There is still time for bands to enter the SEWBBA Contest in Tonyrefail The South East Wales Brass Band Association will be holding its annual contest at Tonyrefail Community School (CF39 8HG) on Saturday 23rd November It is being held in partnership with Kapitol Promotions and will be an own-choice concert programme format There are relaxed registration rules to help bands wishing to compete with further details available by e-mailing: kapitol@btconnect.com 4barsrest continues to be a proudly independent voice There are no paywalls to overcome to be able to enjoy what we do to keep our journalism at the heart of the brass banding world Support us with a one-off donation or subscribe from just £2.50 per month May 6 • The British Open Spring Festival will be held in Birmingham in 2026 May 6 • The incredible live sounds of Mike Lovatt's 'Brass Pack' can now be enjoyed following the release of their new album May 6 • The music making will go on long into the night in Stavanger on Friday with a special Midnight Brass treat from Manger Musikklag May 6 • Whitworth Vale & Healey capture the essence of victory as there are also wins for Delph Dobcross Silver and St John's Mossley in Buxton Saturday 10 May • Winter Gardens Complex May 5 • Ocean Brass are inviting applications for our Principal Cornet position as we prepare for an exciting schedule of concerts and contests in the second section through 2025 and beyond May 4 • Following a successful start to our 2025 contest season Rode Hall Band are looking for a good FRONT ROW CORNET player to join this enthusiastic friendly and progressive 3rd section band based on the Cheshire/Staffordshire border Rode Hall Band are looking for a good SOPRANO CORNET player to join this enthusiastic Plans for up to 600 houses which were approved almost nine years ago have now been refused because of a lack of progress on an agreement around affordable housing and open spaces The plans from Newhall House LLP for a site in Tonyrefail were approved by committee in 2016 but have come back to committee following a lack of any progress with the associated Section 106 legal agreement since The planning report also said that it did not appear that the applicant would be in a position to complete the process going forward and so the planning committee on Wednesday agreed to give the head of prosperity and development the authority to refuse it This planning application was originally submitted to the council in 2012 but given the major scale of the proposal and site constraints several issues came up so it was not reported to committee until April Officers considered the proposed scheme acceptable and provided a recommendation of approval but it was deferred for a site visit to consider the impact of the proposal on highway safety maintaining the separate identities of Gilfach Goch and Tonyrefail as well as ecological and public health issues concerning the site Committee members raised concerns at the next meeting in May around the proposed site access and it was deferred again so that officers could investigate the concerns and look for amendments from the applicant Amendments were made and the application went back to committee in February where members decided to approve the application subject to a Section 106 agreement But the applicant has failed to secure the section 106 agreement since the 2016 committee approval and so the application has remained undecided since with no planning permission ever being issued The section 106 agreement was set to include: A programme of interim management proposals of the two parcels of Rhos Tonyrefail Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) until their ownership and management is transferred to the Wildlife Trust as part of the agreement said that the last meaningful discussions with the applicant were in 2019 where the applicant said that the Section 106 had to be completed before June 3 or the lenders were likely to remove any funding The report said there had been very little contact with the applicant since 2019 and none since January It added: “The above appears to suggest that the scheme is and has long been undeliverable that the applicant is not in a position to sign the legal agreement at this time and that it is doubtful they will be in a position to do so going forward.” It also said that numerous changes to planning policy had happened in the time that had passed since the application was originally submitted so much of the supporting information was now out of date and could not be relied upon It added that even if the applicant were in a position to sign the Section 106 agreement today all supporting information would first have to be updated and presented for further assessment which would effectively result in a new application and would take a considerable amount of time The report said: “Given the history of discussion with the applicant (or lack of) it is considered unlikely that the necessary updates could be achieved in any reasonable amount of time; and there is also no guarantee that the proposal could meet all current policy requirements “This uncertainty combined with the lack of contact from the applicant in recent years has resulted in officers being of a mind that it is unlikely the Section 106 will ever be completed.” