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…

Welsh actor and Hollywood star Luke Evans visited Cardiff this week to meet with pupils from Ysgol Gymraeg Treganna, The Hollies, and Llanharan Primary School, as well as nominees for the upcoming Into Film Awards, in an exclusive Q&A event. Luke spoke about the educational power of film watching, and the highlights of his career, including tips on how to get into the creative industries. The event was organised by Into Film, a UK-wide film education charity supported by the BFI through…

Boyzlife consists of one member of Boyzone, Keith Duffy, and one former member of Westlife, Brian McFadden, and thereby manages to capture the audience of both.  This audience consists predominantly of 30-plus females so I felt a little out of place at first, but the friendly atmosphere generated by the boys meant that I soon got into the swing of things.  The audience seemed to know the words of every song, and, at one stage, Keith went into the crowd…

In celebration of Cymru qualifying for their first consecutive Euro finals tournament, the Football Association of Wales and Literature Wales have joined to launch an exclusive Cymru Euro 2020 Poetry Competition. The competition invites the children of Wales to submit poems on the theme of Identity for a chance to win a host of fantastic prizes. The competition is open to children Year 6 and under living in Wales, and poems can be submitted in Welsh or English. Joining two…

Lucie Jones is one of my favourite singers, so when I was invited to review her first solo concert, I didn’t take much persuading!  Lucie, who is from Pentyrch on the outskirts of Cardiff, first came to my attention when she reached the live finals of X Factor in 2009.  Controversially, she was booted off after a sing-off against Jedward.  Looking back, that seems an almost unbelievable decision by the judges.  However, Lucie was not bitter and has only positive…

Disabled people from all over Wales have waltzed into 2020 for Strictly Cymru – the country’s renowned inclusive dance competition. Run by charity Leonard Cheshire, in partnership with the national governing body Paradance UK, the competition has seen dancers in both inclusive and wheelchair-specific categories compete in six heats across South Wales, in preparation for the grand final on 6 June. Strictly Cymru is now in its third year. Winning in the inclusive categories at the Carmarthen heat on 17…

Dogs Trust Bridgend are making a special appeal for their longest serving canine resident, Conker who has been waiting for a home for over 250 days. The two-year-old Lurcher originally found himself in the care of Dogs Trust Bridgend in November 2018. Since then he has been adopted twice but sadly it was not meant to be and been waiting for it to be third time lucky since July 2019. He has been overlooked by more than 1,200 potential new…

Air Marshal Sir Baz North, President of the RAF Association   Families of serving RAF personnel and veterans in South Wales who are finding life tough will be offered unique training to help them identify, and deal with, the symptoms of poor mental wellbeing. The Royal Air Forces Association, the charity that supports the welfare of the RAF family, is offering mental wellbeing awareness training at venues across the UK, some of which will be in Cardiff and Newport. The…