Dan Barnes, Author at Monmouthshire

Monmouthshire County Council and Usk Town Council are working together to improve Usk’s public spaces through a project focused on Bridge Street and Twyn Square. The aim is to create safer,…

Schools from across Monmouthshire have taken part in a pair of water safety events. Around 500 students attended the events, which were organised with the support of the RNLI, South…

Monmouthshire has been recognised as one of the safest places in the UK for children to play outdoors, ranking second overall in a national comparison by Outdoor Toys. The assessment,…

Children in Monmouthshire have been leading the way in encouraging people to buy Fairtrade Easter eggs and chocolate this Easter by designing posters for a competition organised by Monmouthshire County…

Monmouthshire County Council has taken the decision to close the Old Wye Bridge in Chepstow to all users following recommendations from specialist engineers. The bridge, which connects Bridge Street with…

On Wednesday, 25 March 2026, creatives, partners, and community organisations gathered for the Monmouthshire Cultural Celebration and Networking Event at the Borough Theatre in Abergavenny. This event showcased the diverse…

Ten projects across Monmouthshire are to receive a share of more than £7.5million in funding from the Welsh Government. The Abergavenny/Llanfoist active travel bridge, renovation of Chainbridge and the B4245 at…

Monmouthshire County Council wants to hear from young people across the county who use their local library. In our newly-launched Let’s Talk Libraries: Young People’s Survey we’re looking for feedback from those aged…

A major programme of nature recovery will be delivered across Gwent after the Gwent Green Grid Partnership secured £999,974 from the Nature Networks Programme, which is being delivered by the…

The Gwent Green Grid Partnership hosted a celebration of a spectacular new multimedia artwork celebrating the incredible biodiversity of our region. The BioTapestry is an ambitious 70-metre-long creation, created by community groups…

Monmouthshire County Council held a celebration of all things Welsh at County Hall in Usk this week to celebrate St David’s Day. Councillors and officers were joined by schoolchildren, a…

A new exhibition has recently opened at Chepstow Museum tracing the ever‑changing rhythms and moods of the River Wye from its source at Pumlumon to its tidal meeting with the…

Monmouthshire County Council has finished 2nd in Wales for its recycling rate. Figures for 2024-5 recently released put Monmouthshire at 72.3% for the proportion of waste collected that is reused,…

Llanfoist Fawr Primary School has taken a significant step towards sustainability by becoming a pilot school to host a hybrid Bokashi and aerobic composting pilot, supported by Monmouthshire County Council…

Monmouthshire County Council is preparing to carry out essential safety works on a large Copper Beech tree in Bailey Park in Abergavenny. The work has been deemed necessary after routine…

Monmouthshire County Council held a short but deeply moving ceremony at County Hall last week to mark Holocaust Memorial Day 2026. The ceremony was a chance to remember, to reflect,…

Monmouthshire County Council has been praised by Estyn for the positive difference it is making for children and young people across the county. Cllr Laura Wright, Cabinet Member for Education,…

Monmouthshire and Gloucestershire County Councils have agreed to the creation of a cross-boundary work group to develop solutions to the long-standing congestion issues in the Chepstow area. The working group…

Monmouthshire County Council is delighted to announce a significant upgrade to the all‑weather pitch at Caldicot Leisure Centre, marking an exciting step forward for community sport in the area. The…

Monmouthshire Children’s Services Christmas Wishes campaign returned for its 9th year and brought much needed support to vulnerable families and young people. In a year where so many people and businesses…

Caldicot Castle was again filled with warmth and support as young people and families gathered for the annual Remembering Event, hosted by Monmouthshire County Council. Since its inception in 2016,…

Monmouthshire County Council has been honoured with a platinum award by the RSPCA for its exceptional animal welfare standards. The council received the award at the animal welfare charity’s PawPrints Awards….

