Launchpad have announced the thirty three Welsh artists and three record labels to receive grant funding for 2021. The fund is part of Horizons – a partnership between BBC Cymru Wales and Arts Council of Wales investing in and platforming original music talent. This is Launchpad’s most diverse list of awards yet with fourteen female artists and sixteen black musicians and artists of colour from a range of genres receiving funding to aid their music and creative work, spotlighting…

Hope Rescue has seen a significant increase of surrendered dogs since the firebreak lockdown ended in Wales. The reasons for giving up a pet are varied and it is a difficult but responsible decision for the families involved in handing their pets over. Not only has there been a 100% increase in surrenders at this point in the year compared to 2019, the dogs that are entering the centres care are arriving with chronic untreated illnesses as the full financial…

WRAPS COME OFF PRIZE-WINNING TOYOTA RALLY CAR DESIGN AT CARDIFF SCHOOL It’s not every day you see your school homework adorning a real-life rally car, but this dream came true for 16-year-old Alice Goodliffe from Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Plasmawr, a comprehensive secondary school in Plasmawr  Cardiff. During the spring’s lockdown, Alice entered a special competition to ‘Design a Rally Car Livery’ and her winning submission, which pays tribute to the selfless and essential work undertaken by key workers during the…

The first COVID-19 vaccine is being rolled-out across Wales from today (Tuesday 8 December 2020), the Welsh Government has confirmed. Wales was the first country in the world to receive supplies of the vaccine last week, and has today become one of the first to begin protecting people against coronavirus. The Welsh Government and NHS have been preparing for today since June. The start of the vaccination programme comes just days after the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA)…

Dame Shirley Bassey 83, lands her highest album chart position in almost half a century! A fond farewell   to fans, who have supported her lifelong career that started with her debut in 1961.  ‘I Owe It All To You’ is Dame Shirley’s  8th Top 10 album on the Official Albums Chart, this release brings her to 35 Top 40 albums over a 60 year period, with her highest position at Number 2 in 1975. Unable to travel to the UK…

THE KANNEH-MASONS TOP the Classical Album Charts. The news also sees cellist Sheku become the first ever classical instrumentalist to have their first three albums make the pop Top 20 chart, following ‘Elgar’ which debuted at No.8 in January, and 2018’s ‘Inspiration’, which peaked at No. 11 following his performance at the Royal Wedding in May 2018 and watched by 3 billion people worldwide. Sheku’s first two solo albums have re-entered the UK Classical Albums Chart Top 10. Including pianist…

Metro Bank, the UK’s community bank, today unveils gift giving Magic Money Trees in each of its 77 stores – to support disadvantaged children across the UK. The initiative is being run in partnership with Action for Children, as the charity’s only corporate partner to host gift giving pop-up locations as part of its ‘Secret Santa’ campaign. Customers and non-customers alike are invited to pop-in to a Metro Bank store, take a ‘magic’ gold coin from the Magic Money Tree…

Popping in to the Cards for Good Causes Shop at St John the Baptist Church in Cardiff to buy Christmas cards has become a local tradition for so many people. This year though has been a challenge with the shop being unable to open. But you can’t keep a good pop-up down! The shop has moved just up the road to the High Street Arcade in Castle Quarter. The Arcade, completed in 1885, was once home to a sea of…

The Welsh Blood Service is calling on males that have tested positive for Covid-19 and recovered from the virus to help the NHS potentially save lives by donating their plasma.   Two major UK clinical trials, RECOVERY and REMAP-CAP, are currently exploring if antibody-rich plasma from recovered Covid-19 patients could be used to treat patients battling the virus. Plasma from patients who have recovered from COVID-19 can contain antibodies that were produced when the patient’s immune system was fighting the…

PEOPLE living in Wales are being asked by a leading home care agency  to ensure their elderly relatives and loved-one’s homes are well prepared for winter. ISS Healthcare says its important that people’s homes are properly prepared and now is the time to make any small changes, especially in the wake of more potential lockdowns through the winter months.   Neil Griffiths, Regional Manager at ISS Healthcare, which provides care across Cardiff and the surrounding areas said: “When temperatures drop…