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" Connect with Nation.Cymru on Facebook and Twitter If you would like to donate to help keep Nation.Cymru running then you just need to click on the box below it will open a pop up window that will allow you to pay using your credit / debit card or paypal Enter your email address to receive instant notifications of new articles All information provided to Nation.Cymru will be handled sensitively and within the boundaries of the Data Protection Act 2018 In 2017 Nation.Cymru was launched after raising £5000 from a crowdfunding campaign Today it is one of the 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A dog who was found with an enlarged face due to a large tumour was deemed to have suffered unnecessarily after her owners failed to take her to a vet Despite repeated requests from the RSPCA from several officers who advised the owners to take her to obtain treatment and offered veterinary assistance vouchers Athena - a bull breed dog - was left without veterinary care.  Julie Knight (d.o.b 27/01/1974) and Sydney (Jamie) Rees both faced one offence under the Animal Welfare Act and attended Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 12 February They had previously pleaded guilty to the offence The offence was that they caused unnecessary suffering to a female dog named Athena by failing to provide adequate or effective professional veterinary care and attention for the swelling to her face They were both sentenced to a 12-month community order - Ms Knight with 10 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and Mr Rees with 10 days Rehabilitation Activity Requirement ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £114 and costs of £532.50 and were both disqualified from keeping dogs for two years - which was suspended for 14 days it was heard that both defendants had owned dogs for their entire lives and this was the first time anything had gone wrong Both stated that they had initially sought treatment for Athena which had cost about £1,000 in summer 2023 It was also heard that Ms Knight was still saddened by what had happened and thinks about Athena every day The court heard how on Tuesday 16 January 2024 RSPCA Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Andrew Harris attended Caer Gwerlas and met Athena and her owners He said: "I could see that she had a small swelling on the right side of her face about the size of a golf ball I asked Mr Rees what it was and he told me that she had teeth out about a year ago on that side of her head and that the swelling had come up this week." Mr Rees confirmed that she had not seen a vet for this recent swelling ARO Harris advised Mr Rees that  Athena needed to see a vet within seven days As well as an Animal Welfare Assessment form they were also given a RSPCA Veterinary Assistance Voucher The court was provided with several statements from other RSPCA Inspectors and officers who made attempts to see Athena and advised repeatedly that she needed veterinary care on 24 April  Animal Rescue Officer (ARO) Lauren Perry was given access to the property and was able to see Athena and was told she had not been taken to the vet She said: "I could immediately see that she had an enlarged face and that her right eye was partially closed She was in good bodily condition and was bright and alert but her face was really swollen." ARO Perry was told that she hadn't been taken to the vet because they didn’t have any transport She was "immediately concerned for the welfare of Athena" and asked if she could take her to the vet which her owners agreed to the vet explained again to both Ms Knight and Mr Rees that Athena was actively suffering and the only treatment option to stop the suffering would be euthanasia ARO Perry said: "I heard Ms Knight tell the vet that it had been ongoing since June 2023 she explained that Athena had had teeth removed at a different vet practice and that was where the issues started Ms Knight told the vet that since June 2023 Athena had not received any further veterinary treatment." In a statement provided to the court by the vet they said that in their professional opinion likely for an extended period of time to include but not limited to one to two months." Deputy Chief Inspector Gemma Black said: "This is an extremely heartbreaking case Athena’s owners sadly did not make arrangements for her to visit a vet and her needs were not met which led to her suffering unnecessarily.  "We would urge any pet owners to reach out to animal welfare charities or organisations if in need and not to delay in seeking veterinary assistance." Give whatever you can and help give animals in need a second chance How to contact our press offices in England and Wales Our regularly updated blog is packed full of exclusive insights from our experts and frontline staff The RSPCA helps animals in England and Wales An award-winning ex-teacher jumped at the chance of a starring role on a reality TV show just a year after suffering a life-threatening heart attack to re-evaluate her life and she decided to seize every new experience and “live life to the full” The former deputy headteacher is one of the new cast members of the new series of hit S4C programme is a special to mark the 50th anniversary of the popular S4C soap opera Luisa and Ava are among seven new households freshening up the Gogglebocs Cymru cast of TV critics this time round Once again they will be watching and giving their views on a broad range of programmes from S4C There are five episodes being shown in the first run and after a six week break there will be a celebrity Christmas special on December 27 before a further run of five programmes in March and April next year Luisa is now fully recovered from the heart attack which struck last October and she decided to give up her job as a deputy head-teacher and concentrate on the Beddau-based LMT Academy of Performing Arts which she founded 15 years ago who won a Teacher of the Year award in 2017 when she was working at Tonypandy Community College said the illness was a huge shock and was potentially life-threatening She said: “I was fit and healthy and the illness brought a new perspective to my life