Author: Rhys Gregory

A paper packaging manufacturer for the food industry in Caerphilly has been granted £300,000 of Welsh Government funding to safeguard 55 jobs and create 10 more. Chevler Ltd in Hengoed makes packaging for bakery, butchery and hospitality clients and plans to use the funding to make its factory fit for purpose by replacing an aging asbestos roof. The company hopes this will significantly reduce heating costs, carbon emissions and improve working conditions for employees. The investment from the Welsh Government’s Economy Futures Fund includes a £150,000 repayable and £150,000 non-repayable grant and is given to businesses to help create better…

The Education Minister Jeremy Miles has met with staff, pupils and parents at Maindee Primary school in Newport, to see how a community focussed school is helping to ensure all learners reach their full potential. Welsh Government will have invested £60m of capital funding by 2025 to support community focussed schools throughout Wales to safely open their facilities to families and the wider community. In addition, £6.5m is being provided for family engagement officers who are employed by schools, part of their role being improving pupil attendance. A trial of Community Focused Schools Managers is continuing, to support engagement between…

An organisation helping children and young adults with learning disabilities and a specialist palliative care hospice are to benefit from a Flintshire business’ charitable donations. A contribution of £1,000 has been made to both DAFFODILS and St Kentigern Hospice by Synthite, a Mold-based chemical manufacturer. The donations form part of the £2,000 allocation from parent company Tennants Consolidated Ltd to help causes of their choice within the local community. DAFFODILS, situated in the same town as Synthite, offers support to youngsters in Flintshire aged up to 25 who require assistance with a range of special needs, including autism, cerebral palsy,…

Mothers have been sewing a quilt to encourage discussions about the infant feeding choices they make, as part of an Aberystwyth University academic’s project. Dr Gillian McFadyen is one of the researchers leading the Motherhood Quilt and Guilt project, in collaboration with academics from Swansea and Northumbria Universities. The innovative project invited mothers to submit a voice recording re-counting their experiences of feeding their babies, and to donate an outgrown babygro which could be stitched into the quilt. Community workshops were then held in Aberystwyth and Swansea which gave local mothers the opportunity to get together to share their experiences…

Cryptocurrency exchanges like Coinbase, Crypto.com, and Gemini warn users in the U.K. about new requirements related to risk assessments and investment questionnaires, aimed at assessing their financial literacy. This comes in anticipation of strict regulations on advertising digital asset products in the country.  Users have been informed that starting Monday, January 8, 2024, they must complete a declaration specifying their investor profile and respond to a questionnaire covering various aspects of financial services and regulation. Failure to complete these tasks successfully will result in a restriction on trading activities.  These changes align with the Financial Services and Markets Act in…

Over the past twenty years or so, online slots have only grown in popularity, with there seemingly being no end to their rise. With the release of these online slot games such as Cleopatra slots, more and more players are taking their first steps into online slot games as it’s never been more accessible to newer players. You can pretty much play wherever you like, sitting in front of the tv in the evening? You can have a quick game, on lunch at work, have a quick few spins, it’s never been easier to play! Stepping into online slots can…

Imagine sitting down for a gaming session, and your favourite online platform already knows your preferred types of games on new slot sites. With advanced technology weaving its way into the digital entertainment fabric, the future of slot games promises a highly personalised touch, elevating your gaming experience to new heights. With ever-changing tastes and a demand for deeper engagement, slot games are rapidly adapting to include more customised elements that reflect each player’s unique preferences and playing styles. Let’s explore what these advancements might look like and how they’re set to transform the way we play. Developers are leading the…

Today, Thursday January 25, is exactly 25 years to the day since Tŷ Hafan Children’s Hospice first opened its doors to children with life-shortening conditions, and their families, in Wales. The first dedicated children’s hospice in Wales, Tŷ Hafan welcomed its first intake of children on Monday, 25 January 1999, with the then 12-year-old Emily Weaver from Brackla being the very first young person to benefit from the charity’s services. Jacob Ferriday from Barry, then aged two, was also among the first group of children to attend Tŷ Hafan’s purpose-built hospice in Sully, near Cardiff. Today, 25 years on, 37-year-old…

Don’t. Breathe. A word. A stage adaptation of an iconic horror story is Wales Millennium Centre’s newest production – arriving just in time for Halloween. PONTYPOOL is based on the cult horror story by Tony Burgess that turned the zombie genre on its head. Set originally in the Pontypool of Ontario, Canada, this new adaptation by Welsh writer Hefin Robinson sees terror unfold through the eyes and ears of radio broadcasters in the eponymous Torfaen town.  The announcement comes on St Dwynwen’s Day – celebrating the Welsh patron saint of lovers – which is also when PONTYPOOL is set, with…

The Welsh Government is working with NSPCC Cymru and young people to understand the solutions to preventing harmful behaviour. Today the Welsh Government has published a new Peer-on-Peer Sexual Harassment Plan. The plan sets out how the Welsh Government will work with partners to prevent and end peer on peer sexual harassment and address harmful behaviour when it occurs. A safe learning environment is essential to giving young people the best chances in education. The Welsh Government has published a new plan so that schools and colleges understand their roles and responsibilities, and provide quality training so staff can confidently…