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Make UK, the manufacturers’ organisation, welcomes the introduction of new ‘flexible furlough’ arrangements, which offer financial and operational benefits, but highlights areas where employers must take particular care. To guide them on their way, Make UK has created a new letter template, to help employers agree flexible furlough with employees as they move towards recovery. “Flexibility is helpful, but implementing new flexible furlough arrangements, which allow employees to return to work on a part-time basis, will not necessarily be straightforward.”…

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion at Heart Research UK Control your portions! If you need to lose weight, it is important to think about the quantity of food you are eating as well as the types of food and drink you choose. Food portions tend to be larger today than they were thirty years ago and this is contributing to weight gain. Controlling your portion sizes doesn’t mean you have…

Bearhug, an independent British brand are set to team up with Cardiff Blues powerhouse, Nick Williams, as the number 8 joins the company’s board. Bearhug announced the exciting news that popular Cardiff Blues back row, Nick Williams, has joined the board. Bearhug uniquely use bamboo in the make-up of their supports, this difference in composition can increase blood flow and dramatically reduce rehabilitation and recovery periods, whilst enhancing performance. 36-year-old, New Zealand born Nick has long been a great supporter…

A new report by the International Longevity Centre UK (ILC) highlights that older consumers could drive economic growth in the post-pandemic recovery but business is failing to meet their needs. “Lockdown not shutdown: How can we unlock the longevity dividend post-pandemic?” argues that older people on a fixed income may have not faced as significant a financial shock as younger people yet lockdown has made it difficult for this group, particularly those shielding, to actually spend their money. Older consumers spent £319 billion (54% of all UK consumer spending) in 2018, a figure set to increase as the…

Battery manufacturer, Britishvolt, have announced they’re down to two promising sites for the UK’s first 30 plus GWh gigafactory, from an initial 42 locations, with Bro Tathan in South Wales leading the way. The battery industry is forecast to be worth £5 billion domestically by 2025, and the demand for lithium ion cells across a number of industries, including vehicle electrification, is already increasing dramatically, and risks becoming constrained as the UK Government strives to meet its Road to Zero…

Bangor University has welcomed the announcement that all students starting university in September and studying at least 40 credits through the medium of Welsh, will receive a scholarship of £1,500 over three years. This follows the announcement by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol that they are extending its incentive scholarship scheme to include all students starting university in September 2020 who choose to study at least 40 credits through the medium of Welsh. Scholarship holders will receive £500 per year (or…

The world’s largest space incubation programme for space tech start-ups will extend to the new Space Park Leicester in the East Midlands, in a drive to support the vibrant, growing regional space clusters across the UK. The European Space Agency Business Incubation Centre United Kingdom (ESA BIC UK) supports start-ups using space technologies to develop new products and services or developing technologies for use in space, enabling them to gain a competitive advantage in today’s global market place. Managed by…

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the UK’s Gardening Charity, has like many other organisations, suffered losses of millions of pounds due to the impact of the Coronavirus and, as a result, the RHS has taken the tough decision to cancel some of its shows next year.   The RHS expects losses this year of up to £18m and the charity has had to look closely at its finances in order to safeguard its future. This will mean stopping some areas…

Welsh local authorities, schools, colleges and work-based learning providers will be hosting a series of Virtual Open Days for Year 11 pupils for the first time this month. An event specifically for pupils from Bridgend, the Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Cardiff will take place on Friday 10 July and will cover a series of sessions on post-16 options including A Levels at sixth form or college as well as work-based qualifications. Jonathan Davies OBE will…

Following the huge success of the first 80s LockdownFest last month, Let’s Rock have announced a second online festival, 80s LockdownFest2, happening on Friday 3rd July from 7:00pm.    The evening will feature performances from Let’s Rock legends including OMD, Marc Almond, Tony Hadley, Wet Wet Wet, Sister Sledge, The Boomtown Rats, Go West and many, many more.   The first 80s LockdownFest took place on May 16th 2020, which would have been the start of the Let’s Rock summer…