Author: Rhys Gregory

The Football Association of Wales has announced that the Men’s National Team will play an international friendly against Austria on Friday, 27 March 2020. This will be Cymru’s first preparation match of the year ahead of the EURO 2020 finals in June where they will face Switzerland, Turkey and Italy in Group A. Cymru last faced Austria in Cardiff during the 2018 World Cup Qualifying campaign, where Ben Woodburn’s solo strike proved crucial in a 1-0 victory. With Austria also heading to the EURO 2020 finals next summer, both teams will want to start the year on a positive note.…

Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) is now offering newly qualified optometrists mentoring support – UK first for optometry. Previously support for new optometrists has been limited and research suggests this makes them more risk adverse and likely to refer patients unnecessarily to hospital. Recent evidence also suggests increasing numbers of optometrists are leaving their careers within three years of qualifying. HEIW has taken action to make a positive change by introducing a pilot mentorship pilot programme. This service includes an online platform to create a portfolio, peer review and support groups as well as face-to-face and online meetings with…

The Football Association of Wales (FAW) and Clarity Sports, which is part of leading business travel management company Clarity, today announced a new partnership that will see Clarity provide all domestic and international travel for the national team at all levels from age-grade to the senior sides. Clarity Sports, who also work with a number of leading English and Scottish Premiership football teams, as well as top Guinness PRO14 and Gallagher Premiership rugby union clubs, has signed a three-year contract that will see the business provide their best-in-class services at an exciting time for the FAW, with next summer’s men’s…

Redkite Solicitors, one of the largest legal firms in the south-west and Wales, has promoted Llanelli-born Alexia Thomas to Partner and Head of Contentious Probate. The firm’s growth has also resulted in more opportunities for career progression across the business, with Redkite offering an unprecedented six training contracts this year. The firm now employs a total of eight ‘home grown’ trainee solicitors across their office locations. The fast-growing legal firm, which has 12 offices and more than 185 staff, has doubled its turnover to £9 million since 2017. Redkite, which is headquartered in Pembroke and has offices in Brecon, Swansea,…

Fintech disruptor, Sonovate, has provided over £1 billion in funding to businesses, funding contract workers across 39 countries since launch. Created to challenge traditional invoice finance products on offer from the banks, Sonovate has become a backbone of the UK freelance economy, helping companies using contingent workers access the cashflow they need to grow. In 2014, Sonovate provided £1 million in funding to UK businesses. By June 2018 this figure had reached £500 million and the company is now funding over £1 million per day. Starting with a team of 12, Sonovate has grown to a staff of over 100…

This month, Towergate Insurance Brokers Cardiff are celebrating the run up to festivities with activities to raise money towards their chosen charities. The initiative has been organised by Adrian Bonas, Charity Champion at Towergate Cardiff and is encouraging involvement from all within the team to raise money for The Wallich, Save the Children, and The Alzheimer’s Society. A collection point for Cardiff Foodbank has also been set up for donations throughout the period. Much fun will be had as colleagues get involved in festive activities such as a quiz, cake tasting, Secret Santa, pass the parcel, and Christmas cracker pulling…

Creative Industries students from Cardiff and Vale College have decorated the New Theatre with their own work to tie in with its 2019 pantomime – Cinderella. The students were given a live brief to decorate all four floors of the Cardiff theatre. CAVC live briefs involve learners being commissioned to work for external clients, giving them the opportunity to test and validate their skills in a real, not just realistic, environment. Briefs are designed to give students work experience, ensuring that they meets the needs of the job market in their chosen industry when they leave the College. “It was…

Conwy chocolatiers, Baravelli’s, have created a bespoke chocolate Bison, on behalf of Rhug Estate, which will be featured in a Channel 5 programme next year.  Rhug Estate Farm Shop customers now have the opportunity to win the hand-crafted unique milk chocolate figure, worth £1,000 in time for Christmas. Husband and wife team Emma and Mark Baravelli have been hand crafting delicious chocolate for over ten years and have been recognised as crafting something very special with a tally of over 40 prestigious food awards. They have created unique chocolate designs for many high-profile clients. Originally trained in fashion design, Emma’s…

According to the latest NatWest Wales PMI® data, private sector firms indicated a renewed rise in business activity in November, despite a further fall in new order inflows. The decrease in new business quickened and was modest overall. The sustained decline in client demand also led to a strong reduction in workforce numbers and a slump in business confidence midway through the fourth quarter. Meanwhile, price pressures eased to the slowest since June 2016, whilst firms increased their charges at the quickest rate since April. The headline Wales Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the combined…

NAT Group bus drivers across south Wales will be taking part in this Friday’s Christmas Jumper Day to raise money for Save the Children. Passengers are also able to donate on the day or via a Just Giving link.