Author: Rhys Gregory

An adventurous little dog scaled the highest peak in South Wales to raise money for the rescue centre that’s been taking care of him for the last three years. Five-year-old terrier Yoko was taken in by the RSPCA in February 2021 and has been patiently waiting for a forever home ever since. The team at the RSPCA’s Cotswolds Dogs & Cats Home, Gloucestershire, have been caring for the little dog since he arrived. To mark his three-year milestone in kennels, and to give him an exciting adventure to embark on, they decided to aim for South Wales’s highest peak, Pen…

GlobalWelsh, the Welsh diaspora organisation focused on connecting Welsh people and businesses globally, announces that is has partnered with Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council (CBC) to pioneer a groundbreaking initiative to leverage the expertise, resources, and connections of its global diaspora for the benefit of its economy and communities. The project will also be supported by placemaking consultancy Owen Davies Consulting, experts in local economic development. At the heart of this initiative is the understanding that successful economic growth and regeneration require the involvement and commitment of the very people they aim to support. Across the UK there are examples…

Welsh food and drink companies are being encouraged to take up support from a Welsh Government backed project which aims to reduce waste in the food and drink supply chain. The call to action coincides with Love Food Hate Waste’s Food Waste Action Week 2024 (18th – 24th March), an annual campaign which brings businesses, government organisations and global partners together to work towards halving food waste by 2030. Project HELIX, which is delivered by Food Innovation Wales, a partnership of three food centres located across Wales, offers a variety of funded waste reduction support, including waste audits, reviewing and…

Kitchenware and appliances brand, Cooks Professional, has increased its stock capacity and strengthened its growth trajectory, thanks to a six-figure funding package from HSBC UK. Based in Powys, Cooks Professional imports kitchen goods from China to sell nationwide across the UK, such as air fryers, espresso machines and cast-iron cookware. The HSBC UK funding package will contribute to the upfront purchase of stock for the business, allowing for a faster flow of goods to its UK customer base. Vin Bhogal, Director at Cooks Professional, commented: “The funding package from HSBC UK marks a significant milestone in Cooks Professional’s business journey.…

Excitement is building amongst the running community as one of Wales’ oldest marathon events returns this Sunday, 17th March 2024. The 2Wish Great Welsh Marathon and Half Marathon will be hosted at the award-winning Pembrey Country Park, a location renown for its stunning woodlands (all 500 acres of it!) and gorgeous golden sands. Not only is it Wales’ top visitor atttactions, the race itself was nominated by Runner’s World as being one of the MUST-do marathon’s to run in 2024! Tash Smith, Race Director, said.  “It’s an exciting time for us as a team heading into marathon season where runners…

The 20,323 sq ft city centre property is situated directly opposite Cardiff Castle and close to the Principality Stadium and comprises a popular bar and restaurant, along with four newly refurbished self-contained office suites on the upper floors. The tenant, Revolution Bars, hold a lease on the bar and restaurant space until 2042. In total, the asset produces £287,000 in annual rental income, with further active asset management potential. John Mehtab of Acuitus comments: “The UK leisure sector is still performing well across the national picture. Investors are often on the lookout for strong covenants, excellent market conditions, reliable tenants,…

Shane, 49, can be seen here on CCTV leaving the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff, on Sunday, May 7, 2023. Extensive enquiries have been carried out to locate Shane but there have been no confirmed sightings since he was seen on Allensbank Road, close to the hospital, at around 12.30pm that day. He is known to live a transient lifestyle and could possibly be living in a tent. He has links to Swansea and has also previously lived in the Roath area of Cardiff. Shane’s mother, Diane Bush has appealed asking: “If anyone knows where he is, please let us…

Following a successful 12 months for the all-electric TrawsCymru T1 bus service between Carmarthen and Aberystwyth, Transport for Wales (TfW) has announced a revised fare structure for the T1 route. From Sunday 31 March, fares for single-ticket journeys on the T1 that are more than 3km (1.8 miles) will increase by £0.25, bringing them in line with the standardised fare structure in place on the T2, T3 and T10 services. This increase will only apply to tickets purchased onboard the bus, meaning customers will be able to purchase the best value fares by downloading the TrawsCymu app. Single-ticket journeys of…

Nearly 900 local businesses will once again be eligible for business rates support after Bridgend County Borough Council’s Cabinet agreed to adopt Welsh Government’s Retail, Leisure and Hospitality Rates Relief Scheme for the next financial year. Eligible businesses will benefit from a reduction of 40% off their business rates bill. The total amount of relief available is £110,000 across all properties occupied by the same business throughout Wales. The business must be in the retail, leisure, hospitality or tourism sectors, for example shops, markets, pharmacies, opticians, pubs and restaurants, gyms, performance venues and hotels. Businesses that aren’t eligible include casinos,…

Year 6 learners across primary schools with the county borough have recently attended the Crucial Crew event. Crucial Crew is an event that provides skills to young learners who are on the cusp of attending secondary school, providing them the opportunity to acquire essential skills at an impressionable time in their development. The event is an effective way of raising awareness from several professional agencies, to ensure pupils are provided with crucial information as they become more independent on their transition to secondary school. The following agencies attended the event and presented information on staying safe and hazards to look…