Author: Rhys Gregory

A mum-of-eight from Penlan is looking forward to buying her dream bungalow after a challenging few months of shielding. Sue Davies (64) and husband Alan (60), are already house-hunting after winning the top Thunderball prize on the Saturday 15 August 2020 draw. Alan stopped working in 2008, when their son Karl, now 23, was diagnosed with cancer. While he has thankfully made a good recovery, Sue also stopped working as a machinist to become Karl’s carer and has various health issues of her own, including the lung condition COPD, chronic asthma and severe arthritis. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQ2rMOhOj7A They have lived in their…

A staggering 39% of people in Cardiff are considering a post-lockdown career overhaul, according to new research from The National Lottery. The nationwide survey of 2,000 British workers, has revealed the extent to which 2020 has forced people to reconsider their lifestyles, with jobs and careers coming out as the number one change people now want to make. A whopping 68% of those polled in Cardiff said they now think life is too short to be working in a job they hate. Over a third (34%) said, on reflection, time in lockdown had made them come to the conclusion that…

The Cardiff Capital Region City Deal (CCR) has today launched a new £45m Housing Investment Fund to help stimulate the housing market in areas where there has been little new housing development. Called ‘Homes for all the Region,’ the Fund is intended to deliver 2,800 new homes across the region’s ten local authority areas. The Fund is divided into two sub-funds: a Housing Viability Gap Fund of £35m, and an SME Finance Fund of £10m. CBRE’s Investment Advisory team, part of Capital Advisors, will support the CCR in managing the Fund. The primary objectives of the Fund will be to…

The new CEO of a Swansea manufacturing firm has discussed the unique experience of talking the helm of a business during the biggest global pandemics in decades. Vince Minchella was appointed Chief Executive of Viscose Closures just before lockdown in March. Viscose Closures has been proudly manufacturing in the UK for over 125 years and in Swansea for 70 years. The company produces tamper evidence and anti-counterfeiting solutions for packaging and offers a wide range of caps and closures from its HQ on Swansea Enterprise Park. New CEO Vince graduated in retail marketing and brings with him over 20 years…

Welsh charity City Hospice has opened a new store in the village of Rhiwbina. The store was officially opened by one of their ambassadors, Cardiff Blues and Wales rugby star Ellis Jenkins, and West End star Sophie Evans. The charity’s new store on Heol y Deri, Rhiwbina features clothing, accessories, crafts and homewares. The City Hospice team plan to be active members of the local community, engaging with their supporters and offering a range of quality items to their customers. It is hoped that the new store, which has been warmly welcomed by the local community of Rhiwbina, will encourage…

RCT Council has announced the current car parking arrangements will be extended in Pontypridd and Aberdare by two weeks until September 7 – and will then remain FREE all-day on Saturdays and after 3pm on weekdays thereafter.  In response to the Coronavirus emergency, parking charges haven’t been applied at Council-owned car parks in the two towns since mid-March 2020 – and this arrangement was most recently extended up to August 25. The free parking was a temporary measure, aimed at supporting the local economy by increasing trade for businesses and increasing employment within the towns. It also supported public health…

THE Welsh Ambulance Service is appealing to people to use 999 responsibly this Bank Holiday weekend. Traditionally, the service will see an increase in demand on Bank Holidays as people take advantage of the long weekend – and this weekend is expected to be no different. Lee Brooks, the Trust’s Director of Operations, said: “More people are out and about socialising with family and friends on the Bank Holiday weekends, and this can lead to more people becoming ill or suffering injuries and requiring medical attention. “While there are plans in place to deal with the increase in demand, we…

Tuesday (25 August) saw the visit of the Welsh Government Minister for Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs Lesley Griffiths to the Wye Valley Meadery to see at first hand the work undertaken by the Wye Valley Producers Group during the COVID-19 pandemic. The group is a collaboration of the Wye Valley’s finest, award winning food and drink producers who have come together to offer a no contact, click & collect farmers market for a Friday drive through collection service, giving local residents easy and safe access to local products. Angharad Underwood from The Preservation Society, one of the Wye Valley…

Business confidence in Wales rose 19 points during August to -12%, according to the latest Business Barometer from Lloyds Bank. Companies in Wales reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month at -13%hen taken alongside their views of the economy overall, this gives a headline confidence reading of -12%, above the UK average of -14%. The Business Barometer questions 1,200 businesses monthly and provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide. When asked about the impact COVID-19 was having on their business, the majority of firms continued to see demand negatively affected during August, but with…

A police boss is warning people to be on their guard amid fears of a surge in sex attacks as the coronavirus restrictions are eased. The region’s Police and Crime Commissioner, Arfon Jones, revealed the number of reported cases had dropped during lockdown as a result of people having to stay at home. But Mr Jones fears the number of assaults will start to rise as the night time economy opens up once more. The commissioner is also concerned that victims are suffering more mental health problems as a result of being isolated and courts falling behind in dealing with…