I’ve never been one to sit back while Ava is quite different and tries to tone me down “I’m absolutely fine now but I decided to change tack and take every opportunity as they come up and live life to the full.” One opportunity grasped by Luisa six years ago involved learning how to box and she staged her own tournament raising thousands of pounds for charity in the process “I’m a massive boxing fan and I persuaded some other women to take part and box against each other and we raised £10,000 for MIND the mental health charity,” she said Both Luisa and Ava are looking forward to taking part in the new series of Gogglebocs Cymru is currently studying for her A level exams in Welsh French and History at Ysgol Garth Olwg near Pontypridd and shares her mother’s passion for the arts enjoying singing and ballet “We do watch television together but it’s mainly films or reality series like Love Island Ava saw that Gogglebocs Cymru were looking for new people to take part and said something like ‘fancy us being on that?’ and we said why not and here we are,” added Luisa Viewers should look out for Luisa and Ava’s two Golden Retriever dogs Ava said Nancy is a therapy dog and regularly accompanied her mother to school where they provide comfort “Nancy is well suited to that role as she is very calm while Mabel is the complete opposite They may be seen on screen at some point,” she said Gogglebocs Cymru is made by two Gwynedd-based television production companies Series Producer Euros Wyn said the line-up includes several cast members from the last series They include John Willliams and his grandson Stephen and Mike Williams from Brynaman and Mark Rogers and Carwyn Davies friends who live in Manchester although Carwyn is originally from Penygroes and Mark from Bangor Euros said: “The old members of the cast are as excited as the new ones about the new series and they are looking forward to getting to grips with the programmes they will be watching “For the special to celebrate the 50th anniversary of Pobol y Cwm we’ve decided to invite current and former members of the Pobol y Cwm cast to sit on their sofas and comment on that week’s television as well as our regular cast S4C have gathered together some really iconic moments from Pobol y Cwm and it will be really interesting to see how our cast reacts to them!” added Euros Gogglebocs Cymru starts on S4C on Wednesday English subtitles will be available and the programme can also be viewed on S4C Clic POLICE arrested a player in the changing rooms after a women's match erupted in violence on Sunday and had to be abandoned. Goytre Women’s FC were winning 6-0 on the 3G pitch at Tonyrefail Leisure Centre early in the second half of a cup match when witnesses said a visiting player was assaulted and knocked unconscious. A red card was brandished to a Tonyrefail player and an ambulance summoned to take the injured woman to hospital as the referee called the game off. A Goytre FC statement on Monday said: "Everyone at the club is appalled at the violent assault inflicted on one of our players yesterday which saw the game abandoned, our player hospitalised and a player arrested. “If anyone is able to provide a witness statement or video footage to help with the police investigation, please get in contact with us. "Our thoughts and well wishes are with our player and her family and friends as she begins her recovery. "We'd also like to thank the paramedics and staff at the Royal Glamorgan Hospital for taking care and treating our player for her injuries, and South Wales Police for responding so quickly to events yesterday and we await the results of their investigation." A club official added that a Goytre player had been "punched eight or nine times until she was unconscious". "Our player was taken to hospital in an ambulance and another player arrested in the changing rooms. "The Goytre player went to the hospital where she had a CT scan before being given the OK to go home and rest. She’s got a heavily bruised face and it’s very swollen." A South Wales Police spokesperson said: "At around 4.20pm on Sunday, January 12, officers responded to a report of an assault at a football match at Tonyrefail, Rhondda Cynon Taf. "A 24-year-old woman from Newport received hospital treatment. "A 25-year-old woman from Tonyrefail was arrested on suspicion of assault and is on bail pending further enquiries." Comments Tel: 01873 852187[email protected]Follow us Further Links Owned or licensed to Tindle Newspapers Ltd | Independent Family-Owned Newspapers | Copyright & Trade Mark Notice & 2013 - 2025 GOV.WALES uses cookies which are essential for the site to work Non-essential cookies are also used to tailor and improve services A Welsh Government funded scheme to encourage take up of international language GCSEs has seen a rise of over 40% in mentored learners choosing to take a language such as French The Modern Foreign Languages Mentoring programme supports schools to promote multilingualism and increase the number of learners choosing international languages at GCSE University students studying an international language or those who have an interest in languages have been acting as mentors to learners in year 8 and 9 as they look to make their GCSE options The programme operates in 80% of secondary schools in Wales with all Welsh universities now taking part ahead of European Day of Languages on 26 September Lynne Neagle had the chance to meet learners who are now studying a language GCSE as a result of being mentored by Sasha Sasha mentored 12 pupils in 2023 and 5 of them opted to take French or Spanish GCSE. She was in the 2nd year of her degree studying BA French and Italian at Cardiff University I am delighted to see the impact this mentoring programme