Author: Rhys Gregory

A backlash against globalisation in the wake of the Covid-19 crisis can reignite a powerful North Wales manufacturing sector still reeling from the shock waves of over 1400 Airbus redundancies, according to a top expert. Bangor University economics lecturer Dr Edward Jones says that a boom in cutting edge technologies like 3D printing can boost the area’s recovery despite the fear that there may be more immediate pain to come. He predicts that when the dust settles more businesses and governments will want to have their supplies closer to home as they emerge from months of unprecedented lockdown. Dr Jones,…

A brother and sister whose parents are on the frontline of the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic in North Wales have used their break from school to create a Lockdown version of board game favourite Monopoly. Now Giovanni Bugelli, 11, and his sister Julia, 16, from Prestatyn, hope their bright idea will raise money for the North Wales NHS charity Awyr Las. They came up with the idea after telling their mum, Ysbyty Glan Clwyd psychiatrist Tania, that they were bored with all the usual board games. She challenged them to come up with something fresh and Lockdown Monopoly was…

Richard Selby, co-founder and Director of Pro Steel Engineering has been named as the new Chair of IoD Wales. He will take up the position on 1 November 2020. As an ambassador of IoD Wales, patron of the Prince’s Trust and Chair and co-founder of the Torfaen Strategic Economic Forum, Richard is a highly respected and active member of the business community in Wales. He is also a Board member of the Regional Economic Growth Partnership – Cardiff Capital Region – and member of the CBI Enterprise Forum. Having begun his career with Mabey Bridge, Richard established Pro Steel Engineering…

Work-based learning providers across Wales are logging on to online workshops during the Covid-19 pandemic to improve the ways they are supporting autistic learners. Ninety people employed by 18 work-based learning providers have signed up for the two latest workshops organised by Humie Webbe, strategic equality and diversity lead at the National Training Federation for Wales (NTfW). The workshops are led by the National Autism Team, which is funded by the Welsh Government and hosted by the Welsh Local Government Association, working in partnership with Public Health Wales. The team provides support and guidance to help improve the lives of autistic…

Cardiff headquartered MSS Group, who operate environmental, facilities management and compliance contracts across the UK, have filed their year-end accounts, showing record growth in profit and turnover across the group. For the year ending 31st March 2020, the company returned a gross profit of 34% with a record pre-tax profit of £5.2m, the results were further boosted by an 89% increase in annual turnover on the previous year, from £15 million to £28.5 million. The growth has involved significant client wins across both public and private sectors in Wales, and across the South West of England. Speaking on the results,…

Plans are being made for significant work that will help deliver Swansea city centre regeneration plans. The overnight course of work will switch eight key roads from one-way traffic to two-way. The improvement, being planned and managed by Swansea Council, will mean that the £12m Kingsway Infrastructure Project will be closer to completion. Corresponding work is seeing the carriageways resurfaced at night. Council leader Rob Stewart said: “The major overnight operation to make The Kingsway area largely two-way is due to take place – weather and other circumstances permitting – on the Saturday night/Sunday morning of July 25/26. “Council project…

National Dance Company Wales (NDCWales) have announced that on Friday 24 July – the day that should have been the Opening Ceremony for the 2020 Olympics in Japan – the Company will be showing its heartwarming, joyful, highly acclaimed dance piece Dream, by renowned choreographer Christopher Bruce CBE, on Facebook and YouTube. NDCWales will be broadcasting on Facebook and YouTube the 23-minute film of Dream, which was originally commissioned as part of the 2012 Cultural Olympiad. NDCWales wants to mark what would have been the start of the 2020 Olympics by offering an Olympics experience through dance. Dream is full…

New research has revealed when it comes to flying the largest of birds don’t rely on flapping to move around. Instead they make use of air currents to keep them airborne for hours at a time. The Andean condor – the world’s heaviest soaring bird which can weigh in at up to 15kg – actually flaps its wings for one per cent of its flight time. The study is part of a collaboration between Swansea University’s Professor Emily Shepard and Dr Sergio Lambertucci in Argentina, that uses high-tech flight-recorders on Andean condors. These log each and every wingbeat and twist…

Restaurants and other establishments serving food for on premises consumption can now sign up to a new government initiative aimed at protecting jobs in the hospitality industry and encouraging people to safely return to dining out. The Eat Out to Help Out registration page went live yesterday morning on GOV.UK, allowing businesses to join the scheme announced last week by Rishi Sunak MP, Chancellor of the Exchequer. Restaurants, bars, cafes and other establishments who use the scheme will offer a 50% reduction, up to a maximum of £10 per person, to all diners who eat and/or drink-in throughout August. Customers…

Since COVID-19 appeared, we have had to adapt our lifestyles almost overnight, but as lockdown restrictions begin to ease, many of us will be heading out more. If you are driving your car to go shopping or to go to work during the pandemic, then you need to make sure you keep the inside of it clean and germ-free. This will reduce the risk of the disease spreading to you, amongst your household, to loved ones, and to the people you pass on the street. Today, we will be taking a look at the things you should do in order…