Author: Rhys Gregory

With school leavers across Wales now considering the first important step in their career journey, a federation of 70 work-based learning providers is advising them that choosing an apprenticeship is a “genius decision”. The National Training Federation for Wales (NTfW) says more than a quarter of Welsh businesses rate apprenticeships higher than any other qualification. Employers recruit apprentices to create a motivated workforce and a future pipeline of talent. Apprenticeships offer the perfect combination of earning and learning, allowing apprentices to continue their education and gain nationally recognised qualifications whilst working alongside experienced staff. They are open to everyone over…

Moneypenny’s famously efficient PAs have always been busy bees, but the company is now taking this quite literally, as it has welcomed the first of two bee hives to the company’s award-winning eco HQ in Wrexham.  The second beehive will be installed in the next week. The bees, which are native British honeybees, have been introduced, and will be cared for, by the South Clwyd Beekeeping Association, along with some Moneypenny volunteers.  The hives are located in a grassy area at the back of the Moneypenny office car park, surrounded by a wide variety of trees and meadow flowers. Wendy…

The Wales Coast Path and National Voluntary Youth Organisation, Urdd Gobaith Cymru, have revealed a brand-new resource pack — encouraging children and young people to get outdoors for both wellness and education purposes. Led by Welsh naturalist, Iolo Williams, and in the company of pupils from local school, Ysgol Hamadryad, the new resources were officially launched this week at the Urdd’s Residential Centre in Cardiff — followed by a guided walk along Cardiff Bay Barrage which forms part of the Wales Coast Path. The education pack aims to provide a unique outdoor learning experience through nature, wildlife, culture and local…

Brand new trains that will transform and improve transport throughout Wales and the borders have been on show at Chester railway station. Assembled by CAF at their factory in Newport, the first Class 197 train with its ‘Made in Wales’ tag was revealed to the public today (Friday 1 July), offering a taste of what’s to come for customers in the next few months. TfW are spending £800 million on new trains throughout their network and the Class 197 will be the first of the brand-new stock to enter service in North Wales before the end of this year. Providing…

Ahead of National Meadows Day, this Saturday 2 July, National Trust Cymru are celebrating the revival and restoration of 146 hectares, or an area about 40 times as big as the Principality Stadium in Cardiff, of meadows across Wales so plants, pollinators and wildlife can thrive. The Welsh countryside isn’t as rich in nature as it used to be with around 97% of meadows lost since the 1930’s. In 2019, the conservation charity embarked on a three-year project in partnership with Plantlife Cymru to bring back vanishing meadow landscapes for everyone to enjoy. Through participating in the Magnificent Meadows Cymru…

PROMINENT businesses will trade a historic market for a multi-million pound city development thanks to a leading law firm. Geoff Hughes Butchers is one of several stallholders that will transfer from Chester Market to the £72m Northgate site later this year, with the support of Mackenzie Jones Solicitors. A fixture in the Market Hall for almost half a century, Geoff and wife Debbie are sad to leave the old building behind but excited at moving to the 36,000 sq ft market space this autumn. Mackenzie Jones, based in St Asaph, Chester, and Menai Bridge, legally represented a number of the…

A RENOWNED leadership programme hit all the right notes with a talented music studio manager. Wrexham Sounds has gone from strength to strength since opening its doors in February, providing disadvantaged children and young people with music-based activities, courses and lessons. Schools, agencies, charities and families use the Rhosrobin-based social enterprise, which draws on a talented team of freelance tutors to deliver its services. At the helm is General Manager Olivia Gallagher, a member of the current cohort of CMI Level 7 learners on the popular 20Twenty leadership programme, delivered by Bangor University at Holt Lodge, Wrexham, to organisations in north…

Research by Business in Focus has shown that large numbers of Welsh businesses are struggling to survive post-covid. Working on behalf of the UK Government, Business in Focus has designed Focus Futures to help business owners recover from the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic and ensure future resilience.   Delivered across 13 local authorities in Wales, Focus Futures is offering the free, business advice support programme to 50 businesses in each local authority aimed specifically at solving post-covid problems.   Business in Focus Chief Executive, Phil Jones said:   “This support will benefit businesses that have really struggled to get back…

Eighty-three empty properties have been brought back into use in Cardiff since April 2021, with support through the council’s empty homes policy. Empty properties are a blight on local communities, as they can cause issues to adjacent and neighbouring properties, attract antisocial behaviour, as well as fly tipping and issues with vermin. The council has up to 300 properties in Cardiff that have been highlighted as an issue, and although the onus is on the private property owner to deal with these issues, council officers actively pursue them to ensure the properties can be brought back into use as quickly…

A visit to Victoria Park Splashpad on a sunny day will be high on the wish list of many children this summer, but for some children with additional needs the sheer popularity of the facility has, until now, made it difficult to enjoy. From next Wednesday (6thJuly) an hour every Wednesday will be run as an inclusive, ‘relaxed session’ so that children with additional needs, who would benefit from a quieter environment and reduced numbers, can enjoy the 33 exciting water features, which include jets, sprays, tunnels and a tipping water bucket. During term-time, the ‘relaxed sessions’ will run every…