Author: Rhys Gregory

Hay Festival has today announced the cancellation of its upcoming edition due to the Coronavirus/Covid-19 pandemic, placing the not-for-profit in immediate financial jeopardy. The announcement comes following the government’s new public health guidelines, which advised against non-essential public travel and social contact, and growing concerns for the local community. Refunds for all tickets are available now. All ticket holders are being contacted. With 70% of income derived from ticket and book sales, the cancellation arrives at the moment of maximum exposure for the organisation, which is already committed to large infrastructure costs. A GoFundMe page to support the Festival’s immediate…

Cardiff-based CatSci, a fast-growing and award-winning process research and development contract research organisation (CRO), has appointed a new senior leadership team as part of its strategic expansion in supporting global innovator pharma to meet their growing Chemistry, Manufacturing and Controls (CMC) needs. These key members of staff will enable the cofounding directors to focus on ancillary strategy, building upon CatSci’s continued growth. This will help to balance the company mission of delivering affordable, best-in-class small molecule therapeutics with the vision of striving to create 500 high-value jobs by 2030. The broad expertise of the new leadership team completely encompasses the…

New advanced nurse practitioners (ANP) are helping to transform GP surgeries in Wales, as they look to take the pressure off of GPs. Ruth Rice, who is the new ANP nurse at Strawberry Place Surgery in Morriston, is helping take the pressure off GPs by going above and beyond the role of your traditional nurse. Ruth, who has over 30 years nursing experience, has undergone advanced additional training to diagnose and treat minor aliments which has allowed her to see patients independently and reduce waiting times. The role has been utilised in England for several years and is now becoming…

Ceredigion Council has issued an update on its services in the wake of coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.  It is following Welsh Government guidelines and will be closing all schools in the authority by the end of today (Friday, 20 March). They will also be temporarily closing a number of facilities in the area, including museums, leisure centres and other services. Following the announcement that this week that a support package will be made to businesses, the teams at Ceredigion Council are busy working on developing and implementing the business rates reliefs announced by Welsh Government. Aberystwyth Farmers Market will be open…

Cwm Taf Morgannwg UHB will be postponing routine surgery, outpatient clinics and appointments from Friday March 20th. The decision to postpone these planned treatments and appointments has been taken so clinicians can train, plan and prioritise delivery of emergency services as the health board responds to the COVID-19 pandemic. Health teams are carefully reviewing their lists to identify which patients might need additional support during this time, and all patients will be contacted about their care. John Palmer, Chief Operating Officer, said: “Decisions to postpone activity are never easy, but it is vital that we do this so we can…

Swansea City Centre businesses are stepping up to support their customers amid the Coronavirus crisis, with Swansea BID praising their members’ agility and positivity. Throughout the City Centre, firms are upping their online services and adopting new user-friendly tools to help local people get their essentials, to keep people connected and to help keep the region in business.  Andrew Douglas, Business Liaison Manager at Swansea BID, said: “We are very proud of the way our Swansea City Centre businesses are responding to these unprecedented circumstances, to make sure people are able to get the goods they need. “We are seeing…

PureGym, which has three sites in the city including at Cardiff Gate, Stadium Plaza and another in Cardiff Bay, has introduced special measures in order to stay open. This is despite pressure from UK and Welsh Government who issued statements this week to introduce social distancing steps. PureGym operates a number of sites across the country and is popular for people who aren’t looking for long-term contracts and easy 24 hour access. The firm has said they are taking every step that they can to ensure the safety and wellbeing of its members and employees. The gym operator has said…

Genesis CEO, Conrad Mielcuszny, said: “The situation is rapidly changing and is resulting in challenges for organisations across the world. Our priority is to safeguard the health of our employees and maintain business continuity, and as such, we have established Covid-19 teams to oversee our response and contingency planning. These teams are actively monitoring disease progression in each country, WHO guidance, supplier and supply chain risks and prevention and containment measures, while also testing business contingency plans and building stock to ensure that we can maintain supply and delivery. “We currently have good stocks of raw materials across all our…

Cardiff Metropolitan University has pledged that none of its staff will be financially disadvantaged during current testing times. The University’s President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Cara Aitchison, has reassured staff, including academics who have made great efforts to ensure that all learning and teaching is currently being carried out on-line. She said: “As the Covid-19 threat continues to disrupt the University’s operations, colleagues are understandably concerned about what this will mean for their salaries and wages. This is why we have taken the decision today to stand by our values-driven approach that puts our students and staff first, by committing to…

Former Cardiff City footballer Peter Whittingham has died at the University Hospital of Wales earlier today. At around 10pm on March 7, South Wales Police were called to a licensed premises in Barry. The 35-year-old footballer from Penarth suffered a head injury as a result of a fall and had been taken to the University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff. A statement has been released by Cardiff City FC: “The news of Peter’s sudden and untimely passing has shaken us to our very foundation. Our love goes out to his wife Amanda, their young son and family. They are at the…