Author: Rhys Gregory

voco St David’s Cardiff has marked a successful year in 2025, welcoming 67,463 guests to date and generating record turnover, underlining its position as one of Wales’ leading five-star hotels. The iconic Cardiff Bay hotel recorded a 5% increase in total revenue year on year, alongside a 25% rise in corporate room nights, reflecting strong demand from conferences, business travel and major events. July proved to be a standout period, delivering the hotel’s highest revenue month of the year, boosted by a busy city events calendar including Oasis performing at the Principality Stadium. Throughout 2025, voco St David’s Cardiff has…

Premier Forest Products, one of the UK’s leading timber companies, has acquired two Arnold Laver locations from the administrators of the National Timber Group England. The move secures 36 jobs at the two sites, with plans to increase that number to over 100 as the branches are rebuilt and re-staffed, ensuring continuity for customers and suppliers. The acquisition of the Manchester and Reading operations is a strategic investment by the 32-year-old business, strengthening Premier Forest’s presence in the two regions and supporting its long-term plans to build a sustainable UK-wide network. Arnold Laver was an established brand within the National…

Wales’ brightest young inventors have been recognised for their invention and creation at the 25th annual Innovation Awards, hosted by WJEC. The Innovation Awards, held in collaboration with Welsh Government, are a celebration of Welsh design and technology, recognising and rewarding the next generation of innovators. In parallel to previous years, the 25th Innovation Awards encouraged young people in Wales to be technologically innovative and appreciate the importance of design and technology. The event held at The Pierhead in Cardiff Bay, was also a reflection on the legacy of Welsh inventors and acknowledges their contributions. Some of the world’s most groundbreaking inventions have come from Welsh inventors, such as the electronic breathalyser, the RIB Boat, and the modern microphone. This year’s inventions were no exception and included a…

Christmas cheer rang out at two neighbouring Wrexham care homes thanks to a virtuoso visit from professional musicians. The festive treat came as the NEW Sinfonia orchestra gears up for its New Year Gala concert – supported by the Pendine Park care organisation through it Pendine Arts and Community Trust. Residents at Pendine’s Penybryn care home were treated to a show-stopping performance from harpist Bethan Conway and flautist Charlotte Thomas who encouraged everyone to join in the seasonal sing-along. The pair, both players with NEW Sinfonia, delivered an uplifting programme, followed by a second session at the Highfield care home…

The Bluestone Foundation, the charitable arm of Bluestone National Park Resort, is celebrating a remarkable year of community investment and support in 2025, raising and funding over £60,000 to help transform lives and champion local projects across Pembrokeshire. Built on Bluestone’s long-standing commitment to making a positive difference to local communities, the Foundation, run in partnership with the Pembrokeshire Association for Voluntary Services (PAVS), has continued to expand its reach and deepen its impact. This year, its Community Fund delivered three rounds of grants supporting charities and community organisations working at the heart of the county. From environmental champions like…

Barry-based The Goodwash Company has achieved 18% growth in online sales this year, driven by a surge in website orders and new trade partnerships with premium hospitality clients across Wales and the UK. The ethical skincare brand, which creates luxury vegan and cruelty-free products, has secured a landmark distribution agreement with Castell Howell, one of Wales’ largest foodservice wholesalers. The Castell Howell partnership will see Goodwash’s core wash range distributed to hospitality businesses across Wales and the UK, significantly expanding the brand’s reach beyond its existing direct-to-consumer and boutique hotel channels. The growth comes as The Goodwash Company expands its…

Capel Rhondda, a Grade II-listed chapel in Hopkinstown, Rhondda Cynon Taf, which was saved earlier this summer by the local community is now turning its sights towards the future. Following the chapel’s closure in December 2024 due to a dwindling congregation, it was listed for £47,500 by the Baptist Union of Wales. In response, an online crowdfunder was started by local residents, led by Rhian Hopkins, to ensure that the chapel stayed in local hands rather than falling to developers. The fundraiser received donations from across Wales and the world. The community plan to develop the site into a thriving…

A tortoiseshell-and-white cat and her tiny kitten who were found on a farm in Bridgend are just two of thousands of cats left behind by life who will spend Christmas in a charity’s pens and foster homes, hoping the new year heralds a brighter future. Cats Protection is highlighting 12 Strays of Christmas who are in need of new homes to raise awareness of the plight of almost 5,100 stray cats taken into its care over the past year. This is in addition to the many more cats who, through no fault of their own, have been given up or…

Corporates could face additional administrative burdens as they seek to implement updated guidance in moving to net zero, according to ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). Responding to Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi) Corporate Net-Zero Standard V2, ACCA says that it is concerned by the potential workload for businesses of transitioning from version 1 to version 2. Jessica Bingham, global sustainability lead, strategy, ACCA, said: “Despite the issuance of transition guidance, with 2030 and near-term target deadlines in sight, there is a level of uncertainty around how organisations will navigate these changes. However, overall, we believe the changes to the…

Ceredigion Museum has been announced as one of 12 museums, heritage and cultural partners across the UK to run events and activity focused on creating advocates for the planet, in partnership with the Natural History Museum (NHM), London. The Fixing Our Broken Planet: Interconnected programme provides funding, displays, and access to scientists, to support activity which works with communities towards a more hopeful future. As part of the project, a group of local young people has chosen to create a short film about the Dyfi Estuary. It’s an opportunity for them to amplify their own and other young people’s voices…