Author: Rhys Gregory

A £2.18 million investment by the Development Bank of Wales, comprising a mixture of debt and equity, will support the launch of Electra Nest, a company set up to acquire and install EV charging sites in Wales. The funding for Electra Nest, made from the Wales Flexible Investment Fund, will support the development of three specific EV charging sites: in Pembroke Dock, Pyle Garden Centre and Pentre Awel near Llanelli. The Pentre Awel site is already live and operational. Electra Nest is a joint venture between the Development Bank of Wales, Nest EV and Sustainable Energy Group. Nest EV designs,…

Two family-run firms have struck a landmark deal aimed at cutting accidents and saving lives on the UK’s roads. Welsh trailer giant Ifor Williams Trailers (IWT) has teamed up with the inventors of DigaDoc, an award-winning system designed to make moving heavy plant far safer. The deal gives IWT, which has five manufacturing sites in Denbighshire and Deeside, an exclusive licence to build and supply trailers fitted with the revolutionary DigaDoc safety technology. DigaDoc was created by Cheshire business man Martin Smithson, whose Sandbach-based plant hire company Scott’s developed the life-saving system. He and his son, Josh, patented the design,…

There are always many different factors to consider when trying to pick out winners. They can be hard to come by, especially at the Cheltenham Festival, where the action is always fiercely competitive, and anything less than perfection is not good enough. The irishracing.com Cheltenham statistics point to trends that can be a very useful tool, so we’ve picked out some key Festival trends which shouldn’t be ignored. The Turners is a bust for Team Britain Only two British-trained horses have won the Turners Novices’ Hurdle in recent seasons, and Ireland has been utterly dominant, winning eight out of the…

The shortlist for the well-received Newport Business Awards 2026 has been announced, recognising the outstanding achievements of businesses and entrepreneurs across the region. Founded and organised by Grapevine Event Management and supported by headline sponsor Newport City Council, the awards have attracted more than 300 entries in their inaugural year, a remarkable response that highlights the strength, diversity and ambition of Newport’s business community. Created to celebrate excellence and innovation across a wide range of sectors, the awards received an impressive calibre of entries. Following careful deliberation by the judging panel, the shortlist has now been revealed, showcasing the exceptional…

Transport for Wales (TfW) is welcoming fans back to the capital for what is set to be another extraordinary year of high-profile events and is working with industry partners to ensure all fans get to and from the game safely. To support the thousands of supporters heading to the stadium, TfW will be providing additional capacity where possible on key routes across the network. Passengers are encouraged to plan ahead, check before they travel, and allow plenty of time for their journeys, as engineering work may impact some lines. TfW reminds all passengers to treat our staff and volunteers with…

Newport City Council’s cabinet will be asked to support putting forward Caerleon for the first ever UK Town of Culture competition. At its meeting this week (11 February) cabinet will consider approving the development and submission of an expression of interest to the competition. The winning town will receive £3m from the UK government to deliver a year-long programme of cultural events that help tell their unique story and bring the community together. Caerleon’s rich history, strong sense of civic identity, and range of independent businesses, community venues and community-led cultural activity make it the perfect candidate for the Town…

Communities across Mid and West Wales are set to benefit from a major cultural investment, as the region secures a grant awarded under Welsh Government’s new funding stream for its Priorities for Culture. The project, worth £239,609, will run until October 2026, and aims to strengthen cultural opportunities shaping a shared vision for the future whilst aligning with the Welsh Government’s recently published National Priorities for Culture. The funding will support a collaborative programme between Powys, Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, and Ceredigion, focusing on creating a long-term cultural vision for the region, ensuring local voices shape future plans. Each county will also…

Mae’r stori hon hefyd ar gael yn Saesneg – cliciwch yma i’w darllen. Mae rhaglen i gefnogi athrawon sy’n siarad Cymraeg i fynd yn athrawon uwchradd yng Nghymru ar agor bellach, a gellir gwneud ceisiadau tan 22 Chwefror 2026. Mae rhaglen ‘Cynllun Pontio’ yn cefnogi siaradwyr Cymraeg sy’n addysgu mewn ysgolion cynradd yng Nghymru ar hyn o bryd, sy’n addysgu y tu allan i Gymru neu sydd wedi bod allan o’r proffesiwn ers pum mlynedd neu fwy ac sy’n dymuno ailymuno â’r proffesiwn. Mae’r rhaglen yn talu cyflog tra bydd yr unigolyn yn cwblhau ei hyfforddiant i newid i fod yn athro…

This story is also available in Welsh – click here to read it. A programme to help support Welsh-speaking teachers to become secondary school teachers in Wales is now open for applications until 22 February 2026. The ‘Cynllun Pontio’ programme supports Welsh speakers who are currently teaching in primary schools in Wales, who teach outside Wales or teachers who have been out of the profession for five years or more who wish to rejoin the profession. The programme provides participants with a salary whilst they complete their training to swich to become a secondary school teacher. Since 2020 nearly 100 people have…

Families of all two-year-olds in Swansea can now benefit from free childcare through the Welsh Government’s Flying Start scheme. The local authority becomes the second in Wales after Merthyr Tydfil to reach this key milestone. Minister for Children and Social Care, Dawn Bowden, visited Swansea Children’s Centre today to celebrate the achievement and see first-hand how high-quality childcare provision is making a difference to families and children in the area. Families reported highly positive experiences of receiving Flying Start support in a national evaluation of the scheme published this week. The report found Flying Start childcare was consistently praised by…