Author: Rhys Gregory

The Westerleigh Group will be honouring pandemic hero Captain Sir Tom Moore by raising money in his memory on what would have been his 101st birthday on 30 April. Westerleigh Group, the UK’s largest independent owner and operator of crematoria and cemeteries, is challenging staff at its 35 sites nationwide to come up with creative ways of supporting the Captain Tom Foundation. This includes the teams at Aberystwyth, Langstone Vale, Llanelli, and Sirhowy Valley crematoria. The group has also set up a Just Giving page and is inviting anyone from the communities served by their sites to pay their own…

A Swansea University lecturer’s latest book was not only a labour of love but also a chance to pay tribute to the man who inspired his passion for the game of cricket. Cricketing Lives: A Characterful History from Pitch to Page by Dr Richard Thomas is published next month and looks back at some of the sport’s most remarkable players and the stories that surround them. Dr Thomas, associate professor of media and communication in the College of Arts and Humanities, was introduced to the sport by his late father Richard Howard Thomas, who captained of the University cricket team…

A top accountancy company  has appointed a new director to help steer the firm’s ambitious growth plans. Coxeys, one of the region’s fastest-growing accountancy firms with offices in Wrexham, Chester and Saltney, is hoping to boost its workforce by a further 20% over the next few years and says further acquisitions could be on the cards as part of an exciting expansion strategy. With this in mind, Coxeys are always on the lookout for the right individuals to join their team. The company has now appointed Joanne Evans, from Borras, Wrexham, as a director to help drive the firm’s future…

A former factory site has been transformed into an award-winning haven for wildlife by the arrival of Wales’s most modern police station. North Wales Police’s new Eastern Command and Custody Facility on Llay Industrial Estate has picked up a major environmental accolade for the sensitive way it has been developed. Where the huge Sharp electronics factory used to stand close to the Llay Main colliery, rare butterflies, birds and dragonflies hover and plants and flowers bloom among rush-lined pools. It has led to a Special Commendation for the site at the Chartered Institute of Ecology and Environmental Management Awards for…

A rapid rise in the number of electric vehicles across Wales presents an opportunity to support high street and out of town retail, and an additional income stream for landlords, according to the latest research from Knight Frank. The number of Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (ULEVs) registered across Wales, the vast majority of which are Electric Vehicles (EVs), rose by 49% in a year during 2020, up from 4,895 in Q3 2019 to 7,327 in Q3 2020. By the end of Q3 2020, Swansea had the most ULEV registrations in Wales at 1,176, followed by Cardiff with 822. Bridgend was…

The quick-thinking and calmness of a six-year-old Rhondda Cynon Taf student helped save his mother from choking, and all of his family, friends and teachers are extremely proud of him. Zachary James, a Year 2 learner at Maesybryn Primary School, Llantwit Fardre, saw his mother coughing and struggling to breathe at home. But he immediately knew what to do to assist her and began administering his first aid skills. Showing great calmness and maturity beyond his years, Zachary started slapping his mother Sadie heartily on her back, eventually dislodging the blockage, which was preventing her from breathing properly. Councillor Susan…

A former doctor’s surgery in Brynhyfryd is being brought back into community use as a base to support families, children and young people in the area. Swansea Council has bought the empty building on Llangyfelach Road to create one of five Early Help Hubs in the city. They will be community resources supporting families, children and young people by bringing staff from the council’s Early Help services together under one roof. The hubs will also host activities to support their work such as parenting groups, baby massage and children or young people’s support groups. The other hubs will be based…

Bridgend County Borough Council has produced a guide about pop-up shops for potential tenants and landlords. As high streets adapt to offer a more diverse experience for visitors, it is recognised that a more flexible approach is needed when letting vacant spaces in town centres, particularly for small independent businesses. To help potential tenants navigate the process of setting up a pop-up shop, a new step-by-step guide has been produced to answer key questions about business rates and planning. The guide accompanies the Town Centre Index as tools to help businesses locate the right space for them. Despite the turmoil…

Preparations are underway for the reopening of gyms and pools in Bridgend County Borough from Monday 3 May. Residents will be able to re-start their gym workouts and lane swimming at most facilities from this date, with indoor group exercises expected to resume later in the month. The pool at Bridgend Life Centre will reopen in June. Visitors to the swimming pools in Pyle and Ynysawdre will benefit from new equipment after the installation of pool pods for people with accessibility and mobility problems. Funded by Bridgend County Borough Council and Sport Wales, the equipment allows new wheelchairs provided as…

Solar panels have been installed on the roof of a primary school in Bridgend County Borough to help it reduce its energy bills and become more self-sufficient. The panels, which were switched on at Litchard Primary School earlier this month, were purchased using school funds and a no-interest loan. The school is estimated to re-coup the investment within four years. Recent energy audits revealed that the school consumed high amounts of electricity so staff have been working with Bridgend County Borough Council officers over the past 18 months to prepare and project manage the scheme. A new roof was installed…