The Fern & Ivy is offering more than cocktails and coffees. It’s also part of a successful Rhondda charity helping communities

Another brand new venue to eat and drink is opening in the heart of bustling valleys town, Treorchy – but this time the profits from your lunchtime coffee or Sunday roast will be reinvested back into the community.

New Rhondda restaurant and cocktail bar, Fern & Ivy will be opening this bank holiday weekend and is being run by The Fern Partnership – a social enterprise where profits will be reinvested directly into supporting children, families and communities across the Rhondda.

The restaurant has already had fundraising, private and charity events over the summer, but the public will now be able to book a table for evening meals, come in for coffees, cakes and lunches, or enjoy a brunch. For the latest restaurant news and reviews, sign up to our food and drink newsletter here

Menu items range from charcuterie boards to braised brisket and burgers, plus a range of toasties, jacket potatoes and sweet treats.

Michelle Coburn-Hughes is founder and CEO of The Fern Partnership, formed in 2008 as The Friends of Ferndale. The organisation, which gained charity status in 2016, was formed to enhance provision for pupils and offer services and support for the local community.

Michelle says that the new Treorchy venue, found in the former home of a car parts shop, is likely the first of its kind in the area, with every profit reinvested into transforming communities, tackling poverty, supporting education and creating brighter futures for children, young people and families.

Profits will help The Fern Partnership support children living in poverty, families facing hardship, holiday hunger programmes, education and training initiatives, employability opportunities and wider community projects.

She said; “This project has taken two and a half years of blood, sweat and tears. There were times when expected funding fell through, unexpected costs mounted and I questioned whether we would ever get there. But I never gave up because I believed our community deserved something truly special.

“I wanted to create a beautiful restaurant and cocktail bar that people would be proud to call their own – somewhere that wouldn’t look out of place in Cardiff or London, yet sits proudly in the heart of Treorchy.”

The interior of the unit on the high street has been completely transformed into an “elegant destination where people can enjoy exceptional food, handcrafted cocktails and a welcoming atmosphere,” she added.

“This isn’t just about serving great food and drinks,” Michelle said. “Every meal, every coffee and every cocktail purchased helps us make a difference to someone’s life. That’s what makes The Fern & Ivy so different.”

With an experienced background in creating opportunities through education, training, employability and community development, Michelle hopes The Fern & Ivy will be a sustainable and long-term venture that will continue to reinvest in the community.

“We haven’t built this just to open another restaurant and cocktail bar. We’ve built it to create opportunities, tackle poverty, support families and give something back to the community that has given so much to us,” she said. “If people choose to support The Fern & Ivy, they’re not simply buying a meal or enjoying a cocktail. They’re investing in local children, local families and the future of our communities.

“We’ve poured our hearts into creating something truly special for Treorchy. Now we hope our community will help it flourish.”

The Fern & Ivy opens on High Street, Treorchy, on Friday, August 28.

Davina McCall has revealed how she was privately supported by comedian Peter Kay after being diagnosed with a brain tumour and breast cancer.

The TV presenter, 58, had surgery to remove the benign (non-cancerous) tumour in 2024, before being diagnosed with breast cancer the following year.

As Davina battled the double bout of bad news, she revealed she found an unlikely champion in Peter, who she was not friends with prior to her illnesses.

While in hospital undergoing treatment on the brain tumour, she told how she received an unexpected phone call from Peter, 53, to offer his help.

Davina said: ‘Do you know who really helped me, actually, and it was really strange. Peter Kay. He called me when I was in hospital with my brain tumour.

‘I really don’t know him that well but he was unbelievably supportive.’

Davina pictured with Peter Kay (right) in 2005 (centre Paul McCartney)

Davina continued by revealing that he stayed by her side after receiving the news about her breast cancer, and said: ‘When I had my breast cancer diagnosis he just talked me through what to do. 

‘He said: “What do you want to do? How do you feel about it?” And he said: “I think you know what you want to do”. And I was like: “Yeah I want to talk about it.”

Davina, who spoke about her friendship with Peter while receiving the Outstanding Achievement Award at the Edinburgh TV Festival, also reflected on how her husband Michael Douglas was also a pillar of strength at that time.

Davina explained how the breast cancer ‘brought them back together’, because the brain tumour had pushed them apart due to the loss of her short term memory.

She said: ‘At the end of brain-tumour-gate, cancer brought us together. The tumour pushed us apart because I had no short term memory – I was over here trying to get better and he was over worrying if I was ever going to come back.

‘But cancer smushed us back together in such a weird way, it was just a beautiful way for us to just reconnect and rebond.

‘I was almost grateful for that experience, and I caught it early so I did make a full recovery but there was something about it that we needed.’

