Author: Rhys Gregory

A food delivery service set up to support the local community in Aberystwyth has been named a Small Business of 2020 by Lloyds Bank after proving invaluable to its customers during the pandemic. Racoono was set up by Rob Groocock, Elinor Evans and Meleri Evans after they realised local people who were stuck at home during lockdown were struggling to get essential deliveries. Despite working full time for their other professions, they decided to start a delivery service for the community, initially with a range of just four products and a borrowed van. But word quickly spread and Racoono now…

A Product Design & Technology graduate of the University of Wales Trinity Saint David (UWTSD) is helping students and businesses bring ideas to life. Ken Pearce, who graduated from UWTSD in 2020 with a first-class degree, set up Lunia 3D after discovering the versatility of 3D printing while he was a student. In April 2020 he and his girlfriend Georgia Hatton started 3D printing face shields to protect local care-workers from Covid-19. “Doing this made me realise that I was passionate about 3D printing how beneficial it could be,” he says. “I decided to start my own business, Lunia 3D. Here…

Two men have been arrested in connection with the murder of 23-year-old Tomasz Waga have been charged and will appear before Cardiff Magistrates on Friday morning (12 February). Damjano Velo, 23, from Whitchurch, Cardiff has been charged with murder. Behar Kaci, 29, of no fixed address, has been charged with drugs and money laundering offences. Tomasz’s family has been updated and continue to be supported by family liaison officers. Detective Chief Inspector Mark O’Shea who is leading the investigation said: “The charging of these two men is a significant step in the investigation into the murder of Tomasz Waga but…

Researchers at Aberystwyth University have launched a new digital platform providing detailed chronological information for all Anglo-Norman words for the first time ever online. Anglo-Norman came over to the UK from France with William the Conqueror and his followers in 1066, laying the foundations for present day English. It was the main written language of the British Isles until the middle of the thirteenth century and was still being used for complex administrative matters as well as affairs of state well into the fifteenth century. With funding from the UK Research and Innovation Arts & Humanities Research Council (AHRC), members…

The RSPCA is searching for the owner of a budgerigar found in a back garden off Clarmuir Road in the Splott area of Cardiff. Officers from the animal welfare charity were alerted after a member of the public had found the unexpected visitor in their garden, before transferring the budgie to a veterinary practice. The bird – who has an overgrown beak, and a few missing feathers – is largely white and blue in colour, and came into the RSPCA’s care on Sunday (7 February). RSPCA Cymru suspect the budgie may have escaped, and say the incident is a reminder…

First Minister Mark Drakeford today praised the thousands of NHS staff and volunteers vaccinating people for their phenomenal effort as the first milestone in Wales’ vaccination programme was reached. As the final appointments are arranged for the weekend, Wales will achieve the milestone of offering everyone in the first four priority groups a vaccination. Arrangements are in place to make sure no one is left behind – if someone missed an appointment because they were ill or maybe they changed their mind about having the vaccine, a new appointment will be made for them. First Minister Mark Drakeford said: “Vaccination…

Construction of the new £46m Dyfi Bridge near Machynlleth is set to begin in March, Economy and Transport Minister Ken Skates said today (Friday, 12 February) The scheme will improve road safety, strengthen links between communities, provide active travel opportunities and build resilience against flooding, as well as improve transport connectivity to help stimulate further economic development in this part of Wales. The new development will be a viaduct across the floodplain and a river bridge across the Afon Dyfi approximately 480m upstream of the existing bridge The current 19th century bridge is frequently closed due to flooding, an occurrence…

A new suite of apps is helping vulnerable adults and individuals with special educational needs and disabilities to adapt their lives to meet the challenges posed by coronavirus. With Welsh Government support, the ‘COVID-19: Staying Safe’ apps have been created to help adults with additional requirements to become accustomed to face coverings, social distancing and health and wellbeing so that they can live independently in a safer environment. The apps, which are unique in being able to be customised for each individual user’s needs, have been created by tech start-up Starfish Labs, which is based at AberInnovation, the Welsh Government-backed…

Two Merthyr Tydfil businesses have spent more than £15,000 on 70 new laptops for pupils at five local primary schools. Abox Storage Solutions supplied 50 Lenovo tablets and Raynes Scaffolding & Groundworks provided 20 Chromebooks to Pantysgallog, St Aloysius, St Illtyd’s, Gwaunfarren and Gellifaelog primary schools. The companies contacted the County Borough Council’s education department to ask if schools could nominate families likely to benefit from the computers. Huw Davies, Managing Director of Abox, which is based at Goatmill Industrial Park said: “As a local business, it means a lot to us to give support when needed. We have previously…

A colourful new lighting system has been installed at Cardiff Castle as part of plans to improve the street scene, reduce energy use and costs, as well as helping generate additional income. The Phillips ‘Colour Kinetics’ dynamic lighting system, versions of which are currently being used to light 14 bridges across the River Thames in London as part of a multi-million pound public art commission, is powered by highly efficient, long lasting, environmentally friendly LEDs which can be programmed and controlled to create a variety of colourful visual effects. https://twitter.com/cardiffcouncil/status/1359955445704765443 The new system replaces the existing 15 year old, high…