has had on the engagement of learners Wales is an outward looking nation and international languages can help raise aspirations and widen the horizons of all our learners There are many challenges facing international languages across the UK but it is encouraging to see the difference the programme is making in Wales as well as strengthening the link with our schools and universities I liked how we were mentored by a University student as she was a similar age to us making the experience feel calm and less like a school lesson I found the music segment of the course the most interesting due to the different language patterns After the experience I began to watch films and TV shows with French subtitles and took notice in the words I recognised as well as taking note of the ones I didn't I would say that the experience did aid in persuading me to take French at GCSE level I wish to continue learning French beyond GCSE level if possible as I find the French language very interesting and helpful as I gradually become bilingual A survey is used to identify those pupils’ undecided about whether to take an international language and which also produces a range of valuable information on learner attitudes to school subject choices 2023 saw 115 secondary schools in Wales involved with the programme generating over 15,000 responses The survey has shown that learners in Welsh medium schools are slightly more likely to choose an international language for GCSE than those in English medium schools Girls being twice as likely to pick an international language GCSE than boys International languages face increasing challenges in schools across the UK with German particularly affected and there was a 28% drop in pupils in Wales opting to take an international language at GCSE between 2018 to 2023 Many of the challenges are interconnected but the Cardiff research has shown languages to be low on the list of subjects considered by learners and the programme looks to break this cycle as learners make their option choices showing how languages can make a real impact on their futures Professor Claire Gorrara who leads the scheme at Cardiff University said: Our language mentoring programme is designed to give learners the opportunity to work with University mentors who are close to them in age and who can inspire a love of languages mentors respond to learners’ innate curiosity about the world around them Our mentors do an amazing job in embodying the personal and professional benefits of language learning and the rich life experiences it can offer in education and beyond The Curriculum for Wales introduces international languages from primary school building a love of languages from a much earlier age. A revised suite of qualifications will be available for the first time in 2025 to help raise standards and aspirations for all learners Concerns have been raised about the “terrifying” effect a school closure could have on one of the most deprived areas in Wales Rhondda Cynon Taf Council is consulting on a proposal to close Tref-Y-Rhyg Primary School in Tonyrefail with pupils transferring to Tonyrefail Community School by no later than September 2025 with the catchment area of Tonyrefail Community School being extended A special meeting of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s education scrutiny committee discussed the proposals on Thursday who represents Tonyrefail East on the council said: “The closure of this community school will have a terrifying effect on a number of families.” He said a group of parents had recently done the walk that the children would have to do and he said that it was 1.5 miles and took 45 minutes with the children cold winter morning or even on a very warm day in the summer walking for 45 minutes with a couple of children and then the parents have to walk all the way back home It’s not just the children who are going to suffer here.” He said it’s going to have a very big effect on children’s education as they’re going to be very tired before even starting the school day Cllr Grehan added that the children learned as part of an Eco project in the school that 60% of parents don’t own a car and 56% of parents qualify for free school lunches He said: “This is one of the most deprived areas in our county.” He said that going on a bus would cost £64 a month for parents with one child but would be more if they have more than one child adding: “Our parents can’t afford to do that.” Cllr Grehan said the school has looked at the officers’ figures on the number of pupils for the years to come and that staff say these aren’t correct although the council’s director of education Gaynor Davies said the council is confident about its data Cllr Grehan said that the new headteacher has transformed the school and added that it offers an atmosphere where children feel they have a voice and an influence over their future Cllr Grehan said: “Education is the best tool to help any child He said Tref-Y-Rhyg was already having difficulty with attendance and that if they need to walk 45 minutes in all weathers: “I can assure you that the situation will get worse.” He added that some children have to find their own way to school which they can do for Tref-Y-Rhyg because it’s only five minutes away but when that journey turns into a 45-minute walk that will be much more difficult Cllr Grehan said: “Once again the children from the most disadvantaged backgrounds will suffer here.” outlined concerns about the consequences of increased capacity due to new housing proposed in the Tonyrefail area and he queried the council’s pupil number projections which he said was fully subscribed with a waiting list plays an important role at the school and the council is not only asking pupils to walk