MANOSPHERE: Baglan’s former Miss Wales fronts hard-hitting S4C documentary built on Swansea University research

A former Miss Wales from Baglan has fronted a hard-hitting new S4C documentary on the online “manosphere” and its growing influence on young men in Wales.

Sara Manchipp, who was crowned Miss Wales in 2011 and studied in Swansea, presents the two-part series — drawing on her own experience of being stalked, and on ground-breaking research by academics at Swansea University.

Sara Manchipp: I Mewn i’r Manosphere is available now across S4C’s digital platforms, including S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer and YouTube.

The programme asks what the manosphere is, and why a culture of online misogyny appears to be taking hold among some young men — and what it is doing to the men drawn into it.

Among those who speak candidly is Abishek, a young man who describes how an online trend called “looksmaxxing” — focused obsessively on maximising physical attractiveness — pushed him to the brink during a difficult period in his teens.

“At the age of 14 I was standing at my bathroom mirror at 2am with a hammer in my hands having tears running down my face,” he says in the programme. “I started thinking about everything and decided to lower the hammer.”

Abishek is part of a group of young men calling themselves “Men Tomorrow”, alongside Josh Sargent and Chase Campbell, a member of the Welsh Youth Parliament for Blaenau Gwent.

Campbell links the problem to the loss of community and opportunity in parts of Wales.

“The problem in Wales can be quite unique, especially with the area I’m from in the Valleys — an area that’s experienced really heavy economic deprivation over the past 40, 45 years now,” he says.

“Like lack of social spaces, lack of role models, no kind of real career prospects — making people turn to more desperate places online.”

He also points to the disappearance of youth clubs and community centres, with more than a thousand having closed across the country in 15 years.

The series is built on research by Swansea University, home to world-leading experts in the field.

Dr Andrew Thomas and Dr Joe Whittaker carried out one of the largest studies of its kind into incels — predominantly young men who often blame feminism for women’s greater autonomy in relationships.

Their work examined the lived experiences and psychological profiles of those involved, including mental health and neurodiversity, as well as how they respond to incel ideology online.

“Angry young men who are unable to form relationships have always existed — that’s nothing new,” Dr Whittaker says.

“Fifty years ago, however, it wasn’t easy to find others who shared extreme ideological views. What the internet has fundamentally changed is the ability to find and connect with those communities — and that is significant.”

For the documentary, the researchers worked with S4C and Colegau Cymru, which represents further education colleges across Wales, on a survey of 16 to 20-year-olds — the first of its kind to ask both young men and women about misogyny, online experiences, pornography and mental health.

For Manchipp, the subject is deeply personal. She has spoken of being stalked and threatened by a man later convicted of attempting to murder someone else.

Now a mother to a young son, she says the experience has shaped her fears for the world he will grow up in.

“Tomos, my son, is the light of my life. My experience with a stalker has made me much more worried about the world he’s going to grow up in,” she says.

“Where did he get the idea that the only way to get a woman’s attention is by frightening her? How many other men think the same way — and what can we do to stop it?”

The series combines that research with the lived experiences of young people across Wales, offering a timely look at a phenomenon increasingly shaping how a generation sees one another.

Sara Manchipp: I Mewn i’r Manosphere is available now on S4C Clic, BBC iPlayer and YouTube.

If you or someone you know is struggling, the Samaritans can be reached free, day or night, on 116 123. Children and young people can contact Childline free on 0800 1111.

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BRITON FERRY: Two years on, the Wales Coastal Path closure on the estuary has become a political football — as 20 Labour councillors demand action over sinkholes that nobody will pay to fix

Twenty opposition Welsh Labour councillors from Neath Port Talbot have written to the new Welsh Government Cabinet Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability demanding urgent action and funding to reopen long-closed sections of the Wales Coastal Path through Baglan, Briton Ferry and Sandfields West — a stretch that has now been fenced off for more than two years over fears of subsidence and sinkhole collapse.

The letter, sent this week to Plaid Cymru MS Llŷr Gruffydd — who took on the newly created rural resilience portfolio when Plaid Cymru formed Wales’s first ever Plaid-led government earlier this month — lands at the heart of a long-running political dispute over who should pay to fix a deteriorating path on land owned by the Welsh Government and maintained, until 2023, by the council.

