Author: Rhys Gregory

A desire to protect and enhance the bee and pollinator population in Wales has led to an innovative project between two seemingly disparate businesses. Although drawn from different parts of the food industry, Ellis Eggs Ltd and Bee Welsh Honey have a common desire to boost the fortunes of bees and pollinators and highlight their vital impact on the environment. Jason Ellis, owner of the Hirwaun-based egg company, and Builth Wells bee farmer Shane Llewelyn-Jones have forged a collaboration that is already benefitting the environment and potentially creating commercial opportunities. Jason’s interest in the vital role of bees and pollinators…

A Creative Writing graduate from Aberystwyth University has topped The Sunday Times Bestseller List with her debut novel. Just days after its release, Susan Stokes-Chapman’s Pandora became the number one bestselling hardback fiction book in the UK, toppling Richard Osman’s The Man Who Died Twice. Born and brought up in Lichfield, Staffordshire, Susan spent four years studying at Aberystwyth University, graduating with a BA in Education & English Literature and an MA in Creative Writing. Responding to the news, Susan said:  “I am absolutely blown away by the response to Pandora, and never imagined the novel would be so well received. To…

The Duke of Sussex says he has “experienced burnout” and previously felt he was “getting to the very end of everything I had” in a recent live stream with tennis star Serena Williams hosted by BetterUp, a mental health company Harry has been part of since last year. How do we know when we’re experiencing burnout and what we can do to prevent it?  Professor Sir Cary Cooper, Advisory Board Member at Private Rehab Clinic Delamere, sheds light on the issue of burnout and how you can prevent it within the workplace. The full content is available below or in…

RCT Council will begin necessary work to stabilise the embankment next to a section of Llwyncelyn Road in Porth – a significant scheme which requires traffic to be reduced to one direction only, to ensure safety. The works area is a 170-metre length of embankment adjacent to B4278 Llwyncelyn Road, located between the Pontypridd Road and Leslie Terrace junctions. The embankment is slowly slipping and causing damage to the short wall next to the pavement – while during periods of rainfall, groundwater not captured by the drainage channel begins to collect on the footway below. The upcoming scheme will construct…

The first scheme within RCT Council’s pilot project to improve and adopt seven private roads across Rhondda Cynon Taf is now complete – after resurfacing and drainage improvements were delivered at Trafalgar Terrace in Ystrad. Cabinet Members agreed to the pilot in September 2021, to carry out much-needed improvements at six privately-owned residential roads using £250,000 Council funding – plus an additional £50,000 as a contingency for the work. The six locations agreed by Cabinet are Miner’s Row in Llwydcoed, Brecon Place in Aberaman, Heol Penrhiw in Mountain Ash, Hillside Terrace in Llwynypia, Trafalgar Terrace in Ystrad and Poet’s Close…

Neath Port Talbot Council has inaugurated Bethan Nicholas-Thomas as the new Youth Mayor at a ceremony held online. The annual ceremony took place on Thursday 3rd February and was attended by senior council officers and key community leaders which included Councillor Ted Latham (Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council), Karen Jones (Chief Executive of Neath Port Talbot Council) Sally Holland (The Children’s Commissioner for Wales), Louise Fleet (Lord Lieutenant of West Glamorgan), Joanna Jenkins (High Sheriff of West Glamorgan), and David Rees MS (Member of the Senedd for Aberavon). Bethan is a member of the British Youth Council and the…

There has been a significant increase in the number of Glastir payments made early in the payment window to Welsh farm businesses, Rural Affairs Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced. More than 2,200 claims under Glastir Entry, Advance, Commons and Organic were paid in January which represents 78% of all claims received and is worth £26.2m to Welsh farms. Businesses receiving the funding play a key role in contributing to the aims of conserving and enhancing wildlife and biodiversity, improving soil and water resources as well as restoring peatland habitats and responding to the climate emergency by taking action towards the…

The Welsh Government is investing £366m over the next three years to deliver 125,000 all-age apprenticeships across Wales during this term of government, Economy Minister Vaughan Gething has announced at the start of Apprenticeship Week Wales 2022. The Minister said this major investment will help support the Welsh Government’s commitment to ensure at least 90% of 16-24 year olds in Wales will be in education, employment, or training by 2050, and to eradicate the gap between the employment rate in Wales and the UK by 2050. This will help deliver a fairer Wales that leaves no one behind and makes…

An online resource dedicated to helping young people aged between 11 and 25  to access mental health support has been relaunched to include new information and advice. The launch coincides with Children’s Mental Health Week, taking place between 7 – 13 February. The refreshed young person’s mental health tool kit is available via the educational website Hwb, the National Digital Learning Platform. The toolkit features links to a range of external websites, apps and helplines that are designed to support young people with their mental health and wellbeing. The toolkit was first launched in 2020 and provides a single point…

The First Minister has announced the planned locations of Wales’ first commemorative woodlands to remember all those who have died during the pandemic. The first two woodlands will be created on part of the National Trust Cymru’s Erddig Estate in Wrexham and at a site identified by Natural Resources Wales at Brownhill in the Tywi Valley in Carmarthenshire. A third memorial woodland will be created in South East Wales – a site is currently being identified. The memorial woodlands will be a symbol of Wales’ resilience during the pandemic and one of regeneration and renewal as the new woodlands grow.…