Author: Rhys Gregory

Welsh housebuilder Waterstone Homes has secured a seven-figure funding package from Wales’ leading building society, Principality, in support of its latest housing projects and ambitious growth plans.  The Bridgend-based property developer, part of the Jehu Group of Companies, has received £3.35m worth of funding from Principality Commercial to assist with the construction of its new Usk Field development in Llanishen, North Cardiff. Already taking reservations off plan, the new residential development will consist of 20 luxury family homes, with three, four and five-bedrooms priced between £500,000 to £730,000, plus five affordable houses. Waterstone Homes was able to secure the loan…

A PARTNERSHIP between Coleg Llysfasi and LEAF Education highlighted innovation and technology in agriculture as part of a groundbreaking schools competition. The inaugural Innovation School of the Year in Food, Farming and Environment competition was organised by Llysfasi and LEAF Education (Linking Environment and Farming) at the college’s Denbighshire campus. The initiative brought together 14-16 year-old students and their teachers from across the UK to take part in a final prize weekend, which included a range of educational activities centred around farming, food production and the environment. The overall winner was Reddish Vale High School, Stockport, whose students enjoyed getting…

Conwy’s iconic castle has undergone the first stage of an historic twinning link with the ancient Himeji Castle in Japan which featured in the James Bond movie, You Only Live Twice. The mayors of the two communities have signed an agreement in the form of an illuminated manuscript as part of an initiative which is thought to be the first of its kind in the UK. The Mayor of Himeji, Toshikatsu Iwami, and Conwy Mayor Samantha Cotton pledged to strengthen cultural and educational ties and promote tourism focused around the two UNESCO World Heritage Sites. They put their signatures side…

Films from the past and the history of rural cinema will be the focus for an evening at Ceredigion Museum on Saturday 14 July 2018. Doors open at 7pm. Radio and TV presenter Francine Stock will be choosing four of her favourite film to talk about, from the 40s, 50s, 60s and 70s. Joining her on the stage of the former Coliseum Cinema will be historian Jamie Terrill. Jamie is studying the history of rural Welsh cinemas as part of a PhD at the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies at Aberystwyth University. Jamie has been tracing the early…

Life insurance provider, Prudential, has found that half of us are planning to continue working after reaching retirement age.

The South Wales Chamber of Commerce is running a petition calling on the Welsh Government to press ahead with the construction of the M4 Relief Road around Newport. The petition is published on the Assembly’s website and is a chance for people across South Wales to stand up and show their support for this vital piece of infrastructure being built. The petition is open for everyone to sign and will be considered by Assembly members if enough people sign it. https://www.assembly.wales/en/gethome/e-petitions/Pages/petitiondetail.aspx?PetitionID=1320 Harri Lloyd-Davies, President of the South Wales Chamber of Commerce said: “The need for a new motorway around Newport…

Despite uncertainty surrounding the terms of Brexit, small British businesses are increasingly optimistic about international trade – especially with Europe. In fact, the majority expect to increase overseas sales in the next year, according to data released today by international payments company, OFX. OFX’s annual survey of 500 small business owners and senior managers found that 62% feel confident about doing business outside the UK. In addition, the majority of small businesses (46%) said that Brexit-related uncertainty around the UK’s future trade deals and customs arrangements had no effect on their appetite for international trade, with only 15% reporting that…

Swansea College of Art’s Surface Pattern Design team is delighted to announce that their Swansea Street Wrap collaboration with the Station2Sea project, the team at Volcano Theatre and Swansea Council is complete! The art students have been busy designing pattern-charged interventions for the city, and the winning designs, as voted for by the public, have revamped High Street’s previously unloved utility boxes. Passers-by might have noticed these popping-up on Swansea’s High Street recently. The 3rd and 4th year students on the Surface Pattern degree programme have been inspired by Swansea College of Art Professor of Practice Mark Eley, who is…

Wales’ biggest theme park, Oakwood, has launched a Wales-wide campaign to find three young theme-park-lovers to become its very own ‘Directors of Fun.’ [aoa id=”1″] The Pembrokeshire-based attraction, which first opened its doors thirty years ago, is looking to appoint three young people under the age of 16 to take on the role and help park owners ensure the attraction is working hard to offer the best possible experience to young visitors. The lucky three will get the chance to spend time with senior executives at Oakwood to share their thoughts and ideas on what they love about the park…

Kidney Wales has launched its inaugural awards, celebrating the shining lights of organ donation and those who have contributed to the treatment of kidney disease across Wales. The main award of the night, the Kidney Wales Organ Donation Award, was given posthumously to Teddy Houlston, who in 2014 lived for 100 minutes and became the UK’s youngest ever organ donor. His parents were at the event in Swansea University to collect the Award on his behalf. There was also an award for Mark Drakeford AM who as Special Adviser to Ministers, Health Committee Chair when an Assembly Member, and then…