Author: Rhys Gregory

A small Welsh charity with big plans for nature’s recovery is launching an appeal to help breathe new life into an upland area of Mid Wales. Last year, Radnorshire Wildlife Trust (RWT) took out a loan to buy 164 acres – about the size of 80 rugby pitches – at Pentwyn, near Llandrindod Wells in a bid to help wildlife fight back and tackle climate change, river pollution and flooding across central Wales. The trust now needs to raise £1 million to secure the future of the land for people and nature. Additional funds are also needed to restore the…

Wales now has the largest stock of film and TV studios outside London and the South East, making up 13 per cent of the total stock in the UK, according to new research from global property consultancy Knight Frank. Its 2022 UK Film and TV Studio Market Report reveals rising demand for film studio space in the UK has prompted increased interest from film production companies looking to take advantage of what the regional centres have to offer, with cities along the M4 such as Cardiff and Newport among some of the key locations seeing growth in major studio clusters.…

Ten of the most inspiring, talented, and dedicated education professionals from across Wales have been revealed as winners of the fifth annual Professional Teaching Awards Cymru. 29 finalists from all four corners of Wales, were invited to celebrate excellence in education at the awards on Sunday 10 July. The Minister for Education and the Welsh Language, Jeremy Miles, revealed the winners of the ten categories at a special ceremony held at The Coal Exchange in Cardiff. After last year’s ceremony was postponed due to Covid-19, the awards provided some much-needed positivity for those involved. The Professional Teaching Awards Cymru recognise…

A UK civil engineering company has successfully delivered the enabling works package for two major offshore wind energy developments in the north east of England. Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK was appointed to prepare a site for the construction of the onshore converter station platforms for both Sofia Offshore Wind Farm and Dogger Bank C, the third phase of the Dogger Bank Wind Farm, situated near Redcar, Teesside. Works carried out by Jones Bros included providing load bearing working platforms for the converter stations, two new road access points, welfare and storage areas, a drainage system, and associated utilities. Up…

The countdown is on for the first ever IRONMAN 70.3 triathlon event in Wales, as the inaugural IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea kicks off on Sunday, 7 August 2022. A sold-out event with over 2,000 athletes registered to race, IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea will be the first PRO race of the 2022 IRONMAN UK season, with confirmed male and female professional fields battling it out for the title of IRONMAN 70.3 Swansea Champion. While the official start list is eagerly awaited, professional athletes such as Nikki Bartlett (GBR), the 2022 IRONMAN 70.3 Mallorca Champion and runner up at last month’s IRONMAN Frankfurt, have…

Principality Building Society is offering up to five homes to accommodate and support Ukrainian refugees who have been displaced because of the conflict in their homeland. The building society has already successfully housed one family in Cardiff and is in discussions with other councils across Wales to hand more families keys to a safe place they can call home. Julie-Ann Haines, CEO at Principality said: “What is happening in Ukraine is devastating for millions of families and we have been considering how best we can help with the resettlement scheme in Wales.  As a business that helps people secure homes…

One of Wales’ foremost choirs was triumphant in the main choral competition in the Llangollen International Eisteddfod this past weekend, winning two categories on their way to win the Pavarotti Trophy for the first time. Côr CF1 from Cardiff, rose to the top in the Choir of the World on Saturday, against international choirs who won their categories during the day. This is the highlight of competing in the Llangollen Pavilion, held for the first time since 2019. CF1 were crowned winners after a very successful day of competing, winning the Mixed Choirs and Open Choir Category, the second with…

Two independent, family-run Cardiff businesses have announced that they are joining forces, in a move that will strengthen the city’s booming artisan bakery scene. Pettigrew Bakeries – one of the city’s best-loved craft bakeries based in Victoria Park – will be merging with another artisan bakery business, Friends in Knead; both have attracted their own cult followings over the last 6/7 years. Staff from both businesses will continue under the Pettigrew name, offering the best of both bakeries – but now solely from the Pettigrew Bakeries brand. Friends in Knead founder, Ceri Bower, will also be joining the team in a new role…

The Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Wales has been unveiled as sponsor of this year’s National Geographic Traveller Food Festival, a celebration of food and travel which will bring together some of the culinary world’s biggest names and showcase flavours from every corner of the globe. Held across two days from 16-17 July 2022 at London’s Business Design Centre, The National Geographic Traveller Food Festival is a star-studded event which will offer visitors the chance to widen their knowledge and broaden their palates, whether through a wine tutorial, a culinary masterclass showing a specific cuisine, a live demonstration from a…

The independent Commission tasked with exploring the future of Wales has launched a new fund for third sector organisations to support in its work and ensure every citizen in Wales has a chance to join in its national conversation. The Community Engagement Fund will give organisations and groups that work at the heart of Wales’ diverse communities £5,000 in funding to run engagement projects. The fund has been created to ensure that the views of the many varied communities in Wales are being listened to and then reflected within the Commission’s interim report which is due later this year. The…