Author: Rhys Gregory

Cardiff saw 6,600 children and young people returning to the classroom today, as the city’s schools reopened to provide the ‘check in, catch up, prepare’ approach announced by Welsh Government on the 3rdJune. In order to maintain social distancing, up to one third of pupils and students are in school at any one time. This means that there are staggered starts for the children and young people, with timetabled check in and catch up sessions taking place between now and the end of term, on 20th July. In the run up to today’s opening, schools have been issuing information, and the…

People from two separate households will be able to join together to form one exclusive extended household the First Minister has announced today. It is intended the concept will be introduced in Wales from July 6 – the same day Ministers want to lift the stay local requirement – if cases of coronavirus continue to decline across the country. Creating a single extended household will enable families to be reunited and will also help support working parents with informal childcare over the summer months as more businesses reopen their doors and return to formalised working arrangements. But to help control…

Search data from findandfundmycar.com has revealed the most searched for car in Cardiff over the past year is the Ford Fiesta with the Ford Focus following closely behind. The top 10 most searched for cars in Cardiff year-to-date are: Ford Fiesta Ford Focus BMW 3 Series Audi A3 Audi A5 Ford Kuga BMW 5 Series Volkswagen Golf Audi A7 Fiat 500 Phil Morgan, Head of findandfundmycar.com whose site-search data was used to reveal the most-wanted cars, says: “It’s no surprise that the Fiesta is Cardiff’s most searched for, and most wanted, car. They are known to be extremely reliable and cheap…

Plans for an £85 million residential development in Cardiff have been submitted. Kingfisher Quarter is a joint venture between Angelo Gordon and Ridgeback Group. Located in the heart of the Dumballs Road regeneration zone, Kingfisher Quarter will deliver 433 new one and two-bedroom apartments across two blocks. The development will benefit from generous communal facilities including rooftop gardens and at ground floor level there will be a number of commercial units surrounding a south facing plaza. The group has partnered with Cardiff-based Urban Centric to manage the development, working alongside locally based CW Architects. Andrew Woods of Urban Centric, said: “For too long developments in the city…

Quantum Advisory is warning businesses that, whilst markets have rebounded strongly from March’s lows, significant risks remain and the global economic outlook remains highly uncertain.

Will the government suspend or remove the triple lock to recuperate the funds paid out during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Two Credit Unions in the Welsh Valleys have merged to create an enhanced financial platform for their local members. Smart Money Cymru which has branches in Caerphilly and Tredegar, has joined forces with Islwyn Credit Union (ICU) in Blackwood in a move to strengthen the not-for-profit Credit Union movement, and help members navigate these difficult financial times. Islwyn Credit Union will now be rebranded under the Smart Money Cymru identity. However the 850 members of ICU will see a seamless change-over giving them a wider range of financial services to call on now that it has joined with the much…

Cardiff City FC Foundation, the official charity of Cardiff City Football Club, has launched a new fundraising challenge for fans as demand for its services soars. The charity has supported thousands of young people across south Wales throughout lockdown. One example is the Bluebirds from Home School Festival, which was launched to support children’s wellbeing and improve learning through daily fitness activities and football-themed English and Maths lessons. Over 100 primary schools benefited from the festival and over 28,000 children had the opportunity to get involved. Cardiff City FC first team players took time out of their busy training schedules to…

Stained Glass artists Cariad Glass have seen a boost in online sales during lockdown after developing a fun make at home glass mosaic kit to give crafty customers a creative fix. The Llandysul business received a micro loan from the Development Bank of Wales to support their growth plans and give them working capital shortly before lockdown. Husband and wife team Justine and Chris Dodd use traditional methods and techniques to create bespoke art and glass pieces, specialising in commission and restoration work. They also offer face-to-face courses at their studio for those who wish to learn more about glass…

Loopster, the online platform which closes the loop between the use and reuse of second-hand clothes, has secured a six-figure seed equity funding round led by the Development Bank of Wales. Investing alongside the Development Bank is business angel Jim Lewcock, who owns the internet-focused venture capital Blue14, and experienced non-executive director and angel investor Kate Methuen-Ley. The funding will help Loopster to further develop and commercialise their technology, enabling their platform to catalogue second-hand clothes faster. The Newport-based company will also use the funding to recruit six members of staff. This process is currently underway. A recent survey by…