1. From Pontardawe to POTUS
What does Pontardawe have in common with the White House? Yes, the one in Washington DC. Well, the truth of the matter is not a lot, BUT did you know that the steel roof structure of the White House was made in the Welsh town in the lower Swansea valley? The trading relationship between Wales and the US has always been a special one, with Wales having exported everything from steel to political expertise to America – at least five of the signatories to the Declaration of Independence, and at least eight Presidents had Welsh ancestry. With all of this in mind, as part of our long-running campaign with Business Wales to promote the value of exporting to Welsh SMEs, we penned a feature on how the US has become Wales’ main export market for WalesOnline. In a similar vein we also wrote a blog for Wales Business Insider on behalf of Nick Davidson at Football Association Wales, who are growing their export business following a surge in demand for its coaching qualifications in the US, since the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
2. Showcasing ci-friendly Conwy
Searching for a last-minute winter getaway with your pup? Look no further than @tailormadeadventures on Instagram for some top quality inspo for the perfect ci-friendly trip to Conwy, in North Wales. In collaboration with Visit Conwy, we crafted a whistle-stop tour of the historic county for the Bristolian influencer, promoting dog friendly travel in the colder months for its winter tourism campaign. From doggy cafes and atmospheric mountain hikes to long sandy beaches and cosy pubs, Jessie has documented their Conwy adventure with her pooch, Oakley, through a selection of expertly created social media content.
3. Leaving dry January behind with the British Business Bank’s latest loan recipient
A Cardiff-based craft brewery is expanding thanks to funding from the British Business Bank. We regularly share stories of small businesses in Wales benefitting from the Bank’s Start Up Loans programme, and this week was no different, spotlighting the Flowerhorn Brewery which has plans to open a new bar in the heart of Cardiff later this year. Flowerhorn brew a range of quirky beers, including collaboration specials with local brands such as a 9% Doughnut Stout with local shop Cardiff Dough & Co and a 7% Margarita Gose with La Pantera Taco Bar. You can read more about their story on Insider, Herald, Business News Wales and Wales 247.
4. Spreading the love with Smitten matchmaking agency
If there’s someone out there for everyone, where can like-minded singles find their match? Making real connections is something that established recruitment consultant turned matchmaker Mera Mann is tackling head on with her Valentine’s launch of in-person dating agency Smitten. Human interactions IRL (in real life) can be few and far between these days, so every new subscription to this members-only service will be interviewed in person by Mera, who is committed to really getting to know members and to analysing their dating ambitions. She’s adapting her interviewing skills from placing the perfect candidate in the ideal vacancy to matchmaking with exclusive monthly members ‘mingle’ events hosted at handpicked venues. Cardiff Life magazine and What’s On Cardiff are already talking about Smitten and we can’t wait to hear about all the success stories.
5. Behind the scenes at the Botanic Gardens
Lights… camera… climate change! For new client Coleg Sir Gâr, we headed to the National Botanic Garden of Wales this week to capture interviews and footage of the launch of Green 24, a new sustainability project to equip people and organisations with the skills they need to become net zero by 2030. Green 24 forms part of our work for the college, alongside other upskilling programmes such as Cook 24, Care 24 and numeracy focused adult learning provision, Multiply 24. Stay tuned for the launch film!
