The Great British Cheese Festival  returns to the splendid setting of Cardiff Castle on September 24 and 25 (tickets: 029 20 230 130 and www.greatbritishcheesefestival.co.uk), and this year visitors have a greater opportunity to meet their makers with around 25 SCA members, such as J&E Montgomery, Stichelton, Two Hoots and FW Read and Sons, and award-winning cheeses such as Lincolnshire Poacher, Cornish Yarg and Barkham Blue.

James Montgomery of the SCA said:

The SCA stand is in Britain biggest cheese market alongside the many other cheese makers from across Britain. The festival also features a programme of over 20 inspirational master classes and demonstrations on the arts of the artisan cheese maker and the best way to eat the fine foodstuff that will seriously enhance your cheese knowledge.

Recognised as one of Frommer’s 300 Unmissable Events and Festivals Around the World, the event also features:
*       Britain’s Biggest Cheese Market

*       The True Taste of Wales Market with both traditional and new Welsh food and drink

*       The Best of British Market for foodies everywhere

*       The Cardiff Arms containing the best ales and ciders selected by CAMRA

*       Entertainment on the Castle Green featuring the World Cheese Tossing Championships and Cheese Skittles!

Cardiff Councillor Nigel Howells, Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture said: “We work very closely with the Specialist Cheesemakers Association and this year there will be an even greater number of their artisan producers at the show, providing a very popular and tasty attraction for our many thousands of visitors.”

Also available, of course, are the medal winners from the British Cheese Awards taking place once again in Cardiff on the eve of the festival.

The location of the festival in the grounds of Cardiff Castle gives visitors the chance to explore its history and tour the Castle Apartments during the weekend, while enjoying everything the Welsh capital has to offer, from the bars and restaurants on the waterfront of Cardiff Bay to the iconic Wales Millennium Centre arts venue, and  the magnificent St David’s Dewi Sant shopping centre, containing the largest John Lewis store outside London, plus Cardiff’s ornate Victorian and Edwardian shopping arcades filled with specialist shops and boutiques.

www.greatbritishcheesefestival.co.uk

The StartUp Britain campaign bus will be in Cardiff on Monday August 22 at the top of the Churchill Way junction with Queen Street from 1pm until 4pm.

StartUp Britain is a major enterprise initiative for entrepreneurs and will carry out a bus tour of some of the UK’s entrepreneurial hot spots in a bid to celebrate, inspire and accelerate Britain’s start-up talent.

Throughout August and September, the StartUp Britain bus will visit 14 locations across the country with the aim of encouraging more people to start and grow their own business.

The campaign team for StartUp Britain will travel on the bus, complete with experts, mentors, entrepreneurs and small business authors, to locations including Brighton, Cardiff, Cambridge, Birmingham, Sheffield and York.  Once on board the bus, entrepreneurs will receive mentoring, business advice and take part in speed networking sessions from successful entrepreneurs and business leaders.

The StartUp Britain campaign shines a spotlight on the vast array of business support that is available online.  The organisation is backed by a number of companies who have pledged their support to Britain’s budding entrepreneurs and small business owners.  The tour will be joined by StartUp Britain’s founding sponsors: AXA, Barclays, Dell, Intel, Intuit, Microsoft, MITIE and PayPal, who will each be giving specialist business advice and discounts to entrepreneurs across the UK.

Councillor Neil McEvoy, Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council with responsibility for Economic Development, said:  “Small businesses in Cardiff are so important in contributing to the development of the city’s economy and a campaign such as StartUp Britain is a wonderful opportunity for our new starts and entrepreneurs to benefit from, especially in such a difficult economic climate.  I’d like to thank the organisers for coming to Cardiff and providing a unique opportunity and I would encourage businesses and entrepreneurs go along and meet the StartUp Cardiff campaign team.”

Richard Thomas, Managing Director of Cardiff & Co, said:  “This visit is a fantastic opportunity for Cardiff’s budding entrepreneurs to gain the vital advice and guidance they need to develop their business ideas.  In the current climate, businesses need as much support as they can get and by inviting the bus tour here, we are demonstrating one of the many ways that we can assist in supporting Cardiff’s business development growth.”

For more details and to register interest in boarding the bus, please visit the campaign website at http://www.startupbritain.org/summerbustour/

Love Parks Week is a national campaign which supports and celebrates parks and green spaces and aims to encourage people to use their local parks and discover what they have on offer.

In support of the national campaign, Cardiff Council is running a fun and exciting programme of events to appeal to all the family, taking place at a number of the city’s parks.

Many of the events are free and include wildlife trails, art activities and games for children, a bat discovery walk and a heritage walk to learn about the history of one of the largest Victorian cemeteries in Britain.

