Posts

Showing posts from February 7, 2010

Trinity spotlight on eating disorders

The spotlight is falling on eating disorders with a special health promotion event at Trinity University College, Carmarthen, next week (February 22). Health experts will be on hand at a special campaign launch to mark the start of Eating Disorders Awareness Week. “It is important for students to be aware of any potential problems they may have with eating disorders,” said one of the organisers of the event, Trinity student counsellor Jean Harris. An eating disorder is both an obsession with food and an expression of emotional distress. Thoughts and behaviour relating to food, body weight and size are a means of dealing with emotional pain that cannot be expressed satisfactorily in another way. An eating disorder is a way of coping and often a way of avoiding dealing with hidden issues. People with an eating disorder generally feel that they have little control over their lives, except over what they eat. Student counsellor Jean Harris said she had the following advice for students – “

Trinity Oracle newsletter now out

Latest edition of the Oracle newsletter from Trinity University College, Carmarthen, is now out. Includes work from yours truly . . . pdf link - http://www.trinity-cm.ac.uk/en/media/uni/content/docs/oracle/Oracle_January_2010.pdf

New link between Trinity and China

A ground-breaking link is being set up between a Chinese university and the newest university in Wales, Trinity St David. A powerful delegation from China Youth University for Political Science (CYUPS) has visited the University of Wales: Trinity St David to kick-start a programme which will focus on employability and entrepreneurship. The Vice Chancellor of CYUPS Professor Xinqing Wang said the link between China and Wales would focus on student and staff exchanges. He added it would build communication between two very different educational traditions to help create a new approach to higher education in both countries. The link builds on earlier contacts between China and Wales. Last year, students from Beijing took part in a fact-finding tour of the Trinity campus in Carmarthen. The new University of Wales, Trinity St David – a merger of Trinity University and Lampeter University – will take its first student admissions in September. Professor Xinqing Wang led the Chinese delegation

Huw James’ top Welsh jokes

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - Huw James’ top Welsh jokes

Welsh interest at the races today

The following trainers with Welsh connections have runners today - Peter Bowen 14:00 Newbury Tot Of The Knar P J Brennan Rebecca Curtis 14:00 Newbury Herons well Mr A Conlon 16:15 Newbury Gus Macrae (IRE) J M Maguire 16:45 Newbury Made In Time (IRE) A P McCoy David Evans 13:55 Lingfield Tuscan King J-P Guillambert 14:25 Lingfield Timeteam (IRE) R Hughes 15:00 Lingfield Full Toss R Hughes 15:30 Lingfield Carcinetto (IRE) R Hughes 19:20 Wolverhampton Tiger Hawk (USA) A Heffernan 21:20 Wolverhampton Benedict Spirit (IRE) A Heffernan Bryn Palling 21:20 Wolverhampton Crazy Chris David Probert Tm Vaughan 14:00 Newbury So Now (IRE) Dean Coleman 14:50 Warwick Winterwood (IRE) S Thomas

Action on Burry Port Harbour

Image
A licence has been applied for to remove an unprecedented level of sand silting up Burry Port Harbour. In recent years Carmarthenshire County Council has spent £20,000-£30,000 annually combating the build-up of sand within and blocking the harbour entrance. Over the last decade more than £8million has been spent converting the naturally emptying to mud open mouthed harbour into a water retained marina. Now an unusual build up of sand in and around the main fairway of the harbour during the last few months is now causing severe disruption to navigation. The bulk of the sand was brought into the harbour during the storms and high prevailing unusual easterly winds experienced in November and December. (2009) Harbour master Rory Dickinson said: “We have witnessed sand inundation in the harbour over the last few years but never to this extent in such a short period of time. “The sand build up has been fouling the hydraulic cill gate which helps retain a body of water in the harbour.” In the

Fairtrade events for Carmarthenshire

Image
Organisations and community groups have organised a series of events to celebrate Fairtrade Fortnight, all of which are being supported by Carmarthenshire County Council. They include a ‘Fairtrade Summer's Day in Ammanford!’ on Friday, March 5, which will see a solar-powered cinema showing short films about Fairtrade, and a Fairtrade producer visit to Pembrey Primary School, on Monday, March 1. Cllr Pam Palmer, executive board member for sustainable development, said: “Carmarthenshire is a Fairtrade council and already supplies Fairtrade tea and coffee in offices and canteens. “Fairtrade Fortnight encourages fair terms of trade for farmers and workers in the developing world, by requiring companies to pay sustainable prices for produce. It also aims to promote decent working conditions and local sustainability in places where the poorest and smallest producers are traditionally discriminated against. “There is a wide range of events lined up across the county and I would encourage

Carmarthenshire care staff win awards

Image
Two Carmarthenshire County Council staff have scooped awards for their dedication to caring. Shirley Bowen, a night officer at Argel residential home, Carmarthen, picked up a silver award at the Welsh Care Awards, organised by Care Forum Wales, and Shirley Matthews, a sheltered scheme officer at Tan-y-bryn, Burry Port, picked up a regional Care in the Community award at the Fairways Partnership Awards. She also picked up a separate award for her nomination, which was made by a resident, and another which recognised Tan-y-Bryn as the best sheltered complex in Llanelli. Both have received long service awards from the council in recent years, and Shirley Bowen has recently been featured in the national media for working 31 years without taking a single day’s sick leave. Bruce McLernon, Director of Social Care, Health and Housing, said: “We are very fortunate to have many dedicated members of staff who are committed to providing high standards of care across Carmarthenshire, but both Shirl

