1.Going for goal with Start Up Loans
With less than a month to go until the football season kicks off, we scored big with our latest Start Up Loans case study for the British Business Bank. Former secondary school teacher, Leon Stapleton, has launched the first Welsh franchise of We Make Footballers, a football training academy for 4-12 year-olds, thanks to help from the Start Up Loans programme. We shared the story of how he hopes to inspire the next generation of Welsh footballers with his training academy. Read more about Leon’s story on Wales 247, Business News Wales and Insider.
2. Turning up our Llais all over town
Llais is Cardiff’s annual international arts festival inspired by the instrument that connects us all – the voice. And this year, it’s part of the Cardiff Music City Festival. We’re working with Wales Millennium Centre to get the word out all over. One note in this chord has been out of home advertising, catching the eye as people go about their daily lives. Last week our billboards were launched in 11 locations across South Wales. Can you tell us where this one is? Have you spotted any others? Share your images with us! Find out more about Llais Festival and how you can join in the congregation this autumn at www.wmc.org.uk or follow @gwylllaisfestival.
3. Cymru Leagues vs Countryside Code
From Barry to Bala, Caernarfon to Connah’s Quay and Pontypridd to Penybont, the Cymru Leagues clubs are based in communities across Wales where the great outdoors is right on the doorstep. And with more of us enjoying Wales’ beautiful scenery this summer, we in turn put more pressure on the environment, which is why the Countryside Code has simple advice on how we can all respect, protect and enjoy the outdoors. We recently coordinated a partnership between Natural Resources Wales and the Football Association for Wales to help promote the Countryside Code by creating a range of Cymru Premier club-specific illustrations to show fans up and down Wales pieces of advice to help look after our countryside. You’ll start to see the illustrations – designed by Visually Speaking- across all Cymru Leagues social channels this week. Take a look at Aberystwyth Town FC and Barry Town United.
4. Celebrating fair-weather facilities with Cymru Football Foundation
Completing this week’s hat-trick of football stories, let’s head to Powys where Berriew Football Club have made an exciting new signing. Thanks to funding from our friends at the Cymru Football Foundation they now have an all-weather facility to call their own. Allowing their senior, ladies and youth teams access to a pitch that’s close to home all year round, whatever the weather. We were invited to witness the fun as the youth team cut the red ribbon, kicking off a day of celebrations at the ground. Cymru Football Foundation asked us if we’d help them spread the word so that other grassroots football clubs up and down Wales can all make the most of the many funding opportunities that the foundation offers, from pitches to solar panels and tracksuits to tractors. Find out more about the project on X , Instagram and the website.
5. We’re all going on a… summer walking day
With the summer holidays starting this week, we’ve been working with our client, Wales Coast Path and National Trails, to provide some inspiration of where to explore along the Welsh coastline and countryside this summer. With tons of free walks to choose from, either on your doorstep or across Wales, there’s plenty to keep everyone entertained and active. Every week, we’ll be sharing social posts offering different areas to explore. This week, we focused on the Kenfig National Nature Reserve in Bridgend. A six-mile walk which is easily accessible from the Wales Coast Path, it starts with a short exploration of Kenfig village and includes a variety of dunes, woodland, marshes and if you’re eagle-eyed, you might spot the castle. For more info on these walks, check out Facebook and Instagram and for itineraries, see the Wales Coast Path website.
