Author: Rhys Gregory

Plans have been approved to transform a prominent commercial building in Swansea city centre. They will see the former Barclays building – 69-70 The Kingsway – become home to new-style flexible workspace suitable for a range of companies. The development is designed to complement the neighbouring 71-72 Kingsway, a multi-million pound home for innovative tech and creative businesses about to go up on a site once occupied by nightclub Oceana. The three-storey glass-fronted former Barclays building will be renovated with new tall glass windows and a ribbed aluminium screen. There will be new doors and, inside, a contemporary workspace created.…

A new research collaboration led by Swansea University has highlighted a lack of high-quality breastfeeding support for some families during the Covid-19 pandemic. It found that changes to service delivery and social distancing measures meant some women struggled to find the support they needed, leaving them feeling isolated and let down. Although some mothers said the last few months had had a positive impact on their breastfeeding experience, many didn’t – with more than 80 per cent of these mothers stopping breastfeeding in the early weeks after birth. The study led by Professor Amy Brown, Director of the centre of…

Chapter is delighted to present ‘Y Canu Chalkydri’, a commission by collaborative duo Malaphors, artists Megan Broadmeadow and Abi Hubbard. Selected from nearly 150 applications from Welsh and Wales-based artists, Malaphors have created a new work for the front of the building that embraces the imminent re-opening of Chapter; a greeting and invitation for the people of Cardiff and Wales to cross the threshold of the venue once more. Chalkydri are angelic creatures who intone messages to the birds, signalling the beginning of the dawn chorus. The tableaux summons a rich world of magic-infused symbolism that references a new chapter…

Modular construction specialist Darwin Group will build the new Lakeside Wing at University Hospital of Wales (UHW) in Cardiff as part of a £33 million project led by the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board (CAVUHB). Following confirmation of funding support by the Welsh Government, the Shropshire-based firm will deliver a temporary surge facility to ensure sufficient capacity for patients in the event of second spike in COVID-19 cases. The temporary U-shaped modular building will be located at the area outside of Lakeside at UHW and follows the decision taken by CAVUHB, in conjunction with the Welsh Government, to decommission…

SUPPORTERS of Nightingale House are inspiring a new way of fundraising for the hospice, after the annual Erddig 10k was cancelled back in May. The annual event did not take place in the spring due to the Covid-19 restrictions on fundraising events but that hasn’t deterred our loyal supporters who are pulling out all the stops and running their own version over this weekend. Your 10k Run 2020 is inspired by many of our very own supporters, who decided to run a 10k for us during lockdown, on behalf of their friend who sadly passed away at the hospice in…

Wales go head-to-head with England on October 8 in a warm-up game for their Nations League fixtures against Belgium and Denmark. The Three Lions recorded a narrow 2-1 victory in the last meeting between the two teams at the 2016 European Championships. England have won five-in-a-row against Wales since being defeated by a Mark Hughes goal back in 1984 and are favourites in the latest football betting to enhance that record at Wembley Stadium. Read on as we take a look at the main talking points from the respective squad announcements and assess which team will come out on top.…

Welsh Government has today confirmed that the media investment Business, Great Point has entered into an agreement to lease and manage Seren Stiwdios near Cardiff. Great Point will manage the studio for 10 years, with an option to acquire and expand the large studio complex.  The agreement, which came into effect this week,  closely follows Great Point’s recent announcements of the building of Lionsgate Studios in Yonkers, NY, as well as a second studio complex in Buffalo, New York. This third studio signals Great Point’s commitment to expanding its efforts to build and manage state-of-the-art production facilities in key production cities,…

Pop sensation Olly Murs will headline an outdoor, Saturday set at Swansea’s Singleton Park next summer; the opening date for his huge 25-stop UK tour. Pop sensation Olly Murs will headline an outdoor, Saturday set at Swansea’s Singleton Park next summer; the opening date for his huge 25-stop UK tour. With much of 2020 coming to a standstill due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Olly is aiming to put a smile back on everyone’s faces by performing his biggest hits, including tracks from his recently certified triple platinum album ‘Never Been Better’. It has still been a busy year for Olly, who…

A new business has been launched in Swansea dedicated to helping individuals document their lives in a personal, professional biography. My Story Told has been launched on the back of an increase in interest in researching family trees and reconnecting with long lost relatives – a phenomenon that has grown exponentially during the UK’s lockdown. Findmypast says it has seen a 50% surge in new visits and searches on their platform since March – suggesting that lockdown has led a lot of people to start studying their family trees. Ancestry, the family-history website, has seen a 37% increase in new…

Low Cost Vans, one of the UK’s leading providers of commercial vehicles, has unveiled a fleet of new products for its customers designed to make their journey through the lifecycle of owning a commercial vehicle easier, safer and more cost effective. The company, based in Neath, South Wales, has rolled out a new vehicle maintenance service, which takes care of all a vehicle’s routine maintenance, and an innovative fleet management service, which provides customers with a mobile phone app they can use to manage many of the logistics involved in managing a fleet of vehicles. Low Cost Vans Maintenance Services…