Carmarthenshire gets tough with bad neighbours

Carmarthenshire Council’s Housing Services is getting tough with anti-social tenants who make their neighbours lives a misery. The local authority successfully applied for a court order to evict a family in the Cefncaeau area of Llanelli who were persistently engaging in anti-social behaviour. Local residents worked with the council to provide the evidence used to successfully evict. Area housing manager Les James said: “The family had been causing problems for some time including noise nuisance, friends coming and going causing disturbances, dumping rubbish, having an untidy garden, being abusive to neighbours and generally being a bad neighbour. “This family were making their neighbours lives hell and thought we couldn’t touch them.” The eviction process involves going to the County Court and asking the judge for an order for possession of the property. After this we can apply for an Eviction Warrant. The court bailiff goes to the house with officers from housing services to carry ou

Quote of the day

"It seems the Private Eye's circulation figures are a bit like John Terry's shorts. In the past they may have been down, now they are firmly up again" - Ian Hislop, editor of the Eye, on the paper's improved sales figures.

Strange but true . . .

Burglars are more likely to wear Reebok Classic trainers than any other type of footwear, the author of a new study said. An analysis of footprints left at crime scenes showed the shoes to be the footwear of choice for more than 50% of burglars. Researchers at the University of Leicester found they were worn by 52 out of 100 burglars in Northamptonshire.

Amman Valley woman's benefit fraud

An Amman Valley woman has been sentenced to do unpaid work in the community for benefit fraud. Pamela Margaret Kinchington appeared before Llanelli magistrates today for sentencing. She had been convicted in her absence at an earlier hearing last September of making a false statement and failing to declare changes in circumstances, contrary to Section 112 Social Security Administration Act 1992. The court was told that 55-year-old Kinchington was awarded housing and council tax benefit at her home in Capel Isaf Road, Llanelli, from October 22, 2007, on the basis that her only income was Jobseekers Allowance. When this ceased, she told the Housing Benefit Section that she had no income. She moved to Dillwyn Street, Llanelli, on January 21, 2008, and again stated that she had no income, maintaining that due to ill health she was unable to work and had been living off money from family and money from selling items on eBay. An investigation identified that she had been employed at the Dipl

Licence review for Llandybie pub

A Llandybie pub has had its licence reviewed after two 15-year-old girls were sold alcohol. Carmarthenshire County Council’s licensing committee carried out the review of the premises licence of the Red Cow in Llandeilo Road, Llandybie, yesterday. Police licensing officer Constable Hugh Davies said that police carried out a test purchasing operation at the Red Cow on October 31 last year when two 15-year-old girls were served with bottles of Smirnoff Ice by the designated premises supervisor Paul Melpham. They were not carrying any form of identification and were not questioned about their age or asked to produce ID. Matthew Phipps, for owners SA Brain, said the incident happened after the couple had run the pub for 16 trouble-free years. “It is a blip on an otherwise unblemished record,” he said. The committee decide that the premises licence holder should be warned about selling alcohol to under-18s, that staff should be made aware of the licence conditions and that the designated pr

BBC Wales news tonight - what a classic!

Did you see the start of the BBC Wales news tonight at 6.30pm? It was live from Glynneath rugby club. Picture the scene: Drink had been taken. Five men in kilts from Hawick rugby club. And yes, you guessed it, the inevitable happened! Poor old Derek Brockway and Clare Summers will never be the same again. PS: Some clever dick has now posted the item on You Tube - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHm-2D9Iyeo

Reds soccer school moved to leisure centre

The Llanelli Reds AFC half-term soccer school will now be held at Llanelli Leisure Centre from Monday to Wednesday of next week. The school will be for boys & girls from 6 years to 14 years old. The cost will be £20 for all 3 days and £8 for a single day. See earlier post - http://sirgarblog.blogspot.com/2010/02/half-term-soccer-school-in-llanelli.html

Review for Llanelli pub licence

A Llanelli pub has had its licence reviewed after two 15-year-old girls were sold alcohol. Carmarthenshire County Council’s licensing committee carried out the review of the premises licence of Stamps in Llanelli. Police carried out a test purchase operation on October 30 and two 15-year-old girls were served with two bottles of Smirnoff Ice. They didn’t have any form of identification on them and were not asked their age or to produce any ID. On December 12 police found a 16-year-old girl at the premises after producing her sister’s driving licence. On Boxing Day there was an incident involving a 15-year-old girl which resulted in another customer being glassed. The authorities and the premises management agreed a number of new conditions for the licence but couldn’t agree on the need for plastic bottles and glasses. Police licensing officer Constable Hugh Davies said that on Boxing Day there was an incident involving a 15-year-old girl and her 24-year-old sister in which two other wo

