Author: Rhys Gregory

A young fox trapped in a snare near Fishguard has been rescued and released by RSPCA Cymru. The animal welfare charity was contacted after a member of the public found the fox trapped in a snare on a public footpath in the Gwaun Valley, near Llanychaer, on 6 October. The snare had been set at the base of a tree – which is not compliant with the Welsh Government’s voluntary code of best practice on the use of snares. By law snares must be inspected at least once every day, however the Welsh Government’s Code recommends that snares are inspected…

The introduction of a minimum price for alcohol is unlikely to result in people switching to other substances, a new study has shown. Research, commissioned by Welsh Government, has been carried out by a consortium of experts at the University of South Wales (USW), Glyndwr University in Wrexham, and Figure 8 Consultancy in Dundee, and looked at the likelihood of people switching to other drugs as a result of plans to introduce a 50p minimum unit price for alcohol next March. The research looked at the potential impact on individuals, including their knowledge and understanding of the plan and how…

When the bells fell silent ahead of bride-to-be Helen Hutchins’s big day in a pretty Gwynedd village church engineers from a local fire and security company came to the rescue. Wear and tear and plenty of Welsh rain had caused the steel bell–pull at St Garmon’s Church in Betws Garmon to give up the ghost just a week before Helen was due to be married to fiancé Andrew Hutchins But Sion Greasley and Sion Lewis, of Snowdonia Fire and Security, took a break from fitting sprinkler systems to new houses to hurry round to the church and carry out repairs.…

Cardiff-based Coles Funeral Directors recently claimed two SAIF Golden Charter awards, seeing the company named ‘Funeral Planner of the Year’ in the South Wales region and being nationally recognised as the ‘Family Business of the Year’ at this year’s ceremony. The awards, held on Saturday 21 September at the Royal Lancaster Hotel in London, were hosted by Gyles Brandreth and saw independent funeral directors across the UK come together to celebrate industry-wide successes. Nominated for four awards in total, Coles was up against tough competition including A.B. Walker and Wathall’s and was recognised for its incredible achievements over the past 12 months,…

Wales’ leading heart charity has teamed up with the Football Association of Wales (FAW) to create an instructional video on how to perform CPR and use a defibrillator. In the instructional video Ryan Giggs speaks about the importance of learning CPR and how to use a defibrillator before being joined by international players Will Vaulks and Jonny Williams who demonstrate how to perform effective CPR and use a defibrillator in a bid to teach viewers how they can ‘save a life this season’. Part of Welsh Hearts’ mission is to provide public-access defibrillators in Wales. In order to continue working…

A GP who is behind the launch of a multi-agency community hub helping to transform the lives of homeless and vulnerable people in Wrexham has landed a prestigious award. Dr Karen Sankey founded the Wrexham Community Care Collaborative alongside Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board (BCUHB) mental health manager Dewi Richards and Tanya Jones from homeless charity The Wallich in June 2016. They brought together a host of health and welfare specialists to deliver a new “person-centred” care model to help members of the homeless community in Wrexham in crisis. Among its many achievements has been the launch of the Wrexham Community…

In response to an announcement by Education Minister, Kirsty Williams AM on 22 October about school teachers’ pay award for 2019-20, UCAC education union has warned that the pay rise must not come at the cost of further cuts to school budgets. Dilwyn Roberts-Young, UCAC General Secretary said: “Although we called for an across-the-board pay rise of 5%, UCAC acknowledges that the 2.75% pay award moves us in the direction of restoring the value of teachers’ salaries. “We also welcome the fact that the Education Minister went beyond the Independent Welsh Pay Review Body’s initial recommendation of 2.4%. “The £12.8m…

If your bathroom is not the biggest or you have a tiny ensuite or cloakroom and you are short on space, then choosing a small toilet for your bathroom redesign can be a game changer. When you first hear about these small toilets you may worry that you could end up with a tiny toilet that is difficult to use but this is definitely not the case. Small toilets use a variety of clever design ideas to get you those vital extra centimeters of space without compromising on the comfort or function of the toilet. With similar ones available on…

A new awards programme has launched in Wales and is on the lookout for the region’s most outstanding built projects – across all sectors – that are helping to transform communities and positively impact the lives of residents and visitors. RICS (Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors) – the world’s leading professional standards body for those who work in land, property and construction – is seeking entries for its new Social Impact Awards which celebrate the positive contribution the built environment has on people’s lives for the first time. There are nine category awards – Commercial, Education, Healthcare, Heritage, Infrastructure, Land…

Welsh multisport coach Rhodri Lloyd is among the first selection of finalists announced today (22 October) ahead of the UK Coaching Awards 2019. The showpiece event, which will be held at The Tower Hotel London on the 5 December, celebrates the outstanding work of a diverse network of coaches who promote healthy and active lives, unlock potential and provide a platform for people to thrive. Nominated in the Coach Developer of the Year category, Lloyd has transformed the delivery of strength and conditioning coaching to children through his continuing professional development in this area. Lloyd’s knowledge relating to this topic…