Author: Rhys Gregory

Welsh regional rugby enters Round 15 of the 2025/26 United Rugby Championship in four very different places. Cardiff are genuine playoff contenders, Ospreys are scrapping for a top-eight spot, and Scarlets and Dragons are battling to salvage something from difficult campaigns, all against the backdrop of a WRU restructuring plan that could reduce Welsh regions from four to three. Cardiff Sixth with 41 points, Cardiff are well placed for a playoff berth under de facto head coach Corniel van Zyl.  At Cardiff Arms Park, they have been formidable, winning five of six home games, including a notable 8-7 victory over…

JCP Solicitors, one of Wales’ best‑known law firms, has confirmed the appointment of Directors Nick O’Neill and Sophie Thomas as new business owners. Director & Joint Head of Commercial Litigation Sophie Thomas, and Director within Injury Services Nick O’Neill, join JCP’s 13 other business owners as the firm continues to advance its growth plans. The appointments come during JCP’s 35-year anniversary year, celebrating over three decades of legal excellence for clients in Wales and beyond. Sophie Thomas is described as a ‘leading light’ in the Legal 500 and named a Leading Partner in the latest edition. Sophie guides her team to…

One in three children in West Wales aged between four and five years are above a healthy weight, research from Activate West Wales has revealed. The research also found that at primary school age across the region, fewer than one in four children and young people are achieving the recommended 60 minutes of daily physical activity. The data forms part of a new ‘State of the Region’ report, commissioned by Activate West Wales – which covers Neath Port Talbot, Swansea, Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire local authorities – and was delivered by The Welsh Institute of Physical Activity, Health and Sport (WIPAHS). A…

More than 30 free BBC events have been added to Hay Festival’s flagship spring programme, taking place 21–26 May in the Exchange Marquee, set in the centre of the free-to-enter Hay Festival site. Listeners can catch live programme recordings and more from Radio 4 and BBC Sounds, including a special Archers event in celebration of the programme’s 75th anniversary year, hosted by Archers Podcast host Emma Freud, which will see the modern-day cast recreate on stage the 1955 episode featuring the death of Grace Fairbrother, which became the most-listened-to moment in the programme’s history; In Our Time’s new host Misha…

Wales is set for a mixed Easter weekend, with sunshine giving way to wetter and windier conditions, according to the Met Office. A bright but chilly start to the period will offer a brief spell of settled weather before more unsettled conditions move in. Today is expected to remain largely dry with plenty of sunny spells through the morning and into the afternoon. Temperatures will feel fresher than recent days, with light winds and a maximum of around 12°C. However, conditions will change quickly overnight as cloud thickens and outbreaks of rain spread across the country. The rain could turn…

Corryn Biotechnologies, an advanced skincare and cosmetics company based in Port Talbot, has secured £500,000 equity investment to commercialise and scale up its cosmetic aftercare products in the UK and US. The funding round was led by the Development Bank of Wales, with investment from the Wales Technology Seed Fund II and the Wales Angel Co‑Investment Fund, alongside a syndicate of 11 UK, US, and Brazilian business angels and SFC Capital Partners. This latest investment from the Development Bank of Wales follows an earlier investment in March 2024 and will enable Corryn to accelerate commercial traction, scale its manufacturing capabilities,…

A college in South Wales is launching its first vocational course delivered entirely in Welsh to help address growing demand for bilingual staff in the childcare and care sectors. Coleg y Cymoedd will introduce a Welsh-language Level 2 Childcare course from September, creating a new pathway for learners who want to study and work through the medium of Welsh. The course – the first of its kind at the college – will help fill a regional gap for Welsh-medium Level 2 provision in South East Wales and support learners to progress into further study and careers within childcare. Led by…

Commercial law firm Darwin Gray has announced three new partner promotions as it enters its 25th year. This exciting announcement comes during a period of continued significant growth for the firm. Darwin Gray has recently seen a 40% growth in staff numbers in all its service areas and across its legal teams and support functions. The growth has been seen throughout both its Cardiff and Bangor offices, which have both doubled in size. Following the promotions of two partners in 2025, this latest announcement brings the number of partners at Darwin Gray to 13. The newly promoted partners are Siobhan…

A grade II listed Victorian-era now closed Powys school could have a bright new future after being put for sale at auction. The 161-year-old building, in the heart of the Welsh Marches, could have the potential for a range of new uses from residential, commercial or a mix of both, says Sean Roper of Paul Fosh Auctions. And what’s more the adjacent former headmaster’s house, is also for sale but listed as an earlier, separate lot at the same auction. The Old Schoolmaster’s House has a guide price of £65,000. Sean said: “The Old School, West Street, Knighton, which is…

Over a million pounds worth of drugs have been seized since the launch of Renew Bangor in March 2025. The multi-agency project began last year with an aim to tackle serious and organised crime in Bangor and surrounding areas. Over the last year, police and partners have carried out 75 operations which has resulted in £1.25 million worth of drugs being taken off the streets, £260,000 worth of criminal property seized and 71 drink and drug drivers arrested. One of the areas of focus was Bangor High Street, which has seen an 8.1% decrease in anti-social behaviour, improving the daily…