Author: Rhys Gregory

A family-run accountancy firm is set to become more established in the Llandudno area thanks to the relocation of its offices. A lack of parking, long traffic delays and inadequate space, meant JT Thomas & Co, Chartered Accountants and Business Advisers, were struggling to offer the required level of accessibility to its current and potential client base in the centre of Llandudno. Now the family firm, that has been handling accounts and tax planning matters for business owners, entrepreneurs and individuals in the Conwy and Gwynedd area for over 35 years, are set to employ more staff as a result of their move…

New figures demonstrating the positive impact of badger culling on bovine TB levels in the High Risk Area of England have prompted the Farmers’ Union of Wales to call for a previous Welsh Government plan to cull badgers to tackle disease to be reinstated.   [aoa id=”1″] This follows the recent publication of data by Defra which demonstrates that the completion of the 4 year badger culls in both Somerset and Gloucestershire have reduced the number of new TB outbreaks by around half. The English badger cull programme forms part of the strategy for achieving Officially Bovine TB Free Status…

Entries are officially open for the third Wales HR Awards, to be held on 22 March 2019 at the Exchange Hotel in Cardiff and hosted by the BBC’s Sian Lloyd. Created by leading specialist recruiter Acorn and commercial law firm Darwin Gray, the Wales HR Awards is the annual flagship event of the Wales HR Network; the country’s leading networking platform for human resources professionals to meet and share best practice about topical industry issues. The awards have become a diary marker for Welsh businesses over recent years, recognising and celebrating the hard work and commitment carried out by in-house…

Monmouthshire has been recognised as Wales’ most vibrant local economy in a report published by Grant Thornton UK LLP which measures the vibrancy of the 22 Welsh local authority areas. [aoa id=”1″] The findings, based on six broad social and economic objectives, known as ‘baskets’ for sustainable, inclusive growth1, paint a picture of the economic landscape across Wales highlighting a range of factors including prosperity, health and community. Wales’ most vibrant places, as depicted within the report, the Grant Thornton Vibrant Economy Index, demonstrate a good balance between economic growth, social equality, sustainability and healthy, happy people. [/aoa] Vibrancy is…

Pupils from south Wales are learning about cyber security on a one-day course designed by UK government security experts. [aoa id=”1″] The hands-on activities at Cardiff University’s School of Computer Science and Informatics aim to inspire a new generation of cyber security professionals. The 11 to 14-year-olds will learn about code cracking, web app development and digital forensics. The CyberFirst Adventurers course, which takes place on Saturday 22 September, was put together by GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC). [/aoa] It is being run solely by Cardiff University computer science academics and students for the first time and is partially…

Health Secretary, Vaughan Gething, has an announced a £4m investment as part of measures to transform eye care services across Wales. [aoa id=”1″]Speaking at the All Wales National Eye Care Conference in Cardiff on Monday (17 September) Mr Gething said the money will transform services to ensure patients are diagnosed and treated more quickly. Decisions about exactly how the £4m will be allocated will be taken by the Welsh Government following advice from an independent panel and could potentially include the expansion of existing community based treatment centres, additional training for medical staff to treat a greater range of patients…

A man from Camrose, West Wales has cycled 953 miles to Spain, to raise vital funds and awareness of Type 1 diabetes for Diabetes UK Cymru. [aoa id=”1″] Scott Goddard, 35, was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes when he was 18. He took on the 16 day trip with his brother, Grant, and friend Raymond McGarty. The trio spent three days cycling from Camrose to Pool and then biked down the west coast of France before arriving at their final destination, San Sebastian, on August 26. [/aoa] Scott said: “The ride was a phenomenal experience. We cycled 70 miles every…

A WREXHAM copier firm has been blessed with a new contract at Chester Cathedral. [aoa id=”1″] The rapidly expanding Rawson Digital, based on Wrexham Industrial Estate, has struck up the new partnership with the historic attraction to supply four new Xerox devices which will be responsible for producing all the printed material for important religious worship and other special events. The machines will service the entire printing needs of the cathedral which serves as an architectural treasure, a place of worship, a cultural hub and centre of musical excellence for the Chester community and visitors from all over the world.…

The Wales Sport Awards is back and at midday today (Tuesday 18 September 2018), nominations open to find the community sport stars of the country. [aoa id=”1″] As well as celebrating the very best of elite sport in Wales, the awards are looking for organisations, individuals and sporting experiences that are gripping the nation at a grassroots level. The categories for nomination are: Volunteer of the Year Community Coach of the Year Inspiring Young Person Getting Wales Active (new award) Organisation of the Year BBC Get Inspired Unsung Hero [/aoa] The Wales Sport Awards, hosted jointly by Sport Wales and…

Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns MP will give the keynote speech at a special focus event at Aberystwyth University on 18 September 2018, convened to explore establishing a pioneering new UK innovation and research facility in Mid Wales. [aoa id=”1″] The National Spectrum Centre will research, develop and test the next generation of spectrum-dependent systems and applications needed by the UK, whilst creating new high value jobs for Wales. The aim of this new facility for the UK is to create an ecosystem between government, industry and academia to train the next generation of engineers. [/aoa] It will identify, develop and…