Author: Rhys Gregory

A BUTCHER with a big appetite for the great outdoors is raising money for vulnerable children by walking to the top of Snowdon every week for the entire year. That means keen walker Llyr Williams, who works for growing food distribution firm Harlech Foodservice, will have climbed the equivalent of Everest five times, trekked more than 400 miles and scaled more than 150,000 feet when he successfully completes his gruelling 52-week challenge in aid of Action for Children. The 32-year-old will be heading to the summit come rain or shine, or even ice and snow, with the aim of beating…

The 2020 Wales HR Awards finalists have been announced following a record number of entries. Launched in 2017 by leading recruitment agency Acorn and commercial law firm Darwin Gray, the fourth annual Awards will see 350 top HR professionals and organisations gather on 27 March at Sophia Gardens in Cardiff for a glittering twenties themed ceremony. New for 2020 is an additional category – ‘Inspiring Great Leadership’ – and an external judging panel of industry experts from Sony UK, University of South Wales, ACT Training and Calland Wright Consulting. Hosted by the BBC’s Sian Lloyd, the Awards will recognise outstanding…

In partnership with Cardiff Business School and Confused.com, FinTech Wales is hosting its first ever mini conference looking into the world of Artificial Intelligence application in FinTech. The ‘AI for FinTech event’ will discuss the opportunities, challenges and constraints related to AI usage for FinTech and the financial services. Held at Cardiff Business School on Tuesday 25th February, the day-long conference will feature a programme of high calibre speakers which includes Katherine Browne from FCA , Simon Garfield at Microsoft, Anna Fink & Tom Bull from EY (Ernst & Young) and Dr. Richard Thomsett of IBM Research amongst other expert…

Doctor Jonathan Burnes has been appointed Programme Director of the Swansea Bay City Deal. Joining from Swansea University, Dr Burnes will be tasked with overseeing delivery of the £1.3 billion investment programme throughout South West Wales. Dr Burnes has held a number of senior positions at the university in the last 12 years. These include Director of Information, Services and Systems; Digital Strategy Development Manager; and Associate Director of Planning and Strategic Projects. As the City Deal’s Programme Director, Dr Burnes will establish and lead a new City Deal Programme Management Office that will co-ordinate a portfolio of major projects…

Aspiring game designers from across the south Wales valleys have been given expert training from digital skills specialists, as part of Social Enterprise GoConnect and the Cwm a Mynydd Rural Development Plan programme for Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent. The ‘Let’s get Digital’ programme is the latest in a series of GoConnect initiatives designed to provide young adults living within rural communities of Caerphilly and Blaenau Gwent better access to specialist digital education to help address a growing skills gap and open up routes to employment opportunities within the digital workplace. The project aims to highlight the importance digital technology can…

Two prominent members of Powys County Council have pledged their support for the multi-million-pound restoration of the Montgomery Canal. Cllr James Evans, the council’s portfolio holder for economic development, housing and regulatory services and Cllr Elwyn Vaughan, leader of the council’s Plaid Cymru group, both said they would like to see the canal restoration included in the projects submitted for Mid Wales Growth Deal support. They advised John Dodwell, Montgomery Canal Partnership chair and Michael Limbrey, Montgomery Waterway Restoration Trust chair, to develop a proposal in discussion with the Mid Wales Growth Deal team. Because the canal restoration is a…

Archaeologists have unearthed fascinating new evidence of one of Wales’ most powerful industrial stories. They are working hard to record hidden historical features on Swansea’s Hafod-Morfa Copperworks site. Over the next few years the location will be transformed for the use of future generations. Construction is due to start soon. The site will include the renovation of the historic Powerhouse building. Wales’s Penderyn Distillery will expand there and to fit it out as a new distillery and visitor centre. Swansea Council is overseeing the transformation as part of its plans to regenerate the lower River Tawe corridor. Richard Lewis, managing…

Trainee police dogs are being put through their paces at a disused mental health hospital in Swansea, as they get ready for paw patrol. The canine constables, along with their human handlers, are in training as the next generation of police dogs for South Wales Police. Their training ground is a disused section of Cefn Coed Hospital in Cockett, where the maze of old corridors and rooms make it a perfect place for the animals to learn their new skills. The 13-week course is aimed at training the dogs, mainly German Shepherds, in ‘person search’ skills, so they can seek…

The corporate and personal benefits of improving workplace mental health and  wellbeing will be under the spotlight at a charity conference taking place in Cardiff this week (January 29th). Designed for businesses and organisations who are looking to address the importance of staff mental health and wellbeing in the workplace.  The “Taking Care of Business: Mental Health at Work” conference will include presentations from people with first-hand experiences which also offer practical insight and tips on how to support the workforce. It is the second in a series of mental health conferences launched by commercial law firm Darwin Gray and…

Leading Welsh law firm, Capital Law, has launched international desks to cover twelves countries and territories in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and the US. Working on a global scale is nothing new for Capital – a member of several international networks like Consulegis, GBL Alliance and the China Collaborative Group. But as it expands, the firm has introduced designated international desks to facilitate access to such services, for its many clients who are seeking support in navigating the various cultural, legal and regulatory environments they operate in. Each international team is made up of lawyers who originate from, or…