Author: Rhys Gregory

Construction workloads in Wales fell in Q3 2025 for the first time since the end of 2023 according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Construction Monitor and surveyors’ sentiment for the year ahead has deteriorated. A net balance of -7% of survey respondents in Wales reported a fall in overall construction activity in the quarter, which is the lowest this balance has been since Q4 2023. Public and private house building were the only two subsectors to see rises in activity with net balances of 11% and 6% respectively. But these balances are lower than in the…

Work on the new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC) has reached a major milestone with the installation of the timber frame that will form the internal Lolfa (living room) at the centre – a key part of the build, which all people will pass through when visiting. One of the largest timber frames of its kind in the UK, the design of the nVCC revolves around the timber-framed Lolfa, a central core space that extends the full height of the building. This central area will provide a welcoming point of arrival for patients and visitors and will be easily identified because of…

Mae’r stori hon hefyd ar gael yn Saesneg – cliciwch yma i’w darllen. Mae lleoliad parti peintio crochenwaith eich hun yn y Mwmbwls yn paratoi i groesawu mwy o artistiaid ifanc nag erioed o’r blaen, gyda chymorth microfenthyciad o £50,000 gan Fanc Datblygu Cymru. Mae Craftsea yn cynnal sesiynau peintio eich crochenwaith eich hun ar gyfer unigolion a grwpiau, gan ganiatáu i gwsmeriaid o bob oed beintio detholiad o gerameg – gan gynnwys platiau, cwpanau, matiau diod a mygiau – sydd wedyn yn cael eu gwydro a’u ffwrndanio ar y safle. Mae bellach wedi symud i leoliad mwy, cyfagos ar Heol y…

This story is also available in Welsh – click here to read it. A paint-your-own pottery party venue in Mumbles is set to host more budding artists than ever before, backed by a £50,000 micro loan from the Development Bank of Wales. Craftsea hosts paint-your-own pottery sessions for individuals and groups, allowing customers of all ages to paint from a selection of ceramics – including plates, cups, coasters and mugs – which are then glazed and fired on-site. It has now moved to a larger, neighbouring property on the Mumbles Road, nearly doubling the space it occupies and allowing it to bring…

This November, Wales Tech Week 2025 returns to the ICC Wales, Newport (24-26 November), for a dynamic three-day celebration of innovation, collaboration and opportunity, showcasing how Wales is shaping the technologies of tomorrow and putting the nation firmly on the global stage.  Wales is home to the world’s first dedicated compound semiconductor cluster, a globally significant ecosystem driving the forefront of technological innovation. This thriving sector is not only transforming industries but also reinforcing Wales’s position as a critical hub in the global tech supply chain. In 2024 alone, Wales’s compound semiconductor sector contributed an impressive £434 million¹ in Gross…

An agency celebrating 10 years of life-changing success has secured £4.6 million worth of repairs and home improvements for vulnerable people. The news was revealed at the annual meeting of Conwy and Denbighshire Care & Repair which serves a vast area, stretching from Llanfairfechan to Llangollen. Over the past decade the charity, a subsidiary of the Grŵp Cynefin housing association, has helped nearly 50,000 people aged 60 or over in privately owned or rented properties. The aim is to help them continue to live safely, warmly and independently in their own homes and over the past decade. Since the organisation…

THE number of pupils in Wales studying international languages after GCSE has fallen sharply, prompting a warning from British Council Wales that recent progress in language learning could be lost without sustained action. Their Language Trends Wales 2025 report, published this week (Tuesday, 4 November), paints a mixed picture – with increased uptake at primary level and  tentative signs of  recovery at GCSE, but a continuing decline in post-16 study that threatens the long-term sustainability of language learning in Wales. Conducted by Queen’s University Belfast, the research surveyed primary and secondary schools as well as post-16 colleges, charting progress and challenges…

Award-winning soft drinks manufacturer Radnor Hills has unveiled a multi-million-pound investment, including a new Tetra Pak line. It is the first Tetra Pak speed portion pack line to be installed in the UK with the latest technology upgrade. It was officially opened by Deputy First Minister of Wales with responsibility for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies during a visit to the company’s headquarters in Knighton, Powys. The £5 million investment will allow Radnor Hills, which celebrates its 35th anniversary this year, to increase its overall carton capacity by 150%, from 60 million to 150 million packs annually. As…

Aspiring artists have been brushing up on their skills by sprucing up a new children’s unit in Morriston Hospital. Students at Gower College Swansea have put their imagination and creativity to the test by giving the Children’s Emergency Unit (CEU) a new look with specific designs for certain areas of the department. As part of the project, the A-Level art students have been able to use it as a key part of their Advanced Skills Baccalaureate Wales qualification. The CEU moved into its new location – just yards from its previous base – in November 2024, but was in need…

Tarian Labs is a new cyber security company founded by two industry experts who saw a gap in the market to provide small to medium businesses with top level protection – the same trusted by government departments. Marc Hill and Kevin Hanford first crossed paths at one of Wales’ leading cybersecurity organisations – a company recognised globally for securing complex networks and systems. They spent their working days defending critical infrastructure from evolving cyber threats and wanted to offer that same level of protection to small and medium-sized businesses. Marc, who lives in Newport, and Kevin, who hails from Swansea,…