Latest news with #Mumbles
Business News Wales
4 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
Dawsons Promotes Long-serving Team Member to Senior Lettings Role
Estate and lettings agency Dawsons has promoted Kristian Davies to the role of Residential Lettings Operations Director. Kristian, who has been with the company for more than a decade, has played a central role in the success of Dawsons' lettings division. Most recently managing the Mumbles branch, the firm said he has a deep understanding of the lettings landscape, particularly as the sector has undergone major legislative and operational change in Wales. 'I've been fortunate to be part of the Dawsons journey for more than a decade, and I'm genuinely excited to take this next step,' said Kristian. 'This role allows me to support our lettings teams more widely, build on the strong foundations already in place, and help shape the next phase of our lettings offering. I'm surrounded by passionate people who care deeply about what they do, and that makes this such a rewarding place to grow.' While Kristian now steps into his new operational role, he will continue to lead the Mumbles lettings branch. Dawsons Partner Ricky Purdy said: 'Kristian's promotion is extremely well deserved. He has demonstrated outstanding leadership and drive over the years, particularly during the more complex periods of change across the Welsh lettings sector. His promotion reflects both the growth of our department and the value he brings to the wider business.'
The Guardian
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- The Guardian
Why I absolutely love a good dump
A friend of mine surprised me with the vehemence of his love for something. He's about my age, a highly successful maker of important television and avid consumer of Radio 4 and the Guardian. A keen thinker about things, he likes books and podcasts that are a little too advanced for me. All in all, he didn't seem the type to say what he said, over a pint in our local. Furthermore, there was even a slightly glazed, far-off look in his eye when he announced, with such great feeling rising from deep in his soul: 'I really love going to the dump.' It was only then that I realised I was free to admit to sharing this love. It was a moving, bonding moment between us. One love. For the dump. My dump visits had hitherto been shrouded in a mist of shame. Throwing things away is bad, not least because buying them in the first place was bad, or at least not entirely necessary, which may amount to the same thing. Also, isn't it all an exercise in shifting the responsibility for your junk on to someone – everyone? – else? This notion that it is magically being recycled, repurposed, reused is surely a fantasy, not much more than a veneer of righteousness to help those of us who feel guilty about it to feel less guilty about it. But what the hell – if one of my more sensitive, intellectual, environmentally conscious friends can be at peace with his dump-love, then so can I. It helps that our local dump is a very fine one indeed. Lying between Swansea and Mumbles, Clyne Gardens and Clyne Valley Country Park are both beautiful places and well worth a visit, but the Clyne Household Waste Recycling Centre runs them close. Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas have a home nearby. It pleases me that my cardboard may get smunched up with theirs. Unlike many municipal dumps, you don't need an appointment. Just turn up. And if you're in the area, you should do just that. Even if you've nothing to dump, it's worth a look. Swansea council should build a small viewing gallery for spectators to watch the perfection unfold. The entrance, as you'd expect from somewhere on the edge of a country park, is pleasingly verdant. A sign reads 'NO WOOD'. Perhaps this is in deference to the feelings of the trees all around. Thereafter, a symphony of efficiency unfolds. The containers are smartly lined up, clearly labelled, with the parking in front of them artfully angled. The service is very friendly. Admittedly, it's to my advantage that I am recognised as a former presenter of Match of the Day, but I was there long enough (the dump, that is, not MOTD) to know all-round good service when I see it. And it's not just the staff. The dumpers themselves – as at all dumps – are in noticeably good humour. Kids scurry around assisting parents. Older dumpers expel light gasps of pleasure as whatever they're disposing of is dropped into the abyss of these giant skips. We're in this together, enjoying the moment, the