As Davina battled the double bout of bad news, she revealed she found an unlikely champion in Peter, who she was not friends with prior to her illnesses

Davina and Michael wed back in December at Marylebone Town Hall with just close friends and family present.

The pair’s first wedding came just weeks after Davina revealed she’d been diagnosed with breast cancer, and underwent surgery to remove a lump.

The TV star revealed her breast cancer diagnosis to her fans last year, though she noted she had detected it early after noticing a lump and getting it checked, leading to a successful lumpectomy.

She recently confirmed she completed her course of preventative radiotherapy and became emotional about the treatment coming to an end.

Whilst she is not retiring anytime soon, Davina has revealed she is stepping back from full-time work after her breast cancer diagnosis served as a stark wake-up call.

She described the overhaul as essential after facing two major health scares in quick succession – a rare brain tumour in 2024, followed by cancer.

Speaking candidly on the Miss Me? podcast, the Masked Singer judge admitted the double health blow had forced her to confront a lifetime of running from change and overworking.

Davina and Michael wed back in December at Marylebone Town Hall with just close friends and family present

Davina explained that while her brain tumour had initially prompted reflection about reducing stress, it was the subsequent breast cancer diagnosis that truly forced her hand.

‘I had an amazing breakthrough when I got clean in the early nineties,’ she said, referring to her heroin and alcohol addiction in her twenties.

‘I had another huge breakthrough after I had my brain tumour removed. I realised that I needed to de-stress my life.

‘Interestingly, I realised that – but then the breast cancer, which I thought was a very, very frightening thing, made me realise that I really, really had to put that into place. And I have now.’

Heavy rain and thunderstorms may lead to some disruption

The Met Office has issued an overnight weather warning for parts of Northern Ireland.

A yellow warning for thunderstorms is now in effect tonight, Thursday, August 27 until 6am on Friday morning, August 28 affecting three counties.

The forecaster said: ” Heavy rain and thunderstorms may lead to some disruption”.

The Met Office added: “Heavy rain and thunderstorms will move over eastern Northern Ireland during the evening and overnight with a chance of some hail. Heavy rain may lead to some surface water flooding in prone areas. 20-30 mm of rain in 3-6 hours is possible.”

The warning appilies to counties Antrim, Armagh and Down.

As for what to expect during the yellow weather warning, the Met Office has issued some details.

They said:

• Some flooding of a few homes and businesses possible, leading to some damage to buildings or structures
• There is a good chance driving conditions will be affected by spray, standing water and/or hail, leading to longer journey times by car and bus
• Some short-term loss of power and other services is possible
• Possible some damage to a few buildings and structures from lightning strikes
• Delays to train services are possible

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ATLANTA (AP) — Good Good Golf lost its partnership with Callaway on Thursday and no longer will be title sponsor of a PGA Tour event in November as the fallout continued over a video for a new Callaway driver that showed a man shoving a woman to the ground who was trying to touch the golf club.

Good Good, among the most popular in the YouTube Golf space, has said the video was meant to be a spinoff from the movie, “Obsession.” But the criticism was immediate and relentless, and the pressure began mounting by the day.

The video was deleted the same day it was posted on Aug. 20, but it continued to make the rounds on social media and apologies from Good Good and Callaway had little effect.

“We were disappointed with what we saw,” PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp said Tuesday of the response from Good Good. He said its role as a title sponsor was a “fluid situation.”

“We agree with their decision to use this time to focus on their organization and the work ahead,” the tour said in a statement Thursday. “The PGA Tour believes in golf’s ability to bring people together and create a welcoming environment for all.”

The tournament already was changed on the PGA Tour’s website to “Austin Championship.”

Golf Channel postponed a Good Good reality show Wednesday because a sponsor, reported to be Galaxy Golf, wanted its brand scrubbed from the telecast. Dick’s Sporting Goods removed the apparel from its stories. And then Callaway said it was ending the three-year sponsorship.

The PGA Tour confirmed Good Good said it would pull out as title sponsor of the new Nov. 12-15 tournament in Austin, Texas. The tour said the tournament still would be played.

“After thoughtful discussions with the PGA Tour and careful reflection, we have decided to step away as sponsor of the tour event in Austin this fall,” Good Good said in a social media post. “We recognize that we have work to do as an organization, and our focus right now is on our team, our culture and ensuring we will learn from this situation.”

In the 60-second video for Callaway’s new driver co-branded with Good Good, Garrett Clark shoves Alexis Miestowski to the ground as she reaches for the driver. As she is on the ground he leans over tells her, “Do not touch my new driver.”

Clark and Miestowski work for Good Good.

The video was pulled the night it was posted, and it was followed by apologies by Good Good Golf and Callaway Golf the next day. But then Callaway added another layer of apologies, this one from CEO Chip Brewer, who conceded that while Good Good produced the video, Callaway approved it before it was posted.