Campaign led by three local councillors

The campaign for the path’s reinstatement has been led by Cllr Josh Tuck (Baglan), Cllr Gareth Rice (Briton Ferry) and Cllr Rob Wood, whose wards either border or contain the closed section. This week’s letter to the Cabinet Minister has been signed by 17 of their Welsh Labour colleagues from across the borough.

Cllr Rice’s ward of Briton Ferry contains the stretch of path that runs alongside the Briton Ferry estuary — where the original closure was made in April 2023 after the path was deemed too dangerous to use.

Closed since April 2023

According to the council’s own official response to a 2024 enquiry from Aberavon and Maesteg MP Stephen Kinnock, the section was closed in April 2023 because of “subsidence connected to the formation of sinkholes, which unfortunately made the path hazardous to use.”

The same letter, written by NPT’s Head of Planning and Public Protection Ceri Morris, set out a longer history of problems. Repair schemes had been carried out approximately every four years since 2012 to fill or bridge the sinkholes that were continually forming in the area — but those works “did not address the wider problem that is affecting the adjacent land.”

By early 2023, the council said, officers had noticed new cracks opening up along the path. “The Authority considered it had no option other than to close the path on safety grounds,” the letter said.

Walkers were redirected along the cycle route from The Quays Offices, passing through the industrial estate to pick up the Wales Coast Path connection at Purcell Avenue.

Walkers using eroded unofficial route around closure

More than two years on, councillors say walkers are increasingly bypassing the official closure altogether and using an unofficial route through eroded ground alongside the fencing — raising fresh concerns that the closure may be creating new safety risks rather than removing them.

The letter from the 20 councillors describes the closures as “a visible symbol of neglect along a key part of our coastline” and says that despite repeated questions to Neath Port Talbot Council from elected members, no clear timetable has ever been provided for restoration.

March 2024: borehole testing

The council’s 2024 response confirmed that NPT had used Wales Coast Path funding in March 2024 to carry out “an extensive bore hole testing scheme to ascertain the extent of the issues in this area.” Officers were said to be reviewing the final report to ascertain whether the route remains feasible for future use as the Wales Coast Path.

But the council was clear that reopening depends on funding from above. “Whilst it was not the Authority’s intention to permanently close this section of the path, ultimately it comes down to whether funding becomes available from Welsh Government,” Mr Morris wrote.

The official council position has been that NPT itself cannot continue to fund repeated repair schemes indefinitely — and that even if it did, the underlying subsidence affecting the adjacent land would mean the path could only be reopened on a temporary basis without a wider intervention.

A funding dispute the council says rests with Welsh Government

The closure has happened entirely under the current Plaid Cymru-led rainbow coalition, which took control of Neath Port Talbot Council in 2022 — meaning the path has been fenced off for almost the whole of this administration’s time in office.

Council leader Cllr Steve Hunt has previously stated publicly that the path “has nothing at all to do with NPTCBC” because the underlying land is in the ownership of the Welsh Government — placing responsibility for any repair work with whoever forms that government.

David Rees, who served as Welsh Labour MS for Aberavon until losing his seat at the May 2026 Senedd election, said in 2024 that he had been told by NPT that the council needed money from Welsh Government to fix the path, while Welsh Government had stated that the council had already received maintenance funding. “It is unlikely to re-open until this is resolved as the argument of people’s safety will be dominant,” he said at the time. Two years on, his prediction has held: the path remains closed.

“A flagship national asset”

The Wales Coastal Path is an 870-mile route around the entire Welsh coastline, launched in 2012 as the first dedicated long-distance walking route to cover an entire country. It is jointly funded by the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales, with day-to-day maintenance delivered by local authorities. The Welsh Government also owns the adjacent land affected by the subsidence — making it both funder and landowner in the dispute.

The letter from the 20 councillors describes the path as “internationally recognised” and intended to be “a source of pride for Wales” — but says that large sections through Baglan, Briton Ferry and Sandfields West remain “inaccessible, fenced off and deteriorating.”

A cross-party political map

The letter has been copied to all six Members of the Senedd for the new Afan Ogwr Rhondda constituency, which covers the affected communities under the new D’Hondt voting system introduced for the May 2026 election.

