Author: Rhys Gregory

The Welsh Rugby Union has announced the appointment of David ‘Dai’ Rees to the WRU Council as a National Council Member, bringing more than 25 years of experience across community, pathway, professional and international rugby environments. Dai has held senior roles within both Welsh rugby and Hong Kong Rugby Union, earning a strong reputation for designing and leading integrated rugby systems; most notably leading the design and delivery of a fully integrated national rugby system at the Hong Kong Rugby Union whilst serving as their Chief Rugby Operations Officer from 2016 to 2020. His work has successfully aligned participation, development…

Businesses play a vital role in the county’s success, says the leader of Powys County Council who highlighted partnership working and targeted investment as a way of breathing new life into town centres Councillor Jake Berriman, who is also Cabinet Member for People, Performance and Partnerships, was speaking at the launch of this year’s Powys Business Awards, hosted by EvaBuild in Newtown. “It is through your entrepreneurship, innovation and commitment to our communities, that we create jobs, strengthen local supply chains and contribute to the county’s long-term prosperity,” he told business leaders. “Powys Business Awards are a wonderful opportunity to…

AN ivy clad, stone built former chapel in the heart of a former mining community could be snapped up at auction for the price of a luxury Mediterranean cruise. Welsh slate roofed Bryn Heulog chapel on Ruperra Street in the Gwent valleys village of New Tredegar, Gwent, is listed for auction with a price tag of just £5,000. Olivia Williams, who is managing the sale of the historic pile for Paul Fosh Auctions, said: “This substantial stone built former chapel/community building could be a real bargain for an investor or entrepreneur with an eye for a good deal. “The chapel…

Fairstone has expanded its presence in Wales with the opening of a hub office in Cardiff, marking a significant step in its long-term growth strategy across the region. The fast-growing wealth management group’s new base in the Welsh capital extends its network to 12 hubs and more than 40 other offices across the UK and Ireland. The new hub – based in the North of the city close to the M4 motorway and A48 link road – brings together more than 20 staff and advisors previously located in three smaller offices in South Wales and the Welsh Borders. Each of…

Big Food Festival (BFF), Wales’ independent street food and drink festival, is marking its first birthday in style with a landmark three-day event at Gnoll Country Park, Neath, from Friday 26 to Sunday 28 June 2025. Free to attend and open daily from 11am to 9:30pm, the event brings together more than 20 handpicked independent street food traders, a fully stocked bar, live entertainment, kids activities, and a warm, community-first atmosphere in one of South Wales’ most scenic outdoor venues. Every trader at BFF is independently selected, with no duplicate cuisines, and every dish is freshly cooked on site. Visitors…

Llantrisant is set to become a hotspot for the fast-growing sport of padel as Unbound Padel Ltd opens its doors with help from a £225,000 funding package from NatWest. The new club, located in Llantrisant Business Park, will become the new home for padel enthusiasts and newcomers in the area. The investment has enabled the transformation of industrial units into professionally designed, premium indoor padel courts, a welcoming café, and accessible facilities, marking a significant step forward for inclusive sport in South Wales. Since opening, Unbound Padel Club has brought five new jobs to Llantrisant and is tackling Wales’ lack…

The Heart of Wales Line Community Rail Partnership (CRP) has launched a new grant scheme with funding from Transport for Wales to encourage participation in sport and sustainable travel. The new ‘Train 2 Play’ initiative will provide grants of up to £400 to support events taking place within two miles of a station on the Heart of Wales Line, which runs from Shrewsbury to Swansea, between July 1 and October 31, 2026. Funding can be used towards costs including venue hire, coaching fees, equipment, advertising and promotional activity. Sports clubs, associations and community organisations are encouraged to develop events that…

Morgan Sindall Construction’s Wales business celebrated the opening of SEN Portfield School in Haverfordwest, marking the completion of the main phase of new build works. The £25M, 2,600sq-ft school is carbon net zero in operation. To mark the occasion, representatives from the Morgan Sindall project team and Pembrokeshire County Council gathered to the site to enjoy speeches, refreshments, and tour the school. Procured through the South West Wales Regional Contractors Framework and delivered in collaboration with engineering consultants AtkinsRéalis, the first phase of the project focused on refurbishing the existing school building. The single-storey school has been transformed to provide…

Cardiff Foodbank has launched The Great Summer Street Collection, encouraging residents across Cardiff to organise food collections where they live to help the charity that provides emergency food and support to people in crisis. This June, Cardiff residents are being invited to become local foodraisers by sharing the food bank’s most-needed items list with neighbours and acting as a collection point for donated goods. In 2025, Cardiff Foodbank provided 19,203 three-day emergency parcels for people in crisis. The initiative has been specifically developed to alleviate the seasonal drop in donations that the charity experiences. The Great Summer Street Collection aims…

Trusts are often seen as estate planning for the wealthy, but changing tax rules, care costs and family structures mean more Welsh households are asking when they make sense. Why Trusts Are Back in the Family Conversation “Setting up a trust” still sounds, to many people, like something reserved for country estates and large bank balances. In reality, trusts have long been used by UK families to manage assets, protect children, support vulnerable relatives and plan what should happen after death. In Wales, that conversation is becoming more common as families look again at property, pensions, care costs and inheritance…