Author: Rhys Gregory

HRH The Prince of Wales will visit the National Botanic Garden of Wales to receive an oak sapling from the First Minister of Wales, as a gift from the people of Wales to HM The Queen to mark the Platinum Jubilee. The Pontfadog Oak, looked after by generations of the Williams family at Cilcochwyn Farm near Chirk, fell during a storm in 2013. At the time it was reputed to be one of the biggest and oldest oak trees in the world. In 2013, The Crown Estate successfully managed to propagate the original Pontfadog Oak tree and plant a tree…

The Chief Medical Officer for Wales, Sir Frank Atherton is reminding people to follow simple steps to protect themselves from the risk of catching Covid-19. This includes getting vaccinated, wearing face coverings in crowded indoor settings and taking a lateral flow test if you have symptoms. His comments come as coronavirus cases are once again increasing in Wales. The latest ONS figures estimate one person in every 30 has Covid-19. Cases of the omicron subtypes BA.4 and BA.5 have increased across the UK, with BA.5 now the dominant form of coronavirus across Wales. Sir Frank said: “The pandemic has not…

Action on climate change is the Welsh Government’s clear focus as First Minister Mark Drakeford announces the new Bills to be introduced in Wales in the coming year. The First Minister was addressing the Senedd as the government completes its first year, which saw the introduction of four Bills, including the unique Social Partnership & Public Procurement Bill, which will ensure the fair rights of workers and lead to more socially responsible public procurement. All five of the Bills to be introduced in the second year of the government’s legislative programme will help address climate change and support the environment.…

Actions to support the sustainable production of food, improve biodiversity, and strengthen the rural economy are part of proposals published today which outline the next steps in designing Wales’ landmark future farm support scheme. The Sustainable Farming Scheme proposals signify a major change and will be key in supporting Welsh farmers to play a leading role in delivering a more resilient environment and a more resilient rural economy. Financial support will be provided for the work farmers do to meet the challenges of the climate and nature emergencies alongside the sustainable production of food. The actions in the Scheme are…

If you’re hearing the chirping, rolling, or running noises up in the attic during the middle of the day, and don’t know what to make of it, congratulations – you probably have squirrels! Now, the first thing homeowners ask us when dealing with such a problem is, why do squirrels seem to love my attic so much? Why not other areas of the house? And of course, what can I do to get rid of them? If you want to skip straight to that last portion, we recommend that you visit squirrelattic.com to learn about humane squirrel removal. But for…

We talk about water retention in the body when it retains excessive water amounts in the internal organs, blood, and under the skin. This is caused by many factors. Few of them, however, are independent of us. What can be done so that getting rid of excess water from the body is effective and will not carry negative consequences? Why does water retention occur in the body and how does it occur? Strong medications, stress, and improper diet are just a few of the causes that will retain water in your body. The other causes are, among others: a diet…

When it was first launched, TTS or Text to speech’s primary purpose was to make life easy for people with visual impairments. It helped them listen to a chunk of text rather than requesting someone to read the text for them. TTS reads written text aloud to let people understand it without actually reading it. Fast forward to 2022, and TTS is used in various industries for myriad purposes. For instance, students use TTS to experience bimodal (listening to the audio while reading the text) learning, readers use it to read books on the go, foreign language learners use it…

Experienced business adviser and banker Howard Thompson has joined the investment team at UKSE in Wales as Regional Executive. He was formerly responsible for the Superfast Business Wales (SFBW) programme, a key Welsh Government initiative to ensure SME businesses make the most of digital technology. Howard’s role with UKSE will be to make strategic loans and equity investments to Welsh businesses which show potential to grow and create jobs. UKSE recently loaned £100,000 to family-run M&J Europe of Tredegar to fund expansion, and made substantial investments in nearby Dragon Recycling, with both investments creating and sustaining local jobs. As well…

A trio of entrepreneurs has revealed an ambitious vision to transform the IT Managed services available to SMEs across South Wales and beyond with the launch of a new business; Flotek Group. Providing IT & Managed Services, Flotek is helmed by CEO Jay Ball, Financial Director David Middleton, and Managing Director Malcolm Holland, who have founded the venture based on a core aim of helping businesses embrace the technology digital transformation to enhance their operations and service offerings. For Jay Ball, who achieved major success in the sector having previously founded the largest and most successful telecoms company in Wales,…

Welsh bereavement charity 2Wish is holding its final Wickets and Wheels event on the 9th and 10th July. The charity is inviting participants from all over Wales to join its sponsored cycle from Queens College in Taunton to Miskin Cricket Club in aid of the organisation. Rhian Mannings, founder of 2 Wish, said of the event: “It’s been ten years since we first took on this challenge and it’s been one of the true highlights of my journey with 2Wish. I met my late husband Paul while working at Queens College Taunton and he, an Old Queenian, returned for an…