Monmouthshire County Council held its first ever Inter-Faith event at County Hall in Usk recently. The event, held in the council chamber, was organised to celebrate the range of faiths practised…

Monmouthshire County Council is proud to announce its accreditation as a Real Living Wage Employer, joining a growing movement of organisations across Wales committed to fair pay and tackling in-work…

Monmouthshire’s Thriving Communities Events made a return in October, welcoming more than 250 residents across two sessions held in Magor and Abergavenny. The events were hosted at the Magor and…

Monmouthshire County Council has today announced its participation in the annual International Carbon Literacy Action Day. This day highlights dedication to tackle climate change through Carbon Literacy, lowering an organisation’s…

Volunteers from Monmouthshire’s four Benthyg Libraries of Things gathered at County Hall recently to celebrate all that the projects have achieved to date. Benthyg is the Welsh word for borrow…

Schools, village halls and community groups have taken up the challenge to join in Monmouthshire’s biggest ever Fairtrade coffee morning. More than 30 different events are being held by schools…

Monmouthshire County Council are working with Chefs in Schools to deliver bespoke training for our school caterers. The project aims to encourage and increase the consumption of fruit and vegetables…

Following the success of the Thriving Communities Event in 2024, we are excited to announce its return, this time with two separate events. The events will be hosted in Magor…

Monmouthshire County Council would like to reiterate its thanks to the people and organisations who contributed to the consultation on its Deposit Replacement Local Development Plan in November and December 2024. More…

Schools and community groups in Monmouthshire are invited to be part of the county’s biggest ever Fairtrade Coffee Morning during this year’s Fairtrade Fortnight from 22nd September to 5th October….

Today, 21 August 2025, Monmouthshire students have collected their GCSE results. This date marks the end of months of hard work and is one which learners will have marked out,…

Today, 14 August 2025, Monmouthshire students have collected their A-Level, AS Level and BTEC results. This date is one which learners will have marked out, as they plan their next…

Monmouthshire County Council is proud to be supporting World Breastfeeding Week this August with a new Breastfeeding Welcome Scheme. World Breastfeeding Week runs from August 1st to 7th and is…

Have your say on Monmouthshire County Council’s plans to transform two Chepstow playgrounds. The council has received a limited share of the £5million allocated by the Welsh Government for improving…

On Saturday, 19 July, 2025, Monmouthshire County Council met with the Monmouthshire Ukrainian Group in Chepstow (MUGiC) at the Upcycle Café in the town. The community engagement event was well attended…

Benthyg Caldicot, also known as the ‘Library of Things’, has been officially launched in Caldicot. Thanks to support from Monmouthshire County Council, Benthyg Cymru and TogetherWorks, Caldicot has become one…

Monmouthshire County Council has been awarded the highest score of any local authority in the UK for its work on Waste Reduction and Food, in the recently published Council Climate…

Monmouthshire County Council is delighted to announce that our attractions and open spaces continue to gather recognition, with the Green Flag Award. This award gives recognition to locations which offer…

Monmouthshire County Council has received funding from the Welsh Government to make improvements to Linda Vista Gardens in Abergavenny. The funding has been secured as part of the Brilliant Basics…

Monmouthshire County Council is proud to announce the launch of its STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Programme. The programme, supported by the Welsh Government, aims to attract new businesses…

Chepstow Museum played host to Welsh Government ministers and Monmouthshire County Council cabinet members last week as part of the opening of a new gallery. Changing Faces of Chepstow is…

Last week, the MonLife Sports Development Team hosted primary school pupils from across Monmouthshire at their annual PlayMaker Conferences. The conference brings together Monmouthshire’s young leaders for training and to celebrate their leadership journeys….

Monmouthshire County Council are delighted that the UK Government have allocated £445m of resources to enable rail infrastructure improvements across Wales, including the long-awaited delivery of the recommendations made by…

Monmouthshire County Council held its annual youth conference on Friday 23 May at County Hall in Usk. The youth conference allows young people from schools across the county to unpack…

The Marches Forward Partnership (MFP) is extending an open invitation to strategic stakeholders, including health and housing boards, transport experts, lobby groups and government representatives in England and Wales to…

Monmouthshire County Council are celebrating the incredible work of Food Partnerships across the country, including the work of Monmouthshire Food Partnership. Food Sense Wales has recently published the Local Food…

Monmouthshire County Council will receive a share of £5million of Welsh Government funding to refurbish, improve and create play spaces across the county. The funding has been allocated to create…

