Author: Rhys Gregory

Principality Building Society has donated £60,000 to its charity partners, the Alzheimer’s Society Cymru and the Teenage Cancer Trust Cymru. The donation, which is split equally between both charities, will go a long way in supporting the local services they provide in Wales during the COVID-19 crisis. The funding will help Alzheimer’s Society provide increased support to people living with dementia and isolating through its Dementia Connect service, as well as supporting Teenage Cancer Trust, who provide specialist nursing care and emotional support for young people with cancer at its dedicated unit at the University Hospital of Wales. With an…

Training courses to get new and returning health care workers into hospitals quickly as demand rises due to COVID-19 are taking place at Swansea’s Liberty Stadium. Newly-registered nurses, new health care support workers (HCSWs), existing clinical staff and medical students are among those on specially designed, fast-track induction programs delivered by the nurse education team at Swansea Bay University Heath Board. The size of the venue, left, means larger numbers of trainees can go through the training programs while still being able to observe social distancing measures. Moving training out of the hospitals has also freed up clinical areas for…

While we’re in lockdown and dealing with a very different world to the one we’re used to, it’s easy to get distracted by social media. Keeping in touch with family and friends while cooped up is vitally important for our happiness, and also our mental health. But social media could also cause us problems if we’re not careful, particularly if we share more information than we normally would. Rachael Medhurst, cyber security lecturer at the Newport Campus-based National Cyber Security Academy (NCSA), explains how an innocent social media post could help hackers learn lots more about you than you realise.…

As the Easter bank holiday approaches, South Wales Police continues to have one simple request for our communities: Please, stay home and save lives. We and our partners – particularly those in health and social care – are working around the clock to care for and keep people safe during the coronavirus pandemic. Each and every one of us must continue to do everything we can to support those on the frontline of caring for those most in need; doing so will protect them and our NHS and ultimately save lives. The vast majority of the public have understood the…

GP surgeries and pharmacies in Swansea will remain open to provide emergency cover over Easter. Doctor surgeries and pharmacies in the Swansea Bay University Health Board area have volunteered to put in extra hours over Easter, as Primary Care continues to rise to the unprecedented demands of fighting Coronavirus. Many GPs are open on Good Friday and Easter Monday, with some also opening up on Saturday and Easter Sunday. It’s the same with pharmacies, despite working flat out for weeks, many have volunteered to be added to the Easter rota. Not all GPs and pharmacies have been able to do…

Super-strength hand sanitisers are rolling off the production line as a Welsh business helps battle the coronavirus pandemic. BCB International has dedicated its Llanelli factory to making high-strength Dr Brown’s Hand Sanitiser with 80% alcohol, which kills all viruses including COVID-19. Working on shifts around the clock, BCB is working to support the country’s heroes in the NHS, police, fire and rescue services and defence forces as they fight the killer disease. An extra 30 staff have been recruited to deliver the potentially lifesaving product. BCB International Managing Director, Andrew Howell said: “COVID-19 is an on-going battle for the UK,…

The Principality Stadium has started its transformation into a field hospital for coronavirus patients in Wales. In March, Cardiff and Vale University Health Board revealed that the pitch famous for hosting international Welsh rugby matches would be covered. The stadium has been named the Dragon’s Heart Hospital. It is expected to start taking patients from next week and will have beds for 2,000 patients. There have been over 60,000 reported cases of the COVID-19 coronavirus in the United Kingdom and over 7,000 deaths. The country is in its third week of lockdown measures aimed at slowing the spread of the virus. Len…

During these unprecedented times, fire services across Wales are urging the public not to be tempted to burn garden or household waste. What may have been intended to be just a small fire, or just a bit of fun, can quickly spread to become out of control. Last year, there were nearly 4000 rubbish fires across Wales, with the main causes being household bin bags, fly tipped furniture and litter which are consequently being deliberately set alight. It can all start with those extra bin bags, or that broken sofa left out the back, out of sight, out of mind…without thinking, you…

Four people in Cardiff are celebrating today after winning £1,000 each thanks to their lucky postcode. The Ton-Yr-Ywen Avenue neighbours netted the windfall when CF14 4PA was announced as a Daily Prize winner with People’s Postcode Lottery on Thursday 9th April 2020. People’s Postcode Lottery ambassador Judie McCourt sent her well-wishes to the winners. She said: “What lovely news to start the day! Congratulations to all our winners.” A minimum of 32% of ticket sales goes directly to charities and players of People’s Postcode Lottery have raised over £500 million to date for thousands of good causes in Britain and…

A group of Welsh entrepreneurs have come together to develop a new app that will bring businesses and consumers together to support their local communities. iTown is a free app for towns, villages and high streets that collates up to the second information from all the businesses in each local area that, during these unprecedented times, have had to adapt to the changing needs of the Covid-19 lockdown. By creating a digital shop window, iTown enables consumers using the app to see what products are on offer locally in businesses such as corner shops, butchers, fruit and veg shops, bakers,…