Author: Rhys Gregory

Macmillan has welcomed an improvement in cancer treatment waiting times but warns that a third of cancer patients are still facing worrying delays in their care. The latest cancer treatment times data, which was published today, shows that over 550 people faced delays in their treatment during March 2021 alone. The charity says that while this is a marked improvement on the previous month, it demonstrates just how far Wales’ cancer services have to go in recovering from the pressures of the coronavirus pandemic. Macmillan also warns that despite the improvement in the number of cancer treatments taking place in…

With 2021 set to be the year of the staycation, there couldn’t be a better time to explore Wales with our dogs. It can be difficult to find places to visit and eat that allow dogs, let alone welcome them as much as their human companions! Fortunately, dog-friendly holiday provider Canine Cottages has crunched the TripAdvisor data to find the most dog-friendly places to go in Wales. Based on the percentage of reviews on TripAdvisor suggesting a place was dog-friendly, they found the most dog-friendly beaches, places to visit, pubs and cafes across the nation, which can also be found…

An Aberaeron couple pleaded guilty to coronavirus restrictions and public order offences before the start of a scheduled trial in Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 18 May 2021. David James and Meinir Bowen of the Castle Hotel, Market Street, Aberaeron, were accused of offences that took place on the night of 4 December 2020 after Ceredigion County Council Public Protection officers and a Dyfed-Powys Police Officer inspected their hotel that evening having heard drunken voices from within the premises. The court heard that after being permitted entry to the bar of the hotel, the officers were faced with verbal abuse…

Construction work is underway on the second phase of a housing development in Undy. Bellway Wales is building a total of 180 homes at Greystone Meadows, off Parkhurst Drive, including 144 houses for sale and 36 affordable properties for rent or shared ownership. All 29 homes in phase one of the development have now been completed, and many of the plots in phase two are under construction. Greystone Meadows, which forms part of a wider neighbourhood of 266 new homes, launched in September 2019 and is due to be completed by 2022. Bellway has also created a pond and drainage…

AWYR LAS (Blue Sky) is driving a campaign to build a revolutionary mobile scanning vehicle for cardiac patients in rural communities. The North Wales NHS charity is calling on the public to help raise £66,000 towards the appeal as part of this year’s popular NHS Big Tea event. The Cardiac Diagnostic Vehicle will be fitted with advanced technology, allowing clinicians to journey to vulnerable patients so they can diagnose and perform assessments remotely. This innovative approach will save Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) vital resources, clinic space and reduce waiting times as people will be seen outside their homes,…

The owner of a family-run farm shop is encouraging people in Flintshire to continue to buy local in order to support the wider community. Swans Farm Shop, based in Treuddyn, was opened by husband and wife Clive and Gail on their 200-acre farm 18 years ago. Swans Farm Shop has remained open throughout lockdown, which has enabled its supply chain to continue selling products where it otherwise may have closed.  The farm shop, which has extended its product range for some brands, stocks Flintshire producers and manufacturers including beers from Hafod Brewery, gin from Angel Feathers and jams and chutneys…

Wales’ highest mountain Snowdon / Yr Wyddfa is the star of a new advert from mobile company EE, alongside Welsh actor Tom Ellis. The new advert, launching today [Friday], sees the actor, star of hit-series Lucifer, having his lockdown beard clean-shaven on the slopes of the mountain by a state-of-the-art robotic arm, remotely-controlled live over EE’s 4G network by a barber in London, 250 miles away. The ad campaign is to highlight the high performance, speed and reliability of EE’s mobile network. According to Ofcom, EE, part of BT Group, has the most extensive 4G coverage in Wales, further increasing…

SMEs are in a state of paralysis and feel unable to plan their financial future, according to a survey from ACCA UK (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants) and The Corporate Finance Network (CFN). A total of 77.8% of accountants’ small business clients are not expecting to return to pre-Covid levels of production and turnover for at least a year, raising questions about their confidence and willingness to invest. And only just over a quarter (26.8%) have made plans for surviving another lockdown, despite the worrying increase in the so-called Indian variant of Covid-19. While some small enterprises have been…

Today the National Lottery Community Fund are spreading some good news to 121 communities across Wales receiving a share of £4.1m in its latest round of grant announcements.  One such group is Cardiff based Golden-Oldies (aka Goldies Cymru). They successfully applied for £26,000 to continue delivering their online choir sessions online. Using different platforms, they will provide weekly shows offering people the chance to join in with songs, provide important public health information and the opportunity for themed events. The primary aim is to retain links the community have built with one another to reduce social isolation.   Grenville Jones, founder of Goldies Cymru said;   “We are so grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund…

This Saturday (22 May), Barratt Developments’ newest South Wales housing development, Parc Fferm Wen, will open to the public. Located in the town of St Athan, Barry, the development will offer a range of new-build Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes properties — which will be available to view by appointment only. Barratt Homes will contribute a total of 173 two-, three- and four-bedroom properties at the development, all boasting high levels of insulation, double glazing and energy efficient central heating — saving hundreds of pounds in bills as compared with older properties. Meanwhile, David Wilson Homes will bring a…