Author: Alice Gregory

Howden, the international insurance group, has welcomed two new appointments, Dean Barker and Ross Power, to its South and West Wales region. Dean Barker joins the firm as Account Executive and will be responsible for delivering insurance solutions to businesses operating across the commercial sector. Dean joins with almost 20 years’ experience in the insurance industry, previously working for regional and national brokers such as Jelf and Towergate. Dean specialises in supporting clients in the construction, manufacturing and retail industries. Dean said: “I’m thrilled to have joined the Howden team in Wales and feel as though I’ve really hit the…

A SECONDARY school has experienced a surge in pupils taking part in extra-curricular sport. Learners at Ysgol Eirias in Colwyn Bay have engaged with football, rugby, basketball, dodgeball, badminton, hockey, volleyball, netball, and gymnastics sessions more than 5,000 times since September. Cooking and Health and Wellbeing activities have also proven popular, ensuring learners pick up independent living skills such as how to plan, prepare and cook a meal. It is hoped that providing these opportunities will have a knock-on effect for overall school attendances, a nationwide issue following the Covid-19 pandemic. According to Welsh Government statistics, prior to the pandemic…

UWTSD has been working in partnership with Coed Lleol – Small Woods Wales over a number of years supporting the development of the Cynefin site to become a Green Health Hub, for the benefit of people across Carmarthenshire. The Green Health Hub Cynefin project has received a total of £270,000 from the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund. The aim of the Green Health Hub Cynefin is to promote community mental health and wellbeing opportunities for community groups through access to local green spaces. It will work with several partners to run activities that promote wellbeing, social bonding,…

Stage and screen actor Vivien Parry has been cast in the title role of Sherman Theatre’s forthcoming production, The Wife of Cyncoed by Matt Hartley (7-23 March 2024). Vivien recently starred as Fraulein Schneider in the hit West End show Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club; the most-awarded musical revival in the Olivier Awards’ history. Elsewhere in the West End, she has performed in Les Misérables, Mamma Mia, Top Hat, Half a Sixpence and many more. Her other theatre credits include Sydney and the Old Girl (Park Theatre), Twelfth Night and A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Royal Shakespeare Company, and 13 Theatr Clwyd productions including Blackthorn,…

The Small Electricals Recycling Project, created by Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council today unveils its plans for its new community small electrical recycling bins in Merthyr Tydfil. The project has been unveiled today in the hope that 60,000 residents in the local community will get behind its drive to recycle their electricals. The Small Electricals Recycling Project will educate and inform residents of how to recycle small electrical items, and also provide community recycling bins for small electrical recycling in local flats and council buildings situated across the borough. This is one of over 40 UK projects funded by Material…

Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid has announced a partnership with Feefo, the award-winning ratings and reviews platform. The platform works with over 6,500 brands worldwide, collecting reliable and constructive reviews that businesses can learn from and display. The company has a confirmed-customer-only policy for reviews and an extensive post-moderation process to enable businesses to benefit from authentic feedback. As a Corporate Partner of the Chamber, Feefo joins an exclusive group that shares a special relationship with the Chamber, connecting with its members to provide support and resources to the Welsh business community. The Chamber and Feefo have…

British rock band Nothing But Thieves are the latest headliner announced for a summer of live music at Cardiff Castle. In celebration of their Number 1 album Dead Club City, they will bring their Welcome to The DCC World Tour to the iconic outdoor venue on Wednesday June 19. Nothing But Thieves – singer Conor Mason, guitarist Joe Langridge-Brown, guitarist Dominic Craik, bassist Philip Blake, and drummer James Price – are in huge demand following a brilliantly successful 2023. A decade into their career the Southend five-piece have never sounded as vital, inspired and blisteringly adventurous as they do on…

Getting onto the property ladder can seem daunting. Luckily, Welsh Government’s Help to Buy – Wales scheme is giving a helping hand to first-time buyers in Wales — including David Wilson Homes South Wales’ newest residents, Cameron and Alice. Help to Buy – Wales enabled the young couple, in their early twenties, to complete on their new-build Barratt home in December — with the scheme providing eligible applicants with an equity loan of up to 20% of the market value of the property, up to the value of £300,000. Talking about their experience, Cameron said: “My parents recently moved to…

22nd January 2024 – Just Love, the UK’s leading allergen-free celebration cake company, will expand its gluten free range with the launch of a NEW gluten free Confetti Cake on 7th February, exclusively into Waitrose stores across the UK. Gluten free, milk free and nut free, the cake is Just Love’s first large gluten free celebration cake, which as a ‘serves 16’ makes it the ultimate centre piece worthy of any occasion. Just Love’s consumer research* showed that families with a coeliac or gluten intolerant child despair of the choice available to them when looking for a suitable celebration cake. …

A demonstration will be held outside of Port Talbot steelworks tomorrow (Friday). The protest, organised by Unite and attended by members of the public, will call on Tata to shelve its plans to close both blast furnaces and wait for this year’s general election. When: 12 noon, Friday 26 January 2024 Where: Main Entrance (Academy Roundabout), Tata Steel, Port Talbot, SA13 2LZ (Steel workers and members of the community will be available for interview and Unite can supply photos and video after the event.) Unite has secured commitments that an incoming Labour government will invest £3 billion in the UK’s…