Author: Rhys Gregory

A new awards series aimed at recognising the growing number of startups in Wales has launched. The StartUp Awards National Series will shine a light on the flourishing startup scene across the UK which has seen more than 1.2 million new businesses created in the past two financial years alone – equal to one start-up per minute. Coined ‘The Great Resignation’, one in four people are reportedly intending to leave their current roles within the next few months, with many turning to self-employment seeking fairer pay and working conditions. As such, the awards seek to celebrate these people who will…

Famed chef Marco Pierre White is introducing a selection of plant-based dishes to the menus of his Cardiff and Swansea-based restaurants. The new dishes will include plant-based meat from food pioneering firm Redefine Meat and means the restaurants which are located at Hotel Indigo in Dominions Arcade and J Shed SA1 respectively are the first two venues in South Wales to offer this revolutionary new produce. The increase in the number of plant-based dishes comes as more and more guests turn to a plant-based diet, and with big name stars such as Sir Lewis Hamilton having turned vegan, the lifestyle…

Wales and the Middle East are thousands of miles apart, but staff at Menter a Busnes (MaB) are taking the distance in their stride as part of a charity fundraising drive. The MaB team have pledged to collectively walk, run, and cycle the distance between Cardiff and Qatar. It is a journey of more than 4,000 miles between the Welsh capital and the host country of the 2022 football World Cup. The number of miles covered is growing daily. So far, the team have successfully clocked up more than 2,500 miles and they have set themselves the challenge of covering…

Denbighshire County Council has launched a consultation on proposals to improve coastal defences at Rhyl, between Drift Park and Splash Point. The 28-day pre-application consultation for the Central Rhyl Coastal Defences Scheme will run between January 12 and February 9 and gives residents and other stakeholders the chance to comment on proposals ahead of submission of a planning application. The proposed scheme aims to improve coastal flood defences to protect around 600 homes and businesses and protect the tourist economy from flooding events and coastal erosion well into the future. The Council is working with Balfour Beatty and Mott MacDonald…

Over 118,000 people with disabilities and health problems are facing injustice by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) after being denied the right to compensation following a government blunder over benefit payments, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) has said today. Ombudsman Rob Behrens is calling on the Government to urgently rectify the injustice, something which it is so far refusing to do. The call comes after a PHSO investigation revealed a seriously ill woman had her benefits payments severely cut by around £80 a week due to a government blunder, leaving her unable to heat her home…

A Mid Wales narrow gauge railways is appealing for donations to help it remain on track with a £300,000 project to build a new steam locomotive. Corris Railway has temporarily paused work on its new build Falcon steam locomotive Number 10 because of mounting costs. Corris Railway Society had originally hoped to have the new locomotive, which will resemble the original Corris Number 3, in service by this autumn. However, due to inflation of material prices, the amount of work still outstanding and some unplanned complexities, funds have been depleted and the completion date is set to be delayed until…

Software specialist Carebeans Limited has­­­ established an office in Monmouth, Wales having secured a significant six-figure equity Investment for their leading social care management software from the Development Bank of Wales and Liverpool based MSIF.  The co-investment includes the trade and assets acquisition of the Software business of Standex Systems Limited and onboarding of five new staff who move to Carebeans from Standex UK. Carebeans was first established by Chief Executive Nick Lawford in 2019. Providing unique benefits and functionalities for different users, Carebeans has a cloud-based system for residential and nursing care homes and the full spectrum of supported living including…

Newport-based Premier Forest Group is predicting further significant rises in both turnover and profit as it continues to successfully navigate the global supply issues in the timber industry, caused by the pandemic. With just four months to go before the end of their financial year in April, Premier Forest Group is confidently forecasting that its annual turnover in the UK will have increased by 35% to circa £120M, and that profits will have jumped from £8.8M to over £20M, a growth of 130% since last year. This is in part thanks to the sale of Premier’s Irish timber group in…

Plans to continue to grow the number of Welsh speakers in Swansea and increase their opportunities to use the language are going before the council’s cabinet next week. During the autumn people and organisations across the city were asked for their views on the council’s 10-year Welsh in Education Strategic Plan. The feedback has been used to update the document which sets out how Swansea will play its part in helping the Welsh Government achieve its target of one million Welsh speakers by the year 2050. Swansea Council aims to increase provision for Welsh-medium education in the city including for pre-school…

Swansea Council has launched a new round of funding for ideas that can bring new vibrancy to local communities. The opportunity is part of Crowdfund Swansea, a scheme that helps deliver innovative community-led ideas to improve the city. Eligible projects could receive a council pledge of up to £5,000 towards their crowdfunding target. To be in with a chance of securing the support, local groups should post their ideas on the Crowdfund Swansea web page by March 23. Those who have succeeded in previous funding rounds have included the Swansea Hygiene Bank. Project coordinator Lesley Lloyd said: “The funding will…