Brewer said the approval never should have happened and the company would investigate.

Callaway posted to its social media channels on Thursday that it has ended its relationship with Good Good effective immediately; has taken “appropriate internal corrective actions” and strengthened approval procedures to avoid another mistake; and has committed $1 million to support organizations working to prevent violence against women.

“These actions do not undo the harm caused or excuse our role in it,” the statement said. “We sincerely apologize to everyone who was hurt, disappointed, or offended by this incident.”

Good Good Golf was launched as a YouTube channel in 2020 and now is among the largest content creators in the sport, featuring eight men and four women competing in golf and various challenges. It has made-for-TV shows, apparel and other merchandise.

Clark, the Good Good founder, posted a rambling, eight-minute video Wednesday evening in which he called it “the worst ad known to man” and the reaction to the ad was “not what we stand for.”

“I do not support DV (domestic violence) or abuse or any of that of any kind,” he said.

The PGA Tour has embraced such content creators over the last several years, even staging exhibitions during the week of The Players Championship and Tour Championship.

___

See AP’s full golf coverage here

By LAWRENCE BOOTH, CRICKET CORRESPONDENT

Published: 20:37 BST, 27 August 2026 | Updated: 23:20 BST, 27 August 2026

Thunderstorm warning has been extended to midnight on Thursday, August 27

A weather alert for thunderstorms as been extended by the Met Office as heavy rain continues to batter parts of Greater Manchester.

The yellow warning for thunderstorms was initially issued from 3am to 10pm on Wednesday (August 26), across much of England including London and the South East, the Midlands, East Anglia, and parts of the North West, South West, as well as eastern parts of Wales. It also covers parts of Greater Manchester, including Stockport, Oldham and Tameside.

The warning has since been extended, with forecasters predicting the storms to continue until midnight tonight (August 27).

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They have advised for those in affected areas to expect a chance of delays and cancellations to train and bus services where flooding occurs, spray and sudden flooding which could lead to difficult driving conditions and some road closures, and potential power cuts.

Providing further detail on their website, the Met Office said: “A broad band of thunderstorms and heavy rain will move north across England and Wales on Thursday, perhaps becoming slow moving at times. Accumulations of 20-30 mm in an hour is possible locally, while 30 to 40 mm can be expected fairly widely and up to 50 mm in a 12 hour period in places.

“There is a small chance that some places may see more than 50 mm in three hours and more than 75 mm through 12 hours. Lightning and large hail will also be hazards.”

Forecasters have provided advice for those worried about the weather conditions. On their website they penned: “Consider if your location is at risk of flash flooding. If so, consider preparing a flood plan and an emergency flood kit.

“Give yourself the best chance of avoiding delays by checking road conditions if driving, or bus and train timetables, amending your travel plans if necessary.”

The weather service said there is a “small chance of fast-flowing or deep floodwater causing danger to life”. It added there was also a small chance that homes and businesses could be flooded quickly, with damage to some buildings from floodwater, lightning strikes, hail or strong winds.

Met Office Chief Forecaster Steve Willington said: “On Thursday, slow-moving heavy and thundery rain may bring prolonged rainfall to some areas, increasing the risk of localised impacts.

“There remains some uncertainty around where the heaviest rain will fall, so it is important to keep up to date with the latest forecast and warnings.”

The raids were carried out last month by the Information Commissioner’s Office in Bolton, Burnley, Liverpool, London and Swansea across residential and business premises.

The ICO said this came after more than 12M complaints about motor finance nuisance texts since September last year, with up to 100,000 being received by the watchdog every day.

This week the ICO announced it had fined a company £190,000 for bombarding elderly people with nuisance calls while claiming to be selling devices designed to block unwanted calls.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said Elderly Aids Limited (EAL) had deliberately targeted elderly people.

The investigation centres around alleged nuisance text messages (Image: Newsquest)

They said it made nearly 760,000 cold calls to those registered with the Telephone Preference Service (TPS) between May 2024 and February last year to promote call-blocking devices.

The ICO said complaints revealed EAL callers were, “aggressive, misleading, and often failed to identify themselves”.

One complainant reported their elderly father had been persuaded by EAL to sign up to a call-blocker service, paying £139 upfront and a monthly fee of £6.99, according to the ICO.

The TPS allows people and businesses to opt out of unsolicited sales and marketing calls.

It is illegal to make a live marketing call to anyone registered with the TPS, unless they have given permission to be contacted by a specific organisation.

EAL repeatedly ignored requests from the ICO for information and continued to make nuisance calls during the investigation, according to the ICO.

It also tried to strike itself off the Companies House register amid the probe, the ICO said.

ICO head of investigations Andy Curry said: “Not only did this company target vulnerable people who had explicitly asked not to be called – they harassed them to sell call-blocking devices.

