Author: Rhys Gregory

As part of its annual promotion round, leading Cardiff law firm Geldards has announced a raft of promotions including three new partners across different disciplines. The new partner promotions recognise contribution to the ongoing success and growth of the firm and came into effect from 1st January, bringing total number of partners at the firm to 62. Senior Associates promoted to Partner include: Clare Hardy – Public Sector Laura Alliss – Probate Litigation Kevin McManamon, Education In the Public Sector team Clare Hardy has been promoted to Partner, where she will continue to advise on a range of public law…

Last week, University of South Wales (USW) hosted a major international security event in Newport, held at ICC Wales and USW Newport campus. In its 32nd year, EuroSim is an annual, interuniversity, simulation of the European Union (EU). It provides students with a simulation of a major EU issue. The simulations themselves are held over a period of four days, with the venue alternating between the U.S. and Europe annually. Supported by Newport City Council, EuroSim was hosted in the UK for the first time. It was attended by over 150 students from across North America, the UK, and Europe.…

Corris Railway is appealing for votes after being shortlisted for a national award in recognition of two projects to revive the Mid Wales line. Steam Railway magazine and the Heritage Railway Association are inviting their readers and members to vote at www.steamrailway.co.uk/read/hra-awards/ for the most impressive projects carried forward or completed in the last year. The pair of Corris projects that have earned the railway its place on the shortlist are  the ongoing redevelopment of Corris station and the first steaming of its new steam locomotive. Corris station has a new platform and a revised track layout which includes a traverser…

Chambers Wales South East, South West and Mid has opened entries for its highly anticipated Wales Business Awards 2023. The awards provide SME businesses across the country with the opportunity to compete for Wales’ most prestigious accolades. This year will be particularly special as the Wales Business Awards celebrates 20 years. Over the past two decades, hundreds of Welsh businesses have been honoured by the awards for their innovation, resilience and creativity. The application process is now open and will close on 17 February, with finalists set to be announced at the end of March. Entrants can submit their nominations…

A new pilot initiative set up by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) means that construction businesses can now get as much as 50 percent of their training costs subsidised. The subsidised training will allow workers to learn new skills, renew qualifications, and complete the mandatory training required for a variety of roles and trades – such as asbestos awareness, health and safety, and first aid qualifications. The employer network is a new 12-month initiative set up and funded by CITB and coordinated and delivered by local network groups across the regions, including Swansea and Neath Port Talbot, Carmarthenshire, and…

A significant seven-figure investment by the Development Bank of Wales in Pembroke Dock-based Ledwood Engineering will help the 40-year old engineering company to leverage new opportunities in the renewable energy sector and emerging green economy. Established in 1983, the privately-owned business is one of the largest employers in South West Wales and provides specialist engineering, fabrication and construction services to the World’s leading energy, production and processing companies. Recent contract wins include a £50 million contract with GE Steam Power at the Hinkley Point C nuclear power plant along with Bylor, SABIC, wood, Phillips 66, Flogas, Spirit Energy and Prax…

A group of Swansea Bay pharmacies are leading the way in Wales with an inhaler recycling project which could help the fight against global warming. Each year thousands of empty plastic inhalers are sent with household waste to landfill or popped in plastic recycling containers after they’ve been used by patients with respiratory conditions like asthma. However these used inhalers are not completely empty. They still have residual gases in them which contribute to global warming. Now, as part of a trial, used inhalers are being disposed of in a greener way to stop these gases escaping. Eight pharmacies in…

Investing in social care in order to provide better pay for frontline staff would help relieve the dire NHS crisis in Wales. That’s the view of Mary Wimbury, the chief executive of Care Forum Wales, who said health boards and local authorities were significantly to blame for emergency because the fees they paid providers didn’t allow them to pay care home and domiciliary care workers well enough. She spoke out after the Welsh Government indicated that hospital patients could be discharged without the usual care packages being put in place. According to Ms Wimbury, something had to be done urgently…

Work has started on a £1 million extension at a distribution firm that’s gearing up for growth – creating 10 new jobs in the process. The additional warehouse space at the McCarthy Group on Wrexham Industrial Estate will create space for an extra 4,000 pallets. As well as increasing capacity by 18,000 square feet at their Elm Point HQ, the company, which currently employs 75 people, will also be doubling the size of the truck parking yard. The expansion comes just four years after their existing state-of-the-art warehouse and office complex was opened. Managing director Mike McCarthy decided to press…

A dedicated charity food bank which delivers over 70 parcels in and around Conwy every month has had a helping hand from one of Wales’s biggest food supply companies. Bags of Love/Bagiau Cariad was set up by parishioners at St Mary’s Church in the town three years ago at the height of the pandemic lockdown and today is stepping up its efforts as rocketing fuel and food bills put more and more families into difficulty. They have just received a helping hand from Harlech Foodservices, based in Criccieth and Chester and one of Wales’s biggest food distribution companies, who have…