Author: Rhys Gregory

Prisoners are helping to build a green housing development that’s insulating tenants against soaring heating bills and helping to save the planet at the same time. A factory unit has been set up at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham where 25 inmates are making wooden panels for the 63 timber-framed homes for ClwydAlyn housing association at the Glasdir housing estate in Ruthin. Tenants have already moved into 35 of the properties which are a mix of flats, houses and bungalows, with between one and four bedrooms. All of them are packed with money saving, eco-friendly features, including solar panels coupled with…

A fantastic and record-breaking few days have been enjoyed by thousands at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair, held at the showground in Llanelwedd, Builth Wells. First staged in 1990 and originally just a modest one-day event, the Royal Welsh Winter Fair has become one of the most popular attractions in the British agricultural calendar.  The annual event continues to maintain its position as one of the finest primestock shows in the UK, this year attracting over 700 exhibitors from Wales, England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Holland. The 2022 Winter Fair was officially opened by Mr Dafydd Wynne Finch on Monday…

World Mobile has successfully completed its low earth orbit (LEO) satellites pilot test in the UK to provide efficient and affordable internet connectivity to Pencarnan Farm, a remote caravan site in Wales. The company, which was founded in 2018, aims to provide affordable connectivity to rural and remote areas worldwide. In the UK, over half a million people claim to have no fixed-line connectivity where they live, and another 1.58 million say their connectivity is poor or very poor. This has a major impact on people’s lives. World Mobile’s study found that 25% of people in the UK who cannot…

Leading dessert restaurant brand, Creams, has appointed Everett Fieldgate as its new CEO, ahead of the company entering its next stage of growth internationally and in the UK. Othman Shoukat will continue in his role as Managing Director until the end of the year for a smooth transition before stepping down from the day-to-day running of the business. He will remain on the board of directors to support the senior team’s growth and brand development plans. With over 17 years spent working exclusively in the food and hospitality industries, Everett brings a wealth of relevant experience to Creams across casual…

Improving support for survivors of human trafficking and slavery will be the focus of a new project at Aberystwyth University. ‘Reporting Experiences of Survivors to Analyse in Real Time’ (RESTART) will use an app to gather information from survivors of human trafficking and modern slavery in the UK on their experiences of the support services that they receive, and collect their opinions on what could be done better to help them. Migration law and human trafficking expert Professor Ryszard Piotrowicz, from the Department of Law and Criminology at Aberystwyth University, will be responsible for developing guidelines to ensure that all legal…

Site investigation works are underway at Kilvey Hill as plans for a major new outdoor leisure destination gather pace. The works are another step forward for a development led by New Zealand-based Skyline Enterprises that’s proposed to include a cable car and chair lift system, luge runs, a sky swing, walking trails, a zipline, and food and drink offerings. The proposed cable car system would run to the top of Kilvey Hill from the area of the Hafod Morfa Copperworks, so some spaces at the Landore park and ride facility will be closed-off while site investigation works also take place…

The £2m Neath Port Talbot Hardship Relief Scheme aimed at supporting local residents most in need of help during the cost of living crisis is now open. The scheme has been set up with council funds and will be delivered in partnership with Neath Port Talbot based Community Interest Company Warm Wales. As well as offering help with paying energy bills, the scheme will help residents ensure their homes are heated more efficiently. The measures include: Boiler services, repairs and heating system maintenance and  improvement work Home repairs such as fixing broken window catches or window/door frames. White goods e.g.…

Between June and September of this year, Caerphilly County Borough Council has approved grants totalling £27,748 for voluntary groups. A wide of community groups benefitted from £5,330 of funding through the General Criteria of the Voluntary Sector budget, including grants to Tredomen Allotment Association, Valley Daffodils, Llanbradach OAP Welfare Committee, Rhymney Valley Music Club and Fleur-de-Lys History Society. Several individuals also received financial assistance through the fund to support them in representing Wales at home and abroad. Funding of £22,418 was also approved from the Welsh Church Acts Fund to assist with improvements at Bethel Baptist Church in Penyrheol, Oakdale…

Schools in Powys will not move to a four-day week to reduce running costs, the county council has confirmed. To help support schools with the pressures they face due to increasing energy and inflationary costs, Powys County Council has produced a financial management toolkit which included ideas on how to reduce costs around the school. One of the potential options put forward in extreme cases was a four-day school week with the fifth day moving to online learning. However, this option has now been removed by the council. Cllr Pete Roberts, Cabinet Member for a Learning Powys, said: “The result…

Deputy Minister for Climate Change Lee Waters will visit the Menai Suspension Bridge today (Wednesday, November 30) where he will unveil a package of support to ease the transport pressures on people travelling to and from Anglesey. The Deputy Minister, who has responsibility for transport, will also meet with representatives from Gwynedd and Anglesey councils to discuss the important maintenance works. The new package put together in partnership with UK Highways A55 Ltd and Anglesey and Gwynedd County Councils, includes an extensive range of measures, including free parking, traffic flow solutions, access to active travel routes and additional bus stops…