Author: Rhys Gregory

UWTSD’s Assistive Technologies Innovation Centre (ATiC) together with a team of Swansea University doctors and engineers have designed a new ventilator that can be built quickly from local parts and – crucially – used even for patients with severe coronavirus. Until now, ventilator designs could either be one or the other, but not both. The new design, called CoronaVent-One, can be built easily from generic parts and plastic panels. As well as saving lives, the new design can help create jobs and boost economic recovery because global demand for ventilators is likely to remain high as the pandemic continues. Professor…

South Wales Police Roads Policing teams have carried out targeted operational activity to enforce speed limits and respond to anti-social vehicle behaviour, based on specific locations provided by communities across South Wales from 8th May – 31st May 2020. The Force have worked in partnership with Go Safe to target areas of concern that the public highlighted to them via social media, interactions with local policing teams, and through their Public Service Centre. These areas were then patrolled by roads policing officers as part of Operation Surbiton. Within this time period, officers dealt with over 400 offences of speeding, issued…

An award-winning Welsh brewery is hoping that online sales and home deliveries will help to mitigate the devastating impact that COVID-19 has had on their business. Nestled in the beautiful foothills of Snowdonia, Purple Moose Brewery is based in the historic harbour town of Porthmadog and has built up a UK-wide reputation for producing multi-award winning beers. Normally, this time of year would see their sales rise as drinkers flock to pubs, bars, restaurants and festivals across the UK. But with social distancing measures now in place for the second month in Wales, this hasn’t been the case. Purple Moose…

Small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) will struggle to trade if social distancing measures continue, finds the latest results from the ACCA UK and The Corporate Finance Network (The CFN) SME Health Tracker. Accessing a survey pool of accountants representing nearly 9,000 SMEs across the UK, the findings show that on average 16% of SMEs said they think social distancing will make it impossible or unviable to reopen their business – equaling around 1,500 SMEs represented across this research pool. Alarmingly, only 27% of SMEs have written financial forecasts or business plans that have been reviewed as a result of…

As we enter the second stage of the Economic Resilience Grant Fund, Mike Fenwick of Verde Corporate Finance brings us the latest information on the business support being made available. The Welsh Government has made a significant amount of funding available to support businesses in Wales during the Covid 19 pandemic as set out below: £1.4 billion of funding through the Non-Domestic Rates Grant £500 million of funding through the Economic Resilience Fund The Non-Domestic Rates grant, which is being administered by the Local Authorities in Wales, is closing to new applications on 30 June 2020. Grants of up to…

Doors and window replacement is a significant part of home improvement. Most homeowners heavily invest in these projects because they make their homes more appealing and increase their value. It is also a way of making them blend with modern styles. To carry out window replacement, there is no need for you to hire an expert to tell you so. You can observe some signs that are almost obvious you need a change. According to WindowTech Windows and Doors, here are some of the signs include you should look at: 1. A Boring Appearance to Your Home Imagine having to…

It’s become common to see people enjoying anniversaries, holidays, and even would-be weddings virtually while stuck indoors during lockdown. But there’s nothing to stop you planning a belated birthday event for once restrictions are lifted.   Plus, what’s not to like about receiving a second round of cake, well-wishing messages from friends, and beautiful cards from Card Factory? Read five ways to celebrate your birthday after lockdown below. Plan a spa day We could all do with a little relaxation with everything that’s going on in the world. Why not plan a spa day and pick out your ideal package of treatments? You could get a gang together or go solo and enjoy some rare ‘you’ time. A massage could help relieve built-up tension, while a facial might leave you feeling more youthful than…

BBI Solutions has welcomed the ‘significant progress’ made by the UK-Rapid Test Consortium (UK-RTC) – of which it is a part – to develop a COVID-19 lateral flow antibody test. Seven weeks ago, the UK Government commissioned the UK-RTC to develop a COVID-19 lateral flow antibody test that can be used by people in their homes. The UK-RTC says it has made ‘significant progress’ in both developing the antibody test, as well as progress with the regulatory and logistics challenges needed to be able to deploy the test directly with individuals across the UK. The Consortium has reported that it…

In recent weeks, the government has reopened the housing market in England. However, the reopening of the housing market in England does not mean it is business as usual there. The process of finding, buying and moving home has had to be adapted to reduce the risk of transmitting coronavirus.  In Wales, the housing market has not yet reopened, but it will continue to benefit from Covid-19 schemes that cover the whole of the UK. For example, banks and building societies have agreed to extend the montage payment holiday for a further three months. They have also agreed not to proceed…

The public will see the first visible signs of regeneration work on an historic Swansea building this week. Contractors working on behalf of Swansea Council will put up safety hoardings around the city centre’s 132-year-old former Palace Theatre. The temporary boards are designed to improve safety at the wedge-shaped site – and to tidy up the area immediately around the run-down building. Robert Francis-Davies, the council’s cabinet member for investment, regeneration and tourism, said: “Having taken this landmark building out of private ownership we’re now at the very early stages of breathing new life into the Palace. “It’s a much-admired…