Author: Rhys Gregory

New funding will provide thousands more books for school children across Wales, helping them to improve key reading and speaking skills at a young age. Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, announced an additional £5m in funding for reading programmes across Wales to provide a book for every learner in Wales, alongside a targeted scheme of reading support focusing on early years and disadvantaged learners. The new funding will ensure children and young people are enthused by reading, develop their oracy skills as a gateway skill for learning, and move to improve their educational attainment The programme…

Everyone’s favourite kooky family have moved into the New Theatre, Cardiff as the musical comedy returns to the stage for its second UK tour. This particular performance is brought to you by the writers of multi award-winning Jersey Boys, with music and lyrics by the Tony Award nominated Andrew Lippa. It is rare in theatre productions for the set to contribute so much, but this is exactly what Diego Pitarch’s production design does. Audiences are immediately transported into The Addams Family mansion and it’s the finishing touches such as the painted walls and artwork (pay close attention to those) that really…

The pub formerly known as The Corporation in Canton, is due to reopen its doors after 6 years, but this time as a brand-new hub for independent traders. The newly established Corp Market will provide a home for Cardiff’s favourite indi-businesses, with a bar and coffee shop at the centre of the indoor space. The venture, which has been developed with community and sustainability in mind, will build on the success of The Corporation Yard which has become hugely popular over the past year. The new venue will have doors that open onto the yard itself which will continue to…

As HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) prepares to issue emails and SMS to Self Assessment customers, the department is reminding them to be on their guard after nearly 800,000 tax-related scams were reported in the last year. Fraudsters use Self Assessment to try and steal money or personal information from unsuspecting individuals. In the last year alone, HMRC has received nearly 360,000 bogus tax rebate referrals. The Self Assessment deadline is 31 January 2022 and customers may expect to hear from HMRC at this time of year. More than 4 million emails and SMS will be issued this week to…

The owner of a multi-million pound technology distribution company in North Wales has said being able to have frank discussions with fellow business leaders was vital in putting together a plan to enable him to retire. Phil Kneale, 67, was preparing the ground for change at cutting equipment distributor Graphtec GB for five years with the help of David Roberts, who runs peer to peer business advice service The Alternative Board (TAB) in North East Wales. Wrexham-based Graphtec GB, which Phil and fellow co-owner Tony Hudson took control of in a management buyout in 1996, is now in the hands…

A company which began trading just one week into the Covid-19 pandemic has won a prestigious award for its traditional Korean inspired dish which has been made in Wales. Monmouthshire-based Organic fermented foods producer, Jones -Trust Your Gut received the Most Exciting New Product Award at BlasCymru/TasteWales 2021 for its Welsh kimchi – made by fermenting napa cabbage with chillies and laverbread. Held at the International Convention Centre Wales at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport, BlasCymru/TasteWales 2021 featured over 100 Welsh food and drink producers who took the opportunity to present more than 200 new products to some of…

Newtown has secured £723,000 of investment from the Welsh Government to launch a series of local partnership projects to improve the wellbeing and resilience of people and businesses in the town. The funding has been awarded to Open Newtown, an independent development trust and social enterprise which at the heart of what it does manages 130 acres of green spaces in Newtown. Open Newtown will be co-ordinating five nature-based partnerships, which will work with people and businesses in piloting new ways of sustainably managing Newtown’s natural resources, with the aim of making the town a viable and vibrant place to…

A ‘buddy’ scheme to give those who need help with their digital devices is looking for Welsh speakers. Denbighshire Voluntary Services Council, Digital Communities Wales and Denbighshire County Council teamed up earlier this year to launch Denbighshire Digital Buddies to support those who need help with their devices. Now Welsh speakers are being asked to come forward and act as ‘digital buddies’ to provide support over the phone. The pandemic has highlighted how digital inclusion is fundamental and without technology it would be extremely difficult to stay connected with family, friends and loved ones. There are people who are still…

October saw the start of an innovative partnership between the British Red Cross and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, who will be working together to support people affected by crisis across North Wales. The British Red Cross helps people in crisis, whoever and wherever they are, while North Wales Fire and Rescue Service helps to protect an estimated population of 678,461 people over an area of 2,400 square miles as well as hundreds of thousands of tourists and visitors who come to North Wales every year. British Red Cross volunteers will deploy at the request of North Wales Fire…

UWTSD Motorsport Engineering graduates Holly Yeomans and Harley Gasson, who now work for McLaren Automotive, have shared their industry skills and expertise with current students at the University’s SA1 Swansea campus. The talk was the latest in a series to inspire and engage students by hearing first-hand from UWTSD graduates about the opportunities within the industry. Holly graduated in 2015 from the BSc in Motorsport Engineering programme. During her time at UWTSD, she was a student ambassador at a number of events run by the Motorsport Industry Association (MIA) to gain further experience and knowledge of the industry. After graduation,…