Andy’s Thought Dump

 I know, I know. It's been far too quiet around here, and for that, I am truly sorry. If you've been wondering where I've disappeared to, unfortunately, the short answer is that I've been struggling significantly with my health. It's been a tough period. Not only have I been battling an illness (which is different from the usual chronic issues I manage), but the overall drain on my system has been immense. I've been dealing with a level of exhaustion that has made even the simplest tasks feel monumental, coupled with a lot of pain stemming from my various existing and new health challenges. When you're constantly fighting your own body, finding the energy and focus to write, create, or even just engage online is nearly impossible. I needed to step back completely to focus on rest and recovery. Thank you all so much for your patience and understanding during this unplanned absence. I'm hoping to slowly ease back into things now that I'm starting to fe...

  How to Get In Touch 1. Email: The best way to reach Andy directly is via email: dragonsportracing@gmail.com 2. Comments: Feel free to leave a comment on any of our posts to join the conversation and share your own opinions and ideas. We aim to respond to all inquiries within 48 hours.

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We just want to say a massive thank you to Tai Calon for providing skips for the community recently. It might seem like a small gesture, but honestly, it was such an amazing idea and one that made a real difference to so many of us. It’s not every day that something so practical and thoughtful is offered up like this – and we truly can’t thank them enough. It brought back memories for me, actually. I remember over 30 years ago , Merthyr Council did something very similar in Abercanaid , and it was hugely popular back then too . I remember how helpful it was at the time – especially for clearing out garden rubbish, old junk, and things that had been piling up for years. It was a proper community moment, just like this one has been. Initiatives like this don’t just help us tidy up – they help bring people together. Neighbours chatted, gardens got cleared, sheds got emptied, and streets started looking fresher. It just goes to show how something so simple can have such a powerful...

Enterprise, events, and maybe even trams – it’s time to bring Merthyr’s high street back to life Every town has a heart — and Merthyr Tydfil’s is no exception. So far in this blog series, I’ve put forward ideas for the outskirts, the riverbanks, the railway, the mountains, and the parks. From Rhydycar West , to a theme park at Abercanaid , to the Cyfarthfa Ironworks showground , and a full transformation of Avenue de Clichy and the Taff Trail , my vision for a Leisure City Merthyr has been clear: To bring life, jobs, culture, and visitors back to Merthyr Tydfil. But now it’s time to address the heart of it all: the high street and shopping precinct . The Problem: Too Many Empty Shops It’s no secret — our town centre is struggling. Empty shops, footfall that comes and goes, and the usual doom spiral that affects so many British towns. But Merthyr doesn’t have to follow that script . We have: A railway and bus network that links us to Cardiff, the Valleys and beyond. Regular eve...

Parenting has never been easy. But lately, I’ve started to wonder: have some people just given up entirely? There’s a difference between bringing children up and letting them grow up wild, and right now, it feels like too many kids are being dragged up without discipline, accountability, or even a hint of respect for others. It’s not about being perfect. We all struggle, we all get it wrong sometimes. But when you refuse to even try to do the right thing - when you defend your child’s worst behaviour instead of confronting it - that’s when I worry. Recently, my own son, who has already been through far more than any child should due to early childhood trauma, was attacked. Not by some nameless group of troublemakers - though that would have been bad enough - but by a group of girls. One of them, heartbreakingly, was my own daughter. There’s no hiding from that. No sugarcoating it. As parents, my partner and I have dealt with it. Heavily. Because we will not tolerate bad behaviour,...

Reclaiming the Cyfarthfa Ironworks as a hub for culture, community, and celebration Merthyr Tydfil’s past is cast in iron – and nowhere is that more evident than the site of the once-mighty Cyfarthfa Ironworks . But for a site of such immense historical importance, it feels… forgotten. Tucked away and crumbling, it’s as if this great landmark of the Industrial Revolution is waiting for someone to care again. Well, I care. Deeply. And here’s an idea that could not only honour our past but fuel our future: Let’s turn the Cyfarthfa Ironworks site into a world-class showground and event venue. The Perfect Location Let’s look at what’s already there: A wide, flat site steeped in history and character Taff Trail access , linking directly to Cefn Viaduct and the world’s oldest surviving iron railway bridge A stone’s throw from Cyfarthfa Castle , Cyfarthfa Park , and the Joseph Parry Cottage Scenic views, industrial architecture, and tonnes of potential This is a site wi...