a long way before having breakfast they’re also making them leave the house very early in all weathers He said they are given a wealth of experiences and are proud to be pupils at the school and have a real sense of belonging a parent governor and co-chair of the PTA at the school said the school is a safe haven for families and that the staff at the school go above and beyond to support families She added that parents feel it’s “unfair that the local authority is wanting to disrupt their education causing anxiety adding that some children need a smaller environment in order to learn and be themselves She said that she hoped cabinet would consider the human cost of this proposal and the impact on the young children and their families and that they are deprived area which is only going to increase in size Cabinet agreed in September to consult on the proposal and in that cabinet report it said Tref-Y-Rhyg Primary has a capacity of 157 pupils and pupil numbers are projected to steadily decline in future years Data in the cabinet report said that 82 pupils attend the school meaning there are currently almost 48% surplus places and this is projected to reduce to 54 pupils attending by 2028/29 (65.6% surplus places) It said that the school building was built in around 1899 and a property condition survey in 2022 indicated it is graded ‘C’ for condition and ‘D’ for suitability where ‘A’ is the highest rating and ‘D’ is the lowest It added that the building needed major repair or refurbishment with a backlog of maintenance of £381,040 – not including extra funding that is required for the school to reach 21st Century standards it said the school’s limited outdoor areas are not suitable for staff to deliver the Curriculum for Wales through outdoor learning and does not fully comply with the Equality Act 2010 the report said that Tonyrefail Community School is a 3-19 school with a 385-pupil capacity in the primary phase It was part of a major £44m investment in 2020 that provided first-class education and sports facilities It is also the school that provides secondary education for Tref-Y-Rhyg Primary’s catchment area The cabinet report said that the school is projected to have 7.5% surplus places by 2028/29 and a planned capacity increase in the primary phase (by 30 to 415) will further increase the number of available school places It also said that all Tref-Y-Rhyg Primary pupils could be accommodated by Tonyrefail Community School in September 2025 The 18-year-old who can play outside half or fullback has made the move to Sardis Road ready for the 2024/25 season Sam started playing rugby for Tonyrefail from the age of 6 and progressed all the way through their mini youth and senior ranks and played for them at Sardis Road in May in their Mid District Cup final against Ferndale Sam has also represented Rhondda Schools Rugby from age 10 up to Dewar Shield he’s also played for the Boys Club of Wales U16s before progressing into age grade rugby representing Cardiff Rugby North U16s and U17s Sam is an exciting young talent who has spent the last 2 years playing for Coleg y Cymoedd in the Welsh Schools and Colleges League and we can’t wait to see him donning the famous Black and White at Sardis Road throughout the new season Sam said: “I am excited to be given this opportunity to join an Iconic club with so much history I am looking forward to working with the coaches and players to achieve a successful season in the new Premiership.” Looking forward to seeing what Sam can achieve at Ponty this season Backs Coach Garyn Smith commented: “As a coaching group we are all excited and looking forward to seeing Sam develop and play for Ponty this season Sam has come in during pre-season in great shape and has looked sharp during training He’s a young man who we are looking to come through as the next crop of young Ponty players and to build for the future We’d also like to thank Tonyrefail RFC for their support with Sam and we look forward to continuing and building on our relationship with them and all the local clubs.” Ferndale ended their season by picking up another piece of silverware as they defeated Tonyrefail 24-13 in their Rhondda derby at Sardis Road to lift the Worthington’s Mid District Division 4 Cup. The two sides had both beaten each other once in Division 4 East Central this season, where Tonyrefail finished second and earned promotion while Ferndale finished third. Ferndale had triumphed 22-20 at Tonyrefail in the last meeting between the sides on 23 March, and they were victorious again as the sides went head-to-head in the final. Outside centre Zen Bevan and scrum-half Sam Hodder scored for Ferndale. Right wing Evan Wheeler converted Hodder’s try and sent over four penalties. Full-back Garreg Lewis went over for Tonyrefail’s try, converted by outside half Jordan Jones, who also kicked two penalties. It meant that Ferndale – who were promoted as champions of Division 5 East Central last season as well as reaching the Principality Stadium in the WRU Division 5 Cup – also ended this campaign with a trophy. Head coach Marc Whitford had stepped down after leading his side to glory last season but returned in November after a difficult start to life in Division 4 for the side. Try time for FerndalePic: Mike Jones/Replay Images After losing 29-5 at home against Tonyrefail on the opening weekend, Ferndale picked up just one win from their opening six league games, drawing one and losing four. But they pulled together and lost just once since 9 December and ended the season with seven successive wins, guided by Whitford and other coaches Jamie Wicks and Ceri Bessant. “It’s an outstanding achievement for the boys. I left last season due to personal reasons but went back in November,” said