An international charity with twenty years’ experience bringing the benefits of music therapy to vulnerable people around the world is launching a new pilot project in Newport, South Wales for the first time this month.   Music as Therapy International will train care staff working at the Oaklands centre in Rogerstone, giving them the skills to use music therapy techniques with the children they care for on a daily basis. The children, many of whom have profound multiple learning disabilities…

The Lower Machen Festival takes audiences on an international journey this year with a theme featuring particular cities that have influenced composers. Now in its forty-ninth year, the Lower Machen Festival is a widely anticipated event in the musical calendar. Based in one of the smallest villages in South Wales, the Lower Machen Festival this year runs from Tuesday 21 June through to Sunday 26 June. The majority of the concerts take place in St Michaels and All Angels’, Lower…

  As Debenhams gears up to open its newest store at Friars Walk on 12 November, the department store is excited to announce the finalists from its design competition launched in association with University of South Wales. To celebrate renowned Welsh fashion designer Julien Macdonald coming home to Wales to officially opening the store, a competition was launched to uncover a rising star of fashion design. 3rd year fashion design students were given a brief to design a capsule collection…

Wales’ largest sight loss charity is making a plea for volunteers for their involvement in HUB Festival in August. HUB Festival takes place over August Bank Holiday weekend from Friday 28 to Sunday 30 August. The charity is looking for volunteers to give two hours of their time to help raise money to support people with sight loss in Wales, and in exchange they will receive a free weekend wristband! Carol McKinlay, RNIB Cymru’s Fundraising Manager, said: “This is an…

Hasbro have announced the launch of the Monopoly World Championships, with regional heats set to take place across the UK and Ireland. On Saturday 27th June, a specially designed double-decker bus, fitted with ten Monopoly tables, will be visiting Cardiff Celtic Manor to find the world’s best Monopoly player!   Fans can register using www.monopolychampionships.co.uk for a chance to compete for a spot in the UK and Ireland final at The View From the Shard, with the winner travelling to…

Five directors of restaurants in Yeovil, Cardiff and Newport are the latest to be banned from running companies for knowingly employing illegal workers, following investigations into three restaurant businesses by the Insolvency Service.   Abdul Boshor (43) and Samiur Rahman (24), who ran the Empire Restaurant (Cardiff) Ltd, signed undertakings banning them from acting as directors for seven and six years respectively. Abdul Kayum (46) and Rothna Begum (40), who ran the Akash Indian Restaurant in Yeovil, signed undertakings for…

  By Peter Drew CEO – Tennis Wales   With Wimbledon on the horizon once again it always brings out the discussion about tennis being an overly elitist and expensive sport in Wales and in Britain, and the governing bodies of tennis not doing enough to challenge this situation to make tennis a more open and accessible sport across the community.  This has probably been fair enough in the past, but in recent times things have been changing dramatically.  Tennis…

Volunteers from across South East Wales came together on Friday 29 May to attend the annual British Red Cross celebration event which recognises the outstanding service, contributions and dedication made by volunteers throughout the year. The event, which was held at the Lysaght Institute in Newport, recognised a staggering 445 years of combined service among 23 of the attendees. Diane Cannard (61 from Cardiff) was awarded a 50-years’ service badge along with a certificate of commendation and a voluntary medical…

Edwards Coaches, the largest independent coach operator in Wales and one of the largest in the UK, has secured a £2.2 million funding package from Santander Corporate & Commercial to assist with the purchase of ten new Mercedes coaches. In particular, the deal will allow Edwards Coaches to expand its fleet of holiday coaches, a key growth area for the business. The award-winning 5th generation family run business, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, currently operates a fleet of over 300 buses and…

800 students to be taught CPR in a mass one-day session by heart charity volunteer medics. On Thursday 23rd April Welsh Hearts charity team of medics will train up over 800 students at Lliswerry High School, Newport, Gwent in CPR and the safe use of defibrillators in just one day! Our doctors, nurses, paramedics and community first responders from all over Wales have been providing free CPR and defibrillator training as part of the “Saving Lives in Wales” campaign with…