Author: Rhys Gregory

An 18th Century Inn, a Spanish tapas bar and an African food store are just some of the 73 Welsh businesses that accessed over £1.3 million of fast track micro loans from the Development Bank of Wales  in the financial year to date (April to December 2021) Small businesses, sole traders and social enterprises that have been trading in Wales for over two years can apply for a fast track micro loan of up to £25,000 from the Development Bank of Wales. Decisions on qualifying customer loans can be made within two working days. The  figure of £1.32 million represents…

Plenty of greenery will very soon be planted at Swansea’s new coastal park as construction of the attraction edges even closer to completion. The planting over the next fortnight or so will follow significant recent progress at the 1.1-acre park, which forms part of the £135m Copr Bay phase one district being developed by Swansea Council. Current on-going work includes the introduction of water features and soft play areas for children. The coastal park will also feature a selection of new trees, including cherries and pines. They’re among over 70 new trees being introduced as part of the Copr Bay…

Danny Tod has been appointed as Managing Director of Tod Security and Fire Limited, the company that he first joined as an apprentice in 2008 at the age of 16. First established in 1987 by Danny’s father David Tod, Tod Security began life in a garden shed. The company has doubled in size in the last three years alone  and now employs 25 people from their base at Mamhilad Park Estate. Having studied for a BTEC in Electronic Engineering, Danny progressed through the business to become an Installation Engineer in 2010.  He has since become increasingly involved in the management…

Brand new laboratories have been unveiled at the Coleg Meirion-Dwyfor campuses in Dolgellau and Pwllheli, as part of a £1.9m project to improve science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) facilities for college students. Grŵp Llandrillo Menai secured Magnox/Nuclear Decommissioning Authority funding towards an ambitious project to upgrade 10 laboratories across three of its campuses. £386,034 from Magnox/NDA is being invested by the LabSTEM project to modernise facilities at Dolgellau, Pwllheli and Llangefni, with the remainder of the funding package provided by the Welsh Government’s 21st Schools and Colleges Programme and Grŵp Llandrillo Menai. Three science laboratories at both the Dolgellau…

A doctor from Rhondda Cynon Taf is investigating if there’s a link between patients having urinary tract infections (UTIs) and suffering a heart attack or stroke, in new research funded by British Heart Foundation Cymru. Dr Harry Ahmed is a GP and Senior Clinical Lecturer in Epidemiology at Cardiff University’s School of Medicine.  He hopes the study could lead to better outcomes for patients in the future. Dr Ahmed says, “When a person has an infection, the immune system responds in a way that could affect the circulatory system. These changes may increase the risk of having a heart attack or…

More than half of local authorities across Wales have introduced measures on fireworks to help protect animals – with North Wales leading the way. RSPCA Cymru has welcomed the latest local authority in Wales – Isle of Anglesey – agreeing a number of actions to help mitigate the impact of fireworks on animals. An RSPCA-backed Notice of Motion has been passed unanimously by Councillors. It comes as animal owners brace themselves for Chinese New Year celebrations on 1 February. A total of 14 out of 22 councils in Wales have now acted – which includes all of North Wales’ local…

Do you love history? Would you love to learn more about your local area, study artefacts, get your hands dirty and learn real archaeologist’s skills? A new club for young people aged 8 -16 interested in archaeology is being launched for Neath Port Talbot on Saturday 19th February. Based at Neath Library, the club will provide an exciting opportunity to involve young people in archaeology, local history and heritage by creating fun ways to investigate the past. Sessions will encourage a greater understanding of archaeology and the chance to get a hands-on experience of real excavations, handle artefacts and discover…

omelessness charity Emmaus South Wales is working in partnership with Bridgend County Borough Council and Kier to take over the ‘The Siding’ re-use shop at Maesteg’s community recycling centre. The Siding, in the Heol Ty Gwyn Industrial Estate, first opened in February 2020 and was operated by Wastesavers Charitable Trust before the pandemic forced it closed. Emmaus South Wales has taken over the operation and reopened The Siding on Monday 31 January 2022, offering a haven for bargain hunters and the opportunity for locals to ensure their unwanted items go to a good home rather than a skip. Visitors to…

Work will start on the new modular building to be constructed at Priory Church in Wales School site in Brecon. The building funded by a Welsh Government Flying Start capital grant of £820,000.00 will provide Flying Start childcare and Foundation Phase provision as well as a multi-agency office space for professionals to support families. Following a tender process R G Stones Modular buildings have been awarded the contract to carry out the building work on the site starting next month. The new building and outdoor space will provide high quality, free Flying Start childcare for two-year-olds and will also be…

Tonnes of MIGHTY recycling has been collected from across Rhondda Cynon Taf as residents once again prove they have got MIGHTY recycling powers! The Council is congratulating its residents on its fantastic recycling figures for December 2021! Residents across Rhondda Cynon Taf are some of the ‘mightiest’ in Wales and have had a very green Christmas, with more and more residents joining in the fight against waste! The amazing news is that overall black bag/wheelie bin waste has dropped by over 50 tonnes compared to last year – which means that our residents are thinking before they buy and reducing…