A luxury lingerie business based in New Tredegar is to feature in a new series on BBC Wales in the new year.
Business owner James Mellor and his staff will be the focus of the first episode of new series Wales in a Year, which follows eight stories from across Wales over twelve months.
Having launched the business 12 years ago, risking all of his savings, James faces the endless financial pressures of having to bring in new orders.
According to the 2012 Welsh Assembly Government statistics, small and medium businesses employ almost 600,000 Welsh workers, but unemployment in the Valleys is currently around 12%.
Ian Durham, series producer of Wales in a Year said: “It’s been an unbelievable 12 months and having filmed so intensely over such a long period, we’ve developed close bonds with the families – their highs become your highs, their lows your lows too.
“I know we’ve all found it a very humbling experience because every family has been so generous with their time, and so honest and open in letting us film every aspect of their lives. We’ve actually had births, marriages, and deaths – as well as any number of other dramas – across the eight families; and they’ve allowed us to film all of it.
“For me personally it’s been a real life-affirming journey, because ultimately whatever situations we face it’s just re-asserted my long-held belief that all Welsh people are incredible.”
The series also features stories from Newport, Dolgellau, Cardiff, Swansea, Milford Haven, Merthyr and Bala.