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Work starts on hospice

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Unit features: Sun terrace, garden, large balconies and sacred space.

Unit features: Sun terrace, garden, large balconies and sacred space.

BUILDING work for a brand new £2m inpatient hospice serving Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion got underway earlier this week. Skanda Vale Hospice are developing their existing facilities to include a six bedroom in-care unit. The new hospice will begin phasing in their new services from November 2015, offering inpatient respite and end of life care services that are not currently available anywhere in the three counties. Since 1993, monks and nuns from Skanda Vale multi-faith monastery have been offering practical, emotional, social and spiritual care to families affected by life-threatening illnesses, completely free of charge.

The local community will soon benefit from much more choice and support, at one of the most difficult times of life. Dr. Pat Purcell, a local Palliative Care Consultant and voluntary clinical advisor to the hospice project said: “The new hospice unit will meet an urgent need in our community – many patients currently have to travel long distances to get the care they need. The hospice is ideally located, near the borders of Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire, to serve a large number of local people.

Both myself and the palliative care team look forward to collaborative working with the staff at Skanda Vale Hospice.” The equivalent of 5 palliative nursing jobs will be created – though the hospice is unique in that all support staff are fully qualified unpaid volunteers. Brother Michael said: “Skanda Vale Hospice is run by volunteers, so our overheads are far less than similar sized organisations. More than 94p in every £1 donated can be invested in patient care.We’d like to thank our local community for all their support over the years. This hospice is for the people of Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. We want to encourage people to get excited about this amazing project and come and be a part of it.”

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Wales set to ban supermarket junk food promotions

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New rules could reshape the way snacks are sold

SHOPPERS in Wales may soon find fewer tempting offers on unhealthy snacks as the Welsh government plans to ban the promotion of junk food in supermarkets.

Under the proposed regulations, retailers with 50 or more employees will be prohibited from placing sugary, salty, and fatty foods near tills, store entrances, or at the end of aisles. Similar restrictions will apply online, preventing junk food promotions from appearing on homepage banners, category pages, or checkout screens.

The crackdown, which could come into effect in March 2026 if approved by the Senedd next month, would also spell the end for buy-one-get-one-free deals and free refills on sugary drinks.

Health Secretary Jeremy Miles defended the measures, highlighting concerns about childhood obesity. “With nearly a quarter of children in Wales overweight or obese by the time they start school, we must take action to help people make healthier choices,” he said.

Retailers who fail to comply with the new rules could face fines of up to £2,500.

Industry concerns

The proposed legislation is similar to rules introduced in England in 2022 and follows a consultation launched last year. However, the Welsh Retail Consortium has raised concerns, particularly over limits on promotional pricing, arguing that price competition benefits customers.

“Restricting meal deal offers and category promotions could impact affordability for consumers,” a spokesperson warned.

Some smaller businesses, such as independent sweet shops and specialist chocolatiers, will be exempt from the restrictions.

The Welsh government says the new rules are designed to curb impulse buying of unhealthy foods and encourage better dietary habits across the nation. However, with opposition from some in the retail sector, the debate over balancing public health and consumer choice is set to continue.

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Business

Last chance to buy high-quality homes at Carmarthenshire site

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ONLY six properties remain for sale at a popular housing development in Cross Hands.

Parc Cerrig – which has easy access to the A48 and M4 – has three and four-bed homes for sale from £284,995 to £344,995. Help-to-Buy Wales is available at Parc Cerrig, meaning customers could buy a home with a minimum deposit of 5%.

The houses have been built by Persimmon Homes, West Wales’ largest developer, which has a five-star ranking from the Home Builders Federation, which means nine-in-ten customers would recommend them to a friend.

Cross Hands is a village close to Carmarthen, while the development is a short walk from a range of amenities, including big brands at the excellent retail park, two supermarkets, a number of independent shops and eateries, schools, a doctor’s surgery, and a cinema. Llanelli and Swansea are 20 and 30 minute drive away, respectively.

