Author: Rhys Gregory

A couple from Conwy are taking on a double-ultra running challenge to raise money for medical research in memory of a much-loved father.   43-year-old Sarah Ferguson and her husband, Ben Hudson, 44, will compete in the Chester 50 and 100 mile ultra events in March and May this year, to raise money for the British Heart Foundation. James Ian Ferguson, known as Jim, was due to celebrate his 80th birthday on 23rd of February this year. The former chemical engineer was a pioneer who built a mail order music company. Sarah says, “Dad ran the business with his best friend…

Monmouthshire County Council is wanting to hear from people who may have an idea for a project in their community that will bring people together and help build thriving and inclusive communities. ‘You decide, Monmouthshire’ is a small grant programme offering funding of up to £4,500 for community projects in and around each of the county’s five towns to help make these projects a reality.  Using funding received from Welsh Government, Monmouthshire County Council and partners will be running a series of events during February and March in which community members will get to decide how best to spend the money…

Investment to build new and affordable council homes while continuing to maintain the existing stock will need to be supported by a modest rent increase, the county council has said. Powys County Council is currently finalising its housing business plans to ensure that they are viable and sustainable. As part of its plans, a council house rent increase of 3.1 per cent is being considered. The increase, which equates to an average of £2.55 per week, is necessary to fund the service as well as allow the council to continue with its maintenance investment plans for the existing 5,446 council…

A number of schools across Caerphilly county borough have been designing their very own Snoopy Sculptures as part of ‘A Dog’s Trail’ in aid of Dogs Trust. A Dog’s Trail is a special event that will promote health and wellbeing, bring businesses and communities together and help boost the regional economy. The trail’s aim is to raise significant funding for Dogs Trust so that they can continue to provide their services for those who need them the most. The event is presented by Dogs Trust in partnership with Wild in Art. Dogs Trust offered a learning programme to schools and youth…

A proposal by one of Newport’s most prestigious businesses to expand on a new site in the city was given the green light by the council’s planning committee. SPTS Technologies, a KLA Company, is currently based at its Welsh headquarters, just off Ringland Way, but plans to move to a new location on the other side of Newport in Imperial Park. Planning permission was granted, subject to the signing of a 106 agreement and conditions, for new headquarters which would include facilities for manufacturing, research and development as well as offices. The company, which manufactures and sells next-generation technology for…

A team of dedicated Cardiff Council Park Rangers have reunited a 2-year old boy with his beloved lost teddy bear today – 10 days after it fell into Roath Park Lake. Arthur, from Llanishen and his teddy bear best friend named “Teddy”, had visited Roath Park on January 17 with family when tragedy struck – Arthur accidently dropped Teddy into the water as they walked around the lake and watched helplessly as he appeared to sink to the bottom. The teddy bear is very important to Arthur and the family for poignant reasons. Teddy was given to Arthur by his…

A new, mobile-recycling facility is coming to north Cardiff. The pop-up facility, which will be available at different venues on different dates, is designed to help residents recycle larger household items closer to their homes. The first pop-up facility will open at the former tax offices in Parc Ty Glas on Saturday March 5thbetween 9am and 3pm. It will return each Saturday – dependent on demand – for eight weeks. More information on the service, and other venues once added, will be publicised through the council’s social media channels. Residents can drop off their recycling without booking an appointment, but…

Jeremy Miles, the Minister for Education and Welsh Language, has announced an extra £191,000 in funding to support Mudiad Meithrin, including funding to help restart parent and toddler groups, Cylch Ti a Fi. Parent and toddler groups like Cylch Ti a Fi play an important role in supporting parent and child wellbeing. The funding will enable Mudiad Meithrin to support as many groups as possible to meet safely, as Covid restrictions ease. The groups have been unable to meet as they normally would due to COVID-19 restrictions. Cylch Ti a Fi groups provide an opportunity for families and children to…

BookTrust Cymru, the children’s reading charity, is encouraging families, schools, and early years spaces across Wales to join in with Big Welsh Rhyme time this February. Now entering its fourth year, Big Welsh Rhyme Time is a week-long national celebration of sharing bilingual rhymes, poems, and songs with children in their early years. It is delivered in partnership with nurseries, schools, libraries and other settings supporting children across Wales.  Families can also take part online where they will find fun videos from authors and storytellers, activity sheets and competitions. In 2021, the Welsh Government announced an additional £5m in funding…

Legal due diligence is not an option; it’s a mandatory obligation for those who are acquiring or selling a business. Due diligence is a lengthy process that may take a few days to several weeks or even months if a large organization is being acquired. The core of the due diligence in M&As is to examine the organization from legal and other aspects. It may include verifying financial records, licenses, share certificates, etc. All of this needs a massive exchange of data which must be handled in a highly secure environment, such as a virtual data room. There are data…