A large UK study has linked air pollution to eye health – and a higher risk of irreversible sight loss. Yes, you read that right. The study shows that even small rises in pollution can increase the risk of irreversible sight loss from age-related macular degeneration (AMD). We already know that poor air quality has a negative impact on almost every organ in the body. But this study is the first to dive into the impact of air pollution on eye health. As our head of R&D – and professor emeritus – Paul Lewis puts it: “In terms of its impact on health, air pollution is traditionally associated with respiratory and heart conditions. It’s also known to shorten the life of some people with these conditions. “But this new study shows that air pollution – especially fine particles like PM2.5 – can impact our health and wellbeing in ways perhaps we as scientists wouldn’t have believed a few years ago.” The air pollution problem is real. Both the World Health Organisation and the UK Government tout air pollution as the largest environmental health risk we face today. Air pollution causes as many as 24,000 premature deaths each year in the UK. Poor air quality is also linked to heart and lung disease, low birth weight, and children’s lung development. There’s also increasing evidence to suggest that poor air quality also contributes to mental health issues and overall wellbeing. “The impact is not just physical,” says Paul. “There is growing evidence pointing to the negative effects of air pollution on our mental wellbeing. “This highlights the importance of having real data available everywhere. But this can only be achieved by having more low-cost air quality monitors across the country.” And this is what we’re hoping to achieve with Think Air. Our very own air quality sensor network is a literal breath of fresh air. It’s already live across many parts of Wales. It’s also on track to being the largest live air sensor network in the country. As evidence continues to reveal the negative impacts of air pollution on our health and wellbeing, Think Air has never been so important. You can find out more about Think Air and our commitment to better air

We’re excited to be collaborating with the Llanelli college that has played an important role in Vindico’s evolution. Coleg Sir Gar is the place where almost half of the Vindico team gained their skills as students or apprentices (including our brilliant, blue-sky-thinking Technical Director Ryan Griffiths). It’s also shaped some of the finest thinkers and innovators in Wales. Vindico’s latest project is a collaboration with both Coleg Sir Gar and the Agriculture Research Centre for Wales. The task? To build a bespoke software platform that collects and analyses sensor data on a multi-site project. The software will measure everything from the weather and soil moisture to leaf wetness and everything in between. It will provide a simple visualisation of complicated data in the field (literally!). It will also prompt the correct actions to take for optimal results, as well as logging these activities. The environment is an area that we’re particularly passionate about here at Vindico. In fact, this project ties in perfectly with our existing clean air initiative – Think Air. Keep your eyes peeled for a full case study on this exciting Welsh eco project. Click here  to find out more about our clean air sensor network – and how it can help your environmental impact

Vindico is kicking off 2021 with an exciting new digital project for Penderyn Distillery. It’s not the first time Vindico have partnered with Penderyn Distillery. We first worked with the famed Welsh whisky makers in 2016 – back when their tour bookings system was as aged as their bourbon. But thanks to some #ThinkPurple attitude, we worked with the hugely talented whisky-makers to digitise their distillery tours and vouchers. To date, this new system has raised almost £1m in revenue. The dreaded bookings diary is also finally gone! In fact, it’s been such a hit that, since going live, the new site and booking system has now been translated into Welsh, French, German and Chinese. But fast-forward to today, and we couldn’t be happier to work with Penderyn again. This time around, they’re putting the Penderyn e-commerce site in our hands. With UX (user experience) at the forefront, we’ll be combining the existing standalone site with our current digital platform to deliver a single, intuitive shopping cart experience to all visitors. Watch this space for a full case study. Cheers

This week, the Welsh Government released their Government’s Clean Air (Wales) Bill. But what exactly does it mean for you, your business, and your CSR? Our head of R&D – and Professor Emeritus of Swansea University – Paul Lewis sums it up. In a nutshell, the Clean Air (Wales) Bill shows a clear commitment by the Welsh Government to reduce the harm caused by exposure to air pollution. There are clear benefits not just to people’s health but also the environment. The key points to take away are: New powers for local authorities to implement Clean Air Zones or Low Emission Zones Some control to tackle fine particle air pollution from domestic burning New guidance for inter-sectoral workforces to tackle air pollution, and to protect the health and wellbeing of employees, while simultaneously delivering benefits for decarbonisation As Paul puts it: “At Vindico, we’ve had extensive dialogue with companies who already recognise the need to better protect the health and wellbeing of their workforce. “The new guidance and clarity will help those discussions enormously by answering the ‘why’s’, the ‘what’s’ and the ‘how’s’. It will also allow us to better tailor monitoring solutions for our clients.” Clean air is cause that we’re passionate about here at Vindico. To find out more about our Think Air initiative – and how it can help your business –

