Author: Rhys Gregory

More than 450 community spaces across Wales have been saved, improved, or newly created with support from a £63m Welsh Government investment – keeping vital local venues open while helping communities create new hubs where people can come together. From village halls, sports clubs and churches, the Communities Facilities Programme has breathed new life into spaces that bring people together, offering opportunities to connect, learn new skills, and access essential services. Since 2015, the programme has helped hundreds of local groups across Wales to protect and develop the places at the heart of their communities. In Bethesda, Partneriaeth Ogwen has…

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles has confirmed almost £28m to repair the damaged Princess of Wales Hospital roof and re-open wards at the hospital. Services, theatres and wards at the Bridgend hospital were relocated elsewhere in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board in October when the 40-year-old roof failed. Urgent investigations revealed the roof needed to be replaced. The Welsh Government funding will replace around 10,000 square meters of the roof – equivalent to re-roofing 166 terraced houses. Repairs are underway, allowing essential services to return to the hospital, starting with maternity and neonatal care. Electrical upgrades and fire safety…

The vital role that apprenticeships play in developing a world class workforce to deliver future economic growth for Wales will be the focus of a spring conference organised by the body that represents the country’s work-based learning providers. The National Training Federation for Wales (NTFW) annual conference, themed ‘Apprenticeships: Fuelling economic growth and future innovation’, will be held at Cardiff City Stadium on March 6. Headline conference sponsor is Agored Cymru, the awarding body for education and training providers in Wales. City & Guilds is an associate sponsor and other sponsorship packages are available. “Agored Cymru is delighted to be…

A CAMPAIGNING cohort from Coleg Cambria visited Welsh Government to show their support for a decision that will lower costs and widen access to education for thousands of young people. A group of student representatives from the college – based in Wrexham, Deeside, Northop and Llysfasi – were invited to the Senedd in Cardiff by Vicki Howells MS, Minister for Further and Higher Education. There, they joined NUS Wales members to hear the Minister announce the household income threshold for the Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) was to be uplifted, a boost to families across the country. The EMA is a…

Iceland Foods has announced it will be opening the doors to a brand-new The Food Warehouse store in Llantrisant this February, expanding its product offering and giving local residents an-all new shopping experience in the process. The store will be situated at Talbot Green Shopping Park and will open to the public on Tuesday 11th February, bringing with it an estimated 32 additional jobs to the local community. To celebrate the store opening, The Food Warehouse will be giving away £1,000 worth of The Food Warehouse vouchers to the first 100 customers in the queue, plus a free tray of…

Construction workloads in Wales fell broadly flat through the final three months of 2024, according to the latest Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) Construction Monitor, however surveyors in Wales are more optimistic on the outlook for the year ahead. A net balance of 3% of surveyors in Wales reported a rise in overall construction activity; this is down from the 13% that was reported in the previous survey. Public housing continues to see the highest workloads balance, with a net balance of 16% reporting an increase. Infrastructure was the only other subsector to see a rise (a net balance…

Savills has submitted plans for a new Kop stand at Wrexham AFC’s historic STōK Cae Ras Stadium. The submission follows three years of work by Savills with Wrexham AFC to create an atmospheric home for its fans, and to become an iconic destination for fans, international visitors and the local community. Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds bought the North Wales club in February 2021 and since then have overseen back-to-back promotions. The club’s transformation has been documented in the Disney+ series, ‘Welcome to Wrexham’, which in turn has significantly enhanced its international profile. A revised vision and ambition to future…

Organisations and businesses from across Wales have been recognised for their high standards of HR and people development practices with the announcement of the shortlist for the first ever HR in Wales awards ceremony. Launched by Lesley Richards, independent HR consultant and former head of the CIPD in Wales, with support from industry experts Louise Price (Hugh James), Mera Mann (Human Resourcing), and Paul Harris (Skylite Associates), the HR in Wales awards will celebrate the achievements of HR and people development professionals following the CIPD’s (the body representing HR and people development in the UK and globally) pause on its…

Native Welshman and globe-trotting fire chef Chris ‘Flamebaster’ Roberts heads to Swansea for his next stop – a city which, believe it or not, he has never set foot in before! He is joined on his tour by none other than the world’s most capped rugby player and now local rum producer, Alun Wyn Jones. With the stunning Oystermouth Castle as their backdrop, Chris fires up his barbecue and cooks a superb steak with a rum-infused peppercorn sauce, which they devour in moments. His trusty Flamebaster tool, of course, is essential to the process. Before hooking up with Alun Wyn…

In an exciting new chapter for Welsh heritage and luxury spirits, Cygnet – founded by renowned Welsh mezzo-soprano Katherine Jenkins OBE and social-impact filmmaker Professor Andrew Levitas, has found a new home at the historic Penderyn Copperworks Distillery in Swansea. About a partnership which brings together two of Wales’s most celebrated names in a perfect blend of tradition, craftsmanship, and innovation Stephen Davies, CEO of Penderyn Distillery, comments: “We are absolutely thrilled to be partnering with Katherine and Andrew on this exciting venture. Cygnet Gin is a truly remarkable product, and we’re honoured to welcome them into the Penderyn distillery. Katherine’s passion for quality, innovation, and her love for Wales…