Latest news with #HelenWilliams
Leader Live
24-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Wrexham communities to benefit from £300,000 funding boost
The extra money for voluntary groups aims to transform the area with new projects and initiatives designed to benefit the community. The money comes as part of the Wrexham Prosperous Communities Fund, managed by the regeneration agency Cadwyn Clwyd and AVOW, the Association of Voluntary Organisations in Wrexham. The fund has already given a half a million pounds boost to local projects across the town. A second run of the scheme is now open, and voluntary and community organisations can apply for a slice of the fund until June 26. Previously, 28 community groups and organisations across the county benefited from stage one of the Prosperous Communities Fund. The new stage increases the fund's total contribution to £800,000. This fund is part of a broader suite of schemes managed by Wrexham County Borough Council and is funded by the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Projects that secured grants from the first phase included a toddler play area in Rossett which received £38,000, and the Plas Kynaston sports facility in Cefn Mawr, which received £47,000. Other grants include £6,000 for a Nordic walking group in Erddig and £7,600 for the Mindful Meadow in Chirk. There will be grants of up to £50,000 in revenue and £35,000 in capital for voluntary and community groups, community councils, charities, social enterprises, and cooperatives. Cadwyn Clwyd's community enterprise manager, Helen Williams, said: "There was a fantastic response to the first phase of the funding so we are delighted to be able to offer local communities a second chance to apply. "There were so many really positive proposals for projects to benefit local communities across Wrexham first time around and we're sure that this second opportunity will see a similar response." Suggestions for fund applications include renovating village halls or sports facilities, developing green spaces and gardens, arts or crafts projects, or even starting a local renewable energy generation scheme. The scheme is administered in partnership with Jo Young, the funding and grants officer at AVOW. READ MORE: British households still 'saddled with highest energy bills in developed world' Ms Young said: "The first phase was extremely popular with excellent outcomes for communities throughout Wrexham County Borough and we're delighted to have a second helping available. "This provides another chance for local groups to take advantage of this funding to transform and enhance their services and environments and provide modern and imaginative facilities for their communities." However, Ms Young warns that applicants will have to be ready to kick off with their projects as this time there is a short window for the scheme that runs until January 31. For further details, interested applicants can contact Ms Williams at Cadwyn Clwyd on 01490 340500 or by email at
Business News Wales
23-05-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Flintshire Communities Boosted by Stage Two of £1.1m Regeneration Fund
Towns and villages across Flintshire can benefit from a near £400,000 fund to upgrade their local communities. This is the second round of the Flintshire Community Key Fund which is being distributed by Cadwyn Clwyd and the Flintshire Local Voluntary Council. The initial fund was worth £775,000. More than 50 community groups and organisations from across the county took advantage of Stage One of the Community Key Fund, and Stage Two takes the total for the county to more than £1.1 million, part of a wider suite of projects managed by Flintshire County Council and funded from the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. Applications for the latest slice of funding from a pot worth £375,000 have to be in by Sunday, June 8. Cadwyn Clwyd Community Enterprise Manager Helen Williams said: 'We had a tremendous response to the first set of funding and it proved amazingly popular and we're expecting a similar response. There will be grants of up to £35,000 for a wide range of community projects from regenerating village halls, sports facilities, green spaces and gardens to renewable energy generation, waste management and arts and cultural schemes. 'There will also be grants of up to £5,000 for pre-project work such as feasibility studies and specialist consultancy reports. 'The first phase proved hugely popular and was massively over-subscribed which shows the need and the effectiveness of this kind of community support for local people to build resilience in communities across both urban and rural Flintshire.' Shaun Darlington of Flintshire Local Voluntary Council said: 'The first phase was extremely popular. The groups themselves were very grateful and the outcomes were brilliant. This time it is a short window for the scheme and groups will have to be ready to go with their projects because they only have until November 30 to complete them. 'It is always important that if people have any queries they pick up the phone and contact Helen or me because our role is to help them through the process.' The first phase of the Community Key Fund saw 53 projects across Flintshire receiving grants for a wide range of projects from £2,900 for replacement tables at Llanasa Village Hall to £47,000 for new flooring indoors and astro-turf outdoors at Connah's Quay Cricket Club.
