Author: Rhys Gregory

Creative partners and community organisations have been working with the Integrated Wellbeing Network in Caerphilly County Borough to create an exciting programme of virtual creative activities to support people’s wellbeing in the area and to mark World Mental Health Day on 10th October 2020. The CWTSH festival launched on August bank holiday weekend with activities at two of Caerphilly’s outdoor attractions which visitors were able to enjoy safely as they followed COVID guidelines including social distancing. NONaffArt organised a fantastic 2-day outdoor art exhibition at Cwmcarn Forest including demonstrations from local artists working with textiles, sculpture, and ceramics. Director Tania…

South Wales Police is appealing for information following a serious multi-vehicle collision which occurred on Trebanog Road, Porth at approximately 9am today (Wednesday, 16 Sept). A coach was in collision with a number of moving and parked vehicles as it travelled along Trebanog Road. One man and one woman, who were in separate vehicles, have been admitted to hospital where they remain in a critical condition. Their families are aware and are being supported. A number of other people sustained minor injuries, including the driver of the coach. The collision is understood to have caused a power outage in the…

Coronavirus laws are being tightened in Rhondda Cynon Taf Council area following a sharp increase in cases of the virus, Health Minister Vaughan Gething has confirmed. A range of new measures will come into force from 6pm on Thursday 17th September 2020, to protect people’s health and control the spread of the virus in the area. People will not be allowed to enter or leave the Rhondda Cynon Taf Council area without a reasonable excuse; Everyone over 11 will be required to wear face coverings in indoor public areas – as is the case across Wales; People will only be…

A new paper from FSB Wales entitled A Fresh Start for Public Procurement has made a number of recommendations for what procurement can and should look like under the next Welsh Government. SMEs make a huge difference to our Welsh economy, and so does making the decision to purchase goods and services with them. Previous FSB Wales research with the Centre for Local Economic Strategies found that for every £1 spend with a local SME approximately 63p is recycled into the local economy, vs 40p with a larger company. This demonstrates the economic impact of spending with SMEs in Wales.…

CONSERVATION work is well underway on six oil paintings by the celebrated Welsh artist Christopher Williams (1873-1934). They have been temporarily removed from Maesteg Town Hall, while the building undergoes an £8.2m redevelopment. The paintings – Paolo and Francesca, ‘Now I’m the Judge’, Alice Sophia Amelia Stopford Green, The Remorse of Judas, Mrs Sackvill-Evans and Mr Evan Williams – are being treated by the nationally renowned painting conservator Rachel Howells at her studio in South Wales. Awen Cultural Trust, the registered charity which is working in partnership with Bridgend County Borough Council on the repair, restoration and extension of the…

Employment in Wales will not return to 2019 levels until 2024, a new report from chartered accountancy body ICAEW has suggested. The Economic Outlook, commissioned from Oxford Economics, found that a reliance on manufacturing had hit Wales particularly hard. Businesses in Wales have been heavily disrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. As a result, Oxford Economics predicted that employment levels in Wales would not return to its 2019 level until the year 2024. In addition, employment levels in sectors such as financial and insurance, education, and manufacturing, would be lower in 2021 than they are this year. Welsh businesses will be…

A North Wales business has secured over £1million in sales orders within weeks of launching. The company has gained orders for its range of sanitising dispensers from across the UK and from countries including the US, Canada, Qatar and Sweden. Llandudno-based Sanitise Now was set up by Managing Director Tracy Williams, Finance Director Barry Roberts and Sales and Marketing Director Jordan Hurley in April this year to meet the huge demands from businesses facing up to the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic. Tracy said: “There are lots of sanitising dispensers on the market, but the quality is not great. “We…

4 Tales to Save the World is a brand-new climate crisis storytelling experience online created by Welsh storyteller and musician, Gwilym Morus-Baird and Derbyshire-based, Adverse Camber productions. Bringing the work of four of Wales’ most exciting new writers vividly to life, 4 Tales to Save the World imagines a world living with climate crisis. 4 Tales to Save the World (in 4 parts) is a series of striking online live performances showcasing storytelling with music and live technology, shining the light on some of the best new writing from Wales – Kate Hamer (shortlisted for The Costa First Novel Prize…

It is 21 years since Gwynedd-born former Army officer, Huw Lewis MBE, founded the Motivational Preparation College for Training (MPCT), with the aim of using military and progressive education techniques to help young people across the UK achieve their potential. Not only has his Cardiff-based organisation now spread to 35 locations across England and Wales, but, since 1999, it has helped more than 20,000 school leavers gain the practical and academic skills they need for civilian or military careers. Along with training in physical fitness, the courses – whose instructors are all ex-British Armed Forces personnel – help learners achieve…

CatSci Ltd, a scientifically led, commercially minded and award-winning innovation partner, has announced the appointment of Gary Lumby, MBE FCIOBS, and Stephanie Knowles as Non-Executive Director (NED) and Financial Director, respectively. These important additions to the Board of Directors will help CatSci maximise its sustainable business growth. With a long-term goal of creating 500 high-value jobs by 2030, these appointments will ensure that investment decisions are continually adding value for customers. Moreover, this will allow more projects to be fulfilled – helping CatSci meet the evolving healthcare needs of the world, through the development of economically and environmentally sustainable chemical…