Latest news with #Sioned
Business News Wales
2 days ago
- Business
- Business News Wales
Welsh Planning Agency Celebrates 20 years with New MD and Growth Plans
A planning consultancy is looking to the future with a new face at the helm following a period of growth. Associate Planner Sioned Edwards is stepping up to become managing director of the award-winning chartered town planning consultancy Cadnant Planning, based in Conwy and Pulford, near Wrexham and Chester. Their team of six has worked with a raft of big names on some of the region's landmark projects including infrastructure developments, leisure operators, further education providers, landowners, commercial developers and leading private housebuilders and RSLs (Registered Social Landlords). Alongside founder and director Rhys Davies – who launched the business 20 years ago before rebranding to become Cadnant Planning in 2012 – Sioned is excited to focus on continuing to support existing and new clients in the future on projects across North Wales and into Cheshire, Wirral and across the North West, where they have enjoyed success in past years. 'Together we have built up the reputation and client base of the company, and nothing will change from that perspective, but we have taken a long-term view in terms of the future of Cadnant, and I am very excited to step forward into this new role,' she said. 'That growth has been organic and happened quite naturally over the last decade, so we are now looking more specifically at new areas, both geographically and in the private and public sectors.' Rhys added: 'I will still be a director and integral part of the business but it's about looking ahead now, with Sioned leading on that vision and our long-term strategy. 'That strategy includes strengthening our presence in Flintshire, Wrexham and over the border, where we have collaborated on some major projects over recent years.' Providing a wide range of services from planning appraisals/strategies, applications, appeals and specialist planning documents such as Welsh language impact assessments to land promotion and expert witness representation, the firm is proud of its Welsh roots and 'local values' centred on sustainability, bilingualism and providing opportunities for the next generation of planners. Originally from Montgomeryshire and now living in Conwy, Sioned joined the practice as a graduate 13 years ago and is determined to build on its history while embracing technological and legislative advances in the sector. As she prepares to take her place on the panel at Place North West's sub-regional briefing event, where they will discuss developments and challenges facing the industry and the current housing landscape, she admits there is a need for a more simplified, joined-up approach to the current planning system, given the differences in England and Wales. 'There are consultations ongoing via the Welsh Government with regards housing, and there is planning reform in England, but a lot of people are unaware of the big changes ahead and differences in each country,' said Sioned. 'That is a USP for us, that we are on top of the legislation on both sides of the border and have fed into a task group in Wales looking at affordable housing, another crucial issue given the need for more funding, better infrastructure in rural areas especially, and leadership to provide solutions and identify targets, because at the moment the process is far too complex.' Looking ahead to the future, she said: 'I have been a part of Cadnant from the beginning, so I'm very excited to see where we go from here. 'There have been a lot of changes along the way, we have expanded our base at Riverside Business Park and navigated the Covid pandemic – where the breadth of our offering ensured we were relatively unaffected. 'Rhys and I have kept moving forward and have been busy throughout. We now have a very strong team at present having been successful in recruiting in a tough market over recent years. 'We have a brilliant team here and we're looking to do even more from our Conwy office and from our Pulford base in Wrexham, Flintshire, Chester and beyond – we can't wait for the next chapter.' Rhys, from Anglesey, says the business is in 'very safe hands' and is proud of its legacy. He added: 'The business was set up from nothing, initially it was just me in a small office in Conwy, then the two of us and now there is a core team of six across several disciplines – we have worked very hard to establish ourselves over that period. 'From this point it will be Sioned driving things forward. I am delighted for her and know Cadnant Planning will continue to go from strength to strength.'
