Author: Rhys Gregory

When Jo Porter moved to Rhiw in 2018, before she even unpacked a box, she scattered some seeds in the neglected field attached to her house. In doing this, she started a trend that would evolve into an 80-strong network of people growing their lawns, road verges, hay meadows, part of a golf club and even graveyards into species-rich grasslands across the Llŷn Peninsula, increasing both biodiversity and the areas resilience to drought. The 56-year-old ecologist said: “It started very organically through talking to neighbours. “A lot of people have a house with a bit of land, and there’s a…

Organisers of Blackweir Live have confirmed that The Cure’s highly anticipated Cardiff concert will go ahead as planned on Wednesday despite the extreme heat forecast across South Wales. With temperatures expected to soar and weather warnings in place, organisers have announced a range of additional measures to help keep concertgoers and staff safe throughout the event at Blackweir Fields. Among the measures being introduced are an increased water allowance, additional shaded areas and an enhanced welfare presence on site. Fans attending the concert will now be permitted to bring two sealed 500ml bottles of water into the venue, double the…

Roath Park Conservatory has been temporarily closed as Cardiff continues to experience extreme temperatures. Cardiff Council has confirmed the conservatory will remain closed until Friday to help ensure the safety of both staff and visitors during the current spell of hot weather. The decision comes as South Wales faces exceptionally high temperatures, with heat warnings in place across parts of the country. Despite the closure, the council has reassured the public that regular welfare checks will continue to be carried out on the animals that call the conservatory home. This includes monitoring the wellbeing of the ducks, fish and terrapins…

With the support of Growing Mid Wales, the Welsh Government Climate Innovation funded Whole System Research and Innovation for Decarbonisation (WSRID) programme has successfully completed Phase 2, where a series of innovative projects were developed and tested at prototype stage to support the transition to net zero in rural Wales. WSRID Phase 2 explored how rural and agricultural communities can decarbonise while managing increasing demand on constrained electricity networks. The programme brought together public bodies, industry, academia and rural stakeholders to develop practical, whole-system solutions grounded in real-world conditions. Rather than focusing on a single technology, Phase 2 examined how…

Cardiff Council is taking proactive steps to protect residents and services as the Met Office issues a Red Warning expected to come into force for Cardiff today and Thursday. The Council is working closely with partners and emergency services in the city to manage the impact of the extreme heat, which could pose risks to health and wellbeing, particularly for vulnerable residents, people spending time outdoors, and those working in high temperatures. Services across the Council are adapting how they operate to help keep residents and staff safe. Schools have been issued with guidance to help them keep pupils and…

The Minister for Rural Resilience and Sustainability, Llyr Gruffydd, has this week set out his priorities for action on climate, nature and rural communities across Wales. Speaking in the Senedd, the Minister confirmed more than £10m of investment into the Nature Networks Fund, which will restore biodiversity, create jobs and strengthen connections between communities and their natural environment. He also announced that work has already begun on an ambitious Climate and Nature Plan, to set out the actions to deliver net zero by 2040 and substantive nature recovery by 2050. The plan will embed climate and nature action as Cabinet-level…

North Wales Police and North Wales Fire and Rescue Service are urging people to stay out of open water as the region prepares for an unprecedented spell of extreme heat. With temperatures expected to rise significantly over the coming days, emergency services are warning that rivers, lakes and quarry pools can present serious and potentially fatal dangers, despite appearing inviting during hot weather. The warning comes as much of Europe continues to experience intense heat, with reports from France indicating that at least 40 people have drowned in the last five days. According to the country’s prime minister, most of…

Transport for Wales and Network Rail have urged passengers to only travel if absolutely necessary as a red extreme heat warning comes into force across parts of South Wales. The Met Office has issued the warning from 9am on Wednesday 24 June until 9pm on Thursday 25 June, with temperatures forecast to reach as high as 38°C. In a joint statement, Transport for Wales and Network Rail warned that the extreme temperatures are likely to cause significant disruption to rail services, with delays and cancellations possible across the network. Passengers travelling into, through or out of the red warning area…

Scaling a biotech startup is exciting, but it can also be one of the most challenging stages in the company’s growth. Early research may begin with a small team, flexible processes and a clear scientific vision. However, as funding increases, projects expand and commercial expectations grow, research operations need to become more structured, reliable and scalable. For biotech startups, the goal is not just to do more research. It is to build a research environment that can support better decisions, protect quality and move the business closer to market readiness. Strong Systems Matter from the Start Many startups begin with…

The US’s eCommerce economy has been steadily growing over the past decade, and today, it’s pushing some seriously impressive numbers. The market has been growing 10% year-on-year and now accounts for some 24% of all retail sales, resulting in a revenue that exceeds $1.2 trillion a year. In other words: eCommerce is big business, and with more growth on the horizon, there’s never been a better time to enter the market. That’s the good news. The bad news is that entering the US eCommerce market isn’t always as straightforward as business owners would like. While setting up a website and…