Monmouthshire County Council’s dedicated fostering team seeks residents who can make a difference in the lives of local children this Foster Care Fortnight. Foster Care Fortnight takes place from 12…

On Wednesday, April 30, the Monmouth Comprehensive School senior boys’ football team etched their names into the history books with a thrilling Welsh Schools Under-18 FA Cup final victory. MCS…

The National Exercise Referral Scheme (NERS) has positively impacted more than 1,000 individuals in Monmouthshire over the past 12 months. The programme, funded by the Welsh Government, helps improve the…

MonLife’s Countryside Access Service has teamed up with Bethany Handley to raise awareness about improving access for all. Funded through the Welsh Government Access Improvement Grant, two videos have been filmed…

A six-metre common swift tower has been installed at County Hall in Usk as part of the Gwent Green Grid Shared Prosperity Funding for enhancing Green Spaces. The tower, which…

Monmouthshire County Council is pleased to announce that it has been awarded up to £8.2 million in transport funding across the county to deliver a variety of projects. The funding…

A giant puppet, poetry, community choir and advice on funding were amongst the highlights of Monmouthshire’s second Creative Celebration. On Friday, 11 April, County Hall was once again full of…

Monmouthshire County Council’s 2025 Play Sufficiency Assessment (PSA) is currently being completed and is due for submission in June. Part of the objective of the assessment is to show that…

West Gloucester and Dean Forest Motorcycle Club are holding the 38th Wyegate Motorcycle Trial on Sunday 13 April. The club is a member of Trail Riders Fellowship, which requires members to follow…

Mechanical tree felling at Mill Common in Magor as part of The Woodland Investment Grant (TWIG) has been paused due to the progressing spring and the discovery of several bird nests in the area. Ecologists have been working…

MonLife have announced an array of exciting activities and events for families and young people this February half-term. Free stay and play sessions offer children and families the chance to…

Monmouthshire County Council’s Assistive and Smart Technology Service, along with the Social Care and Health directorate, provides technological solutions to help people live comfortably and securely in their own homes….

Monmouthshire County Council are working to install new waste mitigation measures in Chepstow to help alleviate the impact of residential and business waste and recycling left on the street in…

Monmouthshire is tackling the winter blues by distributing 120 ‘sunshine curry’ meal kits to five venues supporting food provisions across the county. Funded by the Monmouthshire Food Partnership, this initiative…

Holocaust Memorial Day has been marked in Monmouthshire with poignant ceremonies at County Hall in Usk and at Caldicot Hub. This year is the 80th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau….

Monmouthshire residents affected by Storm Bert and Storm Darragh can apply for financial support through the Emergency Financial Assistance Scheme administered by local councils on behalf of the Welsh Government. This…

A Monmouthshire Primary School has become the first in the county to have achieved the Armed Forces Friendly Schools Bronze Award. As well as being the first school in Monmouthshire…

Monmouthshire County Council have collaborated with Streetwave to provide a mobile coverage checker for its residents to check their mobile signal. The council began working with Streetwave to measure signal…

Monmouthshire County Council held a festive event in Caldicot to highlight all the good work in the region’s libraries. Caldicot Community Hub was the setting for the Christmas Celebration this…

Following Storm Bert over the weekend, Monmouthshire County Council’s officers are working diligently across the county to address the aftermath of the flooding. As of today, November 25, a significant…

Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) is marking 1,000 days since the invasion of Ukraine, by proudly joining the nation in solidarity to #StandWithUkraine to honour the courage and resilience of those…

Monmouthshire pupils have found inspiration to become leaders through sport, thanks to the return of the Bronze Young Ambassadors Conferences. Hosted by MonLife’s Sports Development team, this year’s conference spanned…

A successful bid for National Lottery Funding has secured £100,000 towards the regeneration of the Dell play area in Chepstow. The funding was obtained by the volunteer group Friends of…

Changes to the recycling and waste collection schedule across Monmouthshire have come into force as of this morning. From 21/10/2024, recycling and waste collection days in all areas of Monmouthshire…

On Friday, 27 September, Monmouthshire County Council hosted a celebration at County Hall, Usk, highlighting its work in nature and sustainable food. The event brought together practitioners of nature recovery and local…

