Prestigious Tour of Britain cycling race to pass through Bridgend County Borough
Stage eight of the Tour of Britain cycling race will pass through the county borough on 10 September 2023.
Every year some of the world’s top riders and teams come to the UK to compete in the Tour of Britain. There are 20 teams that will compete in the 2023 Tour. In each team there are six riders – 120 professionals on the start line of the opening stage.
If you live, work or commute along the route, there will be a rolling road closure altering your travel for a small window of time while the race passes – minimising any dangers to professional athletes and communities along the route.
You can check the stage timetables and routes for each day on the Tour of Britain website.
Self-defence classes available for women and girls at Maesteg Sports Centre
Self-defence classes for women and girls are taking place every Tuesday evening until 26 September at Halo’s Maesteg Sports Centre.
The sessions are funded by the Safer Streets initiative and will take place between 7.30pm and 9pm.
The project is a partnership between Bridgend County Borough Council, the Police and Crime Commissioner for South Wales and South Wales Police.
One of the key aims of the project is to make sure that all females feel as safe as possible by offering training in situational awareness, conflict de-escalation and basic self-defence techniques.
Classes were previously held in Bridgend and Pencoed earlier this year and due to the high demand, sessions are now available in Maesteg.
To book your place, please visit the event’s official booking site. Places are limited so booking is essential!
Open days announced for Island Farm’s Prisoner of War Camp
The Hut 9 Preservation Group have announced that they will be holding open days at Island Farm’s Prisoner of War Camp on Saturday 2 and Sunday 3 September 2023.
Visitors will have the opportunity to meet living historians and there will be several WWII displays and military vehicles on hand for the public to view.
To read more about the event and to book tickets, please visit the Island Farm website.
Please note that this event is not suitable for children under 5 or people with mobility issues.
Update on Blaencaerau Play Park
Valleys To Coast Housing (V2C) have confirmed that the children’s play area at Blaencaerau has had to temporarily close after issues were identified with the equipment.
Talks are ongoing between Bridgend County Borough Council, V2C and Maesteg Town Council around a potential community asset transfer for the playground, and it is hoped that there will soon be new investment into the facilities.
Childcare offer for Wales reminder
With the Childcare Offer for Wales, parents/carers could claim up to 30 hours of early education and childcare a week, for up to 48 weeks of the year.
This Welsh Government funded childcare scheme aims to lessen the burden of childcare costs while helping parents/carers to increase their working hours, return to work or education and enabling them to spend more money on things that are important to their family.
Please visit Welsh Government’s website for more information.
Join the council’s Citizen’s Panel
People of all ages, races and genders are invited to join the council’s Citizen’s Panel and the local authority are particularly interested in hearing from younger people aged 16 to 30 years old.
The Citizens’ Panel is made up of a group of people who live in Bridgend County Borough and are regularly consulted on services run by the council.
Some recent consultations include Public Spaces Protection Orders, annual council budget consultation, Net Zero Carbon consultation, town centre masterplan and more.
Members of the panel can receive up to three surveys per year on a range of topics, services, and issues, as well as receiving regular newsletters to keep them updated.
By becoming a member of the panel, you will have the opportunity to share your thoughts on Bridgend County Borough and help to make a difference in our community.
Find out more and join our Citizen’s Panel on the council website.
Give blood and save lives this summer
The need for blood has never been more important. Can you help? The Welsh Blood Service needs more people from Bridgend County Borough to sign up as donors to help patients across Wales. Appointments are available at:
- 15 August – Trinity Church Centre, Porthcawl (CF36 3DT)
- 24 August – Tesco Extra, Bridgend (CF31 3SQ)
- 29 August – Tesco, Maesteg (CF34 9DS)
Please be advised that if you have recently had a Covid-19 vaccination, then you must wait two days before making a blood donation.
