Latest news with #JoshNavidi
Wales Online
12-07-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Underrated family day out in Cardiff both kids and parents will love for less than £40
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info Allow me to tell you about an underrated family event in Cardiff that you can walk to within minutes from the city centre, take your own food, which you and your kids will love, costs less than £40 for a family of four and yet you've probably never thought of going to. Last week we went to Sophia Gardens, the home of Glamorgan Cricket, to watch the T20 Blast cricket and within a few minutes of the first ball being thrown I turned and asked: 'Why aren't more people here doing this?' Now I'm from a family of cricket fans and grew up watching it at various levels but if you don't know anything about the game, this is a great intro to it. It's two teams playing 20 overs of cricket each. With six balls in each over the whole game is short and sweet, which is important when two of your fellow spectators are under the age of six. Play started at 2.30pm and was finished by 5pm but, crucially, that's not sat in silence. Noise and cheering is encouraged and there are plenty of interactive bits in between to keep your small people happy. Never miss a Cardiff story by signing up to our daily newsletter here . For adults there is live sport, bars, street food, and on our day, glorious sunshine – although rain does stop play in cricket so keeping half an eye on the forecast is a good idea. We'd bought earlybird tickets which were £13 an adult and £5 for kids but there are a whole host of ticket deals. As an example advance tickets are £18 for this weekend's double-header for both the women's and men's Glamorgan teams. As we arrived at the ground the kids were given free cards to hold up when a four or six was scored while they also got paper glasses to wear. (Image: Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency) Unintentionally, but by happy coincidence on our day, it was emergency services day so there were motorbikes to sit on and fire engines to explore. The cricket nets were open and there was free face painting and some great giveaways from the police – thankfully when our youngest fell over she did so in her new police helmet and escaped any injury. As their parents made their way to the bar we spotted former Welsh rugby star Josh Navidi DJing on top of a bright pink pop-up bar as our pints (£6.20) were poured. As the seating was unreserved we could pick an area with room for the littlest fans to roam and before long the mascot, Dewi the dragon, was making his way around the crowd waving. The first ball was bowled at 2.30pm and almost immediately the cries of: 'I'm hungry' came out – but because you can take your own food and drink in (excluding cans and alcohol) we handed both kids picnic boxes and that kept the youngest entertained for a good few overs. Our eldest was getting involved in the game, asking questions, waving at the mascot, cheering, and trying to join in with the chants. On our way in we'd been directed by a steward to get a wristband in case the kids went AWOL, which included a QR code to scan if we lost them. The super-friendly steward also explained that at the halfway point of the match the kids can head to a meeting point and go on a tour of the pitch. So, as the players took a refreshment break, we joined dozens of others kids of all ages – and some incredibly lovely stewards – for them to walk around, wave at the crowds, and see the players warming up nice and close. (Image: Kian Abdullah/Huw Evans Agency) The crew who were doing the broadcast content for the big screen were playing games with fans between overs, handing out T-shirts, and even presided over some giant apples being pushed around for a half-time game, which all added to the entertainment value for our kids. As Glamorgan scored the winning runs I couldn't quite believe that we adults had got to see almost every ball – I had feared we'd be chasing them around the concourse or sat hearing the cheers from the crowd from afar. As far as I was concerned that's an unmitigated success. Yes, I'd taken a well-stocked bag of snacks but I wasn't compelled to spend a lot of money to keep the kids' bellies full and in return the kids (as well as us adults) had had one of those experiences we're really blessed to get on our doorstep by living in a capital city. The 20/20 Blast is one option which is probably suited to kids at the younger end of the scale because the games are short. But if a test match isn't quite your vibe there's also The Hundred, where the stage, fire cannons, and music and games are pitchside. It's louder but all that too will definitely buy you enough time to sit back, relax, and soak up the live sport right here on your doorstep. You'll see us there.
