Author: Rhys Gregory

The Minister for Health, Eluned Morgan has today (September 29th) announced a lifetime guarantee of financial assistance for those affected by the Thalidomide drug in Wales. The current ten-year agreement for the Thalidomide Trust Health Grant comes to an end in March 2023. Thalidomide was commonly used to treat morning sickness from 1958 to 1961. It was withdrawn in December 1961 when it was found to have caused serious birth defects in babies born to women who took the drug during pregnancy. Around 30 Thalidomide survivors in Wales are beneficiaries of the Health Grant, with many of them now aged…

If you are looking to start a business in the UK, it is essential that you have a thorough understanding of the laws of the land in order to keep your new business practices legal and avoid potential lawsuits against you and subsequent financial loss. There are rules and regulations governing every aspect of business across each industry, from consumer rights and data protection to health & safety guidelines and employment law. For guidance on the latest business laws and how they affect your operations, it can be helpful to get expert advice from professional consultants who can combine legal…

The Wales team has recently had a great run, and things look promising after qualifying for three of the last four major tournaments and getting a better ranking in FIFA at position 117 as of 2011. Wales had made their first and only appearance in 1958, where their journey ended after they lost in the quarter-finals to that time’s winners; Brazil. Gareth played a vital role in their match against Ukraine, where they played the qualifying playoffs when they won to play at the marquee international tournament after their win in the first half. In this post, we will look…

A MUCH-LOVED ice cream parlour and pizzeria scooped two prestigious food prizes after celebrating 50 years in business. Beddgelert-based Glaslyn was a double winner at the Great Taste Awards 2022, receiving plaudits for its mint chocolate chip and salted caramel flavours. Employing 36 staff in peak season and 10 throughout the year, the family-run firm has been a hit with customers for generations. Founded by Joan and Bert Rowley, the net-zero company is now run by granddaughter Bonnie, who is focused on becoming an even more sustainable venue while retaining their skilled, traditional methods and continuing to support independent producers…

A leading wet wipe manufacturer has seen carbon dioxide emissions drop by more than a third in the first half of the year as its Flintshire and Greater Manchester factories remain on track for carbon neutrality by 2030. Nice-Pak International has reported a reduction of 38 per cent in CO₂ emissions in the first six months of 2022 compared to the same period in 2021, according to figures released from the company’s global environment and social impact report. Improvements to the Flint factory have played a part in the wider decrease in emissions that forms a significant highlight of the…

The chief executive of an independent Mid Wales tourism organisation has congratulated three Snowdonia railways for being named in the top 10 most scenic European rail journeys. In a survey by consumer advice magazine Which?, 1,400 rail passengers were asked to rate their favourite rail journeys, scoring each for scenery, comfort, facilities, cleanliness, food and drink, service and value. Ffestiniog Railway, which runs from Porthmadog to Blaenau Ffestiniog, came out top, scoring 91% and Talyllyn Railway and the Welsh Highland Railway from Porthmadog to Caernarfon shared sixth place with 86%. Val Hawkins, chief executive of Mid Wales Tourism (MWT Cymru), congratulated all…

Energy company Vattenfall has revealed the Pen y Cymoedd Wind Farm Community Fund has helped to catalyse £20.1 million of community investment in the Welsh valleys, supporting more than 450 local projects and businesses in its first five years of operation. The fund, launched in 2017 in the Afan, Rhondda, Cynon and Neath Valleys, has supported some major success stories across the area with grants, business loans and direct investment, creating or safeguarding almost 200 local jobs within the community. In addition to the £11.2million in funding directly from Vattenfall, a further £8.8 million has been leveraged in match funding…

For the first time since records began in 1845, babies born to mothers that are not married or in a civil partnership outnumbered those born to married mums. According to the latest data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), there were a total of 624,828 live births across England and Wales during 2021 (28,781 in Wales), of which 304,706 were born within a marriage or civil partnership. Meanwhile, there were 320,713 live births outside of a marriage or civil partnership, representing an interesting cultural shift and one that could have legal implications for a newborn’s parents. Ultimately, this burgeoning…

A Vale of Clwyd village hall has moved closer to achieving a net zero target – making it one of the most carbon neutral public buildings in Wales. Llanbedr DC’s First World War village hall has just had its latest renewable energy refit thanks to almost £29,000 from rural regeneration agency Cadwyn Clwyd’s Green Communities Fund. It puts them well ahead of the Government’s 2050 net zero target and the £1.3 million fund is still very much open for business, according to Cadwyn Clwyd Green Communities Lead Haf Roberts who said: “This is probably one of the first carbon-neutral village…

Cardiff-based consultancy Auditel has released a nine-point plan to help businesses mitigate the impact of rising base costs in their supply chain. Commodity based products like plastics, food and chemicals alongside utilities have seen their pricing increase exponentially this year, and across multiple industries there are supply issues which make obtaining tender pricing a struggle. The impact of commodity product and utility cost increases is generally having a devasting effect on a company’s financial health, particularly in instances where they are limited in passing these increases onto their customer base. Margins are squeezed and traditionally strong businesses are being forced…