Author: Rhys Gregory

First Minister of Wales Mark Drakeford will meet Ireland’s Foreign Affairs Minister Simon Coveney at the second meeting of the Wales-Ireland Forum. The two-day event in Dublin and Cork will include discussions on the cost-of-living crisis with Ministers sharing their approaches to supporting people during this challenging time. Climate change and renewable energy will also feature prominently in the talks. Offshore wind is seen by both governments as a significant opportunity to improve energy security. Discussions will also centre around ports and border control as the Welsh Government works to find practical solutions to the many challenges presented by Brexit.…

Children at Durand Primary School, in Caldicot, were excited to tell the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, with a responsibility for transport, Lee Waters, how the new 20mph speed limit in their town has given them more freedom to walk, cycle or scoot to school, when he visited their school earlier this week. Caldicot, in Monmouthshire, was one of the communities chosen to take part in phase one of the programme to lower the default national speed limit on residential roads and busy pedestrian streets from 30mph to 20mph. The rest of Wales will follow in its footsteps from September…

A Mold-based PR agency has achieved an industry double following a prestigious awards ceremony.  Outwrite PR was named best small PR agency of the year and account manager Cal Behrendt scooped outstanding young communicator of the year at the Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) Cymru Wales PRide awards.  The success follows on from the agency winning the same categories at the Public Relations and Communicators Association (PRCA) Cymru Wales Dare awards earlier in the year.  Outwrite has experienced year-on-year growth since managing director Anthony Bullick completed a management buyout in 2018, and the agency has welcomed more new clients…

Many people think that the only way to make a real difference in society is to embrace a role that will bring about change, such as becoming an activist or politician. These are not easy roles to fulfil; as a result, many people think that making a difference in the world is far beyond their capacity. Embracing a societal role is not the only way to make a difference. You can make a difference in many ways, and one of the easiest and purest ways to do this is to summon the spirit of generosity. Many people underestimate the power…

Today’s customers are more demanding than ever and they choose their brands carefully when it comes to purchase decisions. With the internet making it extremely easy to switch to competitors, businesses can’t afford to be complacent when it comes to attracting, converting and retaining customers. It’s therefore important for businesses to focus on improving customer loyalty. Why go the extra mile to satisfy customers? Brands that work hard to understand and satisfy their customers’ needs, wants and desires can help to grow their brand reputation, gain more customers and retain their customer base. They tend to enjoy more referral marketing,…

It may be the smallest room in your house, but updating your bathroom could add some value to your home. Whether you’re thinking of selling immediately or are planning for the future, renovating your bathroom or even adding a new one will almost certainly bump up the asking price you can command. Estimates show a stylish new bathroom could potentially add up to £20,000 to the price of your house. Let’s take a look at what adds value to a house when it comes to bathroom updates, from simple fixes to much bigger projects. Adding an en-suite If your master…

Children would like more space and time to play with their friends in school and at home, according to a new study led by Population Data Science researchers at Swansea University. The study explored 20,000 children’s opinions to play pre and post-COVID-19 school closures. The research included primary school children aged 8 to 11 in Wales who had participated in the HAPPEN Primary School Network survey between 2016 and 2021. The survey captures a range of information about children’s health and well-being, including open-ended questions about what could make them happier. Five themes were identified based on children’s responses. These include having…

A Swansea cultural favourite has been shortlisted for The Best Small Museum Project Award at the Museum Association’s Museums Change Lives Awards 2022.   The awards celebrate the achievements of museums making a difference for people across the UK, and the Dylan Thomas Exhibition is shortlisted for its work with Swansea’s Your Voice Advocacy Group. The Dylan Thomas Exhibition, run by Swansea Council at the Dylan Thomas Centre,  has been hosting the group’s weekly sessions for five years, predominantly focusing on giving voice to local learning-disabled adults. The partnership has seen positive change to service delivery at the venue, creating…

THE cream of skills and industry will lead a business summit focused on ways to prevent talented youngsters leaving Wales to pursue career opportunities over the border. Hosted by Antur Cymru Enterprise, up to 80 decision makers and learners are expected to attend the event, which takes place on Thursday October 20 at Canolfan yr Egin, Carmarthen. The programme will be chaired by Mid and West Wales MS Cefin Campbell, and topics to be discussed include youth entrepreneurship, the Young Persons Guarantee, the national recruitment crisis and ‘old perceptions vs new realities’, helping young people navigate their working lives. Among…

The planning application (A220712) for the Perthyn Project, a Heritage Collections Centre, has been withdrawn by Ceredigion County Council. The possible development of a Heritage Collections Centre is an aspiration for the Council because we hold a valuable collection of artifacts that are an essential part of Ceredigion’s history and culture. However, the submission of the planning application did not follow due process and was not signed off at the appropriate level of management. In a statement release this week, Ceredigion Council said: “We would also like to confirm it has no intention of reducing the external tennis court area…