Author: Rhys Gregory

Wales has made significant progress expanding high-speed broadband coverage over the past decade, but industry observers say the next phase of fibre rollout could prove substantially more difficult and expensive than earlier stages of deployment. The Welsh Government recently confirmed plans to continue supporting broadband expansion projects aimed at premises that still lack access to reliable high-speed connectivity. While commercial providers and existing public initiatives have already brought gigabit-capable broadband to much of the country, a smaller number of homes and businesses remain outside current rollout plans. The challenge facing providers is that the easiest and most commercially attractive areas…

When you’re looking to hire a firm to help you get a construction project underway, you need to make sure that you’re choosing the right one to partner with. This can be tough to do. After all, with so many different companies available across the UK and worldwide, how do you know where to start? In most cases, it pays to go with a company that is not only well-known but that gets consistently good reviews and comes highly recommended. This is what makes Alan Wood & Partners a great contender. Alan Wood & Partners is a leading civil and…

The entertainment industry has changed fundamentally over the last couple of days. The product model, where users make a one-time purchase of a game, has now been replaced with a service model. This means people play games like Call of Duty, Fortnite, Roblox, Minecraft, and Forza Horizon for years and receive big updates that recalibrate the gameplay, making the core experience even better without the need to pay full price for each patch. Developers make money with the help of microtransactions, like skins or characters that are added as premium content. This is called an ecosystem, centered around a specific…

Football is often described as a universal language, and stadiums serve as its cathedrals. While billionaire owners, elite managers, and superstar athletes dominate the headlines, the true lifeblood of the sport pulses in the stands. Fan culture is the foundation upon which the entire footballing pyramid rests. Without the roaring crowds, the colorful banners, and the deeply ingrained local rivalries, a match is nothing more than twenty-two athletes chasing a ball on an empty stretch of grass. The power of football lies in its ability to forge collective identities. It provides a shared narrative that unites people across different socioeconomic,…

This year saw the largest ever Barry Island 10K descend onto the iconic seaside time for a full Welsh festival of running. More than 4,700 participants registered to take part across both the 10K and junior races, taking in the town’s most iconic spots including Whitmore Bay, the Knap, Romilly Park and Watch House Bay. It was an event extravaganza as the race partnered with Welsh music, culture and arts festival Gŵyl Fach y Fro, for the first time this year. It meant performances were scheduled for both the Saturday and Sunday as runners and spectators took in all the…

Leading recruitment company Acorn by Synergie and commercial law firm Darwin Gray, in partnership with Beam Development and Training, welcomed HR professionals to its latest Wales HR Network event called ‘Why wellbeing isn’t a tick-box exercise’. The event, which took place on May 14 in Cardiff’s Greyfriars House and was hosted by Confused.com, brought together leading voices from across the HR and business community to explore the vital connection between employee wellbeing and professional growth. The discussion focused on moving beyond surface-level initiatives, instead encouraging organisations to take a more holistic and strategic approach. Attendees gained practical insights into how…

Ynys Môn is set to extend a warm welcome to visitors from across Wales and beyond when thousands flock to compete and celebrate at the National Eisteddfod yr Urdd, held at the Anglesey Showground near Gwalchmai next week (23–29 May). For the first time, the Urdd has expanded the festival from six to seven days, in response to a significant increase in competitors and demand for new competitions. The organisation is delighted to report an increase in the number of competitors with additional learning needs (ALN) taking part this year, following the introduction of new ALN competitions. In addition, a…

Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has marked a significant clinical milestone with the successful delivery of a pioneering new procedure at The Grange University Hospital – the first time it has been performed in Wales. On 13 May 2026, specialists carried out a Transarterial Musculoskeletal Embolisation (TAME) procedure, an innovative, minimally invasive treatment for patients suffering with chronic hip pain, often linked to GTPS (Greater Trochanteric Pain Syndrome). The procedure was led by Dr Nimit Goyal, Consultant Interventional Radiologist, supported by a multidisciplinary team across the Health Board including Mr Dan Harding (Clinical Specialist Physiotherapist) and Mr Dale Evans (Head…

Drivers parking along parts of Aberystwyth seafront will soon have to pay for on-street parking as Ceredigion County Council introduces new charges from Monday 18 May 2026. The new measures will apply to Victoria Terrace, Marine Terrace and New Promenade, with charges operating daily between 8am and 8pm. Ceredigion County Council says the seafront is one of the county’s busiest parking areas, with the changes aimed at managing demand, improving turnover of short-stay spaces and making it easier for residents, visitors and businesses to access the town centre. Under the new system, motorists will pay £3.50 for up to two…

Ten years on from the UK’s referendum on EU membership, an ambitious effort is underway to create the most detailed map of Brexit voting patterns to date. Researchers at Aberystwyth University are appealing to campaigners, party activists and referendum observers to dig out informal tallies — known as ‘boxcounts’ — recorded when ballot boxes were opened on referendum night. Official referendum results were reported at local authority level, offering only a broad overview of the geography of Leave and Remain support. What these figures conceal, however, are the more fine‑grained patterns within communities: whether suburbs voted differently from city centres,…