Author: Rhys Gregory

Consumers are willing to pay double for a high quality premium beef, research has revealed. The findings from a series of tasting events have shown that consumers place a high value on eating quality and are willing to pay double for a consistent, high quality premium product compared to a good every day one. The findings are part of the Aberystwyth University-run BeefQ project. The research is supported and funded by the Welsh Government Rural Development Programme and the European Agricultural Fund. A diverse cross-section of 1,200 regular beef eaters and purchasers from Wales and England participated in the tasting…

A free legal advice service provided by the Department of Law and Criminology at Aberystwyth University and award winning law firm Emma Williams Family Law has been shortlisted for two awards at this year’s Law Works Pro Bono Awards. The Aberystwyth University Family Legal Clinic, established by Dr Ola Olusanya, Senior Lecturer at the Department of Law and Criminology with support from Aberystwyth University alumni, has been shortlisted for the Law Works Cymru Award and the Best Pro Bono Clinic awards. The clinic offers free legal support to people living in Ceredigion and was formed to counter the lack of…

Work is continuing on the construction of Transport for Wales’ new trains for the Wales and Borders rail network and the South Wales Metro despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. TfW is investing £800 million into new trains and tram-trains to totally transform the customer experience throughout their Wales and Borders network.  Work has been progressing with industry partners CAF and Stadler to design and build the new trains that will operate on 95% of their rail services. Significant progress has been made on the Class 398 tram-trains and work has begun on the Class 231 trains. Both are being built…

The Welsh Blood Service has partnered with the FAW’s JD Cymru Leagues and Orchard Welsh Premier Women’s League to launch a brand-new campaign to encourage domestic football fans to donate blood. Through its ‘Blood, Sweat and Cheers’ campaign, clubs are being encouraged by the Welsh Blood Service to engage with their supporters and local communities to promote the importance of giving blood and signing up football fans to save thousands of lives. The campaign has received support from former Wales midfielder Owain Tudur Jones and Wales forward Natasha Harding. Every single day the Welsh Blood Service needs to collect 350…

The latest set of Coronavirus restrictions have been announced including the much-anticipated guidelines for the Christmas period, meaning families can now plan their festive breaks. The Government has included a five-day ‘Christmas Bubble’ allowing families from up to three households to spend time together over the festive period from 23-27 December. For many families, this will involve travelling abroad to spend time with family, friends or simply to enjoy some time away. Specialist family lawyer Laura Bond looks at the complexities of travelling abroad for separated families and offers a Christmas travel checklist for parents unsure of the rules. Laura,…

Five-star housebuilder, David Wilson Homes, has reported an increase in demand for its most spacious house types in Wales since March, in line with new survey findings. It comes after months of national and local lockdowns have shown people the benefits of having more space inside the home and out, including dedicated workspace and more ways to keep the kids entertained. In the survey conducted just after the UK-wide lockdown by Barratt and David Wilson Homes and GoodMore Global Ltd, 73% of respondents in Wales mentioned outside space as one of their four most important factors when buying a property,…

THE new-look leadership team at Coleg Cambria is focused on driving change in further education and inspiring students and the community in north east Wales. Coleg Cambria has been through a restructure in past months in response to the Coronavirus pandemic and to ensure the institution fully delivers on its commitment to both the economy and people of north east Wales. Chief Executive Yana Williams is now joined in the senior management team by Deputy Chief Executive-Chief Operating Officer Steve Jackson, Deputy Chief Executive-Principal Sue Price, and Cath Sullivan, Deputy Chief Executive for People, Experiences and Culture. As she approaches…

The South and Mid Wales Chamber of Commerce has rebranded as Chambers Wales with a renewed focus on supporting the changing needs of Welsh business. As a result of a lengthy strategic review and taking into account the current economic climate, the organisation has brought together a team of industry experts with the know-how to help Welsh businesses grow, both nationally and internationally. The organisation now focuses its service offer and efforts on helping businesses to recover, rebuild and grow in a post pandemic recession with changing global trade relationships. With international trade experts making up part of that team,…

The Welsh Government has published its strategy to achieve a substantial increase in the number of electric car charging points in Wales. It is based on a vision that “by 2025, all users of electric cars and vans in Wales are confident that they can access electric vehicle charging infrastructure when and where they need it.” Proposed investment of £30m over five years will be set aside to help with delivery. A consultation on the strategy has been launched, as part of the Welsh Government’s ongoing efforts to support the transition to low emission vehicles. The UK Government recently announcement…

The Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru in Broughton is marking the first anniversary since it opened for business and is looking ahead to an exciting future, Minister for Economy and North Wales Ken Skates said today The state-of-the-art centre, which was fully funded with £20m from the Welsh Government and is managed by the University of Sheffield, focuses on advanced manufacturing sectors including aerospace, automotive, nuclear and food. It is predicted the new facility could increase GVA to the Welsh economy by as much as £4 billion over the next 20 years. This year AMRC Cymru played a crucial…