Author: Rhys Gregory

Amanda Dorel, regional director for Lloyds Bank in Wales, discusses some of the steps businesses can take to help overcome challenges and bolster their resilience as we head into 2022.  Supply chain shortages are causing noticeable disruption in the lead up to Christmas, as queues of shipping containers stacked with goods destined for the shelves mount up at UK ports. It comes at a time of year where demand is typically high and, with offices closing and more people taking time off from work than usual, customers’ payment times can be longer. This can put a real strain on sometimes already stretched finances. Businesses can’t…

A RENOWNED skin clinician who survived breast cancer is marking her 40th birthday with an epic fundraising drive following a “rollercoaster journey” in life and business. Award-winning aesthetic nurse Sara Cheeney – owner of Pure Perfection Clinic in Rossett, near Wrexham and Chester – will host a charity event in aid of breast cancer research this Friday (November 19) from 10am. Having endured and overcome her own fight with the condition in her early thirties, the Llangollen mum-of-two has now been cancer free for five years. Sara wants to give back to the community that supported her, notably during the…

One Flintshire village is looking to a bright future as changes to local organisations brought on by the pandemic are starting to pay off across the area. Hawarden has seen a wealth of interest across the village since restrictions lifted in August as local businesses enjoy a strong return of visitor footfall amidst new activities and service offerings. One such site is Hawarden Estate, which utilised local suppliers to not only refurbish the estate’s farm shop and pub into a community-focused grocer during the pandemic, but also kick-start activities welcoming visitors back to the estate grounds. It has also added…

An Ebbw Vale gift store has relaunched and is hoping business will continue to flourish in the run-up to Christmas. KM Gifts and Accessories has moved to a new home in Bethcar Street and successfully rebranded the business. And as life starts to get back to normal, things in the town are looking up. “Business in the new location is going well and we are pleased that footfall is high,” said Kim Maguire, who runs the business. “I am very pleased that local people have continued to support the business.” The shop stocks a wide range of quality homeware and…

Broadcaster, vocal and leadership coach and campaigner, Carrie Grant MBE, is hosting a brand new podcast to drive great conversations about autism. ‘Autism: In conversation with auticon’ has been launched by the social enterprise of the same name, to drive awareness of the realities of autism in the workplace, from the merits of hiring neurodiverse talent, through to some of the more common challenges faced by autistic adults navigating the workplace. The podcast series, available now, features interviews with leading voices on autism, such as autistic TV stars, social media influencers, business leaders and academics. It comes as auticon, a…

This week marks National Safeguarding Week, and this year’s theme is safeguarding our communities. We can all be vulnerable to abuse, neglect and exploitation. Safeguarding is about protecting ourselves and those in our community and enabling them to live free from harm. Working with partners including West Glamorgan Safeguarding Board and Cardiff and Vale Regional Safeguarding Boards, officers will be taking part in a range of events to educate and raise awareness of safeguarding issues. Domestic violence and abuse is the most reported safeguarding issue to South Wales Police, with a third of all violent crimes being domestic related. Every…

Residents and visitors looking forward to attending Swansea’s annual Christmas parade on November 21 are being urged to plan ahead. Thousands are expected to enjoy the free council event that will feature a vibrant mix of local community groups, spectacular professional entertainers, marching bands, magical floats, colourful film characters and festive inflatables. Santa will be there too – to switch on the improved and expanded city centre Christmas lights. The council is encouraging those planning to attend to check the arrangements, plan ahead, aim to arrive in good time for the start – and spread out along the route to…

Swansea Council’s award-winning pension fund has cut its carbon footprint by almost 60% and aims to go all the way to net carbon zero in the coming years. The £2.7bn fund looks after the retirement funds of 47,000 members has already taken major steps to going net carbon zero by cutting the amount of cash invested in oil companies and other organisations with similarly-high carbon footprints. And its main committee this week agreed that the fund would go net carbon zero by 2037, 13 years ahead of the UK as a whole. Since 2017, the pension fund has managed to…

An exciting new community space has opened in the Riverside Shopping Centre in Haverfordwest. Based in the former Wimpy building, @No5 Riverside offers a community café, ‘Library of Things’ and employment support – all in one town centre location. It follows a 6-month renovation project by Norman Industries as part of its supported employment programme, with funding from Welsh Government. “The café will be a fantastic resource offering dedicated sessions to a wide range of community groups, including people with dementia or a learning disability, carers, and gentlemen’s groups,” said Cllr Tessa Hodgson, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Social…

The transformation of Neath’s iconic former Metal Box container factory into a job creating business zone has been a big success with much of the work being carried out during the Covid pandemic. Now it will play a major role in helping the area’s recovery from the economic effects of coronavirus with Neath Port Talbot Council’s Leader and Deputy Leader, Cllr Ted Latham and Cllr Leanne Jones, and Chief Executive Karen Jones, visiting the site on Friday (November 12th). They were invited by the latest business to move into the Milland Road business zone, Vortex IoT (Internet of Things) -…