Karen Watkins born in 1948 writing as Catrin Collier , is a Welsh novelist, of East Prussian descent on her mother's side, known for her historical works, especially those in the 'Hearts of Gold' series, set in her home town of Pontypridd between 1930 and 1950, the first of which was adapted as a BBC drama in 2003. She also writes under the pen names Katherine John/ K. A. John (crime novels), Katherine Hardy (novelisation’s of television programmes) and Caro French modern fiction

As well as novels, she writes short stories, plays and non-fiction and has had work published in magazines including published in Woman, Woman's Own and Woman's Weekly.

Website: http://catrincollier.co.uk/

The late Elaine Morgan OBE, FRSL born(7th November 1920 wrote several books on evolutionary anthropology, especially the aquatic ape hypothesis: The Descent of Woman, The Aquatic Ape, The Scars of Evolution, The Descent of the Child, The Aquatic Ape Hypothesis, and The Naked Darwinist (2008), which discusses the reception of aquatic scenarios in academic literature. She also authored Falling Apart and Pinker's List. In 2016, she was named as one of "the 50 greatest Welsh men and women of all time"

Elaine’s TEF profile is here https://www.ted.com/speakers/elaine_morgan and watch her TED Talk here: https://www.ted.com/talks/elaine_morgan_says_we_evolved_from_aquatic_apes

Sheila Kathleen Laxon , ONZM (born in Pontypridd, Glamorgan, Wales), was the first female thoroughbred horse trainer to win the Australian cups double, the Caulfield Cup and Melbourne Cup, with her mare Ethereal in 2001. Her efforts were recognised when she took out the Fred Hoysted Award for the Australian season's outstanding training performance.

Laxon was born in Pontypridd. Her early childhood was spent on a small farm in Wales, run by her mother. Her father was away from home much of the time working as a ship's pilot. It was on the farm that Laxon developed a passion for horses through pony clubs, gymkhanas and showjumping.

Before emigrating to New Zealand around 1980, she spent time working with English trainer John L. Dunlop at his stables in Arundel, Sussex.

In New Zealand in 1983 she married trainer Laurie Laxon who had a large stable with many successful horses. She rode many of them in trackwork, including Empire Rose] who won the 1988 Melbourne Cup. She took out her own training license in 1997.

In the 2002 Queen's Birthday Honours, Laxon was made an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit, for services to racing

Laxon is still currently training in a partnership with John Symons at Whiteheads Creek in country Victoria.

More information about Shelia’s life and career is here http://espritracing.com.au/sheila-laxon

Patricia Hannah Clarke FRS born in Pontypridd on 29 July 1919 was a British biochemist.

Clarke was born in Pontypridd, South Wales, and was educated at Howell's School, Llandaff, from 1930 to 1937, before studying the Natural Sciences Tripos at Girton College, Cambridge, from 1937 to 1940

After graduating she took a post at the Armament Research Department of the Ministry of Supply in Swansea to work on explosives. She returned to biochemistry in 1944 when she joined the Wellcome Trust Research Laboratories at Beckenham, Kent. In 1951, she moved to work part-time at the National Collection of Type Cultures of bacteria in the Central Public Health Laboratory at Colindale, London.

Her final move was to the Department of Biochemistry at University College London, as Assistant Lecturer, being appointed Lecturer in 1956, Reader in 1966 and Professor of Microbial Biochemistry in 1973 until her retirement in 1984 – when she was made emeritus professor.

During this time she co-wrote the 'Genetics and Biochemistry of Pseudomonas'. Her aim in this paper was to present in one volume the fundamentals, basic methodology, and specific applications of gas-liquid chromatography in microbiology and medicine.

Kimberley Nixon was born 24 September 1985 in Pontypridd is a Welsh actress. Nixon is known for her role as Sophy Hutton in the BBC One period drama Cranford and various films such as Wild Child and Angus, Thongs and Perfect Snogging. More recently she has starred as Josie Jones in the Channel 4 comedy-drama Fresh Meat and as Sarah Pearson in the BBC Two comedy Hebburn.

Kimberly’s IMDB profile is here http://www.imdb.com/name/nm2632878/?ref_=nv_sr_2

Nicola Reynolds

Nicola was born 26 July 1972, Pontypridd and sfter appearing in the 1999 film Human Traffic, she appeared in a series of jobbing roles, including Clocking Off and High Hopes.

Nicola also appeared in Scrum 4 as Meg. She made her breakthrough in the children's CBBC show The Story of Tracy Beaker as head care worker Shelley Appleton. She appeared as Ros in Abi Morgans BAFTA winning series "Murder" for the BBC, alongside Julie Walters, playing her daughter. During this period, she also became part of an ensemble around comedian turned actor Johnny Vegas. She has starred alongside him in Sex Lives of the Potato Men and on BBC Three's Ideal.

In 2009, Reynolds also acted in a BBC1 Film Drama Framed, playing Bethan Hughes, a Welsh mother of four. In October 2013, Reynolds appeared in the BBC One's daytime soap opera, Doctors playing Dr. Robyn Pattison, a doctor in Letherbridge for a conference and has a fling with Dr. Heston Carter. She has, in the last few years returned to theatre in a number of successful touring productions.

Nicola’s IMDB profile is here http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0721885/