Author: Rhys Gregory

Erica Cassin has been appointed as the new Chair of the Board of Careers Wales, Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething has announced today.  The Minister has also appointed James Harvey as a member of the Board. Both appointments run from 1 February 2022, for a three year period. Careers Wales, a wholly owned subsidiary of the Welsh Government, provides an all- age, impartial, bilingual, careers information, advice and guidance service. Economy Minister, Vaughan Gething said: “The role of the CCDG Board is of great importance, it has a key role in delivering the Careers Wales’ remit and ensuring the service achieves…

ADHD is a mental condition that is most commonly seen in children. An estimated 6.4 million American children ages 4 to 17 live with such conditions. Despite this, many people still have misconceptions about the disorder. Although symptoms of the disease were discussed in the early 1900s, Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder was not used in medical literature until the 1980s. In the past, the diagnosis was often linked to the child’s family history of psychiatric problems or the child’s parents’ inadequacies as parental figures. A few of these preconceptions are strangely persistent even now. In recent decades, there has been…

Cardiff-based fintech Delio has secured an additional £6.1m in growth funding to cement its position on the international wealth tech scene and expand its offering.   The latest backing of the Welsh fintech comes from Octopus Ventures, one of the most active venture capital investors across Europe. Maven Capital Partners, who led Delio’s Series A round in 2019, is also re-investing in the company, bringing the total equity funding raised to date to over £11m.   The past few years have seen a record level of investment in businesses across Wales, as £129m was invested in Welsh start-ups and scale-ups…

Spirit of Wales Distillery wins two silver medals for their Welsh rums from The Spirit Business, 2022 The Rum & Cachaça Masters, to find excellence within the category. The Welsh distillery walked away with a silver medal for their newly launched luscious Steeltown White Welsh Rum and a second silver medal for their Dragon’s Breath Welsh Spiced Rum, adding to their array of global awards. In February 2022, The Spirits Business hosted The Rum & Cachaça Masters’ competition in search of the finest rum and cachaça brands on the world stage. The panel comprises leading spirits specialists from around the globe who judged the…

Llanelli audiences are in for a treat as Mid Wales Opera and Ensemble Cymru bring Puccini’s majestic masterpiece, La Bohéme, to the Ffwrnes stage on 24th March at 7:30pm. Telling the timeless love story of Rodolfo and Mimi, Puccini’s tour de force celebrates the power of love and friendship. Ensemble Cymru will perform Puccini’s gloriously evocative score, with some of opera’s best loved arias conjuring Parisian cafes as well as the cold reality of the bohemians’ hand to mouth existence. La Bohème concludes MWO’s Puccini in Paris season, delayed for a year by Covid-related theatre closures. The young bohemians in…

Bridges Centre are celebrating the announcement of £99,997 grant made possible thanks to National Lottery players. They will be helping children and young people with additional needs spend quality time with their families through creative and social activities. Another Monmouthshire based community project receiving funding is Usk Town Council with £3,887 to host an event to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Over the next two years, Bridges Centre will spend their £99,997 grant to provide Quest Busters – a series of activities for children and young people with additional needs and their families. This will include activities during holidays, after…

The market town of Machynlleth will sing along with legendary Welsh folk singer Dafydd Iwan when the Amdani, Fachynlleth! Literature & Travel Festival returns from April 1-3. The bilingual festival, translated to Let’s Go! Machynlleth, will yet again be hosting artists, poets, travel writers and musicians across the weekend for a series of events on stage at the Wynnstay Hotel and the Senedd-dy, Glyndŵr Centre. With events costing just £5 per event, there will be something for everyone, from the unveiling of a new portrait by Dan Llywelyn Hall to Rhys Mwyn discussing the psychogeography of Gwynedd. Travel writer Tharik…

A coaching programme to get more young people playing football in the Barmouth and Harlech areas, from primary school to adult level, has received a £1,000 boost. Salop Caravan Sites, which owns Min-y-Don and Castle View Holiday Parks in Harlech and Llandanwg Holiday Park at neighbouring Llandanwg, is investing in  developing football in the Ardudwy area. The football development project is being spearheaded by Iolo Peris Owen, former coach to the Wales Schools Under 16 and 18 teams in 1980s and ‘90s when the likes of Ryan Giggs, Robbie Savage, Robert Page and Danny Coyne were developing their skills. “Over…

British Heart Foundation volunteers and staff were delighted to welcome The Hairy Bikers’ Si King to BHF Cymru’s Monmouth shop on Thursday (3rd March). Store manager Gareth Noble says “Si was an absolute gent, took the time to talk to our volunteers and really made their week.” Volunteer Matt Tudor, assistant manager Lesley Cutting-Cooke and volunteer Laura Gould are pictured with Si who bought an Elvis LP, cuddly toy and a hat! The BHF Monmouth shop is a great place to pick up good quality, clothing, handbags, shoes, books and toys, and every purchase helps fund lifesaving research into heart…

Swansea’s new £135 million Copr Bay destination has been officially opened. First Minister Mark Drakeford was among those present in an official opening event at Swansea’s 3,500-capacity arena on Thursday March 3. It means members of the public will be able to walk and cycle across the new bridge over Oystermouth Road from 11am on Friday March 4 as finishing touches continue to be made on site. The arena foyer and box office area will also open next week as the venue builds-up to comedian John Bishop’s performance there on March 15. And in a further boost to the new…