Author: Rhys Gregory

South Wales police can confirm that the investigation into a serious assault which occurred on Commercial Street, Neath on Friday, 15 July is now a murder investigation. Detectives have charged a 34 year-old man from Hampshire with murder. Daniel Pickering, 34, will appear before Swansea Magistrates Court on Monday, 18 July, 2022. Matthew Thomas, 47, from Neath died in hospital where he had been in a critical condition since being admitted on Friday, 15 July, His family have respectfully asked to be left alone to grieve in peace – they are being supported by specially trained officers at this time.…

AN INNOVATIVE vertical farming project will grow even further with the launch of a new accelerator programme. For two years the Tech Tyfu pilot initiative – delivered by not-for-profit organisation Menter Mon – has worked with growers in Gwynedd and Anglesey to develop fresh micro greens using sustainable, water-based hydroponic methods. Their success has seen the initiative Scale-Up to include more producers who will receive further advice and guidance, cutting-edge equipment and ongoing business and marketing support. Promoting food tourism and strengthening the local supply chain in north west Wales, project officer David Wylie, based at M-SParc on Anglesey, says…

Over 80 business on Anglesey have received more than half a million pounds between them, through a fund established to create jobs and to support the growth of the Welsh language in its strongholds. Thanks to the Arfor Fund Menter Môn has been able to support businesses across the island, to promote entrepreneurship, innovation and to protect jobs. Arfor was created as a pilot scheme to develop the use of the Welsh language by promoting economic growth and creating work in areas where the language is at its strongest. There were two funding streams as part of this part of …

Builth Wells Event Safety Group has launched a safety campaign ahead of the return of Wales’ premier agricultural show this week (July 18-21). The campaign will see a series of posters and banners displayed at licenced premises during Royal Welsh Show week, encouraging people in a creative and humorous way, to behave responsibly. It is one of a series of measures that will be introduced by the safety group, which was formed in 2017 and is led by Powys County Council.  The measures aim to reduce public risk and improve the safety of those in and around Builth Wells during the…

A father who experienced the death of his unborn baby has trekked more than 100 miles to raise funds for a support group which helped him and his wife come to terms with their grief. Dean and Fiona Osell are parents to three daughters but lost their baby son during pregnancy in February last year. The couple found solace in the Swansea Bay Baby Loss Support Group, which provides support to bereaved parents and is facilitated by the specialist bereavement midwife for the health board.  Bereaved parents were the driving force for the support group being developed in October 2019.…

A turbine developer linked to Anglesey tidal energy project, Morlais has been awarded one of the Contracts for Difference (CfD) as part of UK Government recent renewable energy auction. This is the first Wales-based project to secure a contract as part of this CfD allocation and gives developer, Magallanes a guaranteed revenue from the electricity it generates at Morlais. The award is seen as an endorsement for the project at a crucial time in its development, with onshore construction now well underway. Gerallt Llewelyn Jones, a director with Morlais, said: “This is a significant step forward and paves the way…

As the highly anticipated WorldSkills UK competitions come back around for 2022, Coleg Gwent are top of the Welsh leaderboard this year as 22 learners make it through to the WorldSkills UK National Finals!   Following on from winning an impressive 35 medals in Skills Competition Wales earlier this year, Coleg Gwent’s learners have gone one step further and taken their skills to the national stage yet again for WorldSkills UK. Showcasing their skills in a variety of areas including game art, automotive refinishing, make-up, digital media production, health and social care, horticulture, IT, motor vehicle, restaurant service, and hairdressing; it has been a fantastic…

Rachael Flanagan, Founder and Managing Director of commercial cleaning company Mrs Buckét, has been named in the 2022 Management Today 35 Women Under 35 Awards. Management Today started the annual 35 Women Under 35 list in order to unearth new female role models and spotlight the contribution of Britain’s young businesswomen. Rachael said: “It is an honour to be named in a group of such accomplished and distinguished women. When I started out in business in 2005 I didn’t realise just how under represented women were, not just in the boardroom but in business in general, and I have worked…

A new blood test clinic is set to open its doors as the service at the Bay Field Hospital comes to an end. The community hub at the Port Talbot Resource Centre in Baglan is due to open in early August, with appointments available via the health board’s online or telephone booking system. It will be in addition to the current outpatient blood test clinics at Morriston, Singleton and Neath Port Talbot hospitals, which will also increase the number of appointments they offer when the Bay blood test clinic closes. The last day blood testing will be done at the…

As part of a year of celebrations for its 25th anniversary, leading entertainment venue The Red Dragon Centre in Cardiff Bay is asking the public to contribute to an exclusive new art installation being created by Welsh artist Nathan Wyburn. Nathan is an artist who specialises in creating pieces out of non-traditional mediums, mainly celebrity portraits out of food. He was a finalist on Britain’s Got Talent in 2011, creating a portrait of judge Michael McIntyre out of Marmite on toast. The well-known artist will be creating a mural for The Red Dragon Centre using photos of the centre over…