Author: Rhys Gregory

Climbing your way to financial freedom can seem like a daunting task, especially if you’re starting from a place of financial instability. But with a few simple tips and tricks, you can start to make progress towards a more secure financial future.  Best ways to become a financially independent individual Here are some tips and tricks to adopt now to start your journey towards financial freedom: 1. Spend less than you make The most important rule of thumb when it comes to financial freedom is to always spend less than you make. This means making conscious decisions about what you…

His Majesty The King planted a rare sapling successfully grafted from the historic Pontfadog Oak in the grounds of Erddig in Wrexham, alongside the First Minister of Wales, Mark Drakeford. The ancient Pontfadog Oak, which fell in a storm in 2013, stood at Cilcochwyn Farm, near Chirk, Wrexham, and was cared for by generations of the Williams family. It was thought to be one of the world’s largest and oldest oak trees. In 2013, The Crown Estate propagated the original Pontfadog Oak tree and planted a tree in Windsor Great Park.  A further five Pontfadog Oaks were then grafted from…

Four men are starting sentences totalling almost 50 years, after officers from Tarian, the regional organised crime team for southern Wales, dismantled their organised crime gang (OCG), supported by officers from South Wales Police. Detectives gathered a substantial amount of evidence of a large scale cocaine and heroin network dealing throughout Wales run by Nicholas Gale, 31, and his close associates. Gale used encrypted messaging platforms to speak to both his suppliers and customer base to organise the purchasing and supplying of drugs. He was supported by Spencer Perks, 42, and courier Jamie Christopher, 22. Jake Garland, 28, was customer…

Luxury pet brand Baker & Bray has been acquired by an ambitious entrepreneur set to refresh the sector with a committed focus on sustainability, in a deal advised on by the GS Verde Group. Combining 25 years’ experience in the pet industry with a personal passion for environmental responsibility, Neil Taylor is set to take the business to new heights – aiming to become the largest European producer of sustainable pet products. With products made in Europe from recycled plastics and memory foam, second-life leather, and surplus textiles, Baker & Bray reduces pollution caused by single-use plastics, manufacturing, and transport…

Specialist business property adviser, Christie & Co is pleased to report the sale of Caergwrle Filling Station in Wrexham, North-East Wales, to Jets Trading Limited. Funding for the buyer’s purchase was secured through Christie Finance. Located on the A541, Caergwrle Filling Station is ideally situated on the main thoroughfare leading into Wrexham. The site operates under the Costcutter brand and comprises a convenience store and four double pump islands. The business has been run by the James family for 40 years and came to market as the current owner, Barry James is set to retire. His son, Mike James, who…

Pobl Group will spearhead the development of an exemplar, sustainable mixed-use community at a disused quarry near Pontyclun in Rhondda Cynon Taf. The Wales-based not-for-profit has announced plans to bring forward a new neighbourhood of more than 400 high quality new homes and community facilities at the 22.07 hectare Hendy Quarry on the south side of Miskin. The mixed tenure development at the Tarmac site will include a significant proportion of affordable homes and will align with the latest Welsh Government thinking on sustainability, decarbonisation and creating positive health benefits. Hendy Quarry will be the first development in Wales that…

Jellagen, an innovative biotech company and leader in biomaterials derived from jellyfish, has closed a successful £8.7m Series A equity investment round. The Development Bank of Wales invested £1.2 million in equity into the Cardiff based-company as part of the round, bringing it closer to human trials of its pioneering soft-tissue healing tech, which uses collagen derived from jellyfish to help heal human organs. Most collagen used in treatments comes from mammals such as pigs, cows and rats, which can increase the risk of diseases or viruses when used in humans. The jellyfish-sourced collagen – also known as Collagen Type…

Founders & Co., Swansea’s much-loved Wind Street hub of independent food, drink, fashion and shopping outlets, is celebrating small businesses by offering one lucky local business owner a support package, that includes a one-off cash grant and mentoring. This is the inaugural year for the Founders & Co. Small Business Support Package as the company looks to further build on its role as a nurturer of up-and-coming local business talent. Launched on 1st December, it’s simple for any small business to enter. Owners can nominate themselves or employees, customers and the wider Swansea community can nominate on their behalf, we…

A major new collaboration has been launched aimed at improving diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular patients across Wales. The Next Generation Population Health in NHS Wales project will see Hywel Dda University Health Board, Swansea University and global biotechnology firm Amgen working together over the next two years. The level of cardiovascular disease (CVD) health need across all regions is one of the biggest challenges facing the NHS in Wales today. Services and care for the patients with, or at risk of, CVD varies considerably in different areas, particularly when it comes to identifying high-risk patients and the adoption of evidence-based…

Aspire 2Be, a multi-award-winning learning technology company, this week announced the signing of a key partnership with Flotek Group. Flotek Group is an IT & Comms service provider delivering SMEs with trusted, innovative and cost-effective cloud technology. Jay Ball, Flotek CEO, said, “Deploying the right technology in the right way is critical to doing business efficiently and cost-effectively – but ensuring our customers team is fully trained is equally important and so with our new partnership we’re looking forward to identifying skill gaps across our customer base to get our customers working in the best possible way whilst maximising all…