Author: Rhys Gregory

Fast-growth MSP Flotek has revealed the next stage of its impressive strategy with the acquisition of ECS Solutions, a leading telecom service provider and system maintainer based in Chester, expanding the Group’s IT and Telecom service offering to North Wales, the Midlands and North West England.  This acquisition, the sixth since Flotek began in April last year, follows the business’ investment into South East telecoms specialist FlexiNet and furthers its strategic geographic growth to bring customer-centric support and fully integrated IT and telecoms systems to businesses.  Founded in 1985, ECS Solutions has a significant reputation, providing telecoms systems to industry-leading…

Westlife, one of pop music’s most influential boy bands, have confirmed they will headline at Cardiff Castle on Wednesday 5th July 2023. Fans can expect to enjoy the band’s greatest hits “Swear It Again”, “Flying Without Wings”, “World Of Our Own”, “My Love”, “If I Let You Go”, “Uptown Girl”, “Hello My Love” as well as fresh pop anthems from their new album. O2 priority tickets will go on sale this Wednesday from 10am; pre-sale tickets from Thursday at 10am, and general sale will follow on Friday at 10am. Westlife was formed in 1998 and consists of Nicky Byrne, Kian…

Rebecca Evans, the Welsh Government’s Finance Minister, has said protecting public services and the most vulnerable has been put front and centre of the Welsh Government’s Budget. It comes ahead of a debate in the Senedd on the 2023-24 Final Budget later today [Tuesday 7th March]. Key Budget allocations include £227m extra for local government, an additional £165m for the NHS, and a support package for businesses worth £460m over two years. The Senedd will also debate the Local Government Settlement and the Welsh Rates of Income Tax. The Welsh Government has decided now is not the right time to…

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt has visited the Employment Support Hub in Llangefni set up to offer help and advice to those affected by the 2 Sisters announcement. The hub at the Bryn Cefni Business Centre in the town was set up rapidly following the initial announcement, involving a number of organisations including Working Wales, Citizens Advice and Job Centre Plus. The Minister met some of the organisations, affected members of the workforce and Unite the Union at the centre to hear about the support and advice being offered. Following 2 Sisters’ announcement the Welsh Government, in collaboration with…

A public consultation seeking views on making the review process following a person’s death easier and quicker for families has opened. Views are being sought on introducing a Single Unified Safeguarding Review (SUSR) which would integrate Domestic Homicide Reviews, Child Practice Reviews, Adult Practice Reviews, Mental Health Homicide Reviews and Offensive Weapons Homicide Reviews. It would create a single review process, eliminating the need for multiple agency reviews to be undertaken when someone has tragically lost their life or been significantly harmed. By moving to a new process, it will prevent families having to take part in a traumatising cycle…

The Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, has announced new funding over three years to improve the experiences of further education students with additional learning needs (ALN). The funding will be given to all further education colleges in Wales to help them to implement the ALN Act, which is being phased in over three years and gradually replaces the existing special educational needs (SEN) system. The funding will be used to improve educational experiences and help colleges provide tailored support to students through their individual development plans. It will also support a more consistent approach to ALN…

South Wales Police is continuing to investigate a fatal road traffic collision on the A48 in the St Mellons area of Cardiff. Emergency services discovered a Volkswagen Tiguan vehicle at 12.15am on Monday 6th March after the police helicopter, police and fire officers were deployed to the scene. Formal identification has taken place this afternoon and three people who died in the collision have been confirmed as being Rafel Jeanne, aged 24, from Cardiff, Eve Smith, 21, from Newport, and Darcy Ross, 21, from Newport. Two further people were taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where they…

It has been quite a while since a Welsh-trained horse has been victorious in the famous Aintree Grand National, but in 2023 the flag will be carried by a pair of talented horses trained by Evan Williams and Tim Vaughan. Williams, in particular, has consistently had some live contenders for the world-famous race in recent years, and he is once again heading to Aintree in April with a strong chance of success. The Welsh Hopefuls Secret Reprieve Secret Reprieve’s owner, William Rucker, has always dreamed of a Grand National win. From sole owners such as Rucker to partnerships, or racing syndicates, the dream is…

While some people may have occasional trouble sleeping, others experience restless nights on a regular basis due to sleep anxiety. This condition causes people to worry about not being able to fall asleep and being sleep-deprived the following day. In addition, research suggests that half of those who suffer from sleep deprivation experience anxiety, which impacts their ability to sleep well.  Therefore, it is crucial to comprehend how anxiety affects the quality of your sleep. With that, this article explains what sleep anxiety is and its effects on sleep deprivation. It also provides science-based suggestions for decreasing anxious thoughts and…

The Cheltenham Festival is one of the most prestigious horse racing events in the world, attracting thousands of spectators and punters each year. Last year saw a return of the ‘Cheltenham roar’ for the first time since 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic, and it was refreshing to see stands packed out with those checking the Cheltenham Gold Cup betting odds as well as assessing the favourites for the Festival’s other big races. Featuring a range of races, the four days at Cheltenham are considered the ultimate test of skill, speed, and stamina for both horses and jockeys. While the…