Author: Rhys Gregory

One of Britain’s leading restructuring and recovery experts has forecast a ‘grim outlook’ for British businesses as liquidations reached new record levels today. Colin Haig, Partner and National Head of Restructuring at UK top 10 accountancy firm Azets, reacted to the latest government statistics on new company insolvencies in England and Wales for Q2 2023 (April to June). There were 6,342 company insolvencies in Q2 2023 (April to June), the highest since Q2 2009, 9% higher than in Q1 2023 and 13% higher than in Q2 2022. There were 5,240 creditors’ voluntary liquidations (CVLs), the highest quarterly level since the…

A new seven-year partnership has been announced between Cardiff Metropolitan University and Commonwealth Games Wales to create education, research and employment opportunities for young people across Wales. The naming of Cardiff Met as the new Higher Education Partner for Team Wales comes one week before the Trinbago 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games (Weds 4th – Friday 11th August 2023). The two organisations will work together to develop key areas including research, technology and digital media, women in sport leadership, student placements and a range of programmes focused on schools and communities and across Wales. Cardiff Metropolitan University is renowned for offering…

The 2023 Royal Welsh Show draws to a close after a fantastic and jam-packed four days of competitions, entertainment, food, sports, activities, and shopping. Excited crowds from across the globe packed into the showground in Llanelwedd to celebrate the very best of Welsh and British agriculture. Stealing the show, the livestock certainly took centre stage. The competitions saw an excellent standard of entries across all sections. Exhibitors came from far and wide, all hoping to go home with a Royal Welsh rosette. The livestock exhibits at the Royal Welsh are a display of some of the finest animals in Europe…

Eight graduate entrepreneurs based at the University of South Wales (USW) have shared £20,000 of start-up funding to help get their business off to a flying start. The business leaders successfully pitched for a share of the money as part of fifth round of the USW-funded Springboard Start-up Fund, which has been running since 2021. The awards were made following the Springboard Pitching Day in late June, for which 20 applied and 11 were shortlisted. The programme is managed by the USW-based Startup Stiwdio graduate incubator team, in partnership with the USW Careers and Enterprise teams. The programme also receives…

Heartbreaking figures released today by the RSPCA as part of its Cancel Out Cruelty campaign have revealed 1,072 cat cruelty complaints were made in Wales last year. Across England and Wales, there were almost 18,000 cat cruelty complaints reported to the RSPCA in 2022. Of those reports 1,726  were intentional harm incidents – which is around five a day. This is a 25% increase from  2021 when the number was 1,387. In Wales there were 89 reports of intentional harm incidents involving cats out of 1,072 cat cruelty calls. Sadly 600 calls were concerning neglect. The charity has released the…

A man who lost his dad to a brain tumour just weeks ago, is taking on a month-long charity bike ride. Mark Hughes, of Rogerstone, is taking part in Cycle 274 Miles in August for the charity Brain Tumour Research. It comes after losing his father Chris Hughes to a glioblastoma (GBM) on Saturday 15 July, four months after diagnosis. He was 62. Mark, 37, said: “Dad was active, he used to run and loved cycling. When I saw the challenge on Facebook it seemed a fitting way to celebrate something he loved whilst raising awareness of brain tumours.” Doctors…

Thousands of older people in Wales in need of social care are being left to either cope as best they can by themselves or rely on unpaid care from family and friends. And many of these unpaid carers are close to breaking point, according to a new report by Age Cymru. It says that while those with the most urgent needs are being supported, thousands are being left struggling on lengthy waiting lists.  The longest reported wait for an individual to be assessed by a local authority was 1,122 days. At the same time the charity’s advice services recorded an…

The re-opening of Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs has been welcomed by Cardiff Council Leader, Cllr Huw Thomas. The news, announced recently by Welsh Water follows a major redevelopment to bring the iconic Victorian reservoirs back to life as a hub for health and wellbeing and a haven for wildlife. Cllr Thomas, said: “The opening of the new visitor centre signals the start of a brand-new chapter in the long history of the Lisvane and Llanishen Reservoirs.It has long been a commitment of my administration to see these important blue and green spaces back in use by the community and I’m…

he long school summer holidays are upon us and for parents of young children that usually means working hard to ensure they can play happily and safely. But when it comes to safe, stimulating and adventurous play, however, there is help at hand and this year’s National Playday in Cardiff is offering everyone low-cost or no-cost activities that children can enjoy. National Playday has been a fixture of the summer calendar since 1991 and as well as a celebration of children’s rights to play, it is a campaign that highlights the importance of play in their lives. So come along,…

Families are being supported to make the most of the school summer holidays with the biggest-ever programme of free and subsidised activities in Swansea. The free bus offer is also back every Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday for the whole of the break so many can be reached without cost. Some schools are taking part in the Welsh Government funded Food and Fun programme where pupils attend for fun activities and are provided with a healthy breakfast or lunch. The council is supporting other projects with grants to community food initiatives and food banks and also with transport for the…