Mid-year has seen our region continue to deliver inspired initiatives, through ‘Ffos Caerffili’ – a shipping-container style market destined to become a permanent fixture in Caerphilly town centre; Cardiff & Vale College and Coleg y Cymoedd launching training to develop key skills in the sustainability sector; Pride Cymru staging month-long Pride festivities and celebrations across SE Wales; and the start of Pontypridd Bingo Hall’s demolition paving the way for a new riverside plaza that will help connect the whole community …
INNOVATION
Caerphilly Shipping Container-Style Market helps rejuvenate town centre
June saw the Ffos Caerffili Market project receive official status as a permanent fixture – as part of a wider transformative effort to rejuvenate the town centre under the umbrella of the Caerphilly 2035 Placemaking plan.
Ffos Caerffili Market’s planning and development has been funded in part by the Caerphilly County Borough Council, the Shared Prosperity Fund and the Welsh Government’s Transforming Towns initiative – a programme designed to establish green infrastructure, enhance biodiversity in local areas, breathe new life into derelict properties, and broaden the flexibility and accessibility of living spaces.
The market will consist of repurposed shipping containers, featuring a blend of shops, restaurants, bars and offices, with four of the containers used as office spaces specifically set aside for local start-up businesses.
Proposed plans for the market include a green roof blanket to catch rainwater, further contributing to the eco-friendly approach of the market’s design – with Ffos Caerffili Market set to open in the Autumn.
SUSTAINABILITY
Colleges narrow skill gaps through Hydrogen & Retrofit training courses
As demand for green energy soars and a sustainability skills shortage becomes apparent in several areas, Cardiff & Vale College and Coleg y Cymoedd are looking to bridge that gap by offering workshop-style courses in Hydrogen training and retrofitting techniques, respectively.
The Cardiff and Vale College Hydrogen Skills Workshop is being delivered in partnership with Ynni Glân, a Cardiff-based clean energy consultancy specialising in fuel cells. Advertised as a knowledge-transfer workshop, the event will address the skills shortage surrounding hydrogen skills in Wales whilst identifying key issues in three major sectors: energy production/supply, building services, and transport systems.
Aiming to create feasible solutions to the skills shortages, the event will give business and industry experts actively pursuing hydrogen projects across South East Wales a chance to engage with the sector, stakeholders, and potential learners. – with the goal of implementing hydrogen skills programmes across the region as quickly as possible.
The Coleg y Cymoedd goal is to enable retrofitted properties that meet the Welsh Government’s ambitious net-zero targets – and result in more energy-efficient homes during challenging economic times – through an event that explores the training and skills solutions needed for a comprehensive retrofit roll-out.
The ‘Four Nations’ event on July 7th will feature expert speakers from Wales, Scotland, Ireland and England, coming together to share their skills and knowledge through a series of keynote talks, panel discussions, Q&As, roundtable discussions and informal networking.
INCLUSIVITY
Pride celebrated across South East Wales
June was a month of successful Pride celebrations across the region, including ‘first ever’ events in Abergavenny and Caerphilly. Cardiff’s Pride Cymru – the most widely attended Pride event in Wales – hosted its largest and busiest programme to date, located in the grounds of Cardiff Castle, with entertainment featuring headliners Ian H Watkins and Claire Richards from pop sensation Steps, plus vendor stalls showcasing local artists and food-crafters – and live performances from stars of RuPaul’s Drag Race – in a two-day event that drew in revellers from all around Wales.
Perhaps the most visible element of the event is the Pride Parade, where thousands of LGBTQIA+ members and allies march through Cardiff City Centre in a display of inclusion, tolerance, and support. Whilst the parade has historical roots in the protest march of 1985, Pride Cymru has morphed from a public protest to a sprawling, two-day event chock full of activities and family-friendly events.
Although June is officially recognised as ‘Pride month’, celebrations are set to continue throughout the South East Wales region as the summer closes, with Barry Pride taking place in August and Newport Pride occurring on the 2nd of September.
To find out more about the latest developments in Innovation, Sustainability, Inclusivity and Connectivity across South East Wales, go to: www.cardiffcapitalregion.wales
