Author: Rhys Gregory

4G coverage in rural areas of Wales is now at record levels thanks to a big boost in the number of new masts built in recent years. EE, the UK’s largest mobile operator and part of BT Group, has revealed today that it hasswitched on nearly 1,000 4G sites across Wales since 2012, bringing coverage to areas which had no mobile coverage before. In Dwyfor Meirionnydd, for example, 10 new 4G sites have been switched on since 2017. The rural constituency in north Wales – which includes a large part of the Snowdonia National Park – has a further 17…

Wales has an ageing workforce. By 2022, one in three people of working age in Wales will be age 50 and over. Despite this, 28% of people aged 50-64 years in the UK are not actually in work. To address this issue the Welsh Government is highlighting the valuable contribution older workers bring to businesses across Wales as well as the wider economy, while also encouraging employers to recruit, retain and train their employees who are over the age of 50 through its ‘People Don’t Have a Best Before Date’ campaign. The campaign provides businesses, particularly SMEs, where the impact…

Patients in Wales could soon see virtual reality become an everyday part of their medical treatment plans, thanks to ground-breaking research and development by a Welsh tech company. Cardiff-based Rescape Innovation is pioneering the use of virtual reality (VR) to support patient recovery and rehabilitation. The company’s technology is used to solve a range of challenges found in healthcare including reducing pain and anxiety, managing stress and improving overall patient experiences. Launched in 2018, a successful first year of business has seen the firm secure a six-figure funding deal to invest in further product development and expansion. Rescape has now…

Sherman Theatre has launched a new initiative designed to ensure that unheard voices in Welsh theatre become heard.  Each year Unheard Voices will champion a different group we would like to be heard more on our stages. In its first year Sherman Theatre’s Unheard Voices will connect, inspire and empower Welsh and Wales-based female writers through a year-long programme of masterclasses and networking opportunities. Unheard Voices will enable participants to develop their skills, build their professional network and begin a long lasting relationship with Sherman Theatre. Twelve masterclasses will be delivered by key figures in theatre including: Suzanne Bell (New…

A new home has opened for four emergency services all under one roof in Llantwit Major. South Wales Police, South Wales Fire & Rescue Service, Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust and HM Coastguard will all operate from the former Llantwit Major Fire and Rescue Station. A new way of working – with 999 services co-located on one site – is already strengthening relationships between emergency service partners, creating more effective ways of working and supporting the sharing of information which will benefit the public. South Wales Fire and Rescue Service Group Manager Christian Hadfield, said: “This is a fantastic collocation…

A fast-growing Welsh beef jerky snacks manufacturer has achieved the nationally recognised SALSA standard which demonstrates that the Welshpool-based company produces safe and legal food. The standard opens the door for Trailhead Fine Foods to sell its award-winning Get Jerky branded snacks to large retailers, including supermarkets. Written by experienced food safety experts, SALSA is an approval scheme that helps local and regional food and drink producers to sell their products to national and regional buyers. Trailhead’s handmade, artisan jerky is produced with responsibly sourced PGI Welsh Beef and marinated using secret, unique recipes. The jerky is made gluten free and…

Feature film premieres. Music videos debuts. New work from emerging visual artists. Latest from blogs and publications. Live gig and event footage and much more. This is the kind of content audiences can discover for free on AM, a new visual digital community being billed as the world’s first open, democratic, cultural platform with the ambition to reflect a whole country’s artistic ecosystem. A platform that emphasises discovering, engaging and sharing whilst giving a platform to new, maybe previously unheard, voices: a new world for a new generation of creators and consumers. Actor Rhys Ifans said: “It’s great to see…

A Rhondda-based business is set to be one of the first training providers in the UK to produce newly qualified learners from a ‘trailblazing’ new, health, safety and environment apprenticeship programme. Cognitia is one of only a small number of training providers of the SHE-Tech programme approved by the UK Government and listed on its Register Of Apprenticeship Training Providers (ROATP). Launched in 2018, the Safety, Health and Environmental Technician (SHE-Tec) is the UK’s first apprenticeship programme of its kind and was developed by a ‘Trailblazer’ group of employers including Costain, HS2, Persimmon Homes and Thames Water. The group sought…

South Wales Police have launched a social media campaign to remind drivers on the dangers of holding a mobile phone while driving, and to encourage them to report drivers who are using their phone at the wheel. All four police forces across Wales will be focussing on some of the main reasons people use their phones while driving; texting, calling, using a sat nav, using social media, and listening to music. They will also be carrying out targeted operational activity providing an increased police presence in each force from 16th March – 29th March 2020. The aim of the campaign…

“It shouldn’t be about whether you are male or female, it should be about whether you can do the job well,” said Cardiff Bus driver Suzanne Dean. The 49-year-old has been behind the wheel of a Cardiff Bus for the past 21 years and said when it comes to driving gender just isn’t an issue. “I can drive a bus better than a man,” she joked.  “It’s become such an important thing for women to be seen in the public eye doing these jobs. That (gender) attitude is stuck in the dark ages,” she said. Ms Dean is one of…