Author: Rhys Gregory

Swansea Building Society posted its best-ever set of results in 2021 as it helped to enable more individuals and families to realise their goals than ever before. Its total assets, mortgage balances, savings, capital and profits all reached record highs last year. This was partly achieved on the back of keeping its branch offices open for face-to-face and telephone/e-mail contact, despite the challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, allowing it to welcome many new savers and mortgage customers. For the 12 months to December 31, 2021, the Society’s total assets increased by £49.1 million to £463.5 million, a 12% increase on…

BikePark Wales has announced its first ever Easter beginners weekend which will run from Saturday 16th – Sunday 17th April in response to the ever-growing popularity of mountain biking in the UK. As part of the weekend offering, visitors to the park can hire all their equipment including their bike and protective gear, access top-quality coaching and guiding, and enjoy the après-scene at the on-site café. There will also be a fleet of dedicated uplift buses to get riders up and down the trails throughout the day. There really is something for everybody and beginners can choose from three packages: ‘Pedal…

Gavin Taylor has joined ZERO2FIVE Food Industry Centre in a new role to help food and drink businesses to become more productive and sustainable by minimising their process waste. Based at Cardiff Metropolitan University, ZERO2FIVE offers eligible companies help with waste reduction, process efficiency, new product development and compliance with food standards through the Welsh Government and EU-backed Project HELIX.Gavin has nearly 30 year’s experience in the industry, working across production operations for large food businesses in Wales including the English Provender Company, Billingtons Foodservice and BAR Food Ltd. In his new role, Gavin will lead process waste management services…

Cardiff’s iconic Norwegian Church is preparing to reopen as a café, arts centre and music venue next month. The move follows Cardiff Council’s decision to transfer the activities of the Norwegian Church Charitable Trust to a new charity led by the Welsh Norwegian Society. This is part of the authority’s aim of securing the long-term future of the city’s heritage assets. The distinctive white building, close to the Senedd in Cardiff Bay and the site of author Roald Dahl’s baptism, was closed at the start of the pandemic in 2020, but is set to re-open in early April under the…

A special ground-breaking ceremony marks the start of construction on a new primary school to be located at the St Edeyrns development. The new £6million primary school will be the first provided as part of Cardiff’s Local Development Plan (LDP) and will become the brand-new home for St Mellons Church in Wales Primary School, which will relocate from its current site in Llanrumney. The ground was cutat the site by Leader of Cardiff Council, Cllr Huw Thomas, Cardiff Cabinet Member for Education, Employment and Skills, Cllr Sarah Merry, St Mellons CIW Primary School Headteacher Jane Marchesi and Chair of Governors…

A new campaign is asking beauticians, hairdressers and barbers to help raise awareness about domestic abuse. People in the hair and beauty industry often have good relationships and intimate conversations with their clients and can be well placed to point them in the direction of support should they need it. Neath Port Talbot and Swansea Council are working with Welsh Woman’s Aid on the new ‘Heads Up’ campaign. As well as providing information and promotional material to businesses in the region, two free training sessions aimed at those in the industry are also being held on March 22 and 30.…

Newport City Council’s leader has announced a £10 million project to replace St Andrew’s key stage two building. The primary school building was closed in the spring of 2021 after significant structural issues were found. Pupils and staff were moved out and all are currently based at Newport Live’s Connect Centre. Councillor Jane Mudd told cabinet that Welsh Government has now approved a request to change the scope of its Band B schools improvement programme. “A new £10 million project will be added to the programme to support the replacement of the key stage two building. “This is great news…

The swimming pool at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre is set to reopen later this year, following a request for support of redevelopment costs from Welsh Government. The County Borough Council is working with international leisure facilities developer Alliance Leisure and Capita to redesign the pool, with decarbonisation plans at the forefront of the application for a financial package towards the £3.2m refurbishment. Contractors will soon be on site to start preparatory work, with the new facility scheduled for reopening in the winter. The design will incorporate the retention of both the main and learner pools, provision of a new leisure…

An innovative feasibility study has been exploring the future hydrogen potential for Mid Wales. Growing Mid Wales, supported by the Cynnal Yr Cardi and Arwain Local Action Groups, and Powys and Ceredigion County Councils commissioned consultants Radical Innovations Group to undertake the study, following regional stakeholders declaring an interest in Green Hydrogen as a zero-emission solution. For many, hydrogen is seen as a key component to support national and regional transitions to net zero. Hydrogen could provide significant opportunity to decarbonise whole sectors of the economy, moving away from reliance on fossil fuels. As the UK and Welsh Governments increase…

Safer streets save lives and improves our quality of life was the message from the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters today as he welcomed the rollout of Wales’s largest 20mph pilot in Cardiff North. Cardiff North is one of eight pilots that is being rolled out in communities across Wales to help test the process of reducing Wales’ national default speed limit on residential roads and busy pedestrian streets from 30mph to 20mph by 2023. The pilots are part of wider consultation work that the Welsh Government is undertaking to understand public feedback on the change. Online focus…