Whitford after the game. “They had a tough time of it at the start of the season, but the boys have just pulled together tight. To finish the season third in the league and win this cup is a massive achievement for the club and community. “We’ve got to give credit to Tonyrefail, they’ve been promoted, but for us a Rhondda derby is something special and we look forward to these challenges.” Ferndale were never behind in the final, with Bevan’s unconverted try and three Wheeler penalties giving them a 14-6 half time lead. Tonyrefail responded with two Jordan Jones penalties. Hodder’s try in the second half, converted by Wheeler, sealed it despite Tonyrefail threatening a comeback when Lewis went over for a converted try with just under 10 minutes remaining. The final word went to Wheeler with his fourth penalty three minutes from time. Principality Stadium, Westgate Street, Cardiff CF10 1NS © 2025 Content Copyright Welsh Rugby Union, Statistical Data © Opta Credit: South Wales PoliceAn inquest into the death of three teenagers in Tonyrefail heard how there were six people travelling in the car when it crashed with a bus The coroner at the Pontypridd inquest confirmed the causes of death of the three young men Callum Griffiths, 19, from Porth, Jesse Owen, 18, from Tonypandy and Morgan Smith, 18, from Tonypandy were killed on Monday 11 December in Coedely, Tonyrefail The inquest heard how six people were travelling in an Audi A1 when it crashed with a bus on Elwyn street It is also believed that Mr Owen had been the driver of the car who is currently receiving treatment at University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff Emergency services were called to the scene at around 7pm on 11 December when the Audi AW was in collision with a single decker service bus in Coedely Mr Griffiths died at the scene at 8pm from a blunt head injury Mr Smith died at the scene at 8.09pm from blunt injury to the face and neck and Mr Owen died at the scene at 8.19pm from blunt injury to head and chest The inquest has been adjourned and no date has been fixed as the coroner of the inquest said that he was opening and adjourning the inquest until further investigation would take place A GoFundMe page has been launched for Mr Vaughan in order to help support the young footballer and his family The families of three young men who died in a crash involving a bus and a car in a village in south Wales paid tribute to them last week Mr Owen's family said his presence would “light up any room," and he was "loved by all who had the honour of knowing him" Mr Smith's family described him as a popular son nephew and cousin who was "best known as a talented boxer previously gaining a Welsh title." They added: "He was an up-and-coming star with a promising boxing career ahead of him" The family of Mr Griffiths said: "He had the most beautiful smile that would light up the room "He was the most precious gift of a son and our love is endless." Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know… Sky Up Academy Studios On Tour came to Wales on Wednesday as part of its journey across the UK and Ireland Sky’s touring e-vehicle creative studio includes a pop-up photography studio and a hi-tech digital media suite Students of Tonyrefail Community School aged 11-14 worked with Sky trained staff to create their own digital assets about climate change social media videos and recorded news clips Sky Up Academy Studios On Tour is a programme aimed at tackling digital inequality and helping students to develop digital skills as well as knowledge of different careers across the media and TV industry Broadcaster John-Paul Davies discussed the importance of developing digital skills which are vital to education and future careers Davies told students about his hands-on experience of working in the media sector and his time spent presenting Sky Sports programmes local MP said: “It was fantastic to welcome the Sky Up Academy Studios On Tour visit to my old school Sky’s work is crucial in ensuring that pupils in Pontypridd and across the UK are able to develop digital skills for the future and broaden their understanding of the important issues of the day Assistant Head Teacher at Tonyrefail Community School Nicole Jones also commented: “The Sky Up Academy Studios on Tour programme has been a very unique experience for our pupils Learning in a different way than traditional classroom methods has allowed them to engage with important issues such as climate change The experience has also made them realise the importance of developing digital skills for their future education and careers while also opening their eyes to the broad range of exciting jobs in the media industry.” Sky launched its ambition to tackle digital inequality with a three-part initiative providing support to a quarter of a million digitally excluded people through a dedicated £10m fund.The initiative supports people to succeed in a digital age ensuring that those who are most at risk of being digitally excluded are given access to the right skills Sky also aims to expand the existing Sky Up Academy Studios at its Osterley and Livingston campuses the initiative will welcome over 8000 students to participate across 36 schools and will encourage young people to build essential skills for their future such as creativity Sky Up Academy Studios On Tour builds on Sky’s successful Sky Up Academy Studios programme which aims to welcome 250,000 young people through its doors by 2025 giving them the opportunity to create compelling digital campaigns For more information on our Sky Up initiative please visit: https://www.skyup.sky/ Sky: rebecca.zintout@sky.uk Sky is one of Europe’s leading media and entertainment companies and is part of Comcast Corporation, a global media and technology company that connects people to moments and experiences that matter. 