Author: Rhys Gregory

Today, Jamelia Davis donned her school uniform and grabbed her book bag as she headed back to school for the first day of term. [aoa id=”1″] Launching the Kellogg’s Breakfast Club Awards, the Loose Woman joined school kids for breakfast as they kicked off the new school year. Encouraging entries to this year’s awards, the noughties popstar discussed the benefits of school breakfast clubs and told of her own experience attending as a child. [/aoa] Mum-of-three, Jamelia, 37, said: “Growing up breakfast club was a key part of our family life and was a great driver in growing my confidence…

The latest NatWest PMI® data indicated a further improvement in growth momentum across the Welsh private sector. Business activity and new orders both rose at steeper rates compared to July, while employment expanded solidly. [aoa id=”1″] However, business confidence regarding future output fell to the lowest level for one year, partly due to uncertainty surrounding the ongoing Brexit negotiations. At the same time, operating costs continued to rise sharply, which led to a further marked increase in selling prices. The headline Wales Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the combined output of the manufacturing and service…

A trailblazing pioneer of the bakery industry has been hailed for his “immense  contribution” over nearly 60  years. Alan Jones, chairman of the hugely successful Wrexham-based Village Bakery, was presented with the Outstanding Contribution Award  the industry’s Oscars, the Baking Industry Awards. The honour was bestowed at a glitzy ceremony at London’s Park Lane Hilton Hotel which was hosted by the popular TV presenter Stephen Mulhern. The good news kept on coming because the Village Bakery also earned praise from the judges after winning the Bakery Product of the year 2018 with their free from Belgian Chocolate Twists as well…

3000 South Wales pupils get back to schools in brand new facilities thanks to Cardiff contractor. [aoa id=”1″] A Welsh construction company is celebrating getting over 3000 pupils in South Wales into brand new accommodation in under two years. BAM Construction, which has had offices in Maindy Road Cardiff since the 1940s, has just handed over £9 million pound Pencoed Primary School in Bridgend. The 600-pupil school becomes the fifth built by BAM in South Wales in the past two years, taking the contractor, which provides work for around 900 people every year, to the 3000 pupils figure. [/aoa] 750…

CONSERVATION specialists have started crucial restoration work to preserve one of Swansea’s most iconic former industrial buildings. Personnel from the city’s John Weaver Contractors have set up site around the Musgrave Engine House on the historic Hafod Morfa Copperworks complex. The project, led by Swansea Council, involves Swansea University and volunteers from the friends of the Hafod Morfa Copperworks. Funded by the council, Cadw and the Heritage Lottery Fund, it will see around £330,000 spent on the site.[aoa id=”1″][/aoa] The building and machinery inside are listed by Cadw as a scheduled ancient monument. It allowed Swansea to continue producing copper…

An independent report has found that since its launch in 2012, Wales’ largest innovation centre, Welsh ICE, has generated a £53 million benefit to the Welsh economy, surpassing its original projection of £36.3m from a similar report in 2015. The 2015 report which was the first to measure and predict ICE’s impact since launching in 2012, found that the Campus had generated a £13.8m GVA benefit to the Welsh Economy. It was also predicted that if the Campus continued performing as it had done, it would go on to generate a further £36.3m, with a possible additional £13.9m if future…

For many businesses, investing time and money into researching and developing their products or services is a significant part of how they operate. Making resources available specifically for the purpose of a research project geared towards innovation can be rewarded by HMRC in the form of Research & Development (R&D) Tax Credits. [aoa id=”1″] Businesses can qualify for R&D tax credits if they can show their project has an element of risk and technical uncertainty and will bring something new to the market if successful. Speaking of the R&D scheme, Nick Park, Partner at Green & Co Accountants and Tax…

RDP Law, the South Wales based conveyancing firm has been recognised for its outstanding customer service to its clients by The ESTAS, the biggest award scheme in the UK residential property industry. [aoa id=”1″]The ESTAS Group which highlights the best firms for customer service involved in the home moving process has revealed its annual shortlist for their 2nd annual Conveyancer Awards.  The results are based purely on feedback data received from customers who were asked a series of questions about the service they received during the home moving process. Over 7,000 customers completed a survey providing 175,000 pieces of data relating…

International digital crime experts are heading to Cardiff next week for a conference encouraging collaboration in the fight against global software piracy. [aoa id=”1″] The IP Wales Cluster meeting, which is set to take place at the University of South Wales on Tuesday, will bring together global specialists from across the digital crime investigation and enforcement industry. The event, hosted by specialist Cardiff anti-piracy consultancy CJCH Solicitors, will see intellectual property crime experts share their knowledge and experiences in a bid to tackle the growing threat from software theft and piracy. [/aoa] Renowned speakers will include partner and head of…

Great British Menu chef Tommy Heaney has confirmed that his brand-new bar and restaurant, Heaneys, will officially open on Pontcanna’s Romilly Crescent on Wednesday October 10th. [aoa id=”1″] After successfully raising £40,000 via a publicly funded Kickstarter campaign, work on the interior of his new restaurant is now well underway; when finished it will have a modern and semi-industrial feel, complete with exposed brickwork and local art, and a few elements of decor custom-made especially for the new Cardiff venue. Along the back wall of the 50-cover restaurant a brand-new bar area will offer standing room for 30 and seating for…