Interested buyers are encouraged to act quickly to secure their dream home in this desirable location. With interest expected to be high, potential buyers are advised to act quickly to secure their dream home on this desirable development.

During the housebuilder’s time at Parc Cerrig, Persimmon has overseen the construction of 198 new homes. For more information or to arrange a viewing of the final properties, please visit the Persimmon website at persimmonhomes.com or contact our sales team directly on 01269 503893.

Commenting, Persimmon Homes West Wales’ sales director, Sharon Bouhali, said: “With only six homes remaining at Parc Cerrig, we’re excited to offer this final opportunity to own a high-quality home built by a five-star builder at this development, where families will also benefit from the brand-new primary school and a local community centre.

“Located in the beautiful county of Carmarthenshire, Parc Cerrig is conveniently close to Swansea, Llanelli, the M4, and several coastal towns and their wonderful beaches.

“As we approach the end of our time here, we encouraging potential buyers to act swiftly and secure their dream home in this delightful part of the country.”

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Business

Welsh business activity sees renewed expansion in January

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Output increases for the first time since August 2024
BUSINSESS activity in Wales experienced renewed growth at the start of 2025, according to the latest Cymru Growth Tracker data from NatWest. The findings indicate a fresh rise in output, with business confidence remaining positive as companies entered the new trading year.

The Wales Business Activity Index—a seasonally adjusted measure of month-on-month changes in output across the manufacturing and service sectors—rose to 50.7 in January. This marked a third consecutive monthly increase and the first expansion in activity since August 2024. The figure was up from 48.9 in December, signalling a marginal improvement in business performance.

Business confidence remained strong, while the decline in employment and backlog levels eased. However, inflationary pressures intensified, with costs and charges rising at historically high rates. Firms sought to pass these costs on to customers, resulting in the sharpest increase in selling prices in ten months.

Economic trends and business confidence

Jessica Shipman, Chair of the NatWest Cymru Regional Board, commented: “January data saw a return to output growth at Welsh businesses, with improvements in the sales environment in specific sectors driving expansion. Firms remained cautious about employment but were confident that demand conditions would improve as the year progressed.

“Although cost burdens remained elevated compared to historical trends, Wales recorded the slowest rise in input prices of the 12 monitored UK regions. However, output charges continued to increase, approaching the UK average, as businesses sought to protect their profit margins.

“The Bank of England’s recent interest rate cut has made monetary policy less restrictive, with further easing expected later in the year.”

Comparison with UK trends

Welsh business activity mirrored UK-wide trends, which saw overall expansion in January. However, only four of the 12 monitored UK regions—London, the North East, the South West, and Wales—registered an upturn in activity. Some firms noted increased demand in specific sectors, though the broader sales environment remained subdued.

While new orders in Wales continued to contract, the rate of decline was weaker than the UK average. Of the ten UK regions reporting lower sales, Wales recorded the slowest decline.

Despite these challenges, business sentiment remained positive, with firms anticipating stronger economic conditions and planned capacity expansions. Of the 12 monitored regions, only the North East, Scotland, and Northern Ireland reported weaker optimism.

Employment and inflationary pressures

Welsh private sector firms reported a fifth consecutive monthly decline in workforce numbers in January. While job losses eased, Wales still experienced one of the sharpest reductions in employment among UK regions, with only the East of England and the West Midlands seeing steeper cuts.

Backlogs of work continued to decline, though at a slower pace than previous months. Firms attributed this to lower new orders, allowing them to process outstanding business more efficiently. The rate of backlog reduction remained quicker than both the UK and long-term series averages.

Meanwhile, input prices surged at the fastest rate since April 2024 due to unfavourable exchange rate movements, rising labour costs, and increased supplier prices. However, Wales recorded the slowest rate of cost inflation among the 12 UK regions.

Output prices followed a different trend, with Welsh firms passing higher costs on to customers at a faster rate. Scotland and Northern Ireland were the only UK regions to report a slower rise in selling prices.

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