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#Margam

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Editor

Powering change: National Grid sets out plans to electrify green steel in Port Talbot

National Grid has announced plans for a major electricity infrastructure upgrade in Port Talbot to power Tata Steel’s new electric arc furnace (EAF) and strengthen energy capacity across South Wales.

The Margam Connection Project includes the expansion of the existing Margam substation with a new 275kV gas-insulated substation (GIS), and a second GIS facility at the Tata Steel site connected via underground cable. Both sites will be built using SF6-free switchgear technology, reducing the project’s environmental footprint.

A public information event will take place on Thursday 17 July, from 2pm to 8pm, at Margam Community Centre, Bertha Road, Port Talbot, ahead of a 28-day statutory pre-application consultation.

Richard Gott, project director at National Grid Electricity Transmission, said the upgrade will help deliver a cleaner, more secure energy future for South Wales. “By enabling the electrification of Tata Steel’s operations, we’re not only supporting the UK’s transition to green steel but also helping to safeguard jobs and strengthen the local economy,” he said. “We look forward to engaging with the community and hearing their views.”

Construction will be delivered in partnership with Laing O’Rourke, using pioneering technology that replaces sulphur hexafluoride (SF6)—a commonly used but potent greenhouse gas—with lower-impact alternatives.

Peter Lyons, managing director for Laing O’Rourke’s Europe hub, said the firm was proud to continue its partnership with National Grid. “This project is another fantastic example of how we’re helping to deliver cleaner and more secure energy for the UK,” he said. “Through early collaboration, we’ve worked together on the design and implementation programme, and National Grid has valued both our unique operating model and our technical expertise.”

National Grid is planning £35 billion of transmission network investment across Wales and England between 2026 and 2031 to connect clean power sources, electrify industry, and support national economic growth.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Tata Steel breaks ground on new electric arc furnace in Port Talbot
Construction begins on low-carbon steelmaking facility set to transform the future of Welsh steel.

Port Talbot steelworkers to be offered redundancy packages as part of green transition
Tata Steel outlines support measures for workers affected by shift to electric arc furnace technology.

First Minister visits Port Talbot to meet steelworkers and discuss green jobs
Welsh Government pledges support for workforce and future investment in sustainable industry.

Steel unions call for alternative plan to save jobs at Port Talbot
Union leaders urge Tata Steel to reconsider proposals and protect long-term employment in the region.

#electricArcFurnace#electricitySubStation#greenSteel
Editor

Council Leader hails success of Margam Country Park Urdd Eisteddfod

This year’s Eisteddfod yr Urdd at Margam Country Park attracted a record-breaking 119,593 registrations to compete. There was also a 42% increase in the number of Welsh learners taking part compared to last year,

In total, 17 schools from Neath Port Talbot were positioned either first, second or third during the finals week with many more taking part in the earlier qualifying rounds.

Cllr Hunt said: “These were remarkable results reflecting the talent and dedication of our young people. Along with others in the Gorllewin Morgannwg (West Glamorgan) region, Neath Port Talbot proudly secured 3rd place overall—a testament to the hard work of Neath Port Talbot’s pupils, teachers, and families.

“At a time of financial and employment stresses it has been uplifting to see our county borough in the national headlines for all the right reasons.

“This is a prime example of how major events can deliver benefits – and we are confident many of those first-time visitors who came to this hugely popular event will return in the future.

“It was also fantastic to see local businesses contributing directly. Both the Urdd Crown and Chair were created locally using steel from Tata. The Crown was crafted by Nicola Palterman and Laura Thomas of Jewel and Grace in Neath, while the Chair was designed and created by Angharad Pearce Jones from the Brynaman area.

“So the Urdd has truly put a positive spotlight on Neath Port Talbot and reminded us—and shown the rest of Wales—that this is a proud, vibrant, and resilient place.

“Let us build on the momentum the Urdd Eisteddfod has given us.”