Those six MSs are Sera Evans, Alun Cox and Elyn Stephens, all of Plaid Cymru; Benjamin Hodge McKenna and Steve Bayliss, both of Reform UK; and former Welsh Labour cabinet member Huw Irranca-Davies, who was elected Llywydd of the Senedd earlier this month and is now politically impartial.

Cabinet Minister Llŷr Gruffydd, MS for Clwyd, only took on the rural resilience brief on 13 May after First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth appointed his first cabinet. The portfolio includes responsibility for Wales’s outdoor and natural environment infrastructure.

‘We loved watching the birds and wildlife’

Baglan residents Gaynor and Graham, both members of the RSPB, said the loss of the path had stripped local people of a free, accessible community asset.

“The coastal path at Briton Ferry has always been a lovely, easy, flat walk for people of all ages,” they said. “Walkers from Neath and Port Talbot used it, not just residents of Baglan and Briton Ferry. It’s a local asset that’s free to use, and obviously helps people’s fitness, mental health and well-being. Apart from meeting people socially along the way, it really needs to be reinstated.

“For us personally, we loved watching the birds and wildlife as we are both members of the RSPB. In these challenging times it would be great to have somewhere that’s free to enjoy.”

Three areas of damage

The councillors set out three distinct impacts of the closures.

On health and wellbeing, the letter says the closures have cut off vital routes for walking, cycling and daily exercise relied upon by residents for years.

On active travel, the closures have severed key walking and cycling connections between Baglan, Briton Ferry, Sandfields and the wider Swansea Bay coastline.

And on local business and tourism, the councillors say visitors have been diverted away from the area’s seaside businesses, undermining wider Welsh Government ambitions around tourism and outdoor recreation.

“Unacceptable and unworthy”

Calling for a “clear programme for restoration and reopening,” the councillors describe the current position as “unacceptable for local communities and unworthy of a flagship national route such as the Wales Coastal Path.”

“Its continued closure damages confidence in public infrastructure and undermines wider Welsh Government ambitions around tourism, wellbeing and active travel,” the letter states.

The 20 signatories

Alongside Cllr Josh Tuck, Cllr Gareth Rice and Cllr Rob Wood, the letter is signed by Cllr Carol Clement-Williams (Baglan), Cllr Suzanne Paddison (Sandfields West), Cllr Sarah Thomas, Cllr Laura Williams, Cllr Mike Harvey, Cllr Lauren Heard (Neath East), Cllr Stephanie Grimshaw (Aberavon and Baglan Moors), Cllr Saifur Rahaman and Cllr Alan Lockyer (Neath North), together with the Welsh Labour ward councillors for Margam and Taibach and for Port Talbot.

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BAGLAN: Stephen Kinnock MP writes to Whitbread CEO to demand a rethink on Bagle Brook closure

Stephen Kinnock MP has written to Whitbread CEO Dominic Paul calling on the company to think again before closing the Bagle Brook Beefeater in Baglan — adding his voice to a campaign that has been building since the closure was announced.

Kinnock, who represents Aberafan Maesteg, says he is joining the campaign to save the pub — following local councillors Josh Tuck, Carol Clement-Williams and Susanne Renkes, who have already written to Whitbread’s CEO demanding answers over the decision.

In his letter, Kinnock describes the Bagle Brook as “a well-established and much-valued part of the local community” that is “frequented by large swathes of residents on a regular basis.”

He says for many people it is far more than simply a place to eat or drink — it is a social hub and a focal point of community life, with generations of local families having enjoyed it as a welcoming, family-friendly environment.

The MP also highlights the economic contribution the pub makes, describing it as an important source of employment for local people whose livelihoods depend on it.

He warns that losing such a long-standing establishment would be “a serious blow — not only to those directly employed, but to the wider local economy and supply chain.”

Kinnock argues that pubs and restaurants like the Bagle Brook are essential to community cohesion — offering spaces for social interaction, celebrations and support networks, and helping to combat isolation and strengthen local identity.

“Removing such an asset risks leaving a significant gap that is unlikely to be easily replaced,” the letter warns.

He urges Whitbread to carefully reflect on the wider impact of the decision and to explore all possible alternatives to closure — and says he would welcome the opportunity to work constructively with the company “to find a way forward that safeguards this important community facility.”

Whitbread has responded to the local political pressure. In a letter to the councillors, the company said it was unable to address specific questions while the consultation was ongoing, but confirmed it expected the process to close in summer.

