Author: Rhys Gregory

Following yesterday’s announcement, McDonald’s will reopen a further 497 restaurants for Drive Thru across the UK and Ireland today. McDonald’s in Bridgend saw hundreds of people queue in their cars as the first restaurants opened in Wales, since closing in March due to the pandemic. Restaurants in Swansea, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Pembrokeshire, Caerphilly and North Wales will open. However, a number of restaurants including close in Newport and Cardiff remain closed. The full list of restaurants open as of today: Gateway Services A55 in Mold Holywell Road in Flint A55 Junction 31 in Flintshire Foundry Road, Swansea heads of the…

All children will have the opportunity to return to school this month, the Education Minister Kirsty Williams has announced today. It is proposed that all schools will start the next phase on 29 June, with the term extended by a week, therefore ending on 27 July. In the next academic year, beginning in September, the intention is that the autumn half-term break will be expanded to two weeks. Kirsty Williams said: “My announcement today gives schools three and a half weeks to continue preparing for the next phase. “We will use the last weeks of the summer term to make…

All children will have the opportunity to “Check in, Catch Up, Prepare for summer and September”, the Education Minister Kirsty Williams announced today as she published details of the next phase for schools in Wales. It is proposed that all schools will start the next phase on 29 June, with the term extended by a week, therefore ending on 27 July. In the next academic year, beginning in September, the intention is that the autumn half-term break will be expanded to two weeks. In each school there will be a phased approach. Year groups will be split into cohorts with…

Following yesterday’s announcement, McDonald’s will reopen a further 497 restaurants for Drive Thru across the UK and Ireland today. McDonald’s in Bridgend saw hundreds of people queue in their cars as the first restaurants opened in Wales, since closing in March due to the pandemic. Restaurants in Swansea, Rhondda Cynon Taf, Pembrokeshire, Caerphilly and North Wales will open. However, a number of restaurants including close in Newport and Cardiff remain closed. The full list of restaurants open as of today: Gateway Services A55 in Mold Holywell Road in Flint A55 Junction 31 in Flintshire Foundry Road, Swansea heads of the…

Over 80 inspirational Welsh ScoutCymru volunteers are set to receive the organisation’s highest national honours thanks to their “perseverance, dedication, and commitment” to uniting communities. Scouts from Caerphilly, Cardiff, Cwmbran, Flintshire, Pembrokeshire, Powys, Swansea, Vale of Glamorgan and Wrexham  are among 82 highly achieving members who are set to be recognised as part of this year’s Good Service Awards celebration. The event, which traditionally takes place in Windsor on St George’s Day with Chief Scout Bear Grylls OBE in attendance, sees prestigious awards including The Silver Wolf, The Silver Acorn, and Bar to the Silver Acorn handed out. With this…

Food charity FareShare Cymru has doubled the amount of food delivered to frontline charities supporting vulnerable people since lockdown measures began – praising the ‘extraordinary’ efforts of its supporters and volunteers during the crisis. Over the course of the last financial year, the Cardiff-based charity redistributed over 570 tonnes of in-date surplus food from the food industry to 136 charities, including food banks and community centres. The food they redistribute includes fresh meat and fish, fruit and vegetables, ready meals, milk and cheese. However, in the weeks following the lockdown, demand for its service has soared and the charity has…

Grassroots business support team proves success with North Wales business community  More than 100 businesses have successfully sought expert advice to negotiate through the ongoing coronavirus crisis. DBF, known previously as Deeside Business Forum, has formed the Business Advisory Team to provide help to organisations throughout North Wales. The group – including DBF Chair Askar Sheibani – have since processed more than 100 enquiries from organisations seeking guidance as the Covid-19 pandemic continues to impact business trading and cash flow. The scheme has also won the praise of Ken Skates MS, Minister for the economy, transport and North Wales. The DBF specialist team of volunteer…

New initiative Crowdfund Swansea is beginning to deliver benefits to people around the city. Three groups raising funds through the scheme, driven by Swansea Council, have already hit their targets. They are Pontarddulais Cricket Club, the Friends of Hafod-Morfa Copperworks and the Friends of the City of Swansea Botanical Complex. Andrew Stevens, a council cabinet member for better communities, said: “It’s good to see Crowdfund Swansea giving residents new facilities and services. “The projects are rooted in our communities and are driven for people in those communities. “They all offer something important and I hope that many other schemes find…

A college in the South Wales valleys has created its very own record label to provide aspiring musicians with a platform to get their music out to the masses. Coleg y Cymoedd has launched ‘Cymoedd Creative Records’ to give learners studying on its creative music courses the chance to release their own music to the public. Learners signed to the label will see their songs added to leading music streaming platforms, including Spotify and Amazon Music – thanks to licencing and distribution rights arranged by the college – as well as shared across social media. The record label is the…

Cyfarthfa Retail Park, which is owned and managed by Hammerson, has announced a range of new safety measures that it will introduce when the Park reopens. The new safety measures include: Clear signage throughout the retail park reminding consumers of the need to follow social distancing guidance, and to avoid shopping in large groups Enhanced cleaning processes, with a clear focus on key customer touch points Clear graphics for queues outside of stores All customer-facing colleagues to wear protective clothing when in internal areas The Welsh Government has not yet confirmed when non-essential retail stores can reopen, but it is…