Author: Rhys Gregory

THE Pension Protection Fund (PPF) has published its latest overview of the UK’s defined benefit (DB) pension scheme sector – the ‘Purple Book’ – which highlights the 12 months preceding March 2020 was a record year for de-risking deals and schemes’ funding levels deteriorated. The Purple Book, which is published every December, uses data collected over the year to 31 March and identifies trends and developments and forecasts possible implications going forward. Speaking about the latest report, Senior Consultant and Actuary at Quantum Advisory Simon Hubbard said: “The 2020 edition of the Purple Book identified a clear decline in funding…

PUPILS at leading Welsh independent school Christ College Brecon have gotten into the festive spirit and compiled a Christmas showcase for family and friends to enjoy remotely from home. With the usual nativities, Christmas shows and carol services cancelled this year due to COVID-19 restrictions, Christ College ensured that pupils did not miss out on taking part in a school production, and gave loved ones a special performance they could watch together again and again. Each senior house bubble from Year 11 to Upper Sixth rehearsed and performed selected songs from musicals which were edited into a one hour musical…

The quartet of rugby legends known in their heyday as the ‘Fab Four’ are dealing with grounds of a different variety with the launch of a new business venture that will also raise funds for Velindre Cancer Centre in Cardiff. Coffee lovers Shane Williams, Mike Phillips, James Hook and Lee Byrne have gone from the Beatles to beans with flavours that reflect their individual characters and attributes as players. Mike’s IX is “a medium bodied coffee, made using a blend of the highest quality coffee from Central and South America, delivering a delicious well-balanced coffee with smooth aftertaste, suitable anytime…

Business and political leaders throughout the Swansea Bay City Region have welcomed recent progress for a £55 million digital infrastructure programme. Following its approval at the Swansea Bay City Deal’s Joint Committee, the programme will now be submitted to the UK Government and Welsh Government for final sign-off. It’s among a number of major programmes and projects forming part of the £1.3 billion City Deal portfolio. The City Deal digital infrastructure programme will benefit residents and businesses in all parts of the City Region, which includes Carmarthenshire, Neath Port Talbot, Pembrokeshire and Swansea. Led by Carmarthenshire County Council, the digital…

Greggs has opened a new branch at Coedcae Lane Industrial Estate in Pontyclun. It has acquired an 1,840 sq ft unit, overlooking the main estate road, on a new 10-year lease. Joint agents, Cushman & Wakefield and Jenkins Best acted on behalf of the landlord at the estate, South Street Capital, to agree the deal whilst Greggs were represented by Cooke & Arkwright. Coedcae Lane Industrial Estate is located three miles north of junction 34 of the M4 motorway and, following a proactive estate-wide refurbishment programme over the past few years, it has firmly established itself as the prime trade…

FLEXIBLE workspace operator Clockwise has marked its arrival in Cardiff with a generous £5000 donation to Cardiff Foodbank. The company, which has recently opened 5,000sqft of fully serviced workspace at the landmark Brunel House building in the city centre, made the donation to support members of the local community who have been affected by the Covid-19 crisis, helping to tackle food poverty and hunger in the Welsh capital and surrounding areas. Providing flexible working options without losing a sense of community is at the heart of the Clockwise offering. The company offers professional spaces for work away from the distractions…

Newtown based honey producer, Hilltop has been recognised as one of Wales’s fastest growing companies in this year’s Wales Fast Growth 50 List, 2020. From the list of 50 firms, collectively generating £476m in revenues and employing nearly 2,600 people in 2019, Hilltop ranked at 20 championing a growth of 194.8% (2017-2019). Launched in 1999 by Prof Dylan Jones-Evans, Wales’ Fast Growth 50,2020 is the definitive guide to the fastest growing indigenous firms in the Welsh economy. The determining factor for inclusion is revenue growth from 2017-19 with firms requiring sales of at least £250,000. Hilltop have also recently been…

Carmarthen born comedian Rhod Gilbert has pledged his support to a West Wales NHS charity’s Give a Gift Appeal, with a video message inspiring the public to think of others this Christmas. Hywel Dda Health Charities is the official charity of Hywel Dda University Health Board. It aims to make a positive difference to the health, wellbeing and experience of NHS patients, service users and staff across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. The charity’s Christmas Give a Gift Appeal for 2020 focuses on supporting adult mental health patients by providing a range of creative and wellbeing resources above and beyond those…

Aldi stores in Wales are set to ramp up food donations to support families and children at risk of food insecurity over the upcoming Christmas school holidays. With the help of Neighbourly, a community giving platform that works with Aldi to donate surplus food to charitable organisations all year round, Aldi’s new Community Cupboard programme will see thousands of extra meals donated to Wales families in need this Christmas. The new programme will also increase food donations to children during the February half-term and Easter breaks. One of those local community groups includes Tasty Not Wasty CIC  in Cwmbran. Starting…

The first donor in Wales to donate plasma through the Welsh Blood Service’s new ‘plasmapheresis’ process is calling on other males who have recovered from COVID-19 to consider donating their plasma to support medical trials. Clinical trials are currently underway to explore if the antibody-rich plasma of recovered Covid-19 patients could be used in the treatment of hospital patients that are unwell with the virus. Andrew Thomas, a police officer for South Wales Police, was the first donor in Wales to donate his plasma through the plasmapheresis process at Talbot Green. He said: “Back in June I had Covid-19 which…