Author: Rhys Gregory

“It’s important we do what we can to protect children against infections and illnesses like flu, because as we all know, children are very good at spreading germs.” Those are the words of Meilyr Sion, author of Welsh children’s books and actor in Holby City, Pobl y Cwm and The Lion King stage show, and father to Daniel, aged 9, and Daisy, aged 6. [aoa id=”1″] Meilyr is lending his support to Beat Flu this year as he wants to do everything he can to protect his children from catching or spreading flu, and he also wants to encourage other…

Vodafone is inviting innovative Welsh businesses to apply for its new UK social innovation fund. [aoa id=”1″] Vodafone Techstarter supports start-ups and early-stage ventures developing innovative technology solutions with social purpose. It aims to uncover and develop ideas that can harness the power of technology, connectivity and innovation to improve health, education, environmental protection or social mobility. Vodafone Techstarter has been developed in partnership with the Vodafone Foundation, Vodafone’s charitable arm, and Social Tech Trust, the UK’s leading dedicated supporter of socially motivated tech ventures. [/aoa] In addition to financial awards, winners will benefit from access to industry and technology…

Leading Welsh business advisory firm Greenaway Scott has launched a new Bristol office as it sets sights on expanding its award-winning offering into the South West. [aoa id=”1″] The firm, which is part of the GS Verde Group, has added a new office in the city’s Temple Quay development. The Bristol office will add to the existing regional offices in Cardiff and Swansea and its satellite presence in Oxford and London. The newly launched regional office will be headed up by Associate Director Lorna Bolton who will oversee both staff and clients. [/aoa] Miss Bolton joined Greenaway Scott in 2016…

More than 300 PR professionals gathered at Cardiff’s City Hall on Friday (12th October) for the 2018 CIPR Cymru Wales PRide Awards – the nation’s annual public relations showpiece.  [aoa id=”1″]Creative communications agency jamjar bagged a hat-trick of Gold Awards with wins in the Healthcare Campaign, Low Budget Campaign and Best Use of Digital categories. Equinox and BrandContent picked up two Gold Awards each, with the latter named Outstanding Small Public Relations Consultancy.Homeless charity, The Wallich, struck gold in the Not-for-Profit category for a campaign supporting homeless and vulnerable people across Wales. Judges praised the charity for its “clever use…

A former Cardiff clothes shop has been transformed into a cinema, club and events space for the duration of this year’s Iris Prize LGBT+ Film Festival, the capital’s annual six-day celebration of LGBT+ stories and filmmaking. [aoa id=”1″]The former H&M shop, situated upstairs in the Capitol Shopping Centre, has been vacant for some time, but the festival will bring it back to life with a series of events, including film screenings, workshops and drinks receptions. The main part of the Festival takes place in Cineworld, Mary Ann Street and anyone with an full festival pass, day pass or – from…

Students from Grŵp Llandrillo Menai’s colleges have put their seafood dishes to the test at a special Seafood Week event hosted by Coleg Llandrillo, with young chef, Jack Airey, scooping first prize. Spearheaded by Seafish, the public body that supports the £10bn UK seafood industry, the annual, inter-college, ‘Seafood Chef of the Year’ competition was followed by a special seafood dinner last week (10 October 2018). [aoa id=”1″]Jack Airey, a work-based student currently working at popular restaurant Dylan’s in Llandudno came first place with his starter of plaice paupiette, sun blushed tomatoes, buttered leeks, fried oyster and sauce Choron followed by a…

A Wales-based mum of three has taken the war on plastic into her own hands after launching one of the UK’s first ever sustainable party supply businesses. [aoa id=”1″] Laura Lowe launched ‘Make It Pop’ after a party held at her Vale of Glamorgan home for around 100 guests left her ‘freaking out’ at the amount of waste involved. Disturbed at the level of landfill left over, Laura set about sourcing her own range of melamine tableware, decorations, plastic-free party bags and other eco-friendly alternatives which are now available to hire or buy online, UK-wide. [/aoa] Laura, 34, said: “Like…

Following a gruelling 510-mile charity bike ride Prestatyn business man Richard Addison has raised £50,000 for the Dreams Come True charity – doubling an initial target of £25,000. [aoa id=”1″] In June, Richard, a Rhyl Cash Converters UK franchisee owner, braved a notoriously tough cycle route from Mizen Head to Malin Head in Ireland to raise money for the good cause. He was joined by fellow Cash Converters UK franchisees and cycling enthusiasts, Carl Murray and Paul Graham. [/aoa] To support the cycling team in their fund-raising efforts, Cash Converters UK stores from around the country ran a raffle, selling…

David Thomas, 49, has learnt Welsh to support his bilingual business in Talog, north west Carmarthenshire. [aoa id=”1″] Originally from Cardiff, David lived in London for almost 30 years before returning to Wales with his husband, Anthony, to run Jin Talog gin distillery. David didn’t have an opportunity to learn Welsh at school, but enjoyed Welsh language ‘taster’ sessions in London and a few online courses, and upon his return to Wales, was determined to pick up the language. [/aoa] David enrolled on a Welsh course with Learn Welsh Carmarthenshire, run by Carmarthenshire County Council on behalf of the National…

This year’s Royal Welsh Winter Fair, taking place on 26 and 27 November 2018 at the showground in Llanelwedd, will host a unique ‘Start-up Farmers Market’ for 10 newly established food and drink businesses. Being made possible due to a partnership between the Royal Welsh Agricultural Society and the Agora project, the initiative aims to give these small businesses the opportunity to build confidence and key retail skills through a programme of training and support. [aoa id=”1″]The 10 businesses selected to take part in the new Start-up Farmers Market at this year’s Winter Fair consist of enterprising individuals who have…