Author: Rhys Gregory

A far greener Castle Square and the completion of several major new developments are on the way to Swansea in 2025 to boost city centre footfall and help attract more shops and other businesses. The schemes form part of a £1bn regeneration programme that will continue throughout next year and beyond. Led by Swansea Council and due to start in early 2025, work to transform Castle Square will feature a substantial increase in green space including lawns and planting. A new water feature for interactive play will also feature, along with new outdoor seating areas, a giant new TV screen…

“Blwyddyn Newydd Dda – Happy new year to you all. “I hope you had a joyful and peaceful Christmas. “As this year draws to a close, we can look ahead with hope to 2025. “Over the next year we will continue to focus on the things that you told us mattered most to you. “At the top of that list was more support for our NHS – so we’re investing more in equipment for the health service, speeding up how quickly patients are seen and cutting delays in patients being discharged so that they can get home more quickly. “We…

Pregnant women will benefit from better maternity care as a new app and electronic health record system is rolled out across Wales. Mothers-to-be will be able to access their full maternity records instantly on their phones through a new app. The app will provide tailored updates after every appointment and timely messages to ensure a healthy pregnancy. It will replace paper notes and allow women to: View booked appointments, Learn more about their baby’s development and track progress weekly, Enter blood pressure readings if asked by their midwife, Personalise details and preferences quickly, including where they want to give birth…

There was a feast of festive fun and football as local business leaders gathered for one of the calendar’s key networking events. The North Wales branch of the Institute of Directors (IoD) hosted its annual Christmas lunch, with high-profile sporting figures Noel Mooney and Kelly Davies providing expert insight at the Wynnstay Arms in Ruabon. Noel, CEO of the Football Association of Wales, and Kelly, chair of the Cymru Football Foundation, led discussions about the future of the game in the country, and how they are aiming to be a leading light on and off the pitch. Talk centred around…

A start-up accelerator programme to nurture Wales’ most promising entrepreneurial talent has announced the winners of its latest awards. The Business Wales Start-Up Accelerator Programme brought together 21 aspiring entrepreneurs for an intensive 12-week journey. It provided expert guidance, mentorship, and networking opportunities to help them transform their innovative ideas into thriving businesses. The programme concluded with a celebration recognising six participants for their exceptional progress and contributions. The winners demonstrated outstanding commitment and creativity across a range of categories: Sales Accelerator Award: Trystan Lloyd, founder of LYFT Club LYFT Club is a marketing platform that connects health and fitness practitioners with…

COLEG CAMBRIA is at the forefront of a nationwide campaign to meet a surge in demand for tens of thousands of new welders. With an ageing workforce of welders in the UK – an estimated 50% of which are set to retire in the next three years – the sector will need more than 35,000 skilled workers, according to reports. Tony Commins, a Fabrication and Welding lecturer at Cambria Deeside, said there has been an increase in students on the course this academic year. However, many more learners need to pursue welding as a career if the skills gap is…

A BAFTA-winning tech developer has launched an immersive Welsh language children’s book series thanks to funding from the Start Up Loans programme. Osian Evans, 49, was part of the BBC team behind the pioneering Walking with Beasts, one of the UK’s first on demand multi-stream applications, as well as the channel’s Wimbledon Interactive and Digital Text platforms. He has now launched his company Goiawn (which translates as real) and collaborates with teachers and parents to help engage children in a transformative learning journey. “Goiawn presents captivating reading activities which take entire classes on an adventure while enhancing written and verbal…

A Rhondda Cynon Taf man has been disqualified from keeping animals for five years after he caused unnecessary suffering to his Bedlington terrier. Neil Howarth of Blaenllechau, Ferndale, was found guilty of one offence under the Animal Welfare Act – following an earlier not guilty plea. The offence was that he caused unnecessary suffering to a male Bedlington terrier called Reg by failing to adequately investigate and address his ear infections and ear masses. On Wednesday 11 December he was sentenced at Merthyr Tydfil Magistrates’ Court and was disqualified from keeping all animals for five years. He was also ordered…

The British Heart Foundation (BHF) is calling for the nation to kick start their 2025 by having a declutter and donating any unwanted Christmas gifts. In a recent survey the BHF found that a third of Brits admitted to never using their Secret Santa gift1 so rather than let your unwanted items gather dust, the charity is encouraging the nation to simply pop them in the post by downloading a freepost label or take them down to their local BHF shop. After Christmas is over, decluttering can make your home feel much calmer. Whether you’ve been gifted a jumper that…

Last week, 13 families moved into their new homes on Edward Henry Street in Rhyl’s West End. The ClwydAlyn properties not only represent a milestone for community regeneration and sustainable living, but also for the future of the families who will now begin a new chapter of their lives. The 13 new three-bed properties which have recently been completed in a three-story town-house style are a result of a partnership between ClwydAlyn, North Wales’s leading social homes provider, Denbighshire County Council, Welsh Government and NWPS Construction Ltd. Hailed as a landmark project for modern housing solutions and paving the way…