Author: Rhys Gregory

Victims of fraud have been warned to be on their guard after it was revealed they’re more likely to be targeted a second time. The plea came from North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin after he was told their details are often put on a so-called “suckers’ list” and sold on the dark web. The tech savvy commissioner was speaking after a visit to meet officers from North Wales Police’s successful Economic Crime Unit. He has made protecting vulnerable people one of the top priorities in his Police and Crime Plan which sets out the blueprint for policing…

The status of Cardiff as a big event city continues to prosper, despite the paucity of events that were able to happen over the last two years, according to Avison Young’s newly released 2022 Forecast: Cardiff. The commercial real estate adviser reports that the city’s economy is due to grow by 5.4% during the coming year, more than double the pre-covid ten-year average growth rate. Much of this increase arises from bounce back from those sectors hardest hit during the pandemic, such as hospitality, the arts and entertainment, all of which are areas of strength for the city. From an…

The Welsh Liberal Democrats are calling for the introduction of free public transport for all under 25s in Wales in a move which they say will help fight climate change and boost social mobility. Party Leader Jane Dodds has stated that Wales needs radical solutions to shift large sections of the public towards sustainable transport and in order to cut poverty levels. The Party argues that public transport is being neglected by both the Conservative Government in Westminster and the Labour-Plaid Cymru Administration in Wales and that the policy would help those groups reliant on public transport get ahead, provide…

An emergency grant scheme is now available for Swansea businesses in the leisure, tourism, hospitality and retail sectors that do not pay business rates. Funded by the Welsh Government and run by Swansea Council, the Emergency Business Fund grant scheme is aimed at helping support businesses impacted by current Covid restrictions which are not eligible for the Economic Resilience Fund. Covering business impacted from Monday December 13 to Monday February 14, online applications are now open which cover two levels of grant award: A £1,000 cash grant payment for hospitality, tourism, retail, leisure or related supply chain businesses which do…

An award-winning PR agency has strengthened its team through an internal promotion and a new recruit to support its growing client base. Mold-based Outwrite PR has promoted Cal Behrendt to account manager and recruited Tom Norris as an account executive off the back of 11 new account wins in 2021, including mechanical and electrical contractor Ash Integrated Services and broadband provider Voneus. With a 100 per cent retention rate and four clients returning to the agency in the past year, recruitment of additional account executives and account managers is continuing in the first month of 2022. The PR and communications…

Azets, the UK’s largest regional accountancy firm and business advisor to SMEs, has announced two new appointments to the internal audit team. Gareth Campbell has joined the team as Assistant Manager and Debra Webb as Senior Internal Audit Manager – they will be working from the Cardiff office and covering internal audit clients across the South West and Wales. With over 20 years’ experience, Debra is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Internal Auditors (CMIIA) and a Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt Practitioner. Debra has worked across both the public and private sectors, most recently with Tata Steel Europe, delivering…

The film ‘Save the Cinema’ is a true story looking back at Liz Evans’s campaign to save the Lyric Theatre from closing in Carmarthen. Stars such as Jonathan Pryce, Samantha Morton, Tom Felton, Adeel Akhtar and Susan Wokoma feature in the film. As the production started, art director Gwyn Eiddior visited UWTSD’s Carmarthen Campus to see if there were any props or scenery he could possibly use for the film as it was being filmed in Carmarthen. After requesting on social media later that day for use of a workshop to build sets for the film in Carmarthen, Lecturer Dave Atkinson…

Wales’s newest private school is bringing a £6 million plus windfall to Denbighshire as it unveils plans for its latest expansion. Award-winning Myddelton College, Denbigh, which was only founded five years ago, is already up to 281 pupils and has announced plans to open Reception and Years One and Two classes from next September. That will mean the school will provide a full education for pupils aged from four to 18 and is likely to see numbers go through the 300 mark later this year. The annual budget for the school is £3 million which includes staff wages, food and…

SWANSEA icon and panto star Kevin Johns MBE is set to get Honorary Freedom of the City – oh, yes he is! Mr Johns is being honoured for his charity work and for being one of our city’s best-known ambassadors. A report going to Full Council next week will ask councillors to endorse the proposal. If they do Mr Johns will follow Catherine Zeta Jones, rugby legend Alun Wyn-Jones and a host of others who’ve had the honour down the years. Rob Stewart, Leader of the Council, said: “Kevin Johns is one of Swansea’s best-known and best-loved characters. “Kevin has…

Public feedback is being invited on an important document which aims to improve all aspects of well-being in Pembrokeshire. The Draft Well-being Assessment for Pembrokeshire, produced by Pembrokeshire’s Public Services Board (PSB), is online now at: The Well-being Assessment is a requirement set out in the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act. The Act requires key public and third sector organisations to create a PSB and work together to improve the economic, environmental, social and cultural well-being of its area and communities. The Well-being Assessment looks at the key issues for people and communities in Pembrokeshire, across all aspects of…