Children and families can expect to be kept entertained for the six week break with an exciting and new activity programme.

There are hundreds of different activities taking place at 12 venues across Cardiff with each facility running their own individual schedule of events throughout the school break.

Trampolining, dodgeball, cricket, street dance, cheerleading and indoor golf are among some of the events going on around the city with new arrivals such as teen Zumba, skate ramps and free running being added to the bill.

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Western Leisure Centre is hosting the renowned Street Striker Competition for football enthusiasts whilst Pentwyn returns with the hugely popular Pentwyn Academy of Performing Arts (PAPA), great for boosting children’s confidence and meeting new friends.

For children who like to get on their bike Maindy Centre are running their cycling activity Track Attack as well as holding Mums and Sons, Dads and Daughters football sessions.

At Llanishen Leisure Centre children can call into the Fun House or for those who like to have their cake and eat it, they are hosting Creative Capers which gives children the chance to have-a-go at creative activities such as cake decorating.

Fairwater Leisure Centre is preparing to give kids a forces experience with Army Orienteering and Eastern Leisure Centre are juggling the fun with circus skills and parachute party games.

There are soft play and inflatable sessions running for the under fives and the free school holidays swimming scheme for children is back for the ninth year running.

The free swimming initiative is funded by the Welsh Assembly Government and allows all children and young people aged 16 years and under living in Cardiff to go swimming absolutely free of charge in any of the seven swimming pools

There are also several free swimming activities on offer such as fun with snorkels and masks and Wet and Wild Pool parties with pool inflatable and floats and for children who are less confident in the water the Council offers half price crash-course swimming lessons.

Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, said: “Every year we strive to provide children and families with an exciting and varied range of activities throughout the school break.

“We understand only too well the needs of parents and carers to keep children occupied and entertained during the summer holidays and we are committed to providing activities that keep children active and interested.”

For more information call in to your local Cardiff Council leisure centre to pick up a free programme of activities or browse the online brochures at www.cardiff.gov.uk/leisure

Fairwater and Pentrebane Community Angling Club has been working in partnership with Cardiff Council’s Leisure Services, Ely Garden Villagers and drug and alcohol charity Kaleidoscope.

The club was established two years ago by Gary Smith, an employee of Fairwater Leisure Centre. Since then, organisers plan several fishing trips throughout the year to Sevenoaks Fishery, Pontyclun.

During the trips people are taught how to catch fish such as carp and bream as well as learning the skills to look after the fish properly and put them back into the water safely.

The initiative aims to bring communities together whilst providing recovering addicts with support and imaginative opportunities so they may build self-confidence.

The 60 member strong club was established two years ago and also attracts families and young people from the local areas.

The initiative is funded by Communities First and through sponsorship and fundraising. Executive Member for Communities, Housing and Social Justice, Cllr Judith Woodman said: “The community angling club offers invaluable opportunities to learn the skills needed to enjoy this wonderful outdoor activity.

“The partnership between the club, Ely Garden Villagers, Communities First and Kaleidoscope has meant that this hobby can be made more accessible to individuals who will benefit from it as well as engaging other members of the community.”

Kaleidoscope aims to provide life enhancing services to people on the margins of society. They provide support to people with drug and alcohol problems, enabling them to make positive changes in their lives.

Communities First is the Welsh Assembly Government’s flagship programme to improve the living conditions and prospects for people in the most disadvantaged communities across Wales.

Gladstone, Lakeside and Thornhill Primary Schools have participated in the Salmon Coming Home Project; as part of the Cardiff Harbour Authority’s environmental education programme run by the Cardiff Bay Water Activity Centre.

Since February 2011, the school classes have each looked after the precious eggs, monitoring the water temperature and gaining an understanding of nature whilst in the classroom.

Responsible for checking the equipment and daily inspections, each school has been successful in safely monitoring the eggs. Once the eggs hatched in to the Alevins, they were then collected and taken to Cynrig Hatchery, supported by the Environment Agency, for specialist feeding for a few months, to build up their strength prior to being released.

Tomorrow they will be released into the rivers as Salmon Fry and each class will be on site to see them as they swim free for the first time.

The event marks the end of the first annual Gabalfa and Mynachdy festival, a series of fun and informative events which are taking place throughout the week (Monday 4 July to Friday 8 July) to showcase the facilities, services and talents that exist in the local area.

The 23 different activities include Pedal Picnic, which encourages family members to pack a picnic and get on their bikes for a group bike ride, The “Gabalfa’s Got Talent” community talent show and a special library event for the under fives with songs, stories and a special appearance by the Bookstart Bear.

There are family arts and crafts sessions, allotment tours, a sports day and a local history event for people to enjoy.

All the events are open to the public and everyone is welcome to come along and attend.

The jam packed week of exciting events will culminate on Saturday with the Fun Day which will boast a range of activities including a bouncy castle, stalls and face painting.

Executive Member for Communities, Housing and Social Justice, Cllr Judith Woodman said: “It is fantastic that local people living in Gabalfa and Mynachdy can come together and enjoy what their community has to offer.

“The schedule of events that have been planned for the week enable people of all ages to engage in different activities and meet other local people whilst promoting their neighbourhood and the groups and facilities available.”

A total of 32 additional plots have been marked out at the site and prospective tenants on the waiting list are currently being contacted.

Eight plots have already been allocated to new tenants keen to grown their own fruit and vegetables.

The plots have been provided on an area of the allotment site which has not previously been cultivated.

These new plots have been introduced as part of the Council’s allotment strategy which aims to reduce waiting lists and accommodate the growing interest in allotment gardening.

