Latest news with #MorganJones
Business News Wales
12-06-2025
- Business
- Business News Wales
Food Wholesaler Named One of the Best Places to Work in the UK
A food wholesaler that 'cares passionately' about its workers has been named as one of the best places to work in the UK. Harlech Foodservice, which has bases in Criccieth, Chester, Carmarthen, Aberbargoed, and Telford, has been included in the Sunday Times list of the best employers in 2025. Harlech was also recently crowned by The Caterer magazine as the best wholesaler in the UK. The Sunday Times judges said: 'This family-owned catering supplier cares passionately about the morale of its 245-strong workforce. Teamwork is encouraged by management and this is felt key to the company's wider success. 'Colleagues are motivated to have a say, making them feel valued, and last year almost 20 per cent were promoted from within the business. 'Benefits include staff discounts and a pension scheme, cycle-to-work, a wellbeing programme and a well-regarded Christmas hamper.' Staff said they agreed with the assessment that Harlech Foodservice was among the best places to work in the country. Morgan Jones, warehouse manager at the firm's headquarters near Criccieth, said the opportunity of long-term employment and training at the company meant many young people didn't have to move away from the area to find a satisfying career. Morgan joined the firm as a part-time van driver's assistant aged just 16 and 11 years later he now has a key role within the company's operations. He has bought a home in Nefyn, something he says he would have been unlikely to be able to afford if he hadn't been able to develop his career at Harlech Foodservice. 'I first joined when I was looking for a part-time summer job while I was still in school,' said Morgan. 'I went off to university but didn't like it all, the course or uni life, so came back. Harlech offered me a job when I came back, I took it, and things grew from there. 'I am not at all surprised Harlech has been named one of the best places to work. I've worked here since I was 16 so I clearly like working here. 'Promotion within the company has not just been possible, but strongly encouraged. 'It helps a lot that the company has been developing and growing so quickly, especially the last few years, which means we need the extra staff. 'The roles are coming up because the company is growing and the positions are being created, rather than someone leaving the business. 'The growth means there is path forward for the staff, there is a path upwards. 'Having a career in our neck of the woods is not very easy at all unfortunately. A lot of people my age have moved away from the area because they want a career. 'Everyone says it's a beautiful area, and we all have very strong roots here, very strong Welsh ties. 'But it reaches a point where, because of house prices for example, and you need a mortgage, that you need a well-paid job, one with career prospects. 'Unfortunately, there are just not that many well-paid careers around here, which is why companies such as Harlech are so important.' Managing director David Cattrall said the listing in the Sunday Times was great recognition for the firm. He said: 'I am chuffed to bits quite honestly. We have been driving sales growth in the last couple of years and to make it happen we knew the first thing we had to do was invest in our people, and strengthen our people from top to bottom. 'The fact that we have done that and a short time later we have been recognised on our first attempt when being measured by the Sunday Times and WorkL is terrific. 'The staff have fed back that we genuinely are a great place to work, so we are very pleased. It was the team that gave us the feedback and it is done anonymously.' David said one of the company's strengths was that it remained family-owned. He said: 'What we try to maintain as we grow is that small business feeling where everybody knows each other. We want people to be able to speak to each other, it's that small family feel that we are trying to maintain. We don't want to lose that informality you get in a small business. We also recognise from the feedback that we are doing a pretty good job on the whole but there's room to improve. What we are working on is what can we do better. 'I'm very keen on making sure that new opportunities are offered to people within the company first, so they can grow and prosper. 'We are really keen that we try to grow and develop our own people; that is our culture.'
Wales Online
25-05-2025
- Sport
- Wales Online
Today's rugby news as major development in Faletau's future emerges and Welsh club announce departure
Today's rugby news as major development in Faletau's future emerges and Welsh club announce departure The latest rugby news from Wales and beyond. WalesOnline understands the Wales international will be extending his stay in the capital. (Image: © Huw Evans Picture Agency ) Your rugby morning headlines on Sunday, May 25. Wales legend to stay put Taulupe Faletau looks set to turn down big-money offers in France to stay in Wales. The 34-year-old has been heavily linked to a number of French clubs including Stade Niçois and Provence Rugby. Sign up to Inside Welsh rugby on Substack to get exclusive news stories and insight from behind the scenes in Welsh rugby. But WalesOnline understands Faletau is in advanced negotiations with Cardiff about extending his stay at the Arms Park. Cardiff are now owned by the Welsh Rugby Union, who are keen to retain Faletau's services in Wales. At 34, Faletau is approaching the end of his career but has been in excellent form since returning injury. If Faletau is to make the next Rugby World Cup he arguably has a better chance of doing so by staying in Wales. Should he sign for a French club it could be the end of his international career, whereas his minutes on the field would be better managed in Wales. Article continues below Scarlets confirm another departure Scarlets have confirmed the departure of second row Morgan Jones. The west Wales side announced their 2025 leavers list a month ahead of the regional counterparts, with the likes of Steff Evans and Ioan Lloyd departing Parc Y Scarlets. Jones was not included in that list at the end of April, but the club have now revealed the lock will not be staying in Llanelli. Posting to X, formerly Twitter, Scarlets wrote: "Scarlets can confirm that second row Morgan Jones will be leaving the club at the end of the season. Morgan has made 65 appearances in a Scarlets jersey, playing his part in some big victories in the URC and Europe. "We all wish him the very best for the next chapter. #Diolch." Scarlets held their awards evening on Friday night in Llanelli, with players dressed up in suits for the occasion. Marnus van der Merwe, Blair Murray and Josh Macleod all picked up awards. 