Author: Rhys Gregory

The team at one of Swansea’s newest restaurants are remaining optimistic about the future despite having to close its doors from Friday under the Welsh government’s ‘fire break’ enforced lockdown. The Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill, which is located at J Shed in the SA1 area of the city, opened its doors in August, and quickly established itself as one of the more popular places to eat out with a waiting list to reserve a table. The team is now focusing on the last few days of service, before closing the doors for two weeks. Rhys Andrews, restaurant…

A woman remains critically ill in hospital and one man has been arrested following a road traffic collision in Cardiff on Tuesday afternoon. Emergency services were called the scene of the collision in Canton just after 3pm on Tuesday, October 20. A red Volkswagen Caravelle collided with a parked unattended blue Nissan Qashqai in Market Road. As a result of the collision, a 51-year-old female pedestrian who was walking along the pavement at the time was seriously injured and taken to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff by ambulance. A 71-year-old man from Caerphilly has been arrested on suspicion of…

At Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court yesterday (Wednesday, 21 October, 2020), Zara Radcliffe, 29, of Wyndham Street, Penygraig, was given an indefinite hospital order after pleading guilty to manslaughter and three counts of attempted murder on the basis of diminished responsibility. Local man John Rees, who was 88 years-old, was beaten to death on 5th May, after he tried to save a woman who was being attacked by Zara Radcliffe inside the Co-op store in Tylacelyn Road, Penygraig. While paying for his shopping, Mr Rees noticed a commotion behind him, and immediately put himself between Zara Radcliffe and a woman who she was…

Swansea Bay University Health Board has successfully appointed a new Chief Executive to take over from Tracy Myhill when she retires at the end of the year.  Mark will bring with him over twenty years of experience as an NHS Chief Executive, as well as experience of system leadership roles in the NHS in England and of healthcare consultancy. Mark Hackett said: “I am thrilled to have been appointed as the new Chief Executive and am looking forward to taking up post in the New Year. “I know I am joining at an exciting time for the organisation, following its…

A college in the South Wales valleys has teamed up with a leading creative industry body to boost learners’ prospects of securing a career in film and television. Coleg y Cymoedd has officially partnered with Screen Alliance Wales, a not-for-profit organisation which works to develop and grow a pipeline of talent for Wales’ TV and film industries. The partnership will enable learners to gain valuable industry experience with film and TV production companies in Wales, as well as the opportunity to learn directly from world-leading experts in the field. While original plans for the programme were centred around providing work…

St Illtyd’s Catholic High School, located in Cardiff, will showcase itself remotely after cancelling their annual open evening. St Illtyd’s, like many other schools, are having to do things a little differently this year after the coronavirus outbreak has scuppered plans. Surprisingly, this change has made the educational activities so engaging and refreshing that even the most reluctant students have quitted using paper writing services and started taking active part in the learning process. In a step away from tradition, this year the school has teamed up with Pete Surma, director at Escape to Design to create a unique ‘virtual…

Rhug Estate is celebrating its 20th anniversary of farming organically this month. Lord Newborough and his team successfully transformed the farm from being a low input / low output traditional beef and sheep farm in 2000, to the successful, organic, farming business it is today. Lord Newborough has been a passionate supporter of organic farming since the 1990s and when he inherited the family farm in Denbighshire, north Wales, in 1998 he chose to convert the land to being farmed organically. Lord Newborough said, “I could see the virtues of following an organic lifestyle when it wasn’t very trendy at…

As part of the North Wales metro over £11m has been allocated to schemes across the region to support sustainable ways of travelling, improve safety and reduce carbon emissions Transport and North Wales Minister Ken Skates announced today. Over £7m of the funding will go to local projects delivered by local authorities including electric buses and town centre improvements. This includes £3.6m for six electric buses and provision of charging points for a new TrawsCymru T22 between Caernarfon – Porthmadog- Blaenau Ffestiniog and a T19 TrawsCymru Connect bus service between Blaenau Ffestiniog and Llandudno.  The new services and investment follows…

The Health Minister, Vaughan Gething has today (Thursday 22nd October) awarded £220m in funding to Prince Charles Hospital, Merthyr Tydfil. The funding will be used to further refurbish the ground and first floor, having previously benefited from £56m from the Welsh Government for previous phases of the programme. This phase of the project will consist of redesigning and relocating departments in order to create more efficient and modern accommodation. Services which will benefit from this investment include: Main Theatres; Critical Care; Radiology; Outpatients; Oral Maxillofacial Services; Endoscopy; Day Theatres; Neurophysiology; Pathology; Blood Transfusion Departments; Cardio Pulmonary Services (COPD); Diabetes Services;…

The Welsh Government has announced it’s providing an extra £10 million this year towards supporting university students during the pandemic. The funding is intended to support activities such as increased mental health services and student financial hardship funds. It will also help universities bolster their student support services, including food services for students who are required to self-isolate. The funding will help increase capacity in students’ unions and universities to provide advice and support for both students and staff, with a focus on mental health support and suicide-safer measures. This includes online services and support through the medium of Welsh.…