Greetings dear readers and welcome to the June edition of The Cardiff Times! This month, Ace visits Buckingham Palace to receive her gold Duke of Edinburgh (DofE) Award. @DofE Vince visits a well-known DIY store. Under Sunday trading laws, it opens at 10:00 but cannot serve customers until 10:30. A clever tactic to encourage extra spending. 🤑 Carl interviews comedian Rosalie Minnitt and reviews Kiefer Sutherland’s live performance at Tramshed. @RealKiefer Calon Cymru Fostering marks its 30th year and remains committed to giving every child the chance to grow up in a safe, nurturing and supportive home. Natalie speaks to The Cwtch Baby Bank in Wales, which provides quality preloved baby items, including clothing, equipment and toiletries, for babies aged 0–24 months. Ralph covers the heavyweight boxing division, a class that has long captured public interest. 🥊 Gareth explores the freedom to be human without feeling pressured to chase expensive holidays, flawless bodies or other social expectations. 🌞 Have a great month! @CalonWales @TSA_Wales bit.ly/4v1yu7E

Almost threw this bonsai tree away last week. After watering and still no sign of any life it was time to admit defeat and throw it away. Yesterday new foliage appeared. Same rule applies to people. Give them time and care. Humanity should be there to help one another.

A Night for the Books at The Dylan Thomas Prize Ceremony Sasha Debevec-McKenney celebrated first prize for her poetry collection 'Joy is My Middle Name'. Sasha thanked the judges, her supporters, and her father, who was watching via livestream from America. bit.ly/3PMll2L

Honouring Merthyr’s ‘Unwritten Hero’: Cambrensis Unveils New Dewi Bowen Murals "The night brought together a range of influences, from the Valleys’ industrial past depicted in the murals, to the politically charged spoken word, to the rugged South Wales backdrop reflected in the fashion films." bit.ly/4dMN2AF

Ffasiwn celebrates ten years of creative collaboration between Schneidermann, James, and a total of 80 artists and collaborators from communities across the South Wales Valleys. bit.ly/4a7fonZ

FORTITUDE Fortitude is a great word. It helps human beings become strong and resilient. It helps us have the mental capability to manage and overcome difficult situations. With fortitude we can hold others to account peacefully with respect and grace; even when a view maybe unpopular to many but your principles tell you its the right thing to do. That takes courage! We can fight the good fight honourably with integrity without the need to bully or demoralise another human being. We can show children how to fight injustice without the need to cause harm, distress or single people out because of their gender, religion or political view. We are all free to do as we wish. We are all equal. We all deserve respect and to be treated with dignity. Everyone can live a life of Fortitude.

The Media Sovereignty Act is running a petition to ban the concentration of UK national media. “You cannot have a free and fair democracy if almost all our media is dominated by the tiny 0.01%" bit.ly/4dyjisn Be interesting to hear the views from the new First Minister of Wales @RhunapIorwerth

In 2009, I was faced with the challenge of determining a course of action that would allow me to provide full-time support for my son. I decided to start a magazine business and the rest is history! This month my son is reaching a milestone age of 18. I dedicate this issue to Jacob and all children coming of age. This month Carl reflects on a van trip through Scotland—before spotlighting two interviews (comedian Ian Stone on ageing, hope and chasing everyday “wow” moments, and Melanie C on reclaiming her dance roots and the liberated energy of her new album Sweat), alongside vivid live reviews of Gorillaz and James; Gareth highlights Cardiff’s urgent need for earlier, more accessible mental-health support, arguing for prevention and a wider “safety net” across NHS, schools, sport, workplaces and community provision while noting long waits for therapy and pointing readers to practical resources; Wyn offers a personal piece about his daughter with Down Syndrome entering adulthood and dating, reflecting on years of activities that built her independence and on the enduring role of parental love; Natalie highlights Gig Buddies Cymru, a befriending scheme pairing adults with learning disabilities or autistic adults with volunteer “gig buddies” to tackle loneliness and enable shared experiences at events; Ralph profiles boxer Nicola Adams’ trailblazing amateur and professional achievements, including Olympic golds and a world title; and Vince gives a humorous, observational column ranging from myths about the Great Wall of China to everyday mishaps, wordplay and favourite quotes. Enjoy reading. Louise and the team at Cardiff Times @CalonWales @HardingEvans @NuffieldHealth @MelanieCmusic bit.ly/4d4Jf11

We are delighted to announce that our monthly magazine is now ready for you to read. Dive into the latest edition to discover engaging articles from Vince, Natalie, Carl, Gareth, Ralph, Calon Cymru, Ty Llandaff, Museum Wales, Cardiff Animation and The Salvation Army. Have a great Easter from all the team at Cardiff Times. bit.ly/48asccm

Vote who want to vote for. Speak out for injustice. Point out things which need to be fixed or things will never change. Stand up for your country and don't fall for intimidation or bullying online.

You are ALL welcome to join in services this Easter at St Martin in Roath.

Live Review: Help I Sexted My Boss Words: Chloe Monaghan "This whole show felt very much like panto for adults, with audience participation, silly games, funny costumes and dodgy dances. It kept us all laughing the whole way through, and everyone left with a big smile on their face." @jordannorth1 @williamhanson @sextedmyboss bit.ly/4svBlVf

Lush Spa’s 60-minute Validation Facial Review - by Katie Bowen "A wonderful morning and a treatment unlike any I’ve experienced before. Lush consistently goes above and beyond to make every visit feel personal and considered." bit.ly/485jBrj

📢 One week left... If you haven't already, please sign and share this petition to fast track justice for building safety victims in #Wales @WelshCladiators widget.civist.cloud/?api_url…

We rise by lifting others - and together we can make things better Image: instagram.com/vicky_barone

In work have been called slag, fat, ugly, whore, thick, dumb, stupid, sent viruses, been tricked out of money, been lied to….the list goes on…. These circumstances have taught me that regardless of any negativity thrown my way I will never lower my standards. My self worth is far more valuable. Instead I choose LOVE.

No one is born to hate. They choose to hate. We all live, breathe and eat the same way. We all deserve respect regardless of our faith, no faith, gender or colour of our skin. Everyone deserves to be treated equally.

Have always believed that we must look after people living in poverty first. If young people have been taught that education is a waste of time, that they’ll never achieve anything in life it’s up to leaders to empower them to become the best! When areas are neglected with high levels of unemployment those areas should be given priority to thrive. We must all help others to achieve and believe in themselves. No one should have to live in poverty. There should be enough opportunities in life for everyone, if money and resources are used wisely.