Author: Rhys Gregory

Home Start Ceredigion is celebrating the announcement of half a million pound grant (£500,00) raised thanks to National Lottery players.  They will be helping new mums like Victoria who told us the group helped her “loneliness melt away”. We are also announcing three grants of around £10,000 each to three other Ceredigion groups, read on to find out more.   Victoria, a new mum who has been supported by Home-Start Ceredigion, said: “Moving to Wales with my husband felt like a dream come true. Then baby Jake arrived, and everything changed. Naturally we were delighted with him, but once he was born…

Macmillan Cancer Support has announced an extra £3.5million in funding for its financial grants scheme, to help people with cancer in Wales and across the UK cope as the cost-of-living continues to soar. In the first six weeks of this year, Macmillan provided more than £88,000 in grants to support vulnerable patients in Wales who are struggling financially – an increase of 15% on the same time period last year. During a three-month period to the end of January, the charity provided more than £78,000 to support people living with cancer in Wales with their heating bills alone. More than…

National Trust Cymru volunteer discovers rare first edition of George Orwell classic in second-hand bookshop at Dyffryn Gardens From modern fiction and crime to natural history and children’s favourites, thousands of books are donated to National Trust Cymru’s second-hand bookshops each year. In November 2021 a second-hand bookshop volunteer at Dyffryn Gardens, near Cardiff, made an exciting discovery when routinely sorting through donations – a first edition copy of George Orwell’s 1945 classic ‘Animal Farm’. The book was recently found a new home by local auctioneers, Rodger Jones and the £2800 made from the sale will remain at Dyffryn Gardens,…

With many firms across Wales navigating reduced demand, as well as implementing new hybrid working processes, restoring confidence is crucial to getting the Welsh economy firing once again. That’s why, ahead of Friday’s Covid review, CBI Wales is calling on the Welsh Government to continue offering free, universal, Lateral Flow Tests (LFTs) to help build business and consumer confidence. Ian Price, CBI Wales Director, said: “The removal of remaining restrictions will give businesses across Wales the certainty they need to grow and invest. “Yet firms also know that the virus hasn’t disappeared. Businesses will continue to use measures to keep their staff and customers safe,…

The RSPCA is looking to recruit a specialist team of volunteer superheroes to get up close, personal and hands-on with wildlife in North Wales. A new drive to expand its team of dedicated Wildlife Casualty Volunteers (WCVs) has been launched by the animal welfare charity – with WCVs offering invaluable support on the frontline in protecting sick, injured and orphaned wildlife. The RSPCA has relaunched its recruitment drive for WCVs across North Wales as animal lovers celebrate World Wildlife Day today (March 3). WCVs collect sick, injured or orphaned birds and small mammals, and transport them to RSPCA wildlife centres,…

A new factory making wooden frames for zero carbon modular homes is aiming for sales topping £3 million in its first year. The unit set up by Creating Enterprise at the former Travis Perkins depot in Cefndy Road, Rhyl, is providing work opportunities for young unemployed people via the Kickstart scheme. The social enterprise, a subsidiary of housing association Cartrefi Conwy, is also looking to employ tenants who don’t have a job. Creating Enterprise have invested £1 million in the project that’s also designed to play a key role in regenerating Rhyl’s West End. As well as remodelling the 10,000…

A  major international campaign has been launched to attract high-spending overseas visitors to North Wales after the easing of Covid restrictions. One of the aims of the multi-lingual drive by North Wales Tourism  is ensure that  travellers from abroad can enjoy a warm Welsh welcome and information in their own languages. Among the countries being targeted are European nations like Germany, Spain and France along with visitors from Japan, China and India. As part of the campaign North Wales Tourism is going to be building on existing ties with Japan that were forged though the twinning of Conwy and Himeji…

Organisers of the Aberystwyth 10K race have handed over a cheque for more than £2,000 raised for the Bronglais Chemo Appeal. The Appeal was chosen to be the sole beneficiary of the race, which is held annually in December to raise money for local charities. Pictured at the cheque handover at Bronglais Hospital are Race Director Anita Worthing (centre); Oncology Nurse Specialist Rhian Jones (left) and Specialist Haematology Nurse Eirian Gravell. A total of 444 runners took part in the race on 5th December 2021 and Anita said they were pleased that a total of £2,064 had been raised and…

A mother of two young boys from Barry has organised a raffle to raise urgent funds for Save the Children following the recent developments in Ukraine. Ruth John, 35, who previously worked for the charity, was devastated by what she saw unravelling on the news and decided to reach out to small businesses for donations. “I woke up to the terrible news and upsetting images of children crying, fleeing their homes and hiding from war in Ukraine. I took one look at my own children and put myself in the shoes of those mums, frightened of what might happen and…

A North Shields insulation panel manufacturer is creating 15 new jobs after expanding its manufacturing capability into South East Wales, following a seven-figure equipment finance package from HSBC UK. Isoclad, the UK’s largest independent manufacturer of insulated composite panels, is diversifying its product portfolio with the launch of sister companies Securiclad and Customclad, which will be based at a brand new 124,000 sq ft site in Monmouth. Securiclad will provide a range of security panels, including a Government-approved offering designed to prevent forced entry. Customclad will streamline the construction process for businesses by providing the capability to cut apertures such…