Author: Rhys Gregory

A second-year student at Swansea University has used lockdown to turn her podcast venture into a fully functioning business which helps young people develop their confidence skills. 19-year-old Saadia Abubaker, who studies Psychology and Sociology at Swansea University, developed Saadia Speaks from a podcast of the same name to provide motivational, confidence-building workshops to young people. Through a range of career events, panel discussions and one-on-one consultations hosted in conjunction with organisations and charities including Women After Greatness, Mind and Digilearning, Saadia aims to inspire Wales’ younger generation to pave their own paths. In recent months, Saadia Speaks has seen…

Following the success of an online festive festival of creativity in 2020, Hijinx will once again be bringing together participants from PAWB, its pan-Wales inclusive community programme, to create, perform and engage online in the 12 Days of PAWB. Cardiff based theatre company, Hijinx, makes outstanding theatre productions with learning disabled and/or autistic actors.Due to the pandemic, Hijinx’s 2020 festive Odyssey performance at Wales Millennium Centre had to be postponed until 2021. Instead a reimagined seasonal gathering took place online as part of 12 Days of PAWB. Hijinx will be programming 12 Days of PAWB as predominantly virtual events, which…

A remote Gwynedd campsite named in the top ten in the UK this year by BBC Countryfile Magazine has picked up another accolade at the North Wales Tourism ‘Oscars’. Graig Wen Arthog, on the Mawddach estuary, between Dolgellau and Barmouth, was named Camping/Glamping Site of the Year at the Go North Wales Tourism Awards. The headline sponsor for the glittering event at Venue Cymru in Llandudno was the leading food distribution company, Harlech Foodservice, and it was hosted by acclaimed journalist Sian Lloyd who hails from Wrexham. The occasion was also a 30th anniversary celebration for organiser North Wales Tourism…

A farmer-led Welsh cooperative is on top of the world after scooping its best ever haul of awards at the dairy industry ‘Oscars’. South Caernarfon Creameries (SCC) brought back four gold medals from the International Cheese and Dairy Awards – and two silvers and five bronzes. For the first time in its 120-year history the Awards were not part of the Nantwich Show after moving 30 miles south to Bingley Hall, near Stafford, a venue better known for hosting concerts by the likes of the Rolling Stones and Bruce Springsteen. The only gold discs on show this time were made…

Cash seized from criminals has been used to create an outdoor gym in a park in Chirk. The equipment was installed at the Recreation Ground after the grant was given to the town council by the North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner, Andy Dunbobbin. The money came from the Your Community Your Choice fund which is used to recycle the ill-gotten gains of criminals for the benefit of communities across the region. The initiative is a partnership between Mr Dunbobbin, the North Wales Police and Community Trust (PACT) and North Wales Police. Half the money is contributed by the commissioner…

A Welsh-speaking Japanese cook from Conwy teamed up with a TV chef to create a cosmopolitan Christmas feast with an East Asian twist. Noriko Vernon’s recipe for Chicken Karaage, learned from her mum back home in Japan, has been given a Welsh flavour by Caernarfon-based culinary star Chris Roberts for the festive special, Bwyd Byd Epic Chris for S4C. In the shadow of the town’s historic castle, barbecue pit master Chris fired his Yule logs to serve up a four-course gastronomic world tour that as well as Japan, took in exotic recipes from Jamaica, the Philippines and Syria. All the…

One of the first businesses to benefit from the Welsh Government’s town centre entrepreneurship fund being piloted in four North Wales towns is up and running. Bangor brothers Jordan and Nick Williams have opened Bangor’s first Escape Rooms, turning their passion for puzzles into new business venture that will provide hours of fun for local families and tourists. Minister for North Wales Lesley Griffiths called in to see the business while visiting Bangor. Based in the former Council offices just off the High Street in Bangor, Xscape Rooms Bangor opened in November.  A micro loan of £20,000 from the Development…

The Wales Co-operative Centre has announced the appointment of Dr Sarah Evans as Commercial Director, Marc Davies as Digital Lead Consultant and Adam Cox as Commercial Consultant on Social Value.  The newly formed consultancy team is designed to strengthen the strategic direction of the organisation’s commercial operations. The team are offering strategic business support, digital transformation and community impact consultancy to clients across Wales and the UK. Dr Sarah Evans has been a consultant for Wales Co-operative Centre on several Welsh Government and public sector contracts, before recently being appointed Commercial Director. Previously a Senior Lecturer at North Wales University…

New housing delivery reached its highest point since before 2009 between July and September, exceeding Q3 2019 delivery by 30.7 per cent. EPC data shows that 2,899 new homes were completed during the quarter. However NHBC data suggests that while completions are back at average pre-pandemic levels on a quarterly basis, starts have recovered more slowly and sit below completions. This suggests a shrinking pipeline of housing under construction. This is despite planning consents staging a rapid recovery since falling sharply during the pandemic, exceeding average 2019 levels in Q2 2021 before falling slightly below in Q3. Delivery in the…

Two new apprentice joiners are reaping the benefits of combining practical on-site experience with their qualification studies after being recruited by a Welsh construction company. Bodelwyddan-based Wynne Construction has expanded its joinery team as part of the firm’s goal to provide a minimum of 100 work experience placements and 250 apprenticeships across trade and technical subjects over the next five years. Abergele’s Kieran Jones, who is studying for a Level 2 diploma in site carpentry and a Level 2 NVQ in wood occupations, has hit the ground running at the company, working across several sites as part of its £7.1m…