Company bosses in Wrexham are being urged to reduce their use of packaging and plastic waste in the war against climate change.
The plea came from Wrexham AM Lesley Griffiths, who is also the Welsh Government Minister for the Environment, Energy and Rural Affairs, at the annual dinner of Wrexham Business Professionals.
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professionals working together to promote regional prosperity and the enterprise and expertise that exists in the region.
Ms Griffiths told the packed Ramada Hotel function room that we only have a short period of time in which to act if we are to reverse the devastating effects of the “climate crisis”.
She said: “We really do face a climate change emergency and we have to act now. I’m proud that Wales was the first country in the world to declare a climate emergency.
“I hoped when we, the Welsh Government, made that declaration that we would see a wave of action both here in the UK and around the world.
“We all need to take action, communities, businesses and governments if we are to reverse the devastating damaging climate change is and will continue to do around the world.
“The Welsh Government is committed to achieving a carbon neutral public sector by 2030. We now need to co-ordinate the action required to help other parts of the economy move away from fossil fuels.
“Our sustainable development and environmental legislation is recognised as world-leading and now we must use that legislation to set a new pace of change."
She added: “Climate change is such a massive issue and something we all created. It’s now up to us all to do something about it.
“If we look at recycling rates for example, a few years ago Wales was next to bottom in the league table but now we are currently third, just behind Singapore and Germany.
“We took action and instigated change such as...
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A former film company boss has called on business leaders in North Wales to do more to save the environment.
The plea from Justin Albert, the Director for Wales for the National Trust, came at a meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals, where he told the packed audience that the damaging effects of climate change were to be seen every day.
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professionals working together to promote regional prosperity and the enterprise and expertise that exists in the region.
Mr Albert, who previously worked - in non-fiction production at Paramount Studios, is now also a member of the Ministerial Advisory Board set up by the Welsh Government’s Economy and Transport Minister Ken Skates.
The other main speaker at the event held at Wrexham’s Ramada Hotel was leading businessman Alan Peterson, the Cardiff-born chair of both the South Wales-based international diagnostics provider, BBI Diagnostics, and the HSS Hire Group.
In his speech Mr Albert homed in on the threat posed by climate change to future generations.
He said: “There are sceptics but if only 50 per cent of what the scientists predict comes to pass then we face devastating consequences. It is the one issue that is worrying our children and the younger generation.
“I see it every day and the effect it is already having on the environment. We have to behave more responsibly.
“At the National Trust I have invested millions of pounds into renewable energy. One of the first things we did was in Snowdon. More than 250,000 people walk up Watkin Pass every year. But we wanted to install a hydro unit to help deliver greener renewable energy.
“Now the dam itself looks gorgeous, and Watkin Pass is back to looking fantastic.
“It’s the same with our solar panels which we have installed at all our properties. We installed one at Bodnant Garden, one of the world’s best gardens.
“It was name...
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One of Wales’s most successful businessmen will be urging company bosses to do more to help staff with mental health problems.
Entrepreneur Alan Peterson OBE will tell business leaders in Wrexham that staff mental health difficulties have always been a massive issue that holds back many firms.
He will be a key note speaker at a breakfast meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals at the town’s Ramada Hotel ono Thursday, September 19.
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professionals working together to promote regional prosperity and the enterprise and expertise that exists in the region.
The other speaker on the day will be Justin Albert, the Wales director of the National Trust.
Cardiff-born Mr Peterson is chair of both the South Wales-based international diagnostics provider, BBI Diagnostics, and the HSS Hire Group.
HSS Hire employs 2,900 people at 250 branches, providing tools, equipment and related services across the UK and Ireland, while the BBI Group offers diagnostic services in the healthcare, research, defence and the food industry across four continents and employs 450 people in facilities as far afield as America, China and South Africa
Mr Peterson’s stellar career has also included leading roles at big hitters like Meyer International, 3i Group PLC and Rubicon Retail.
He said: “Mental health is a massive problem and all too often it’s an issue that gets ignored.
“It’s an issue that means many people are going to work and due to the stress they have in their lives they are only working at 50 per cent of their mental capacity. We have to be aware of these issues and help staff to deal with them.
“Think of a single mum who knows her child is being abused on line. Naturally she will take that abuse into work with her it will be a load on her shoulders that she can’t shake off.
“As managers and business professionals we need to be sure we are...
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A third of Welsh exports worth £5.6 billion come from North Wales twin economic powerhouses of Wrexham and Flintshire, business leaders were told.
The figure was revealed by Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns who praised the region for its “miraculous” contribution the Welsh economy when he addressed a meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals at the town’s Ramada Hotel.
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professionals working together to promote regional prosperity and the enterprise and expertise that exists in the region.