The company said the closures were part of a plan to become “a pure-play hotel business focused on Premier Inn”, adding that a number of restaurant sites would be converted into approximately 600 additional hotel rooms, with the remainder expected to be sold as going concerns. It said it expected to retain “a significant proportion” of affected staff through redeployment, though it acknowledged the proposals would result in around 3,800 job losses from a total UK and Ireland workforce of around 30,000.

The Bagle Brook is one of four local restaurants facing closure as part of Whitbread’s decision to axe up to 3,800 jobs across its UK estate — a move that sent shockwaves across south Wales when it was announced.

In Llanelli, a parallel campaign is under way to save the Sandpiper — another Whitbread venue facing the axe, with the community describing the news as “a bombshell for all concerned”.

With an MP now formally in the correspondence, the pressure on Whitbread to respond publicly is increasing. Whether it will be enough to change the company’s mind remains to be seen.

More on the Whitbread closures

Four local restaurants face closure as Whitbread axes up to 3,800 jobs
How the announcement broke — and which local venues are affected.

Councillors demand answers from Whitbread CEO over Bagle Brook closure
The local political pressure that preceded Kinnock’s intervention.

‘A bombshell for all concerned’ — community rallies to save the Sandpiper
The parallel campaign in Llanelli to save another threatened Whitbread venue.

BAGLAN: Councillors demand answers from Whitbread CEO over Bagle Brook Beefeater closure — and urge rethink

Three councillors representing Baglan have written directly to the chief executive of Whitbread to demand answers over the planned closure of the Bagle Brook Beefeater – and to urge the company to reconsider.

Joshua Tuck, Carol Clement-Williams and Susanne Renkes, all councillors for Baglan on Neath Port Talbot Council, sent the letter to Whitbread CEO Dominic Paul on 2 May – the day after Swansea Bay News revealed that the Bagle Brook was among four local restaurants facing closure as part of the company’s nationwide restructuring.

In the letter, the councillors described the Bagle Brook – which has served the Baglan community since 1979 – as far more than a restaurant. “For many people locally, this is far more than simply a restaurant,” they wrote. “The Bagle Brook has become an important part of community life in Baglan. It is a place where families gather to celebrate milestones, friends meet to catch up over food and drinks, and local residents come together to maintain the social connections that are so important to community wellbeing.”

The letter praised the dedication of staff at the restaurant, describing them as “well regarded amongst patrons for their professionalism, warmth and dedication” and saying they had helped make it “the valued local institution it has become.”

The councillors acknowledged the commercial pressures facing the hospitality sector but said the impact on local jobs and community life must be given equal consideration. “While we understand commercial pressures exist, we believe that the impact on local jobs, livelihoods and community life must be given equal, if not greater, consideration than profitability,” they wrote.

They put a series of specific questions to Dominic Paul, asking whether Whitbread intends to sell the Baglan site as a going concern, whether there are plans to convert the restaurant space into additional Premier Inn hotel rooms, and whether any form of food and drink offering would remain on the site for local residents and visitors.

The councillors also demanded clear assurances about the futures of staff currently employed at the Bagle Brook – asking how many local jobs are at risk, what measures are being taken to protect them, and what efforts will be made to redeploy staff into alternative roles within Whitbread where possible.

The letter concluded with a direct call to the company’s leadership. “We urge Whitbread to reconsider the closure of the Bagle Brook, or at the very least provide full transparency about its future plans and meaningful support for the staff and community affected,” the councillors wrote.

The letter in full

2nd May 2026

Dominic Paul, CEO
Whitbread PLC

Dear Mr Paul,

We are writing as local councillors representing residents in Baglan and the wider Port Talbot area to express our deep disappointment and concern regarding the proposed closure of the Bagle Brook Beefeater.

For many people locally, this is far more than simply a restaurant. The Bagle Brook has become an important part of community life in Baglan. It is a place where families gather to celebrate milestones, friends meet to catch up over food and drinks, and local residents come together to maintain the social connections that are so important to community wellbeing.

In an era where many traditional community spaces have disappeared, venues like the Bagle Brook play a vital role in bringing people together. It has served as an accessible, welcoming meeting place for residents of all ages and backgrounds, and its loss would be deeply felt by many across our community.

