Author: Rhys Gregory

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford today announced Wales has secured more than €100m to support major research and development projects from a flagship EU fund. [aoa id=”1″] Horizon 2020 is the EU’s largest ever research and innovation programme, supporting cutting-edge science and technology and international collaboration to deliver solutions to key challenges facing society. Since the launch of the highly-competitive programme, Welsh businesses and universities have been involved in more than 2,800 international collaborations. These have delivered significant economic benefits for Wales and have helped to put Welsh universities at the forefront of research. [/aoa] Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said: “Today…

Businesses from across Wales are encouraged to enter the prestigious Welsh Business Awards 2018 ahead of the forthcoming deadline. With less than a month to submit their entries for the awards, entrants are now urged to enter the awards, before the deadline on Friday 7 December. The Welsh Business Awards by the South Wales Chamber of Commerce aim to celebrate innovative and successful businesses across Wales. Over the years, the awards have increased in popularity and cemented their place in the Welsh business calendar. Heather Myers, CEO of South and Mid Wales Chambers of Commerce, said: “Being recognised by these…

BAFTA Award-winning television star and writer Ruth Jones is making her highly anticipated return to the stage in The Nightingales at Cardiff’s New Theatre next week from 19 – 24 November. The production, directed by RSC Associate Artist Christopher Luscombe and written by William Gaminara is a thought-provoking, bittersweet play which follows the lives of a small community acapella group in their weekly singing practice, and the impact of new arrival, Maggie. Ruth Jones (Maggie) is best known for playing Nessa in the BBC’s multi award winning Gavin and Stacey which she co-wrote and created with James Corden. She also…

New figures released today by TV Licensing show that after more than 50 years of colour transmissions, more than 300 black and white TV Licences are still in force across Wales, although numbers are steadily declining.   [aoa id=”1″] Despite an increase in the use of smart televisions, as well as tablets and smart-phones to access TV content, a surprising number of Welsh households are spurning 21st Century technology in favour of nostalgic monochrome TV sets.   According to this year’s figures, Cardiff leads the way with 43 black and white licences, followed by Carmarthenshire with 28 monochrome licences and Monmouthshire…

In response to today’s statement by the Cabinet Secretary for Education, UCAC education union has said that professional learning for the education workforce is critical to the success of the reforms to the curriculum and the Additional Learning Needs system. Dilwyn Roberts-Young, UCAC General Secretary said: “The scale of change to our education system over the next few years is mind-boggling. To imagine that such change can be achieved without a very substantial investment in professional learning would be foolish in the extreme. “UCAC is pleased therefore that the Cabinet Secretary has announced specific funding to support the scale of…

Flu can kill or leave you seriously ill and you are particularly at risk if you have a long-term health condition. That is the stark warning from a pharmacist as those with diabetes, asthma, heart disease and other chronic illnesses are urged to get the vaccine. Pharmacist Alwyn Fortune of Sheppards in Kenfig Hill, near Bridgend, said: “Flu can kill. Flu can lead to chest infections and pneumonia. “So if patients have been vaccinated against the flu, when they are exposed to the virus the antibodies are already there to be able to fight it off so they either won’t…

A NEW time-lapse video has been released showing how Transport for Wales Rail Services is transforming the appearance of trains in its current fleet using a pioneering process focused on sustainability. The sustainable wraps have already started covering trains after Transport for Wales Rail Services partnered with science-based technology firms 3M and Aura Graphics. The fully bilingual wraps are digitally printed in Transport for Wales’ silver and red colours with additional anti-graffiti laminate and are already generating excitement with rail passengers. Having taken over the Wales and Borders rail service in October, Transport for Wales Rail Services is embarking on…

A pension specialist, which has its headquarters in Cardiff, has presented two Bristol University students with the Quantum Advisory Prize 2018.

Public Health Wales is reminding people with long term health conditions to protect themselves from flu this year. [aoa id=”1″] Having some health conditions puts people at more risk of complications if they catch flu, including pneumonia. Conditions that put people more at risk include diabetes, heart, liver and kidney disease, stroke, mini stroke, and respiratory problems. People with chronic chest conditions like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and moderate to severe asthma, for example, are around seven times more likely to die from flu than people without a health condition. People whose spleen doesn’t work properly, adults who are…

The latest NatWest PMI® data signalled a slower expansion of Welsh private sector business activity in October. As well as a fall in the headline Index, there were softer increases in new business and employment. Despite the slowdown, optimism towards the one-year outlook improved to a three-month high and was above the UK average. Meanwhile, cost burdens increased at the weakest rate since July 2016. The headline Wales Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the combined output of the manufacturing and service sectors – registered 53.6 in October, down from 55.6 in September, pointing to a…