#CllrStephenHunt#Margam#MargamCountryPark
Editor

Margam Country Park commemorates VE Day 80 with moving tribute

In partnership with the Friends of Margam Park, staff and volunteers have worked together to create a series of installations, exhibitions and commemorative displays that will be open to the public from late April through September, encompassing both VE Day on the 8th May and VJ Day on the 14th August.

Inside Margam Castle, visitors will find the Entrance Hall beautifully decorated with hand-knitted and crocheted red poppies arranged around the fireplace. The staircase hall will feature red poppies, white paper doves and VE Day 80 flags in a display designed to symbolise both remembrance and peace.

Historic photographs from VE Day celebrations, from the 8th May 1945, will be on display, accompanied by atmospheric audio recordings – including Winston Churchill’s VE Day speech, music from the 1940s and memories of local residents who lived through war years.

One of the most ambitious elements of the tribute will be found near the Castle Terrace, where more than 3,000 handmade poppies crafted from upcycled plastic bottle ends and individually painted, will be installed on Monday 28th April. Park staff, volunteers and the Friends of Margam Park will work together to place each poppy by hand, creating a striking sea of red across the landscape. The poppies will remain in place until the 12th May.

More than 3,000 handmade poppies crafted from upcycled plastic bottle ends have been individually painted
(Image: Neath Port Talbot Council)Hand-knitted and crocheted red poppies have been arranged around the fireplace at Margam Castle
(Image: Neath Port Talbot Council)Staff at Margam Country Park with Neath Port Talbot Councillors

Margam’s on-site café, Charlotte’s Pantry, will also take part in the commemoration. From the 28th April each table will feature a small-scale version of the photo exhibition, allowing visitors to quietly reflect while enjoying refreshments. There will also be a VE Day 80 ‘Street Party’ in Charlotte’s Pantry on the 8th May.

Additionally, Charlotte’s Pantry will be serving fish and chips, a nostalgic nod to one of the few foods that remained unrationed during World War Two, helping to boost morale.

Councillor Cen Phillips, Neath Port Talbot Council Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing said: “VE Day is an important opportunity to pause and reflect on a generation that endured so much. By marking the occasion we are remembering their stories, celebrating their resilience and giving our local communities a way to come together in tribute. Our heartfelt thanks go to the Friends of Margam Park and volunteers for their support with this installation.”

The display inside Margam Castle will be in place from Monday 28 April and will remain open until the 9th September. The external poppy installation will begin on Monday 28 April and will be in situation along the Broadwalk steps and Castle Terrace for two weeks.

#CllrCenPhillips#Margam#MargamCastle
Editor

Community spaces get £3m funding boost

The Welsh Government say that its Community Facilities Programme grant will help transform spaces where people gather, learn new skills and access support when they need it most.

Tumble Family Centre has received £300,000 from the fund to help give them a proper home after years of making do in a condemned portacabin and then temporary accommodation. The Family Centre supports children, families and young people in Tumble and the wider community within the Gwendraeth Valley, offering free play sessions, activities, advice and friendship – from baby massage and sensory play to youth clubs, family groups and community outings.

Speaking on behalf of the Tumble Family Centre trustees, Anna Durran said: “Staff and trustees here at Tumble Family Centre are delighted to be a part of the project. This funding from the Welsh Government community facilities fund ensures security for the family centre for many years to come and enables us to continue supporting children, families and young people in our community. 

“We thank the Welsh Government for its confidence in our vision, and its support will secure the progression of this project which will provide the community with a wonderful, much needed facility. We are excited to be part of it.”

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, recently visited Tumble to meet the volunteers and families who bring the centre to life.

She said: “During my visit to Tumble, I heard fantastic stories about how the Family Centre has created a vibrant hub where people come together, share experience and support each other whilst having a good time.

“This investment isn’t just about improving buildings – it’s about strengthening communities across Wales. People need accessible places on their doorstep where they can join activities, get advice, and solve problems together. I’m delighted to support these creative local solutions that make such a difference to everyday lives.”

