Author: Rhys Gregory

Charitable organisations across Wales and south west England received more than £84,000 last year thanks to the fantastic fundraising efforts from Wales & West Utilities colleagues. Kind-hearted employees from the gas emergency and pipeline service have taken part in hundreds of events, whilst also volunteering their time to support local teams and clubs, leading to them raising over £84,000 – making it the company’s highest charitable donation to date. Of the £84,000, £20k has been given directly by Wales & West Utilities through its match-funding programme, which supports the efforts of its colleagues to make their fundraising go further, whilst…

Welsh winner of BBC One’s The Apprentice in 2016, Alana Spencer, will soon be saying those famous words “You’re hired”, as she celebrates Apprenticeship Week Cymru by seeking to recruit her first apprentice. Alana, 27, already employs seven staff in her handmade cake company, Ridiculously Rich by Alana, which moved into a unit on Glanyrafon Industrial Estate in her home town of Aberystwyth last October. Up until that point, she had been outsourcing production but has now brought everything in-house which resulted in five staff being recruited immediately. One of those staff, Matt Lloyd, 20, was recruited through the Welsh…

Local accountancy practice Bevan Buckland LLP has signed the Time to Change Wales pledge delivered by Hafal and Mind Cymru. The pledge aims to help improve understanding of mental health problems and to end the stigma around it. Mental health has been a hot topic in recent years, with a number of charities, initiatives, events and individuals showing better support for mental health problems and all those affected. Time to Change Wales is the first national campaign focussing on reducing the stigma and discrimination faced by people with mental health problems in Wales. People who experience mental illness often face…

The driver of a Toyota MPV which was involved in a single vehicle road traffic collision at around 5.00m on Friday 17th January has died in hospital. 2020 a Toyota MPV collided with a parked vehicle and a house in Blanche Street, Cardiff. Victor Moore, 75, was driving the vehicle along Blanche Street in the Adamsdown area of Cardiff when it collided with a parked car and a house.  Mr Moore was taken to the University Hospital of Wales, where he has since died from his injuries. He is survived by his long term partner Miss Cherry Hyde and their…

Two people in Port Talbot are celebrating today after winning £1,000 each thanks to their lucky postcode. The  neighbours netted the windfall when SA12 9BD was announced as a Daily Prize winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Monday 3rd January 2020. People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Danyl Johnson sent his congratulations to the winners. He said: “What a way to start the week! I’m sure this news has really made the day for our winners in Port Talbot.” A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £500 million to…

An inspiring young carer from the South Wales Valleys has set up her own support group outside of college to help other young people and carers in the region who are struggling with mental health. Twenty-year-old Coleg y Cymoedd learner Alisha Morgan, from Penrhys, has worked with Ferndale Community School to create a weekly support group, providing advice and a safe space for young people to talk about the issues affecting them. Alisha, who is the primary carer for her mother, originally decided to set up the youth club after suffering with poor mental health herself. The tragic loss of…

Towergate Insurance Brokers has appointed two new members to its team in Wales to expand its existing claims division and offering. Alex Evans-Jones and Dan Riley both recently joined the business, bringing with them a wealth of experience gained from working within the insurance industry.  Claims Manager Alex has over 15 years’ experience in the industry, spending the past eight years at Jelf Insurance Brokers. He specialises in technical claims and trend analysis, as well as finding solutions to often complex situations. Dan Riley, Claims Handler, brings with him 16 years of experience within the insurance industry, having also joined…

Students at Eastern High School, Cardiff, enjoyed a visit from the Amazon LGBT+ Reading Roadshow, a unique new initiative designed to tackle homophobic bullying and boost LGBT+ inclusion in schools. In partnership with LGBT+ education charity Just Like Us and PinkNews, the Reading Roadshow celebrates the importance of LGBT+ inclusion through literature. Launched in London with musician Will Young and director Chris Sweeney, hosts of the Homo Sapiens podcast, the Roadshow will provide inclusivity workshops and free LGBT+ inclusive books for participating schools. The literature, approved by school literacy experts, includes texts by authors such as Alex Bertie, Lisa Williamson,…

A former international rugby player for Wales, who lives with a rare cancer in his spine, is backing Cancer Research UK’s campaign for World Cancer Day. Former Welsh international rugby player Matthew J Watkins, 41 who just last month received the news that the rare cancer he’s been living with has spread, is rallying everyone to support World Cancer Day by joining him in proudly wearing a Unity Band. The brightly coloured wristbands are worn to show solidarity with other people diagnosed with cancer. Matthew says: “I’m supporting World Cancer Day because it affects us all really whether it’s you…

A COUPLE from Mold are looking back on a 20-year journey with their high flying independent travel firm which booked a record £100m worth of holidays last year. Don Bircham and Ruth Ward of Hays Travel North West opened up their first branch on The Cross in Mold in January 2000. It remains one of the flagship stores in their now almost 40-store travel empire which stretches across North Wales and the north west of England. Under their original name of Just Go, they made 23 bookings on their first day of trading in Mold and they now employ 233…