BBC Wales and Arts Council of Wales have announced that the search for Horizons artists to join its 2018 project is now underway   The applications process is now open and the 12 successful acts will be supported and promoted in various ways by Horizons over the next 12 months. Horizons is a unique showcase of new, independent contemporary music in Wales.  Now in its fourth-year, Horizons is a collaboration between BBC Wales and Arts Council of Wales. Since its inception in 2014, Horizons has given a platform to…

Carly Thompsett had an idea, and the prince’s trust helped it grow. Now she shares her story   I left school at 15 with some GCSE’s, but being dyslexic I was told I probably wouldn’t amount to much anyway so why bother. After leaving, I got a job and I started at College for 3 years, which I did both full-time. I did hair and beauty for the first year and art and design for the last two. I wanted…

The Blood and Bone Marrow Transplantation Unit at University Hospital of Wales has given hundreds of patients a second chance at life   This year marks 35 years since the first bone marrow transplant (BMT) in Cardiff. Celebrating BMT anniversaries and reuniting with patients and their families and colleagues is a highlight for staff and patients and families. It shows what has been accomplished during this time, the difference it has made to people’s lives and how BMT has changed…

In the five hours and forty-five minutes it took him to complete the London Marathon, athlete Ben Smith raised over £16,000 for his new charity, the 401 Foundation   Ben, who famously ran 401 marathons in 401 days two years ago, set himself the challenge to launch a crowdfunding campaign on the British platform Crowdfunder while simultaneously running the London Marathon. Ben said: “So many people supported us with the 401 Challenge, I felt that crowdfunding was the best way to give…

Free Family Carnival to help local communities place at least 100 Defibrillators in Cardiff     Welsh Hearts will be opening its doors to all families this Bank Holiday Monday for a free family event. Our May Day Carnival promises to be a ton of fun for the whole family, with special appearances from loved characters such as the Teenage Mutant Turtles, Igglepiggle and Upsy Daisy, Anna and Elsa from Frozen, Jake and Izzy, and a few more surprise characters!…

New bereavement service launched in Wales addresses the complex needs of people affected by dementia   Cruse Bereavement Care Cymru in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society Cymru, has launched a new service that supports people affected by dementia. Cruse will deliver the Bereaved by Dementia project which focuses on addressing the bereavement needs of people with dementia who have lost a loved one (or carer), and people ‘bereaved’ by someone with dementia.  The service was launched today at the Senedd by…

Chris Packham’s Bioblitz Campaign is coming to The Wildlife Trust’s Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre and Cae Lynden Nature Reserve Highlighting the State of Our Nation’s Wildlife.             The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales is delighted to say that TV presenter and naturalist Chris Packham will be visiting our Cardigan Bay Marine Wildlife Centre in New Quay and Cae Lynden in Brecknock. His visit will be part of the first independent audit of…

Women’s wellbeing clinic opens for those affected by FGM This week, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (UHB) has launched Wales’s first Specialist Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) Pilot Clinic. The specialist service known as the ‘Women’s Wellbeing Clinic’ will be open to all females affected by FGM or who are at potential risk of FGM occurring. The cultural practice of FGM is widely associated with profound health implications for all females affected and has no health benefits. Until now, females…

  Prostate cancer campaigner uses pioneering ‘scalp cooling’ treatment to keep hair during chemotherapy   A Cardiff man, who founded The Red Sock Campaign to help raise awareness of prostate cancer, is using a pioneering treatment to help keep his hair during chemotherapy. Over the last decade, Keith Cass has vigorously campaigned to raise awareness of prostate cancer to support men and their families living with the disease. This month, Keith is using the Paxman Scalp Cooler as part of…

THE PHILHARMONIA ORCHESTRA IS COMING TO ST DAVID’S HALL   THE prestigious 2017/18 International Concert Series may be nearing a close, but there’s still time for a perfect penultimate performance from the Philharmonia Orchestra on Friday 18 May. Starting at 7.30pm at St David’s Hall, the orchestra is once again under the baton of the remarkable Vladimir Ashkenazy, who is joined by virtuoso violinist Pekka Kuusisto, the Crouch End Festival Chorus and a military band featuring musicians from the Royal…