Author: Rhys Gregory

Wales’ largest coworking community, Welsh ICE, has celebrated a decade of enterprise as it looks back on the impact it has made in the last 10 years. Since launching in 2012, the Campus has generated a net GVA benefit of £63.1m to the Welsh economy, created 800 full-time-equivalent (FTE) Jobs and has supported thousands of individuals into starting businesses. Through its 5-9 Club, an after-hours programme to help people start a business from scratch, the team have supported 698 individuals from across the Valleys regions since 2019. 85% of those potential founders are female, a stark contrast to the fact…

265 parks and green spaces in Wales have received the prestigious Green Flag Award and Green Flag Community Award. They include a diverse range of sites, from country parks and formal gardens, to allotments, woodlands and churchyards.  Now in its third decade, the international Green Flag Award is a sign to the public that a park or green space boasts the highest possible environmental standards, is beautifully maintained and has excellent visitor facilities.  Wales still holds more than a third of the UK’s Green Flag community sites, which are maintained and run by volunteers.   Welsh Government Minister for Climate Change,…

A new concept called the ‘mediverse’ is being developed with the help of tech specialists at the University of South Wales (USW). Medical training business Goggleminds has come up with the idea – which continues the notion of the ‘metaverse’ – as it develops virtual reality technology for training medics and students. Goggleminds is run by Cardiff-based entrepreneur Azize Naji. The holder of two degrees – in law and environmental risk management – and a Masters in  occupational health, safety and wellbeing, he has previously worked for the NHS as a health, safety and wellbeing practitioner. The Goggleminds concept mirrors…

The July 31 closing date is fast approaching as companies, social enterprises and charities of all sizes are reminded to submit their entries for this year’s Powys Business Awards. Showcasing the diverse range of successful enterprises in the county, Powys Business Awards are organised by Mid Wales Manufacturing Group (MWMG) with support from sponsors. This year, there are nine categories. The categories are: Start up Business Award sponsored by EvaBuild, Entrepreneurship Award sponsored by Welsh Government, Micro Business Award (fewer than 10 employees) sponsored by Welshpool Printing Group, Growth Award sponsored by The County Times, Small Business Award (under 30…

The latest outputs from Project HELIX, an initiative developed to boost innovation and efficiency in the Welsh food and drink industry, show it has delivered over £235 million of impact, since it launched in 2016. The Welsh Government and EU-funded Project HELIX is a pan-Wales strategic initiative, delivered by Food Innovation Wales, which is a partnership of three food centres based in north, mid/west and south Wales. Eligible companies have access to a range of expertise to help them grow and succeed through developing innovative new products, increasing their efficiency and adopting a strategic approach to business. To date Project…

Nerys Smithwick has not let dyslexia stop her from achieving her career goals at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport where she is being promoted through the ranks. Now 35-year-old Nerys, who lives in Blaenavon, has been recognised for her dedication to learning by being named Higher Apprentice of the Year at Cambrian Training Company’s annual Apprenticeship, Employment and Skills Award. There was double delight as The Celtic Collection, which includes the Celtic Manor Resort, was named Large Employer of the Year. Achieving a series of apprenticeships, which have improved Nerys’ skills, knowledge and confidence in the past seven years,…

Almost 600 new beds from the Bay Field Hospital have now been distributed and are helping Ukrainian refugees and local communities in Swansea Bay. Three months after Swansea Bay UHB offered to donate the 595 unused beds from the Bay Field Hospital to people in need, all the beds have now been allocated. Sadly, bed poverty, where families do not have adequate beds, mattresses or bedding, is a concern in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. Cases of people sleeping on sofas; on home-made mattresses stuffed with old clothes, or children ‘topping and tailing’ in a shared bed are being reported.…

South Wales tech-for-purpose business, Big Lemon, has been named a 2022 Best for the World™ B Corp in recognition of its exceptional positive impact for its workers. Best for the World is a distinction granted by B Lab to Certified B Corporations (B Corps) whose verified B Impact Scores in the five impact areas evaluated in the B Impact Assessment — community, customers, environment, governance, and workers — rank in the top 5% of all B Corps in their corresponding size group. Big Lemon has earned this honour on the back of realigning the business around a new mission two…

The British Business Bank announces today that, through the Recovery Loan Scheme, accredited lenders have offered over £135m to smaller businesses in Wales as they steer a path towards a sustainable recovery. Of the £135.4m of total funding offered through 690 facilities, £117.7m has been drawn down through 639 facilities. Total funding offered from the scheme represents 3% of the national total, broadly in line with the relative size of the nation’s business population (4%) A total of £4.51bn of lending has been offered through over 20,643 facilities across the UK, £3.83bn has been drawn down through 18,338 facilities. The…

Eliminating 90 per cent of CO2 emissions on heavy plant activity on a single site is just one example of the impact of a civil engineering firm’s focus on its environmental goals. Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK is future proofing itself by having a clear carbon management pathway for year-on-year savings when it comes to emissions. The Ruthin-headquartered company is monitoring its Energy Performance Indicator (EnPI), which will allow a thorough review of new initiatives, and ensure it is performing and reporting as under the Streamlined Energy and Carbon Regulations (SECR). As part of its bid to reduce carbon emissions,…