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Race Across the World's Fin breaks down as he talks about tumour
Race Across the World's Fin was tearful as he told how he thought he was going to die when doctors discovered a tumour in his head. The 18-year-old - who is taking part in the race from China to the southernmost tip of India with his girlfriend Sioned - has already shared that he was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes as a child. And in the latest instalment of the BBC series he revealed his further health struggles. He told how he was diagnosed with diabetes at 11 then the tumour was found two years later. "Now I don't take anything for granted," he said. The episode that aired on Wednesday, 28 May followed the teams - Fin and Sioned, brothers Melvyn and Brian, sisters Elizabeth and Letitia and mum and son Caroline and Tom - as they raced to the sixth checkpoint in Sasan Gir. Fin opened up as he and Sioned enjoyed a peaceful stop off where they helped out with some horses, becoming emotional as he shared that the tumour was discovered two years after his diabetes diagnosis. "I had surgery then, in my head, because they found out what it was," he said. "And that was horrific, being rushed up to a bigger hospital, 'This is not good.' Obviously you think you are going to die." The teenager said he was "fine now", adding: "Now I don't take anything for granted. This race is hard but I am just trying to enjoy it really and so far I am. Because it is something I will look back to and think, 'I am so proud that I did that', which I am." Fin also talked about the day he was diagnosed with diabetes, sharing: "When I was 11, I think I was on the sofa, I just wasn't really moving and my mum was like, 'OK something is wrong' and she was like, 'I am taking you to the doctor.' And it's good that she did, very good that she did. "It was Type 1 diabetes. It was a week in intensive care and then it was a week in a children's ward. Quite a lot for 11 I think." Read more: Race Across the World Race Across the World's Sioned almost had a very different teammate for BBC show Race Across the World brothers emotional as they open up about past Race Across the World's Letitia and Elizabeth reveal 'pressures' of language 'advantage' He went on: "Being diabetic there's a lot of complications that can come with it... I think my eyes are already going a little bit and obviously being only 18 it's not something you really want to think about I don't think. But it's something you have got to think about." The leg was a tough one for Brian, who struggled with a bad stomach as he and brother Melvyn rode buses on the 1,900km journey from checkpoint five in McLeod Ganj to the sixth stop in Sasan Gir. He told his sibling at one point: "I have got stomach cramps... it's in spasms." "There is a part of me saying, I don't go on a bus today," he admitted. "Stay in a hotel overnight. If we do that we are going to be 24 hours behind everyone else. We can't afford to do it, we will battle on." His perseverance paid off, as the pair were the first to arrive at the checkpoint hotel. Sisters Elizabeth and Letitia had a special moment when they talked openly about the fact their family lost their home when Letitia was 14. "There was a moment when support wasn't present really," Letitia told her older sister, who had gone abroad to live in Italy at the time as she was over 18. "I just felt ashamed about it and embarrassed," she said, saying that she had needed someone to talk to. Elizabeth said she felt "guilt" over the fact that her sister had felt there was nobody to talk to, adding: "I didn't experience the hardest times that you guys felt." "I feel so good talking this," she said. "So good." "Some weight has been lifted off my shoulders," agreed Letitia. They finished the leg third, behind Caroline and Tom, with Fin and Sioned in fourth again. However, the teen couple had closed the gap since the last leg, where they finished more than 30 hours after the leaders. For the first time since leaving the Great Wall of China at the start of the race, all teams were within seven hours of each other. Race Across the World continues at 9pm on Wednesday, 4 June on BBC One.
