Author: Rhys Gregory

Newport City Council has taken the decision to cancel this year’s food festival, scheduled for Saturday 3 October 2020. Councillor Jane Mudd, Leader of the council, said: “It is with great sadness that we have taken the decision to cancel one of our most well-attended city events. “This year would have been the festival’s tenth anniversary and we were planning one of the best events yet, but the health and safety of our residents, visitors and traders must be our priority.” Newport Food Festival showcases over 75 stalls selling a wide range of products from award winning suppliers, with over…

The UK experienced its hottest of the UK year so far this week, with temperatures rising to more 30C degrees as confirmed by the Met Office. It’s understandable that many will have escaped to get outdoors and make the most of the weather. In Wales, people are still only permitted to travel up to 5 miles away from their home. Although, it is expected that this will be lifted in the coming days, providing the R rate remains low. The warm weather makes a welcome change and it comes at a time when people are allowed to exercise as much…

South Wales Police is investigating an incident of disorder which happened at Ogmore-by-Sea in the Vale of Glamorgan yesterday evening. Groups of people descended on the area throughout the afternoon and evening which culminated in large-scale disorder. An investigation into the incident is underway and officers are appealing to witnesses and anyone with mobile phone or dash-cam footage to come forward. https://twitter.com/kellyjayholmes/status/1276263730834219009 Videos of the brawl that took place yesterday have been widely circulated on social media. Detective Chief Inspector Tom Moore said: “The scenes at Ogmore-by-Sea were totally unacceptable and the main focus of our investigation will be to…

Primark has re-opened all of their stores in Wales today, following last week’s Welsh Government announcement. Primark welcomed customers back to stores across Wales this morning (26 June), with extensive measures in place to help safeguard employees and customers. Shoppers were scene queuing along Queen Street and around the side of the building today. The popular retailer has introduced a number of safety measures for staff and customers inside stores for social distancing. Speaking about the re-opening of stores, Primark CEO, Paul Marchant, said: “We have really missed our customers in Wales, and we are delighted to be back open,…

Caerphilly-based EffectiveHRM has been named as the HR delivery partner for the human resources element of new Amazon Small Business Accelerator, a major support package for small businesses, which was launched earlier this week. The Accelerator will support more than 200,000 small businesses and start-ups across Wales and the rest of the UK and is run in partnership with small business support network Enterprise Nation. In response to COVID-19 and the impact of the economic lockdown on small businesses, the Amazon Small Business Accelerator will deliver a free online training programme in digital skills including e-commerce, finance, marketing and building…

A STUDENT with autism and his caring family have created hundreds of craft and art packages for children with learning difficulties and additional needs during the Coronavirus lockdown. Matthew Hayes volunteered to create the packs for Flintshire charity DAFFODILS, who were supported throughout by the Steve Morgan Foundation, which donated £6,776 to the project. The 20 year-old from Bryn-y-Baal, Mold, an Independent Living Skills (ILS) learner at Coleg Cambria Northop, was diagnosed with autism and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) at just four years old, and began attending DAFFODILS soon after. DAFFODILS is a source of comfort for children with a range…

PETPLACE has joined forces with one of Wales’ most popular tourist attractions in a bid to save it from extinction. The Welsh Mountain Zoo – the National Zoo of Wales – in Colwyn Bay is facing the biggest crisis in its 57-year history, with gates closed since March 22 due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic. Their dedicated team has continued to provide care and support for more than 140 species, but with no revenue coming in they are struggling to meet the site’s monthly running costs of more than £120,000, including food, heating and bedding for the animals. The public…

A revolutionary new approach to treating breast cancer has been put on the fast track at Swansea’s Singleton Hospital. Patients previously had to make the round trip from as far as Aberystwyth every day for 15 days to receive their radiotherapy there. Now thanks to pioneering work at the hospital’s South West Wales Cancer Centre, the treatment is spread across just five days. A huge investment in new equipment within the radiotherapy department allows higher doses to be delivered safely and without worsening side-effects. This is how most radiotherapy for breast cancer will be delivered from now on – and…

After years of straightening her hair Elinor ditched her straighteners in 2012, embracing her natural hair. Elinor recalls not liking her own curls growing up and being forced to straighten her hair, due to a lack of self-confidence and pressure to conform. This carried on for years, until Elinor decided to embrace her natural curl pattern. However, a few years into her curly hair journey and working in her first Job in London, Elinor was pulled aside and it was suggested that she wear her hair straight as this was smarter for business. So, the idea to create a curly…

Establishing a vegetable plot, redesigning the garden and learning how to cook are just some of the must haves on Wales’ new normal bucket list. According to research carried out across Wales by The National Lottery ahead of the £15M ‘Must Be Won’ Lotto jackpot draw this Saturday (27 June), more than half of us (66%) have changed our wish list since the Covid-19 outbreak and now dream of the good life, and a millionaire lifestyle much closer to home. Forgetting travel to exotic locations, adrenalin-inducing skydives or marathon running challenges, Wales’ wish list is now motivated by keeping our…