A ceremony held at St James’ Palace on the 21st October, recognised the winners of The Prince’s Trust and TK Maxx & Homesense Awards 2021. The young winners, who have overcome challenges such as homelessness, poor mental health and unemployment with support from The Prince’s Trust, were recognised as part of a virtual Awards broadcast hosted by Ant and Dec earlier in the year. The winners came together in person for the first time to collect their trophies from the…

Wales’ gold medal Olympic boxing champion, Lauren Price, has today added yet another accolade to her name after being crowned Olympian of the Year in the 2021 National Lottery Awards. Following Tokyo, Lauren Price, returned to Pontypool Amateur Boxing Club where her amazing trajectory towards Olympic stardom began. She was presented with the inaugural Olympian of the Year National Lottery Award by her grandmother, Linda Price – who Lauren hails (along with her late grandfather Derek Price) as one of…

Theatr Iolo have announced they will be running their Young Playwrights’ Competition for a second year this autumn. In collaboration with Hyderabad Children’s Theatre Festival, the children and young people’s theatre company will be making this year’s competition extra special by seeking entries from both Wales and India.   Both companies are seeking young people between the ages of 7 and 16 to write an original, imaginative and relevant 10-minute play for an audience of the same age. Theatr Iolo’s…

Geraint John, peer mentor and ambassador of Paul Popham Fund   On Sunday 4th October, a team of runners from Paul Popham Fund, Renal Support Wales, took part in the 40th London Marathon, raising a grand total of £3987.70. This brings the charity a step closer to its target of £132,000 to help refurbish the Children’s Kidney Centre at Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospital for Wales.   The marathon was completed by four Paul Popham team members, who had to endure…

It’s spooky season and we are stocking up on pumpkins, apples, tasty treats and other hearty and seasonal foods. Unfortunately, 4.5 million tonnes of good food­ is wasted every year from UK households, that’s enough to fill 38 million wheelie bins! Pumpkins are more than just a pretty jack-o-lantern, they are rich in vitamins and minerals and can be used in both sweet and savoury dishes. You can use all of your pumpkin and make the most of it.  Find…

Compass Cymru, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, the UK’s largest food and support services firm, has announced a three-year partnership with Welsh homelessness charity, Llamau. Llamau is one of Wales’ leading homelessness charities, supporting young people and women, and providing holistic support for those most at risk of homelessness, including care leavers, people who have experienced domestic abuse and people who have had disadvantaged lifestyles. Over the next three years, Compass Cymru has pledged to support Llamau with…

  Nominations for the inaugural Older Person’s Awards organised by Age Connects Wales are now open! Members of the public have until midnight this Friday, 22nd October, to submit their nominations to ensure an older person they know can be recognised for going that extra mile. The six Age Connects charities across Wales are urging you to join them in celebrating the achievements of older people living in our communities. In categories including Later Life Hero and Ageing Well Award,…

EVER wanted to hear opera classics like Carmen, Aida, Samson and Delilah, Rusalka and more all in one place? Well, now you can as Cardiff Philharmonic Orchestra presents an Opera Spectacular on Friday 15 October 2021!   Experience the passion of Puccini, the grandeur of Verdi, the wit of Offenbach and the fervour of Saint-Saëns in this captivating concert also featuring Rachael Marsh and tenor Andrew Rawlings from Dennis O’Neill CBE’s Wales International Academy of Voice. Neil Collins chats to…

The Girl, my daughter who is the first child with Down Syndrome to attend Cardiff High School, has just commenced Year 11. Like so many of her peers, she is already having to think about what and where she will be studying in Years 12 and 13. When her mother, The Boss, and I were The Girl’s age it was a straightforward choice; we would enter the sixth form and thereafter go on to sit ‘A’ levels and attend university….

The National Emergencies Trust is calling for charities and groups in Wales to apply for its new Local Action Fund with Crowdfunder UK, which aims to support community and voluntary organisations to counter the financial impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Organisations that apply for the Fund  have the opportunity to receive up to £10,000 each in match-funding from the National Emergencies Trust’s Coronavirus Appeal. Since it launched in March 2020, the Coronavirus Appeal has raised more than £98m and distributed …