Wales Online
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Race Across the World's Sioned shares huge 'struggle' as she breaks down in tears
Race Across the World's Sioned shares huge 'struggle' as she breaks down in tears Sioned and Fin were left feeling disheartened as they realised they were the last duo to reach the fifth checkpoint on BBC's Race Across the World Race Across the World graced television screens once more on Wednesday (28 May), with the remaining four pairs pressing on in their epic journey. Upon reaching McLeod Ganj, the fifth checkpoint, the teams were eager to head towards their next destination, Sasan Gir, a staggering 1,600 miles to the south in Gujarat's western region. Yet, not all competitors were in high spirits as they embarked on the subsequent stage. Sioned and Fin found themselves disheartened upon arriving last at the checkpoint, trailing hours behind the other three teams. "It is our first time being last. It's not the best feeling. 24 hours behind third," Fin confessed after inspecting the check-in log. Sioned spoke about her struggles on the BBC show (Image: BBC ) "Not nice to look at, is it?" remarked Sioned, who then shared her struggles with travelling in India. "First full leg in India didn't go well. We've, well, me especially, I've struggled. I can't deal with crowds and noises, and all of that stuff very well," she disclosed. Sioned's reflection led her to acknowledge the pressure she felt to "do more" and how she copes when things go wrong, reports Surrey Live. "Then, when things go wrong, I basically just shut down. I can't help but to be disappointed in myself," she expressed as she became tearful. "I always feel like what I do isn't good enough. I feel like I need to do more, prove more. I don't know, I don't know why I'm that way. I just want everyone to be proud of me. I struggle to be proud of myself, most of the time." Sioned broke down on Race Across the World (Image: BBC ) Addressing Fin, Sioned then remarked: "We don't want to just be second in the first leg and then that's it, that's the highlight." Article continues below The teams were tasked with traversing four of India's western states to reach their sixth checkpoint, facing a decision to either take the well-trodden tourist path eastwards or venture west into the vast expanse of the Great Indian Desert. Fortunately, Fin and Sioned managed to make a comeback in the most recent leg, arriving just six hours behind their fellow competitors, having previously been more than 24 hours adrift. Race Across The World airs on Wednesdays on BBC One at 9pm. All episodes can be watched via BBC iPlayer.
Wales Online
28-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
Race Across the World's Fin breaks down as he says 'that was horrific'
Race Across the World's Fin breaks down as he says 'that was horrific' The young man from Carmarthenshire opened up about his tough childhood with type one diabetes, then explained what doctors found in his head Fin broke down in tears as he discussed his tough childhood growing up with type one diabetes (Image: BBC/Studio Lambert ) Fin Gough from Carmarthenshire revealed how doctors found a tumour in his head after he was diagnosed with diabetes at age 11, in the most recent episode of Race Across the World. After a tough start in their first leg of the race in India, Fin and his girlfriend Sioned Cray were lagging behind in the competition. Some communication errors and overwhelming crowds meant they were over a day behind the other competitors. The couple were both 18 and 19 when filming the series, and wanted to use the competition as a way of testing their relationship. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter Sioned struggled through their start in India as she found the hustle and bustle of the country quite stressful, but Fin was continuously supportive through the journey. You can read more here. Sioned said: "He's the most resilient person I know and I don't think he understands like, how much he has has actually gone through." Fin explained: "There are bits in India which I find hard, but if Sioned finds it hard, I just try and stay positive, and I do definitely think I'm a little bit more resilient." He continued: "Growing up for me, I realised, life isn't perfect and things happen." Fin then went on to discuss how he was diagnosed with type one diabetes when he was 11, after his mother found him unresponsive on the sofa. She then took him to the doctors where he found out he had the condition. He said: "It was a week in intensive care, then it was a week in just children's ward. Quite a lot for 11, I think. "Being diabetic there's a lot of complications that can come with it, you know, in your eyes, and I think my eyes are already going a little bit, and obviously, only being 18, it's not something you really want to think about, I don't think, but it's something you've got to think about." He also shared that two years after his diagnosis, they discovered that he had a tumour in his head. Fin explained: "I had surgery then, in my head, cause they found out what it was, but that was horrific. Being rushed up to a bigger hospital, this is not good. Obviously, you think you're going to die." The then 18-year-old broke down as he said he was fine now. He continued: "Now, I don't take anything for granted and this race is hard, but I'm just really trying to enjoy it, and so far I am and it's something I'll look back to and think, I'm so proud I did that." Despite struggling across India, the pair were brought closer together through supporting one another (Image: BBC/Studio Lambert ) This isn't the first time Fin has opened up about his struggle with diabetes. In fact, since the series has aired he has been raising awareness and has spoken openly on social media about how it impacted him whilst on the show. Article continues below When the pair were interviewed by Wales Online, Fin said: "It was definitely a challenge and I knew it was going to be a challenge, but obviously because I don't know what I was going to be doing the next day, and I have a long acting insulin. So, I didn't know if I was going to be active the next day, how much to give of this long acting insulin because then I could just drop next day." He continued: "It was a challenge that I definitely didn't think I would have been able to do a few years ago, but I'm very very glad I've done it now 100%. It was not easy." You can read more here.
