Author: Rhys Gregory

The demand for digital skills is continuing to grow in North Wales, as the regional economy and workforce adjust to the challenges arising from the coronavirus pandemic. The digital sector is one of the key growth areas identified by the North Wales Regional Skills Partnership, where employer demand exceeds supply. Figures published by the Partnership in 2019 suggested that 14.7% more qualified people are needed for professional occupations in the digital sector to replace demand up to 2024, alongside a 12.9% increase in those skilled for associate professional and technical occupations. The Partnership’s latest Covid-19 ‘Insight to North Wales Labour…

A new Starbucks store will open at Parc Pensarn, Carmarthen, on Friday 27 November. Operated by Starbucks licensee, The Magic Bean Company, the store will be the first Starbucks Drive Thru in the area and will create 20 new jobs. Customers are invited to visit the store to enjoy Starbucks holiday menu, with returning festive favourites the Toffee Nut Latte, Gingerbread Latte, and Eggnog Latte available. Customers can also try Starbucks new items this season, including the Truffle Deluxe Hot Chocolate and The One with the Gravy Layer Sandwich. To celebrate the opening, there will be a ribbon cutting hosted…

Cardiff and Vale University Health Board has been working in partnership with Cardiff Council and Vale of Glamorgan Council to identify centres to deliver the Covid 19 vaccinations. The mass vaccination centres will be set up in Cardiff and Vale Therapy Centre in Splott,  Pentwyn Leisure Centre and Holm View Leisure Centre in Barry. The centres can be accessed by appointment only and those that are eligible to receive the vaccination will be sent a letter to contact the booking line to receive an appointment. All centres have adequate car parking and public transport access to meet the service need.…

The Royal National Institute of Blind People (RNIB) is calling for families in Wales to take part in a giant virtual reading event next month. The charity hopes that the event will achieve a Guinness World Records title to highlight the need for more positive representations of disability in children’s literature. To take part, families will need to read the RNIB’s reimagining of a fairytale favourite, Little Red Riding Hood, called Red and the Wolf. It includes a young girl with vision impairment as the main character, who uses a long cane and is highly skilled at martial arts. Aimed at children aged three…

Ceredigion County Council is working with Sustrans Cymru as part of Welsh Government’s Active Travel Network Map consultation (ATNM).  In this initial phase, the council are looking for your feedback on where you would like to see improvements to walking and cycling in Aberystwyth, Cardigan and Lampeter. The ATNM is a plan of routes that Ceredigion County Council will use to inform where improvements to walking and cycling should be made within the county.  It will help to make journeys on foot or by bike across Ceredigion easier and safer for everyone, particularly those who don’t currently walk or cycle…

THE Welsh Ambulance Service has set out how it will embrace technology in the future in an ambitious new digital strategy. Recent advances by the service include the rollout of iPads to frontline staff, the move to modern ‘cloud’ services through Microsoft Office 365 and a new electronic patient care record. The Trust’s new strategy details its plans to drive future change through four ambitious ‘digital missions’ – empower the digital patient, build the digital workplace, intelligence through data and digital foundations. Andy Haywood, Director of Digital Services, said: “The Welsh Ambulance Service has undergone significant transformation in the last…

Santa’s annual appearance at the Welshpool & Llanfair Light Railway has become the latest activity to fall victim to the coronavirus pandemic. The popular event, which brings families together to travel with Santa on the railway’s festive steam trains, was due to start on December 5 and run over three weekends, but has been cancelled for 2020. The railway had its plans for the Santa Specials well advanced and had carefully designed what was hoped to be both a safe and fun event, but the pandemic made it just too difficult to put on. The Llanfair line’s volunteers are usually…

Police will be utilising additional powers this weekend to ensure those visiting Cardiff city centre are doing so within the confines of coronavirus legislation. While rules in Wales have been relaxed, with local travel restrictions removed and hospitality and retail premises now able to open, the public are reminded that the risk posed by Covid-19 has not disappeared. Some restrictions do remain, with those from outside of Wales prohibited from travelling in to the country under both UK Government and Welsh Government rules, and rules around socialising and licensed premises continuing to apply to local residents. South Wales Police will…

Officers investigating a collision between a bus and a bridge in Swansea in which one person died and a number were injured have charged a man. The collision happened in Neath Road, Swansea on 12 December 2019. Jessica Jing Ren who was a passenger on the double decker bus died in hospital from injuries sustained as a result of the collision. Eric Vice, aged 64, of Duvant has been charged with causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving. He is due to appear before Swansea Magistrates court on 23 December.

PEOPLE from Wales are being asked by an award-winning care agency in the country to show they care by putting together shoeboxes full of essential for the elderly (November 2020). Abacare’s Bangor and Newtown branches have launched the shoebox appeal, for the sixth year running, for its service users who may not be able to get outside to pick up essentials this festive season. Neil Griffiths, Regional Manager at Abacare, which provides care across Wales, said: “This year has been an extremely tough one and we want to put a smile on our service users’ faces, so thought we would…