Author: Rhys Gregory

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has raised £ 17,509 for the Wales Air Ambulance throughout its annual farmhouse breakfast week in January (15 -21 January 2024). Over 35 events were held across Wales with members and politicians alike enjoying the delicious, nutritious and sustainable breakfast produce on offer, whilst catching up on farming matters with FUW staff and officials. FUW President Ian Rickman said: “We have enjoyed another successful breakfast week and I thank all the staff, members, volunteers and our politicians across Wales for their incredible support. Together we have raised an incredible amount of money for this…

Multi-million pound plans to regenerate key parts of the Lower Swansea Valley are set to take some big steps forward. Swansea Council is working on a series of schemes in the River Tawe corridor with a view to submitting planning applications soon. They’re on track due in part to the council already securing £20m from the UK Government’s Levelling Up scheme last year. The Lower Swansea Valley project, with a close focus on the site of the former Hafod Morfa Copperworks, will result in more wealth and greater local connectivity. It’ll help tell the story of Swansea’s rich industrial legacy…

Former Wales Women’s Football Manager, Jayne Ludlow MBE, has joined University of South Wales (USW) as Head of Sport. Jayne won the first of 61 Wales caps, aged 17, in 1996 and was an integral member of the Arsenal side that won a domestic triple of Premier League, FA Cup and League Cup in 2001. In 2007, Jayne captained Arsenal as they became the first British team to win the UEFA Champions League which completed an incredible quadruple. Following her retirement from playing, Jayne pursued a career in coaching, working first within strength and conditioning before gaining her football coaching…

Ammar Akhtar, Founder and CEO of Finalrentals successfully secures a spot in Tech Nation’s prestigious Libra Programme and becomes the only Wales-based business amongst a cohort of 25. Tech Nation’s Libra Programme is dedicated to empowering and connecting underrepresented tech founders, equipping them with the knowledge, connections, and tools necessary to scale their tech startups. According to Tech Nation, the UK’s Black and Multi-Ethnic communities comprise 14% of the UK population, yet all-ethnic teams received an average of 1.7% of the venture capital investments made at seed, early and late stage between 2009 and 2019. Established in December 2016, Finalrentals launched with no investment but a wealth of industry experience from Akhtars decade…

GS Verde Group has appointed a new non-executive director, James Lewis.  James is an experienced corporate finance and capital markets specialist, with over 25 years of experience derived from roles with major investment banks including Deutsche Bank and Credit Suisse, and Big 4 accountancy practices KPMG and Deloitte. James joins the Board at a time of growth for GS Verde Group and immediately follows the Group’s recent announcement of its successful seven-figure raise and the admission of its shares to the  JP Jenkins secondary market platform. Within GS Verde Group the appointment is seen to mark the beginning of the…

Quantum Advisory, the leading independent financial services consultancy, has announced the expansion of its Employee Benefits team with the appointment of Graham Yearsley as principal consultant and lead. Stuart Price, partner and actuary at Quantum Advisory, said: “We are experiencing a really positive market trend as more and more employers strive to seek and retain the very best people for their teams – employee benefits play a huge part in this. As such, it is important to stay ahead of the curve to ensure our clients have the newest and most interesting ways to add benefits to their workforce. “Graham…

As we embrace the fresh start that January brings, it’s the perfect time to rethink how we care for our outdoor spaces. Steven Bell, the Managing Director of Paving Shopper, brings to light some crucial insights. While maintaining the pristine look of your patio might seem like a simple task, Bell highlights several common cleaning practices that could inadvertently damage your paving stones. His expert advice is particularly timely as we look to rejuvenate our homes and gardens for the new year. Caution with Pressure Washers While pressure washers can be effective, Bell advises caution. Incorrect use can cause significant…

South Wales Police was called just before 6.05pm last night, Tuesday 23rd January, with a report of a woman having been seen by the water’s edge just off the Esplanade in Porthcawl. Emergency services responded including HM Coastguard, the RNLI, and the National Police Air Service (NPAS). HM Coastguard is continuing the maritime search effort with assistance from our specialist search team and other agencies.

Ahead of tomorrow’s Dydd Santes Dwynwen – a day that is considered to be the Welsh equivalent to Valentine’s Day – RSPCA Cymru is hoping that love will be in the air for some of the pets that have been so far overlooked in their search for a forever home. The RSPCA revealed earlier this month –  to mark its 200th birthday in 2024 – that it has found loving new homes for more than 17,000 animalsin a decade across Wales across its animal centres and branch network. Although due to a number of factors including a post-pandemic world coupled…

Blossoming Welsh culinary talent was on display as eight chefs put their skills to the test in the final of the Junior Chef of Wales competition yesterday (Tuesday). The final was held on the second day of the Welsh International Culinary Championships (WICC) organised by the Culinary Association of Wales and hosted by the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales), Newport. Last year’s runner-up Abbie Williams, a learner at Coleg y Cymoedd’s Nantgarw Campus, is hoping to go one better this time, after competing against seven young rivals from across Wales. The other finalists included Katie Duffy, chef at The…