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We believe that we can have a positive impact on society, by supporting and creating tens of thousands of jobs, addressing digital inequality, being a diverse and inclusive employer, and becoming net zero carbon by 2030.   Tonyrefail on pandemic's impactThis video can not be played CloseThe south Wales valleys community of Tonyrefail was hard hit by Covid-19 It was consistently one of the UK’s highest areas for deaths from the disease Residents in the Rhondda Cynon Taf community have been reflecting on the pandemic “We were having three funerals a day and it was just horrendous,” said florist Kathryn Berbillion Rhondda Bowl’s Andrew Hayes said everyone being out of work all at once was a lot to take in And Beefy’s Baps’ James Thomas said: "It’s hard to believe what’s gone on.” Shareclose panelShare pageCopy linkAbout sharingRead descriptionExplore moreTwo years of Covid: village reflects on impact 00:01:58Two years of Covid: village reflects on impact 1:58Up Next Why US students are staging walkouts over masks 00:02:59Why US students are staging walkouts over masks 2:59Refugees and overseas workers brought into the NHS 00:02:04Refugees and overseas workers brought into the NHS 2:04No 2:53Editor's recommendationsWatch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 00:01:44Watch: BBC reports from pier 33 - the gateway to Alcatraz 1:44Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 00:01:25Watch: Prince Louis steals the show as royals mark VE Day 1:25Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster Video 00:01:21Watch: How Lady Gaga's record-breaking concert almost ended in disaster 1:21'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 00:01:20'Trump was the game-changer': Three things to know about the Australian election result 1:20Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 00:02:54Prince Harry 'can't see a world' where his family will visit the UK 2:54Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 00:01:32Watch: Key moments from the local elections.. 1:32Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 00:01:11Watch: Reform by-election win raises questions for Labour and Tories 1:11Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 00:00:50Russell Brand's court appearance explained.. 0:50Ros Atkins on.. What's in the US-Ukraine resources deal 1:23Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election 00:01:18Kamala Harris hits out at Trump in first major speech since losing election 1:18Watch: Moment Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi is released 00:00:46Watch: Moment Columbia student Mohsen Mahdawi is released Tonyrefail BGC and Ely Rangers have won promotion to the Premier Division of the South Wales Alliance League The Rhondda Cynon Taf based side needed to avoid defeat against promotion rivals Vale United and did just that Arran Jefferies put Vale ahead but a 78th-minute equaliser from Tonyrefail’s Thomas Davies.  Vale needed a win to ensure promotion and their draw saw them miss out on promotion completely they could only hope Ely Rangers dropped points at the White Tips Stadium in Treforest Matthew Kimmins gave Ely the lead in the 43rd minute but a 58th-minute equaliser from Jayden Granelli made for a nervy few moments Jamie Edwards restored the Wenvoe side’s lead though in the 90th minute and Treforest failed to issue a response but Tonyrefail’s goal difference of 46 and Ely’s 40 meant Vale missed out by two Tonyrefail had been in Division One of the Alliance League for six seasons and have will play at their highest level they bounce back from their 2019/20 relegation which was their second consecutive after being relegated from the Welsh League who won the Division One title weeks ago following a strong season from the Vale of Glamorgan club Ryan Blanche’s Vale meanwhile narrowly miss out on a second consecutive promotion after finishing third in 2020 results went in the favour of Aberfan to see them promoted to Division One Aberfan were relegated in 2020 but bounced back at the first time of asking (Featured Image: Mark Youngman) This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. Tonyrefail Welfare AFC was founded in 1925 but warned it was on the brink of collapse after a huge fall in members "We've hit hard times attracting players to the club We've had to cancel training and games and that's led to players losing interest," committee member Fraser Williams told ITV News He told ITV Wales the club had been struggling to attract players for the past two to three months He put an appeal on social media as a "last resort" - and it has had hundreds of responses from around the world "We normally have 35 players registered but we're down to six or seven players so I put the tweet out as a last resort," Mr Williams said As well as people offering to spread the appeal "I can probably make it Tuesday and see how it goes I can play a few positions (mainly defensive) and willing to jump in goals if you need a keeper." we're just going to have to concede but we've had interest from all over I've even had a Barcelona fan club contact me too!" He added: "We've had glimmers of hope during this tough time." there's been something there and knocked us back again so I am hopeful but I'm not putting all my eggs into one basket but I hope it's the start of something new." The team's next training session is on Tuesday 20th July at 6 pm behind Tonyrefail Leisure Centre Swansea University avoided an upset as they bounced back from 3-1 down to defeat Tonyrefail Welfare in the FAW Women’s Cup Katie Horsburgh from the penalty spot and Emily