Author: Rhys Gregory

The national airport for Wales is preparing to welcome over 27,000 passengers this Bank Holiday weekend (Friday 23 – Monday 26 August), rounding off what has been the busiest summer in over 10 years. [aoa id=”1″] Many customers are jetting off for some late summer sunshine in popular beach destinations such as Croatia, Egypt, Greece and Spain, for some relaxation before the kids go back to school. With good weather on the cards in the UK and Ireland this weekend, customers are making the most of the Bank Holiday by planning ‘staycations’ to destinations like Belfast, Jersey Edinburgh and Dublin…

LEADING independent school Christ College Brecon is celebrating excellent successes by its GCSE students in this year’s results. [aoa id=”1″] The new, fully linear GCSEs are graded 9-1 with grade 9 classified as a super ** grade and 8 as the old A*.  At Christ College, 26% of all grades were 9 and 8 and 41% were 7+. Pupils achieved an overall pass rate of 96% with 98% of pupils achieving a minimum of 5 GCSE passes including Maths, English and a science. Performance was outstanding in Maths with 39% at 9 and 8 with 15% at the highest grade…

People could be saving hundreds of pounds per year on their private or commercial vehicle insurance, yet many people don’t want the hassle and opt to stay with their existing provider. Some just accept the renewal quote they receive without even checking if they could make a saving by switching. The good news is that the days of spending half a day on the phone to get quotes are gone. Instead you can get quotes from loads of insurers, compare policies, and make a decision all with just a single simple form. There are many other ways you can reduce…

As Pride Cymru celebrates its 20th birthday this bank holiday weekend, over 40,000 people are expected to attend across the three days.  [aoa id=”1″] With this year marking such a special occasion, people from all across Wales and the UK will come together on the Cardiff City Hall lawns to celebrate diversity and make a stand for acceptance and inclusivity. Since 1999, the event, which was formerly known as Cardiff Mardi Gras, has grown significantly as more and more acts come to Cardiff to perform across the weekend and make a stand for inclusivity.  Among this year’s acts are legendary Scottish…

Henry Howard Finance has beaten off tough competition to secure itself a place as a finalist in the Best Use of Technology category of the first-ever Growth Finance Awards. [aoa id=”1″] The Growth Finance Awards launched this year in order to celebrate the companies providing “more than finance” to the UK’s growing businesses. It’s the first event of its kind, celebrating the innovative organisations breathing optimism into all regions of the UK by helping ambitious SMEs to scale new heights. These growth champions provide the vital capital inflows – around £79.7 billion last year – that help thousands of businesses to scale-up,…

Over 100 of the best riders from afar as Israel and New Zealand will race around 20 laps of the closed road circuit in The SD Sealants Junior Tour of Wales on Sunday morning before moving on to their afternoon stage. [aoa id=”1″] It’s a first for the race to come to the county in its 40 year history and has served as the springboard for the careers of countless Grand Tour riders including Tour de France winner Geraint Thomas who finished 2nd on Junior Tour 2004. Carmarthen cyclist Scott Davies also won the 2013 edition before making his big…

The “miraculous transformation” horses can achieve after being rescued by the RSPCA is perfectly highlighted by Jack – who is settling into his new forever home in Shropshire. Jack is a veteran 15-hand chestnut gelding who is proving a perfect companion to animals and humans alike at his new premises in North Shropshire. However, he looked a very different horse when he first came to the attention of the RSPCA in May 2018. Jack had been abandoned with serious welfare concerns at stables in Furnace near Llanelli without the consent of the land-owner. RSPCA inspectors Rohan Barker and Nigel Duguid…

YOUNG shoppers were transported to the plains of Africa in a colourful finale to summer holiday activities raising money for a Wrexham centre which supports disabled children and their families. Youngsters visiting Eagles Meadow shopping centre in Wrexham made the most of an animal mask-making workshop with a choice of fantastic creatures such as  elephants, big cats and butterflies. They were entertained by professional carnival performers, dressed as lions, zebras and antelopes, from London-based carnival creatives company Mahogany which created characters for the 2012 London Olympics ceremonies, as well as major celebrations in Singapore, Dubai and other global destinations. It…

Following GCSE and A-Levels results day, young people in Wales are being urged to consider a career in the heating industry through an apprenticeship to help tackle the skills shortage facing the sector. [aoa id=”1″] The Department for Education announced a 24.1% drop in apprenticeship enrolments in 2017/18 compared to the previous academic year with 223 people starting on the new Plumbing and Heating Level 3 Apprenticeship Standard to date. Fuelled by the high costs associated with going to university and the rising cost of living, apprenticeships are increasingly being seen as a highly credible further education option and route…

Chapter is thrilled to announce that Cardiff-based law firm Robertsons Solicitors will be sponsoring the 2019-20 programme of Art in the Bar exhibitions. [aoa id=”1″] These free, public installations are the central artistic feature of the building, visible to 750,000+ visitors who pass through Chapter’s doors every year. The ever-changing programme of contemporary exhibitions – which have included large-scale prints, paintings and photography – transform the Caffi Bar space and are testament to Chapter’s enduring aim of promoting and exhibiting visual art by artists at all stages in their careers. For some artists exhibiting work it may be their first…