Carmarthenshire scam mail campaign continues

Householders in Carmarthenshire are being offered the opportunity to offload their scam mail this month. Carmarthenshire Trading Standards Service and the Office of Fair Trading have a Scamnesty campaign running until February 26. They are promoting awareness by encouraging people to drop their scam mail into local Scamnesty collections located around the county such as local libraries. Mass marketed scams are a problem in Carmarthenshire and across the UK. They can take the form of bogus and fraudulent offers sent by post, telephone or email. Fake lottery and prize draw wins, bogus psychic predictions, get-rich-quick investment cons, membership offers and 'miracle' health cures are just some of the tricks used by scammers. Nearly half of the UK adult population has been targeted by a scam, and more than three million adults - one in 15 people - fall victim to scams, losing a total of £3.5 billion every year simply because they bought a nonexistent product or disclosed their pe

Site visit for St Clears plan

Carmarthenshire councillors will visit the site of a proposed mixed commercial and residential development in St Clears next week. The outline application is for a mixed use redevelopment including employment, community, retail and specialist residential uses on land at Station Road. The county planning committee will travel to Station Road on Tuesday following a request by local member Cllr Philip Hughes to look at the site because of concerns over highway safety. The council’s Head of Transport is recommending that any planning permission should be the subject to conditions on the specification of the junction and the access road into the development site, the provision of public transport infrastructure within the site (bus infrastructure) and parking facilities. The recommendation is also subject to the developer entering into a Section 106 Agreement in relation to the provision of a commuted sum for providing a pedestrian crossing and raised plateau plus zebra crossing on Pentre

Carwyn unveils Llanelli 'Works' project

Image
A £14.6m cultural and creative centre to include a new 500-seat theatre is to be developed in Carmarthenshire, creating 35 jobs, First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones announced. The Works in Llanelli town centre will provide entertainment, arts, culture, employment and skills opportunities for people across the region. The major capital scheme will involve a new-build cultural and creative centre and the renovation of two Grade II listed buildings - Zion Chapel and the neighbouring Old School. It is anticipated that when complete, it will attract over 50,000 visitors and play a major role in community life. Led by Carmarthenshire County Council, it is backed with £5.1million from the EU’s European Regional Development Fund and £5.1million Targeted Match Funding through the Welsh Assembly Government. The remainder is coming from the county council and key partners. First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones said: “The Works will play a major role in the regeneration of Llanelli and the wider S

Legg wary of Porthmadog

Legg wary of Porthmadog Llanelli Reds hope to keep their advantage.

Singing along with the Go Compare man

WalesOnline - Lifestyle - Music - Singing along with the Go Compare man Nice feature on Carmarthen's Wynne Evans. See earlier post - http://sirgarblog.blogspot.com/2009/11/go-compare-wynne-does-it-again.html

Pembrokeshire centre makes a splash!

A Pembrokeshire leisure centre has been awarded top marks for its good practice and management. Fishguard Leisure centre has been awarded a QUEST Award - the UK quality scheme for sport and leisure. It's the first time the leisure centre, which is now judged to be one of the best in the country, has been given a QUEST award. It is the joint highest scoring leisure centre on a school site in Wales -along with Crymych Leisure Centre - and is the third overall in Wales. Staff were presented with their new award recently by Councillor Rob Lewis, Cabinet Member for Sport and Leisure. Darren Bowen, Fishguard Leisure Centre Manager said the centre was very much part of the community and was having its best ever year in terms of usage. "Customer satisfaction is close to the heart of all our staff. We take a pride in the facility's appearance and in the service we offer. "The staff are proud of their achievements and have shown a real commitment to improvement."

Welsh interest at the races today

The following trainers with Welsh connections have runers today - Peter Bowen 13:25 Kempton Beat The Rap (IRE) D Devereux Rebecca Curtis 14:10 Bangor Peppertree Lane (IRE) Mr A Conlon 17:05 Bangor Sir Bere (FR) T Scudamore Bryn Palling 18:15 Wolverhampton Little Weed (IRE) David Probert Ian Williams 13:15 Southwell Granakey (IRE) S Donohoe 13:25 Kempton Acknowledgement Michael Murphy 13:35 Bangor Accordingtoemandem (IRE) W Hutchinson 14:35 Kempton Oh No Not Harry (FR) R Johnson 15:20 Bangor Bob 'n' You (IRE) P J Brennan 19:45 Wolverhampton Josiah Bartlett (IRE) S Donohoe Evan Williams 14:35 Kempton Phidippides (IRE) Paul Moloney

Quote of the day

"It is plain to me that much of what is written for the stage and the cinema and television is written by people who have grubby minds and then reviewed by people who are insane" - Broadcaster Edward Enfield.

Believe it or not . . .

A primary school was criticised after banning Valentine cards to save pupils from the emotional trauma of being rejected. Children at Ashcombe Primary School in Weston-super-Mare, Somerset, were banned from celebrating Valentine's Day or exchanging cards because the headteacher said they were not emotionally mature enough to cope. Peter Turner wrote to parents of the 430 pupils, aged between five and 11, warning that cards would be confiscated. He said children get upset when they are "dumped" which interrupts their learning. But parents condemned the ban as heavy-handed.

Reds v Carmarthen now Easter Monday

The Llanelli Reds will play their home game with Carmarthen Town, that has been postponed twice due to the recent bad weather, on Easter Monday, 5th April. The kick off time will be an evening one at 7.30pm. Meanwhile, the Reds Welsh Cup match at Bangor City on Saturday 27th February will be screened live on S4C. The kick off will be at 5.15pm.

