Author: Rhys Gregory

Three members of a Pembrokeshire farming family have been sentenced for deliberately swapping cattle ear tags; actions that saw animals with Bovine Tuberculosis (TB) reactors remain on the farm. Bovine Tuberculosis is a zoonotic infection that can infect many species, including humans and wildlife, though transmission to humans in the UK is very rare as a result of control measures in place across the agricultural and food industries. The actions of Edward, Charles and Henry Hartt displayed widespread illegality and created an unacceptable and serious risk to animal health. The Hartts operate a large scale dairy and beef farming enterprise…

Businesses in Powys with plans to expand, or secure their future in challenging times, could be eligible for a Growth Grant from the county council. Sums of between £1,000 and £25,000 are available after a total of nearly £1.1 million was secured by the council, from the UK Government, via the Shared Prosperity Fund. This money, which can also be claimed by businesses looking to move to Powys, will be available until it has been fully allocated. A total of £143,000 was allocated during the first window, in November and December last year, and because it proved so popular the…

The Minister for Education and Welsh Language has today announced additional funding of half a million pounds for the National Eisteddfod and the Urdd Eisteddfod, to make this year’s festivals accessible to lower income families. £350,000 will be provided to the National Eisteddfod and £150,000 to the Urdd as one-off funding to enable families and individuals from lower income households to attend the national festivals in Rhondda Cynon Taf and Montgomery this summer. This means that free admission tickets and food vouchers will be available for up to 18,400 eligible local people to attend the National Eisteddfod in Pontytpridd in…

Climate Change Minister Julie James has this week (Tuesday, March 12) delivered a statement on the Welsh Government’s approach to tackling issues caused by second home ownership that she described as being ‘unparalleled in a UK context’. Addressing the large number of second homes and short-term lets in many communities is one of the commitments outlined in the Welsh Government’s Programme for Government and the Co-operation Agreement with Plaid Cymru. To achieve this, a range of action has been taken to help manage future numbers of second homes and short-term lets. From April 2023, local authorities have had the powers…

Cardiff-based digital transformation agency, Spindogs, has announced a new two-year deal with the largest UK-owned motorcycle manufacturer, Triumph Motorcycles Ltd. The two-year contract will see Spindogs continue to develop digital solutions and data systems for the motorcycle giant. Spindogs has previously worked with Triumph on a range of digital tools for the brand, first partnering in 2017, and has been responsible for the development of a global first in the two-wheel automotive industry in an online service booking tool. The relationship has also already seen a cutting-edge cloud-based platform being developed and deployed for the Triumph brand across 800 dealers…

Divorces can be a messy business, even if they are handled on good terms from both sides of the divorce. Between working out settlements and dividing property and assets, it can easily become too much for just one person to handle, especially if a marriage is being dissolved with a great deal of money involved. A financial settlement solicitor is an expert who can make this part of the process significantly smoother, taking care of most of the finer details to ensure that each party gets what is rightfully theirs. More importantly, their work allows both parties to avoid a…

If you are looking to sell popular products in Wales or just want to know what items are seen to be the most desirable at the moment within this area, then this will take research. It is a rapidly evolving area, as online trends can make one product a must-have item one minute and completely undesirable the next. There are, however, some product areas that are longer lasting, so these are the ones that bear closer inspection. They cover different aspects of the Welsh lifestyle and having a greater knowledge about these can help you find the answers you are…

AN ESTEEMED financial planning business is targeting the North West after further growth in past months. Celtic Financial Planning, based in Mold, St Asaph, and London, has enjoyed a strong start to 2024. In addition to a raft of new clients and having sold all the tickets to its upcoming charity event with Wales RFU coach Warren Gatland, the company welcomed respected Independent Financial Adviser and Chartered Financial Planner, Chris Lloyd. With more than two decades experience in finance – including 15 years with one of the biggest names in the sector, AFH Wealth Management – he is proud to…

This week, Finboot has announced the completion of the first close of its latest funding round to accelerate the next phase of its growth strategy – with a particular focus on enabling companies and their net-zero transition through technology. This latest funding round has been led by a strategic investor together with Wealth Club.   Finboot helps its customers and partners accelerate their digital transformation, and by doing so helps them realise value and build trust through leading edge blockchain technology.   Finboot’s solution, MARCO, enables companies to incorporate blockchain within their value and supply chains, bringing traceability, transparency and compliance which, in…

A book loving five year schoolboy who reads his favourite stories to care home residents “melted the hearts” of millions of TV viewers watching The One Show. Local hero Harri Shone, a pupil of Ysgol Penrhyn, New Broughton, near Wrexham, had a starring role on the prime time BBC One programme as part of a package about World Book Day. He was filmed reading one of his stories to 90-year-old Coral Pickard, a resident at Pendine Park’s Highfield care home on the outskirts of the town. According to Harri, he loves to read to his older friends at Pendine “because…