Author: Alice Gregory

Leading south Wales HR consultancy EffectiveHRM has announced the acquisition of Health and Safety (H&S) specialist, Standerwick Safety Partnership’s client book. This exciting deal will officially bring together two successful, female-led businesses, to consolidate future growth within the sector. EffectiveHRM, founded by Emma del Torto in 2011, will take on Standerwick’s clients, with their existing managing director, Jane Standerwick, retaining a consultancy role. Founded in 2008, Standerwick Safety Partnership offers hands-on support to enable businesses to implement effective systems for health and safety, quality and environmental management. Where necessary, they act as the H&S Competent Person for clients, and services…

From picking the perfect hen do accommodation to arranging unforgettable activities, planning a hen party can be a daunting task. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll walk you through the process, offering tips, tricks, and innovative ideas tailored specifically for a UK audience. 1. Define Your Budget First things first – set a budget. The last thing you want is to plan an extravagant hen do and realise that it’s too expensive for some of the attendees. Discuss with the bride and other key participants to establish a price range that everyone feels comfortable with. Remember, the aim is to create…

This month with Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – the Musical, prepare yourself to experience a “world of pure imagination” on stage at the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. Though Welsh born fighter pilot, spy and writer Roald Dahl’s story of Charlie and Willy Wonka needs no introduction, here’s a little bit of information for those who don’t know it. This is one of Dahl’s early children’s stories written in 1964 and is based on personal experience from when he was in school and got to try chocolate from a local factory.  The story follows young Charlie Bucket, played by the…

Mother Goose has migrated south to the Donald Gordon theater stage in the Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. The story of Mother Goose has been around for centuries in one form or another. Some believe it is based on a housewife from Boston in 1660 with her 16 children, and there are others that claim Mother Goose is actually based on the wife of King Robert II of France. Berthe la fileuse, (Bertha the Spinner) or Berthe pied d’oie (‘Goose-Foot Bertha’) is known in French legends as being an incredible storyteller, capturing the minds of children as an incredible spinner of…

It’s that time of year again when we all start to wonder when are the clocks changing? Do they go forward…or back? How on earth is it nearly April? Whilst pondering the passing of time, there’s a quick mnemonic to help you remember; ‘Spring forward, fall back’ or as I say ‘March forward, fall back’ either way is helpful. The idea proposed in Britain by builder William Willett, was due to the ‘waste’ of useful daylight during the summer specifically in the morning. British Summer Time (BST) was then adopted in 1916 as a way to save candles and electricity…

Returning by popular demand following a sell-out run, Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed production of Boublil and Schönberg’s musical Les Misérables returns to Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff. The sung through musical Les Misérables or Les Mis as it’s commonly known, is based on a novel of the same name written by Victor Hugo between 1845 – 1861. The work was published in French in 1862, becoming an instant bestseller and success, the book was quickly translated into several other languages. For those who don’t know the story, there are some very relatable themes to what’s happening in the UK today. Though not…

Following on from the success of XXXmas Carol the 2021 sell-out alternative Christmas cabaret, the team at Wales Millennium Centre and Duncan Hallis Production have reinvented C.S.Lewis’s, The Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe. If you’ve not been to Cardiff Bay recently, you’d be forgiven for not knowing about the current renovation the Wales Millennium Centre is undergoing. With work aiming to be complete for early next year Cardiff Bay will have a new home for all things Cabaret.  The opening season of Cabaret, Wales Millennium Centre’s vibrant new venue, has been launched – opening in February 2023 showcasing the…

The UK’s biggest-selling album group of the 21st century, Westlife have reached the last stop of their extensive 2022 tour. Cardiff International Arena sees the end of the two month long UK Arena tour, supported by the wonderful Lyra. On a cold winter’s evening in Cardiff, it was Lyra’s job to warm up the crowd to get things going. As Lyra burst out on stage,  she was welcomed with open arms by an adoring crowd in the capital. Lyra recently released her brand new single ‘29 Box’, and it arrives as the rising pop talent joins fellow Irish stars Westlife…

Newport-based tax and accountancy specialists Kilsby Williams, believes that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn Statement is a mixed bag for organisations that benefit from the government’s Research and Development (R&D) tax relief schemes. Kilsby Williams works closely with clients to help them claim R&D tax relief through the government schemes that are designed to incentivise innovation and research spending. Lucy Lloyd, R&D Tax Specialist at Kilsby Williams said: “For many of our fast growth corporate clients there will be disappointment that the R&D SME scheme has become less generous, and the exclusion of overseas costs from claims has been confirmed. “A…

Cladding consultancy SFI (Specialist Façade Inspections) has donated a remembrance bench to the Newbridge branch of the Royal British Legion. The bench sits next to the war memorial in Newbridge, alongside the Institute Memorial Hall, to commemorate those lost in the village through the World Wars. Newbridge-based family business SFI donated the bench last November and will place a poppy wreath on there every year on Remembrance Day as a token of respect. Josh Tedstone, Director at SFI, said: “It was a pleasure to donate the bench to our local branch of the Royal British Legion, as they are such…