Author: Rhys Gregory

Two people in Port Talbot are celebrating today after winning £1,000 each thanks to their lucky postcode. The  neighbours netted the windfall when SA12 9BD was announced as a Daily Prize winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Monday 3rd January 2020. People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Danyl Johnson sent his congratulations to the winners. He said: “What a way to start the week! I’m sure this news has really made the day for our winners in Port Talbot.” A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £500 million to…

An inspiring young carer from the South Wales Valleys has set up her own support group outside of college to help other young people and carers in the region who are struggling with mental health. Twenty-year-old Coleg y Cymoedd learner Alisha Morgan, from Penrhys, has worked with Ferndale Community School to create a weekly support group, providing advice and a safe space for young people to talk about the issues affecting them. Alisha, who is the primary carer for her mother, originally decided to set up the youth club after suffering with poor mental health herself. The tragic loss of…

Towergate Insurance Brokers has appointed two new members to its team in Wales to expand its existing claims division and offering. Alex Evans-Jones and Dan Riley both recently joined the business, bringing with them a wealth of experience gained from working within the insurance industry.  Claims Manager Alex has over 15 years’ experience in the industry, spending the past eight years at Jelf Insurance Brokers. He specialises in technical claims and trend analysis, as well as finding solutions to often complex situations. Dan Riley, Claims Handler, brings with him 16 years of experience within the insurance industry, having also joined…

Students at Eastern High School, Cardiff, enjoyed a visit from the Amazon LGBT+ Reading Roadshow, a unique new initiative designed to tackle homophobic bullying and boost LGBT+ inclusion in schools. In partnership with LGBT+ education charity Just Like Us and PinkNews, the Reading Roadshow celebrates the importance of LGBT+ inclusion through literature. Launched in London with musician Will Young and director Chris Sweeney, hosts of the Homo Sapiens podcast, the Roadshow will provide inclusivity workshops and free LGBT+ inclusive books for participating schools. The literature, approved by school literacy experts, includes texts by authors such as Alex Bertie, Lisa Williamson,…

A former international rugby player for Wales, who lives with a rare cancer in his spine, is backing Cancer Research UK’s campaign for World Cancer Day. Former Welsh international rugby player Matthew J Watkins, 41 who just last month received the news that the rare cancer he’s been living with has spread, is rallying everyone to support World Cancer Day by joining him in proudly wearing a Unity Band. The brightly coloured wristbands are worn to show solidarity with other people diagnosed with cancer. Matthew says: “I’m supporting World Cancer Day because it affects us all really whether it’s you…

A COUPLE from Mold are looking back on a 20-year journey with their high flying independent travel firm which booked a record £100m worth of holidays last year. Don Bircham and Ruth Ward of Hays Travel North West opened up their first branch on The Cross in Mold in January 2000. It remains one of the flagship stores in their now almost 40-store travel empire which stretches across North Wales and the north west of England. Under their original name of Just Go, they made 23 bookings on their first day of trading in Mold and they now employ 233…

A GAVIN & Stacey favourite has launched the Welsh Ambulance Service’s annualDefibuary campaign. Melanie Walters, who plays Gwen West in the much-loved BBC sitcom, was in Swansea to signal the start of the month-long campaign to educate the public about the importance of bystander CPR and defibrillation. There are more than 30,000 out-of-hospital cardiac arrests each year in the UK. A person’s chance of surviving a cardiac arrest will decrease by 10% every minute without good quality CPR (cardiopulmonary resuscitation) and early defibrillation. The Swansea-born actress is urging members of the public who witness a cardiac arrest not to be…

Innovative STEM-based businesses across Wales are being urged to submit their applications to a highly anticipated new awards event “before it’s too late”. Businesses in the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) sectors are being called to enter the inaugural Wales STEM Awards before the nominations deadline closes on Friday 28th February. The Wales STEM Awards have been launched to celebrate those making a difference to, and championing, the STEM industry in Wales. It is hoped that by shouting about the great work being done in Wales, the awards will help address the STEM diversity gap and skills shortage, while…

The University of South Wales’ (USW) School of Law has partnered with leading Welsh law firm, Capital Law, to develop its Legal Advice Clinic’s pro bono initiative. The new scheme will see junior lawyers from Capital Law collaborate with Student Clinic Volunteers, to provide pro bono legal advice to the community. The School of Law set up the Clinic to increase its students’ opportunities for legal pro bono work. The Clinic is a free community-based face-to-face advice service staffed by trained Student Clinic Volunteers, who work under the supervision of practising solicitors and barristers. Managed remotely from Capital Law’s offices…

A facilities management company which started life in Newport 10 years ago has announced it is moving to new premises in the city centre as part of wider expansion plans for the firm. Atlas FM, a leading UK facilities management firm with 16 offices, 8,000 staff nationwide and 750   employed in Wales, is relocating its South Wales headquarters from Malpas to a larger 5,000 sq. ft premises on Phillip Street in Newport city centre. The new site will form a strategic hub for the firm, supporting both local and national growth. The relocation follows an impressive period of growth for…