Author: Rhys Gregory

A Welsh family owned housebuilding and manufacturing group has increased its production capacity with a new state of the art concrete block making plant thanks to a seven figure funding package from HSBC UK. W.D. Lewis, based in Aberdare, is using the new plant to increase the efficiency and capacity of its concrete product business. The plant has the capacity for 27,000 blocks per day and is a major investment in the future of concrete product manufacturing in South Wales. The business’s client base includes residential developers such as Barratt Homes and Bellway Homes, and has supplied its products to…

Lawyers at national law firm Clarke Willmott LLP have advised South Wales-based Tai Calon Community Housing on a £105 million long-term debt refinancing with NatWest Group. The social housing provider, which is based in Blaina, says the new funding ushers in a new era of growth that means it can embark on a full-scale development programme to construct new affordable homes for those in need across the county of Blaenau Gwent. It allows Tai Calon to access a level of funding flexibility to support its future development plans. Until now, the organisation had been limited to more modest development schemes.…

Macmillan Cancer Support has warned that Wales’ cancer care system is failing patients, as performance against targets falls to the second lowest on record. The charity says that data published today for June shows that only 53.4% of people with cancer started their treatment on time – leaving over 870 people to face delays in their treatment during just one month alone. Macmillan is also warning that people with certain forms of cancer are not receiving equal access to timely treatment, and that cancer treatment waiting times performance for those cancers remains worryingly low. The latest data shows that as…

Whether you’re looking for pram-friendly places to enjoy the last of the school holidays or a summer stroll accessible for a wheelchair, National Trust Cymru have pulled together some of their most accessible walks for you to enjoy. National Trust Cymru want everyone to be able to access the places they care for across Wales, and while some places are more challenging, the conservation charity have pulled together a list of accessible trails, each specifically chosen for their well-maintained, stile-free paths and gentle terrain. Borrow a beach wheelchair to enjoy the golden sands of Broad Haven South, use the all-terrain…

The Royal Mint Experience, located in Llantrisant, South Wales, is hosting a fun-filled summer, including a Bank Holiday weekend bursting with activities for the entire family. On Saturday 26th and Sunday 27th August, the award-winning visitor attraction will be host to over 40 stalls bursting with locally produced and hand-crafted treats! Additionally, The Royal Mint Experience is set to have a plethora of rides which can be enjoyed by the entire family, and an ultimate assault course named ‘Lightning!’. All activities (excluding tours) are free for everyone over the Bank Holiday weekend. The Royal Mint opened its popular visitor centre,…

An independent group of opticians with practices across South Wales have been prioritising people and putting their team first following rapid growth over the past year. Julian Davies Opticians, originally established in 1992 in Newport, lies at the heart of the South Wales community and have built strong relationships with patients in and around the area by providing clinical excellence and exceptional eyecare. Over the past year, the opticians have seen significant growth, increasing from 4 to 8 practices and saving jobs in the process. At the start of 2023, Julian Davies Opticians joined forces with Batemans Opticians, saving the…

Shoppers moving away from mid-market brands to more budget-friendly options could become a permanent trend, according to the latest Deloitte Consumer Tracker. The research, based on a survey of 3,387 UK adults between 16th and 22nd June 2023, found consumer confidence in Q2 2023 improved for a third-consecutive quarter, rising by one percentage point. Confidence levels however remain below the long-term average, indicating that consumer finances are still under pressure. Despite inflationary pressures easing, prices remain high and as a result consumers intend to continue adapting their shopping behaviours after an extended squeeze on their finances. In a sign that high…

A building society worker from Pontypridd, whose career in the military was halted before it could even start, owing to a serious work-related injury, has defied medical opinion to compete in September’s Ironman Tenby to raise much-needed funds for Help for Heroes. At 25, Steve Bond had an accident at work which saw him receive nine fractures in his left knee and, just a few weeks ahead of his assessment to join the Army, his hopes of joining the military were in tatters. A keen athlete and fitness enthusiast, he was also told his running days were over. Now aged…

Benjamin Brightmore, 33, has been jailed for three and a half years for false imprisonment of a 76-year-old woman. In November 2022, the victim, an elderly female who lives alone in Fairwater, has gone to let her dog out into the garden during the night and an unknown man was in her garden and forced his way into her house. He then assaulted her and then prevented her from leaving on three occasions using violence causing minor injuries. The victim used quick thinking and went into the garage claiming to get cigarettes for the suspect, and then has managed to…

Llanishen High School is celebrating a positive 2023 GCSE Results Day with 30% of the cohort achieving the 5A*/A measure and over 98% of the cohort achieving the Level 1 measure. A community-led high school based in the heart of Cardiff, Llanishen High School saw over 300 students receive their GCSE results today, with students achieving exceptional results in a range of academic and vocational qualifications. These achievements include: 30% students achieved at least five GCSEs at A*/A 42 students achieved 10 or more GCSEs at A*/A grade 9 students achieved 15 straight A*/A grades A further 8 students achieved…