Here's your Friday update, covering: Innovative solutions to tackle housing shortage arrive on site; Embark on a magical Story Trail and explore Cardiff like never before; and Pupils in Cardiff blast off to a bright future.

Innovative solutions to tackle housing shortage arrive on site

The first modular units, part of an innovative pilot scheme to help tackle an immediate shortage of affordable housing in Cardiff, have arrived on site in Grangetown.

The two modular units are part of the initial phase that will be installed on the former Gasworks site at Ferry Road to create 155 pre-fabricated, highly energy-efficient properties to help alleviate pressures on homelessness services and the availability of temporary accommodation in the city.

With financial support from the Welsh Government's Transitional Accommodation Capital Programme, the Council is working with development partner Wates to deliver the new homes, which will provide good quality, temporary housing for families close to the council's Yr Hafan family homelessness centre, which was also constructed using modular units.

Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities, Cllr Lynda Thorne, said: "Our homelessness and housing services continue to experience exceptionally high demand for assistance. This innovative solution to the pressures we are facing enables us to boost our supply of accommodation quickly, in considerably less time than via traditional building methods.

"It's really pleasing to see the first units arriving on site. The development will gather pace over the coming weeks and we expect residents to be moving in around early October."

Read more here

Embark on a magical Story Trail and explore Cardiff like never before

They say everyone has a story to tell. Well, Cardiff Council's Child-Friendly team has created nine trails that prove some of the city's most fascinating areas have amazing stories all of their own.

Each of the story trails is a unique adventure and presents an exciting, fun-filled way for families to explore our beautiful city.

They take you from the bustling and historic Cardiff Bay to the serene surroundings of Bute Park, from the lush Forest Farm to the ancient and mystic Caerau Fort and even more amazing locations in between.

Every path is not just a trail, but a chapter in a captivating story inspired by Welsh folklore, penned by local storytellers, and shaped by the creative minds of our schoolchildren living near each of the trails. Trails encourage playfulness, fun, and authentic engagement with the story - finding the next location, engaging tangibly with the outdoor space, such as taking a bark rubbing/building something out of sticks, and discovering secret places in well-known Cardiff landmarks.

If you're ready to set foot on these trails, put on your best explorer outfit and follow the link to the Story Trails page to start your journey:

Story Trails : Child Friendly Cardiff.

For more information about how to discover the amazing stories that Cardiff has to offer, click here:

Child Friendly Cardiff

Cllr Jennifer Burke, the Council's Cabinet Member for Culture, Parks, Events and Venues, said: "These wonderful story trails are ideal for all the family to take part in during the long school holidays and align perfectly with the Council's work towards achieving Cardiff achieving UNICEF Child-Friendly City status.

"As they explore, play and learn, children are also exercising their rights as children - the right to relax, play and join in a wide range of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities."

Read more here

Pupils in Cardiff blast off to a bright future

Secondary schools from across Cardiff are working together to explore the challenges faced during a mission to Mars to develop a new settlement able to sustain human life.

Space Academy 2023 is a week-long education program to help 13 and 14 year olds to learn more about global efforts for space travel and colonisation of Mars. This is a scheme created for children from secondary schools across the city, and especially those in underrepresented groups, to inspire them with STEM based careers in the space industry - a growth sector within the city and capitol region. (STEM = Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics)

Six secondary schools from across the city are working together to explore the challenges that would be faced during a mission to Mars to develop a new settlement able to sustain human life. Pupils from participating schools will be invited to engage with a series of mission to Mars challenges.

Team events will require pupils to work together to produce proposals for the construction of a base to house a human colony on Mars. The series of challenges will require pupils to work creatively to produce design for a rocket launch and Lego robotics to explore the terrain and life on Mars using the latest research evidence.

Pupils will have opportunities to work with leading researchers from Cardiff University's School of Physics and Astronomy and the School of Engineering, alongside leading local employers from the aerospace sector including Space Forge and Small Spark Space Systems, and a variety of other external experts. Through engaging in these varied learning experiences, they will be able to apply and extend their knowledge of science and technology as well as other integral skills that form the pillars of the new curriculum. 

Councillor Sarah Merry, Deputy Leader of Cardiff Council and Cabinet Member for Education, said: "Space Academy Cardiff is helping to raise aspirations and inspire more school children in Cardiff to consider taking up STEM subjects and opening their eyes to future career opportunities in space industry.

"An excellent example of partnership working, events like these work to equip young people with the right knowledge and skills they need to succeed. They are provided with experiences, information and advice on the exciting career prospects Cardiff has to offer which in turn helps employers to access a generation of young people who are informed, enthusiastic and excited to work in Cardiff, helping to grow sectors in the Capital Region."