200 people attended the event in the Quinnell Lounge at the stadium, where Gareth Davies and Ioan Nicholas were also recognised for reaching 250 and 100 appearances respectively. Dan Lydiate in departing message Wales icon Dan Lydiate has provided a departing message as he retires from rugby. The blindside flanker announced he would be hanging up his boots back in April, closing out a fine career at the top level of the game with Dragons. It was his second spell with the Rodney Parade club, with whom he earned his 100th appearance this season. Writing on Instagram, Lydiate took the opportunity to thank everyone who helped him along the way. "Well, what can I say?," began Lydiate. "In 2007 I first had the opportunity to represent Dragons, cap number #81 as a 19-year-old mid Walian farm boy. Never would I have thought where this career has taken me. "Roll on 18 years, back to where it all started playing my last game and it's gone in a flash. Thank you to everyone that has been apart of my journey and special mention to my family who have always been there for me. Fitting that I had my partner in crime at my first Dragons dinner and you been by my side ever since, Nia Lydiate. On to the next adventure, Lyds." Lydiate won 72 caps for Wales and was renowned for his chop-tackle technique, and will go down as one of the very best flankers to pull on the red jersey. Welsh coach's plucky side brought back down to earth Wales legend Stephen Jones' Moana Pasifika couldn't replicate the heroics of last week's massive result, and were put to the sword by Chiefs. The Pacific Islander outfit were coming off the back of a sensational 27-21 victory over Super rugby titans Blues, but were unfortunately beaten 85-7 by Damian Mackenzie's Chiefs, who ran in 13 tries. Founded just five years ago, Pasifika are not as feared as their Australian and New Zealand counterparts, so their recent success has come as a huge surprise, with Welshman Jones part of the coaching team. Back in March they defeated Crusaders 45-29 in another big upset, spear-headed by All Black superstar Ardie Savea. Article continues below Last season, they finished in second-last place with just four wins out of 14 games. And by contrast, this season they are currently in sixth place and prior to the loss to Chiefs, they had won three games in a row - including the Blues scalp. As it stands, Pasifika will qualify for the play-offs. However, there is one regular season game remaining, with a game against Hurricanes in round 16 to finish off proceedings, which is of course, star man Savea' former club.
BBC News
24-05-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Lock Jones to leave Scarlets this summer
Lock Morgan Jones will leave Scarlets following the conclusion of the 2024-25 second row has made 65 appearances for the region, but will depart Parc y Scarlets once his side's United Rugby Championship (URC) play-off campaign comes to an end.A club statement read: "We all wish him the very best for the next chapter."Jones was part of Leicester Tigers' academy but was eligible to play for Wales through his Llanelli-born second row made his senior Scarlets debut in a pre-season match in Jersey in went on to feature at international age grade level, earning caps with both Wales' under-18 and under-20 take on Leinster at Dublin's Aviva Stadium in the play-off quarter-finals on Saturday, 31 May (15:00 BST).
Axios
10-03-2025
- Business
- Axios
Duke Health and Novant will partner to open new medical offices
Duke Health, one of the Triangle's largest employers, is entering into a partnership with another major North Carolina health care provider to expand its footprint. Why it matters: Duke and Winston-Salem-based Novant Health are teaming up to build multiple medical office campuses across the state, though the exact number hasn't been decided yet. Driving the news: The systems said they expect to begin construction on the first campuses later this year, with construction expected to take 18 months. No locations have been announced yet, but Morgan Jones, chief strategy officer at Duke Health, told Axios that the partnership will help support growing populations in the Triangle, the Triad and the Charlotte area. What they're saying: "As the population continues to grow, we want to make sure that our wait times don't grow, and that we have locations in convenient geographic proximity to the growing population," Jones told Axios. Between the lines: Novant Health has been trying to gain a larger presence in the Triangle, filing a certificate-of-need application with state regulators last year for a hospital in Knightdale. Regulators did not approve Novant's proposal in the latest round of applications. Jones said these medical office campuses would not be subject to that approval process. At the same time, Duke has been looking to expand westward. In December, it signed an agreement to buy Lake Norman Regional Medical Center in Mooresville for $280 million. Novant had previously tried to buy that hospital but was blocked by the Federal Trade Commission, which said the deal would have reduced competition and driven up prices in the area. Duke will also need regulatory approval. The big picture: Health care systems across the country, Jones said, are thinking more about opportunities to collaborate rather than compete with other providers. The partnership with Novant is Duke's second major collaboration announced this year. In January, Duke and UNC Health came together to announce they would join forces to open a new children's hospital in the Triangle with financial backing from the state.
