Author: Rhys Gregory

A growing photocopier and printer business launched from a back bedroom in Wrexham is celebrating its 10th  anniversary and now has customers across the UK. Vaughn Rawson, who began his working career at 15 as a trainee butcher before turning to office supplies, now heads the Rawson Group which employs 30 people, and has expanded into the fields of IT Support and renewable power. The butcher’s business struggled as big supermarkets moved into the marketplace so Vaughn switched careers to work for a printer and photocopier company before making the decision to branch out on his own and establish Wrexham-based…

A South Wales Community Bank has opened a new branch offering full banking services in one of the most deprived areas of South Wales. Smart Money Cymru Community Bank now has a presence in the newly refurbished-Hwb Cana in Penywaun in the Cynon Valley, enabling local people to access loans and other financial services, along with the other facilities the new centre provides. At Hwb Cana’s official opening, the MP for Cynon Valley, Beth Winter, praised the newly refurbished former chapel as being at the forefront of change, saying that such initiatives were part of making a fairer society for everyone.…

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) and Arts Council of Wales today announce the return of Gŵyl Cymru Festival for 2023. The ambition is to put football and creativity at the heart of our communities and for sport and the arts to showcase what’s best about Wales, whether it’s on the international pitch, or at grassroots level. A range of creative events across Wales will build on the success of last year’s Gŵyl Cymru Festival, a collaboration between FAW and Arts Council of Wales. Gŵyl Cymru was one of the many initiatives supported by the Welsh Government’s Partner Support Fund,…

National Trust Cymru are seeking a new tenant for Lords Park Farm near Llansteffan on the Welsh coast. Set on a clifftop high above Carmarthen Bay, the Trust are looking for someone to care for the farm in a way that benefits nature, people and climate. Stretching across 134 acres and overlooking where the Taf and Towy estuaries meet, the farm boasts white-washed buildings, grassy pastures, flowering hay meadows, woodland and a border of rich SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) coastal scrub at Wharley Point. At Lords Park, the Trust are looking for a tenant with a passion for…

Here’s some newly-released video footage of King Charles III visiting Swansea in 1969 as the nation prepares for his Coronation on the weekend. His Majesty twice visited Swansea that year following his investiture as Prince of Wales – once in July, to announce the Queen’s intention to declare Swansea a city, and then in December to make the declaration. In 2019, he again visited Swansea as part of celebrations to mark its 50th year as a city. They’re among several visits King Charles III has made to Swansea over the years. The Coronation of King Charles III and the Queen Consort…

Wales Airshow fans seeking an even more special experience can now buy tickets for the event’s Flight Deck. Show organiser Swansea Council has also announced the return of a favourite display. The Airshow is due to attract tens of thousands of people on July 1 and 2 with a series of world class displays over Swansea Bay. Wales Airshow is free – but tickets are now on sale for the hugely popular Flight Deck, sponsored by Gower College Swansea. Right at the heart of the display area, this relaxed, fenced off and secure seating zone guarantees prime, unobstructed views of…

The Flying Start Programme has expanded to include childcare provision for two-year-olds in Pembrokeshire. This is phase two of the Welsh Government’s Flying Start Programme in Pembrokeshire, which will provide high-quality childcare for a further 168 children aged between two to three years. The Flying Start Programme has already supported 36,000 children aged 0-4 years and their families living in some of the most deprived communities across Wales. The Welsh Government has committed to ensuring that every child in Wales has the best start in life. The early years are vitally important in a child’s life, providing formative opportunities and…

The public space CCTV scheme operated by Caerphilly County Borough Council recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. Since its inception in 1998, it has expanded from just 11 cameras operating on VHS tapes to over 170 cameras across the county borough, with images relayed back to a central control room, using a digital monitor wall and management system. During the last year alone the control room team has dealt with 901 incidents reported to or by Gwent Police, monitored a further 785 potential incidents, helped deal with 479 incidents post event, including burning 140 DVDs for evidential purposes and 319 digital…

Since the end of December 2022, Blaenau Gwent Council has provided over £150,000 worth of grant funding to new and existing organisations to support residents with emergency food provision. An initial grant of £82,190 was provided in early 2023 from the Discretionary cost of living scheme and a further £89,850 was awarded to original applicants in March 2023 to extend the provision. Organisations were able to apply for a grant of up £5,000 and the emergency food provision provided in a number of different ways. Some provide meals, end of day food and food parcels for residents to pick up…

A new procurement system, making it easier for contractors to apply for building contracts, has now been completed, the county council has said. Powys Council’s new Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) is designed to make it easier for small and medium-sized businesses to take on minor construction projects costing between £50,000 to £500,000, with the aim to provide a more accessible and simplified route to tender for works. So far, 17 contractors have been successful in applying to the DPS, allowing them to receive notifications of exclusive opportunities to bid for works. These may include works within council owned properties including…