To mark the anniversary we launched the Newsroom in the Community initiative, setting up our news team at a host site in the region to talk about the issues that matter most to you.

Today was our first visit, to Cefn Fforest Community Centre.

The community made us feel so welcome, flocking to the leisure centre to tell us all about the great projects happening in the area and stories we should cover.

Sue Evans, of Cefn Fforest Community Centre

Following a flurry of interest on social media, community representatives were ready and waiting to speak to us when we arrived at the centre.

And in the coming days, we will share some great stories told by them, including:

• How Cefn Fforest Eco Park has become a green hub bringing the whole community together
• The restoration of Cefn Fforest Miners Institute and efforts to give the building a new lease of life
• Cefn Fforest Community Centre and all the activities on offer there
• A community groups tackling period poverty among women and girls
• How Blackwood high street recovered from the pandemic and upcoming events this summer.

Gavin Thompson, regional editor at the South Wales Argus, said it was a pleasure to talk to a number of local people and groups who shared their story with us.

He said: "Local news is all about community. It’s telling your stories and championing the good as well as sometimes reporting on the bad that goes on in them.

"The South Wales Argus has been reporting on local communities across Gwent for 130 years and this year, to celebrate our birthday, we launched the Newsroom in the Community initiative. The idea is we take the newsroom out to a community within the patch and base ourselves there for the day.

"It was brilliant to be in Cefn Fforest today and hear stories from the community such as the superb eco-park, the work being done at the community centre – who kindly hosted us for the day – and the passion behind the bid to restore the miners’ institute.

"We also visited nearby Blackwood and spoke to local traders about how the high street is thriving, as well as learning more about a period poverty project run by the borough council.

Our team out in the community today

"This is an area that’s been in the spotlight for antisocial behaviour often of late but as the local paper we want to share the positive stories too.

"It’s so important for our reporters to be out and about in the community, building contacts and telling their stories and it’s been an absolute pleasure to come to Cefn Fforest today.

"This was the first outing for this initiative but we’re keen to hear from other communities that would like to host us too. Please do get in touch."

Do you want us to join your community for the day? Let us know by filling in the form here.