Yahoo
10-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Sports and fitness brand smashes through £1 million turnover mark
Former Wales International, Josh Navidi and WRU national squad physiotherapist, John Miles have joined Bearhug as the company smashes the £1m turnover mark for 2025 (Image: Hannah Miles Photography) A sports, fitness and wellness brand has smashed through the £1 million turnover mark. Bearhug, based in Pontypool, passed the milestone for the first time and is now targeting further UK growth and expansion into Europe. Advertisement The Welsh sports and fitness brand designs bamboo-based joint supports and muscle sleeves aimed at injury prevention, pain relief, and recovery. Rhys George, CEO and co-founder of Bearhug, said: "Seeing Bearhug double its turnover for the third year running, and welcoming incredible talent like Josh and John to our team, is proof that our community-driven approach is making a real difference. "With the support of our investors, customers, and partners, I'm excited to take Bearhug to even greater heights – helping more people move, recover, and live life to the fullest." The business has reported more than £1.2 million in turnover in 2025, doubling revenue for the third consecutive year. Advertisement Bearhug's growth has been fuelled by a focused expansion strategy and the appointment of high-profile Welsh rugby ambassadors. ormer Wales International, Josh Navidi and WRU national squad physiotherapist, John Miles have joined Bearhug (Image: Hannah Miles Photography) Former Welsh international Josh Navidi has joined the company as head of athlete and brand partnerships. Mr Navidi will lead collaborations with sports figures and brands, drawing on his experience as a professional athlete and long-time Bearhug supporter. John Miles, WRU national squad physiotherapist, has also joined the team as chief medical officer. Advertisement WRU national squad physiotherapist John Miles has been appointed as Chief Medical Officer (Image: Hannah Miles Photography) Mr Miles was introduced to Bearhug's products through his work with the Welsh Rugby Union's medical team and quickly became an advocate. The company has completed two successful community crowdfunding rounds in the past two years, raising £150,000 from 38 investors across the UK. Many of the investors are users and supporters of the brand, including Welsh rugby stars Dewi Lake, Rhys Patchell, and Mr Navidi. The funding has helped CEO Rhys George move into a full-time role, and in the six months following the investment, Bearhug's monthly turnover doubled. Advertisement This growth enabled the company to expand its product range to include socks, hoodies, t-shirts, and lumbar supports. Founded in 2016, Bearhug was created by individuals with personal experience of long-term joint and muscle injuries. Mr George suffered a knee injury at 14 that ended his rugby ambitions, while a co-founder struggled with a chronic ankle injury. Both were dissatisfied with the limited and uncomfortable neoprene supports on the market. They discovered bamboo-based alternatives used in medical settings in North America and Asia, which offered greater comfort, breathability, and sustainability. Advertisement However, the products lacked personality, featuring bland, clinical designs. The team saw an opportunity to reimagine joint supports with bold orange branding and a strong community ethos. Today, Bearhug counts among its supporters former Cardiff Blues player Nick Williams, who credits the products with extending his rugby career by two years. Other fans include ultramarathon world record holder Rhys Jenkins, Dirty Sanchez star Mathew Pritchard, and numerous current and former Wales rugby players. Looking ahead, Bearhug aims to double turnover again within 24 months by increasing brand visibility in Wales, expanding across the UK, and growing its export footprint. The company will attend the inaugural International Running Expo (IRX) in Amsterdam in November as part of its European launch plans.
Business News Wales
02-07-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Wellness Brand Breaks £1.2m Turnover and Expands Team
Former Wales International, Josh Navidi and WRU national squad physiotherapist, John Miles have joined Sports and fitness brand Bearhug has surpassed the £1 million turnover mark for the first time, doubling its revenue for the third consecutive year to exceed £1.2 million in 2025. The Pontypool-based company, which designs bamboo joint supports and muscle sleeves for injury prevention, pain relief, and recovery, has seen record-breaking growth which it says is driven by a focused expansion strategy and the appointment of high-profile Welsh rugby ambassadors. Over the last 12 months the business has welcomed ex Welsh international Josh Navidi and WRU national squad physiotherapist John Miles to the firm. Josh has joined as Head of Athlete and Brand partnerships, where he will lead collaborations with sports figures and brands. John has stepped into the role of Chief Medical Officer, advising on product development. Having been introduced to Bearhug products through his work with the Welsh Rugby Union's medical team, the firm said John was impressed by their performance and quickly became a strong advocate for the brand. In the last two years, the company has completed two successful community crowdfunding rounds, raising £150,000 from 38 investors across the UK. Each investor is a user and supporter of the brand, including several Welsh rugby stars such as Dewi Lake, Rhys Patchell and Josh Navidi, who chose to invest after experiencing the benefits of the products first hand. This funding has allowed CEO Rhys George to transition to a full-time position to focus on growing the company. In the six months that followed, the company's monthly turnover doubled and Bearhug was able to accelerate product innovation, expanding its product range to include new commercial offerings such as socks, hoodies, t-shirts and lumbar supports. As part of its plans to expand its presence across the UK, Bearhug has also recently secured a listing with Up & Running, the UK's largest independent running chain. Rhys George, CEO and co-Founder of Bearhug, said: 'Seeing Bearhug double its turnover for the third year running, and welcoming incredible talent like Josh and John to our team, is proof that our community-driven approach is making a real difference. 'With the support of our investors, customers, and partners, I'm excited to take Bearhug to even greater heights – helping more people move, recover, and live life to the fullest.' For Rhys, a knee injury at the age of 14 brought an early end to his rugby ambitions, while one of his co-founders had dealt with a chronic ankle injury. Both were left frustrated by the limited and uncomfortable neoprene supports available at the time. In search of better options, they discovered bamboo-based alternatives – already used in medical settings across North America and Asia – which offered improved breathability, comfort, and sustainability. However, they felt that the products they found lacked personality, with bland, clinical designs that did little to inspire. Recognising a gap in the market, the team set out to reimagine joint supports by combining proven functionality with bold orange branding and a strong community ethos. The firm said that former Cardiff Blues legend Nick Williams credits Bearhug's products with extending his rugby career by two years. It added that other notable supporters include ultramarathon world record holder Rhys Jenkins, Dirty Sanchez star Mathew Pritchard, and a host of current and former Wales rugby players. Rhys added: 'Our products are designed to be worn, not hidden. I wanted to create something that people are proud to use, something that signals movement and connection, not limitation.' Bearhug aims to further grow the business and double its turnover over the next 24 months by boosting brand visibility in Wales, expanding across the UK, and growing its export footprint. The company is due to attend the inaugural International Running Expo (IRX) in Amsterdam in November as part of its launch plan into Europe.
