Author: Rhys Gregory

SOUTH Wales Chamber of Commerce has announced the shortlisted businesses for their annual Welsh Business Awards. Celebrating Welsh business success for 17 years, the awards are amongst the most highly sought after in Wales. As a result, an incredible amount of entries has been received this year from businesses across Wales from all sizes and all sectors. 41 impressive companies have been shortlisted across 10 categories, each of whom demonstrate why doing business in Wales is great for growth and sales. Leading the pack with three nominations are Apollo Teaching Services from Bridgend, who work closely with teachers and schools…

A COLEG CAMBRIA tutor who won an award for supporting victims of childhood abuse and domestic violence has dedicated it to her students. Pam Mclean runs an essential skills course with a charity, helping women from all across North Wales to overcome barriers through learning, and says she’s constantly inspired by their stories of survival. The Inspire! Tutor Awards celebrate the achievements of exceptional tutors and mentors in Wales who have shown outstanding passion and commitment to encourage, support and teach other adult learners to pursue their goals and transform their lives, whether it’s in their community or the workplace.…

Level 3 Art and Design and Level 3 Fashion students from Cardiff and Vale College have created an interpretive display at Dyffryn House in the Vale of Glamorgan, after being commissioned by the National Trust. The display is in the bedroom of the house’s last resident, Florence Cory, the daughter of John and Anna Cory who built Dyffryn and lived in it from 1891-1936. Art and Design students produced design ideas inspired by the house and its famous Grade 1 listed gardens, which were then digitally printed in repeat patters onto fabric that Fashion learners then used to create Edwardian…

The family of a man who died in a collision on the A465 earlier this week (Wednesday, January 23) have paid tribute to a loving husband and a proud father. Peter Stradling, 52, died following the incident between Aberdulais and Resolven, in which the black Jeep Compass he was driving was in collision with a Scania heavy goods vehicle. In a statement, his family said: “Peter Stradling, aged 52 and from Porthcawl, tragically died on the A465 on 23 January 2019. Peter was a hardworking, loving husband and proud father to three beautiful children. Peter’s sense of humour and dedication…

A pioneering care organisation has invested £250.000 in building a state-of-the art dementia wing, creating up to 10 new jobs. Blaenau Gwent MP Nick Smith officially opened Tŷ’r Brenin at Plasgeller Care Home in Brynmawr, toasting the completion of an extensive redesign project which has been praised by industry champions Care Forum Wales. The new facility will offer pioneering, person-centred care to transform the lives of eight residents living with dementia. This latest investment by Care Inn Ltd, who manage 13 homes across South Wales comes on the heels of a £5 million transformation of the 60-bedroom Anwen Care Home…

Healthy people’s poo could prove to be the secret weapon in tackling the twin epidemics of obesity and diabetes. A research trial in Swansea will see microscopic organisms harvested from the faeces of healthy volunteers and transplanted into the bowels of people with Type 2 diabetes who are also obese. This has the potential to be a global game-changer by leading to weight loss and even to some people being able to stop taking diabetes medication – saving the UK billions of pounds in healthcare costs. The research is being led by Professor Dean Harris, Singleton Hospital consultant colorectal surgeon;…

The people of Wales are being invited to share stories, memories and photographs of the Critically Endangered Angelshark at international conservation charity ZSL’s (Zoological Society of London) and NRW’s (Natural Resources Wales) – first-ever ‘Angelshark History Roadshow’. [aoa id=”1″] Travelling across Wales, the unique roadshow will not only highlight the importance of the charismatic Angelshark – but also seek information from local communities, to better understand the species. The knowledge will be used by ZSL and NRW scientists to identify important Angelshark habitats and investigate how their numbers might have changed over time. Angelsharks (Squatina squatina) are ‘flat sharks’ that…

Macmillan Wales has warned that cancer treatment waiting times continue to be missed, after 132 people were left facing delays during November 2018. The latest figures, published yesterday (24 January), reveal that targets for both urgent and non-urgent cancer treatment routes were missed. Richard Pugh, Head of Services for Macmillan Cancer Support in Wales said: “These figures provide further evidence that the pressure on cancer services is truly beginning to bite. “During the 12 months to November 2018, 7,920 patients newly diagnosed with cancer via the urgent suspected cancer route started treatment – an increase of 33.9 per cent, or…

USW is one of the first universities in the UK to have specially-developed materials accredited under the National Cyber Security Centre’s (NCSC) CyberFirst banner. The initiative is led by the NCSC and includes courses, bursaries and competitions designed to inspire students to consider cyber security as a career. Aimed at those aged 11 to 17, CyberFirst courses provide young people with an opportunity to try out a variety of cyber-related challenges. Events are run across the country to give young people an insight into the cyber world and to learn more about working in the sector. USW piloted a CyberFirst…

A county lines drugs dealer who forced a London teenager to travel to Swansea to settle his brother’s drugs debt is today starting an eight-year jail term after admitting child trafficking. Twenty-year-old Jerome Wallis pleaded guilty at Swansea Crown Court in December to arranging or facilitating the travel of a child with a view to exploit. The conviction, under the Modern Slavery Act, is the first of its kind in Wales and only the second in the UK. Wallis – who has a string of previous convictions, including one for child rape – also admitted to conspiring to supply both…