A great day out for garden lovers The Usk Open Gardens Weekend has  become a regular fixture for garden lovers in South Wales Always held the last weekend of June (27th and 28th this year), the weekend is a chance to see many of the lovely private gardens in Usk.  Around twenty gardens will be open, large and small,  ranging from cottage gardens to the grand sweep of Usk Castle’s glorious borders. “It is like a secret castle that no…

RESEARCH SHOWS NATURE IS THE KEY TO NURTURE THIS STRESS AWARENESS MONTH   With National Stress Awareness Month continuing until the end of April, outdoor holiday specialist, Camping in the Forest, is advising the nation’s stressed-out Brits that a camping trip away could be just what the doctor ordered. Amid the mania of modern life, it was recently revealed that well over half (60%) of today’s busy Brits say their life is more stressful than five years ago.1 With this…

Get Creative at a Children’s Art Week Event This Summer   This June Children’s Art Week (Sat 13th – Sun 21st June 2015) will be back bigger and better than ever! Don’t miss the chance to get creative with your kids at one of the hundreds of events being held in venues around the UK. With everything from; ‘Weird & Wonderful Weaving’ to ‘Mosaic Making’ there’s bound to be something on near you to engage children of all ages. Find…

CARLUCCIO’S OPENS ITS DOORS IN MERMAID QUAY, CARDIFF BAY Carluccio’s is now open in Mermaid Quay. The second to launch in the capital of Wales, the new restaurant and foodshop brings the very best and true flavours of Italy to Cardiff Bay, just minutes from the city centre. Serving freshly prepared Italian food and drink all day every day, Carluccio’s at Mermaid Quay has whatever you fancy, whenever you fancy it. From breakfast and brunches through to leisurely lunches, the…

Go Against the Grain with Gluten Free Ravioli No need to avoid the delicious taste of fresh, homemade pasta with this recipe for gluten free sweet potato ravioli. Filled with sweet potato and goat’s cheese, these parcels make an authentic Italian dinner that everyone will enjoy.  What’s more, the goat’s cheese can also be left out for a dairy free dish. Sweet potatoes, which are full of vitamins, minerals and high in fibre, are just as delicious in the summer…

Pregnant?  Thinking about the upcoming birth?  Come immerse yourself in positivity, bust the myths and build skills and resources to achieve your own positive birth.  The workshop is the first in South Wales designed by the Positive Birth Movement and will be facilitated by an experienced Birth Doula and Midwife.  Contact us ASAP as places are limited.

The Wales women’s over-35s team defeated England, Scotland and Ireland to win the Four Nations title at the Bolton Arena. The team comprised Ellen Jones, of the XL Academy/ Cardiff Metropolitan University; Linda Jones, who is a coach at David Lloyd, Finchley; and Carys Rees, a coach at Abergavenny. The women won all three matches in each of the three rubbers against the other home nations, ending with a maximum six points from the tournament. The men’s over-50s also did…

NatWest has created a new fund for charities, social enterprises, community groups, state-funded schools and colleges across the UK and Ireland, to enable them to support disadvantaged communities, helping people to learn new skills, get into the world of work or set up their own business. The Skills & Opportunities fund launches on Monday 11 May. Representatives of qualifying organisations can apply for funding of up to £35,000 for their projects via a new website http://skillsandopportunitiesfund.natwest.com. £2.5m of funding is…

Why your readers should Wear It Wild WWF Cymru is calling on people of all ages to make a stand for nature, and ‘Wear It Wild’ on Friday 5 June. We’re challenging the nation to dress as wild as they dare – whether sporting animal-print socks at work, leopard leotards on the school run, or go all out in a wild onesie: we want to see your wild side!  As well as raising awareness about threatened species, any money raised…

8 May Launch of The Opera Platform Live transmission from Teatro Real de Madrid of La traviata de Verdi, conducted by Renato Palumbo and directed by David McVicar, with Ermonela Jaho, Francesco Demuro and Juan Jesús Rodríguez Rich content already available : Il trittico from Opéra national de Lyon, El retablo de Maese Pedro from Teatro Real de Madrid, Die Zauberflöte from Festival d’Aix-en-Provence, and many contributions from other contributing opera companies drawn from across the membership of Opera Europa.  …