Author: Rhys Gregory

A 30-year-old woman from the Rhondda was sentenced to prison for six years at Merthyr Tydfil Crown Court on Friday August 9 2024. Jodie Lee Beer, 30, of Llanharry, Rhondda Cynon Taff, was working as a prison officer for Parc Prison, Bridgend, when she was arrested in the prison car park in February 2022. Beer was found to be in possession of concealed drugs and was subsequently charged with misconduct whilst acting as a public officer, possession with intent to supply, and possession of class A and class C drugs. She resigned her role following the charges. The investigation was…

A new Welsh Government policy sets out how learning and skills will be improved in Welsh prisons. Better Learning, Better Chances: prison learning and skills provision in Wales sets out, for the first time what the delivery of learning and skills will look like. The policy aims to inspire and engage with prisoners and help them get ready for employment, gain independence and contribute to wider society.  Prisoners who find work on release are less likely to re-offend than those who do not. Investing in learning and skills is key to promoting and developing a culture of rehabilitation in our…

Exciting plans are underway for Bangor’s High Street as City Sports and Cocktail Bar announces the submission of a planning application to transform the former H&M building into a dynamic new venue. This ambitious project aims to rejuvenate the local economy by offering a unique blend of entertainment, dining, and nightlife that appeals to residents and visitors. City Sports and Cocktail Bar will feature an array of amenities, including pool tables, electronic games, and an American-style dining experience focusing on indulgent, “dirty” food such as loaded fries and other comfort classics. The venue will serve food throughout the day and…

Aberglasney is set to indulge all your senses in September when it combines its successful Food & Music Fair with the Welsh Orchid Festival in the beautiful surroundings of the Gardens. The weekend-long event, which takes place on 7 & 8 September 2024, will be a celebration of beautiful orchids, locally produced food and drink and the entertainment will be provided by music artists from around west Wales. The 16th Welsh Orchid Festival, organised by the Orchid Study Group, will be an opportunity for visitors to learn about rare species and popular hybrid orchids. Visitors will also be able to…

A new supported employment programme from Bridgend County Borough and delivered by Whitehead Ross Education has seen businesses from across the region come together in a collaborative effort to help boost employment across the county. Quickstart is a 22-week paid work placement funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund aimed at supporting local people aged 16+ who are unemployed. The programme, being delivered by Whitehead Ross Education, is designed to help local people gain valuable experience, enhance their employability skills and increase their chances of securing permanent employment. The programme will support up to 100 participants over the next…

Swansea-based Lyte Ladders (Lyte) has secured additional funding from Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance to support its ambitious sustainability initiative. Its current facility will be expanded by £275,000, taking the overall Group facility to £6.35m. Specialising in premium-grade aluminium and glass fibre ladders and other access equipment, Lyte previously secured funding from Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance, firstly in 2019 to support an investment by private equity house BREAL. More recently it secured funding to support its merger with leading ladder manufacturer, LFI. Secure Trust Bank Commercial Finance provides facilities to businesses at a set Loan to Value ratio of…

A local housebuilder has received planning permission from Carmarthen County Council to construct 123 new zero-carbon ready homes in Carmarthen. Persimmon West Wales, alongside its sister company Charles Church, will build the quality new homes on land it acquired with outline planning permission for 250 properties, adjacent to its Parc Y Fron site north-west of the old St David’s Hospital off Ffordd Pendre, where it secured full planning permission for another 93 homes last year. Together, both estates form a strategic site for the local authority in the area. A further reserved matters application will be brought forward in the…

Welsh firms signalled a fall in output at the start of the second half of the year, according to the NatWest Wales Growth Tracker. The headline Business Activity Index – a seasonally adjusted index that measures the month-on-month change in the combined output of the region’s manufacturing and service sectors – registered 48.3, down from 49.7 in June to indicate a modest decline in output at Welsh firms. Anecdotal evidence attributed the downturn to previously subdued customer demand. July data signalled a return to growth of new business at Welsh private sector firms, following a modest decline in June. A…

Ukrainian literature will be brought to a global audience of millions once more in a renewed digital partnership between Ukraine’s largest literature festival, Lviv BookForum, and leading charity and international ideas platform, Hay Festival Global. Taking place 3–6 October, Lviv BookForum 2024 aims to create a civic space for a free and tolerant exchange of ideas between writers and readers around the world. In the third year of Russian full-scale invasion, Lviv BookForum will use up-to-date experience of Ukrainians to speak about slavery and the post-colonial experience, the impact of public activism, gender issues and in general how the actions…

Award-winning Mallows Bottling is ramping up production with a significant seven-figure equity investment by the Development Bank of Wales that will more than treble capacity and create 18 new jobs. Established in 2021 by Directors Andrew Mallows and his 28 year-old son Rhys, the Tonyrefail-based manufacturing business provides contract bottling for leading retailers in the international spirits and soft drink industry.  Their 30,000 sq. ft purpose-built bonded facility is accredited with the British Retail Consortium and can fill up to 90 million bottles a year. The investment by the Development Bank will be used to fund the purchase of  a…