Author: Rhys Gregory

The outcomes and recommendations from the Bovine TB Technical Advisory Group’s (TAG) first meeting are announced today. The TAG’s inaugural meeting was held on 17 April, with the priority to discuss and produce advice regarding the current on-farm slaughter of TB reactors policy. The Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies has accepted the Group’s recommendations in full. Immediate changes will now be made to the on-farm slaughter policy, with the aim of reducing the numbers of cattle slaughtered on-farm in Wales. The main reasons cattle may be slaughtered on-farm for TB control purposes are either because…

The Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Economy, Energy and Welsh language, Jeremy Miles, has set out his immediate economic priorities for Wales during a keynote speech at AMRC Cymru in Broughton. In setting out the challenges and opportunities presented by a just transition towards a greener economy, the business and skills audience was left in no doubt as to the scale of the prize for being at the forefront of that transition – not just for the business community in Wales but across public services and wider society. Immediate action being taken will include: Establishing a national economic council, replacing…

Thirty innovative projects across north and west Wales have secured funding totalling over £2 million through the ARFOR Challenge Fund. The fund was set up to pilot new and innovative solutions to challenges that exist in the ARFOR area, which covers Anglesey, Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire. With a focus on bringing organisations together to innovate, collaborate and solve local and regional challenges, and to pilot ideas that can become commercial entities in the long term, the ARFOR Challenge Fund aims to ensure the economic vitality of communities and enable people to live and work in those areas. The successful projects…

A syndicate of 15 female investors from Women Angels of Wales (WAW) is helping to improve recycling rates of single-use plastic with an equity investment in Deeside-based Polytag. With the backing of Collateral Good and Knop Ventures, Polytag has now raised £2.85 million to help fund the growth of its unique, tag and trace barcode technology. The GS1 Digital Link QR Codes allow brand owners and retailers in the food and beverage sectors to track packaging from the time it’s labelled to the moment it’s scanned at recycling centres. Trials are already underway with Ocado, Co-op, Arla, Aldi and Biffa.…

A global search has been launched to find the families who rode the world’s first people-powered rollercoaster on its inaugural run 20 years ago. The Green Dragon celebrates its 20th anniversary on May 22, having been an immediate sensation when it was unveiled at the eco-friendly GreenWood Family Park in Felinheli in North Wales back in 2004. The iconic attraction has stood the test of time because it’s still a must-ride destination for devoted rollercoaster fans who beat a path to the park from as far afield as America and Japan every year. Anybody who rode the Green Dragon on…

Peter Hooper, who was saved by a “game changing” procedure after his stroke is backing calls for it to be made available across Wales. The 64-year-old from Mold was treated with a procedure called thrombectomy, which involves inserting a small tool into the brain via an artery to pluck out the blood clot which is causing the stroke and killing brain cells. Stroke Association Wales say the revolutionary procedure can save patients from severe disability or death. But currently it is only available to some patients at Cardiff Heath Hospital at limited times. It is the only hospital with a…

Young people from the group Inspire have developed a new project to create community benches and locate them across the County as part of a mental health campaign stemming from the TV programme ‘After Life’, created by actor Ricky Gervais. Over the past few months, Ceredigion County Council’s Community Youth Work and Prevention Team have been working closely with Inspire, a group of young people post-16, who are not in education, employment, or training, to create bespoke benches in various communities. The project aims to provide a place for people to speak and reflect in a peaceful, open and safe…

Swansea University’s bike hire scheme has seen a 280% increase in users across the city over the past four years. And one sixth (14%) of daily commuter journeys made by students and staff at the University are by bike (compared to Welsh national average of 1.1%). 2022 saw more than 45,000 journeys being made on the Santander Cycles, when six bike hubs for students, staff, and the wider community were made available to use. As well as access to the Santander bike hire scheme the University is investing in cycle safe pathways, storage and changing facilities, and access to free…

Caerphilly Borough Council is leading the way in the rollout of Universal Primary Free School Meals, doing so a year ahead of schedule. Along with a £3.5m investment in kitchen upgrades, schools in Caerphilly also launched a ‘Plant to Plate’ initiative, promoting the use of fresh and locally grown food in school menus through successful collaboration across schools, partners and suppliers. Collaborating with local suppliers and farmers means an increased presence of seasonal Welsh vegetables, meat products and milk in school meals across the borough. Last year, a cauliflower cheese made from 700 locally grown cauliflowers was a particular hit…

A LIFE ENHANCING LINE-UP OF GLOBAL VOICES is set to make waves on CARDIFF BAY as WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE announces first confirmed acts for LLAIS (9–13 October 2024) – one of the world’s most unique festivals dedicated to the instrument that we all share – THE VOICE All those craving connection and a joyful, enriching experience this Autumn are invited into the halls and spaces of one of the finest auditoriums in Europe to escape into CATE LE BON’s crackling musical brain, transcend earthly bounds with GANAVYA’s South Asian incantations, or get lost in hypnotic desert grooves of Somali icon…