Trinity wins national Quality Mark

Image
Care and support for students is high on the agenda at Trinity University College in Carmarthen. And it’s a mission which has helped the university scoop a prestigious national quality award. The university prides itself on its commitment to provide care and support for all students. But it is particularly proud of the work it does with students who have themselves been in care. Now the university has been recognised by the Frank Buttle Trust. Trinity has reached the standard for the Quality Mark for Care Leavers in Higher Education. “The Frank Buttle Trust is recognised as a hugely important UK charity and Trinity University College is delighted to have received this quality award,” said Director of Student Services Dai Rogers. “The award recognises the hard work that all staff put in to make sure that anyone who has been in care has a rewarding experience here at Trinity and it also recognises the work that goes on in supporting students leaving the university. “The award reflects gr

Curtain rises on £14m theatre for Llanelli

BBC News - Curtain rises on £14m theatre for Llanelli Good news, but what will become of the old Odeon?

When Carmarthen player met Hollywood elite

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - When scrum-half met Hollywood elite Carmarthen Quins and former Llanelli Scarlet Sililo Martens had part in Invictus.

Gregory Brothers on road in Carmarthenshire

The all-singing and all-dancing Gregory Brothers are back on the road with Dylan the Dragon and Eco Eli taking their fun-packed show to Welsh language primary schools across Carmarthenshire. Eco Eli, the council’s eco-friendly elephant, and Dylan the Dragon, the healthy schools meals mascot, have teamed up with childrens’ entertainers Paul and Adrian Gregory to raises awareness of healthy living and the environment. The show is full of fun and games, as well as singing and dancing and will be performed to hundreds of Welsh-speaking pupils in the county. Eco Eli is hoping to raise awareness of environmental issues such as recycling, saving energy and litter amongst young people. Dylan the Dragon will be spreading the word on the importance of healthy eating and regular exercise. A joint initiative by the council’s street scene and catering services departments, the schools will be given a free CD featuring all the songs from the show to use as an additional educational resource as well

Amman teen fined for throwing litter

Throwing litter in a local park has cost an Amman Valley teenager more than £300. Jason King, aged 19, of Wern Road, Garnant, was convicted in absence for the offence under section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Ammanford Magistrates Court. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that council’s environmental enforcement officers were on duty on Thursday, August 13 at Golwg Yr Aman Park in Garnant when they saw King walking in the park drinking from a bottle. However, as the officers approached him they saw that the bottle had gone. King admitted throwing the bottle on to the grass and as a result was issued with a fixed penalty notice of £75. However, he failed to pay it within the specified time He was fined £175 by magistrates and ordered to pay £150 prosecution costs. Carmarthenshire County Council is determined to clean up the county and prosecute those that break the law. Executive board member for the environment Councillor H

Welsh interest at the races today

The folowing trainers with Welsh connections have runners today - David Evans 14:00 Taunton No Wonga Christian Williams 14:30 Taunton I'm In The Pink (FR) T J Murphy 15:50 Southwell Tiger Hawk (USA) P Cosgrave 18:00 Kempton Hurakan (IRE) J-P Guillambert 20:30 Kempton Vhujon (IRE) T P Queally Alison Thorpe 14:00 Taunton Tabaran (FR) R Johnson Tim Vaughan 16:00 Taunton Dabaratsa (FR) R Johnson 17:05 Taunton Paradise Expected R Johnson Ian Williams 13:40 Huntingdon Immense (IRE) Michael Murphy 13:50 Southwell Granakey (IRE) S Donohoe 15:40 Huntingdon Cash For Honours Michael Murphy 17:30 Kempton Sedgwick S Donohoe 18:00 Kempton Classic Blue (IRE) S Golam 18:00 Kempton Doubnov (FR) N Callan 18:30 Kempton Josiah Bartlett (IRE) Hayley Turner Evan Williams 14:30 Taunton Hallstatt (IRE) Jody McGarvey 15:30 Taunton Ajman (IRE) Jody McGarvey 16:00 Taunton Screenscraper (IRE) Paul Moloney 16:30 Taunton Prince Massini (IRE) Pa

Two litterbugs caught at Cross Hands

Two teenagers have each been given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £90 costs after throwing litter from a car at McDonalds in Cross Hands. Owain Joulin Clarke, aged 19, of Whitfield Road, Llandaff, Cardiff, and Joseph Lewis, also 19, of Gibson Close, Llanishen, Cardiff, pleaded guilty to offences under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Llanelli Magistrates Court. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that the council’s environmental enforcement officers were on duty in Cross Hands on Sunday, August 9 when they saw litter thrown from a parked car in the McDonalds car park. The officers approached the vehicle and both the driver (Lewis) and front seat passenger (Clarke) admitted dropping the litter. Both men were issued with fixed penalty notices for £75 but failed to pay them within the specified time. Magistrates said the lenient sentences were solely due to the teenagers’ difficult financial circumstanc

Bont man's £700 bill for litter

A Pontarddulais has been ordered to pay more than £700 by the courts after throwing litter from a car near McDonalds in Llanelli. Gary Leigh Lewis was convicted in his absence following a trial at Llanelli Magistrates Court. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that the council’s environmental enforcement officers were on duty on Saturday, September 5 at Llanelli’s Parc Trostre as part of the council’s ‘Bin It’ campaign when they saw litter thrown from a car which was parked next to two litter bins. The officers approached the vehicle and spoke to the driver (Lewis) about what they had seen. However, he denied throwing the litter and refused to give the officers his name and address. As a result, the police were called. Lewis eventually gave his name and address but refused to accept a fixed penalty notice and was instead reported for prosecution through the courts. Lewis, aged 20, of Dantwyn Road, Pontarddulais, was fined a total of £260 and o

