Author: Rhys Gregory

Popham Kidney Support, the Swansea-based kidney charity, has announced the date for its marquee fundraising event of 2024: the Popham Annual Awards Dinner. This anticipated event will be held on Friday, September 13, at Morgans Hotel in Swansea. Following the success of last year’s fundraiser, Popham Kidney Support is calling on businesses to support this year’s Annual Awards Dinner, with the goal of raising substantial funds for children facing kidney disease. Hosted by TV presenter and Popham Kidney Support Ambassador Sian Lloyd, the evening will feature five awards to honour the contributions of supporters, volunteers, and kidney patients to Popham…

Menter a Busnes, which has been supporting businesses and individuals in Wales to start-up and grow for more than three decades, has today (26 June) unveiled a new brand and strategy which aims to propel Welsh businesses onto a global stage.  Under an ambitious new identity — Mentera — revealed its revamped look alongside a new strategic plan to key partners, Government officials and industry leaders at Llanerch Vineyard, an example of a Welsh business that has diversified from farmland to become an internationally-recognised vineyard destination.     Marking its 35th anniversary year, Mentera (previously Menter a Busnes) and its 170-strong staff…

The fisheries research has picked up two separate £250,000 awards after making successful bids to prestigious environmental funding programmes, overseen by Welsh Government. It was named as one of the projects chosen to benefit from the latest round of the Nature Networks Fund. Delivered in partnership with The National Lottery Heritage Fund and Natural Resources Wales, the Fund helps Welsh Government work towards the Global Biodiversity Framework 30 by 30 goal, which aims to protect and effectively manage 30 per cent of the planet’s marine, freshwater and terrestrial environments by 2030. The Swansea team, based in the Faculty of Science…

Communities across Ceredigion are being invited to “adopt” streams to improve biodiversity and community connection to their local river, in an initiative led by West Wales Rivers Trust (WWRT). Adopt a Tributary Ceredigion is funded by the UK Government through the UK Shared Prosperity Fund, supported by the Levelling Up Campaign and delivered by Ceredigion County Council. The initiative seeks to improve the condition of the rivers of Ceredigion, stretching from the Afon Clarach and Afon Rheidol catchments in the North to the Afon Teifi in the South, by supporting and training communities to become the eyes, ears, and voices…

Once overgrown, derelict and vandalised, Aberglasney is delighted to be celebrating a momentous milestone next month as it reaches the 25th anniversary of the gardens being restored and open to the public. There is mention of ‘nine green gardens’ at Aberglasney in a poem dating from medieval times, with the history of Aberglasney documented from the days of Henry VIII. The historic grade II* listed mansion at Aberglasney has been home to many colourful characters over the last 500 years including a famous poet, artists and a bishop. Aberglasney was on the brink of collapse however when it was rescued…

A study examining growth trends of 11 regional UK cities over the past decade has found that Cardiff enjoyed sustainable growth. The city combined employment and wage growth with the second strongest improvement in healthy life expectancy at birth. A comparably higher percentage of citizens with no qualifications, however, is likely to remain a drag on future growth. OCO Global’s ‘Local Heroes’ report examined 37 data points covering economic, prosperity, wellbeing, property and educational trends over the past decade. The cities were ranked as Top Tier (Edinburgh), Booming (Belfast, Manchester and Bristol), Solid Performers (Cardiff, Liverpool, Leeds and Newcastle) and…

There are just a few weeks left to enter the 2024 Wales STEM Awards with entries closing on 12th July. The 2024 Wales STEM Awards will shine a spotlight on the organisations and individuals making a difference to the STEM agenda in Wales. The awards celebrate those leading the sector in Wales, those businesses creating an impact on the Welsh economy, those addressing the STEM diversity gap and skills shortage, and those inspiring and raising aspirations of the next generation. The 2024 ceremony will take place on 17th October at the Mercure Holland House Hotel in Cardiff. There are fifteen…

Wales’ fastest growing Community Bank has gained Investing in Volunteers accreditation. Smart Money Cymru passed the rigorous assessments for the award, and CEO Mark White is delighted. “We rely heavily on our volunteers and are obviously very pleased to have achieved this status.” Smart Money Cymru has 18 full and part-time volunteers across its 12 sites in South and Mid Wales, playing a vital part in its day-to-day operations supporting the organisation’s 14,000 Members, working alongside staff. The Community Bank has grown rapidly from its base in Caerphilly, having recently merged with Newport, Brecon and Red Kite Credit Union in Llandrindod Wells.…

There will be a series of changes to the traffic management arrangements around the Pontypridd bingo hall site from the beginning of July. These will be carefully managed to maintain traffic flow, particularly at peak times. Work started in February 2024 to redevelop the site into a vibrant public realm space, and to accommodate new bus bays to serve the southern end of the town centre. The scheme is on course for completion this summer as planned. Since the early stages of the scheme, the southbound lane closest to the former bingo hall site has remained closed to facilitate work…

The Welsh Government has announced a new data partnership with OpenAI to improve how AI-technologies works in Welsh. In the Senedd this week, Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Energy and Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, outlined his key priorities for the Welsh language, with technology a golden thread running through each one. His priorities include: Publishing a Welsh Language Education Bill in the coming weeks which will enable all school pupils in Wales to become independent and confident Welsh speakers; Supporting economic development in communities with a high density of Welsh speakers to ensure the language flourishes alongside economic growth; Creating…