Author: Rhys Gregory

Leading business organisation Chambers Wales will host an interactive panel debate exploring how Welsh businesses can create a more diverse workforce. The event will take place at 10:30am on June 22 and over 65 businesses will tune in to the ‘Creating a More Diverse Workforce’ webinar, organised by Chambers Wales – the leading business organisation which brings together the best industry expertise and resources from across Wales to support Welsh businesses in every sector. The panel of thought leaders will explore why having a more diverse workforce is good for business and how to achieve it, whilst focusing on eliminating…

The National Lottery Community Fund has announced the good news that 51 communities across Wales are getting a share of £3.1 million.   Groups celebrating this month include:  Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority – in partnership with Mind Pembrokeshire, they will use their grant of over £300,000 to improve mental health by providing volunteering opportunities and outdoor group activities.   Mach Maethlon – a grant of nearly £100,000 will support local people to grow food, then cook and eat the food.  RainbowBiz CIC will spend their £10,000 continuing to run Digging Deeside. The social gardening project will improve community wellbeing and relieve carers’ stress.   BAME Mental Health Support CIC successfully applied for £9,800 to distribute excess food within their community, and to provide transport to essential services and appointments.  Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, in partnership with Mind Pembrokeshire, will use £339,891 over three years to support people who have poor mental health.…

Ship Street Advisors and ADAPT Real Estate, acting on behalf of Jersey based investor UKRO, have acquired a multi-let office investment in Cardiff city centre. The multi-let property comprises Golate House on St Mary’s Street and 31-35 Westgate Street, and the freehold interest has been purchased from Aegon Property Income Fund for £9.15m. The acquisition was negotiated by Cooke & Arkwright’s Investment agency, with Savills advising the vendor. The deal reflects a net initial yield of 8.37%. Golate House and 31-35 Westgate Street are situated on a c. 0.5 acre corner site fronting onto St Mary Street, Golate Street and…

An international export cluster programme for Welsh food and drink businesses is underway as part of the Welsh Government’s strategy for the food and drink sector to develop and access new markets in new ways overseas. The Welsh Government’s Food & Drink Export Cluster Lead Generation programme is intended to support suitable companies who are interested in exporting, and setting them up with buyers and distributors by product category in order to develop and strengthen business, trade and export relationships. This export cluster lead generation programme aims to support efforts to develop and harness vital partnerships for the Welsh food…

FIRST-time parents who delivered their own baby girl at home have met the 999 call handler who helped to bring their daughter into the world. Troy Smith, 34, and partner Abigail Jones, 33, delivered baby Arabella Dilys Smith in the bedroom of their Llanelli home with thanks to a Welsh Ambulance Service call handler. It was father-of-two Chris Bassett who answered the call from the Trust’s Clinical Contact Centre in Carmarthen, and whose instructions on loudspeaker enabled the pair to deliver their 8lb 1oz new arrival safely. Today, they met for the first time. Troy, who runs Llanelli-based EcoHeat Plumbing…

A Cowbridge businessman has been honoured by the Queen with a British Empire Medal (BEM). 25-year-old Rhys Mallows, managing director of Mallows Bottling, repurposed his business to produce more than one million bottles of hand sanitiser during the coronavirus pandemic. Ethanol – the alcohol base used to make sanitiser – was in short supply throughout Europe at the time, with countries like France, Spain and Italy stopping exports and retaining it for their domestic needs. Rhys, a Financial Economics graduate of Exeter University, explained: “When the pandemic broke, and supply chains struggled, we saw the need for hand sanitiser in…

A number of pre-booked slots for the community will be available at Aberystwyth University’s swimming pool as maintenance work continues at Plascrug Leisure Centre. Ceredigion Council has released the following statement: “As a Local Authority, we recognise the current difficulties with respect to the Council pool closures across the county. We also recognise the need for residents in Ceredigion to be able to go swimming. Ceredigion County Council has been in discussions with Aberystwyth University with regards to the possibility of utilising their swimming pool for community use whilst Plascrug Leisure Centre is closed. The Local Authority is extremely grateful…

Swansea Council is to extend its pandemic funding for its key leisure facilities to keep up their high-quality services for residents across the city. The council’s ruling cabinet today has agreed to extend funding arrangements for its contract-managed premises, including the LC, community leisure centres, the Wales National Pool Swansea (WNPS) and Plantasia. The support will be in place until March next year and will cover the facilities’ pandemic-related losses and recovery plans. Robert Francis-Davies, the council’s cabinet member for investment, regeneration and tourism, said: “Our leisure facilities are key to creating an active and healthy Swansea now and in…

Following the latest Welsh Government updates, and with two weeks to go, Beyond the Border – Wales’ International Storytelling Festival has confirmed its go ahead and announced over 65 artists will be part of the live festival at NT Dinefwr, Carmarthenshire as well as an innovative Online Festival, which will bring distinct and pioneering new ways of engaging with storytelling experiences digitally from homes across the UK and the world. Beyond the Border is one of Europe’s leading storytelling festivals, with audiences travelling across the UK and the world to see some of the best storytellers, musicians and performers. Naomi…

Work is underway on a new £6.4m scheme that will help to defend Porthcawl from flooding and any potential future rise in sea levels. Construction specialists Knights Brown have set up a compound on land at Salt Lake and have commenced the first phase of the work, which is focusing on the iconic Western Breakwater. The internal structure of the 200 year old breakwater still features its original wooden core, and needs extensive renovation and refurbishment to ensure that it can continue to stand up to the tides and tough maritime weather conditions. As part of a second phase, Knights…