Author: Rhys Gregory

Following the success of a specially produced gin, which has helped raise funds for patient care, Nightingale House Hospice has branched out to develop a new berry flavoured edition. Last year the hospice collaborated with Shropshire Gin Distillery to produce a bespoke Nightingale House hand-crafted gin to celebrate its 25th Anniversary. The independent distillery, based in Ellesmere is known for creating their own artisan-handcrafted premium gins using traditional copper still methods. The company is the proud winner of two International Wine and Spirit Competition awards. The new Berry Gin has been carefully selected from a handful of tailored botanicals. It…

A South Wales company has developed an innovative way to recycle single use personal protective equipment (PPE) in a bid to tackle the mountain of waste being produced as a result of the pandemic. Cardiff-based Thermal Compaction Group (TCG) has become one of the first in the world to create a device to recycle disposable plastic PPE at source, which re-engineers an average 24 tonnes of polypropylene waste each year per unit. Following the outbreak, estimates suggest that hospital trusts across the UK have been using a combined 10million PPE items a day between them, the majority of which are…

Leading IT organisation, Circle, has acquired Macclesfield-based Fabric IT, as part of its strategic growth plans, taking the group to £25 million in turnover. The acquisition comes as part of the Circle Group’s strategy to expand its Microsoft portfolio, with Fabric’s Microsoft Dynamics expertise adding significant capabilities to the Group’s overall service and solution offering. As part of the deal, Fabric IT will become part of the Circle Group, which now boasts over 100 employees. Fabric IT provides a range of Microsoft-centric cloud managed services to SME’s across the UK, with competencies around CRM, ERP, Power Platform and Modern Workplace,…

More thrilling drama is set to hit our screens after BBC Cymru Wales has announced that it has commissioned a brand new crime drama. With a strong cast and gripping storyline, The Pact is set to become BBC Wales’ next highly anticipated hit. As well as Breaking Bad’s Laura Fraser, Julie Hesmondhalgh (Broadchurch, Coronation Street) and Eddie Marsan (Ray Donovan), there is a wealth of Welsh talent involved including BAFTA Cymru winner Gabrielle Creevy, Rakie Ayola and Jason Hughes. Produced by Little Door Productions, it is written and created by Pete McTighe (Doctor Who, A Discovery Of Witches, Wentworth), produced…

Self Assessment taxpayers have just over a week to pay any outstanding tax liabilities in full or set up an online payment plan for the 2019 to 2020 financial year to avoid incurring penalty charges, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has urged. Last month, HMRC said that due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, they were giving Self Assessment taxpayers more time to pay their tax or set up a payment plan without facing a 5% late payment penalty charge, as long as arrangements were in place by midnight on 1 April. Those who have yet to settle their…

Business leaders in the finance, legal and advisory sectors have shared their expertise and insights to inspire Welsh businesses to recover, rebuild and revitalise following the challenges of the last year. Jon Lambird, Head of SME at Barclays UK; Jon Maycock, Commercial Director at Propel Finance Group; Paul Slevin, Director of Quantuma Corporate Advisory Firm and Simon Tee, Managing Partner at Kilsby Williams Chartered Accountants joined Chris Nott, founder and senior partner of Capital Law, for an engaging, reactive in-person debate. Organised by leading business organisation Chambers Wales, the event was broadcast live from its Corporate Partner Capital Law’s offices…

NHS Wales’ decarbonisation plan to tackle climate change has been published today [Wednesday 24 March] by the Health Minister Vaughan Gething. In 2019 Welsh Government declared a climate emergency to trigger more action to meet the climate change challenge, the first Government in the world to declare such an emergency. As part of this, they re-enforced ambitions for Wales’ public sector to be reach ‘net zero’ for carbon emissions by 2030 by setting out 100 policies and proposals and ensuring tackling climate change is central to future legislation. Today’s publication of the Decarbonisation Strategic Delivery Plan for NHS Wales sets…

A vote has just passed in the Senedd introducing new regulations for pet sales. The regulations will also ban third party sales of puppies and kittens. This means that from 10 September it will be an offence to sell a puppy or kitten which the seller has not bred themselves. Crucially the new Regulations requires the seller to have bred the puppy or kitten “at the premises” – which puts a stop to lengthy and multiple transportations for the young animals, which can cause distress. This applies to travel in and around Wales, as well as banning puppies and kittens…

£10m is being invested in the Northern Gateway site in Deeside to unlock the development potential of commercial land which will be a boost for employment in the region, Economy and North Wales Minister Ken Skates has announced. The funding will allow the construction of a public highway across the Northern Gateway site to be completed, which is critical to open up the land which is set aside for development.  The completion of the road makes the site more attractive to developers. The investment will also include creating a bus route to link communities and work places in Flintshire as…

The availability of affordable and social housing in Wales has received a boost thanks to the Welsh Government’s Land Release Fund (LRF). The £5m fund, which has been designed to accelerate the availability of unused public sector land for the development of much-needed social and affordable housing, has supported seventeen projects this year. The successful projects are all delivering small scale, low carbon developments through the use of modern and innovative technologies. Projects include: developing land for 18 affordable and social homes in Carmarthenshire. the purchase of empty property in Ceredigion for conversion into social homes. the demolition of a…