Residents and dignitaries gathered on a beautiful sunny Friday afternoon in early September to celebrate the completion of an important project for Monmouth town. The project, funded by the Welsh…

The proposals for a Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP) have been published by Monmouthshire County Council. The proposals will be considered by the Place Scrutiny Committee on 10 October. On…

At the Abergavenny Food Festival on Sunday, September 22, 2024, students from four Monmouthshire primary schools showcased their culinary talents, impressing judges and audiences with their innovative chickpea korma. The…

1st October is the International Day of Older People. To mark the occasion, Monmouthshire County Council’s Older People’s Champion, Cllr Jackie Strong, Cabinet Member for Cabinet Member for Social Care, Safeguarding…

Monmouthshire County Council are working closely with Reserve Forces and Cadets Association for Wales (RFCA) to find a solution to issues arising from the closure of Inglis Bridge in Monmouth…

BE Community, a Shared Prosperity Fund project and part of the MCC Community Development team, is announcing free training opportunities for volunteers and community groups in Monmouthshire.BE Community values diverse…

Pupils in Monmouthshire are joining with thousands of people across Britain to celebrate 30 years of the Fairtrade Mark, as they take part in Fairtrade Fortnight from 9th – 22nd September…

Monmouthshire County Council has been included in the UK’s largest independent study of real-world mobile connectivity. Streetwave have been appointed to carry out the study of on-street connectivity and will…

This week, Monmouthshire County Council’s Community Learning team proudly participated in Adult Learners Week. This annual campaign, organised in partnership with the Welsh Government, encourages lifelong learning and highlights the diverse opportunities…

Monmouthshire County Council seeks your views on its Active Travel Scheme plans for Woodstock Way, Caldicot. As part of developing the wider Active Travel network for Caldicot and the Severnside…

Monmouthshire County Council will host a pair of job and employment fairs next month. The fairs will take place on September 12 and 19, with the former at Abergavenny Market…

Families from across Monmouthshire enjoyed a day of fun and games with MonLife at Caldicot Leisure Centre last week as part of the National Playday. The event, which took place…

The Borough Theatre’s Autumn 2024 programme is packed with shows, concerts and events to suit all tastes. Drama enthusiasts are well catered for this season, with Black Rat Productions returning to…

A gardening calendar has recently been unveiled at the Royal Welsh Show and will soon be adopted by schools across Monmouthshire. The School Growing Calendar was launched by Adam Jones…

A once-neglected patch of land at TogetherWORKS in Caldicot has blossomed into a vibrant community garden, thanks to the tireless efforts of dedicated volunteers. Flower beds and thriving vegetable plots…

The Chainbridge at Kemeys Commander will be subject to a new weight restriction, as a result of the special monitoring measures which have been in operation for several years. Monmouthshire County…

Monmouthshire County Council is delighted to announce that our attractions and open spaces continue to gather recognition, with the Green Flag Award. Rogiet Countryside Park is the latest addition to…

The Gwent Green Grid and Abergavenny Town Council collaborated on a project to enhance an area of Bailey Park in Abergavenny with a new art installation. Drawing on SPF (shared…

The council is seeking your feedback on proposed changes to our Home to School Transport Policy to establish a more financially sustainable transportation model for the future. From 12 July…

A series of free Family Volunteering Club are taking place in Abergavenny, this summer. Family Volunteering Club makes it easy for children aged and their grown-ups to help out at…

Wales Nature Week is an annual celebration of nature showcasing the fantastic habitats and species of Wales. There are many events available around Wales or you can simply get out…

To celebrate Healthy Eating Week, colleagues from Monmouthshire County Council recently joined forces with dedicated teachers from Monmouthshire primary schools and partners from The British Nutrition Foundation Food a Fact of Life Education…

The Assistivetech Monmouthshire Hub was officially opened on 4th June at Chepstow Community Hospital. The launch allowed colleagues from Monmouthshire County Council and partner organisation Aneurin Bevan Health Board plus members of other external organisations to see…

MonLife volunteers were the guests of honour at a recent celebration event held on Wednesday 5th June at Old Station Tintern as part of the UK-wide Volunteers Week. The event was held…

Cyngor Sir Fynwy / Monmouthshire County Council