Author: Rhys Gregory

A previously nervous and anxious teenager has “come out of his shell” thanks to support from the Prince’s Trust and training provider The People Business-Wales. [aoa id=”1″] Neil Jones, 18, from Boverton, Llantwit Major, has gone from staying in his bedroom playing computer games all day to becoming a valued apprentice at retailer Peacocks in Barry. The turning point was completing the Prince’s Trust Team Programme (Engagement) at the People Business-Wales. He progressed to a Traineeship Level 1 and within four weeks was offered an Apprenticeship with Peacocks. [/aoa] Now Neil’s learning journey has been recognised as he has been…

Welsh community gardeners took home a haul of top medals at the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) annual Britain in Bloom awards ceremony in Belfast on Friday night (19th October). [aoa id=”1″] Five groups were chosen to fly the flag for the nation following success in the Wales in Bloom competition the previous year; Usk, Fishguard & Goodwick, Wolfscastle, Colwyn Bay and Rhuddlan. A total of 76 groups from across the UK competed in 12 categories with each also vying for a gold, silver gilt, silver or bronze medal. All battled what judges have declared the toughest year on record…

Cardiff and Vale College student Charlotte Ward has been awarded the title Ford Apprentice of the Year for Body Repair and Paint. [aoa id=”1″] The Apprentice of the Year awards is one of the biggest dates in Ford UK’s calendar and is hosted by Skillnet at the Henry Ford Academy in Daventry. Twenty-seven of the top apprentices from around the country went head-to-head to compete in a range of tasks in front of judges. The awards are designed to celebrate the success and achievements of apprentices from a range of disciplines at all levels. The event also celebrates the dealers…

WORK will take place at four schools in Swansea to improve facilities so that infant class sizes are reduced. [aoa id=”1″] Swansea Council has been successful in securing more than £1.5m from the Welsh Government to pay for the improvements which will take place next year. Work will take place at Hendrefoilan, Penyrheol and Sea View Primary schools, and YGG Bryniago in Pontarddulais to boost early years provision under the scheme. It is being done as part of Swansea Council’s Quality in Education programme which is jointly funded by the Welsh Government. [/aoa] Cllr Jennifer Raynor, Swansea Council’s Cabinet Member…

Cardiff anti-piracy experts are set to recover over £80 million for businesses targeted by cyber criminals worldwide by the end of 2018, figures reveal. [aoa id=”1″] The team from CJCH Consulting will see the amount they have recovered for potential victims of online crime since 2015 soar by December. So far this year, the specialist consulting team has already recovered around £12.2 million for businesses worldwide, with figures up 15% on the same period last year, figures showed. Over the past year the firm, which specialises in sophisticated data analysis, anti-piracy research, customised compliance and enforcement, and business intelligence, has…

University of Wales Trinity Saint David has celebrated the launch of Catalyst, a new EU-funded cross-border project to help Welsh and Irish businesses to create new products and jobs. [aoa id=”1″] The launch event took place at Unit Nineteen in Swansea and provided an opportunity for businesses to network and explore support opportunities with project staff. Guests included Patrick Lilly from the Ireland Wales programme; Michael Moroney from Tipperary County Council; Michael Begley from Tipperary Local Enterprise Office; Brian Ogilvie and Silvia Guglielmini from Carlow Institute of Technology; Gabrielle Carrol and Helen Ryan from Carlow County Council; Carl Nichols and…

Homes developer Lovell and housing, support and care provider Hafod have joined forces to help students at Heronsbridge School in Bridgend launch a new social enterprise business growing and selling vegetables, herbs and flowers. [aoa id=”1″] The organisations have presented students at the special school, which caters for a wide range of learning needs, with a brand-new polytunnel. The wheelchair-accessible facility provides 16- to 19-year-old students with extensive growing space for cultivating fresh produce, enabling them to develop their horticultural and life skills. It is the latest initiative launched by Heronsbridge to prepare students for living independently, following on from…

Flying Tiger Copenhagen stores across Wales and Bristol will show their support for Autism Hour, by dedicating an hour to a quieter shopping experience. At 9am each Saturday for the following month, the Danish design stores will provide a positive in-store experience for people with autism. Each of the 8 stores in the region will turn down the music, reduce the bright lighting and share information with store staff and members of the public to help raise awareness about autism. Helen Corsi-Cadmore, Director at Flying Tiger Copenhagen said: “We’re proud to support this initiative to help provide a more autism-friendly…

The winners have been announced for the second Cardiff International Film Festival at a gala dinner which took place on Sunday evening (October 21st) at the Exchange Hotel in Cardiff Bay, compered by acclaimed broadcaster Lucy Owen. The highlights of the ceremony were the lifetime achievement award for Dame Sian Phillips and the naming of American science fiction writer and director Marc Zicree as the first recipient of a Golden Dragon award for excellence in cinema and the arts. Commenting on her accolade, Dame Sian Phillips said: “I do feel very honoured by this award. I want to thank the…

125 gully grids have been stolen in the city since the middle of July. [aoa id=”1″] The thefts have taken place in Llanedeyrn; Whitchurch; Ely; Pentrebane; Pentwyn; Fairwater and most recently in Radyr and Rhiwbina. The cost to the taxpayer to make safe and replace the grids has now reached in the region of £43,000. The grids that have been stolen are being replaced with new frames and the grids cannot be lifted out. The public is being asked to be on the lookout in their communities and report any suspicious behaviour to 101, giving a description of the people…