Relief challenge! The trio take on their first triathlon in Cardiff, starting nearby at Barry Community Water Sports Centre for the freezing cold open water swim section, before cycling a gruelling 30km into the Welsh capital through hilly terrain, finishing at Cardiff Sailing Club. The final leg of the first…

Beyond the Barricade is, without doubt, the UK’s leading musical theatre concert. The concept was conceived by Andy Reiss and David Fawcett, who were both performing in the Manchester production of Les Miserables when they first met.  Although the ladies they have sung with over the years have changed, these two guys have remained pivotal in the success of Beyond the Barricade.  I took the opportunity to speak with them both before their recent show at St David’s Hall. Alan…

  THE Circus of Horrors is back with a wonderfully weird celebration of the beautifully bizarre to celebrate its 25th anniversary in style at St David’s Hall on Saturday 14 March.   After springing to life at Glastonbury in 1995, The Circus of Horrors then reached the Semi-Finals of Britain’s Got Talent in 2011. Subsequently they conquered the West End before becoming household names across the nation’s TV screens on programmes like The X Factor, Daybreak, The One Show, This Morning…

  Amber and Me is a feature-length documentary film that follows a young girl, Amber, who has Down’s Syndrome, as she begins mainstream education with her twin sister, Olivia.   Although Amber’s first school experience is positive, she soon starts to lose interest and asks to stay at home. Sister Olivia tries to help Amber with her school work, in the knowledge that if the situation doesn’t improve, Amber may have to go to a different school.     The…

The Entertainer, the fastest-growing, family owned high street toy retailer in the UK, has announced the launch of The Big Book Rehoming in partnership with The Salvation Army to aid the 1 in 11A* children from disadvantaged homes who don’t own a book of their own. The campaign will run across all of The Entertainer’s 172 stores from Thursday 5 March, aligning with World Book Day, the annual event which sees children across the world wearing fancy dress to celebrate their…

Coleg Gwent are proud to be playing an important role in the recently launched We Care Wales campaign, an initiative that focuses on career progression within the social care sector (showcasing how roles in social care can provide a rewarding career plus nationally recognised qualifications). Izzy Evren and Tyne Hughes, both second year Health and Social Care learners at Coleg Gwent’s Pontypool campus, were filmed by the We Care Wales team helping a local couple to improve their digital skills,…

Recently, Welsh rugby star Shane Williams, has shone a light on how the world of rugby is working to reduce concussions (Shane Williams: Rugby, Concussion and Me now available on BBC iplayer). Meanwhile, one local Cardiff team, the Headway Select XV, champions this very issue. Founder and Team Captain, Chris Case, started the team after his wife made an incredible recovery from an aneurysm. “I recognized how lucky we were and wanted to do something for others who weren’t so…

Last night I was fortunate enough to see the show at the Motor point Arena in Cardiff. Where to start, here’s hoping I can find the words to justify an evening which was a true feast of music. On arrival it was obvious that the audience were excited and enthusiastic about the evening ahead, well let me say – they would not have been disappointed. The warm-up act was a young British singer, born in London, Shaun Escoffery. Prior to last night I personally…