Author: Rhys Gregory

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…

A country music charity event organised by husband and wife duo Sherri and Rick Naylor from Llanfallteg, has raised £4,100 for Macmillan Cancer Support and The Old Mill Foundation. The sold-out musical weekend fundraiser was held at The Snooty Fox in Martletwy near Narberth. Both evenings featured Rick and Sherri who were joined by Richard Howell on pedal steel guitar and supported by friends Huw Evans and Billy Ware. The couple were keen to raise money to help people in Wales living with cancer after Rick was diagnosed last year with stage 4 lung cancer. Rick has received practical information…

From the foothills of Southern Snowdonia to the striking landscapes of the Brecon Beacons, Offa’s Dyke to the spectacular Ceredigion coast and everywhere in between, this is Mid Wales at its wintery best. 1. Bwlch Nant yr Arian, near Aberystwyth The Visitor Centre is easy to find, just off the A44. Soak up the sights, sounds and smells of nature along waymarked trails without the crowds. Chances are, there’ll be more red kites than people. The number of these beautiful birds of prey which come in for daily feeding is often higher during winter. Feeding time is at 2pm every…

Graduates from the University of South Wales (USW) will be crossing the graduation stage for the first time at the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) in Newport next year. USW is working with ICC Wales to deliver all of the University’s rescheduled graduation ceremonies for 2020 and 2021 graduates, which were postponed due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Thousands of graduates will be invited to attend ceremonies in March and April 2022, with their families and friends, at the UK’s newest and most exciting events venue. The ceremonies will be held across two weeks – the week beginning 14 March…

The performance of Talyllyn Railway since passenger trains resumed in May has been hailed by general manager Stuart Williams. With two months of the financial year remaining, the Tywyn-based heritage railway has carried 36,472 passengers so far in 2021 compared to 49,344 in 2019, which was a record breaking year. This reduction is perfectly understandable bearing in mind that passenger numbers have been restricted due to Covid safety measures and there were no trains between February and the end of April due to the pandemic. The railway’s revenue, including tickets, shop and cafes, is 3.7% behind the 2019 full year…