Author: Rhys Gregory

Michelin star chef Nathan Davies headlines this year’s Lampeter Food Festival which will showcase the wonderful variety of local food and drink producers in Ceredigion and former Dyfed counties on Saturday, July 29. Held on the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) campus in Lampeter, the festival will be open free of charge from 10am until 5pm and is expected to attract around 10,000 visitors. Patrick Holden, CBE, founder and chief executive of the Sustainable Food Trust and local farmer and producer of Hafod cheese, will perform the official opening at 12.30pm. Using ‘Back to its Roots’ as its…

Businesses in Wales have demonstrated resilience and optimism in the second quarter of 2023 according to the latest Quarterly Economic Survey from Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid. The Chamber’s quarterly economic surveys are independent surveys of business sentiment and a leading indicator of UK GDP growth, with the results closely watched by policymakers. The survey revealed a boost to business confidence in Wales in Q2, despite the ongoing challenges faced by the UK economy. There were noteworthy improvements regarding cashflow, with fewer businesses experiencing worsening conditions compared to Q1. 31% of businesses in Wales reported an increased…

Ainsley Gommon Architects (AGA), based in Hawarden in Flintshire and Birkenhead, Wirral, has completed the move into Employee Ownership (EO). The practice set up an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) that now holds 100% of the shares in the business, for the benefit of its employees. The practice, which currently employs 20 people, was founded as a partnership by David Ainsley and Peter Gommon in 1979, with Simon Venables becoming a partner in 1991 shortly after establishing the North Wales office. The company was incorporated in 2001, with Mark French, Alf Plant, Paul Lester and Steve Geary becoming board directors. David…

Over 2,600 people from Cardiff and the surrounding area united against cancer (Sunday 9th July) by taking part Race for Life in the capital’s Bute Park. Over £200,000 has been raised at Cancer Research UK’s bumper weekend of Race for Life events on 8-9th July – with sponsorship still coming in. These funds will enable the charity’s scientists to find new ways to prevent, diagnose and treat cancer- helping to save more lives. Over the two-day bumper weekend, more than 6,500 people united against cancer by taking part in Pretty Muddy and the traditional 10k, 5k and 3k events in…

An animal bedding company has unveiled ambitious expansion plans after a multi-million pound investment to buy a new eight-acre site. Platts Agriculture, which is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, is aiming to more than double annual sales to £20 million as part of a new three-year growth strategy. The news was revealed during a visit by Welsh Government Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths to their headquarters and manufacturing plant on Llay Industrial Estate. According to managing director Caroline Platt, the Welsh Government has played a key role in the company’s growth in recent years. The family firm was founded…

The spectacular pageant of the Parade of Nations has made its long-awaited return to the Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. The colourful cavalcade, sponsored by Everbright, included competitors from 19 countries on five different continents who were given a joyous welcome by delighted spectators who lined the streets in the picturesque town where Wales meets the world. It was the first time parade has been held since 2019 with Covid taking its toll on the event for three years before this its triumphant return. Nisha Guy, from Trinidad and Tobago, a cultural ambassador with the Soul Oasis group among a party…

Participation figures released by Tennis Wales, the National Governing Body for tennis & padel in Wales, show an increase in adult and junior participation.   The Lawn Tennis Association for Britain (LTA) published GB participation figures for 2022 in February that showed sustained success in getting more people playing tennis, more often; with growth across all demographics, regions and nations of Great Britain, particularly amongst 16-34 year-olds and those from lower socio-economic backgrounds.  The latest LTA participation figures or Wales have shown that trend continuing in the country. It found that in the year to May 2023, 176,000* adults in Wales…

A tenor from China who quit playing clarinet to focus on his voice has been crowned the world’s best young singer. Zihua Zhang, 28, outshone competitors from all around the globe to win this year’s Pendine International Voice of the Future title at Llangollen International Musical Eisteddfod. Following a thrilling competition, he was presented with the Pendine Trophy – a solid silver salver – and a £3,000 cheque  jointly by musician in residence Nia Davies Williams and artist in residence Sarah Edwards from the arts-loving care organisation, Pendine Park, who sponsor the competition. The prize came from the Pendine Arts…

People aged 18-30, with a passion for leading Wales into a brighter future, are invited to apply for a place on the Future Generations Leadership Academy.  The Academy, which is run by the Future Generations Commissioner for Wales, Derek Walker, is seeking young leaders for its seven-month programme designed to bring about lasting social change under the Well-being of Future Generations Act.  Participants on the office’s third annual academy will get the chance to learn more about Wales’ world-leading well-being legislation – which protects the interests of people today, those born in the future, and our planet – while putting its well-being goals into action and influencing existing leaders and organisations.   This year, Principality Building Society has provided £40,000 to support the academy to recruit young people…

A 12-YEAR-OLD boy from Neath has undergone crucial eye surgery after a Specsavers optician identified a sight-threatening condition during an eye test. In March 2023, Carter Evans was booked in for a routine eye test at Specsavers Port Talbot after experiencing headaches. He was seen by Raf Islam, a 25-year-old ophthalmic optician, who quickly identified a huge retinal detachment in Carter’s left eye. The discovery came as a big shock for Carter’s mum, Louisa Evans. Mr Islam immediately referred Carter to Singleton Hospital in Swansea for further investigations. He was then referred to Bristol Eye Hospital for emergency surgery, a…