We also want to place on record our appreciation for the hardworking staff at the Bagle Brook. The team are well regarded amongst patrons for their professionalism, warmth and dedication. Staff are consistently described as welcoming, polite and willing to go the extra mile to ensure customers have a positive experience. They have helped make the restaurant the valued local institution it has become, and they deserve recognition for that contribution.

We recognise that the hospitality sector is facing significant challenges, including rising costs and wider economic pressures. Whitbread has publicly cited higher business costs as part of its wider restructuring plans, which could see nearly 200 restaurant closures and around 3,800 jobs affected across the UK and Ireland.

However, while we understand commercial pressures exist, we believe that the impact on local jobs, livelihoods and community life must be given equal, if not greater, consideration than profitability.

We would therefore welcome urgent clarification on the future of the Baglan site specifically:

• Does Whitbread intend to sell the site as a going concern?
• Is the plan to convert the restaurant space into additional Premier Inn hotel rooms?
• Will any form of restaurant, pub or eatery remain on the site for local residents and visitors?

We are also particularly concerned about the staff currently employed at the Bagle Brook and would ask for clear assurances regarding their futures:

• How many local jobs are currently at risk at this site?
• What measures are being taken to protect those jobs?
• What efforts will be made to redeploy existing staff into alternative roles within Whitbread where possible?

At a time when communities such as ours are working hard to strengthen community bonds and protect places where people can come together, decisions like this have a significant local impact.

We urge Whitbread to reconsider the closure of the Bagle Brook, or at the very least provide full transparency about its future plans and meaningful support for the staff and community affected.

We look forward to your response.

Yours sincerely,

Joshua Tuck, Councillor for Baglan
Carol Clement-Williams, Councillor for Baglan
Susanne Renkes, Councillor for Baglan

Whitbread announced on Thursday that it would close all of its remaining Beefeater and Brewers Fayre branded restaurants as part of a plan to become a pure-play hotel business. The company said the proposed reduction to its 30,000-strong workforce remained subject to employee consultation, and that it hoped to retain a significant proportion of those affected through redeployment across its 15,000 annual vacancies.

Whitbread has not yet responded publicly to the councillors’ letter.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Four local restaurants face closure as Whitbread axes up to 3,800 jobs across UK estate
Our original report on the Whitbread closures across the Swansea Bay area.

Four local restaurants face closure as Whitbread axes up to 3,800 jobs across UK estate

Four restaurants across the Swansea Bay area are among nearly 200 set to close after Premier Inn owner Whitbread announced plans to cut up to 3,800 jobs as part of a sweeping five-year overhaul of its business.

The Swansea Vale Brewers Fayre on Upper Fforest Way in Llansamlet, the Waterfront Beefeater on Langdon Road in Swansea’s SA1 maritime quarter, the Bagle Brook Beefeater on Pentwyn Baglan Road in Baglan, and The Sandpiper Brewers Fayre on Sandy Road in Llanelli are all included in the list of sites affected by the restructuring.

Whitbread confirmed the proposed changes on 30 April as part of a new five-year plan that will see it exit its remaining branded restaurant estate entirely and replace all 197 sites with a more efficient food and beverage model linked more closely to its Premier Inn hotels. Around 110 branded restaurant sites are expected to be sold as going concerns over the next 24 months, while the remainder will be converted or closed.

The company said the proposed reduction to its 30,000-strong workforce remains subject to employee consultation, and that it anticipates retaining a considerable proportion of those affected through redeployment. The firm’s previous restructuring programme in 2024 resulted in around 1,500 redundancies.

Chief executive Dominic Paul said the plan would transform the business. “We always challenge ourselves to improve and, in light of significant cost increases in the form of business rates and national insurance, as well as the implied market discount to our inherent value, we’ve looked hard at the options open to us to maximise value creation over the medium and long-term,” he said. “This plan will transform Whitbread into a higher-margin, higher-returning pure-play hotel business.”

Unite, the union representing workers across the business, said it would seek urgent discussions with Whitbread and provide support to affected members – after claiming staff first learned of the redundancies through media reports rather than from their employer. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham described the cuts as “cruel” and called on the company to enter formal consultations immediately.

Unite national officer Colenzo Jarret-Thorpe added: “It is disgraceful that Whitbread employees heard about the job cuts through the media. The company did not even have the decency to let its staff know first.”

