Author: Rhys Gregory

BBI Solutions has welcomed the ‘significant progress’ made by the UK-Rapid Test Consortium (UK-RTC) – of which it is a part – to develop a COVID-19 lateral flow antibody test. Seven weeks ago, the UK Government commissioned the UK-RTC to develop a COVID-19 lateral flow antibody test that can be used by people in their homes. The UK-RTC says it has made ‘significant progress’ in both developing the antibody test, as well as progress with the regulatory and logistics challenges needed to be able to deploy the test directly with individuals across the UK. The Consortium has reported that it…

In recent weeks, the government has reopened the housing market in England. However, the reopening of the housing market in England does not mean it is business as usual there. The process of finding, buying and moving home has had to be adapted to reduce the risk of transmitting coronavirus.  In Wales, the housing market has not yet reopened, but it will continue to benefit from Covid-19 schemes that cover the whole of the UK. For example, banks and building societies have agreed to extend the montage payment holiday for a further three months. They have also agreed not to proceed…

The public will see the first visible signs of regeneration work on an historic Swansea building this week. Contractors working on behalf of Swansea Council will put up safety hoardings around the city centre’s 132-year-old former Palace Theatre. The temporary boards are designed to improve safety at the wedge-shaped site – and to tidy up the area immediately around the run-down building. Robert Francis-Davies, the council’s cabinet member for investment, regeneration and tourism, said: “Having taken this landmark building out of private ownership we’re now at the very early stages of breathing new life into the Palace. “It’s a much-admired…

Local charity Nightingale House Hospice has been chosen by Chirk-based employees at Mondelēz International to receive a donation of £5,000. Providing specialist palliative care services – completely free-of-charge – to patients and their families across the town, the charity will be granted the substantial figure from The Cadbury Foundation, as part of its ‘Your Charity Your Choice’ scheme. Dedicated to supporting those who are living with a diagnosis of a life-limiting illness, the hospice offers services including a 12-bed inpatient ward, a 15-patient daycare unit and an outpatient clinic, as well as occupational therapy, physiotherapy and ambulance service. Nightingale House…

McDonald’s has announced plans to begin a phased reopening for walk-in takeaway and click and collect. On Wednesday 17th June, we will be opening 11 pilot Roadchef service station restaurants for walk-in takeaway for motorway users, and this will gradually roll-out to high street, town and city centre restaurants across the UK and Ireland from Wednesday 24th June. McDonald’s UK & Ireland CEO Paul Pomroy said: “Over the last four weeks, we have carefully reopened over 1,000 restaurants for Drive-thru or McDelivery, only progressing to new channels and more restaurants when we were confident that we could provide a safe working…

Cardiff and Vale College has launched a free-to-view online end of year show for its Creative Industries students. During a time of lockdown and site closure, Cardiff and Vale College has had to find new ways of showcasing the fantastic work its students have done in difficult circumstances. A virtual end of year show for the College’s Creative Industries students is a further example of how CAVC is doing that. This year’s Creative Show will take the form a virtual gallery and performance space, with the work of learners displayed online in a professionally designed format. The first gallery went…

Caerphilly County Borough Council is to receive £800k to fund transport improvements across the borough. £250k of the money awarded is going to allow CCBC to deliver the next phase of the physical improvements to bus stop infrastructure across the borough, which will make them safer. £125k will be used to deliver the Maesycwmmer Safer Routes In Communities (SRIC) scheme, which will be based around the primary school to ensure the children’s safety. Further to the Caerphilly County Borough Council specific funding, as part of the Cardiff Capital Region (CCR) Transport Authority, the 10 local authorities under this area have…

The significant 21st Century Schools investment in Treorchy is now delivered, after a refurbished teaching block and new music department were recently completed – adding to a series of further improvements in recent years.  Staff and pupils at Treorchy Comprehensive School will benefit from the new block, which was handed over to the Council by contractors on June 4. The work has seen a complete refurbishment of an existing building – to include a new music department, general classrooms, fitness suite and toilets. The final weeks of work to deliver these improvements were completed with the Council’s contractor, Kier, adhering…

After sustaining a significant amount of damage during Storm Dennis in February, the National Lido of Wales, Lido Ponty, has been given a boost with the announcement that the much-loved attraction in the heart of Pontypridd will reopen next Easter The wider Ynysangharad War Memorial Park, which is home to the Lido Ponty, reopened to the public on Wednesday, May 27th following the completion of remedial works to repair the damage to footways and railings adjacent to the river – with residents now able to use the open space for their daily exercise providing that social distancing is maintained at…

More pollinator friendly ‘one cut’ mowing regimes have been adopted at 18 new sites across Cardiff.  The sites cover an overall area of 9 hectares, the equivalent of 12.5 football pitches. The trial is part of the council’s ongoing work to help encourage wildflower growth and provide important habitats for pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, whose numbers are declining in the UK. The areas, which have not been cut this year and will receive only one cut, in early autumn are: Pentwyn Drive (part of)  –  Pentwyn Roath Botanic Gardens (part of) – Cyncoed Sandies / Railway Gardens -…