Trinity offers help on fees

Want to study, but worried about how much it is going to cost? Trinity University in Carmarthen may be able to help you on the road to learning. Whether you are studying as part of a personal challenge or seeking to improve your career and job prospects, Trinity could have the answers for you. The university has a number of schemes designed to help students make ends meet. There is a whole raft of bursaries and scholarships, but one of the most innovative is the part-time fee waiver. This scheme can mean there are no fees for part-time undergraduate students who qualify for the certain benefits. Trinity University has expert staff on hand who can guide you through the application process, if you think you qualify for help in studying. You can get more information from the Trinity University website on http://www.trinity-cm.ac.uk/en/campusandstudentlife/studentfinance/bursariesscholarships Or you can contact – The Scholarships Office, Trinity University College, Carmarthen SA31 3EP. Tel

Quote of the day

"My plan is to have a lie down and see what bites me on the arse" - Film-maker Chris Morris when asked about his next project.

‘Spaceman’ admits drink-driving

‘Spaceman’ admits drink-driving (From South Wales Guardian) Former Scarlets full-back banned from driving.

Mike Phillips delays return from injury

BBC Sport - Rugby Union - Mike Phillips delays return from injury Blow for Wales rugby Championship hopes.

Strange but true . . .

A hospital trust issued an unreserved apology after a seven-inch (18cm) set of forceps was left inside a patient following a routine operation. The Worcestershire Acute Hospitals NHS Trust, which is facing legal action after Donna Bowett was left in agony, said it had since taken a number of steps to improve safety standards. Ms Bowett told The Sun she was left in "horrendous" pain by the mistake after undergoing surgery to remove her gall bladder at Redditch's Alexandra Hospital last year. Ouch!

Hopes for big crowd at Ffos Las

Hopes for big crowd at Ffos Las Fixture guide for this year - Thu, Feb 18, 2010 Jump Racing. First Race: 2:30 pm Last Race: 5:20 pm Celtic Day Mon, Mar 8, 2010 Jump Racing. First Race: 2:20 pm Last Race: 5:40 pm 6 Nations Raceday Sat, Mar 20, 2010 Jump Racing. First Race: 2:25 pm Last Race: 5:50 pm Easter Eggstravaganza Tue, Apr 6, 2010 Flat Racing. First Race: 2:10 pm Last Race: 5:30 pm Mon, Apr 26, 2010 (Eve) Jump Racing. First Race: 5:30 pm Last Race: 8:15 pm Thu, May 6, 2010 (Eve) Flat Racing. First Race: 5:55 pm Last Race: 8:35 pm Harness Racing Sun, May 9, 2010 Harness Racing. First Race: 2:00 pm Last Race: 4:55 pm Wed, May 26, 2010 Flat Racing. First Race: 2:30 pm Last Race: 5:15 pm Tue, Jun 1, 2010 (Eve) Jump Racing. First Race: 6:30 pm Last Race: 9:10 pm Ladies Night Thu, Jun 17, 2010 (Eve) Jump Racing. First Race: 6:50 pm Last Race: 9:20 pm Harness Racing Sun, Jun 20, 2010 Harness Racing. First Race: 2:00 pm Last Race: 4:55 p

Gorslas boy wins litter campaign prize

Seven-year-old Joshua Morgan has won a prize after doing the right thing and putting his litter in the bin. Joshua, from Gorslas, has won an iPod Nano and iTunes voucher as part of Carmarthenshire County Council’s Bin It campaign. The council teamed up with fast food outlets including McDonalds, KFC and Starbucks in Carmarthen, Llanelli and Cross Hands to encourage people to dispose of their litter more responsibly. Customers who used the special bins provided in the restaurants were entered into a special prize draw. Joshua was invited to County Hall in Carmarthen to receive his prize from the council’s executive board member for the environment Councillor Haydn Jones and head of street scene Phil Williams. Councillor Jones said: “Joshua did the right thing and put his litter in the bin and I am delighted he won a prize. “Litter spoils the appearance of an area, it also takes years to degrade and can cause harm to wildlife. There really is no excuse for throwing litter, if there are n

Llanelli school catchments review

A review has been carried out into catchment areas for schools in the Llanelli town area. It follows increasing demand for Welsh-medium and denominational education, and significant changes in the population of certain areas. The county council needs to ensure there are sufficient places in its schools for all children and that the places available match the needs. A report, which went before the executive board, showed that at the moment, only 46 per cent of primary pupils are attending their local catchment school. As a result, the catchment areas have now been revised in keeping with current and future need. Consultation has taken place with all the schools involved, and new maps have been agreed with them. The aim is to ensure enough places are available for those wanting either a Welsh first language, Welsh second language or denominational provision locally. Executive board member for education Councillor Gwynne Wooldridge said: “The Education and Children’s Services Scrutiny Com

