Author: Rhys Gregory

The COVID-19 pandemic has detrimentally impacted the majority of Welsh businesses. Few have escaped unharmed, with organizations of all sizes affected, from small independent companies to well-known brands and large enterprises. But the positive response has also been astounding. And Welsh companies have shown remarkable levels of flexibility and innovative spirit. What were initially thought to be insurmountable challenges have, in many cases, turned out to be catalysts for change and diversification.  In this post, we’re going to look at five key ways that companies are adapting to the current crisis. While many of these shifts will only last for…

Education Minister Kirsty Williams has today (Tuesday, November 10) confirmed Wales’ approach for qualifications in 2021 and her decision that there will be no end of year exams for learners taking GCSEs, AS levels or A levels. The Minister outlined: that in place of exams, the Welsh Government intended to work with schools and colleges to take forward teacher-managed assessments, that this should include assessments that will be externally set and marked but delivered within a classroom environment under teacher supervision. her expectation this work will form the basis for centre-based outcomes which will be linked to an agreed national…

Wales has seen the largest quarterly rise in unemployment across the UK, according today’s Office for National Statistics figures. During the period for July to September, unemployment rose by 4.6%, representing an increase of 28,000 compared with April to June. The UK’s unemployment rate was 4.8%, however the figures do not include those on the Government’s furlough scheme, who are counted as employed. Commenting on today’s Labour Market Statistics, Welsh Government Minister for Economy, Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates said: “These latest statistics clearly show the damaging impact the coronavirus pandemic is having on people across Wales. “As a…

What do you expect from a person when you give a gift? Smiles, expressions of happiness on the face, recognition and delight. It is important how you present the jewellery and with what feeling you do it. Women are not against surprises; at the same time, they always know what gift they want. To please your loved one, you must know tastes and preferences. Jewellery is always appropriate, and it will cause a storm of joy. An online jewellery shop is a unique place where you can make yourself and your loved ones happy without making a significant effort. Here…

The year 2020 has brought forth new challenges and opportunities for everyone. Work from home has become the new normal. Professionals are also using the time to upgrade their skills. With the growing usage and importance of data analysis and big intelligence in the modern world, one of the skills that have become very important and a must addition to one’s resume is an SQL certification. SQL Certification can boost your career prospects with large-scale use of databases in all sectors from technology to politics where SQL is one of the backbones to various systems used in such databases. However,…

Developers are being invited to bring top class new public facilities to an under-used seafront site.  Swansea Council is looking for a business to lease the site and to add another leisure jewel to the area’s spectacular coastline. Any development at the 0.77-acre Langland Bay location will provide leisure and public toilet facilities that would improve services for the public and be sympathetic to the environment. Potential uses include restaurant, café, shop, gallery, training centre, gym and sports facility. Money raised through the long lease will be reinvested in council services. No plans have been submitted yet and the planning…

A police boss fears there will be an influx people flocking across the border into North Wales on shopping trips and days out in an attempt to escape the national lockdown in England. North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones blames Boris Johnson for ignoring the clear advice of scientific advisors to impose an earlier circuit-breaker lockdown which would have coincided with 17-day firebreak in Wales. Mr Jones, a former police inspector, is concerned that the UK Prime Minister’s decision to snub expert scientific advice will encourage people from the North West to head to places like Broughton Shopping…

Castell Howell Foods, Wales’ leading independent food service wholesaler, based at Cross Hands Food Park has announced a new surplus food partnership with Cardiff based food charity, FareShare Cymru. As we know, from March 2020 the foodservice supply chain has struggled with lockdowns, closures, limited menus and low consumer confidence, regrettably incurring a higher than usual quantity of potential food waste. The partnership will engage with suppliers of Castell Howell to help re-distribute any surplus food to the FareShare Cymru depot in Cardiff, and then on to 164 charities, (including those who feature on the Business in the Community (BiTC),…

As we reach the end of the firebreak lockdown, thousands of businesses that have been required to close for the last 17 days are now reopening. The firebreak rules have been replaced by a new national set of restrictions that apply equally across Wales. FSB Wales is urging all people to think about how they can support Wales’ smaller businesses as they reopen this week. Two thirds of local jobs are supported by SMEs in Wales, and there has never been a more critical time for us to think about how we can support smaller firms. Here are 5 ways…

Generations of Swansea families who helped the area become an industrial powerhouse are to be recognised in the name of a vibrant new city centre district.  Its name will reflect their Welsh heritage and the thriving industry in which hundreds of thousands of people played a key role. The district will be known as Copr Bay, using the Welsh word for copper, an industry which saw Swansea help drive the Industrial Revolution. It will provide entertainment, work and homes for today’s residents and future generations. Copr Bay Phase One, complete with 3,500-capacity indoor arena, parkland, homes, commercial units, parking and…