Festive fun, help for the homeless and a (formerly) portly pooch - all the positive stories across Gwent this week

Here’s a look at all the positive stories across Gwent this week:

• A FUNDRAISING event for a volunteer-run children’s musical theatre group was saved at the last minute - with a little help from the Argus . Every year the Venture Players, based in Newport, organises a shopping trip to Birmingham, helping to boost its coffers by selling raffle tickets and playing bingo during the two hour trip. Each year the event raises around £500, which goes towards the group's activities throughout the year. But on Tuesday disaster struck, when the coach company the group had booked the trip with in August, Cavendish Coaches, cancelled it at the last minute because of a mechanical fault - thankfully the Argus and Newport Bus were able to step in and save the event.
• RISCA'S branch of the Royal British Legion announced it had raised £23,247.04 in just two months .

• A ONCE-BULGING beagle has won the UK’s largest pet slimming competition after shedding a third of his bodyweight in just six months. Luigi, from Newport, was a whopping 4st 8lb after feasting on one too many Sunday roasts. But after a six-month diet and exercise challenge, the former heavy hound has shed the pounds, now weighing in at a healthy 3st 3lb - losing eight inches on his waist and six inches on his chest.

Picture: Wales News Service

• PLANS to open a homeless shelter at Monmouth’s Old Market Hall were given the green light . The proposals, unanimously approved by Monmouthshire council’s planning committee on Tuesday, will see the ground floor of the Grade-II listed building in Priory Street converted into a night shelter, which will initially run between January and March.
• THE Newport Now Business Improvement District (BID), an organisation which represents and boosts companies in the centre of Newport, will continue for another five years following a successful ballot of members.
• THIS year's Santa Run arranged by Age Connects Torfaen saw 300 runners dressed as St Nick chase down runners dressed as The Grinch, the Gingerbread Man and a Christmas Turkey in Pontypool Park - all in the name of charity.

Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk

• CROWDS gathered to Blackwood’s annual Christmas Fair on Saturday, announcing the beginning of the town’s Christmas festivities.
• A GROUP of talented and environmentally-minded young people from Chepstow were rewarded for their work on an anti-litter campaign .
• A FOOTBALL club in Newport charitably used their ‘dummy club’ to bring festive cheer this week, donating around 50 chocolate selection boxes to a local children’s cancer charity. “Each week, a member is chosen at random to choose an item which others must bring or risk being fined,” explained Rogerstone AFC chairman, Zak Wright. It’s part of the club’s effort to keep members on their toes and bring some fun.”

• A FOOTBALL club set up its first under-9s girls' team following the success of the Women's World Cup 2019 in generating greater exposure for the women's game. Thanks to sponsorship from Newport-based car firm Motorpoint, Llanyrafon in Cwmbran now have four girls teams ranging from under-9s to under-14s as well as ladies' teams.
• NEWPORT Tennis Centre was recognised for its efforts in improving opportunities for disabled people.
• SANTA Claus took an afternoon off in the run-up to the busy Christmas period to visit Usk on Sunday with his reindeer. They were given quite a welcome as they paraded around town to the delight of hundreds of happy residents and visitors. Santa's visit coincided with Usk Town Council's weekend Christmas Festival, when the whole town centre was transformed into a winter wonderland.

Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk

• WE MET Owain Feltstead, the 17-year-old singer from the Valleys who is becoming an internet superstar - and got the chance to perform at the Royal Albert Hall.
• A GROUP of litter pickers picked up more than 30 bags of rubbish from a notoriously fly-tipped footpath between Lawrence Hill and Christchurch in Newport. Among items collected by volunteers from the Newport East Litter Pickers were TVs , car bumpers, roller blades and tyres.
• A FAMILY raised more than £4,000 for a national charity by climbing Snowdon . The Thomas family from Chepstow braved the cold conditions on Saturday, November 16 - raising £4,272 for The Brain Tumour Charity. Dad Luke Thomas said: “It was a hard trek up. We got to about two thirds of the way up and it was just snow – and it was knee deep in some places. We started at about 7am and were back down by about 1.30pm. We took the Llanberis Path.“I wouldn’t let anyone stop for long, if we stopped too much, we wouldn’t get going again. We were 100 per cent determined to do it so just got on with it.”

• A KIND-HEARTED eight-year-old girl from Risca inspired an outpouring of Christmas spirit in her community .
• We met Hallie Lewis, a Year 7 pupil at Monmouth School for Girls, who impressed her teachers by building an interactive model cell as part of her biology studies . “It took me quite a while to put the model together,” said Hallie, who is hoping to be a vet or a marine biologist.
• BUDDING DJs at St Andrew's Primary School in Newport launched a school radio station – with a little help from Capital FM presenters 'Josh and Kally'. More than 175 pupils applied to be the school’s DJs, but this was whittled down to a lucky 10. The winners were then invited into Capital FM’s studio to learn the trade and hone their presenting skills.

Picture: www.christinsleyphotography.co.uk