As part of the restructuring, Whitbread plans to sell 1.5 billion pounds of freehold property to fund future growth, reducing its freehold ownership to between 30% and 40% – making it a majority leaseholder for the first time since the Premier Inn chain was founded in 1987. The company is targeting 2 billion pounds of free cash flow by its 2031 financial year, and intends to increase its total hotel room count to 96,000 by that date, up from approximately 86,600 currently.

The announcement follows Whitbread’s pre-tax profit of 298 million pounds for the year ending February 2026, representing a 19% decline on the previous year. Overall revenues remained unchanged year-on-year at 2.9 billion pounds, though UK sales climbed by 1%.

The closure of The Sandpiper is the latest blow to Llanelli’s hospitality sector, which has suffered a string of losses in recent months. The Bryngwyn and Ali Raj restaurants closed on the same day in January, prompting hundreds of tributes from customers sharing decades of memories. The Tinhouse taproom followed in February, and the four-star Stradey Park Hotel closed with immediate effect in March, leaving staff without jobs and couples fearing for their wedding deposits.

Whitbread itself has already been reducing its footprint in the area. The Pemberton Beefeater in Llanelli – which sat next to the Premier Inn at Parc Pemberton Retail Park, close to Parc y Scarlets stadium – closed in July 2024, with plans to demolish the site and revamp the wider development. The Sandpiper Brewers Fayre on Sandy Road, also in Llanelli, is now set to follow.

The closures come as rising business rates and national insurance costs continue to squeeze the hospitality sector across Wales. Welsh Government introduced 15% business rates relief for hospitality businesses in 2026, but CAMRA – the Campaign for Real Ale – has warned the measure still leaves Welsh venues at a significant disadvantage compared with England, where the relief stands at 75%.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

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Prolific burglar caught on doorbell cameras trying a dozen Baglan doors jailed for five years

Lewis Wood, 35, from Newport, was seen on multiple home security cameras quietly testing front doors across Elmwood Road, Maes Rhydden, Lodge Drive and Glan Hafryn during a late‑night spree in November and December.

The footage shows him moving methodically from property to property, checking handles and slipping into porches as families slept inside.

His final stop was a home on Church Road, where he found a set of car keys on a kitchen table and drove off in the family’s vehicle. The theft was discovered when the victim returned from an early‑hours dog walk to find the car gone.

Police traced Wood after reviewing hours of CCTV and doorbell footage. Officers later found the stolen car parked outside his home.

When arrested, Wood insisted he was “a car thief, not a burglar”, claiming he had only been looking for keys so he could drive home.

At Swansea Crown Court, prosecutors said Wood had been on licence at the time and already had 22 previous convictions for 78 offences, including six house burglaries and 11 counts of driving while disqualified. He also admitted three assaults at a Cardiff Bay restaurant last summer, where he lunged at a staff member and spat at two others after being asked to leave.

Wood pleaded guilty to three burglaries, ten attempted burglaries, theft of a motor vehicle, driving while disqualified, driving without insurance and three counts of assault by beating. He was jailed for five years and three months.

Judge Paul Thomas KC told him the fear he caused was far more serious than the value of anything stolen.

Judge Paul Thomas KC said: “The real mischief of burglary is the feelings of insecurity victims suffer after having their homes invaded by a stranger. It seems the only way to stop you burgling people’s houses is to keep you in prison.”

He warned Wood that if he continued offending, “your daughter will grow up without you”.

South Wales Police said the sentence reflected the impact on the community.

DC Sam Tobin said: “Burglars and thieves like Lewis Wood are the sort of selfish people who make good people feel unsafe in their own home. He cared nothing for any of his victims, but his offending will have had a big effect on their lives.”

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£3m Welsh Government fund to boost museums, libraries and archives across South West Wales

The investment, part of the Priorities for Culture Capital Grant Scheme, is designed to make cultural spaces more accessible, sustainable and welcoming. Culture Minister Jack Sargeant said the aim was to protect “vital community assets” and ensure they continue to serve as visitor attractions, learning hubs and wellbeing spaces.

Swansea: lighting up the city’s heritage

In Swansea, the city’s oldest museum will be literally brighter. Swansea Museum is receiving funding for its Illuminate project, which will replace outdated lighting in the History Gallery and temporary exhibition space with modern, energy‑efficient systems. Swansea University’s cultural collections will also benefit, with new environmental monitoring and accessibility improvements to safeguard rare items and open them up to more visitors.