Executive Member for Sport, Leisure and Culture, Cllr Nigel Howells said: “We are extremely fortunate that Cardiff boasts more than 56 formal parks and gardens across the city, seven of which are proud winners of the prestigious Green Flag Award.

“They are free resources that are vital in promoting healthy, active and happy communities.

“Our green spaces are beautiful and I encourage people to support Love Parks Week and learn what your local park has to offer.”

Love Parks Week is organised by parks charity GreenSpace. Founded in 2006, the campaign has grown steadily and is now established as a major event that is celebrated in parks across the country. Each year hundreds of events take place enabling thousands of people to get out and enjoy their parks and help put forward the case for reinvestment.

For more information about Love Parks Week please visit www.loveparksweek.org.uk and to learn more about events in Cardiff parks please visit www.cardiff.gov.uk/parks

Lunch!

Just one of many prizes to be won in the NSPCC’s Dream Auction 2 is lunch with model Jodie Kidd. Christmas shoppers in Cardiff will have the opportunity to bid online for a range of money can’t buy lots at the NSPCC’s Dream Auction 2 which runs from Tuesday 1 December until Saturday 12 December.

Celebrities including Jodie Kidd, Peter Andre, Amanda Holden and Hugh Grant are among the stars to donate lots to help raise funds for the NSPCC’s Child’s Voice Appeal. Bidding at www.dreamauction2.co.uk starts at 99p and there are lots to suit all budgets.

Those looking for a dream gift this Christmas can bid for tickets to the 2011 Vanity Fair Oscar party, a walk on part in Working Titles next romcom, a holiday on Richard Branson’s private Necker Island, two VIP tickets to the Spanish Grand Prix courtesy of Williams F1, and meet and greets with a host of celebrity stars. There are also a number of luxury hampers, must-have accessories and makeover experiences up for grabs.

Model Jodie Kidd said: “I’m always dreaming of exotic holidays, driving fast cars and parties. If you do as well, the good news is that all these prizes and more, including a lunch with me, are available in the NSPCC’s Dream Auction 2. Visit www.dreamauction2.co.uk and you’ll be helping to raise funds for the Child’s Voice Appeal.”

Former England cricketer and 2005 Strictly Come Dancing champion Darren Gough said: “If there’s one dream I have, it’s to do the foxtrot again, despite what the judges used to say about me. Make your dreams come true by visiting www.dreamauction2.co.uk.”

Nerys Sales, NSPCC community and corporate fundraising manager for South Wales said: “There are starting prices to suit everyone’s budget, and a fantastic range of must-have and money-can’t-buy lots. Dream Auction 2 is the perfect way to treat a loved one to a truly special gift this Christmas – and help us answer more children’s calls for help. The auction goes live on Tuesday 1 December so don’t miss out – and good luck!”

Dream Auction 2 is supported by eBay and organised by a committee of NSPCC supporters led by Dora Loewenstein, founder of event management company Dora Lowenstein Associates Ltd (DLA). The committee ran the first Dream Auction for the NSPCC in 2006. This year’s event is raising funds for the Child’s Voice Appeal, the NSPCC’s three-year appeal to raise £50 million to maintain and grow its helplines, text and online counselling services.

Celebrity lots:

• Two VIP tickets to the premiere of Hugh Grant’s new movie ‘Did You Hear About The Morgans’ and after show party.
• Meet and greet with Peter Andre and tickets to his Birmingham concert.
• VIP tickets and Meet and greet with Britain’s Got Talent judge Amanda Holden.
• VIP backstage tickets to the 2010 Strictly Come Dancing Live tour.
• Lunch with model Jodie Kidd.
• Join Jamie Callum on stage on his 2010 tour in a special performance.
• A recipe dedication in Sophie Dahl’s new cook book Miss Dahl’s Guide to All Things Lovely.
• Signed football and shirt from Manchester United star Michael Carrick.

About the Child’s Voice Appeal

The government has pledged £30m over four years towards the expansion of ChildLine and the NSPCC Helpline, but the NSPCC needs the support of the public to raise a further £50m through the Child’s Voice Appeal, to make its vision to answer many more cries for help a reality. Everyone can support the Child’s Voice Appeal at www.childsvoiceappeal.org.uk. To date the appeal has raised £20.6m.

About the NSPCC

The NSPCC is the UK’s leading children charity specialising in child protection and the prevention of cruelty to children. The NSPCC’s purpose is to end cruelty to children FULL STOP. The NSPCC runs projects and services across the United Kingdom and Channel Islands, including ChildLine, the UK’s free, confidential 24-hour helpline for children and young people. The NSPCC helps over 10,000 children and their families every year.

