Author: Rhys Gregory

The chairman of a Ruthin-based civil engineering firm has been awarded an MBE for services to the economy in Wales. Huw Jones of Jones Bros Civil Engineering UK was awarded the honour as part of the Queen’s Birthday Honours list. Jones Bros, which employs more than 500 people, is currently working on contracts in various sectors including highways, flood and marine defence, waste management and renewable energy around the UK. Huw said: “I have been very fortunate to have had the opportunity to lead and develop an organisation through steady growth over a number of years. “My focus has remained…

Firefighters and ambulance crews will now be able to reach emergencies in the Severn Tunnel much faster as they now have a dedicated road-to-rail vehicle thanks to Network Rail. Network Rail developed and funded the multi-agency vehicle before officially handing it over to the emergency services on 12 November and it will now be housed at Maindee Fire and Rescue Station, Newport. The 7.25 tonne Mitsubishi Canter can switch from road to rail helping emergency services reach any incidents on the railway much faster and potentially helping to save lives. Network Rail has been working on the design with South…

A 22-year-old young entrepreneur who developed an app that provides a click and collect service for catering outlets at universities has now launched at campuses across the UK. Alex Coldea, a Swansea University Computer Science graduate from Romania, began operating his app, Dill at the beginning of this year, building a platform which allows students and staff to skip the queues at university canteens by pre-ordering their meals online. The concept was originally designed to reduce waiting times for staff and students in their breaks, but since the coronavirus pandemic Alex has received positive feedback from universities who saw the…

We’ve all been doing things a bit differently this year. It’s been a year of change – but one of discovery too! Christmas is the perfect time to take a ‘virtual discovery tour’ of Welsh food and drink, and celebrate and support local producers who work day and night to give us outstanding, flavour-filled produce. As part of its strategy to put producers in the spotlight, Cywain is calling on shoppers to show their support and to ‘Keep it local, keep it Welsh!’ this Christmas. Whether it is Christmas dinner and all the trimmings, a seasonal tipple, or a sweet…

Members of the public can have their say on plans by Denbighshire County Council to tackle climate and ecological change. Last year the Council declared a climate change and ecological emergency which included a commitment to make the authority net carbon zero by 2030, enhance biodiversity across the county and call on the Welsh and UK governments to provide assistance and resources to enable the Council to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. A public engagement event was held earlier this year asking for the public’s views and now they can have their say on the Council’s draft Climate and Ecological Change…

An Aberaeron-based social and economic research company has become employee-owned, cementing its team-orientated ethos and business approach. Wavehill, which was established in 1992 with offices in Aberaeron, Bristol, Newcastle and London, has developed a strong reputation and proven expertise in the fields of social and economic research, evaluation and impact assessment. The company has moved to an Employee Ownership model with the support of the Employee Ownership Wales team at Social Business Wales, which offers fully-funded guidance and support on Employee Ownership and Share Schemes to Welsh businesses. Founder Director of Wavehill, Mark Willis, said: “We have clear company values,…

The UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s announcement this week that it will be mandatory by 2025 for large parts of the UK economy to disclose risks to their operations from climate change is welcomed by ACCA (the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants). The global body for professional accountants believes that clear and consistent accounting standards and disclosures, which are understood by business and investors alike, are an essential part of the urgent policy solutions needed to tackle climate change. Jimmy Greer, ACCA’s head of sustainability comments: “The Chancellor’s statement is vital to help the UK meet its 2050 net zero target…

Swansea manufacturing firm Viscose Closures has welcomed its first apprentice of many, in a scheme aimed at building closer relationships with local education establishments and nurturing local talent. Viscose Closures has been proudly manufacturing in the UK for over 125 years and in Swansea for 70 years. The company produces tamper evidence and anti-counterfeiting solutions for packaging and also offers a wide range of caps and closures from its HQ on Swansea Enterprise Park. The first apprentice has been welcomed from nearby Gower College, from which the company hopes to recruit many more in the coming months. In addition to…

WALES’ leading aluminium fabricator, Dudley’s Aluminium, continues to be instrumental in the redevelopment of Cardiff’s Central Square as it begins work on a major multi-million pound project. The Cardiff based company has secured the contract, worth in excess of £6million, with ISG and will also be working closely with Rightacres, the developer of Central Square, to ensure that the project continues to meet the high standards that are required for the multi-layered development. The Interchange is an innovative and modern build with a mixed use set of environments. In addition to housing the capital’s new, state of the art bus…

Learning has never been a more diverse process than in the present. Coaching isn’t exempt from this tendency, as shown by several Welsh experts. Sportspeople may train and refine their craft in a medium that seemed unthinkable for gaining athletic prowess – the World Wide Web. Jinx Sport is the name of the platform, and people of Olympian fame run it. To be more precise, the couple formed by Marc and Helen Jenkins, and assisted by Rhys Jones, teamed up to create a groundbreaking online coaching programme. This app provides an all-original learning outlet for athletes, and a means for…