Author: Rhys Gregory

Learners from Coleg Cambria’s Catering and Hospitality courses prepared, cooked and served food for diners at Machine House restaurant in Rossett, Wrexham. [aoa id=”1″] The popular venue – named Best Restaurant in Wales at the AA Hospitality Awards last year – works closely with the college and invited the youngsters to test out their own recipes on customers, as well as staff and chef owner, Kevin Lynn. The event came after Cambria launched a new food academy with top chef Bryn Williams, giving students the opportunity to work and train in his celebrated restaurants, where they will gain invaluable experience…

A parasitologist at Aberystwyth University is one of a worldwide team of researchers that has used a gene-editing tool to limit the impact of schistosomiasis, an illness that affects more than a quarter of a billion people in Southeast Asia, sub-Saharan Africa, and Latin America. Professor Karl Hoffmann from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) has been working with researchers at the George Washington University (GW) and colleagues at institutes in Thailand, Australia, the UK, the Netherlands, and others. For the first time CRISPR/Cas9 has been successfully used to limit the impact of parasitic worms responsible for…

The Met Office has issued a yellow weather warning for the UK, including parts of Wales. Between 22:00 Wednesday 16th and 11:00 Thursday 17th January 2019 Icy patches are expected to develop later Wednesday evening or overnight over southern Scotland and Northern Ireland and during the early hours of Thursday over England and and Wales. There will also be some wintry showers about, mainly over hills and mountains, but also to some lower levels at times, most likely in parts of Scotland and northern, eastern and central England. With the exception of high ground, most places will not see any…

As the 50p turns 50 this year, the Royal Mint is celebrating this milestone moment for one of our best-loved and most collectable coins with the re-introduction of the 50p ‘New Pence’ design which hasn’t been seen on a UK circulating coin since 1982. The first 50p was officially introduced in October 1969 to replace the ten-shilling note, and featured a revolutionary, but at the time controversial seven-sided design. This very design, a depiction of Britannia by Christopher Ironside, was the first design to appear on the new 50p. For the first time, this strike your own coin available from…

A popular apprentice with ABMU Health Board who goes over and above the call of duty is in the running for a national award. Nia Isaac joined ABMU in late 2017 as a speech and language therapy and dietetic assistant apprentice within the Neath Port Talbot Community Resource Team (CRT) based in Cimla Hospital. It was the first time this role had been offered – and Nia has seized it with both hands. Now her outstanding work has been recognised, with Nia in the final of the Unsung Hero Awards, the only national awards for non-medical NHS staff and volunteers…

The post-Christmas pinch is made worse for motorists in South Wales, as new data reveals the cost of car insurance in the region has increased over the past three months. The cost of car insurance in South Wales increased by +1% – equivalent to +£10 in three months, with motorists in the region now paying £704, on average. That’s according to the most comprehensive car insurance price index in the UK based on more than six million quotes a quarter from Confused.com and powered by Willis Towers Watson. While this increase may seem small, prices appear to be accelerating at…

With support from the Paper Cup Recycling and Recovery Group (PCRRG), dedicated cup bins have been introduced across Llandaff campus to encourage tea and coffee-lovers to recycle as they move around the University. All used cups will be collected, processed and transformed into new products by Simply Cups, a specialist UK-based recycling company. Single-use cups are difficult to recycle because of their plastic inner lining. In the UK, it is estimated that 2.5 billion single-use cups are thrown away each year, with the vast majority – around 99.75% – not recycled. The campaign is the latest development in Cardiff Metropolitan…

Barry-based LIGNIA® Wood Company, the modified timber manufacturer, has signed a distribution agreement with one of the UK’s leading timber distributors – Timber Connection. [aoa id=”1″] The exclusive five-year agreement will see Timber Connection distributing LIGNIA’s products across the UK and the Republic of Ireland from its 150,000 ft² base in Kirkby, near Liverpool. LIGNIA is a natural, modified timber which matches, and in some cases exceeds hardwoods such as European oak and Ipe in performance. The company’s manufacturing process involves taking sustainably-sourced, FSC softwood and modifying it into high performance timber. It is also enhanced to include greater durability,…

Local businesses have helped to raise funds to provide clothing and blankets to the Merthyr Tydfil Night Shelter during a 12-hour cyclothon. Sarah Draper (pictured), who owns Inspire Fitness at Incline Top, organised the fundraiser, cycling the full 12-hours. The event was supported by gym members as well as the Aberdare-based groundworks and civil engineering supplier, Scott Parnell. Covering a distance of 170 miles – equivalent to cycling from Merthyr Tydfil to London – the group burnt over 4,000 calories in total and raised £1,075, more than double its original target of £500. The money will be used to provide…

Ladywell House in Newtown is set to be transformed into a modern, flexible workspace for new and expanding businesses thanks to investment from the Welsh Government and Powys County Council. Hannah Blythyn, Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister said: “The project will modernise the building in the centre of Newtown, creating 2,500 square metres of flexible office space for smaller businesses to establish and grow in the centre of the town. “We know there is a need for more good quality office space for businesses, and this investment aims to attract growing businesses and high value jobs to Newtown. “The…