Leader Live
21-05-2025
- Business
- Leader Live
Flintshire communities can apply for nearly £400,000 fund
This represents a second allocation of the Flintshire Community Key Fund, distributed by Cadwyn Clwyd and the Flintshire Local Voluntary Council, following a prior fund of £775,000. The grants from this funding are intended for a variety of community projects, ranging from village hall regeneration to renewable energy generation. More than 50 groups from the county made the most of the first stage of the community key fund. Applications for this funding round, worth £375,000, close on Sunday, June 8. Cadwyn Clwyd community enterprise manager Helen Williams said: "We had a tremendous response to the first set of funding and it proved amazingly popular, and we're expecting a similar response. "There will be grants of up to £35,000 for a wide range of community projects. "There will also be grants of up to £5,000 for pre-project work such as feasibility studies and specialist consultancy reports." She added: "The first phase proved hugely popular and was massively over-subscribed, which shows the need and effectiveness of this kind of community support for local people to build resilience in communities across both urban and rural Flintshire." Working with Ms Williams is Shaun Darlington of the Flintshire Local Voluntary Council. READ MORE: The Tivoli - from cinema and dance hall, to night club and music venue Mr Darlington said: "The first phase was extremely popular. "The groups themselves were very grateful and the outcomes were brilliant. "This time it is a short window for the scheme and groups will have to be ready to go with their projects because they only have until November 30 to complete them." The first phase of the Community Key Fund resulted in 53 projects across Flintshire being awarded grants for diverse ventures, such as replacement tables at Llanasa Village Hall and new flooring for Connah's Quay Cricket Club.
Harpers Bazaar Arabia
09-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Harpers Bazaar Arabia
What Happened To All The Trousers At The Met Gala?
Many celebrities stepped onto the 2025 Met Gala's blue carpet—themed to showcase exquisite suits—with only half the ensemble… The Met Gala has always been an event where fashion gets reimagined, reworked, and, quite often, the rules are rewritten altogether. This year, celebrities brought a rebellious spirit to the theme 'Superfine: Tailoring Black Style ' by ditching traditional trouser suits and long gowns in favour of bold, leg-baring looks. A good chunk of the no-trouser moments were courtesy of Louis Vuitton, with friends of the brand opting for sheer tights, bodysuits, and tailored jackets to serve structured drama from the waist up, while keeping things to a bare minimum below. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LISA (BLACKPINK) (@lisa_and_lilies_) Helen Williams, attending with her husband and Met Gala co-chair Pharrell Williams, sported a slick leather bodysuit layered over monogrammed tights; an outfit that balanced edgy biker energy with polished elegance. Lisa, making her Met Gala debut after blowing up social media with her Coachella performance and recent turn in The White Lotus, wore a sharp black jacket with a glimpse of glittery bikini briefs underneath. A post shared by @rapalert2.0 Sabrina Carpenter embraced the pantless trend with her own twist. She stepped onto the carpet in a sleek burgundy unitard, layered with a cropped blazer featuring dramatic tails. The structured collar and sharply cut jacket gave a nod to the night's tailoring theme, while the skin-tight silhouette sans pantalons brought some extra sassiness to what could have been an overly demure theme for the Met. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Met Gala 2025 (@metgalaofficial_) But Louis Vuitton wasn't the only brand skipping on trousers. Cynthia Erivo turned heads in a voluminous Givenchy creation featuring boy shorts and a high-low skirt. Her look played with layers and proportions, exaggerated by the bare leg look. View this post on Instagram A post shared by IT GIRL (@itgirl) The pantless phenomenon isn't exactly new. It's been bubbling up on the red carpet since circa 2022, when stars like Kylie Jenner, Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber, and Bella Hadid started wearing blazers or bodysuits without trousers. But this year's Met Gala saw the style fully embraced—and elevated to couture, almost costume-worthy levels. Charli XCX, styled by Ann Demeulemeester, leaned into this minimal-meets-dramatic approach with witchy textures and asymmetry. Her layered sheer bodysuit and sharp tailoring pushed boundaries without losing sight of the night's tailoring-focused theme. Similarly, Hailey Bieber opted for a Saint Laurent blazer worn solo, letting the structure and cut of the jacket carry the whole look. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Met Gala 2025 (@metgalaofficial_) Doja Cat kept things as fearless as always, sporting an oversized, power-dressing pinstripe bodysuit by Marc Jacobs. Meanwhile, Erivo's look stood out for its archival references. The use of bloomers and frock-style skirt was a clever call back to fashion icons like Joseph Bologne and Prince, blending old-school opulence with contemporary, gender-fluid style. If nothing else, the trend spoke to the ethos that underpins the entire point of the Met Gala—you do you, and don't let anybody else wear the trousers. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Marc Jacobs (@marcjacobs)