Other projects funded in the latest round of funding from the Community Facilities Programme include Afan United Football Club in Neath Port Talbot who received £300,000 towards upgrading an existing 3G pitch, LED floodlighting, fencing and creating a new community hub.

Our Lady of Margam Community Hall in Neath Port Talbot received £179,000 towards upgrading their community hall to ensure it is fit for the future.

Tywi Gateway Trust, Carmarthenshire received £300,000 towards bringing back a Victorian walled garden. The project will include rebuilding three glass houses to provide a space which can be used by the community. The garden will be used by a variety of groups included people with learning difficulties.

CETMA in Carmarthenshire had £250,000 towards purchasing a shop, post office and living accommodation. The shop has a large back-room space which will be used by the community. The post office will be protected from closure and the accommodation will be offered for rent.

Menter Cilycwm in Carmarthenshire received £300,000 towards refurbishing and extending a listed chapel. The small community has recently lost its pub and its school. The chapel is being used by the community despite currently having no running water or toilets.

#AfanUnitedFootballClub#CETMA#community
Editor

Local volunteers to be honoured at Eisteddfod yr Urdd after decades of work for the youth organisation

Each year, individuals who have made a special contribution to Wales’ largest youth organisation are honoured by the Urdd. This year, attention turns to West Glamorgan, and four volunteers will be named Honorary Presidents of Eisteddfod yr Urdd 2025 in a special ceremony on the Maes (the festival ground).

The four Honorary Presidents of Eisteddfod yr Urdd Dur a Môr 2025 are Davida Lewis, Janet Jones, Menna Bennett Joynson and Wayne Pedrick.

Llio Maddocks, Director of the Arts, Urdd Gobaith Cymru said: “The four who are being honoured this year have given over 160 years of support to the movement. Volunteers play a vital role in the work and reach of the Urdd, and we’re delighted to recognise the dedication of these particular four volunteers at a special ceremony at the Eisteddfod on Monday, 26 May.”

Davida Lewis

Brought up in Swansea, Davida Lewis has spent her life in the Eisteddfod’s local area. She established two local choirs: ‘Côr Plant Waunarlwydd’ in 1965 and ‘Côr Waunarlwydd’ in 1970. The choirs have had considerable success locally and internationally for 60 years. The choirs still exist, and even though Davida has transferred the reigns to a new conductor, she still enjoys participating as a member. Being awarded the title of Honorary President at the Eisteddfod in her own area will be a crowning achievement, after her wealth of experiences and successes in Eisteddfodau over the decades.

Janet Jones

Brought up in Loughor, Janet has lived in Neath for over 40 years. Music is in her blood and over the years she has competed regularly on stages, winning several major prizes at Eisteddfod yr Urdd and at the National Eisteddfod.

Janet is the conductor of ‘Parti Llwchwr’. She has shared her musical talents by teaching children to sing and perform at Eisteddfodau and numerous events over the years. She established ‘Adran Nedd’ in 1993 to offer cultural and Welsh experiences to the youth of the area. Following the success of the group, she established ‘Uwch Adran Nedd’ to continue to provide experiences to older children.

She has also been an active member of the Neath and Afan Local Committee, as well as Chair of the Regional Committee. Janet is one of the Vice-Chairs of the Executive Committee for this year’s Eisteddfod yr Urdd.

Menna Bennett Joynson

Menna was born in Llanidloes before her family moved to Llanuwchllyn and then to Aberystwyth. She grew up in a musical and cultured household and was familiar with singing and participating in Eisteddfodau from an early age. At Eisteddfod yr Urdd, she has had considerable success in the field of ‘cerdd dant’, while she also coached pupils to sing and compete in her role as a music teacher at Ysgol Rhydfelen.

In 1976 she moved to Swansea with her husband and raised three children locally. Menna established ‘Adran Sgeti’ in 1978 which later developed into ‘Aelwyd yr Urdd Sgeti’. Over the years, they went on to have considerable success at Eisteddfod yr Urdd. Menna was appointed music teacher at Ysgol Gyfun Gŵyr and a peripatetic harp teacher in the area. She talks of her gratitude to the Urdd, adding that all the experiences she and her pupils have had have greatly enriched her life.

