Author: Rhys Gregory

AN ESTEEMED financial planning business is targeting the North West after further growth in past months. Celtic Financial Planning, based in Mold, St Asaph, and London, has enjoyed a strong start to 2024. In addition to a raft of new clients and having sold all the tickets to its upcoming charity event with Wales RFU coach Warren Gatland, the company welcomed respected Independent Financial Adviser and Chartered Financial Planner, Chris Lloyd. With more than two decades experience in finance – including 15 years with one of the biggest names in the sector, AFH Wealth Management – he is proud to…

This week, Finboot has announced the completion of the first close of its latest funding round to accelerate the next phase of its growth strategy – with a particular focus on enabling companies and their net-zero transition through technology. This latest funding round has been led by a strategic investor together with Wealth Club.   Finboot helps its customers and partners accelerate their digital transformation, and by doing so helps them realise value and build trust through leading edge blockchain technology.   Finboot’s solution, MARCO, enables companies to incorporate blockchain within their value and supply chains, bringing traceability, transparency and compliance which, in…

A book loving five year schoolboy who reads his favourite stories to care home residents “melted the hearts” of millions of TV viewers watching The One Show. Local hero Harri Shone, a pupil of Ysgol Penrhyn, New Broughton, near Wrexham, had a starring role on the prime time BBC One programme as part of a package about World Book Day. He was filmed reading one of his stories to 90-year-old Coral Pickard, a resident at Pendine Park’s Highfield care home on the outskirts of the town. According to Harri, he loves to read to his older friends at Pendine “because…

Royal Harpist Alis Huws who performed at the King’s Coronation will be a star attraction at a music festival in North Wales. Alis, from  the Banw Valley, near Welshpool, in Powys, will perform at the Wales Harp Festival that’s being staged at Galeri in Caernarfon on March 26 and 27. As part of the Coronation Orchestra specially formed for the occasion, she had an unrivalled bird’s eye view from her seat in the organ loft of Westminster Abbey. This summer she will end her five-year tenure as Royal Harpist, coming away with a wealth of once-in-a-lifetime memories. According to Alis…

A unique prize draw has been launched to give a lucky member of the public the opportunity to bring down the landmark chimney stack at Prosperity Parc in Holyhead – whilst raising funds for the RNLI. The prize draw winner, along with their friend or family member, will enjoy a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to join the team at Stena and press the button to signal the demolition of the iconic chimney stack, witnessing the historic moment behind the scenes in real time. Tickets will be on sale from today until next Monday (18 March), with all proceeds going towards the RNLI…

Roger Stapleton, 75, was sentenced at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday, March 8, for 15 sexual offences, committed over a 13-year period. They included: Rape of a child under 13 Sexual assault by penetration of a child under 13 Sexual assault by touching of a child under 13 Sexual assault by touching Possession of category A indecent images of a child Making an indecent image of a child Detective Constable Julia Page said:”Roger Stapleton abused his victim over a significant period of time, with the abuse starting when they were only 5 years old.  “He took advantage of them at…

The first phase of Cardiff Crossrail has taken a step forward today – with news that a design and build partner is set to be appointed, to deliver the detailed design for the first phase of the scheme from Cardiff Central to Cardiff Bay railway station. Cardiff Council’s Cabinet will receive an update on the scheme at its meeting on Thursday, March 21, with recommendations to procure and appoint a delivery partner to deliver the first phase of the scheme, and to give authority for the council and Transport for Wales (TfW) to start the consultation and engagement process with…

A new plan to improve six key bus routes into Cardiff city centre, designed to boost passenger numbers and deliver quicker journey times, has been revealed. The Bus Infrastructure Plan, which sets out a series of possible on-street interventions aimed at improving key bus corridors into Cardiff, will be discussed by the council’s Cabinet at its meeting on Thursday, March 21. The plan, that has been produced in consultation with Cardiff Bus, Transport for Wales, and other operators, sets out a series of improvements which could make bus travel quicker and more reliable. If approved by Cabinet, authority will be…

Pupils from Afon y Felin Primary School and Ysgol Cynwyd Sant have recently navigated their way through to the UK finals of the Formula 1 STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Challenge, which will be held in Rotherham on March 12. Encouraging the use of cross curricular skills, the Formula One (F1) STEM engineering project is based on building and modifying a model F1 car.  Project lead at Afon y Felin Primary School, Andrew Brown, said: “This has been a wonderful, inclusive, STEM experience which has enriched my teaching experience as a newly qualified teacher.  It has also been the…

Schools in Merthyr Tydfil county still have time to sign up to the UK’s largest walking, wheeling, scooting, and cycling to school challenge. Taking place from the 11th to the 22nd of March 2024, Sustrans’ Big Walk and Wheel inspires pupils to make active journeys to school, improving air quality in their neighbourhood and discovering how these changes benefit the world around them. The event sees schools compete each day to make the most journeys by travelling actively to school and is seeing its 15th anniversary by celebrating the success enjoyed across the years for pupils, parents, and schools. The…