Author: Rhys Gregory

Compass Cymru, part of Compass Group UK & Ireland, the UK’s largest food and support services firm, is sponsoring a Welsh student chef’s participation at an international cooking competition in India. Compass Cymru is sponsoring Ben Newcombe from Cardiff, a Level 3 Hospitality student at Cardiff & Vale College, as he represents Wales at the International Young Chef Olympiad 2023. The competition is taking place in India from 31 January – 5 February 2023. At age 17, Ben is the only chef to represent Wales in the competition, battling it out against competitors from 60 other countries for the winning…

Police investigating the death of Darren Moore in Cardiff city centre have arrested a 50-year-old man on suspicion of manslaughter. He remains in police custody and Mr Moore’s family have been updated. Darren Moore, 39, from Newport was found in a lane close to Windsor Place and Park Lane on Sunday evening (January 22). A post-mortem has been conducted and further examinations are now on-going to establish the cause of death Detective Chief Inspector Paul Raikes, from South Wales Police said: “Initial investigations have so far not revealed or confirmed any obvious cause of death, however extensive enquiries are continuing…

AN INNOVATIVE charity is inviting people living with or alongside dementia to share the joy of singing with weekly chorus sessions in the community. Wales-based charity Forget-me-not Chorus (FMNC), hosts weekly singing sessions in care homes, communities and hospitals across the UK to bring the joy of singing to people living with dementia, and those who support them. The format of these sessions is unique, engaging and relaxed. FMNC’s North Wales community sessions are welcoming new members to their Saturday afternoon events at Bodelwyddan Village Hall near Rhyl. Sessions take place every week, and are a fun way to meet…

In line with the sustainable aims of the 21st Century Schools and Colleges Programme, as well as other school investment schemes in Wales, one company has called for school leadership, architects and construction companies to also integrate the principles of the circular economy into the way they plan their interiors. Ministry of Furniture, one of the most forward-thinking suppliers of loose and fitted furniture for schools in Wales, has called on schools to consider a number of exciting techniques that align with the principles of a circular economy. Using such techniques can also help inform and educate pupils These include…

Small firms’ confidence in the final quarter of 2022 plunged to a depth almost on a par with that measured during the second Covid lockdown two years previously, new research from FSB has found. The Small Business Index (SBI)’s headline confidence figure in Q4 2022 fell to -46 points, down from -36 points in Q3 2022, and the lowest such finding since Q4 2020, when it was -49 points. In several individual industry sectors, the confidence reading was particularly low, with retail businesses registering a finding of -83 points, and hospitality firms coming in at -71 points. This is particularly…

Members of Neath Port Talbot Council’s cabinet have given the go ahead for five ‘anchor projects’ paid out of £28.4m of core funding from the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF). The fund is a central pillar of the UK Government’s Levelling Up agenda and across Britain provides £2.6bn of new funding for local investment by March 2025. The proposed anchor projects for Neath Port Talbot come under the headings of Place, Valleys and Villages, Sustainable Communities, Enhanced Business Support for Growth & Innovation and Employability. Place projects include the construction of 14 business units within three of our valleys…

Nearly 200 people took park in a family fun fitness day arranged by Milford Haven Secondary School in partnership with Sport Pembrokeshire recently. Families chased away the January blues at Milford Haven Leisure Centre on Saturday  (January 21st) where there was a chance to take part in numerous free activities including family swimming, bowling, football, netball, rugby, basketball, hockey, zorbing, family spin, rollerblading and rough and tumble for younger children. There were free breakfast items to start the day and free soup or hot dogs for lunch meaning many of those taking part had the perfect chance to stay and…

RCT’s Cabinet have considered and approved officer proposals to move to three-weekly black bag/wheelie bin collections. Back in November, Council officers outlined several key proposals to Cabinet that would help the Council reach the 70% Welsh Government Recycling target. Following that meeting, Cabinet agreed that a FIVE-week public consultation should take place to gain residents’ views on the proposals and a decision would then be made by Cabinet on how to proceed. The original proposals were: ALL households across Rhondda Cynon Taf move to a three-weekly black bag/wheelie bin collection. Moving to 3 weekly collections would be supported by continuing…

An annual appeal co-ordinated by Caerphilly County Borough Council has raised £10,820 for local foodbanks. The appeal saw residents, Council staff, contractors, and suppliers make online cash donations.  All donated funds were distributed directly to food banks in Blackwood, Nelson, Rhymney, Caerphilly and Risca. Companies who supported the appeal include Willis Construction, Pinnacle, Woosnam Diaries, Glanmor Developments, Cardiff Lift Company, K & B Taxi, Willmott Dixon, Creigiau Travel, Brighter Minds, Colin Laver, Cheka Safeguarding Services, Holdsworth, Getech, Roger Jones, Bradford’s Minibus, SD James, SERS, F I Walters, Millennium Building, Calibre Contracting, G Bridges, JS Lee, Gary Carpenter, Slice and Dice,…

Caerphilly County Borough Council’s Cabinet has today (25 January) approved match funding to undertake external wall insulation works at 86 properties in Bryn Carno, Rhymney. Cabinet members approved a funding contribution of £1.196m from the Council’s Housing Revenue Account, with Welsh Government providing additional funding of £1.903m to deliver works to privately owned homes. In 2012 the homes received works as part of the Welsh Government funded ARBED 1 scheme.  Between 2016 and 2018 it became apparent that the external wall insulation was defective and as a result was causing water ingress and penetrating damp. Welsh Government undertook an investigation…