Wales Online
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Wales Online
BBC Race Across the World's Sioned breaks down over couple's crucial mistake that could cost them the competition
BBC Race Across the World's Sioned breaks down over couple's crucial mistake that could cost them the competition Carmarthenshire pair Fin and Sioned are well into the race against time on the BBC competition The young woman from Carmarthenshire found the hustle and bustle of the country quite overwhelming. (Image: BBC/Studio Lambert ) During the fifth episode of Race Across the World, a couple from Carmarthen made a mistake that could well have cost them the competition. Whilst trying to reach the fifth checkpoint of McLeod Ganj, the residence of the Dalai Lama, Sioned and Fin were headed in the wrong direction which has put them over 24 hours behind the leaders of the race. After starting thie latest leg of the journey in third place, the couple left Varanasi in India and decided to avoid the hustle and bustle of the big cities. Sioned, however found the busy nature of the country overwhelming and broke down in tears whilst in the back of a tuk tuk. Rather than going through the capital Delhi, they decided to head the more scenic route of Lucknow instead. For the latest TV and showbiz gossip sign up to our newsletter . However, this route left them falling significantly behind the other teams as miscommunication with a rikshaw driver, meant they were taken to the airport instead of the bus station. Whilst Fin attempted to communicate with the rickshaw driver, Sioned broke down in the back seat overwhelmed by the loud noises of the city. Fin told the cameras: "That tuk-tuk driver cost us 24 hours in the race, I'm so frustrated about it." As a result, mother and son, Caroline and Tom headed straight in to the lead as the first team to reach the checkpoint. Article continues below Fin and Sioned, who were unaware how far they were lagging in the race decided to have their first homestay with a lady name Sunita and her family. They were then disappointed to hear that they were nearly 14 hours away from McLeod Ganj, and the next morning they arranged arranged to get to the bus station in Dehradun. Whilst at the bus station, a man working there showed them a picture of brothers and fellow competitors, Brian and Melvyn who boarded a bus two days before. Fin then said: "Are you serious? How are they doing it?" Overall, travelling through India was incredibly stressful for Sioned as they saw children in poverty approaching them, which they admitted they had never had a first hand experience of the problem. Fin later offered a child some biscuits as they had no money that they were able to offer. Despite struggling across India, the pair were brought closer together through supporting one another. (Image: BBC/Studio Lambert ) After the episode aired on BBC last night, Wednesday, May 21, Sioned shared on Instagram how she was feeling about the whole ordeal. She said: "Missed bus and possibly lost over 24hours? How far behind are we? On a positive note we ate good and had the loveliest stay with Sunita and her family, met such an inspiring community and got to learn so much. "It was difficult to get there with a whole load of tears and stress once again. It broke my heart to watch those kids again and unfortunately it was something we saw often and all I wanted to do was help and give." Sioned continued: "I was having a very tough time and there's no shame in my own personal obstacles however minor the issues may seem to some, however at this point I did realise that there are people who have to deal with so much more difficult situations. This show is made to inspire and educate and I think tonight's episode did a great job at highlighting just that." The couple stayed with Sunita and her family who fed them authentic Punjabi food. (Image: BBC/Studio Lambert ) The young woman from Carmarthenshire also went on to share that their host Sunita, even had a weird Welsh connection. The host had a collection of Roald Dahl books in her home and lived in a place called Landour. Sioned explained: "Sunita lives in a place called Landour in India which was named after Llanddowror in Wales which is a place super close to home to me and Fin so this was a huge coincidence that we came across this connection." Content cannot be displayed without consent Article continues below People have taken to social media to support Sioned, after a stressful time in India. One shared their own experience, saying : "I remember that my own travels in India. You were so sweet, helping each other through it. Wishing you all the best for the rest of the race." Another added: "So brave the both of you. Really enjoying watching your journey. Welsh and proud."