Further plots across five other allotment sites are due to be released by the end of the financial year. In the region of 300 extra plots will be made available for use.

Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells said; “The Council recognises the importance of allotment gardening and the significant contribution it makes to health and social agenda.

“Due to the significant interest in allotment gardening the Council has made a commitment to reduce waiting lists by bringing previously redundant areas of allotment land into use.

“The allotment strategy has enabled further improvements to be identified and implemented and this has been cemented by the new plots being made available in sites such as Ely Farm.”

Cardiff Council has 26 allotment sites across the city covering approximately 190 acres.

Notes to Editor:

Photo from left to right: Chairwoman of Ely Farm Allotments Jan Moore, Cllr Nigel Howells, Secretary of Ely Farm Allotments, Terry Webb and Treasurer, Joe Moore

The memorial service, supported by the Stillbirth and Neonatal Deaths Society (Sands) allows those who have lost a baby as well as their families and friends to come together to remember them. Everybody is welcome.

The service will be led by members of the University Hospital of Wales Chaplaincy Team and during the service a memory card can be written.  Following the service, there will be an opportunity for those attending to place a memory pebble in the memory bowl in the Ilex Garden.

Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, said: “Cardiff Council is glad to be able to offer families the opportunity to acknowledge their babies in a simple remembrance service in the Wenallt Chapel and to meet with other bereaved parents.  This event has proved very comforting to families in the past and I’ve no doubt this year’s service will continue that good work in providing love and support to all those affected in this way. ”

Members of the Cardiff Branch of Sands will be available at the service.

Refreshments will be available at the end of the service.

For further information, please contact a member of Bereavement Services’ staff at Thornhill Crematorium on 029 2062 3294 .

The list, which contains such luminaries as Elton John, Russell T Davies, and Gok Wan, recognises the contribution gay people have made to Britain, and also honours Cardiff City Council leader Rodney Berman who appears at number 71. Berman entered into a civil partnership with his partner, ITV news journalist Nick Speed, in August 2006.

The St David’s Peninsula HACK takes place on Saturday 17 September 2011. It is one of eleven HACKs taking place this year. The route follows some of the most stunning coastline in Wales, along the beautiful Pembrokeshire coastal path.

There are two circular options along Wales’ most popular coastal destination.  A 12.5 mile walk which offers participants the chance to see Britain’s smallest city, St David’s. Or a tougher 24 mile route which takes you further along the coast and across country, taking in the charms of the village of Solva. 

NSPCC community fundraising manager, Julie Richards said: “Training for the HACK is a great way to start a keep fit campaign, and is an amazing challenge and experience. The HACK will be a fabulous day out in the great outdoors and a valuable opportunity to help the NSPCC raise money to support its projects and services in South Wales and across the UK.”

The HACK challenge can be great fun, but is hard work. A 24 mile walk is a demanding physical challenge and the NSPCC recommends people who register undertake some training before hand. 

· Average walkers should complete the 24 mile route comfortably within 12 hours with more experienced faster walkers aiming to complete the walk within eight hours.

· There will be checkpoints and marshals on route, with radio contact between all checkpoints and the control centre.

· The terrain is very varied and the weather conditions can change quickly, so suitable walking boots, clothing and accessories, such as a rucksack, are recommended for all walkers. 

· Check out the training tips section on the NSPCC website www.nspcc.org.uk/hack for more information.

It’s time to pull on some hiking boots and fill your lungs with sea air to help end cruelty to children in the UK. The registration fee is £20 for the 24 mile route, £10 for the 12.5 and is for over 18s only.

Once registered, participants will receive a walker’s pack with all the essential information – start times, further details of the route and all they need to start their fundraising-fun.

For further details and online registrations and payments, please log on to www.nspcc.org.uk/hack or contact the NSPCC Cymru/Wales fundraising team on 0203 188 3658 or walesappeals@nspcc.org.uk.

Cardiff Council’s Executive, have decided that the Nant Fawr Corridor is to be declared as a Local nature Reserve (LNR). This will protect the land and allow local people to enjoy and learn about the local ecology on their doorstep.

Proposing the declaration as a Local Nature Reserve, Nigel Howells said, “The Nant Fawr is a unique wildlife area that is a haven for plants and wildlife and is an area heavily used by people from right across Cardiff.

“It is a local sanctuary that must be protected and I am delighted that the area is now protected as a Local nature Reserve.”

“From a local perspective it’s now time for Western Power Distribution to respect the views of the local community, respect our local decision making process and abandon their plans to develop the neighbouring Llanishen Reservoir

“Their continued action does nothing to enhance their reputation and their recent draining of the Llanishen Reservoir, despite conflicting expert opinion, is viewed by local residents as nothing short of environmental vandalism.”

Cardiff Central’s AM, Jenny Randerson said, “This is great news for local people who have long been campaigning for some sort of protection for the land and this will hopefully make Western Power sit up and think again about their damaging plans to build on the reservoir.”

The Nant Fawr corridor is a diverse collection of public open spaces.  Stretching from the top of Roath Park to the countryside beyond Cyncoed, it contains a wide variety of different habitats such as woodlands, meadows, grassed areas, streams and marshes.

The Nant Fawr community woodlands and open spaces act as an invaluable wildlife corridor between Roath Park and the open countryside beyond the reservoirs.  The woods are named after the Nant Fawr stream that runs through the majority of the corridor.

The land is owned by Cardiff Council.  A very enthusiastic group of local residents have established a Friends Group to assist the Council to further improve the area.  Significant works have been undertaken in recent years to improve access and enjoyment.

The area is highly valued by the local community and an extremely well used resource close to many people.