Wayne Pedrick

Wayne’s first experience of Eisteddfod yr Urdd was through his children, Lisa and Aled, when they were pupils at Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Gwaun Cae Gurwen and Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera. Both loved to compete, with Aled winning the 2003 Bryn Terfel Scholarship at the Tawe, Neath and Afan Eisteddfod.

Wayne worked at the local coal plant, and in 1998 he got a job as a peripatetic brass teacher. In that role, he encouraged and supported his pupils to compete at Eisteddfod yr Urdd, both as soloists and as an ensemble.

He was appointed Head of the Peripatetic Music Service in Neath Port Talbot in 2016 and helps run three youth and junior orchestras, three youth and junior brass bands and a Youth Choir and Big Band. Wayne also regularly adjudicates instrumental competitions at regional and national Eisteddfodau.

Eisteddfod yr Urdd Dur a Môr will be held at Margam Park between 26 and 31 May. Tickets for Eisteddfod yr Urdd, including for the Triban Festival which will be held on the festival ground, are available at www.urdd.cymru/en/eisteddfod/ 

#choir#Eisteddfod#Loughor
Editor

Budget supermarket reveals not so Lidl expansion plans

Lidl GB has announced plans to invest half a billion pounds in its expansion, as the discounter moves forward with plans to open more than 40 new stores across the country this financial year.

In addition to the store openings, Lidl has also published a list of locations it wants to open new stores – including high streets, retail parks, and mixed-use town centre sites. This includes more than a dozen stores in South West Wales.

There are also places where the budget supermarket wants to relocate several existing stores to provide a larger building.

Lidl currently has 980 stores across the UK and employs over 34,000 people.

Richard Taylor, Chief Real Estate Officer at Lidl GB, said: “This level of investment is a clear sign of our ambition. As we enter our fourth decade in Great Britain and hurtle towards a thousand stores, there are still so many parts of the country crying out for convenient access to a Lidl store. That’s why we welcome the measures proposed in the Government’s Planning and Infrastructure Bill – they recognise the urgent need to remove barriers to development and support the kind of growth we at Lidl are working towards.”

“Our latest site requirements brochure reinforces the scale of our ambition for the future. New Lidl stores mean new jobs, new opportunities for British suppliers, and continued investment into local economies. We’re proud to be one of the fastest-growing supermarkets in the country, and with this investment, we’re taking another big step in our journey.”

All the places in South West Wales Lidl wants to open new stores

The places in South and Mid Wales Lidl wants to open new stores
(Image: Lidl)The existing stores in South and Mid Wales Lidl wants to relocate
(Image: Lidl)

Swansea

Lidl has announced 3 locations in Swansea where it wants to open new stores in Morfa, Killay or Sketty and Mumbles. It has also said it wants to relocate its existing Penlan store.

Neath Port Talbot

The budget supermarket has said that it wants to open a new store in Port Talbot – East or Margam.

Carmarthenshire

Lidl wants to open new stores in two locations in Carmarthenshire. One in Burry Port and another to the North of Llanelli.

Pembrokeshire

The supermarket has revealed ambitions to open a one new store in Pembrokeshire, somewhere in Tenby. It also wants to relocate its existing Pembroke Dock store.

Bridgend County

There are four locations Lidl has aspirations to open new stores in Bridgend County, in Bridgend Town, Bridgend – East or Pencoed, Maesteg and Pyle.

South Powys

Lidl has said they’d like to open a new store in Ystradgynlais.

#Bridgend#BurryPort#Business
🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿Stuart Bain

Attended an event at the churches unlocked festival. A graveyard tour around Margam Abbey. The most famous (and harrowing) story was that of Robert Scott. On the morning of Friday, June 10, 1898 the body of a gamekeeper was found on Margam mountain - he had been shot in the face with a shotgun. Joseph Lewis of Maesteg was later arrested after bragging about what he did. He was hung on 29th August in Swansea prison.

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