Trinity welcomes VIPs from home and abroad

Image
The School of Early Years Education at Trinity University in Carmarthen has been busy welcoming important visitors from home and abroad. The School of EYE has established a ground-breaking new link with Ireland and has recently hosted a visit by VIPs from the Welsh Assembly Government. The School of EYE was delighted to welcome Dr Máire Mhic Mathúna and some her students on the Early Childhood Education programme at Dublin Institute of Technology. The Irish team were on a fact-finding mission at Trinity to study early years education provision in Wales. They were particularly interested in the importance given to the Welsh language and the development of bilingualism in early childhood services. The Irish students gave the Trinity early years students some presentations on early years provision in Ireland. Sian Wyn Siencyn, Head of School, said: “It was a wonderful opportunity for students from Ireland and students from Wales to learn from each other. The students from Ireland were par

Northcliffe profits increase

Profits increase at Northcliffe despite recession by holdthefrontpage staff From Hold the front page website http://www.holdthefrontpage.co.uk/news/100210dmgt.shtml Profits have increased year-on-year at regional publisher Northcliffe Media despite the recession, according to a statement issued by its parent company today. The interim mangament statement issued by DMGT revealed that total revenues at Northcliffe for the last quarter of 2009 were down 15pc on the previous year. However with costs falling by 18pc, it meant that the group turned in a higher operating profit than in the final three months of 2008. "The continuing transformation of Northcliffe's cost base resulted in UK publishing costs being 18pc lower than last year. As a consequence, profits were up on the previous year," said the statement. Advertising revenues across the group were 13pc lower than in the same period in 2008, compared with a year-on-year decline of 18pc in the previous quarter. However dig

Llanelli Reds clear at the top

The Llanelli Reds went four points clear at the top of the Welsh Premier League with a hard fought win at Airbus UK on Tuesday night. A Rhys Griffiths goal after 49 minutes, his 20th of the season, was enough to give them all three points. The Reds are next in action on Sunday 14th February,when Porthmadog are the visitors to Stebonheath Park. KO 2.30pm

Welsh interest at the races today

The following trainers with Welsh connections have runners today - Peter Bowen 16:30 Ludlow Mr Ed (IRE) Mr M Byrne 16:50 Carlisle Santamina (IRE) D Devereux Dai Burchell 15:00 Ludlow Thehonourablelady Danny Cook Rebecca Curtis 13:45 Ludlow Black Jack Blues (IRE) A P McCoy David Evans 13:25 Lingfield Big Eric P Doe 13:55 Lingfield Rapid City P Doe 14:55 Lingfield Bennelong P Doe 14:55 Lingfield I Confess Kevin Lundie 15:00 Ludlow Covert Mission A Glassonbury 15:30 Ludlow Jordan's Light (USA) A P McCoy 16:00 Ludlow Milton Des Bieffes (FR) A Glassonbury 18:10 Kempton Midnight Bay Hayley Turner Bryn Palling 14:25 Lingfield Forward Feline (IRE) David Probert 18:10 Kempton Corrib (IRE) David Probert Alison Thorpe 13:45 Ludlow Calon Crwbin J W Farrelly 15:00 Ludlow Pearl (IRE) J W Farrelly 15:30 Ludlow Ibbetson (USA) J W Farrelly 17:00 Ludlow Elusive Muse R Johnson Tim Vaughan 15:30 Ludlow Tar (IRE) R Johnson

Carmarthen fan shows colours in Kabul!

Image
Fans of Welsh Premier League side Carmarthen Town AFC like to show off their allegiance in the most unusual places. Take serving soldier Christopher Dowle, who is pictured wearing his Carmarthen Town away shirt on top of the Garib Ghar mountain range in Kabul. Christopher climbed the peak during an exercise on an Afghani Army training camp. His brother Jonathan also climbed Garib Ghar in 2008 when he was on an operational tour in Afghanistan. Christopher is now safely back from Afghanistan and has enjoyed a well-earned holiday with his wife in the Dominican Republic. The loyal Carmarthen Town fan is expected to be a guest of the club at one of the forthcoming home matches at Richmond Park. Meanwhile, Carmarthen Town fans worldwide will be delighted to learn that replica shirts and other Carmarthen Town products are now available on the internet shopping site ebay. Just simply go to www.ebay.co.uk and search for Carmarthen Town AFC. To keep up to date with the latest about the Welsh Pr

DMGT reports revenue down 15 per cent

DMGT reports revenue down 15 per cent - Press Gazette

Carmarthenshire safety drive for Six Nations parties

People in Carmarthenshire are being urged to ‘Think Safe, Drink Safe’ while enjoying this year’s Six Nations rugby championship. Match-days are traditionally very busy for the county’s pubs and for police so the Community Safety Partnership is encouraging fans to drink sensibly and look after their friends. Wales take on Scotland this Saturday and free bottles of water and lollipops will be handed out in Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford in a bid to cut alcohol-related crime. Water helps to keep people hydrated and lollies boost blood sugar levels, both of which can combat the effects of alcohol. Taxi marshals will also be based at Island Place in Llanelli and Blue Street in Carmarthen between 11pm and 4am to help residents get home safely. In addition, there will be proactive, high-visibility policing and visits to licensed premises. Community safety manager Kate Thomas said: “Unfortunately, anti-social behaviour and alcohol-induced violence can often occur once people leave late-nig