About eBay

Founded in 1999, eBay.co.uk is the UKs largest online marketplace. There are currently 17 million live listings on the UK site and over 17m unique visitors per month (Nielsen / Netratings, June 2009) buying and selling brand new, unique and used items. eBay estimates that 178,000 people earn a primary or secondary living or run a business on the eBay.co.uk site.

Bute Park - Best in Wales

Bute Park in Cardiff has been awarded the prestigious accolade of the best park in Wales, in Britain’s Best Park competition.

The park scooped the regional award back in 2008 and has beat off tough competition from other parks across Wales to take the 2009 title.

Parks were judged on various criteria including environment, design, usability, access, maintenance and community involvement. Judges were particularly impressed by Bute Park’s wide variety of attractions and community events, excellent horticulture and ease of accessibility to and from Cardiff city centre.

Executive member for Culture, Leisure and Parks, Councillor Nigel Howells, said: “This is a fantastic achievement for Bute Park and all the staff that work so hard to make it look so fantastic all year round. Following on from the park’s Green Flag earlier in the year this is another important accolade and a strong endorsement that we are getting it right in the park.

“Judges clearly understood the considerable benefits of our new access arrangements and the great news is that Bute Park can only improve and get better as we embark on our £5.6m conservation project, supported by the £3.1m Heritage Lottery Fund grant, to restore, enhance and help people learn about the many historic features in the park including the Animal Wall, Blackfriars Friary and West Lodge.

“Visitors to Cardiff are always impressed by the park and how much green space there is in the city centre. Cardiff Council is committed to making sure we keep winning these top awards by working hard to maintain and improve Bute Park – which really is a jewel in the crown of this city and used and enjoyed widely by the community, including disability groups.”

Ian Small, business development manager for petrol lawn mower engine manufacturer Briggs & Stratton UK Ltd, who sponsor the award, said: “Bute Park has a traditional feel, it is maintained to the highest standards and its community attractions make it a worthy winner of the regional prize.”

Jennifer Stewart, Head of Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) Wales, which is supporting the restoration of the park with a £3.1m grant, said: “Bute Park is enormously popular with both local people and visitors, and deserves to be celebrated.

“When the work is complete the visitor experience will be enhanced even further as the park will once again be connected to the gardens and Castle, creating one fantastic space to explore and enjoy in the heart of the city.”

The judges for this year’s competition comprised of a panel of trade and consumer horticultural journalists. On the panel was; Peter Seabrook MBE and Steve Bradley (gardening editors, The Sun), Matthew Appleby (news editor, Horticulture Week), Anisa Gress (The Garden), Jean Vernon (freelance gardening journalist) Trevor Pfeiffer, (Garden Trade News), Laurence Gale (Pitchcare magazine) and Nicole Gritzmacher (Briggs & Stratton Europe).

The Britain’s Best Parks competition was started in 2003 by Briggs & Stratton as part of a global network of competitions recognising and rewarding excellence in park design and maintenance. Similar competitions run in six countries including Sweden, Germany, Poland, France and Italy.

Jenny Randerson

Commenting on today’s unemployment figures for Wales, Welsh Lib Dem Shadow Economy Minister, Jenny Randerson AM said:

“Another month, another set of figures show that Welsh families are more likely to be facing unemployment and hardship than most other places in the UK.

“We are continuing to see high unemployment, high economic inactivity, and high claimant counts.

“What is even more concerning for me is that all the data is beginning to show a trend of harsh and nasty unemployment among young people. We are at increasing risk of losing a generation to unemployment, poor health and resulting social problems.

“These are problems which will continue long after the recession comes to an end, and the Government’s cuts to the FE and HE budgets will make this situation worse.”

Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan MP said: “Unemployment in Wales continues to be a blight on the economy and on the lives of workers and their families struggling to survive Labour’s recession.

“In the last year 600 jobs a week have been lost in Wales. And in the last quarter almost half of all UK jobs lost have been in Wales.

“It’s clear that Gordon Brown and Rhodri Morgan’s plans to help Wales through the recession simply have not worked.

“That’s why Labour needs to take up our plans to Get Britain Working as a matter of urgency, providing more support for young people and creating thousands more apprenticeships and training places to prevent a generation being written off because of Gordon Brown’s recession.”

Shadow Minister for the Economy David Melding AM added: “These figures demonstrate that the short-termism of the Assembly Government’s approach has failed to reverse this damaging rise in unemployment.

“We need answers as to why despite a small fall in unemployment over the summer, we are witnessing a surge in job losses in Wales far greater than other parts of the United Kingdom.”

Unemployment in Wales continues to be a blight : Gillan

Commenting on the latest unemployment figures published today, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Cheryl Gillan MP said:

“Unemployment in Wales continues to be a blight on the economy and on the lives of workers and their families struggling to survive Labour’s recession.