The other keynote speakers were Welsh Government Economy and Transport Secretary Ken Skates, also the AM for Clwyd South, and Ian Bancroft, the Chief Executive of Wrexham County Borough Council.
Mr Cairns said: “North Wales and Wrexham in particular - continues to punch well above its weight.
“Exports from Flintshire and Wrexham are already at £5.6 billion, a third of the Welsh total.
“Flintshire and Wrexham had the highest economic growth rate of any part of Wales in 2017 and North Wales had the highest employment rate in Wales last year.
“That’s why I want to pay tribute to all of you and to recognise the role this region is playing in our country’s miraculous economic growth. For it is businesses that ultimately take the risks that result in prosperity.”
He said it made him optimistic about the UK’s imminent departure from the European Union and added: “I see Brexit not as a hurdle but as a golden opportunity for Wales to assert its position within a global Britain, recognising the opportunities both in Europe and beyond.
“I say this because 90 per cent of global growth will come from outside the EU over the next 10 years.
“But that doesn’t mean we should ignore the European market on our doorstep. I don’t view it as one or the other – the EU Market or the rest of the world.
“It’s more important than ever to look to both markets,...
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Economy Minister Ken Skates is pledging to answer critics who say there’s a North-South divide in investment and funding to support businesses.
Mr Skates, who is also the AM for Clwyd South, will tell business leaders in Wrexham that he will guarantee that North Wales gets its fair share of his budget.
He will make the promise at the next meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals at the Ramada Plaza Hotel on Thursday, July 4.
The group made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professionals working together to promote regional prosperity and the enterprise and expertise that exists in the region.
The other keynote speakers will be Welsh Secretary Alun Cairns MP and Ian Bancroft, the chief executive of Wrexham County Borough Council.
According to Mr Skates, setting up the headquarters of the Development Bank of Wales in Wrexham was a statement of intent.
It was recently revealed the bank had invested a record £80 million in Welsh companies over the past year, with £17 million of that coming to North Wales.
Mr Skates said: “For many years people in North Wales have questioned whether they have had a fair share of investment and funding.
“The decision to headquarter the Development Bank of Wales in Wrexham was a deliberate one to make sure that we get fair funding and fair investment spread across the whole of Wales and also to address both the perception and, if there is one, address the reality as well.
“What we have found with the first full year of performance since the bank’s headquarters was opened is that investment in North Wales is more than 21 per cent of overall Welsh investment which is a bit higher than the amount would have been per head of population.
“However, it is on an upward trajectory as well so it’s clear that putting the headquarters in Wrexham has had huge benefits for North Wales as a whole in making sure that investment...
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The First Minister warned business leaders in Wrexham that some companies in North Wales would go bust within three weeks as a result of a bad deal Brexit.
According to the Rt Hon Mark Drakeford AM, leaving the EU on the wrong terms would spell disaster for the Welsh economy and if there was another poll he would urge people to vote remain.
Prof Drakeford was speaking at a meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals, a group made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professionals working together to promote regional prosperity and the enterprise and expertise that exists in the region.
He told the packed audience that a decade of the longest and deepest period of austerity in the 200 year history of a modern industrial United Kingdom has meant the Welsh Government budget was now back to where it was in 2009.
He said: “Ten years into austerity the signs of stress and strain in our public services are absolutely real. There is only so long you can go on stretching the elastic. As the elastic shrinks and the wounds expand as we try to keep the show on the road in the way the people of Wales expect."
“And that is certainly true of our ability to fund local government that local authorities carry out in education, in housing those things that matter every single day in the lives of people in Wales."
“Austerity remains a defining characteristic but that is compounded by the impact of Brexit. Welsh businesses are more exposed than any other part of the United Kingdom to the adverse effects of a no deal Brexit. Manufacturing remains a larger part of our economy than any other part of the United Kingdom. And our exposure in the field of agriculture and food production is enough to challenge because if you have none tariff barriers in trade with our largest and most important market."
“Over the past 20 years with the help of European...
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Give more power to people of North Wales after Brexit
A former top civil servant says that an elected mayor or a regional assembly are potential solutions to the challenges facing North Wales in the aftermath of the Brexit vote.
Lord Michael Bichard, a crossbench peer, will tell a meeting of business leaders in Wrexham that extending devolution is the best way forward in North Wales and other parts of the UK. He will be joined as a guest speaker by the First Minister for Wales, the Right Hon. Mark Drakeford AM, at the breakfast session of Wrexham Business Professionals at the town’s Ramada Hotel on Friday, May 17.
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
Between 1995 and 2001 Lord Bichard, was Permanent Secretary of the Department for Employment and in 2004 he was appointed by the then Home Secretary, David Blunkett, to chair an inquiry into the Soham murders of two 10 year old girls.Appointed as Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath (KCB) in the 1999 Birthday Honours list, Lord Bichard said: “The crux of what I will be talking about to the audience will be centred on Brexit."