Carmarthenshire coastal works boost

Works totalling £150,000 have been carried out to strengthen the Carmarthenshire coastline from Loughor to Pendine. Members of the council’s Environment Scrutiny Committee have visited key sites along the coast to view the various schemes which have been carried out over the last year. It is part of the committee’s ongoing monitoring of the threat posed by coastal erosion. First stop was Loughor where an £80,000 scheme has been completed to strengthen existing defences including toe armour. Next the members were taken to Machynys where £10,000 has been spent on the maintenance and management of existing defences. Works of £30,000 have been carried out at Llanelli beach which includes the management and maintenance of defended coastline including dune management. The committee’s final stop was at Pendine where a £30,000 scheme has been undertaken including the installation of transitional works into eroding dune to prevent erosion to the promenade and Museum of Speed. Chairman of the En

Carmarthenshire 'beat burglars' roadshow

Residents over the age of 50 in Carmarthenshire are being invited to a roadshow which will help them to beat the burglar. A burglary prevention roadshow is being held at the Amman Centre on Thursday, February 11 between 10am and 2pm. It is open to everyone aged 50 and over and there will be lots of information and advice on how to avoid becoming a victim of a distraction burglary, rogue traders or scams and how to make your homes safer and more secure. The roadshow is being organised by Age Concern Sir Gâr in partnership with Carmarthenshire’s Community Safety Partnership and Amman Valley School. Although the number of burglaries in Carmarthenshire is low, it is a key priority for the Community Safety Partnership which includes the council, police and fire and rescue service as well as a number of other agencies. The aim of the partnership is to make the county an even safer place to live, work and visit. Pupils from Amman Valley School will be putting on a short drama and are looking

£2.5m damage bill for Carmarthenshire roads

It has been estimated that the recent bad weather has caused around £2.5 million worth of damage to Carmarthenshire’s road network. The snow, frost and heavy rain has left a trail of destruction across the county as water in cracks expands into ice, causing the surface of the road to break up and deeper-than-usual potholes. The damage adds to an already substantial highways maintenance backlog running into millions of pounds. The Welsh Assembly Government has announced extra funding of £2.75 million to help local authorities repair their weather-beaten roads; however, it is not known how much of a share Carmarthenshire will receive as yet. The council’s executive board member for technical services Councillor Haydn Jones said: “Whilst it will take time to assess the true extent of the damage caused to our roads by the recent bad weather, initial reports suggest it could be in the region of around £2.5 million. “The worst-affected roads will take priority, but some stretches will need

Wales recall Halfpenny and Thomas for Scotland clash

BBC Sport - Rugby Union - Wales recall Halfpenny and Thomas for Scotland clash

Quote of the day

"People are treating me like a serial killer, I'm a villain. What have I actually done wrong?" - Katie Price, aka Jordan, on "untrue" reports that her marriage last week to cage fighter Alex Reid was already in crisis.

Strange but true . . .

Whisky distilled by a company in north-eastern Taiwan won a blind taste test in Leith, Scotland, against three Scottish brands and one from England. King Car Food Industrial Co only began to distill whisky five years ago, and were thrilled when their fruity-tasting Kavalan won the accolade at a Burns Night dinner for being "a little different". Blender Ian Chang said the secret of its success is its distillery's proximity to a large underground reservoir which gathers clean spring water from nearby mountain ranges.

August festival plan for Llanelli

From samba dancers to the Salvation Army and flying machines to photography - a kaleidoscope of more than 60 organisations are planning to come together for the first Llanelli Festival in August. Llanelli historians Benita and William Rees have been overwhelmed at the response and support for their idea to promote the positive aspects of their town in celebrating Llanelli Historical Society’s 10th anniversary. They have won the support of local authorities to help promote Llanelli Festival involving all the diverse organisations and cultures that make up the town at the Selwyn Samuel Bowls Centre on Saturday, August 21, 2010. Llanelli’s relatively new and growing diverse ethnic culture alongside the long tradition of a civic society will be cheek by jowl. Religion, cooking, activities, skills, pastimes, recreation and play and just about everything is going into the festival pot Mrs Rees said: “We want this to be a colourful and fun family day bringing together all the many and varied

AMs vote in favour of Welsh assembly powers referendum

BBC News - AMs vote in favour of Welsh assembly powers referendum

Trinity academic at Malaysia conference

Image
Dr Sue Davies, Head of the School of Education Studies and Social Inclusion, at Trinity University College and Pauline Lewis, Coordinator of the South West and Mid Wales local authority consortium, copresented a paper at the ICSEI (International Congress for School Effectiveness and Improvement) conference in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Annual Conference looks at school effectiveness and improvement as the common cause that brings together educationalists in an international vision of effective schools, effective leadership and effective teaching. They presented a paper, A National Framework for School Effectiveness: a Regional Case study of Developing System Leadership in Action, which described the process adopted to pilot the implementation of the School Effectiveness Framework (SEF) in Wales which involves collaborative consortium working. Dr Sue Davies said: “The paper explores how the continued development of collaborative working across the region impacts on change through devel