“In the last year 600 jobs a week have been lost in Wales. And in the last quarter almost half of all UK jobs lost have been in Wales.

“It’s clear that Gordon Brown and Rhodri Morgan’s plans to help Wales through the recession simply have not worked.

“That’s why Labour needs to take up our plans to Get Britain Working as a matter of urgency, providing more support for young people and creating thousands more apprenticeships and training places to prevent a generation being written off because of Gordon Brown’s recession.”

Shadow Minister for the Economy David Melding AM added:

“These figures demonstrate that the short-termism of the Assembly Government’s approach has failed to reverse this damaging rise in unemployment.

“We need answers as to why despite a small fall in unemployment over the summer, we are witnessing a surge in job losses in Wales far greater than other parts of the United Kingdom.”

The Regimental Band of The Royal Welsh

Detachments from the Royal Navy, the Army, the Royal Air Force, the Wales University Royal Navy Unit, the Army’s University Officer Training Corp and the Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets, will march from King Edward VII Avenue via Museum Avenue to the Welsh National War Memorial in Alexandra Gardens, Cathays Park, Cardiff where they will arrive by 10.40am and form up around the memorial.

Those detachments will be joined by columns of ex-Servicemen and women, organised by the Royal British Legion and Columns of civilians representing organisations connected with past conflicts.

The Regimental Band and Corp of Drums of The Royal Welsh will lead the detachments.

The north side will be formed by detachments of the various ex-Servicemen and women and Regimental Associations.

The east side will be formed by detachments of the Territorial Army and Glamorgan Counties Army Cadet Force (5th Cadet Battalion Royal Welsh), Air Cadets, Sea Cadets and Emergency Services.

The south side will be formed by detachments of the Navy, Army and Air Force and The Regimental Band and Corp of Drums of The Royal Welsh.

The west side will be formed by the official wreath layers and the Band of the Cardiff Canton Corps of the Salvation Army.

A selection of music will be played by The Regimental Band and Corp of Drums of The Royal Welsh from 10.40am until shortly before 11.00am.

The Band of the Cardiff Canton Corps of the Salvation Army Band will play at the Service, which will be conducted by the Reverend Stewart Lisk. Reverend Lisk will be accompanied by Mr Syd Nash, Chairman, The Royal British Legion, Vale of Glamorgan, Rabbi Wallenberg and Rabbi Doctor Charles Middleburgh, Reverend Father Raymond O’Shea T.D, K.H.S, O.L.J, St David’s Cathedral, Cardiff, a representative of the Welsh Churches, Major Peter Moran, Divisional Commander, Salvation Army (South and Mid Wales), and other representatives of the faith communities.

The leaders of Government, local government and opposition parties will be joined by Dr Peter Beck M.A, MD., F.R.C.P., Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan.

At 10.58am the service will begin with a bidding and words of scripture given by the Reverend Lisk followed by the Exhortation.

At 11.00am guns of the 104 Air Defence Regiment RA (V) from Raglan Barracks, Newport, will be fired to mark the Two Minutes’ Silence which will be observed. Its conclusion will again be marked by the firing of the gun. Following that firing a Bugler of The Regimental Band and Corp of Drums of The Royal Welsh will sound the ‘Last Post’ and ‘Reveille.’

Her Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant of South Glamorgan will then lay his wreath at the Memorial, on behalf of Her Majesty the Queen. The laying of wreaths will continue in the following order: the Royal British Legion, the Naval Regional Officer on behalf of The Royal Navy, the Commander of 160 (Wales) Brigade on behalf of The British Army, the Air Officer Wales on behalf of the Royal Air Force, the President of the Merchant Navy Association (Wales), the Fire Service on behalf of the Civilian Services, the First Minister for Wales, the Leader of Cardiff Council and the Secretary of State for Wales, The Right Honourable The Lord Mayor of Cardiff and the Presiding Officer of the National Assembly for Wales, and Opposition parties of the National Assembly for Wales and Cardiff Council.

When all the wreaths have been laid there will be a short Service which has been produced using material supplied by The Royal British Legion & Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. The Kohima Epitaph will be read by Peter Goodfellow, President of the Burma Star Association (Cardiff). The singing of the National Anthems will complete the ceremony.

At the conclusion of the service the wreath laying party will return to the front of Cardiff City Hall where they will gather with other civic dignitaries and members of Cardiff Council, and fronted by scouts and guides, before the columns of detachments from the Royal Navy, Army, Territorial Army, Royal Air Force, Wales University Royal Navy Unit, the Army’s University Officer Training Corp, Merchant Navy and Fishing Fleets and ex-Servicemen and women present on parade will carry out a march past, culminating in a salute at the front of City Hall.

The Parade has been organised this year by The Regimental Sergeant Major and staff of the 3rd Battalion The Royal Welsh.