Author: Rhys Gregory

A farm shop and kitchen in the heart of Ceredigion has been presented with a national rural business award. The Moody Cow Farm Shop and Welsh Kitchen, in Aberaeron, has won the Best Rural Diversification Projectcategory at this year’s Rural Business Awards. The award, sponsored by leading property consultancy Fisher German, recognises rural businesses that have gone above and beyond to offer something different to bring in more customers. The farm shop and kitchen is based within Bargoed Farm, owned by Chris and Geraint Thomas. The determined couple moved to the derelict farm in 2010 after previously diversifying their cattle…

Adventure Travel, formerly known as NAT Group, has introduced additional services to support the new Bayside Mass Vaccination Centre on the former Toys R Us site in Cardiff Bay. Bayside, which opened its doors last week, is situated in the International Sports Village and is serving residents living in Cardiff and the eastern part of Vale of Glamorgan. It is the fourth vaccination hub for the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board, adding to existing sites in Splott, Pentwyn and Barry. To allow residents to access the vaccination centre sustainably and easily, while helping to ease traffic congestion in the…

Tiny Toes Ballet Bridgend & Vale of Glamorgan runs children’s ballet dance classes that are adventure-themed and focus on learning through dance, in a fun, supportive and encouraging environment. Classes are offered across the Bridgend & Vale area, and pre-covid almost 200 young dancers enjoyed their weekly classes. The local dance school, run by Jessica Barnes, has been shortlisted as a finalist in not one, but two prestigious awards within the kids activity sector: – finalist in the “Franchise of the Year” category at the Wales Children’s Activities and Services Awards. –  finalist in the “Start Up Business” category at…

Neath Port Talbot Council’s Countryside and Wildlife Team has begun a project to re-introduce grazing animals to the Bryn Tip Local Nature Reserve in the Afan Valley to improve the condition of the reserve’s grassland. The team has won funding for the Bryn Tip Conservation Grazing Project – which will see ponies and cows living on the nature reserve for several months of the year – from the Welsh Government’s Local Places for Nature grant and The National Lottery Heritage Fund. Grazing animals play an important role in maintaining ecosystems by stimulating plants to grow and the project will establish…

A further 12 Fixed Penalty Notices were issued across Rhondda Cynon Taf last week in relation to dog control offences – as the Council continues to enforce the rules which are in place to prevent dog fouling. Rhondda Cynon Taf is home to countryside landscapes and open spaces which are there for the enjoyment of all residents, and the Council takes a zero-tolerance approach to actions which spoil these areas – including dog fouling and fly tipping. Dedicated Streetcare officers carry out regular patrols and will continue to issue enforcement notices for these types of offences. We continue to ask…

A man from the Rhondda area has been ordered to pay a total of £724 for two separate offences of failing to make sure his waste was disposed of correctly – following a successful prosecution by the Council. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council brought the proceedings at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, March 25, for two separate incidents where waste had been illegally dumped in Clydach Vale and Treorchy. They were discovered by Council enforcement officers in April 2019 and November 2019. The first incident concerned waste found on April 10, 2019, at Howard Street in Clydach Vale – which…

The Leader of Caerphilly county borough council, Cllr Philippa Marsden, has called for a report to be drawn up by engineers to consider further options to improve highway safety along the B4251, known locally as ‘Wyllie bends’. Last year, the council carried out a range of safety improvements along the route including: Reducing the speed limit to 40mph Erecting chevron signs at relevant bends along the route Solid white lining to restrict overtaking manoeuvres Improvements to the carriageway surface Further vegetation clearance to provide clear visibility of all signage. However, it has been agreed following a recent site visit by…

Tata Steel – formerly known as the Shotton Steelworks – is supporting the ‘Guardians’ working to preserve the Grade II-listed John Summers Clock Tower site in Deeside. The building opened in 1907 and was home to the company’s general office before closing in 2009 and falling into disrepair after being sold to a developer. Bill Duckworth, site manager at Tata Steel – which was founded in 1896 and employs more than 800 people in the town – is helping the Enbarr Foundation by providing free utilities so volunteers and tradespeople can continue delivering the project. The company also supplied original…

New research from FSB Wales shows that taxation (specifically business rates) will be a major concern for many firms as we move towards the May elections. When asked on which issues do you think should be the priorities for investment to boost recovery, ‘reducing the cost of doing business (e.g., business rates)’ scored highest by a large margin with 49% of respondents putting it as a top three priority. The second highest priority for small businesses was ‘schemes to create jobs’ at 32%. Businesses also noted that Welsh Government was the preferred level at which intervention should be made, rather…

Digital Health and Care Wales is officially launched today. Created to take forward digital transformation, the new organisation will provide the national technology and data services needed by patients and clinicians. Operating as a Special Health Authority with an independent Chair and Board, it replaces the NHS Wales Informatics Service, reflecting the importance of digital and data in modern health and care. A Healthier Wales, the Welsh Government’s plan for health and care, identifies the development of digital services as key to delivering services fit for the future. Bob Hudson OBE, interim Chair, said: “The pace of technology change has…