Author: Rhys Gregory

Hourglass, the UK’s only charity focused on fighting the abuse and neglect of older people, has formed a two year corporate partnership with Hodge, the independently owned bank that specialises in later-life lending. The partnership will help support Hourglass in its mission to fight the abuse of older men, women and their families. According to the charity, around 2.7 million people over the age of 65 are victims of abuse each year, and more recent research from the organisation shows that the situation has worsened since the Coivd-19 pandemic. As part of its work, Hourglass collaborates with the government and…

People on life-saving dialysis who had been living in fear since the start of the pandemic have now been vaccinated in record time. Patients with kidney failure are extremely vulnerable to the virus yet are unable to shield because they need regular dialysis to stay alive. Now hundreds of patients living across South West Wales have been given their first dose following a fast-moving operation coordinated by a specialist team based at Morriston Hospital. They worked with renal staff across South West Wales to give the vaccine to patients who were attending their routine sessions in dialysis units ranging from…

A new book has shone a light on the brilliant talent of tragic F1 hero Tom Pryce – who went from being a tractor mechanic to a potential world champion in just four years. Authors Darren Banks and Kevin Guthrie have pledged to donate the proceeds from sales of the book to create a permanent memorial in Tom’s home town of Denbigh. They have already raised £2,500 towards the appeal. Some of the best known names in motorsport have contributed their recollections to the book, Tom Pryce – Memories of a Welsh Star by Those Who Knew Him. Among them…

Nanny Biscuit, a community organisation committed to supporting the vulnerable – concluded its A​ Grand Week in Wales fundraising initiative yesterday. Raising over £4,000 for the vulnerable and lonely across the country with its 1,000 based challenges, inspired by Wales’ 1,000-mile circumference. Running from the 22nd February to the 1st March, A Grand Week in Wales encouraged members of the public, of all ages and abilities, to join in a celebration of Wales by participating in various challenges in the lead up to St David’s Day. The challenges successfully completed included a Grand Welsh Relay – not only were 1,000 miles…

Almost three quarters of people in Wales are in favour of a trial paying individuals a basic income, according to new polling commissioned by the Future Generations Commissioner, Sophie Howe. The poll, carried out by Survation, found that 69% of people in Wales would support the Welsh Government piloting a basic income scheme, which has been described as ‘this generation’s NHS’. The commissioner, who’s urging the next Welsh Government to commit to progressive policies ahead of the Welsh election on May 6, is working with the thinktank Autonomy on a study into how giving every citizen a set amount of money could decrease inequality as Wales deals with the ongoing economic impacts of COVID-19.  A report…

Half of Wales’ local authorities have now taken action to mitigate the risks fireworks pose to animals – with Pembrokeshire County Council joining the growing list. On February 15, the Council’s cabinet unanimously backed an RSPCA-backed Notice of Motion, which had previously been referred to the Cabinet by Milford East Councillor Guy Woodham at a full council meeting in December. The proposals mean Pembrokeshire Council will require all public firework displays in the county to be advertised in advance, allowing residents to take precautions for their animals and vulnerable people. A public awareness campaign about the impact fireworks have on…

A red kite who sought to trick RSPCA officers by repeatedly “playing dead” has been returned to the wild after a period of rehabilitation with the animal welfare charity. RSPCA Cymru was contacted by vets after a member of the public brought the red kite to them, saying he had been found caught up in fencing and in a collapsed state, and was found near Aberaeron. He was transferred to wildlife specialists in the West Wales area for a period of rehabilitation, before a heart-warming return to the wild in an area near to where he was found. The bird…

The Welsh Government has today announced a further £30 million for hospitality, leisure and tourism businesses affected by ongoing coronavirus restrictions. It has also confirmed that pending the outcome of the next review on 12 March, a further £150 million in grants could be made available to firms, including micro businesses, through the Welsh Government’s Non Domestic Rates (NDR) scheme if coronavirus restrictions are extended. The latest round of the Welsh Government’s Economic Resilience Fund will see £30m of targeted support being made available to support small, medium and large businesses in the hospitality, leisure and tourism sectors as well…

Library staff across Wales will have access to a custom-built digital training package thanks to a Swansea Council officer and a grant from the Welsh Government’s Cultural Recovery Fund. Kerry Pillai, of Swansea Libraries, has coordinated a range of training packages for library staff members across Wales. The Estyn Allan training and development programme will develop staff skills, knowledge and confidence in delivering bilingual digital activities and promoting services so libraries across Wales can fully engage with readers online. It was funded by a Welsh Government grant almost £170,000 secured by The Society of Chief Librarians (SCL) in Wales. The…

The locations of new community testing centres which will help reduce the spread of coronavirus in Bridgend County Borough have been confirmed. With community testing set to take place across the county borough over the next four weeks on different dates, the initiative aims to identify people living within specific local communities who may have the virus without knowing it. Statistics from Public Health Wales confirm that one in three people may not display any symptoms when infected with Covid-19, and may unknowingly be passing the virus on to others. The areas targeted for testing, which have been identified using…