Author: Rhys Gregory

Some of Wales’ best known food and drink companies have recently returned from Japan, where they have been promoting the best of what Wales has to offer at Asia’s largest food and drink exhibition. Supported by the Welsh Government, seven food and drink producers from Wales attended Foodex Japan, under the Cymru/Wales banner, with many returning having made important new contacts, that will hopefully lead to lucrative orders. Among the Welsh exhibitors were Calon Wen, Castle Dairies, Edwards – The Welsh Butcher, Glamorgan Brewing, Hybu Cig Cymru, Mydflower and Ty Nant. Welsh food and drink exports to non-EU countries were…

Dear Editor I am writing to you today to invite your readers to put the kettle on – and hold their very own fundraising tea party for Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice to mark our charity’s first 25 years in operation. Every year Tŷ Hafan provides vital care and support for more than 350 children with life-shortening conditions and their families in our hospice in Sully and in homes and communities across Wales. Currently this costs £5.6m per year with only 12% coming from statutory sources and, unfortunately, our running costs are only continuing to go up. Without the amazing kindness,…

The Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act (the Act) became law in October 2023; since then, Companies House has been preparing to implement those changes contained in the Act intended to tackle economic crime in the UK, improve the transparency of corporate information and reform its role as the UK companies registry. These changes will have a knock-on effect for registered companies, limited liability partnerships (LLPs) and limited partnerships (LPs) in the UK. Over recent years criticism has been levelled at the quality of the data and accuracy of the information filed at Companies House. Historically, Companies House has operated…

The RSPCA in Wales has received more than 600 reports about animals found severely injured, trapped, mutilated, choked or even dead from carelessly discarded litter over the past four years. The shocking new data – released today by the charity – also reveals that the figure rises to 12,817 across England and Wales (614 specifically in Wales). In addition on average there were 13 reports per day made across England and Wales last year during the peak months of May, June, July and August, when there is a particular litter hazard for animals. RSPCA Cymru  is urging people to help…

Environmental charity, Keep Wales Tidy, has published its annual All Wales Report for 2023-24, which provides the only consistent and robust measure of street litter data for the whole of Wales.  This year, Keep Wales Tidy surveyed 3,161 streets across Wales between April 2023 and January 2024, with results representing streets adopted by local authorities alone and not extending to parks, beaches or busy roads, meaning results likely present a significant underestimate.  Drinks litter was present on 43.6% of streets, with levels in individual counties ranging considerably from 19.4% of streets to 86.1%.   Aluminium cans are consistently the most common…

A Welsh food wholesaler has launched a new campaign to slash prices and undercut its competitors by up to 38%. Harlech Foodservice, which has bases in Criccieth, Chester, Carmarthen and Merthyr Tydfil, announced the “aggressive” drive at its two-day Food Expo for trade customers at Venue Cymru in Llandudno where record sales topped £1 million. One hundred lines have been added to Harlech’s price comparison package as part of its Trust Our Prices initiative, with nearly 400 top selling lines benchmarked against competitors’ prices. Harlech managing director David Cattrall said: “We are disrupting the established way foodservice companies operate. “We…

ALMOST half of adults in the UK have not written a will.   A report by the National Will Register also revealed 42% have not spoken to anyone about what should happen to their estate upon their death. This is a growing issue nationwide, which is why Mackenzie Jones Solicitors – based in St Asaph, Menai Bridge and Chester – has added prominent Wills and Probate lawyer Matthew Skeels to its award-winning team. Originally from Pembrokeshire and now living in Wirral – an area where the company has experienced growth in past months – the University of Chester graduate urged…

Officers from Tarian Regional Organised Crime Unit (ROCU), working in partnership with the Gambling Commission, HMRC and Cardiff City Council Licensing, executed six warrants across Cardiff on Wednesday February 28, following intelligence that an illegal gambling den was operating in Splott. Two males were arrested on suspicion of money laundering and gambling act offences. The den, which occupied the upstairs area of an industrial unit in Splott, was searched, and all gambling paraphernalia seized and removed. The seizure included six poker tables, a spinning prize wheel, poker coins and chips, and multiple flatscreen televisions. Kay Roberts, Gambling Commission Executive Director…

ymru U21 head coach Matty Jones has announced his squad for the 2025 UEFA EURO Under-21 qualifier against Lithuania and friendly against Morocco. Jones has named three uncapped players in the squad for the first time, including Liverpool duo Terence Miles and Lewis Koumas and West Bromwich Albion defender Alex Williams. Luca Hoole returns after missing out in the last window through injury, while Ben Lloyd, Joel Colwill, Oliver Ewing and Pat Jones are the other changes to the squad from November’s matches. Cymru’s first game of the window sees them take on Lithuania in their penultimate home qualifier at Rodney…

Contactless tap in, tap out ‘Pay As You Go’ rail payment option has now been extended to the Ebbw Vale line (from Mon 18 March). Making it faster, easier and cheaper to travel, Transport for Wales launched the pilot scheme in January on journeys between Cardiff Central, Newport and Pontyclun. Following the success of the pilot, the scheme has now been extended to the Ebbw Vale line – making it a total of 11 stations taking part. By the end of 2024 TfW aim to expand the scheme to all 95 stations across the South-East Wales Metro. Alexia Course, Chief Commercial…