Author: Rhys Gregory

Skilled young apprentices from across the South Wales region were celebrated for their outstanding work and achievements at the prestigious Swansea Bay Construction Support Group Awards held on Thursday, 27th June. Taking place at the Swansea.com Stadium, the awards recognised the achievements of new entrants, apprentices and future talent within the construction industry in the local area. The ceremony, hosted by Swansea legend Kev Johns and featuring a three-course meal, aimed to enhance the image of the construction industry. It also highlighted the benefits of pursuing a career in this field and the valuable skills aspiring apprentices can gain from…

CELEBRATING Welsh produce is food and drink to Larder Cymru. The team behind the pioneering initiative will be attending the LACA School Food Show in Birmingham over two days from Wednesday July 3. Delivered by Menter Môn, Larder Cymru – which is working with Wrexham, Flintshire, Anglesey, Gwynedd, Cardiff, and Caerphilly councils as part of the Welsh Food for Schools pilot scheme – is to be joined by two heavyweights of the industry, Harlech Foodservice and Llanelli’s Castell Howell. With support from the Food and Drink Wales Foodservice programme they are on a mission to showcase the very best produce and producers…

FROM social housing to carpets for the King, Linney Cooper has been part of the furniture for 60 years. Celebrating six decades in the luxury carpets and flooring industry, the Llandudno and London-based firm – one of only seven companies in Wales to be awarded a Royal Warrant of Appointment from His Majesty The King and Her Majesty The Queen – enjoyed a period of growth post-pandemic. Having opened a luxury showroom in Rhos-on-Sea, the family business, founded by Robert Hughes in 1964, now employs 30 staff and many more sub-contractors, supporting the local economy and providing services to high-end…

Wales’ brightest entrepreneurial minds are being urged to seize an opportunity to fast-track their business ideas. The Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme is now accepting applications for its innovative 12-week immersive Start-Up Accelerator Programme, set to launch in September 2024. The Business Wales Start-Up Accelerator Programme will combine virtual and face-to-face sessions to deliver a comprehensive, rapid start-up experience. Participants will receive step-by-step guidance on turning their idea into a fully operational business, with tailored support to enable them to acquire paying customers and develop a sustainable business model. Coaches will hone participants’ essential business skills throughout the programme and…

Unite, the UKs leading union, has today confirmed that its current industrial action at Tata in South Wales has been paused. The decision follows confirmation from Tata, arising from high level talks throughout the weekend, that it was now prepared to enter into negotiations about future investment for its operations and not just redundancies, in South Wales, including at Port Talbot. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “This is a significant development in the battle to protect jobs and the long-term future of steel making in South Wales. Investment from Labour secured by Unite will be key to the future…

Neil Frederick Foden, of Gwynant, Old Colwyn, who was head of Ysgol Friars at the time of the offences, appeared at Mold Crown Court this week, Monday July 1st. The 66-year-old was convicted of 19 charges relating to four victims, including 12 counts of sexual activity with a child, two counts of sexual activity with a child in a position of trust, causing or inciting child sexual activity, attempting to arrange the commission of a child sex offence, sexual communication with a child, possession of indecent photographs of a child and sexual assault of a child. An investigation into Foden…

Pembrokeshire has once again underlined its status as home to some of the best beaches in Wales following another successful year of awards. Seventeen Pembrokeshire beaches have picked up either Blue Flag or Green Coast Awards in the Wales Coast Awards 2024. Proudly flying the Blue Flag in 2024 are: Tenby North, Tenby South, Tenby Castle, Newgale, Saundersfoot, Dale, Whitesands, Coppet Hall, Poppit Sands and Broad Haven (north). The Blue Flag Award is recognised around the world as a symbol of quality. A further seven county beaches also achieved Green Coast Awards. The Green Coast Awards recognise the ‘hidden gems’…

Newtown’s new cycle and pedestrian active travel bridge was successfully lifted into place on Saturday 29 June. Following a short delay due to unfavourable weather conditions, the new 53-metre-long bridge was hoisted into position over the River Severn on Saturday afternoon. The large crane dominated the skyline of the town for most of the week, but unusually gusty wind conditions meant that the lift was delayed for a couple of days. Thankfully the weather turned calmer at the weekend allowing the crews on site to carry out all the necessary safety checks and finally manoeuvre the large superstructure carefully into…

The roll out of the Curriculum for Wales will be boosted by further support for teachers and schools to ensure consistent delivery across Wales. Following visits to educational settings and hearing first hand from teachers about their experiences, the Cabinet Secretary for Education, Lynne Neagle has announced Welsh Government will introduce simplified, easy to access support to help schools plan their curriculum, deliver for learners and provide consistency across Wales. The support announced today will include; national collaboration to develop common approaches across the profession, simplifying the process of curriculum design and evaluation, tools and templates to plan learning, clearer…

Wales will need an additional 11,000 construction workers to support its growing economy, the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Energy, and Welsh Language, tells a Construction Summit in Llandudno Junction. Speaking to delegates from the North Wales construction sector, Jeremy Miles emphasised the importance of the private and public sectors working together to meet this demand. He set out his vision to ensure rapid growth and improvement, including: working with the new Commission for Tertiary Education & Research to ensure that the education system meets employer needs, offering courses that address specific gaps in construction skills; creating more employment spaces…