transition from being encumbered to disencumbered. We feel nothing less than cleansed. The relief and release is so intense that you can almost smell it. The longer you've delayed dumping whatever you're dumping, the greater the relief and release. But what is it, this thing from which we're being released? The deadweight of our worldly possessions? The crowding out of our very souls by the millstones of stuff we've been unable to resist accumulating? Or, God forgive us, the excitement of knowing space has been cleared to make way for the arrival of yet more stuff to be dumped in its turn. These are questions for later, or never. Let's just enjoy this moment. The angle of the parking spaces have us pointing at the exit, so, having said our cheery goodbyes, in vehicles sitting higher on their axles, and our spirits higher still, we sweep out, until next time. Adrian Chiles is a writer, broadcaster and Guardian columnist
Daily Mail
17-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Catherine Zeta-Jones and Michael Douglas' son Dylan hits back after being falsely accused of being 'scumbag' who caused chaos at Beyonce concert
The son of Catherine Zeta Jones and Michael Douglas has been forced to defend himself after he was wrongly identified on TikTok as a man who'd abused a group of women at a Beyoncé concert in the US. Dylan Michael Douglas, who is currently enjoying a holiday in his mother Catherine's hometown of Mumbles in Wales, shared a video on social media, where he told his followers he'd been the victim of false identity and a barrage of online vitriol. A photo of a young man in a cowboy hat, who bears a striking resemblance to Dylan, is being circulated on TikTok, after he was said to have poured water on a group of black girls at a Beyoncé concert in Atlanta, Georgia. But 24-year-old Dylan, insisted that the man in the photo, is not him. He said: 'I'm sorry to come on here and do this but I've been put in a very awkward situation. This video that's circulating on TikTok about some person pouring a drink on somebody at the Cowboy Carter concert in Atlanta, Georgia, that wasn't me. 'I've never been to a Beyoncé concert, I'd love to go, maybe one day. Never been to Atlanta in the last five years. I'm in rainy Mumbles in the cold in Wales.' Dylan, who is a budding actor, then filmed himself entering a traditional British pub, where Karaoke was underway in the background. He said, 'I'm here at a bar with my Nanna, we got Karaoke, it's not nearly as good as Beyoncé, but whatever happened there, I hope you find the guy, it looks horrible but it wasn't me, I've had a lot of scary DMs and comments and other things that have been frightening and I just hope it all stops.' Dylan, who has a younger sister Carys, 21 and a half brother, Cameron from his father's previous marriage to actress Diandra Luka, has an ever growing profile in the public eye. Having graduated from Brown University in 2022, with a degree in political science, Dylan recently fronted a podcast called Young Americans for which he made a slew of TV and radio appearances to promote the show. Soon the nepo baby, whose parents are both Oscar winning actors, will make his on screen acting debut in a psychological thriller, I Will Come to You, directed by Jacob Arden. In a statement to Variety magazine, Dylan shared his excitement about the project. He said: 'I was drawn to this role because of its complexity and depth,' he said. 'I am looking forward to bringing this character to life and being a part of a project that pushes boundaries.' Indeed Dylan's mother Catherine is one of Britain's most successful actresses, after she shot to fame in the 90s as the star of the much loved ITV drama, the Darling Buds of May. She then became a Hollywood star after her screen stealing turn in the Mask of Zorro, opposite, Antonio Banderas and Anthony Hopkins. Shortly after her success in Zoro she met Michael Douglas at the Deaville Film festival in France, they fell in love and married at a lavish wedding ceremony at the Plaza hotel in the year 2000. Catherine then went on to star in the film Entrapment with Sean Connery and Chicago, for which she won an Oscar in 2002. Last year, Catherine said she and Michael were selling their $12 million New York City homebecause their kids were 'leaving the nest.' In a conversation with The Wall Street Journal, she said: 'When I purchased our Irvington home, I knew our family would share many happy times here, and we have! 'Now that both our son and daughter have left the nest, it seems like the right time to sell.'
