Author: Rhys Gregory

This Apprenticeship Week Wales, Elinor Worthington, Future Talent Development Consultant at Legal & General, discusses how the business is using its apprenticeship programme to develop and shape its future leaders as they look to diversify and futureproof their workforce. As a former apprentice turned leader at one of the leading UK financial services providers, Elinor champions the value of apprenticeships for anyone wanting to gain experience, upskill or change career to achieve their aspirations. Elinor said: “I graduated from university with an Environmental Science degree and accepted an entry level role in financial services at Legal & General to begin earning…

BookTrust Cymru, the children’s reading charity, is encouraging families, schools, and early years spaces across Wales to join in with Big Welsh Rhyme Time, a week-long national celebration of sharing bilingual rhymes, poems and songs with thousands of children in their early years. Developed with the support of the Welsh Government, Big Welsh Rhyme Time invites families across Wales to experience how rhyming and sharing stories bilingually can be incorporated into everyday life – be it at home, an early years setting, or within their local community. More than 500 settings across Wales have signed up to take part in…

ARC-UK Technologies, which operates in Cardiff, has ramped up its sustainability efforts by investing more than £1m in eco-friendly printing that saves resources, enhances time efficiency and improves sustainability practices. The investment allows ARC-UK Technologies to further support companies and communities’ net carbon zero ambitions by offering neutral print production at speed and scale. The wide format Fujifilm printing press, called the Acuity Ultra Hybrid LED, uses recyclable inks which are free from environmentally damaging solvents and uses up to half the energy of traditional printing machines. The second to be installed in the UK, the press has the capability…

Skateboarders, BMX riders and other wheeled sports fanatics are being asked to help develop a city-wide masterplan for better skate facilities in Swansea. Swansea Council has set aside more than £1million to invest in skate park facilities and has already enlisted the help of international skate park designers – Curve Studio. Young people in the city with a passion for skateboarding and BMX, along with those who are curious about taking up the sport, are now being asked for their views on what they would like to see developed in Swansea. The city already has a network of community skate…

A Blue Plaque has been dedicated to James Egan, one of the survivors of the famous Battle of Rorke’s Drift. The Battle of Rorke’s Drift was a pivotal moment in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879 and has become a legendary tale.  Just over 150 British and colonial troops successfully defended the station of Rorke’s Drift against attacks by 4,000 Zulu warriors.  The battle was of course memorialised forever in the 1964 film Zulu starring Welsh actor Sir Stanley Baker. 17 British soldiers were killed during the battle but Private James Egan survived and returned to Wales where he lived until…

Rio Dyer wants Wales to come out of their shell much earlier against England this weekend when Wales head to Twickenham for Round 2 of the Guinness Six Nations. The Dragons wing was one of Wales four try scorers as they picked up two points from their agonising 27-26 defeat to Scotland at Principality Stadium – his fifth Test try in 15 internationals. “It was a bit frustrating in the first half because I wasn’t really touching the ball. We were kicking it a bit too much,” said Dyer. “It showed in the second half that when we do start…

Wales’ Chief Medical Officer – Sir Frank Atherton – is calling on parents to ensure their children are fully vaccinated against measles and are up to date with their other childhood immunisations. Outbreaks of measles could become more frequent in Wales unless urgent action is taken to increase Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccination across the country. Sir Frank is warning that it is essential that uptake of a full course (2 doses) of the MMR vaccine is increased to 95%, the target set by the World Health Organisation, to protect Welsh communities from a potentially devastating outbreak. Measles spreads…

Mallows Bottling, a family-owned facility based in Coed Ely is going from strength to strength since it opened for business in 2021, with exports being its focus for the future growth. Mallows Bottling, received a grant from the Welsh Government’s Business Innovation and Tourism Escalator scheme for its bottling line, and now runs 3 lines with plans for a 4th. The company bottles all forms of alcoholic beverages and has secured large contracts with leading supermarkets and brands globally. They have recently branched into Soft Drink, this is a major focus category for the company, and their lines are producing…

Aldi is on the hunt for new British suppliers to partner with in 2024. The call out applies to all product categories, including food, drink and Specialbuys, and forms part of the supermarket’s ongoing commitment to increase investment in local businesses. Suppliers based in Wales interested in working with Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket can visit aldi.co.uk/suppliers/becoming-a-supplier to find out more. The supermarket spent an additional £1.3 billion with British suppliers in 2023. Aldi works with around 5,000 suppliers across the UK and has been ranked as the best supermarket for conducting relationships fairly and in good faith for a record 10…

With just two months to go until the new workplace recycling law comes into effect, the food and drink venue in Cardiff Bay, has reported a 60-70% saving in waste disposal costs through recycling since making changes to the separation of its waste. Since 2020, all Mermaid Quay restaurants, bars and retail outlets have been equipped with specified bins for different types of waste like food, cardboard, plastics, and general waste – in line with forthcoming workplace recycling law. From 6 April, it will become law for all businesses, charities, and public sector organisations to sort their waste for recycling,…