Author: Rhys Gregory

Wales will host the first-ever Wales Tech Week this summer, as a new initiative to showcase the ingenuity, innovation and creativity of the people, businesses and organisations in its technology sector. Taking place from 13th – 17th July the event will promote the  innovative technology industry within Wales, which is helping transform and enable society and the way people work, learn and live. Created by Technology Connected, the voice of the technology industry in Wales for more than 20 years, the event will be a festival of webinars, resources, roundtables and digital events from the technology community. The festival will…

Volunteers with the Macmillan Carmarthenshire Buddy Service are adapting their hands-on approach during the coronavirus pandemic and taking to their telephones to offer vital support to people living with cancer. The award-winning volunteer service, which is run by Macmillan Cancer Support, began in 2014 and matches community volunteers with people with cancer. The service normally offers face-to-face emotional and practical support and can involve anything from a cuppa and a chat, to helping with day-to-day tasks such as light housework, gardening or getting people to appointments. People with cancer who need this vital community support are usually referred in the…

Organisers of the popular Builth Wells- based Rallynuts Stages Rally have taken the difficult decision to cancel the 2020 event. Previously postponed from its April 18 date due to the developing Covid-19 situation, the rally, which attracted an almost capacity entry in 2019 and is a round of the MRF Tyres BTRDA Rally Series and Pirelli Motorsport UK Welsh Rally Championship, had attempted to run on August 8. However, following the latest advice from the Welsh and UK Government and Motorsport UK, the sport’s governing body, Midland Manor Motor Club has elected to cancel the 2020 event, meaning the 47th running…

The major redevelopment of one of the UK’s largest further education colleges is set to complete this Autumn with the support of Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking and the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools and Education Programme. Construction at Coleg Cambria’s Yale Campus in North Wales is on course to finish in November, as the £21million development prepares to welcome students in the new academic year. The 96,000 sq ft development offers state-of-the-art learning facilities. The project, supported by the Welsh government and a £7million funding facility from Lloyds Bank, forms part of a wider £60million investment programme across the college’s property portfolio in Wrexham…

The Wildfire Team at South Wales Fire and Rescue Service have been using specialist techniques to help prevent wildfires from spreading and destroying Welsh countrysides. In recent weeks fire crews have attended over 500 deliberately set wildfires, which not only put firefighters lives in danger but can spread dangerously close to property, posing a serious risk to life. These fires have spread to destroy many hectares of grassland, affecting wildlife and ecosystems in their path. They also cause a strain on emergency resources and require the attendance of multiple appliances and the use of critical equipment. As well as causing…

Poverty amongst children in parts of Wales has risen by up to 3% since 2014. The worst area is Ceredigion, with new analysis finding levels have has gone from 17.2% to 20.3%. Even before the devastating impact of Covid-19 on household incomes, since 2014 around one in five children living in Wales have been experiencing poverty and as a result the devastating effects it can bring. The End Child Poverty coalition fear the issues will continue to deepen as the virus pulls more and more families below the poverty line. The group are now calling on the Government to take…

A charity for Colwyn Bay’s homeless is using cash confiscated from criminals to run weekly collections to supply local food banks during the coronavirus crisis. The Kind Bay Initiative’s volunteers are collecting over 100 donations every Sunday evening with hundreds of tins and packets of food being left out for pick up. The community interest company, which provides help and advice for the town’s homeless and rough sleepers, received a massive boost thanks to a £2,500 cheque from North Wales Police and Crime Commissioner Arfon Jones. The money comes from his Your Community Your Choice initiative, supported by the North…

RHYL’S mayor is to serve a second consecutive term in office in a ‘historic’ move made in response to the Coronavirus pandemic. Cllr Ellie Chard was due to hand over the mayoral reins to deputy Cllr Diane King at an annual general meeting of Rhyl Town Council planned for tomorrow. But given the disruption to council meetings caused by COVID19, councillors have agreed that Cllr Chard should continue in office for another year. The move is in line with Welsh Government legislation brought in to help town councils adjust to current circumstances. Town clerk Gareth Nickels said: “Like most organisations, we…

The Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) has described the UK Government’s announcement of global tariff rates for key Welsh agricultural products which are broadly aligned with those of the European Union as a welcome step in the right direction – but has warned that these should not be watered down, whatever the outcome of current trade negotiations.  Speaking just hours after a meeting with Greg Hands, the UK Government’s Minister for Trade Policy, FUW President Glyn Roberts said: “The importance of aligning agricultural tariffs for products such as beef, lamb and dairy produce is something the FUW made clear in…

A North Wales law firm which has seen a surge in demand for wills and family-related enquiries during the Covid-19 lockdown is the first in Wales to pioneer a new remote service developed by a former computer games inventor. Swayne Johnson has seen a 60 per cent spike in enquiries about wills immediately after lockdown. At the same time there has been a rise in enquiries relating to Powers of Attorney and family law issues around arrangements concerning children and finances. Social distancing has seen the firm’s lawyers in gloves and armed with hand-sanitiser obtaining signatures in gardens and through…