“EAL showed a complete disregard for the law and the people they were hounding.

“This penalty should serve as a clear warning to any business that thinks the law does not apply to them, we will hold them to account for both exploiting people in this way and trying to avoid accountability.”

As well as the financial penalty, the ICO said it has issued an enforcement notice ordering EAL to stop making illegal marketing calls and to meet caller identification rules.

Data & Marketing Association director of preference services Russell Roach, said: “People register with the Telephone Preference Service because they want greater control over who can contact them.

“Cases like this demonstrate why those protections are so important.

“Anyone making live marketing calls must respect the choices people have made about their privacy.

“When organisations ignore those preferences and contact individuals who have explicitly opted out of receiving unsolicited sales calls, particularly those who are most vulnerable, they undermine consumer trust and risk causing significant nuisance and distress.”

The Aughamullen native was part of Vinny Corey’s backroom team for two campaigns before replacing him in September of 2024 and managing Monaghan for two seasons

Monaghan are on the lookout for a new senior football manager following the shock resignation of Gabriel Bannigan after two years in charge.

The Aughamullen native was part of Vinny Corey’s backroom team for two seasons before replacing him in September of 2024.

His own backroom team last season included Andy Moran, who would lead Mayo to All-Ireland glory this year.

With Scotstown’s extended club campaign running into 2026 and a crippling injury list to contend with, Monaghan were relegated from Division One earlier this season.

However, they enjoyed a fruitful Championship campaign with Jack McCarron’s stunning sideline helping them claim a memorable Ulster semi-final win over Derry while they were denied in the provincial decider after extra-time by Armagh .

Their injury woes would return later in the summer with rising star Bobby McCaul suffering an ACL injury against Mayo in Clones – a game the Farney lost by one point having trailed by 12 at one stage.

They went on to topple Connacht champions Roscommon and Leinster winners Westmeath in St Tiernach’s Park but the absence of Rory Beggan and Karl Gallagher was keenly felt when they bowed out to Louth in the All-Ireland quarter-final at Croke Park.

In a statement confirming his departure from the role, Bannigan claimed the “goalposts have moved” and expressed his disappointment at leaving his position.

“I am very disappointed to announce that I am stepping down as manager of the Monaghan senior football team,” said Bannigan.

“When I was appointed two years ago, I accepted the challenge of leading the Monaghan team through an inevitable period of transition and it has been an absolute privilege to do so.

“On taking the role I promised to mould a Monaghan team that would reflect the values I grew up with in Monaghan GAA, honesty, humility, hard work and never say die spirit, I think it is fair to say this Monaghan team has delivered on that promise and the culture created provides a very strong platform to build on in the months and years ahead.

“I am very proud of the progress that Monaghan GAA has made, in 2025 we won the NFL Division two title and were very competitive in championship, losing narrowly to Donegal in Ulster and again in the All-Ireland quarter final (QF).

“In 2026 we were ravaged with injuries during a disappointing league campaign, but had a thrilling championship run, beating Cavan and Derry before losing out to Armagh after extra-time in the Ulster Final.

“In the All-Ireland series we lost by one point to eventual All-Ireland champions Mayo, before defeating both Roscommon (Connaught champions) and Westmeath (Leinster champions) to earn our place in the All-Ireland QF.

“Unfortunately, we were missing both Rory Beggan and Karl Gallagher for our QF and we lost out narrowly to Louth. We had already lost Louis Kelly, Gary Mohan and Bobby McCaul through injury. I have never made excuses for results during my tenure, but I think it is fair to say that with even the slightest better fortune, this Monaghan team would have been in an All-Ireland semi-final at the very least, but enough said.

“I have always been 100 per cent honest with the Monaghan people since I was given the honour of managing our senior footballers, I did not want to walk away from this project that I have put so much into.

“When you consider the split season, I’ve only had 16 months in total to oversee this transition and evolve a new team. In this period, we have brought so many young players through, handing out 16 NFL debuts and 10 championship debuts in 2026 alone. I have been very clear about the ambitions I had with this team, I believe the ceiling is high with all the young players we have brought through and more talent coming on stream.”

He continued: “Over the last number of weeks, I worked hard on my plans for 2027 to build on the excellent foundations now in place, including strengthening my backroom team, as I was mandated to do.

“During this period, I have come to realise that the goalposts have moved, and the conditions are not right for me to continue and therefore I believe a new management team and fresh voices are now required to take Monaghan football forward. I wish my successor and everyone involved with Monaghan GAA the very best of luck in 2027 and beyond.

“I want to thank so many people who have given me so much support over the last two years. To each and every one of you I say a heartfelt thank you, it has been an absolute privilege to manage the Monaghan senior footballers.”

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