BBC News
16-07-2025
- General
- BBC News
Swansea flood defence and promenade 'like the Med' unveiled
A major project aimed at protecting a large part of the shoreline near Swansea has officially £26m project, which took two years to complete, covers 1.2km (0.75 miles) in Mumbles, aiming to protect homes and businesses from coastal flooding, while also resulting in a wider, more attractive owners had previously said the work had led to fewer people visiting, but now hope it will boost visitor numbers. Swansea council leader Rob Stewart said the new-look promenade "can rival anything in the Mediterranean". Deputy first minister Huw Irranca-Davies, who grew up in nearby Gowerton, unveiled a plaque on the promenade, describing it as "magnificent".A recent Met Office report revealed that the UK sea level is rising faster than the global average, with the risk of flooding expected to increase. Irranca-Davies, who is responsible for climate change and rural affairs, said there was a set of criteria for prioritising coastal defence schemes based on social and economic factors."We cannot defend every inch of seafront and coastline," he Bollom, who lives nearby, said some neighbours living on the ground floor had lost some views of the bay, but understood the work needed to be done."It looks amazing," she said of the seawall and promenade. "And I would rather not get flooded. The old seawall was eroding and it looked scruffy," she said, adding there were new seats and bins. Lily Ella Westacott, manager of local lifestyle shop Hiatus, was also pleased with the project."It's a big improvement to the local environment and we're confident it'll bring more people to enjoy Mumbles."Mr Stewart, from Swansea council, said the project would defend residents and businesses in the area "for the next 100 years"."It also gives them a fantastic new seafront that can rival anything in the Mediterranean," he said.
Telegraph
14-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Telegraph
Why we all want to dress like a social housing director from Mumbles
On paper, Cath Weller – for the last four years, the 'face' of fashion brand Wyse – shouldn't be someone I warm to. The idea of an influencer who extols diet advice on their 'grid' would normally make me bridle. But then again, warm to her I do. Because Cath isn't your average social media influencer. In fact, despite her 37k followers and her role at Wyse, she's not really an influencer at all, or at least, not full time. Cath Weller, 54, who goes by the social media handle @mrsaddtobasket, has a full-time day job a world away from the filtered reality of Instagram's little squares. She's a director of the largest housing association in Wales, where her job is to provide critical services like a place to live and caring support to those in need. 'I don't need to be an influencer,' she tells me when we meet over video call from her home office. 'I already have a full time job I enjoy. But I've always joked that I'm a frustrated TV presenter as I feel very comfortable in front of the camera, and I also love fashion and finding solutions to people's problems.' Cath wears: Slogan knit £125; Loafer jeans, £195, Wyse Weller who lives in Mumbles with her husband Matt, 58, son Teddy, 21 and black labrador Margot, has a softly sing-songy Welsh accent and appears smiley, groomed and impeccably made-up. She is wearing a bright red jumper emblazoned with the slogan 'Never Too Much' from her forthcoming capsule collection with Wyse, and a rail of clothing hangs behind her ('that's my rail of joy!' she says, happily) ready to pack for her forthcoming holiday to Crete. I spy one of her trademark Gucci handbags perched on the end of it. Skip to: Cath's style rules Get Cath's look How it started 'Around the time of the pandemic, a lot in my life changed. My job was stressful. I was in charge of health and safety for our social housing company and you can imagine how that was during Covid, trying to protect elderly people in care homes. When we went into lockdown, my meetings would begin at 6am and sometimes I'd be working til midnight. Matt would bring me food and drink to my desk as my working day would be 14-16 hours long but… I was able to start working from home which saved me a lengthy commute in the car. Then my son Teddy, who is now 21, finished his GCSEs so he needed me less, and I'd started a diet which would ultimately see me lose 3.5 stone, so my body was changing. As 2020 went on, I had some downtime to fill.' It was then that Weller – who confesses she's 'always been obsessed with fashion and beauty, I'm a born consumer!' – started really using Instagram. 'My friend Helen had actually set up the account for me but I rarely used it save for the occasional post about a beauty product or something I'd bought. I had 100 followers for about two years and I wasn't trying to grow it or anything.' Cath wears: Pointed-toe pumps with straps, £329, Maje Weller discovered Wyse during the first lockdown, through Helen. 'At that time, Marielle [Wyse, founder of the eponymous label] was doing a lot of community building, a lot of 'Live' Instagram sessions, and I started really engaging with it,' she says. 