Author: Rhys Gregory

HM Queen Elizabeth II, longest-serving monarch of United Kingdom and the Commonwealth has died at the age of 96 (1926 – 2022) after reigning for 70 years. Buckingham Palace has released the following statement: “The Queen died peacefully at Balmoral this afternoon. “The King and Queen Consort will remain at Balmoral this evening and will return to London tomorrow.” Clarence House have confirmed Britain’s new King will officially be known as King Charles III. Heartfelt messages have been pouring in from current and past world leaders, giving their condolences to The Royal Family who gathered at Balmoral at this very…

Swansea Building Society has bolstered its expanding team during a period of rapid and sustained growth with four new appointments. Ian Burman joins the Society as Risk and Compliance Manager. Burman has spent the last 10 years working in internal audit and assurance in the energy sector for companies including EDF Energy, SSE and OVO Energy. In another key hire, Henry Darby-Cook joins the Society as Marketing and Communications Officer. Darby-Cook becomes the first member of staff to be appointed in a role focused solely on marketing in the Society’s 99-year history. He comes to the job with several years’…

Work is about to start on a major housing development of high-tech homes that will provide a £60 million boost to the North Wales economy. The Maes y Felin scheme in Glan Conwy, close to the A55, will see the construction of 107 energy efficient properties  with high speed broadband, making them ideal for working from home. The developer is Calon Homes, a subsidiary of housing association Cartrefi Conwy and community interest company Creating Enterprise. The main contractor for the project is Mochdre-based Brenig Construction who are due to start work preparing the site for the development which is expected…

Work to create a mixed use development in the centre of Rhyl is progressing and the Council is now commencing the process to secure an operator to manage the development. The Queen’s Market will be located in the newly developed Queens Building and will provide a mixed-use hall, offering a collection of Artisan eateries, retail and events space. The development includes 18 individual units, including 5 hot food units, a double-sided bar and large flexible events space internally and an external area capable of holding events, markets or seating. The building is a key catalyst project within the Councils wider…

Welsh snacks manufacturer Trailhead Fine Foods is launching its brand new Wild Venison Jerky at this weekend’s GWCT Welsh Game Fair. The Welshpool-based company, which makes high protein snacks under the Get Jerky brand name, is adding the new venison product in Original and Spicy Chilli flavours to its award-winning PGI Welsh Beef jerky range. Sales director Emma Morris is looking forward to customer feedback at the three-day GWCT Welsh Game Fair which is expected to attract thousands of visitors to the Vaynol Estate near Bangor from Friday until Sunday. Willo Game’s operations director Will Oakley, who employs 40 full and…

One of Wales’ largest and top performing further education colleges, Coleg y Cymoedd, has appointed Jonathan Morgan as its next Principal and Chief Executive. Mr Morgan, who has served as Coleg y Cymoedd’s Vice Principal and Chief Operating Officer for the past three years, will succeed current Principal, Karen Phillips, when she retires in September 2022. With over 25 years’ experience in education, including 20 at Coleg y Cymoedd (formerly known as College Ystrad Mynach), Mr Morgan has spent the last five years working within strategic leadership roles at the college, where he has overseen a range of curriculum areas…

For the fifth year running, Principality has been named as the Best Building Society for Customer Service by the What Mortgage Awards. Wales’ largest building society received the award after a 21-week voting campaign by What Mortgage, which allowed customers to rank each building society in the UK. Principality was also highly commended in the Best First-time Buyer App and Best Variable Rate Mortgage Lender categories. Vicky Wales, Chief Customer Officer at Principality Building Society, said: “We are delighted to have received this award for the fifth year in a row, particularly as it is voted for by our members…

Fast becoming an unmissable highlight of the UK new music calendar, Cardiff’s Sŵn Festival today announces the second batch of names for its 2022 edition, taking place across the Welsh capital from October 21st to 23rd. Local Welsh acts joining the line-up include Greta Isaac, Sŵnami, Omaloma, CVC and Kiddus. They join the already stellar programme, which includes hometown heroes Panic Shack, who will play the opening night on Friday, Oct 21st at the 1000-capacity Tramshed. Joined by BC Camplight – who return to Cardiff for their biggest headline show to date in the Welsh capital – alongside Brighton quartet Lime Garden, and transatlantic alt-rock duo Prima Queen, it promises to be a rapturous…

A SIX-FOOT sculpture created by one of the country’s leading wood carvers will be unveiled at a community event in support of an aspirational £5.2million clocktower revamp. Rossett-based artist Simon O’Rourke installed the equine-inspired piece in time for the September 17 fun day at the Grade II-listed John Summers site in Deeside. Made from cedar, the image references the logo of Queensferry-based Enbarr Foundation – which is behind the epic redevelopment – portraying a horse leaping from waves through a crown and paying tribute to the Queen in celebration of the recent Platinum Jubilee celebrations. Designed in partnership with pupils…

A children’s cancer charity has received a financial boost from Cardiff-based housebuilder Bellway Wales. The housebuilder donated £500 to LATCH Welsh Children’s Cancer Charity, which offers support services and accommodation for children and their families who are being treated by the Oncology Unit at the Children’s Hospital of Wales in Cardiff. Bellway also provided a number of items from the charity’s Amazon Wishlist, including artificial plants, cushions, and lamps for its on-site family accommodation. Menai Owen-Jones, Chief Executive of LATCH, said: “This donation of £500 from Bellway, in addition to the very generous gifts the company has purchased from our…