Author: Rhys Gregory

New outreach workers will be employed by the NHS to support people from Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) communities – recognising the disproportionate impact coronavirus is having, Health Minister Vaughan Gething announced today. (Thursday 29th October) The Welsh Government is helping to fund the appointment of the outreach workers, which are being appointed in six health boards, to provide face-to-face engagement with BAME communities. Cardiff and Vale University Health Board is funding its own engagement programme working with community partners. The appointments come as evidence shows the huge and adverse impact coronavirus has had on people from Black, Asian…

A search has been launched in North Wales to find volunteers to act as custody watchdogs to police the police. North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones is seeking up to nine independent custody visitors to help him. Mr Jones wants to appoint people to join the existing team responsible for visiting custody facilities in St Asaph, Caernarfon and Llay, near Wrexham. Their job will be to safeguard the welfare of people detained by the police and ensure their rights are upheld. Successful candidates will be expected to undertake at least 10 unannounced visits a year along with and…

Cardiff Bus is offering travel advice to customers ahead of Halloween and Bonfire night. The bus operator is alerting customers to service diversions that will come into effect on the evening of October 31st and the evening of November 5th. Halloween route alterations will apply to services 11, 13 to and from Ely & Drope, 44 & 45 and 49 & 50. Bonfire night will see route alterations on the City Circle Services 1 & 2 as well as services 11, 13 to and from Ely & Drope, 44 & 45, 49 & 50 and 65A. Full information on the…

Award-winning Welsh Beef jerky manufacturer Trailhead Fine Foods has secured an order to supply Selfridges stores in England. The Selfridges stores in Oxford Street, London and Manchester Trafford began selling the gluten free beef jerky in their delicatessen sections last week. The jerky, which is normally sold in 40 gram packs with Get Jerky branding, is being displayed in presentation dishes on the deli counters at the two stores. Selfridges has chosen six of the eight Get Jerky flavours to feature in the stores – Original, BBQ, Spicy Chilli, Hot Smoked Chipotle, Teriyaki  and Devil’s Wrath. The Spicy Chilli and…

Welsh businesses are being urged to bid for new contracts on building the £135m Swansea Central Phase One scheme. Principal contractor Buckingham Group Contracting Ltd, working in collaboration with Swansea Council, wants to maximise the use of local and regional expertise. There are 10 work packages available, with a total value of almost £2m. The value of the individual work packages starts from £10,000. They include cleaning/builder’s clean, landscaping services, mastic application, asphalt laying, street furniture supply and installation, fencing, gates and barriers, and white lining. A full breakdown of these and the individual smaller work packages will be available…

The Liberty Stadium is the venue for Swansea City’s Championship match against Blackburn Rovers this weekend. The hosts will be hoping that this fixture gives them a treat instead of a trick as they look to extend an unbeaten run of three matches. Fourth in the table, a win over Blackburn could see Swansea climb to second. Rovers will hope that this Halloween contest doesn’t freak their fans out, especially after watching the side lose 4-2 at home to Reading on Monday night. That defeat was Blackburn’s third in four games, a result which leaves them 12th in the league.…

A £12.5m package of funding to support vulnerable children and families has today [Thursday October 28] been announced by Julie Morgan, Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services. It will support a range of services for children and families whose lives have been affected by the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. The funds will also enable the development of Wales’ first Family Drug and Alcohol Court to be explored, in line with a recommendation from the Commission on Justice in Wales. Deputy Minister for Health and Social Services Julie Morgan, said: “Coronavirus has had – and continues to have – a profound…

The founder of a Pontypridd charity which has supported hundreds of want-to-be entrepreneurs into self-employment was this week named one of the most awe-inspiring women from across the UK. Karen Davies, chief executive of Pontypridd charity Purple Shoots, is one of three inspirational and successful female social enterprise founders in the running for the Gaia Award in the NatWest everywoman Awards. Karen is the only Wales-based finalist. Now in their 18th year, the NatWest everywoman Awards celebrate female entrepreneurs from all walks of life, and this year’s finalists include environmental and sustainability disrupters, technology innovators and visionaries who risked everything to build their businesses from scratch. All…

Covid-19 has meant a change to so many things. Our daily lives, our jobs and how we interact with others, but that isn’t stopping Focus Carmarthen Enterprise Hub from hosting its annual conference aimed at celebrating women in business. The only difference is that this year it will be virtual.Open to all, the conference will run on 17th November, 2020 from 10:00 – 14:00 and will feature award winning speakers including: Elinor Davies-Farn owner of Olew, Kelly Davies co-founder of Good Wash Company and Marian Evans founder of Elevate BC.An entrepreneur from Aberystwyth, Elinor Davies-Farn started her own business from…

Businesses can now apply for funding from the third phase of the Welsh Government’s Economic Resilience Fund (ERF). Last week, the Welsh Government announced it was doubling this phase of the fund, making nearly £300m available to support businesses that continue to be affected by Covid-19. As a result of the “firebreak”, which began on Friday 23 October and continues until Monday 9 November, a range of businesses have had to temporarily close their doors or reduce their operations. The third round of the ERF will ensure further help for businesses across Wales. To date, the fund has supported more…