When Tai Ceredigion and Mid-Wales Housing Association merged to become Barcud, they knew they needed to get creative. The housing association was undergoing a complete brand transformation. And that called for a new website design that would set them apart. That’s where we came in. “We were looking for a company with innovative ideas,” says Barcud’s  Communications Officer, Janice Thomas “We needed a company who took all the different platforms into account. One who had the capacity to fulfil a very tight deadline, and who approached the project with a positive ‘can do’ attitude to problem solving.” They had us at “problem solving”, but it was up to us to prove that we could deliver. “Jo blew us away during the interview,” says Janice. “We over-ran on what we thought was a very generous time slot! “But he gave us ideas and possibilities and made us look at the project in a different way.” On to the project. In true Purple Vinja style, our Lead Creative, Kieran, worked closely with Barcud to understand what they wanted to achieve. He also used in-depth analytics from both current websites. These provided the concrete evidence we needed to inform key decisions throughout the entire website design process. Or, as Janice puts it: “Websites can be frightening things for muggles, but he put us at ease! “Kieran came up trumps. He worked with us, took our ideas on board, and provided justified reasoning behind why some things could, and could not, work. “In effect, Kieran had to work with two different organisations as the merger had not been completed. This meant juggling different ideas and priorities. But he dealt with it all in a professional, calm and diplomatic manner – even at the 11th hour, on a Sunday night, with a launch looming within hours!” The result? A new organisation with a clear, easy to navigate, fresh-looking website that sets Barcud apart from all other housing associations. “It’s different to all other housing association websites”, says Janice. “We’ve been praised for how easy it is to navigate, and how clean and sharp it looks. It’s everything we set out to achieve and we’re very happy with the outcome.” Could your website be performing better? Drop us a line to see how our #ThinkPurple approach can help you look at your site in a different way – for maximum

More than just lockdowns, Zoom meetings and face masks – 2020 was full of #ThinkPurple innovation for us at Vindico. 2020 was a tough year for so many businesses. We could never have imagined that COVID would impact on the corporate landscape in the way it has. But in times of change, innovation thrives. And #ThinkPurple innovation is what we do best. Our team of Purple Vinjas have quickly became the go-to problem-solvers for businesses looking to adapt and evolve – especially during challenging times. It’s no surprise then that we’ve been extra busy since COVID-19 hit. Here’s just a snapshot of what our #ThinkPurple innovation mavens accomplished in 2020: We created the new Llanelli Scarlets website – complete with bespoke game analysis software. We put Gaia Group UK’s smart distribution IOT idea through our incubator. The result is a product that helps over a dozen construction sites save over 50% diesel usage. We produced an online visualisation tool for the University of Wales Trinity St David. It assesses after-care programmes for cancer patients, and flags signs of depression and anxiety. We helped Techniquest adapt to the pandemic with the help of a Digital Outreach platform. This lets them deliver classes and experiments straight into classrooms during socially restricted times. We created SWAPP (Safe Workplace APPlication). Our very own sign in/out system with an accreditation and concern reporting tool optimises the safety of staff, contractors and visitors. It will be rolled out across Transport for Wales’ depots – and every train station in Wales – by 2021. We worked with the Welsh Rugby Union to develop SWAPP Lite. This tailored version of our original SWAPP app allowed the WRU to safely continue with their Autumn Internationals rugby tournament behind closed doors. We further developed our Think Air initiative. Our low-cost sensor and software platform not only raises awareness and understanding of air quality, but it’s also helping to drive behavioural change. It’s now on track to become the largest live air quality network in Wales. Read more about Think Air’s progress here. We also got Shortlisted for TWO business awards for our tech and innovation (or, as we like to call it, “Thinking Purple”) successes. We moved back home to Parc Y Scarlets. The Llanelli stadium our home from 2014 until 2018 – when we had to admit that we’d outgrown our office space. So, when we heard that larger office space was available, we jumped at the chance to return. It’s such a great location that we even persuaded our partners, K Sharp, to along with us. Read all about our move here. We also roped Paul Lewis – Vindico’s Head of R&D and Professor Emeritus at Swansea University – to join us full time. As for 2021? More Thinking Purple for us at Vindico, of