'I was at home, I wanted a bit of joy. I'd lost three stone and wanted to incorporate a bit more colour in my wardrobe. Also, video calls meant people could only see my top half. I just needed a whole new look.' A self-confessed 'over thinker', Weller began contacting Marielle Wyse directly, asking her advice about sizing and sending photographs of herself in some of her purchases. When the pair met at one of the brand's shopping events between lockdowns in 2020, they really hit it off and began to collaborate on more live videos on social media. The customers loved them. 'They flew!' says Weller, with visible joy. Cath wears: Lauren blouse, £165, Wyse; Blondie medium top handle bag, £2,530, Gucci 'People were asking me styling questions, sizing questions, Marielle was also getting a lot of engagement, it was an incredible reaction. The brand was also at a juncture, they were trying to grow. At the start of 2021 I became an official Wyse ambassador. It was a real honour, because I've always genuinely loved what they do. It just all fell into place completely organically.' How it's going That sense of happenstance and authenticity is a key part of Cath Weller's appeal. She says she will only work with brands she genuinely likes and has turned down many lucrative offers from companies whose products she doesn't believe in. 'I don't accept collaborations from things I don't think genuinely work. A lot of pressure on influencers is that they earn all their money through doing this. Don't get me wrong, this earns me money that I can spend on a nice holiday or a Gucci handbag, but it isn't my core. It's not where I get my security from. So that allows me freedom.' Her day starts at 5.30am and ends at 8 or 9pm. 'I have a lot of energy,' she says. Cath wears: Charlotte Coat, £425, Wyse 'I speak to Marielle every morning, then I'll do our social posts, creating the content and publishing it by seven o'clock. Then I'm on the golf course walking Margot, I come back, cook food to eat later and at eight o'clock, I log in, to start my work day.' Weller also admits she doesn't resemble her Instagram self all of the time. 'I don't wear make-up very often,' she confesses. 'What people see online is the tip of the iceberg.' In many ways, Cath Weller's split life story replicates that of Wyse founder Marielle whose original career was in TV production, specifically nature documentaries. After taking time out to look after her two children, in 2015 she decided to try her hand at fashion, something she'd always enjoyed. In 2019, her brand expanded from knitwear to a more diverse offering of separates aimed at women between the ages of 40-65 and from sizes six to 18. When the pandemic happened, Wyse decided to leave department stores to sell directly to customers through their own website and social media. Which is where Cath came in. Cath wears: 18ct gold signet ring, £1850, Alicat 'When I met Cath five years ago it was such a joyous moment,' Marielle says. 'I recognised her from pictures she'd sent me on Instagram. To sound a bit corny, it did really feel like we were picking up a conversation. She was such a bundle of joyous energy and positivity – not to mention totally stylish so there was no doubt we were going to carry on chatting… She's a Wyse customer, so she was able to showcase how to wear Wyse in a way that sometimes I just didn't have the time to do. She calls me Batman and I call her Robin. It's kind of like that.' The 10 easy pieces And now Weller has her own 10-piece capsule collection with the brand, revolving around a navy and red palette, with pops – of course – of animal print. Cath wears: Vivienne Dress in Tomato Red, £280, Wyse 'I can now tell people I am a director by day and a designer by night,' Weller giggles. 'I'm wearing the straight leg jeans right now, I've worn them for two days before and I will also wear them tomorrow. They really are great. Marielle and I worked together to create these pieces from my feedback about what I thought Wyse was missing. The reaction from shoppers has been amazing. People at my age have often lost their way with their style. Many lose their identity, they're menopausal, maybe their kids have left home. Often they don't know how to dress anymore. Then there's me, somebody real going, 'It's okay for you to wear this with that,' or 'Here's how you can style this jumper five ways.'' So does she see her work with Wyse to be about finding solutions, I wonder? 'Yes. It is exactly that,' adds Weller. 'I'm not a trained fashion stylist but I am used to finding solutions through clothing. Because I wasn't always as comfortable or as confident about my body and looks as I am now. For years I thought about what to wear to make myself look either slimmer or enhance my best bits. It made me get creative with what I wore, and see the possibilities in clothing. Now, being able to help other people feel great is how I get my kicks. Doing this is just an amazing and unexpected gift.' Cath's style rules Tonal dressing always works harder – it elongates the figure, looks luxurious…the key is mixing textures. Stick to three colours when outfit building – anything more and the balance is lost. If in doubt, size up – you'll look better and feel more comfortable. A pointy kitten heel finishes everything – it adds polish, lengthens the leg, and gives a little height without sacrificing ease. If in doubt, overdress – it's never the wrong decision.
