Childcare Show to return after success in Wrexham college
The event was organised by childcare assessor Lauren Lawrence, a former nursery manager with more than a decade of experience.
Ms Lawrence said: "The event was filled with an incredible atmosphere that truly inspired our students.
"We took great joy in celebrating their achievements together.
"This experience has instilled in us a genuine optimism for future Childcare Shows, and we look forward to deepening the partnerships we've established."
The show also served as a platform to promote the college's facilities and courses, with more than 30 organisations and businesses in attendance, alongside up to 100 students, their families, charities, and industry stakeholders.
Visitors included students from Level 2 and 3 cohorts of the Children's Care, Play and Learning qualification.
Exhibitors and partners included the NHS, Forest School, Wrexham Family Information Service, quality assessors, and private nurseries.
Ms Lawrence believes collaboration is key to making childcare a more appealing career choice for young people.
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She said: "There are so many options out there, but traditionally this hasn't been seen as a viable long-term career, a perception we want to change.
"We are already being asked to make this an annual celebration and after the success of our first event we definitely plan to do so."
For more information on childcare programmes, visit the Coleg Cambria website.
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Daily Mail
19 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
Private equity barons extracting millions from our dentists
Private equity sharks are cashing in on the crisis in NHS dentistry with debt-fuelled firms taking big bites out of the sector – including one advised by a former Health Secretary. The latest entrant is Bridgepoint, which previously owned care home operator Care UK, and has spent a reported £800 million buying a majority stake in MyDentist. MyDentist, which runs more than 500 practices, has a 5 per cent share of the UK market and is the biggest chain providing NHS services. Bridgepoint's advisors include former Labour Health Secretary Alan Milburn, recently appointed lead non-executive director at the Department of Health and Social Care. The UK-based firm's chief executive Raoul Hughes could earn a bonus of more than £2.5 million this year on top of his £850,000 salary, up from £1.6 million last year. 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Scotsman
16 hours ago
- Scotsman
Rachel Reeves: John Swinney SNP independence push playing from 'same tired old playbook'
Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Chancellor Rachel Reeves has blasted John Swinney's latest independence push as playing from 'the same old playbook'. The chancellor also criticised the SNP's tax policy and appeared to suggest the UK Government will not make further pushes to lower US tariffs on Scotch whisky. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Reeves made the comments during a visit to RAF Lossiemouth on Friday, where she highlighted the UK Government's recent investments in defence and clean energy. Chancellor Rachel Reeves | Jane Barlow/Press Association This comes after the First Minister defended his strategy of a majority of SNP MSPs elected at the 2026 Scottish Parliament election as a mandate for a second independence referendum. Speaking to The Scotsman on the RAF Lossiemouth airfield, Ms Reeves said: 'It's just the same old playbook from the SNP. 'They want to talk about the past and the referendum of a decade ago, and we want to move forward and seize the huge opportunities. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'I'd rather hear John Swinney talking about how he's going to back jobs in Scotland, how he is going to reduce NHS waiting lists in Scotland, how he is going to improve school and college standards in Scotland - but it's' the same tired old SNP. 'They've only got one playbook, and that's independence. 'I think ordinary people and businesses here in Scotland want to hear what the parties are going to do about reducing NHS waiting lists and seizing the opportunities for growth here in Scotland, and that's what I'm focused on.' First Minister John Swinney | Jane Barlow/Press Association She also criticised the SNP's tax policy, and promised that Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar would reform the tax system if they win next year's election. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The different tax rates between Scotland and England mean anyone earning more than £28,850 pays more tax north of the border than they would elsewhere. Ms Reeves said: 'What the SNP do is tax people on ordinary salaries more than they'd be taxed if they were in England. 'I know that Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, says that if we win the next Holyrood elections, we would reform the tax system because in Scotland people are paying more but getting less, and whilst NHS waiting lists are falling in England and Wales, they are still on the rise in Scotland. 'Despite the record settlement that we gave the Scottish Government, they are taxing more and providing worse services.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Ms Reeves's visit to RAF Lossiemouth comes just days after the Moray military base played host to US President Donald Trump. During his visit to Scotland, the president met with both the First Minister and Ms Reeve's boss Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer. During his meeting with the president at Trump International in Aberdeenshire, Mr Swinney made the case for lowering tariffs on Scotch whisky exports to the US. Currently whisky exports face a 10 per cent tariff in the US, costing the industry £4 million a week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad After his meeting, Mr Swinney said there was a 'willingness' from Mr Trump to look at the issue. US President Donald Trump at Trump International earlier in the week. | Press Association During Mr Trump's visit, Mr Sarwar suggested the Prime Minister agreed with the call to exempt Scotch whisky from the 10 per cent tariffs. However, when pressed on the issue the chancellor appeared to suggest she was not willing to make any more pitches to the US Government on whisky tariffs. Ms Reeves said: 'We've got the best trade deal of any country in the world from the US. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We were the first country to get a trade deal, and the announcements around tariffs on other countries around the world, whether that's on the EU or others, are substantially higher. 'So we're in a better position than anyone else in the world, and if you look for example at the trade deal we got with India last week, it sees a halving of tariffs on whisky. 'India is the fastest growing market in the world for Scotch whisky - that is really exciting.' A spokesperson for the Scotch Whisky Association said: "We welcomed Scotch whisky tariffs being raised with President Trump earlier this week. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We're encouraged that the 10 per cent tariff on Scotch whisky in our biggest market – which is costing our industry more than £4m a week in lost exports – remains high on the agenda. 'Given the importance of the Scotch whisky industry to the UK economy, and communities all over Scotland, there is no time for complacency. "We welcomed the India free trade agreement, which will open opportunities for our industry in the longer term, but returning to zero tariff trade with the US would give much needed relief now. 'Our industry is facing significant headwinds both at home and in our markets around the world, impacting our ability to invest. High levels of excise duty here at home are hitting businesses hard and it's vital the chancellor listen to those concerns at the upcoming budget, recognising the wider impact of global and domestic turbulence, and supporting Scotch whisky in its home market." Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'The First Minister made the case for tariff exemptions for our world class whisky sector directly with President Trump this week and - at the invitation of the president - intends to make further representations to him on this matter. 'We hope the 10 per cent tariff can be reduced or removed for all relevant products, including whisky, and we will continue to work with the UK Government to ensure all Scotland's interests are represented as the UK-US economic prosperity deal is completed and built upon.
