Author: Rhys Gregory

Work has started on an improvements package at Swansea’s award-winning indoor market. Almost £440,000 is being spent on the venue – and the first of five projects to begin is the creation of a new public toilet unit. It is near the market’s Quadrant entrance and is being converted from a stall formerly occupied by the Powder Room. It will have three unisex cubicles, including a fully accessible unit, and a Changing Places facility for those with profound care needs. The facility will be free to use, will be open during market opening times and will be maintained by market…

Wealthify has grown significantly since its launch in 2016, expanding its original offering of Stocks and Shares ISAs and General Investment Accounts to now include award-winning Ethical Investments, Junior Stocks and Shares ISAs, and more recently Self-Invested Personal Pensions (SIPPs).  To help fund this journey, in 2018 Wealthify became majority owned by Aviva and this transaction contained the option for the founders to sell their remaining shares to Aviva. Following the natural progression of Wealthify’s growth, the founders have now exercised this option, and on 4th June 2020, Wealthify became 100% owned by Aviva. As part of this change, Wealthify…

The headline NatWest Wales Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – registered 32.7 in May, up from April’s record low of 16.3. Nevertheless, the decrease in private sector activity was the second-sharpest in the series history as client demand remained subdued. Welsh private sector firms registered a third successive monthly decrease in new orders in May. The rate of contraction eased from that seen in April, but was the second-sharpest since January 2009. The downturn was widely linked to lockdown measures following…

Experts believe that outside London, Wales has the biggest growth in the fin-tech industry in the second decade of the century. Historically Wales was very slow when it comes to adapting to new technologies and embracing new business opportunities. Due to the big focus of Wale’s government on the digital world, fin-tech companies started a big movement. Offline businesses are trying to adapt to the online world and the number of those companies is growing every year. That’s where the fin-tech industry comes into the play as companies need different financial technologies to accept various payment options. Canada already achieved…

Schools in Ceredigion will start to make arrangements to reopen before the end of the summer term to ‘Check in and Catch Up’. This comes following an announcement by the Welsh Government’s Education Minister, Kirsty Williams, to enable schools to reopen on 29 June 2020. The schools will be open to all year groups, but with smaller numbers in each classroom and staggered break and finish times. Children will be offered sessions of face to face time with their teachers during this period. To allow schools time to plan, the Childcare Hub provision will cease on Friday 19 June 2020.…

Cardiff Bus customers can now plan their journeys with even more precision following the operator’s latest website feature. Passengers are now able check how busy their bus is before it arrives. The feature gathers data from ticket machine sales to provide an accurate idea of the number of passengers on board each bus. Alongside this, customers are encouraged to input their own information about the bus they are travelling on. The operator has added this latest website feature with the aim of enhancing customers’ journeys and providing real time information. Gareth Stevens, Operations and Commercial Director at Cardiff Bus said…

Thousands of people have been supported by Swansea’s foodbanks in recent weeks. More than 4,200 families and individuals have received emergency food parcels from the food bank and services network which has stepped up its work during the pandemic. Additionally, more than 9,000 hot meals have been supplied by the Swansea Together initiative, the Swansea Muslim Community Service and the Sameera Foundation. The data has been gathered by Swansea Council community, partnership and destination staff who run four food distribution centres in community centres across the city. These support foodbanks with supplies to ensure they are able to cope with…

South Wales Police have made four arrests in connection with an assault which occurred in the Adamsdown area of Cardiff at approximately 7.40pm on Friday evening (5 June, 2020). The four men, aged 42, 27, 25 and 23, are currently in police custody. Officers were called to Longcross Street following reports of a stabbing at an address. A 40 year-old local woman was admitted to hospital with a non-life threatening injury to her leg. It is understood that those believed to be involved are known to one another. Anybody who may have witnessed the incident or who has information should…

Almost 14,000 plants, seeds and growing kits are being distributed during lockdown as part of a city-wide campaign to encourage people to grow their own vegetables. A team of 70 volunteers across 16 projects will reach over 3,000 households with seeds or plants, with more than 100 people joining online growing classes. The coronavirus outbreak has exacerbated food insecurity and disrupted normal food and growing supply chains. In response, projects which help more people to grow their own food and increase the amount of food grown locally are collaborating to reach a greater number of people in need. Food Cardiff…

The UK governments plans for 14 days self-quarantining of arrivals, will spell disaster for the Welsh aviation industry – says GMB. GMB, the union for aviation staff, has described the UK government’s plans to introduce self-quarantine for UK arrivals as ‘ill thought out’. From today (Monday 08 June) arrivals to the UK will be expected to quarantine for 14 day save for a list of exempted professions. GMB believes the move lacks scientific evidence and will be disastrous for the aviation industry and the economy across Wales The union has launched the Save Our Airports campaign with six key demands which include extending the 80% furlough scheme for another…