Author: Rhys Gregory

Leading law firm Blake Morgan has announced the promotion of Lisa Davies to Partner. The promotion reflects Lisa’s expertise and continued commitment to providing first-class legal solutions to clients, as well as her ongoing work to support our growth aspirations and commercial success. Working from Blake Morgan’s Cardiff office, Lisa leads the Succession & Tax team, specialising in contentious probate and complex trusts.  Lisa provides essential cross-office support to colleagues in London, Southampton and the Thames Valley and is a critical part of the Private Client leadership team. Lisa graduated from Oxford University in 1993 and completed the Legal Practice…

The majority (57%) of employers agree that the right to request flexible working should be a day-one right, research from the CIPD, the professional body for HR and people development, shows. Agreement is highest from those in the public sector (69%) compared to those in the private sector (54%). In addition, larger organisations of 250+ employees were more likely to agree than SMEs (62% compared to 51%). The findings are part of the CIPD’s response to the Government’s flexible working consultation, which closed on Wednesday 1 December. The consultation was launched following the Conservative Party’s commitment to look at making…

The Alacrity Foundation welcomed attendees including key supporters, stakeholders, and mentors to celebrate the graduation of their 2020/21 cohort, on Tuesday 30th November in the heart of Newport. This significant event marked the end of the 2020/21 entrepreneurship programme with members of the cohort graduating from the programme and more importantly they have created five digital start-up companies. This highlights the programme’s success and the calibre of graduates recruited. The Alacrity Foundation’s mission is to combine graduate entrepreneurs with world-class mentors to create the next generation of digital companies in Wales via the Foundation’s unique 15-month programme that provides graduates…

Flint wet wipe manufacturer is heading towards a plastic-free future, having removed more than 15,000 tonnes in the last three years. Nice-Pak International, which produces wipes for global brands and retailers, has been working with customers to cut out plastic from more than 60 per cent of its products, up from less than 10 per cent in 2018. Banning plastic in wet wipes has been tabled in a Parliamentary Bill proposed by Labour MP Fleur Anderson, with Nice-Pak welcoming the politician on the journey. Robert Woodall, managing director at Nice-Pak International, said: “We have big ambitions for the future, as…

Defence engineering specialists MMEngineering are enjoying record growth as they prepare to relocate to their second home on the Port Talbot Waterfront Enterprise Zone. Established in 2016 by James Morton and brothers Chris and Martin McDermid, the company has grown by 30% over the last year reaching a turnover of £2.6miliion. This is expected to exceed £3.5 million in 2020/21 with increased customer demand prompting the need for additional space. An initial loan of £175,000 from the Development Bank of Wales enabled MMEngineering to set-up in a 6,000 square foot unit on Port Talbot Waterfront Enterprise Zone. The company has…

A Denbighshire community hub is providing sustainable support to eco-conscious shoppers. Y Tŷ Gwyrdd, established June 2020 and opened on Back Row, Denbigh during June 2021, is inspiring a new level of eco responsibility amongst the local community. The Community Hub houses an eco re-fill shop on the ground floor, with additional studio space on the first and second floors. Marguerite Pearce, Y Tŷ Gwyrdd Director, said: “We sell groceries, household and gardening re-fill products, locally sourced where available.  We support and deliver green-themed and mental health & well-being projects, collaboratively with local artists, other community enterprises, and public and…

Ascona Group (‘Ascona’), one of the UK’s fastest-growing forecourt operators, is delighted to announce that it has donated £10,000 to PATCH, the Pembrokeshire based charity that aims to relieve the effects of poverty for people across the Welsh county. The donation will help to support PATCH’s mission to help those that are experiencing hardship throughout the Christmas period and winter months and will enable the charity to continue to give free food parcels, clothing and household items to those in a financial crisis. Darren Briggs, Chief Executive of Ascona Group commented: “Since we started Ascona back in 2011, supporting the…

Visitors to Wales’ biggest ever Christmas lights trail were treated to all the festive feels when a young graduate got down on one knee and proposed to his girlfriend during its opening weekend. Adam Clement asked his partner of four years, Cassie Kilby, to be his wife in front of stunned and delighted visitors enjoying the first ever Christmas at Bute Park, which opened to the public last week (November 25th). The pair have been together since 2017, when they met as students on the same course at the University of South Wales, and where they both recently graduated from.…

Pupils and staff at Ysgol Gyfun Gwyr have moved in to a brand new two storey teaching block as part of a £6.7m investment in facilities at the school. Contractors Kier Construction have completed the first phase of the project which has eight new classrooms along with a new hall providing a vastly improved dining area and served by a new school kitchen. New state-of-the-art sports facilities including a multi-use games area, running track, 2G and 3G training pitches, are also proving popular and are being well used. The project has been jointly funded by Swansea Council and the Welsh…

More new homes built by the council are set to welcome their first tenants in the coming weeks. The four one-bedroom flats have been created in the former Bryn House education centre in Walter Road, Uplands. Andrea Lewis, the council’s joint deputy leader and cabinet member for climate change and service transformation, said tenants will be thrilled with their new homes. She said: “The new flats in Bryn House are of a very high standard, in a great location, with parking and lovely grounds and views. “The two ground floor flats have accessible bathrooms making them ideal for those with…