Loyal blood donors in Cardiff have responded to a request from the Welsh Blood Service to ‘donate differently’ by rolling up their sleeves to make a lifesaving donation at one of the Service’s new regional hubs. Across Wales, of the 6,234 individuals that visited a Welsh Blood Service donation session last month, almost two thirds (65%) of donors attended a clinic that was not their usual donation venue. In Cardiff, 820 donors came forward to give blood in April, with…

Despite the on-going situation surrounding the Covid-19 crisis, the management team at what will be the new Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar & Grill in Swansea have started looking to recruit staff to work in the new restaurant. Located in J Shed, in the SA1 area of the city, the plan is to open the new venue later in the year once the lockdown restrictions have been eased. And as the final details are put in place and work starts…

In response to COVID-19, Kitchen CUT has developed a tool for all businesses to offer delivery or click + collect at no cost to the business, customer or community. The past few weeks have seen a seismic change in the nature of hospitality operations all over the world.  For the F&B businesses that have been able to remain trading, options such as takeaway, delivery, drive thru and even operating as shops for fresh produce have been a lifeline.  Businesses of…

The recent news that hair salons, along with other businesses in the personal care sector, could reopen from the 4th of July, Ken Picton, owner of Ken Picton Hair Salon in Cardiff Bay and current President of the Fellowship for British Hairdressing is sharing his thoughts on what customers can expect from their post-lockdown appointment. Ken explains that although the easing of restrictions is a welcome announcement for the hair and beauty industry, it comes with great responsibility. Because of…

People across Wales are being urged to stay safe and well and to remember emergency department staff are available if they need urgent help. The number of people attending Welsh emergency departments has fallen by up to 50% since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. But chief executive of NHS Wales, Dr Andrew Goodall, has emphasised that emergency health services continue to be open for all those who need urgent care. Patient safety within emergency departments has been prioritised and…

Award-winning actor Florence Pugh (Little Women, Midsommar, King Lear) joins L Y R – Simon Armitage, Richard Walters and Patrick J Pearson – for a special setting of Armitage’s newest poem, ‘Lockdown’, recorded remotely at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is the first time Florence Pugh has contributed both spoken word and vocals for a song. Proceeds from the release, out digitally via Mercury KX on 14th May, will go to Refuge, a UK-based charity providing specialist support…

Top tips for keeping morale high, with ideas and resources to help As the virus threat and the lockdown restrictions continue, it is no surprise many of us are feeling much more anxious than we would in normal circumstances. It’s easy for this to become a downward cycle of worry, lethargy and depression. The threat is real, and we can’t make it go away. What we can do is boost our resilience, finding ways to keep our spirits up. Here…

Wales is in a much stronger position to provide vital PPE equipment because of our relationships abroad and our ability to make things at home, Deputy Minister for Economy and Transport, Lee Waters has said. It comes as manufacturing company Hardshell has brought in surgical mask making machines to create a new factory in Cardiff to produce up to a million fluid resistant face masks per day for health, social care and other key workers, in Wales and the rest…

Free online Family Sign Language classes are being offered to families across Wales to celebrate Deaf Awareness Week. The videos will be released every Friday for 12 weeks. Topics will include everything from colours and days of the week to communicating as a family. The National Deaf Children’s Society is hoping to tackle loneliness and isolation during this “very challenging time for many deaf children and their families.”   Families across Wales will get the chance to learn sign Language…

  THE UK’S BIGGEST RETRO FESTIVAL, ONLINE IN AID OF CHILD BEREAVEMENT UK  FEATURING TONY HADLEY, WET WET WET, ABC, HOWARD JONES, MIDGE URE, JASON DONOVAN, TOYAH & MANY, MANY MORE  HOSTED BY PAT SHARP & DAVE BENSON PHILLIPS  DATE:  SATURDAY 16th MAY @ 7:00pm LOCATION:  ANYWHERE AND EVERYWHERE! After a turbulent few months and with the postponements nearly completed for the entire Let’s Rock season of festivals, Let’s Rock have put together 80s LockdownFest, a special online event in…