“Firstly, we need to reflect on what we do about the consequences of bringing all this legislation and law making powers back from Brussels. What do we do to control the law and how we handle the law-making process?"
“People think power will rest in Westminster, Cardiff or wherever but it can’t, there simply has to be an element of devolution."
"Voters need to have someone to hold to account, someone locally elected, with a new regional assembly or an elected mayor being possible options."
“I don’t know enough about the politics of Wales to favour one option over another but I do...
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City status for Wrexham is now “inevitable”, says top minister
A top politician has backed calls for Wrexham to be granted city status.
The message from Ken Skates AM, the Welsh Government Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport, to local business leaders was: “Think like a city, act like a city and become a city.”
Mr Skates, who is also the AM for Clwyd South, was speaking at a meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals at the Catrin Finch Centre at Wrexham Glyndwr University.
The group, that’s at the forefront of campaign to secure city status for Wrexham, is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
The other keynote speaker at the event was Don Bircham, Managing Director of the Wrexham-based Hays Travel North West that’s expanded the number of shops to 35 and created more than 50 new jobs in less than a year.
According to Mr Skates, his decision to locate the headquarters of the Development Banks of Wales in Wrexham was a vote of confidence in the town.
The minister said the the work of Wrexham Business Professionals was crucial when deciding to invest in the town and that gaining city status was inevitable.
He said: “City regions grow faster economically and it’s easier for businesses to grow in that environment.
“I see Wrexham as being the economical capital of North Wales. Caernarfon might be the cultural capital but Wrexham’s strong economy and the business opportunities in the area make it the region’s leading economic area.
“We need to see ourselves as a city region. We should never underestimate the task ahead but we should endeavour to become a city region of that I am certain. If Wrexham continues to focus on growth then city status is inevitable.
“I’m proud of what the Welsh Government is doing...
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Army of investment angels will help Welsh businesses fly
An organisation to match investors to businesses in Wales seeking funding is being launched by the Wrexham-based Development Bank of Wales.
Neil Maguinness, the bank’s director of risk, compliance and legal development, revealed that Angels Invest Wales, a subsidiary of the bank, is going to be set up soon.
Mr Maguinness was giving an update of bank’s activities since it was launched last October at a meeting of Wrexham Business Professionals at the town’s Ramada Hotel.
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
The other keynote speaker at the event was Chris Davies, a miner’s son from Wrexham who rose to become the boss of all the Disney stores across Europe, who gave an “inspirational” masterclass when he talked about his career and discussed the future of the retail sector in North Wales.
According to Mr Maguinness, the size of the North Wales team had doubled over the past year they were hoping to move into their new headquarters on Wrexham Technology Park in the summer, with the workforce increasing to 50 by 2023.
In the meantime, they had already increased the funds under their management to £130 million.
The next step was establishing the Angels Invest Wales and its network of investors.
Mr Maguinness said: “Angels Invest Wales will specialise in bringing Welsh businesses seeking funding together with high net worth individuals who themselves are seasoned and successful business people.
“Angels Invest Wales complements the equity funding the Development Bank already offers, helping to attract more investors both from within Wales and further afield.
“In addition to this, an exciting collaboration between Cardiff University, the Office for National Statistics and the Development Bank will see the launch of an independent research body in later this year....
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Let’s work together to make Wrexham more prosperous, says new council boss
A new council boss has vowed to build a “new and exciting” relationship with the business community in Wrexham.
Ian Bancroft, the recently-appointed chief executive of Wrexham County Borough Council, says it’s vital the public and private sectors work together to forge a more prosperous future for the town.
Mr Bancroft made to the pledge at the annual Christmas gathering of Wrexham Business Professionals at the Ramada Hotel.
The group is made up of successful businesses and highly skilled professional firms of solicitors, accountants and other business professionals working together to raise the profile of enterprise and expertise that exists in the region and beyond.
He said: “I’m delighted to have been invited to speak to you and I’m committed to this being the start of what I’m sure will be many productive conversations with you as representatives of the Wrexham business community. This is the start of what I hope will be an ongoing dialogue.
“My priority is to ensure Wrexham remains a great place to do business and I want to support the investment needed to achieve this.
“To achieve this we, as a council, need to ensure the right infrastructure in terms of skills and support is in place and we listen to your views. In my view there is no point in having conversations if it doesn’t deliver something. We need to make a difference.
“As an individual I want to be approachable and ensure we work together appropriately and in a way that benefits both Wrexham and its residents. It’s about talking up Wrexham as the major urban area in North Wales.”
“I believe in Wrexham and I believe in the people of Wrexham. It’s a unique place and we are brilliantly well-connected in terms of moving into west Wales and in terms of Liverpool and Manchester.
“I believe in economic success and how that fuels aspiration and...
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