Author: Rhys Gregory

Wales has built a strong reputation in recent decades as an emerging tech hub, with thriving digital clusters in Cardiff, Swansea, and Newport. However, for the nation’s computer science industry to continue growing and competing for investment and talent on a global scale, targeted action is required. From boosting graduate numbers to increasing R&D spending, both the government and the private sector have pivotal roles to play in taking Welsh computer science to the next level. Investing In Cutting-Edge Research And Development For any nation’s tech sector to flourish, substantial investment in R&D is crucial. This focuses on progressing scientific…

Newport’s Maindee area, Pwllheli in Gwynedd, and Neyland in Pembrokeshire are part of a new UK-wide initiative announced today, seeking to help local, mostly urban, communities stand up for nature in their neighbourhoods, tackling the global climate and nature crises at a local level. Three-quarters of people in the UK are worried about the state of nature, yet we are in the bottom 10% of countries globally for protecting it. In March 2023, the People’s Plan for Nature set out recommendations to reverse the UK’s shocking declines in nature, including calls for greater investment in ways to help communities take…

A 59-year-old grandad from Cardiff has revealed his rare, vintage Motorola 4800X mobile phone that leaves his granddaughters in hysterics whenever he brings it out as his party piece. Mark, a warehouse worker from Wales, has been named the owner of the UK’s oldest mobile phone by phone retailer Mobile Phones Direct, with his vintage “brick phone” hailing from 1989. Mark shares that the vintage gem was worth more than £1,000 in the 80s when he used it as part of his job working as a service engineer for a catering company, aged 25. “We used to share the phone…

City Hospice, Cardiff’s local hospice, showcased the vital work of its volunteers at a special event, supported by Jenny Rathbone MS, at the Senedd on 5 October. City Hospice is the only provider of home-based specialist palliative care in the capital and provides care to patients with terminal or life limiting illnesses, as well as counselling and support services for their patient’s families. The charity’s work is supported by over 250 volunteers who help with a range of roles at the hospice itself in Whitchurch and in the community, including gardening, transport for patients, event support and retail. Hosted by…

Business leaders have hailed news that the North Wales main line is to be electrified as a “once-in-a-generation boost” for the region. According to the North Wales Business Council, the electrified line would help provide faster, cleaner and more frequent train services. The announcement was made by Prime Minister Rishi Sunak at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester. During his speech it was confirmed that the HS2 leg between Birmingham and Manchester was going to be scrapped after the costs spiralled and that the £36 billion saved from cancelling that section, would now all be used on other projects across…

A leading Welsh actor and singer tapped into his experiences working at care home for people with dementia in his latest starring role. Emyr Gibson, the creative practitioner at Pendine Park’s Bryn Seiont Newydd care home in Caernarfon, plays the son of a man living with dementia in a film living with the cruel disease. It was made by Wild Rice Films on behalf of National Museums Liverpool who have linked up with the Welsh Government to launch House of Memories Cymru. The project is an expansion of the Merseyside organisation’s innovative dementia awareness programme which offers training, access to…

A mum and daughter are taking a leap of faith with skydive from 10,000 feet in aid of a dementia charity that’s close to their hearts. Mum-of-three and grandmother-of-10 Paula Simpson, 56, a senior care practitioner at the Pendine Park care organisation in Wrexham and her eldest daughter, Carla Griffiths, 37, will raising money for the Alzheimer’s Society. According to Paul, she was determined to jump into action because her beloved mum, Ann Evans, has dementia. Poignantly, she is now a resident at the Hillbury care home which is part of Pendine Park where Paula works, as does granddaughter Leah,…

The RSPCA is appealing for information after two brightly-coloured parakeets were dumped in a garden. The pair of Indian ringnecks, a male green-coloured bird and a blue female who was in poor health, were cruelly left confined in a small, barren cage outside a property in Glanffornwg, Bridgend, at around 12.30pm on September 14. Fortunately, the householder has some expertise in caring for birds. She placed enrichment toys and perches in the cage and called the RSPCA. The parakeets were taken to vets for treatment. Sadly, one of the birds was found to be suffering from a neurological disorder and…

Welsh tennis aces Mimi Xu and Viktor Frydrych continue to showcase their talent on a global scale. The youth tennis stars championed the Beijing ITF J300 U18’s competition last weekend (08 October), with Mimi (15), and Viktor (17) dominating the court in both the singles and doubles competitions. Mimi Xu challenged players from China, Denmark, and Great Britain before winning 6-2, 6-4, against top seed Laura Samsonova from the Czech Republic to capture the U18’s girl’s title. Teaming up with her GB partner, Mika Stojsavljevic, Mimi also won the U18 girl’s doubles title against Hao Liang and Ruien Zhang of…

A new trend has taken to TikTok where people claim that ‘sun gazing’ can strengthen your eyesight by taking in UVB rays. The trend shares that UVB rays have health benefits and contributes to Vitamin D production and eye health, and all you have to do is stare directly into the sun following either one of two methods: During the first and last 15 minutes of sunlight of the day, when the sun is the furthest away from earth, take out your contact lenses and stare directly at the sun for 5 to 10 seconds, building this duration up over…