Neath Port Talbot: greener libraries

In Neath Port Talbot, Baglan Library will undergo building improvements with new front windows to boost energy efficiency and create a more comfortable space for readers and community groups.

Bridgend: preserving and delivering culture

Porthcawl Museum will use its grant to conserve artefacts and refresh exhibitions, working alongside Glamorgan Archives. Meanwhile, the Awen Cultural Trust, which runs libraries across Bridgend county, will make its Books on Wheels service more sustainable by switching to a zero‑emission electric vehicle to deliver books to housebound residents.

Carmarthenshire: archives and museums reimagined

Carmarthenshire is seeing some of the most ambitious projects. Carmarthenshire Archives will create a new exhibition space to bring hidden collections into public view. At Carmarthenshire Museum, two projects will improve both physical and digital access: new interpretation and lighting in galleries, and a revamp of the CofGar website to make collections easier to explore online.

At Dinefwr’s Newton House, run by the National Trust, visitors will benefit from new lifts, braille interpretation and audio‑visual guides, ensuring the historic site is accessible to all.

Pembrokeshire: Tenby’s new chapter

In Pembrokeshire, Tenby Museum & Art Gallery will transform a storage area into a new public gallery, creating space for fresh interpretation and exhibitions.

A wider vision for culture

The Welsh Government says the £3m is just the first wave of investment, with a further £2.5m available for bids over the next year and £15m in total to be distributed by March 2026.

The Priorities for Culture strategy emphasises that culture is not just about heritage, but about regeneration, inclusivity and wellbeing. From greener libraries to more accessible museums, the projects in South West Wales reflect that ambition.

#archives #AwenCulturalTrust #Baglan #BaglanLibrary #Carmarthen #CarmarthenshireArchiveService #CarmarthenshireArchives #CarmarthenshireMuseum #CofGar #Dinefwr #funding #grantFunding #libraries #Library #museums #NationalTrust #NewtonHouse #Porthcawl #PorthcawlMuseum #Swansea #SwanseaMuseum #Tenby #TenbyMuseumAndArtGallery

Baglan man jailed after indecently exposing himself in public

50-year-old Scott Thomas, from Baglan, flashed his genitals and backside towards passers-by as he walked along Dunraven Street, Aberavon at around 7am on Friday, July 18.

Thomas immediately admitted the offence upon arrest.

He has been sentenced to 26 weeks in prison. He will be required to register with the police in accordance with the Sexual Offences Act 2003 for a period of seven years.

PC Rachael Travers said:

“Scott Thomas’s actions were completely unacceptable and will have caused alarm to those who saw him in Dunraven Street, especially at that time of morning.

“He will have known the likely consequences of what he was doing. Those consequences are now a reality for him.”

[Lead image: South Wales Police]

#Baglan #indecentExposure #SouthWalesPolice

Tributes paid to long-serving Baglan councillor

A funeral service was held for Cllr Richards at St Catharine’s Church, Baglan, on Friday, May 2nd, 2025.

Cllr Richards was first elected to Neath Port Talbot Council in June 2004 and served continuously as one of the Baglan ward members until the time of his death.

He was originally elected as a representative of the Neath Port Talbot Ratepayers’ Association but joined the Labour Group in 2008 then becoming a Cabinet Member during the Labour administration period up until 2022. 

Speaking at the AGM on Thursday, 8 May 2025, the Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr Steve Hunt, said: “I first met Peter in 2008, shortly after my election, and it was clear from the outset he was a person of exceptional kindness and unwavering support. Our friendship blossomed as we worked together on behalf of our community and I will always be grateful for his guidance and encouragement.

“Peter’s commitment went far beyond his own ward; he dedicated himself wholeheartedly to the welfare of everyone living in Neath Port Talbot. As a cabinet member of the Labour administration, he approached his duties with both professionalism and dignity, leaving a lasting impact on countless lives. Also, his work with the Co-operative movement exemplified his passion for community and service.

”Peter was a true gentleman, a devoted colleague, and a cherished friend. His absence will be felt deeply by all of us, but his legacy of kindness and dedication will continue to inspire our work. We will miss him dearly.”

