Author: Rhys Gregory

A SCHOOLBOY who had a cardiac arrest on two separate occasions has thanked the paramedic who saved his life – twice. Ioan Kennard, of Miskin, Rhondda Cynon Taf, was holidaying in Italy last August when he fell unconscious while swimming in the sea. Quick-thinking Dave Moodley, a Welsh Ambulance Service paramedic who was on holiday with Ioan’s family, stepped in and delivered CPR which saved the 15-year-old boy’s life. In January of this year, disaster struck again when Ioan collapsed and stopped breathing while walking to catch the school bus. By chance, an off-duty Dave saw the commotion and intervened…

FSB Wales has today published its manifesto for the next Welsh Parliament elections in May 2021. Our Business is Wales – FSB’s Vision for 2020-2025 outlines the economic priorities that are crucial for Wales’ political parties as we head into an election that comes at a critical time for Wales’ business community. Throughout 2020 FSB Wales has spoken to thousands of business owners and self-employed individuals as part of the Our Business is Wales campaign. Through survey work, online events, digital work and many individual conversations up and down the country more members than ever before have been engaged in…

National kitchen retailer Kutchenhaus is set to open its first ever store in Newport town centre. Located at the Kingsway Shopping Centre in Newport between Starbucks and Warren James, it will open its doors on December 28th at 9:30AM, serving customers across Newport, Cwmbran, Caerleon and the surrounding areas. The new showroom will harness the latest technology to provide virtual appointments and use its online 3D planning and design tool to create kitchens remotely for local customers that do not wish to come to the store. Boasting 1,486 square foot of retail space, the Newport store will employ two new…

Wales’ largest building society has launched a range of mortgage and saving products to say thank you to NHS workers in Wales and the borders. Available online or in branch, the Thank You regular saver accounts from Principality Building Society offer a variable interest rate of 1.65% gross/AER, allowing NHS workers to save up to £250 a month and withdraw money three times a year. NHS employees in Wales and the borders will also have access to Principality’s Thank You mortgages range, with either 2 or 5 year fixed rates. The Society has also increased the loan to income ratio…

Swansea Council has signed an agreement with Pobl Group, Wales’ largest Registered Social Landlord, to manage 33 affordable apartments as part of Phase One of the Copr Bay regeneration project. The £135 million mixed-use scheme is one of several imaginative developments within an ambitious £1 billion city-wide programme, making it one of the largest urban transformations currently underway in Europe. Rob Stewart, Leader of Swansea Council, commented: “When complete, the combined regeneration projects across Swansea will collectively generate a boost of an additional £128m for the local economy. “Copr Bay Phase One will create more than 2,000 new jobs during…

In line with the approach agreed between Welsh Government and the Welsh Local Government Association, in-person teaching and learning is planned to continue at Newport schools until the end of the term. Discussions have been held with head teachers and it is recognised that maximising the amount of classroom teaching after such a disruptive year, is vitally important. A spokesperson for Newport Council said: “All schools have robust Covid-secure policies and practices in place, and while it is inevitable there will be cases and schools affected, for which the blended learning offer has been developed to mitigate those absences, the…

As of Thursday December 10th the time people have to self-isolate for coronavirus  will be reduced from 14 days to ten in Wales. Reducing the isolation period to ten days is endorsed by The Chief Medical Officer for Wales Officer, Dr Frank Atherton and is based on the current available evidence around likelihood of being infectious as a contact after ten days. Following this advice the Minister for Health and Social Services has approved the amendment to the Health Protection (Coronavirus Restrictions) (No. 4) (Wales) Regulations 2020. Travellers returning from non-exempt countries will now only have to quarantine for ten…

A public consultation has started today as part of a process that could see a skate park developed at a seafront site in Llwynderw, West Cross. The consultation is the latest stage in a proposal to create the skate park at the site which currently has a single skate ramp. The results will be reported to Swansea Council’s cabinet in the New Year before it makes a decision about leasing the land so the existing skate park can be improved. Mumbles Community Council sought planning permission for the skate park to be based in Llwynderw and this was granted this…

Anyone needing to find out the latest information on Coronavirus from Neath Port Talbot Council can now ask Alexa. An Alexa ‘Skill’ is available to give the updates from NPT Council’s newsroom to Alexa users. The Council is currently posting a constant stream of news releases linked to the Coronavirus outbreak on its newsroom, such as how to present recycling and waste for households affected by Coronavirus, warnings about the latest Coronavirus scams, how to volunteer to help vulnerable residents and the NPT Buy Local scheme. Alexa Skills are available via the Alexa App. Everyone who has an Amazon device,…

Wales’s most senior army officer has praised the people of Merthyr Tydfil for their support in the current mass Covid-19 testing programme, saying their keenness to make it a success would help in the subsequent rollout across the UK. Commander of the 160th Welsh Brigade/Joint Military Command Wales, Brigadier Andrew Dawes CBE was at Merthyr Tydfil Leisure Centre to see how the RAF were supporting partners in delivering testing. He described Merthyr Tydfil as ‘a vibrant community that wants to get involved and sees the benefits of testing’ and added: “It’s been a fantastic achievement for the whole community.” https://twitter.com/MerthyrCBC/status/1336339225029971969…