Author: Rhys Gregory

Aluminium manufacturing and installation company AB Glass has once again been awarded the highest Green Dragon Environmental Standard for the company’s continued dedication to effective environmental management. The Green Dragon Environmental Standard is awarded to organisations that can demonstrate effective environmental management and that are taking action to understand, monitor and control their impacts on the environment. Swansea-based AB Glass has been provided certification for the level five standard, which is the highest standard awarded by Green Dragon, and acknowledges the company’s efforts towards continued environmental improvement. This latest certification adds to the company’s prolonged achievement of level five Green…

Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford will today (8 August) visit the National Eisteddfod to speak about two important matters affecting Wales – Brexit and funding challenges for public services. [aoa id=”1″] He will speak about the impact of Brexit on children, young people and their families in his annual Eisteddfod address at an event sponsored by Children in Wales, the national umbrella body for organisations and individuals who work with children, young people and their families in Wales. The speech follows a period of intense debate, throughout the UK, about the type of Brexit deal the UK Government can negotiate with…

Bosses at Wookey Hole Caves in Somerset have paid tribute to the courage and skill of the cave divers who reached and helped rescue 12 boys and their coach from a Thai cave – and have launched a search to find the next generation of potential lifesavers.   Cave divers Richard Stanton and John Volanthen – who led the rescue efforts which finally got through to the trapped youth football team – developed their techniques and specialist equipment during exploratory dives at Wookey Hole Caves back in 2004.   Managing Director Daniel Medley said: “This was a Real-Life Mission Impossible in which Richard and John played a key role. The…

British crops are not only wilting because of the prolonged scorching sunshine – it’s the Brexit effect causing a shortage of seasonal workers to harvest them. [aoa id=”1″] That’s the findings from one of the UK’s leading procurement experts, the Regency Purchasing Group. Sterling has taken a pounding since the British people voted in June 2016 to leave the EU. On Referendum day, the pound was worth 1.28 Euros. On 9 July, 2018, it was worth 1.13 Euros, a drop of nearly 12%. [/aoa] Regency’s Managing Director, Alex Demetriou, said: “Less than one percent of the 85,000 people who harvest…

A 20-year-old business student from Swansea University has built on his passion for aviation to develop an airport and flight simulation software business which now boasts over 3000 customers worldwide. [aoa id=”1″] Joe Charman launched Pilot Plus at the age of 16 and now manages a team of three employees. Joe and his teamreplicate real world airports in a digital 3D format, using imagery they capture of airport scenes. The digital 3D replicas of the exterior of airport environments, including Gatwick, Bristol and Geneva create a mock-up environment for users, as if navigating a plane through that particular airport in…

House hunters across Wales are being urged to check the property’s heating system before buying a new home to help avoid any unexpected costs. [aoa id=”1″] The advice comes after a survey revealed that failing to ask when the boiler was last serviced is the biggest regret homeowners have after moving in. A further 50% admitted they didn’t check whether the radiators were working correctly either. In response, OFTEC, the UK trade association for the oil heating industry, has produced a helpful guide for house hunters in Wales outlining the key questions to ask sellers about the heating system. These…

A host of gastronomic delights will be served up in Newtown during August as an exciting, new ‘pop up restaurant’ concept opens in the Mid Wales market town. Anna Cooperwhite, owner of The Granary Restaurant, is inviting a small army of talented chefs from across the country to guest at the ’pop up restaurant’ during the month while head chef Seamus Russell expands his knowledge with an internship at the three-star Michelin restaurant Geranium in Copenhagen. “The timing of Seamus’ internship at Geranium is not perfect but it’s too good an opportunity for him to pass up,” said Anna. “He…

Less than two years after its launch the world’s only inland community surf club – Clwb Syrffio Dyffryn Conwy – is celebrating an array of achievements, including helping six of its members find employment at one of the UK’s most exciting adventure destinations. The club, which was born out of a partnership between the community, local charity The Outdoor Partnership, Conwy County Borough Council and Surf Snowdonia, is based at Surf Snowdonia – the world-first inland surf lagoon in the heart of the Conwy Valley, North Wales. It offers low cost surf coaching to youngsters aged 8 to 18. “We…

Newport has officially accepted the British Transplant Games flag as this year’s event in Birmingham draws to a close. [aoa id=”1″] Following the four-day event which has been hailed the biggest yet, representatives from Transplant Sport and the Birmingham Games officially handed over to Newport at a celebration event at the city’s International Conference Centre. Councillor Malcolm Linton, Mayor of Newport and Ann Lloyd CBE, Chair of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and Chair of Newport’s Local Organising Committee for the Games, praised those who were involved and took part in Birmingham and made a clear commitment to match if…

Thanks to funding by the Welsh Government, visitors who are planning on climbing Snowdon will now be able to benefit from specialist information and advice at the mountain gate. [aoa id=”1″] As part of a wider Mountain Safe project, a grant received by the Welsh Government was used to develop a mobile exhibition aimed at educating the public on how to enjoy the mountains safely. As well as providing information on Snowdon’s paths, information about other alternative walking routes in the area is also provided, and a small supply of maps for sale. The exhibition was developed internally by the…