Author: Rhys Gregory

Clare Britton, events co-ordinator at Ffestiniog & Welsh Highland Railways, is busy planning what promises to be one of the stand-out events in the Heritage Railway calendar for 2025 – the ‘Railway 200 – FR Platinum Jubilee Weekend’. This exciting event, from June 19 to 22, will celebrate two momentous landmarks. 2025 marks both the 200th anniversary of the birth of the modern railway – part of the national ‘Railway 200’ celebrations – and the 70th anniversary of the resumption of passenger trains on the Ffestiniog Railway under the new regime. Spanning the summer solstice, it promises an action-packed long…

From 4th April, Tiger Yard is reopening its doors for the 2025 season of street food, live music, and unmissable events. After an exciting revamp, this iconic outdoor venue is back with a brand-new retractable roof, bringing all-weather entertainment to the heart of Cardiff Bay. After storm damage forced the waterside venue to close for repairs at the end of last year, Tiger Yard’s 2025 transformation now includes a bigger, fully retractable electric roof, meaning that the summer vibes can continue – whatever the weather. And it’s not just the roof that’s new; curling is back! Whether you’re a seasoned…

Azets, the UK top 10 accountancy and advisory Group, has expanded its team in South Wales with the addition of Tracy Harries as a Partner in the Corporate Tax team. As a Chartered Tax Adviser and Chartered Accountant, Tracy has 15 years of Corporate Tax experience in a Big 4 firm, bringing skills across a wide range of sectors with particular experience in corporate tax compliance, large businesses and the real estate and property sector. Tracy commented, “I enjoy working closely with clients, proactively focussing on business goals and strategies to bring added value alongside the corporate tax compliance service,…

COLEG CAMBRIA launched a state-of-the-art new training kitchen in partnership with The Savoy Educational Trust. The cutting-edge facility was part-funded by the Trust and is located alongside Iâl Restaurant in the college’s £21m Hafod building in Wrexham. Officially unveiled by Vikki Howells MS, Minister for Further and Higher Education, the ‘inclusive kitchen’ reinforces Cambria’s commitment to deliver accessible opportunities for all and help train the next generation of professionals in the hospitality sector. Maria Stevens, Head of Commercial Operations at Coleg Cambria, said: “We are proud to celebrate our partnership with the Savoy Educational Trust, a collaboration that has helped bring…

Swansea Building Society has achieved the highest growth in total assets and saving balances in its history, supported by record profits. The Society achieved double digit growth in its total assets, mortgages, savings and capital for the fourth year running, despite the difficult economic environment. For the year to December 31, 2024, total assets and savings both grew by 14%, while mortgages grew by 11%. Total assets increased by £86.7m to £693.7 million and savings balances increased by £81.8 million to £647.3 million, while mortgage balances grew by £52.3million to £530.1 million, driven by gross mortgage completions of £111.0 million.…

Scuffed Up, a family-run automotive accident repair business in Swansea has plans set on expansion after saving jobs placed at risk by the closure of a national chain’s Swansea location. With the support of Business Wales, the body and paint repair shop is now driving forward its ambitious growth plans after taking over premises and saving jobs when a local branch of a national chain branch faced closure. Tom Maunder had been working for at the branch facing closure when his family stepped in with the buyout in 2017 to ensure the prevention of staff redundancies. A move that saw…

Police are continuing to investigate the murder of Joanne Penney following a shooting in Talbot Green on Sunday evening. Police were called to an address at Llys Illtyd at 6.10pm on Sunday, March 9, where Joanne was found seriously injured having been shot to the chest. Despite the best efforts of emergency services, she died at the scene. A 42-year-old local man who was arrested on Sunday night, March 9, remains in police custody. On Monday, March 10, four more people were arrested in the Leicestershire Police force area in connection to the incident – a 21-year-old woman from Oadby,…

A Flintshire man has been jailed for taking sexualised images of a child. Nicholas Cummins, 39, of Hafan Glyd, Shotton, took images of the child partially clothed at a derelict former hospital site in Denbigh, telling her the images would be used to win a competition. Following police investigations, he was found to have more than 8,000 indecent images of children on his devices, including images of two other victims. Despite admitting making indecent images, he denied inciting a child to engage in sexual activity but was convicted by a jury at Mold Crown Court in January. He appeared before…

Extra trains are being put on to allow Welsh football supporters to get home from a key World Cup qualifier this month. Wales take on Kazakhstan in their first match in group J on Saturday 22 March at 19:45 in Cardiff, hoping to book a place at the 2026 World Cup finals. To support the event, Transport for Wales is running additional trains to north Wales from Cardiff and also extra trains to support the Wrexham v Stockport match in League 1 on the same day. Supporters from north Wales got a further boost as pre-planned engineering works that weekend…

The Vale of Glamorgan Council has committed to investing in Education, Social Care, its towns, villages and highway network after the 2025/26 budget was agreed at a meeting of all Councillors. Around 71 per cent of a £331 million budget will go on schools and Social Services to meet growing demand in these areas. But money will also be spent on improving roads, repairing potholes and upgrading public spaces to offer residents better quality of life and more opportunities. More than £4.5 million has been allocated for highway enhancements, while the Council recently secured £20 million of Levelling Up money…