Author: Rhys Gregory

Wales’s largest business organisation, FSB (Federation of Small Businesses), has strengthened its Wales team with the recent appointment of Fflur Elin as Head of External Affairs. Fflur joins FSB from the Public Affairs team at Gatwick Airport and prior to that, worked within UK Parliament. She now takes on responsibility within FSB for maintaining and growing stakeholder engagement, leading FSB’s press and media activity and helping shape and grow FSB’s voice within Wales in supporting smaller businesses across the country. Speaking about her appointment, Fflur said “I am thrilled to be joining the FSB Wales team at such an important…

A man from Neath Port Talbot has been jailed for multiple child sexual offences. Gareth Phillips, 32, from Skewen, had sex with his then-14-year-old victim in his car in March 2019. Two months later, he began meeting the same victim for sex on a regular basis. In November 2019, they made their relationship ‘official’ – but Phillips asked the victim to keep this a secret. In May 2021, Phillips raped the same victim while staying at a hotel. He has been sentenced to 10 and a half years in prison at Swansea Crown Court after being convicted of four counts…

Cwmfelin Primary School celebrates the success of its ‘Big Bocs Bwyd’ (BBB) food initiative,  recognised by Estyn as a model of good practice, which extends support to the wider community, benefitting learners inside and outside of school. Opening the BBB in September 2021 with produce from FareShare and local supermarkets, Cwmfelin Primary School offers food supplies to parents on a ‘pay as you can’ basis, three times per week.  Run by staff and a parent volunteer, the pupils are responsible for the maintenance of the BBB, including cleaning, re-stocking and checking the temperatures of the ‘bocs’. The school has used…

It has been programmed to coincide with the Gower Festival of Music and the Arts 2024, which takes place next month. Celebrating Gower as an inspiration for artists adds a special local interest to this year’s festival. The Gower Peninsula was the first place in Britain to be designated an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, and its dramatic rocky coastline, beaches, hills and valleys provide outdoor leisure and enjoyment for Swansea residents and visitors alike. Tourist views of its top attractions, particularly Three Cliffs Bay and Rhossili, are widely publicised. Both local and visiting artists, however, have responded to Gower…

The focus of this year’s activity is to make sure carers are more visible in society – ensuring that that they feel seen and respected and that they can access the services and support that they need. Over 6.5 million people in the UK are unpaid carers and it is likely that 3 in 5 of us will become unpaid carers at some point in our lives. It can be incredibly rewarding to care for a loved one and unpaid carers often say they are just being a husband, wife, mum, dad, daughter, son, friend or good neighbour. An unpaid…

A Chair has been selected for a new Town Board which has been established to develop the long-term vision for funding from the UK Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns. Denbighshire County Council will be receiving £20million for Rhyl from the UK Government’s Long-Term Plan for Towns fund. The new Town Board is a UK Government requirement of the funding and once formed will develop a 10-year vison for Rhyl and an initial 3-year investment plan which will determine what the town’s investment priorities should be. In order to comply with UK Government criteria, Denbighshire County Council has been required to…

Counter Terrorism Policing Wales has today charged Hakan Barac, a 27-year-old man from Newport, with offences under Section 2 of the Terrorism Act 2006 (online distribution of terrorist publications) and Section 12 of the Terrorism Act 2000 (Support for a Proscribed Organisation). Barac has been refused bail and will appear before Westminster Magistrates Court today, Thursday 6th June 2024. It is not considered there to be a wider risk to the public.

The Football Association of Wales has launched a new initiative to take the bilingual spirit of The Red Wall into the heart of Welsh communities. Over the next six months, 12 events will be held in Anglesey, Gwynedd, Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire, bringing the joy of the Red Wall to local areas. The family events will range from live music to football workshops, with appearances from some Welsh legends. The aim is to use the passion of the men’s and women’s national football teams to unite people, businesses and the arts in communities in the four counties. It will demonstrate there’s…

The Senedd’s Equality and Social Justice Committee has today published a new report on the governance of Welsh fire and rescue services.  Following an investigation into the controversial appointment of Stuart Millington as Interim Chief Fire Officer for South Wales, the report finds a lack of clarity and “troubling” responses from respondents in senior positions.   The committee recommends that the Welsh government make clear that fire service staff coming forwards with complaints will be adequately supported and treated fairly, alongside urgently exploring options for “more radical reform” in the long term.   Fire Brigades Union general secretary Matt Wrack said:  “This…

Three men have been sent to prison for a total of 16 years after being convicted of a violent robbery which happened in February this year in central Cardiff. At around 10pm on February 16, a 63-year-old man was cycling along Tudor Road when he was set upon by three men who dragged him from his bike, assaulted him and stole his bicycle. By the end of the month all three suspects were arrested and charged with robbery and assault offences. Detective Constable Craig Pearce from Fairwater CID said: I am pleased the matter has been brought to court and…