Author: Rhys Gregory

A new report published by Keep Wales Tidy has revealed the prevalence of smoking-related litter and the far-reaching impacts on our health, wildlife and environment. During recent street cleanliness surveys, smoking-related litter was found on 80.3% of our streets, making it the most common type of litter in Wales. They are also the most counted item on beaches in Europe. Across the UK, it is estimated that 122 tonnes of smoking-related litter are dropped every day. This is predominantly in the form of cigarette ends which are difficult and time-consuming to clean up – costing the taxpayer millions of pounds…

The Welsh Government has announced £2.3m of funding to launch Welsh Data Science Graduate Programme. The new Welsh Data Science Graduate Programme will offer graduates paid placements with global employers, a fully funded MSc and expert learning from academic partner Office for National Statistics. A number of leading businesses in the Welsh finance sector have already partnered with the programme, including: Admiral, Atradius, Centrica, Hodge Bank, LexisNexis Risk Solutions, Optimum Credit, Principality Building Society and MotoNovo Finance. This October, 25 STEM graduates will start the programme, part funded by the European Social Fund, and developed by the Welsh Contact Centre…

Tennis players from Wales will be contenders in the Junior Wimbledon Championships Doubles competitions held at the All England Lawn Tennis Club, 10th July – 15th July. In the boys event 17-year-old James Story from Cardiff, South Wales, will partner Harry Wendelken from England. In the girls event 16-year-old Morgan Cross from Mold, North Wales, will unite with Amelia Bissett also from England.  The tournament will see the best juniors across the world compete to place their names in junior Grand Slam history. Team Wales Manager, Chris Lewis, said: “James and Morgan are two of Wales’ leading junior players and…

The Hoppa Harlech summer shuttle bus service which will run every 30 minutes to take people from the beach, holiday parks and train station up into Harlech town centre has been welcomed as “great news for the town”. The pilot service, which will run from July 21 to September 2, may be accompanied by a voucher scheme offering bus passengers discounts in local shops. Harlech Castle is offering to refund the cost of the bus journey if passengers visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Hoppa Harlech service will be closely monitored by Arloesi Gwynedd Wledig to gauge how many…

NatWest CEO Ross McEwan has hailed the importance of the International Convention Centre Wales (ICC Wales) to the region’s economy describing it as a venue that can attract business events from across the globe Ross made the comments whilst on a visit to Newport earlier this week where he saw the progress being made at the Celtic Manor Resort development, which is scheduled to open in July 2019. He was accompanied on the tour by Simon Gibson, CEO of Wesley Glover, and ICC Wales vice presidents Mark Colcomb and Russell Phillips. NatWest Cymru has provided a £51.5m loan facility to…

The Farmers’ Union of Wales has called on the UK and Welsh Governments to take action to reduce the impact of the dry weather on farms and livestock. Across Wales farms are experiencing major problems due to the dry weather, and the Welsh Government has already given the go ahead for a number of derogations to help reduce the pressure. In letters to Welsh Rural Affairs Cabinet Secretary Lesley Griffiths and UK Environment Secretary Michael Gove the union asks for the ministers to work with their counterparts across the UK to minimise current and looming problems. An urgent meeting between…

A Cwmbran accountancy firm has been shortlisted for two National Awards for performance and service. Green & Co Accountants and Tax Advisors have beaten firms across all of the UK to be shortlisted for Medium Practice of the Year and Client Service Firm of the Year at the Accounting Excellence Awards. This news comes fresh off the firm’s win at the 2017 British Accountancy Awards for the Independent Firm of the Year. Speaking of being shortlisted, Nick Park, Partner, said: “‘Everyone at Green & Co is both delighted and honoured to be shortlisted for two categories, particularly as we celebrate…

Could the Montgomery Canal be restored all the way to Newtown to celebrate the 750th anniversary of the granting of the town’s Royal Charter in 2029? That was the intriguing question posed at the annual Montgomery Canal Forum this week by John Dodwell, Montgomery Canal Partnership chairman. A member of the audience asked if it was realistic, due to the cost of replacing bridges and other road works, to reopen the canal from Berriew to Newtown. Mr Dodwell said the canal restoration to Newtown was desirable and feasible but whether it was achievable would depend on raising the necessary funding.…

St Tydfil Shopping Centre is delighted to announce that Merthyr Tydfil Swimming Club, Cerys Driscoll Music Tuition and Tag Community Youth Centre have been chosen as the latest finalists in its St Tydfil Cares Community Fund giveaway. Groups that are arranging activities for children during the school summer holiday were invited to apply for £200 to spend at Wilko in the shopping centre. All applications were whittled down to just three and it’s now down to the local community to vote for who they would like to win. Merthyr Tydfil Swimming Club is organising a day of surfing in the…

More Aberystwyth University students are getting good jobs after graduating than ever before. Latest figures show that 96.8% of UK/EU full time first degree Aberystwyth graduates were either in work or further study six months after graduating in July 2017. The results released on Thursday 28 June 2018 as part of the Higher Education Statistics Agency’s annual Destination of Leavers from Higher Education survey places Aberystwyth 2.2 percentage points ahead of the overall sector average. The survey also shows that 99% of Aberystwyth graduates who studied some part of their course through the medium of Welsh were found to be…