Author: Rhys Gregory

The Azets South West and Wales specialist corporate finance team has seen growth in 2022, despite economic uncertainty. The team, led by Katherine Broadhurst, completed 19 deals in the last 12 months with a total value of £130m and an average value of £6.8m. The average deal value has increased from 2021 by £1.7m. As well as this, the team followed up the appointment of Claire Marshall as Director and the promotion of Eloise Davies to Assistant Manager with the recruitment of Adam Dix as Corporate Finance Executive and Rhydian Griffiths as Associate. After completing work experience with the team…

Plans for a Hydrogen Hub on Anglesey have been approved paving the way for the first development of its kind in Wales. The project will see the Hub built at Parc Cybi, Holyhead by social enterprise, Menter Môn, working alongside the Isle of Anglesey County Council. Green hydrogen will be produced at the site and distributed as fuel for zero emission hydrogen-powered vehicles. Having received consent, construction can begin, subject to the release of additional funding with the Hub expected to be in operation by 2025. Dafydd Gruffydd, Managing Director of Menter Môn said: “This is excellent news and it…

Primary pupils are boosting their own local biodiversity to tackle climate change. Denbighshire County Council’s Biodiversity team has given a helping hand to green fingered pupils wanting to make a difference for their own local environment. The team recently supported pupils at Ysgol Trefnant and Ysgol Cefn Meiriadog in increasing the biodiversity of wildflower meadows set up at each school. Since 2020 Denbighshire County Council’s own Wildflower Meadows Project has recorded 340 different plant species at sites across the county. This year’s season includes over a 100 managed meadows that have contributed to improved species richness across the county. These…

A Cardiff Metropolitan University graduate has been crowned the baking industry’s rising star in a prestigious set of industry awards. Nishitha Kannan, who graduated this year with a Food Science & Technology master’s degree from Cardiff Metropolitan University, won the title of Rising Star in the Baking Industry Awards 2022. The award aims to shine a light on the best and brightest talent in the earlier stages of their careers. The judges praised Nishitha for her “thirst for bakery knowledge and dedication to technical and professional development.” Going up against finalists from across the UK, Nishitha was delighted to be…

In spring 2020, a number of popular sites across North Wales were closed to the public following the implementation of a nation-wide lockdown in response to the health crisis of the Coronavirus. Many areas were entirely closed off to the general public, whilst other areas experienced greatly reduced visitation due to the nature of lockdown regulations and its limits to travel.   To evaluate how wildlife was responding to this exceptional period in the Snowdonia National Park and across north-west Wales, a series of biodiversity surveys by the environmentalist Ben Porter were commissioned by Natural Resources Wales, the National Trust…

AN ACCOUNTANCY practice unveiled a new partnership with one of Anglesey’s longest standing firms. Fowler and Hare Ltd is now part of Salisbury’s Chartered Accountants. The acquisition follows a merger with Lotti Summers Ltd earlier this year, and means the company now has sites in St Asaph, Ruthin, Menai Bridge, and Beaumaris. Owner Peter Fowler will join Salisbury’s as a consultant and all staff will be retained. He said: “I’m delighted to be involved with Salisbury’s as they operate in the same way as I have over the years, with a ‘client comes first’ approach to everything they do. I…

A major redevelopment project on Talyllyn Railway has moved a step closer thanks to initial £110,000 support from the National Lottery Heritage Fund. This funding will allow the railway to develop a full application for more than £1 million towards the £3.5 million estimated cost of redeveloping Tywyn Pendre and Tywyn Wharf stations. Titled ‘Preserving our Past, Building Our Future’, the project will include the construction of a new engineering works, carriage maintenance and storage at Tywyn Pendre station. The existing works will be restored to include an accessible heritage display about the history of engineering on the railway and…

Wales’ former Chief Veterinary Officer, Christianne Glossop, has been appointed an Honorary Professor at Aberystwyth University’s School of Veterinary Science. Already a Fellow of the University, Professor Glossop was the first Chief Veterinary Officer for Wales when appointed in 2005, stepping down from the role in October this year. As Chief Vet she was responsible for protecting and promoting animal health and welfare in Wales. Her role in supporting the livestock industry has received particular recognition.  Her vision is “to see bovine TB eradicated from Wales once and for all” and she has remained resolute in driving forward the bovine…

Thousands of new trees will be planted in Cardiff over the next six months, at more than 150 different locations including parks, green spaces, community hubs, schools and streets. The trees, which are part of Cardiff Council’s Coed Caerdydd project to increase tree canopy cover in the city from 18.9% to 25%, will be planted with help of an army of volunteers at more than 60 community tree planting events, the first of which takes place in Splott on 7thNovember. The majority of the trees will be native species such as Oak, Birch, Rowan and Alder but some ornamental trees,…

Maurice Jones was delighted to take a step back in time when he saw media coverage of Swansea’s former Cavalier bar. The 70-year-old has an unbreakable link with the venue that was rediscovered when the council began a new regeneration project – 42 years ago he was one of the disc jockeys there! Press adverts would urge clubbers to “let your body roll to boogie, funk and soul.” Maurice said: “News coverage of the Cavalier last week brought back happy memories. It was lovely to see those wonderful photos of it frozen in time!” The Cavalier was part of the…