Author: Rhys Gregory

A primary school in Barry, South Wales, has been recognised at the Tes Schools Awards, one of the biggest nights in the UK education calendar which was held on Friday 25th June. Cadoxton Primary School in Barry won the community and collaboration award, impressing judges for its “fantastic” intergenerational work at the heart of the community, having a positive impact on other schools in the area. Staff at the school have worked tirelessly to confront poverty and ensure that pupils, their families and the wider community have been supported during the pandemic. At Cadog’s Corner Café, the school has established…

CEO of Wynnstay Group, Gareth Davies, addressed guests at the final Cardiff Business Club webinar of the 2020/21 season, speaking about the impact of both Brexit and the pandemic on the agricultural sector in Wales. Gareth, who grew up as the youngest of ten children on a beef and sheep farm near Builth Wells, began his career in commercial agriculture as a fertiliser salesman before joining Wynnstay in 1999. Rising through the company from Sales Manager to Head of Agriculture, Gareth was appointed CEO of the company in 2018. Based in Llansantffraid, Powys, Wynnstay Group is a £400M business, employing…

Young people are being treated to surfing lessons at Aberavon beach to improve their emotional and physical health, thanks to a grant from Tesco. The Wave Project was awarded £1,000 to enable them to run extra surf therapy sessions for children and young people who have been referred to them by a variety of different agencies including child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS). It received the grant from a special funding round for groups supporting young people from the Tesco Community Grants scheme (previously known as Bags of Help) which is run in conjunction with community charity Groundwork. The…

Project 360° has launched a special video celebrating its achievements, and its legacy of support for military veterans living in Wales, ahead of Armed Forces Day on 26 June 2021. Project 360° was a national partnership project between Age Cymru, Woody’s Lodge and Age Alliance Wales to benefit military veterans in Wales aged 65 or over.  Funded by the Aged Veterans Fund, it ran for three years until June 2020. The aim of the project was to improve the services provided to older veterans through the project partners, while keeping older military veterans at the heart of the process. During…

Pobl Group has been ranked 4th in the UK for the number of homes built for social rent during 2020/21. Influential trade publication Inside Housing’s annual Top 50 Biggest Builders development survey of how many homes housing associations are building highlights that the Group completed 478 homes across all tenures during the period, 282 of which were for social rent. That is the fourth highest figure across the whole of the UK and more than any other housing association in Wales. The survey also sees Pobl included in the top 50 based on their pipeline programme for the next 12 months.…

In the space of just a few short years, Jodie Mae Smithen has gone from Saturday girl to owner of the award-winning H&C delicatessen in Porthcawl. Little did a teenage Jodie think that she’d one day buy the popular deli, which was established 13 years ago by Abbé and Stuart Vaughan. Said Jodie, “I began working at H&C when I was 16 and worked here through my GCSEs and A-Levels. I enjoyed learning and gradually gained more responsibility and valuable experience in all aspects of the business, from cooking and baking to implementing essential food industry accreditation and regulations. “My…

The Open University in Wales (OU in Wales) has released the findings of its report, Skills for Success: Supporting business leaders with digital adoption, jointly conducted with Be the Business, revealing the challenge ahead for Welsh businesses in adopting digital technology. The Skills for Success report surveyed 1,500 business leaders of SMEs from across the UK, including Wales, listening to the experiences of businesses which have needed to make drastic changes to adapt to the challenges presented by the pandemic. The report reveals that the pandemic has had a positive impact on progress when it comes to digital technology, with…

People in North Wales are being urged to help draw up a new blueprint for the way the region is policed and help decide where 20 extra PCSOs should work. North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Andy Dunbobbin and Chief Constable Carl Foulkes are asking local communities, groups and representative bodies to tell them what they think is most important and what they are most worried about. Mr Dunbobbin is preparing to write his first Police and Crime Plan after being elected in May and is keen for as many people as possible to have a voice in the process.…

The Royal Mint, the Original Maker of UK coins, has unveiled the official commemorative coin to celebrate the life and legacy of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. The £5 coin features an original new portrait that was personally approved by The Duke of Edinburgh in 2008. The Duke of Edinburgh was the longest serving consort in British history, and for decades provided steadfast support to Her Majesty The Queen and The Royal Family. The memorial coin bears the inscription “HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh 1921-2021” and was designed by the acclaimed artist Ian Rank-Broadley FRBS. In…

Neath Port Talbot Council has published proposals to use up to £5 million of its reserves to kickstart the county borough’s recovery from the Covid pandemic. A report due to be considered by the council’s Cabinet on Wednesday 30 June, outlines additional investments in activities to assist local businesses, support local communities and ensure clean and safe neighbourhoods. Up to £260,000 worth of grants for small businesses are available to help them succeed into 2022 and beyond; £135,000 to improve the appearance public spaces across the county borough and £300,000 to boost a programme that helps people stay strong, safe…