Author: Rhys Gregory

Businesses across Monmouthshire gathered again to connect, collaborate and network with potential partners and suppliers at a sell-out Expo held at the Basepoint business centre in Chepstow last week. Over 50 businesses and 75 people attended the event, which was a follow-up to the landmark Expo at Abergavenny Market Hall on 6 July. Attendees got the chance to showcase their products and services as well as chat with fellow founders to network and learn more about the opportunities across the county. The events are part of the wider Elevate Monmouthshire project, supporting entrepreneurship across the county. The initiative offers the…

An Aberystwyth University project providing free legal support for veterans has been awarded further funding of nearly half a million pounds (£499,885) to spend over three years, from The National Lottery Community Fund. Based in the Department of Law and Criminology, Veterans Legal Link was established in 2015.  The project offers legal support, advice, signposting and specialist referrals to armed forces veterans and their families. Dr Ola Olusanya from the Department of Law and Criminology, who leads the project, said: “I am delighted that the Veterans Legal Link project has received a further three years of funding from the National…

Monmouthshire County Council would like to hear from residents on the proposed Active Travel scheme design to improve journeys between Rogiet and Undy. Members of the local community will have the opportunity to speak to officers from Monmouthshire County Council and WSP on Wednesday 4th October between 2pm and 7pm at the Baptist Church, Magor. The event will allow residents to view current proposed plans. From Wednesday 4th October until 20th October residents are invited to complete a survey on the proposed design to improve the cycling and walking route between Rogiet and Undy. The study being undertaken by WSP…

Bus services in Neath Port Talbot will be reduced at the end of October with one being completely withdrawn on weekdays as the council and bus operators get to grips with a fall in Welsh Government funding and lower passenger numbers. There are warnings that April 2024 could see many further reductions here and across Wales as subsidies dry up. Welsh Government’s Bus Emergency Scheme (BES) which supported the bus industry through the Covid pandemic has now been replaced by the Bus Transition Fund (BTF) with its budget capped at £46m for the 2023/2024 financial year. The funding, with £4m…

A Neath Port Talbot Council project to refurbish and renew the play area at Port Talbot’s Talbot Memorial Park has been completed. The work, which began in July this year, has involved the removal of ageing equipment, general repairs and the addition of a back-to-back children’s roundabout. The play area has also been equipped with a new ‘Boat Climber’ multi-play unit for toddlers offering 10 activities which encourage imaginative games and play. It also has a new ‘Fireman’s Tower’ with a bannister slide, scramble net, slide hooped climber plus a look-out tower and platforms. The new additions, repairs and refurbishment…

The take up of large industrial property in Wales reached 800,000 sq ft in the third quarter of the year, according to the latest report from global property consultancy Knight Frank. This level of activity for properties over 50,000 sq ft showed a fourfold increase over the take up for Q2 this year, and compares with 1.3 million sq ft for the third quarter last year.  The overall take up for the first nine months of 2023 was 300,000 sq ft down on the same period last year. The Q3 take up comprised six transactions, with three lettings and two…

A Flintshire composer whose song made history at the coronation of King Charles is following in the footsteps of his lifelong hero to take the reins of a globally renowned music festival. Paul Mealor, who was born in St Asaph and raised in Connah’s Quay, has been appointed as the new Artistic Director of the North Wales International Music Festival which was established by his mentor, Professor William Mathias. He will be taking over from the acclaimed mezzo soprano, Ann Atkinson, who is stepping down after 20 successful years at the helm. One of Paul’s big ambitions is for the…

Following the success of council funding to support the tourism sector, further funding is now available to help small tourism accommodation businesses in rural or semi-rural parts of Swansea improve their offer. Businesses can apply for up to £10,000, which is being made available by Swansea Council through the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF). It’s the third time this type of tourism support funding has been made available. The first two rounds were a result of direct funding that Swansea Council made available as part of its economic recovery strategy to support the tourism sector, post-pandemic. That funding led…

On Thursday 28th September at the British Podcast Awards in London, Truth Be Told: Adoption Stories, a podcast by the National Adoption Service won the Silver Award in the Parenting category.  A young person from South Wales who featured in the series two finale which was hosted by young, adopted people was in attendance to collect the award and celebrate the podcast’s success. Ellie-Rose, 22, represented National Adoption Service for Wales (NAS) at the national awards ceremony, where the Truth Be Told: Adoption Stories podcast, placed higher than parenting podcast powerhouse Dirty Mother Pukka / Anna Whitehouse. The Truth Be…

Hawkstone Commercials Co-director Oliver Lewis has been named as Young Entrepreneur of the Year at the 2023 South Wales Business Awards. Held at the iconic Hilton Hotel in Cardiff, the awards were celebrating their 15th year, with a gala black-tie ceremony hosted by Sara Edwards. As 2023 draws to a close, this award caps off a fantastic first 15 months of business for Hawkstone Commercials. With a £15 million turnover against a projected £150,000 and staff member number twenty onboarded, Hawkstone is on course to become the UK’s leading commercial car and van leasing businesses within the next 2-3 years.…