Freeman completing the come back Courtney Elward with a double for the hosts and Ashton Morgan also on the score sheet The visitors started the better side and we’re keeping the ball very well But the shot from Jessica Haynes didn’t really test the keeper.The first goal then came on the 11th minute The visitors we’re playing some lovely football but Tonyrefail we’re playing a high press and the hosts closed down the ball and Jessica Haynes give the ball away and Courtney Elward was one on one with the keeper and slotted it nicely to give the hosts the lead After the goal Tonyrefail we’re getting into the game The long ball proving very effective and Uni couldn’t handle it Elward then had the next chance from the high press again but her shot went over the bar.Just after the half hour mark the hosts doubled they’re lead with a goal from Ashton Morgan The ball was lumped up forward and the visitors found it hard to deal with it Morgan then hit a hopeful shot and it looped over the goal keepers head and into the net The visitors then tried to work themselves back into the game The ball came to Isabel King and she gets a shot off and it looked in but a wonder save from Meredith kept the game at 2-0 Uni then did get themselves back into the game A lovely delivered corner found Seren Farrup in the box and her header from 2 yards went in and it was now 2-1 going into the break Swansea then started the second half exactly how they finished it and played some lovely stuff Meredith came rushing out of her area but Katie Horsburgh just gets there before the keeper and goes through her legs then Lucy Morris taps it in and the visitors equalled the game Nowak-Allum came to collect the ball but it slips out of her hands and into the path of Elward who tapped it in to her second of the game The ball was crossed in from the left and it was deemed the ball hit the Tonyrefail’s defenders hand but the referee gave the penalty Katie Horsburgh then cooly slotted it home to bring the game back equal in an entertaining game Uni then completed the comeback nine minutes later the ball was lumped forward and it was met by Lucy Morros who got the ball down and played through Emily Freeman and the captain buried it straight past the keeper and into the net Swansea we’re now taking hold of the game and Tonyrefail looked tired The substitution Ferrar then put through a ball to Lucy Morris and she was one-on-one with the keeper but her shot went wide of the post and missed a huge chance to bury the game The late pressure come from the home side but they couldn’t break down the defence and Uni claimed a lovely come-back win in Tonyrefail on a lovely Sunday afternoon 13 Cerys Watts (Tia Crossley 81’).Goals: Courtney Elward 10 Swansea University FC: 1 Jo Nowak-Allum (GK) 38 Isabel King (Emily Dickens 90’).Goals: Seren Farrup 39’ Callum Griffiths, 19, from Porth, Jesse Owen, 18, from Tonypandy and Morgan Smith, 18, from Tonypandy were killed in the incident in Coedely, Tonyrefail on Monday 11 December He would do absolutely anything for anyone He loved his family and friends and was loyal to the core “He has left a huge void in all of our hearts and our lives will never be the same without him Emergency services were called to Ely Valley Road in Coedely at around 7pm on Monday after the collision with an Audi A1 and a bus South Wales Police said the three men were declared dead at the scene Officers have also said that two further men have been taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff Two other people were also treated for minor injuries nephew and cousin who was "best known as a talented boxer previously gaining a Welsh title He was an up-and-coming star with a promising boxing career ahead of him" They continued: “We as a family are devastated by the loss of Morgan we have been left with a void that can never be filled We love you our boy “We would like to thank all the emergency services that assisted at the scene." The family of Mr Griffiths said he "had the most beautiful smile that would light up the room He was the most precious gift of a son and our love is endless “Our hearts have been broken into a million pieces "He was so loving and had a caring soul He has left a hole in our hearts that cannot be filled “Callum was a world champion in kickboxing and achieved numerous gold medals and has represented Wales in different countries all over the world “Callum qualified as a barber just over a year ago added: “Callum was my best friend and the most selfless person in the world I will always love him and am so proud of him.” Plaid Cymru's councillor for Tonyrefail East told ITV News Wales that the community is grieving and he thanked residents and the emergency services Superintendent Esyr Jones of South Wales Police said: “Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this tragic incident "Trained family liaison officers are supporting the families at what must be an extremely difficult time for them.” Wales' First Minister Mark Drakeford has tweeted saying his "thoughts are with the families and friends of those involved in this tragic incident in Coedely and diolch o galon to all first responders working at the scene" "my deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of those affected by this tragic incident "The loss of such young lives has had a devastating impact on the community I send my heartfelt condolences to the families of those who have died and our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been injured "I would like to thank those in the community who rushed to the scene to help and send my thanks to the emergency services for their fast and professional response in a very distressing situation." 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