Reds Under-18s game off tonight

The Llanelli Reds Under-18 game with Cowbridge Town scheduled for tonight has been cancelled. The Stebonheath Park pitch has not recovered yet from the recent repair work that was required after the Welsh Cup game with Holyhead Hotspur. The Reds Under-19s will have to play their Quarter Final match in the FAW Youth Cup at Stebonheath Park on Sunday 21st February. KO 2pm. The club did ask for a postponment due to the first team playing at Bala on the same day but this request was refused by the FAW. Ely Rangers were also invited to play at Stebo during the mid week prior to the conference date but they declined the offer. Two of the successful Reds Under-19s squad represented Welsh Schools on Sunday when they played for the National Schools Under 18s against England at The Park Hall Stadium in Qswestry. Defender Ryan Batley captained the side while midfielder Joe Clarke also figured in the 2-1 defeat at the hands of the English team. A mixture of the Reds Under-12 and Under-13 players p

Carmarthenshire youth talent event to kick-off

Carmarthenshire Youth Service in partnership with the 3Ts Youth Forum is holding a Carms Stars talent event for all young people between the ages of 11-25. This is an opportunity for young people to get exposure and to show off their talents. The competition is open to soloists, bands and choirs as well as any unique talents! A £200 prize is up for grabs for the winner. Sioned Evans, 3Ts Youth Forum member said:“This is the first time for us to hold an event like this for young people in the County and we’re confident it’s going to be a fantastic experience for everyone involved. We have a lot of talented young people in the Carmarthenshire and we’d like to encourage them to take advantage of this opportunity.” Preliminary dates: February 24 - Pantycelyn School March 3 – Glanalla Hall Llanelli March 15 – Amman Valley School March 10 – Emlyn School March 19 – QE High Finals: March 26 – St. Peter’s Hall Carmarthen For further information, please call 01267 228208 or e-mail FBeale@carmar

Reds hero on mission in Juventus

Image
Llanelli Reds soccer Academy Director Bob Jeffrey,pictured, has jetted off to Italian giants Juventus in Turin, accompanied by some of the leading coaches in Welsh Football. Bob is with some of the Principality Welsh Premier League coaches and Academy Directors visiting some of Europe's top clubs to see how the game is taught on the continent this week. A team of 18 coaches is visting Holland, Spain and Italy this week, to bring back new ideas on developing future football talent in Wales. The coaching visits are being made thanks to funding secured from the European Commission's Leonardo Da Vinci Lifelong Learning Programme. The grant has enabled the Welsh Football Trust to send groups of coaches to Feyenoord, Espanyol and Juventues as part of the funding which supports the development of skills and training in the UK. The study visit delegates, who include former Welsh Premier League managers Peter Nicolas and Tony Pennock, as well as Academy Directors Bob Jeffrey (Llanelli),

Half-term soccer school in Llanelli

Llanelli AFC will be holding a soccer school during the half term break next week. The school will be held at The Bryngwyn School Indoor Sports Hall on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of next week (Feb 15th -17th). The school will start at 10am on each day and finish at 3pm. Boys and Girls between the ages of 6 to 14 years old will be welcome to attend and the cost will be £20 for all three days and £8 per single day. For an application form and further information, please ring the Llanelli AFC main office on 01554 758018.

Trinity launches radio archive project

Image
Sian Elin Ifans, who graduated from the school of Theatr, Cerdd a’r Cyfryngau this year with a BA degree in Cerdd a’r Cyfryngau, has been appointed to work on a unique and exciting project at Trinity University, Carmarthen. An application by the School of Theatr, Cerdd a'r Cyfryngau, to the Creative Industries’ Network Panel under the guidance of the Centre for Welsh Medium Higher Education, was successful for funding a radio archive project in the area of Drama in Wales. “The project aims to create a website for students in the higher education sector that study Drama, Media and Welsh, as they will be able to hear the plays they are studying,” said Non Vaughan Williams from the School. “The project will also provide a resource for prospective actors to hear and learn different Welsh accents, as well as an opportunity to follow a young playwright.” As part of her studies, Sian scripted and produced a period drama for radio, as well as creating a website to coincide with the product

Quote of the day

"He is like some cut-price edition of David Cameron hastily knocked off by a Shanghai sweatshop to satisfy unexpected market demand" - London Mayor Boris Johnson on Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader.

Believe it or not . . .

A supermarket customer was ordered to take his young daughter off his shoulders because of health and safety concerns. Martin Dunkley, 45, was carrying six-year-old Natalie in a Tesco store in Bar Hill, Cambridge, when he was approached by a security guard and ordered to put his daughter down. A Tesco spokesman said: "We take the safety of our staff and customers very seriously. We have no blanket policy on this issue.

Carmarthenshire council tax rise agreed

Householders in Carmarthenshire face a council tax rise of just 2.9 per cent from April. The council’s executive board agreed to a 2.9 per cent increase for 2010/11. If approved by full council, this means the tax levied on a band D property would go up from £873.76 to £899.14 a year’ an increase of 49p per week. Members wanted to keep the council tax increase as low as possible for residents given the current economic situation. A report which went before the executive board back in December initially suggested a rise of 3.3 per cent. However, councillors asked chief officers to investigate whether it would be possible to reduce this to below three per cent. As a result efficiency savings of almost £3million have been identified for the forthcoming financial year. It has also been agreed to draw on £1.494million from council reserves to help ease the pressures on budgets over the next two years caused by the recession. Deputy leader Councillor Kevin Madge said: “I think that coming ou