Author: Rhys Gregory

Getting people out of cars and on to bikes is the aim of a £50m investment announced by Deputy Climate Change Minister Lee Waters today (Friday 13 May). Speaking on a visit to Cardiff-based cycling charity Pedal Power, the Deputy Minister said the money would fund cycling routes and new facilities right across Wales. Deputy Minister for Climate Change, with a responsibility for Transport, Lee Waters said: “This is a substantial investment and part of our commitment to making cycling easier so people cut the amount of journeys they take by car and travel in a way that is better…

Climate Change Minister Julie James has made fresh calls for a UK-wide approach to building safety as she set out the progress Wales has made on repairing building defects in Wales. She today called on the UK Government to extend its England-only developer pledge, which commits developers to repairing buildings they were involved in developing, to the rest of the UK. The Minister warned the current “unilateral approach” to building safety makes it harder to ensure developers take their responsibilities to contribute towards the costs of fixing building safety issues in Wales seriously. The Welsh Government has earmarked £375m towards…

The Welsh Government has reached agreement with the UK Government on the establishment of Freeports in Wales, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething, has confirmed. Welsh Ministers have agreed to support Freeport policies in Wales following the UK Government’s agreement to meet the Welsh Government’s demands that UK Ministers provide at least £26m of non-repayable starter funding for any Freeport established in Wales, which represents a parity with the deals offered to English Freeports. The UK Government have agreed to meet a number of other demands – including that both Governments will act on the basis of a ‘partnership of equals’ to…

Climate Change Minister Julie James has this week (Thursday, May 12) set out plans to introduce a new law to manage the legacy of centuries of mining in Wales which put ‘community safety at the forefront.’ The Minister confirmed the Welsh Government will recommend the creation of a supervisory authority to oversee the new regime, which will ensure management arrangements are in place for the highest-category tips as well as compile and maintain a new national asset register. The full proposals, which also include a new national approach to the categorisation of tips, follow a recent report by the Law…

More than £50m has been provided to Welsh households to help tackle the cost of living crisis, through a £150 cost of living payment that has already reached 332,710 homes. The payments started in April and more people will be receiving their £150 in the coming weeks. The £152m scheme is being delivered by local authorities on behalf of the Welsh Government. The support is being provided to all households in properties in council tax bands A to D, and all households which receive support from the Council Tax Reduction Scheme regardless of their council tax band. Payments will be…

On International Nurses Day (May 12), the Chief Nursing Officer for Wales Sue Tranka has met some of the new nurses from across the world who have come to work in Wales. International nurses have been part of the NHS since its inception in 1948 and continue to play a vital role. More than 400 nurses from all over the world are expected to come and work in Wales this year through a new programme. Sue also joined the other UK chief nursing officers to launch the Here for Life campaign, which showcases the skills, knowledge and professionalism of nurses…

The UK’s best boutique adventure and wellbeing  festival returns next month, 3 – 6 June, to Lawrenny Castle Estate in Pembrokeshire, Wales. The Big Retreat Festival 2022 will have headline performances from ninety-noughties bands Reef, Toploader, and Fun Lovin’ Criminals front man Huey Morgan. Plus appearances from nineties fitness legend Mr Motivator, former model and Total Wipeout presenter Amanda Byram, and Vikings actor and wellness practitioner Maude Hirst. Main Stage at The Big Retreat Festival, photo credit Owen Howells Away from the Main Stage, the Festival will have seven sites to explore, full of adventure, discoveries, inspiration, and relaxation. The…

Glenbrook Investments has completed the £6.6million acquisition at Newport Retail Park in Gwent from Regional REIT, achieving a Net Initial Yield of 7.5%. Located on The Avenue, the 7.5-acre site comprises a 40,998 sq ft Matalan store, a 14.772 sq ft Peugeot car showroom and a remaining 2.47-acre development plot. Over the last 12 months alone, Glenbrook has completed £74million worth of investment transactions including the £4.625million disposal of Eastgate Retail Park in Lancashire to Threadneedle and the £11.4million Valley Road Industrial Estate in Merseyside to Schroders. Speaking about the purchase, Chris Lloyd, investment director at Glenbrook commented: “This is…

The National Lottery Community Fund has awarded £10.8 million in grants through its Mind Our Future programme to nine partnerships supporting young people’s mental health and resilience across Wales. Mind Our Future was co-developed with The National Lottery Community Fund’s Youth Voice Wales Team to ensure young people’s voices were an integral part of shaping the programme. From decision-making to application assessment, the young people were part of the process every step of the way. Barnardo’s North Wales’ Meddwl Ymlaen Gwynedd project, awarded £1,419,281, will co-produce solutions, leading to a more resilient and mentally healthy future for young people aged…

A North Wales PR practitioner is encouraging professionals in the field to take their development to the next level to ensure they constantly provide the most up-to-date communications insight. Ahead of this year’s national Learning at Work Week, which runs from 16 to 22 May, Tom Norris, account executive at Mold-based Outwrite PR, has attributed the agency’s success and winning of prestigious awards to a constant push in professional development across the company’s staff. All Outwrite employees have completed the Chartered Institute of Public Relations’ (CIPR) annual Continuing Professional Development (CPD) programme this year, with Tom taking strides in his…