Author: Rhys Gregory

Urgent action is required now more than ever to tackle the UK’s energy shortages and to secure future energy production, the Farmers’ Union of Wales has agreed during a recent meeting of its Presidential Policy Team. In his letter to the UK Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, The Rt Hon Kwasi Kwarteng MP, and Welsh Minister for Climate Change, Julie James MP, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “During the previous decade, initiatives such as Feed In Tariffs were instrumental in increasing levels of renewable energy production in Wales and the UK at the fastest rate seen…

Leading commercial cleaning company Mrs Buckét has won a major new contract with Panasonic Manufacturing UK LTD. Mrs Buckét was awarded the new work after the company demonstrated the fundamental ways in which it could add value to Panasonic and help the organisation create an enhanced employee experience. Based in Cardiff since 1976, the Panasonic plant has produced a vast array of innovative products and continues to be at the forefront of manufacturing in Wales. This is the first time that the organisation has employed an external cleaning company, having previously managed their cleaning in-house. The new contract will involve…

CARDIFF-based aluminium fabricator Dudley’s Aluminium has secured a project with a new client. Dudley’s will be working with award-winning, family run construction company Beard Construction on 100 Victoria Street in Bristol. The fabricator will install AluProf capped curtain walling, silicone glazed curtain walling, windows and doors, and fire-rated windows and doors as well as automatic entrance doors in the extension to the office development which is conveniently located close to Bristol Temple Meads railway station, Bristol city centre and Cabot Circus. Colin Shorney, Managing Director at Dudley’s Aluminium, said: “We are thrilled to be a part of this project in…

Could you be more physically active? From walking, cycling and activity in daily life, through to sport, Cardiff is already a physically active city and now a new Move More Cardiff strategy is launching to help residents reach their full potential. Cardiff Council, Cardiff Metropolitan University and Cardiff University Health Board have connected partners from across the whole system to develop a 5-year strategy to get Cardiff moving more. The strategy will target four key areas of action: active systems, active environments, active societies, and active people, with the aim of reducing sedentary behaviour and making being active the norm.…

Swansea Council’s employability service Swansea Working, together with its partners, has opened the pop-up hub in Unit 9 in the Quadrant Shopping Centre opposite HMV. It provides a range of support to help people in Swansea access the employment market. Services include; employer days, targeted employment events, training and much more. Thanks to partners such as the Environment Centre, Barnardo’s Swansea, Whitehead Ross and Workways there is also advice and support on the cost of living crisis, welfare benefits and debt. Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member for Wellbeing, Alyson Pugh, said: “By locating this pop-up service in the Quadrant Shopping Centre…

Risca Beach Party, a new event that was held in Tredegar Park on Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th May, saw an overwhelming number of visitors enjoy the glorious sunshine and 130 tonnes of sand that was laden with picnic blankets, deckchairs, buckets and spades. Risca town centre footfall counter, located slightly away from the park by Risca Library, clocked nearly 1,500 visitors over the two day event, whilst the beach entrance recorded nearly 5,000 visitors passing the entranceway into the giant sand pit over the weekend. Caerphilly events team overheard people of all ages enjoying what felt like a day…

The Welsh Government Minister for Social Justice has visited Glynmil Caravan Park in Merthyr Tydfil to learn about plans to make it ‘a safe, modern and secure place to live’. Redevelopment work has begun after Welsh Government awarded the County Borough Council a Site Capital grant of more than £500,000 to refurbish all 24 amenity blocks on the 8.3 acres of land, which has been used as a residential Gypsy/Traveller site since 1977. Minister Jane Hutt MS was given a tour of the park, where she was shown progress on the amenity blocks, which contain bathrooms and kitchens. She also met officers…

Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council has helped secure this year’s Merthyr Rising Festival by steering organisers towards a local grant fund and introducing new road safety measures. This is in addition to the support announced last week by Welsh Government. This coming weekend’s event was switched from the original venues of Penderyn Square and Redhouse Cymru to Cyfarthfa Park on the advice of the Merthyr Tydfil Event Safety Advisory Group (ESAG). When initial discussions took place last December, the position regarding Covid-19 was still uncertain and ESAG felt that Cyfarthfa Park, being a larger venue, would allow greater flexibility to…

Building on the benefits significant European funding has brought to projects in rural Wales and the commitment of communities who have delivered them will be crucial as we look to the future. This is the message from Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths ahead of a 200-plus guest event beginning today at the Royal Welsh Showground in Builth Wells to celebrate the work of rural Wales. For decades Wales has benefitted from support through the European Union’s Rural Development Programme (RDP). With the UK’s exit from the EU, this support is coming to an end, and the Welsh Government is now…

Banning the sale of energy drinks for under-16s and limiting hot food takeaways near schools are among new ideas to improve the health of young people and stop the rising rates of obesity in Wales The rising consumption of high-caffeine energy drinks among young people is also causing concern about the effects on their education. Deputy Minister for Mental Health and Wellbeing, Lynne Neagle spoke to pupils and teachers at Whitchurch High School about the new ideas for legislation the Welsh Government is consulting on to address the rising rates of obesity in Wales. She also wants to hear people’s…