Author: Rhys Gregory

A heart attack survivor from Caernarfon has raised over £3,200 in support of the British Heart Foundation and Awyr Las, the North Wales NHS Charity, with a sponsored cycle ride from Penygroes to Bodelwyddan. Dilwyn Rowlands, says “Having reached the grand old age of 50 in January 2021, I considered myself fit and healthy! I ran an average of 20-30 miles per week and was a regular cyclist. However, whilst cycling with my wife on the Lon Eifion Cycle Path in April 2021 I had a heart attack resulting in me receiving specialist care at the North Wales Cardiac Care…

Innovative fitness and technology business Fitness Interactive Ltd. has launched a pioneering new interactive workout system, designed to mimic combat sports, in a bid to join the likes of Peloton, ClassPass and Strava in a share of the burgeoning multi-billion pound ‘Connected Fitness’ industry. Connected Fitness is the application of digital technology to sports, fitness and wellness equipment and activities, using a “smart” mix of hardware, software, and content. By 2025 the industry is projected to be worth $5.96 billion. Experts predict that it looks set to do to the traditional fitness industry what Netflix did to Blockbuster Video in…

A lorry-driving grandfather has won one of the world’s fastest cars – as part of a campaign run by Omaze to help raise funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH Charity). Andrew Olsen, from Caerphilly, South Wales scooped the “Early Bird Prize” of Omaze’s latest Million Pound House Draw to win a McLaren 720S Spider worth £275,000. It has a four litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine under the bonnet that produces a whopping 710bhp – helping it reach 0-60 in under three seconds and hit a top speed of 212mph – making it one of the world’s fastest supercars. Mr…

Torfaen council is on track to save millions of pounds and significantly reduce its carbon footprint and impact on climate change after investing in over 45 energy efficiency upgrades across the borough. The council has implemented a range of decarbonisation and sustainability projects over the last five years aimed at cutting its energy consumption including street lighting upgrades, LED lighting overhauls and the installation of numerous Building Energy Management Systems (BMS) in public sector buildings. Worth over £1.9 million, the projects, which were funded with the help of interest-free funding administered by Salix Finance in partnership with the Welsh Government,…

McArthurGlen Designer Outlet Bridgend will be broadening its fashion and menswear offering this month by welcoming Welsh-born brand Weekend Offender to the centre.  Founded in South Wales in 2004 by Sam Jones and Rhydian Powell, Weekend Offender has become a staple menswear brand, taking inspiration from subcultures past and present – such as football, music and film. Their range combines technical fabrics and clean utilitarian designs to create functional clothing with a rebellious twist.  Richard Garratt, Centre Manager commented: “We’re thrilled to be welcoming a leading local-born fashion brand to the center for our guests to enjoy ahead of Autumn/Winter shopping. Founded in nearby Merthyr Tydfil, Weekend Offender has…

Coworking and business support expert TownSq has enjoyed a period of rapid growth following major new finance for the business and a number of high-value contract wins during 2021. Over the last eight months, TownSq has won six new contracts resulting in additional revenue of £15m over the next five years. These include three new spaces in London and hubs in Llanishen, Rhyl, and Chester. The new contracts and investment have allowed the company to almost double its team, with an additional nine members of staff joining across the UK. These will be followed by a further six posts over…

A SEVEN-year-old girl has been credited for saving her mum’s life by talking to emergency services as her mum had a severe asthma attack behind the wheel on a dual carriageway. Katherine Holifield and daughter Isla were driving on the A449 in Monmouthshire when Katherine – who has brittle asthma – began struggling to breathe at the wheel of her Toyota Yaris. The 37-year-old pulled into a layby and called 999, but physically unable to speak through heavy wheezing, the call handler could not locate the pair. The Welsh Ambulance Service used the what3words technology to pinpoint their exact location…

The more direct contacts primary school staff had with people outside their household, the greater the likelihood of Covid-19 cases in school and self-reported symptoms, such as colds. New research by Swansea University also found that when children from different classes mixed, for example at breakfast and extra-curricular clubs, there was no increased likelihood of Covid-19 in the school, supporting opportunities for pupils to mix and play together. In addition, the team found face coverings and social distancing did not reduce the likelihood of school Covid-19 cases. The study, led by researchers from the National Centre for Population Health and…

Plans have been unveiled for a new “world class” dementia care home to provide vital services in Wrexham and create 100 jobs in the process. The Pendine Park care organisation say the state-of-the art 70-bed facility will be catering for the needs of the local community, with the number of people aged over 85 in North East Wales predicted to double in the next 20 years. The two-storey design is a new, improved version of Bryn Seiont Newydd, the company’s home in Caernarfon, which was named as the best new care home in the UK at the prestigious Pinders Healthcare…

A popular visitor attraction on the Powys-Shropshire border has unveiled its new café bar, which has doubled in size. In response to customers wishing to dine at the café and demand for afternoon tea packages, Russell and Janet Cooke, owners of Kerry Vale Vineyard, near Montgomery, have restyled an upstairs wine tasting room with the addition of a new bar and coffee making area. Doubling the café’s original size, the new room now seats up to 60 diners, allows the business to cater for larger parties and gives customers a bird’s eye view of the vineyard. Russell said: “The cafe…