The Leader of the council’s Labour Group, Cllr Sonia Reynolds, added: “Our thoughts and deepest sympathies must be with Peter’s family and close friends during this time of great loss.

“Peter was a dedicated and active Cabinet Member for Adult Social Services. I recall his invaluable support in 2017, when I and other newly elected councillors found ourselves thrown into the deep end of Social Services Scrutiny. His advice was readily available, thoughtful, wise, and always delivered with generosity—quick to offer praise where it was due and ever willing to guide others with care and experience.

“His commitment to local residents was unwavering. Many will have their own stories of Peter’s kindness, his readiness to help, and the guidance he offered without hesitation. He lived his Christian faith not only in belief but in action – through the way he treated people, served his community and lived his life with compassion and humility.

“Peter was loved in his community, valued within our group, and respected across this council. He will be deeply missed.”

#Baglan #NeathPortTalbotCouncil

HDM Solar opens new Port Talbot branch, bringing green jobs and investment to South Wales

A new chapter in South Wales’s transition to clean energy began last week as HDM Solar officially opened its Port Talbot branch, backed by a wave of local support and national ambition.

The launch event, held on Friday 18 July at Baglan Energy Park, was attended by Stephen Kinnock MP for Aberafan Maesteg, representatives from Neath Port Talbot Council, Deputy Lord-Lieutenant Philip Hunkin, and key figures from the renewable energy sector. Together they celebrated the arrival of one of the UK’s fastest-growing solar suppliers — and the opportunities it brings.

The 17,500 sq ft facility, which includes a 6,000 sq ft bonded storage unit, is set to create around 10 skilled jobs locally. It’s part of HDM Solar’s £10.2 million national expansion plan to open 60 branches across the UK — a strategy aimed at powering growth in the solar and EV installation market.

“It was a pleasure to attend the official opening and welcome HDM Solar’s significant investment in our community,” said Stephen Kinnock MP. “This state-of-the-art facility is a testament to their ambition, innovation, and belief in the potential of our town.”

“Not only will this development create skilled jobs in the growing green energy sector, it also supports Port Talbot’s shift to a cleaner, more sustainable future. It’s a clear signal that our town is ready to lead in the green energy revolution.”

The local authority has backed the project through funding support for the new site — part of its strategy to secure future-ready industries in the wake of expected TATA Steel redundancies.

Council Leader Cllr Steve Hunt said: “We’re proud to support HDM Solar’s investment and their commitment to creating quality green jobs here. This partnership shows what’s possible when businesses and councils work together.”

HDM Solar — known nationally as “The Installer’s Wholesaler” — provides tailored systems and technical support to trade and commercial clients, along with direct-to-site delivery. CEO Adam Firth said the opening was more than a business milestone — it’s about empowering communities.

“With the backing of Neath Port Talbot Council and the enthusiasm of the local business community, we’re confident this branch will thrive,” he said. “It’s about investing in people and place, not just expanding our footprint.”

The new branch will also complement the work of HDM Energies, a sister company focused on commercial solar installations. Through its Energy For All scheme, HDM Energies offers systems with zero upfront cost — helping businesses cut energy bills and carbon emissions while locking in fixed low rates.

With Wales poised to play a central role in the UK’s climate targets — including an 78% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2035 — developments like HDM’s new Port Talbot hub are helping set the pace for industry and innovation.

More Port Talbot stories from Swansea Bay News

Boost for Aberavon’s Mighty Quins as UKSE backs junior rugby project
Published July 2025: A new funding boost helps expand youth rugby opportunities in Port Talbot, supporting health, teamwork and community engagement.

JCP Solicitors to merge with Port Talbot law firm Howe & Spender this August
Published July 2025: The merger will strengthen legal services across South Wales, combining expertise and expanding client support in the region.

Powering change: National Grid sets out plans to electrify green steel in Port Talbot
Published July 2025: A major infrastructure proposal aims to support TATA Steel’s transition to electric arc furnaces, boosting clean energy and industrial resilience.

Baglan Bombshells spin-off hundreds for cancer charity
Published July 2025: The Port Talbot-based dance group raises hundreds for charity with a lively summer showcase supporting cancer care.

#Baglan #BaglanEnergyPark #CllrSteveHunt #greenEnergy #HDMSolar #NeathPortTalbotCouncil #PortTalbot #Solar #StephenKinnockMP