Author: Rhys Gregory

Transport for Wales has launched its new WhatsApp number for customer enquiries, as the latest step in its commitments to transform the customer experience for the Wales and Borders rail service. Customers can now message the dedicated Transport for Wales Rail Services social media team via the app, providing them with a new way to get the information they need when travelling by train. The team provide live travel information, updates on incidents which may affect journeys, journey-planning assistance, and responses to general enquiries. Barry Lloyd, Head of Customer Experience at TfW Rail Services, said: “I’m delighted that we have…

A South Wales company which is providing its vital products for ‘essential’ industries during the coronavirus outbreak has secured a £226 million funding package from HSBC UK to support its ongoing growth. Amid unprecedented economic uncertainty, Purolite – the world-leader in resin-based separation, purification and extraction technology – has secured the multi-million pound finance facility, which includes a £41m uncommitted accordion option, to invest in the development of its manufacturing plant and research and development facility at Llantrisant Business Park, as well as upgrading its manufacturing facilities in China and Romania. Purolite is already playing a critical role in the…

Those looking for stimulating lockdown activities can take an informative trip back into Swansea’s past. Staff at Swansea Museum are hosting a series of online talks about the area’s heritage. The first of the Swansea History Talks is online now – a pictorial presentation on the world’s first passenger railway, The Mumbles Railway. The 30-minute broadcast by the museum’s Phil Treseder includes maps, photos, postcards and memories of the famous line which opened more than two centuries ago and closed in 1960. It starts with a description of how the line began at Rutland Street Station, on the site of…

Aberystwyth headquartered Phytoponics has raised £500,000 equity finance to undertake large scale commercial trials of its innovative substrate-less Deep Water Culture growing solutions. Established in 2016 by Adam Dixon and Luke Parkin when studying at Cardiff University, Phytoponicsspecialises in the development of hydroponic deep-water culture technology. Their work is focussed on making agriculture more sustainable through increased yields, lower water consumption, no pesticides and a decrease in carbon footprint compared to traditional methods. The £500,000 investment comes from a number of existing shareholders, with match funding provided by the Development Bank of Wales as Phytoponics’ first institutional investor. The company…

A South Wales under 10s rugby team have been putting their passing skills to the test while in isolation – all in support of end of life care charity Marie Curie. The children, who are all part of the Dowlais RFC Under 10s team, were called to action by coach Luke Jenkins, who works for the charity in the Cwm Taf Health Board area as a Senior Healthcare Assistant and Coordinator. Luke’s son Iowan, aged 10, also plays for the team. Luke said: “A couple of the other Dowlais Minis and Juniors had done videos for the NHS, because their…

A mum has seen the worst and best of times – first losing her beloved grandfather to Coronavirus and then having a baby in the midst of the pandemic. Hayley Thomas from Swansea has paid tribute to the midwives and staff at Singleton Hospital who helped her bring son Nolan into the world. With her parents and oldest daughter all self-isolating and her partner looking after their youngest daughter, Hayley found herself in the unexpected position of going into hospital alone. But she wasn’t really alone as the Singleton team supported her from the moment she arrived until she returned…

A Gwynedd care homes owner says she has seen bills rocket by over £7,000 a week during the coronavirus pandemic. Ceri Roberts, Managing Director of Cariad Care Homes which runs two homes in Porthmadog and Criccieth, said it was costing over £100 extra per person a week to keep each of her 78 residents safe. Ceri, a Council member of Care Forum Wales which represents over 450 private care providers across Wales, said: “The Welsh Health Minister, Vaughan Gething, has said there’s over £40 million in the pot for social care but we don’t know how or when we are…

New parts of the Swansea skyline are emerging as the steel skeletons of the city’s new indoor arena and allied buildings go up. Work on the huge steel frames of the £135m Swansea Central Phase One site began to rise on Monday. Now, part of the arena framework is up on the former Oystermouth Road car park along with a central element of the multi-storey car park on the opposite side of the road. The latter, at 24m tall, towers over the neighbouring Quadrant multi-storey. The steel frame work is being undertaken in innovative ways by the experts putting it…

585 businesses across Wales have been awarded funding totalling £36 million by the Development Bank of Wales since the Covid-19 Wales Business Loan Scheme was launched on Monday 30 March. The £36 million approved to date includes 533 loans of less than £100,000 and 222 of which are less than £25,000. With more than 80% of applications processed having been approved, 567 loans have gone to small and micro businesses across Wales safeguarding some 4571 jobs. The average deal size is £61,000 and average turnaround time for a decision on funding is around ten days. Over 90% of applicants are…

Staff at Morriston Hospital have worked tirelessly to make sure poorly children get the best possible care during the Coronavirus pandemic. Cooperation between two departments has seen a new unit which had been planned for years open in the space of just two weeks. The new Children’s Emergency Unit (CEU) was created by staff from the paediatric emergency department and the paediatric assessment unit. It’s open 24-7 and sees children and young people up to the age of 16. Previously, paediatric patients arrived at Morriston Hospital through the Emergency Department or the Paediatric Assessment Unit. Some would have been well…