Author: Rhys Gregory

Flexible support is urgent and we must consider a shorter working week if we’re to save jobs and rebuild the economy better, says the Future Generations Commissioner.  Sophie Howe and Shavanah Taj, General Secretary of the Wales TUC, have written a joint letter to the UK Treasury this week, urging the chancellor, Rishi Sunak, to consider approaches such as a reduced working week to protect jobs before the furlough wage support scheme ends in October.  Calling for ‘targeted and flexible support’ in the next stage of recovery, to benefit areas of the economy which continue to be heavily impacted by…

UK Government in Wales Minister and MP for Monmouth, David TC Davies, visited the Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales in Newport this week to show support and highlight the contribution independent cancer centres can make in light of the Covid-19 pandemic. The Rutherford Cancer Centre South Wales was the first cancer facility to bring proton beam therapy to the UK in 2018 and now offers the pioneering treatment to adult NHS Wales patients, making Welsh patients the first to be offered proton beam therapy on the NHS in the UK. The centre also remained open throughout the pandemic and assisted…

Kerry Vale Vineyard near Montgomery has been recognised as a Tripadvisor Travellers’ Choice 2020 Award winner for attractions. Based on a full year of Tripadvisor reviews, award winners are known for consistently receiving great traveller and diner feedback, placing them in the top 10% of hospitality businesses around the globe. This recognition comes after the vineyard was awarded Tripadvisor’s Certificate of Excellence for the last five years. A unique tourist attraction and favourite amongst local people, the vineyard provides customers with the opportunity to discover the secrets of English wine within a relaxed and contemporary space. It also offers a…

The world’s first preserved railway is one of 50 heritage and steam railways across the UK that is receiving support from a leading independent lubricants company. The seven-mile Talyllyn Railway, which has been running for 155 years from Tywyn on the Mid Wales coast, is approaching the 70th anniversary of the formation of Talyllyn Railway Preservation Society in October. The railway provided the inspiration for the creation of the fictional character ‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ by author the Rev W. V. Awdry, who was an early volunteer on the Talyllyn. Like many other railways across the UK, train services on…

Home improvement retailer Wickes has opened a brand new store in Cardiff. The national brand closed its Cardiff West shop as part of its estate transformation strategy; relocating the operation to Dragon Retail Park, Newport Road, (opposite Morrisons). The store is open Monday to Saturday 7am – 6pm and Sunday 10am – 4pm. New store, new offering  The 30,000 square foot unit supports Wickes’ distinctive service model and new store format, with clear areas that cater for DIYers, small trade and those consumers looking for support on larger transformational home improvement projects. The new Cardiff store also marks a milestone…

Most colleges require applicants to send in a snapshot of their personality and a recap of their extracurricular capabilities, awards, academic accolades, etc. A resume can capture this information in a concise and easily-distributable manner. These one-page documents display a student’s academic performance, hobbies, work history, and other interests. Because earning a bachelor’s degree has become commonplace, standing out from fellow applicants is essential. Diversifying your skill set will ultimately serve you in the college application process, so you’ll need to plan your extracurricular activities accordingly. Academic performance Most colleges look for applicants who excelled academically in the discipline they…

The Help to Buy Wales scheme is to be extended for a third phase, the Minister for Housing and Local Government Julie James has announced. The popular homeownership scheme, which was due to close to applicants on 31 March 2021, will be extended until March 2022 with the possibility for a further extension until March 2023 subject to the availability of funding from the UK Government. Help to Buy Wales has made an important contribution in supporting people looking to own a new build home but require assistance to do so by ensuring homes are affordable and within reach of…

Finance Ministers from Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have met to discuss a range of fiscal matters and voiced their collective concerns about the financial implications the UK Internal Market Bill will have on devolved governments. Rebecca Evans, Kate Forbes and Conor Murphy expressed their joint concerns on the spending powers set out in the Bill which override the existing devolution settlement.  The powers enable the UK Government to undertake spending in devolved areas, including for replacement EU funding, without any engagement with devolved nations.  Finance Ministers also voiced concerns about what this could mean for future consequential funding arrangements.…

The Walters Group have presented Jonathan Davies OBE with a donation of £20,000 for Velindre Cancer Centre – their nominated charity for 2019/20. This incredible amount was raised by Walters’s employees who took part in various fundraising events during the year. The two key drivers for fundraising were a weekly Penyfan challenge which saw many of our employees climb Penyfan at dawn before starting their normal day – unfortunately this was halted like many of the activities, due to Coronavirus, but we have now started the weekly climb again. Walters also donated 10p for every mile that their fleet travelled…

Member-owned Cardiff & Vale Credit Union has opened a flagship branch in the heart of the Welsh capital, bringing affordable loans and ethical savings to the city centre. The launch of the new branch in Working Street, just off the Hayes, comes months after Cardiff was named one of the top 10 ‘payday lending hotspots’ in the UK. The study showed a staggering 74,000 payday loans were issued to people in Cardiff, with a collective value of over £17.5 million in just one year. Chief Executive of Cardiff & Vale Credit Union Leanne Herberg urged local people not to fall…