Author: Rhys Gregory

Over 40 young musicians from across Pembrokeshire recently enjoyed a weekend residential trip to Cardiff as part of the Pembrokeshire Music Service String Orchestra and Symphonic Wind Band. The purpose of the weekend was to enjoy music making and, most importantly, to have fun! Saturday started with sessions with guest conductors, Christopher Vale (Wind Band) and Roger Clarkson (String Orchestra). Christopher is a professional bassoonist who performed with the Welsh National Opera for over 30 years while Roger is a former Director of Music with the National Children’s Orchestra of Great Britain. The pupils worked extremely hard throughout the day,…

Welsh-medium education could be introduced at a south Powys primary school if a recommendation to Cabinet is approved, the county council has said. Powys County Council is proposing to move Ysgol y Cribarth in Abercraf along the language continuum by establishing a Welsh-medium stream at the school. The school is currently an English-medium school providing education for pupils aged 4 to 11. Since September 2021, Ysgol y Cribarth has operated a Welsh-medium Foundation Phase class on a pilot basis as part of a scheme that has been supported by the council. The proposed change would see a Welsh-medium stream introduced…

The Welsh Government is today setting out how it will ensure today’s children, young people and workers have the skills they need to work in the new jobs of tomorrow in the green “Net Zero” industries that do not yet exist. Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, is today publishing the Welsh Government’s Stronger, Fairer, Greener Wales: Net Zero Skills Plan, which sets out a long-term vision of how the Welsh Government, businesses and industry, the education and skills sectors and trades unions will work together to upskill the people of Wales to work in the Net Zero jobs of the future.…

Wales’s commitment to health and wellbeing and putting health at the heart of policies has been showcased at a World Health Organisation (WHO) event in Copenhagen. The event, attended by The Minister for Health and Social Services, Eluned Morgan, aimed to highlight how the challenges facing people in Wales and across all Europe can be addressed through putting improving people’s health and well-being at the heart of decision-making. These challenges include the Cost of Living Crisis and tackling climate change and health inequalities. A deep dive by the WHO showcased unique Welsh approaches in this field to countries across Europe…

The Welsh Government’s historic environment service, Cadw is joining forces with the police and other agencies to tackle heritage and cultural property crime in Wales, Deputy Minister for Arts and Sport, Dawn Bowden has today confirmed. The new partnership will see Cadw join with the National Police Chiefs’ Council, Crown Prosecution Service and Historic England as part of ARCH – Alliance to Reduce Crime against Heritage.  The joint initiative is set to systematically tackle and reduce offences such as architectural theft, including the theft of metal and stone, criminal damage in particular vandalism, graffiti and arson, unlawful metal detecting and…

New breakthroughs, including a diagnostic test for a condition that can cause still births, are improving healthcare across Wales, supported by a new Innovation Strategy for Wales. Across the health and social care sector innovations in health care and technology are improving patient outcomes and wellbeing. Pre-eclampsia is a life threatening condition, which, if left untreated, can cause serious complications for both mother and baby. It is one condition benefiting from innovation in healthcare technology. A new placental growth factor test (PLFG) for women, which can rule out pre-eclampsia at Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board is helping to improve diagnosis, prevent…

The crypto winter has been harsh for most blockchains with Solana (SOL) being one of those that almost died before 2023 started. Despite its dropping popularity from December to January, it was given new life as the new year rolled over. It is now one of the top crypto investments by market capitalisation and trade volume, ready for an upwards trend. Changes in SOL price between January 1 and February 25 There were worries surrounding the success of Solana after it experienced a record drop of 70% since April 2022. Though the rate is alarming, the price drop is heavily…

A well-known Cardiff-based branding and design agency, Bluegg, has rebranded as Toward. To celebrate the agency’s 20th anniversary, owners Mike Jordan and Tom Lloyd put their team’s expertise to good use to re-brand themselves and develop ambitious growth plans. Mike said: “Having worked for over 300 clients including S.A Brains, Cardiff City Football Club, Bristol Zoo, TATA Steel, and Celtic Manor, it was time for us to take a step back ourselves and see what we wanted to be as an agency for the next 20 years. We’ve grown from the two graduates we once were, to a team of…

Two Mold Town councillors have been given a ‘fascinating’ insight into the operations of a Flintshire-based chemicals manufacturer. Cllr Sarah Taylor and Cllr Tina Claydon were briefed on the processes at the Alyn Works site on Denbigh Road, Mold, which houses Synthite and TS Resins. Synthite’s main product is formaldehyde, a basic building block of the chemical industry, which is used in some building materials and household products, such as flooring, furniture, and fabric. Operating from Alyn Works since the 1950s, Synthite currently employs approximately 125 people, with a further 30 working for TS Resins. It was the first tour…

Aspire 2Be, a multi-award-winning learning technology company, this week announced the launch of the Level 3 Supporting Teaching and Learning Qualification. This qualification compliments the range of education-focussed Apprenticeships offered by Aspire 2Be, which also includes the Level 3 Diploma for Digital Learning Practitioners and ILM Leadership & Management for Educators qualifications. The Supporting Teaching and Learning qualification is aimed at learning support staff, and is designed to further develop existing knowledge and skills, whilst also providing specific learning pathways to develop expertise across key areas of education. Learners will also develop a range of digital skills and explore how…