Author: Rhys Gregory

The first cars have arrived at a drive-through Coronavirus testing unit in Swansea for health and other frontline staff. Work on the six-lane facility at the Liberty Stadium started last Wednesday and took just two days to complete. Swansea Bay University Health Board, Swansea Council and Swansea City FC worked closely together to create the unit, which complements the unit in Port Talbot that the health board opened in March. Around 150 people a day can be tested at the Margam unit, while the Liberty will be able to test up to an additional 360 people daily. The testing facility…

Home buyer and seller priorities in the housing market will change in light of the experience of Covid-19 and the extended lockdown, with moving intentions, budget, size of property and location all impacted, a new survey from property group Savills suggests. The firm surveyed almost 700 registered buyers and sellers between April 21 and 27 to explore how their attitudes to moving had changed and how that might impact market activity. With buyers expecting to split more of their time between home working and the office, well  connected locations such as Cardiff and surrounding areas – with access to good…

Wales’ three National Park Authorities have welcomed new Welsh Government guidance reinforcing the need for people in Wales to stay at home, stay safe and protect the NHS. The Park Authorities are also calling on all UK residents to respect rules and measures in place in Wales to protect everyone, and will be making significant efforts with their partners, this week to ensure that the correct information is reaching people. Speaking of the revised guidance, Chief Executive of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, Tegryn Jones said: “The clear measures announced by Wales’ First Minster Mark Drakeford on Friday apply to…

Stay home, stay safe remains the message from Dyfed-Powys Police as nearly 220 COVID-19 fines were handed out over the bank holiday weekend. Eighty per cent of the 219 fixed penalty notices issued between Friday, May 8 and Sunday, May 10 were to visitors breaching legislation by travelling to Dyfed-Powys from outside the force area. This has prompted the force to remind people that legislation has not changed in Wales, despite an announcement by the UK government on Sunday evening. Stop checks have been carried out on main and rural roads Inspector Andy Williams said: “Once again we have had…

Like many businesses across the UK, COVID-19 has either completely scuppered plans or have sent them back to the drawing board to rethink their approach. One such example is Rogerstone-based Tin Can Kitchen, a street food inspired takeaway delivery service, has launched this week, providing hungry residents of the wider Gwent community with Cajun inspired burgers, sides and dough-it-yourself pizza kits. Head chef and co-owner of Tin Can Kitchen, Barry Fallon, had to adapt the launch of Tin Can Kitchen, which was originally conceived as Newport’s first outdoor food court and bar (subject to planning). With some help from friends,…

A former soldier suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder has helped raise over £7,000 for NHS charities as part of a comedy duo making hilarious lockdown videos The entertaining efforts of Holyhead pals Garry Stewart and Carl Hagan have even had a thumbs up from music star Tom Grennan. Aircraft engineer Carl and former soldier Garry have made the videos on their mobile phones during lockdown and they’re definitely tickling the funny bones of people across the internet. Donations have come flooding in for the pair who are raising cash for Awyr Las – Blue Sky – the NHS charity for…

Britain’s top rally driver, Elfyn Evans, is better placed than most to maintain his fitness during the COVID-19 lockdown, as he lives in the foothills of the inspiring Snowdonia National Park in Mid Wales. “These are really strange times but I’m really lucky where I live,” admitted the 31-year-old Dolgellau driver. “Here in Wales, we are allowed to leave the house once a day for exercise and, right from the front door of my house on the edge of the town, I’ve got some great running and cycling routes which take me right up into the hills.” Notably, just a few…

Law firm Blake Morgan has announced the promotion of a new Partner in its Wales office. Joanne Thompson works in the commercial litigation team covering Wales and the South Coast. She specialises in procurement challenges, commercial and contractual disputes, post-completion and corporate disputes, professional negligence and partnership disputes. Joanne has been with Blake Morgan since 2000 and completed her training with the firm before qualifying in 2002. She was listed as a rising star in the tier 1 commercial litigation team in the 2020 Legal 500 directory. Eve Piffaretti, head of Blake Morgan in Wales, said: “Joanne’s well-deserved promotion to…

A powerful, new documentary filmed by the medical team working at the Critical Care Unit at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport will broadcast on BBC One Wales on Monday, 11th May at 9pm. The programme follows the lives of the key workers at work and at home during the first month of the coronavirus crisis. Critical: Coronavirus in Intensive Care, shows life in critical care as the virus threatens to overwhelm the NHS. This unique documentary, filmed entirely by NHS staff on mobile phones and small cameras, gives viewers rare access to the Intensive Care Unit. The result is…

With the food system under pressure during the Covid-19 outbreak, Food Cardiff is coordinating city-wide action to support vulnerable people and to promote the positive changes which are being made in response to the lockdown. Food Cardiff has developed a new online food information hub at www.foodcardiff.com and, to connect initiatives happening across the city, has established a Covid-19 Food Response Task Group. Members of the Group include Cardiff Council, Cardiff 3rd Sector Council, Fareshare Cymru, Trussell Trust and Cardiff & Vale University Health Board. Food Cardiff is also asking people across the city to get behind the good-food response…