Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Thank you very much, folks. Thanks to you, dear readers and visitors, this blog is continuing to pick up more hits. It's now hit the 25,000 page views mark. That's a 1,000 views since March 2. Keep the hits coming, folks! Much appreciated. Many thanks. See earlier post - http://sirgarblog.blogspot.com/2011/03/24000-visits-chalked-up-on-blog.html Meanwhile, the blog has chalked up its first visitor from Senegal. The full country by country list (figures from January 6, 2010) is as follows - United Kingdom (GB) 7,445; United States (US) 889; India (IN) 71; Canada (CA) 59; Germany (DE) 50; Australia (AU) 46; Europe (EU) 42; Ireland (IE) 37; France (FR) 34; Belgium (BE) 31; Japan (JP) 31; Qatar (QA) 29; Netherlands (NL) 26; Taiwan (TW) 25; Italy (IT) 24; Spain (ES) 17; Malaysia (MY) 17; Philippines (PH) 16; Pakistan (PK) 15; Russian Federation (RU) 14; New Zealand (NZ) 14; United Arab Emirates (AE) 13; Sweden (SE) 11; Singapore (SG) 10; South Africa (ZA) 9; Denmark (DK) 9; Greece (

The ExoMars Rover, Dr Who’s canine friend K9, a mechanical horse and a walk in planetarium will be among 28 science exhibits at a three day festival of science which is being organised by Aberystwyth University as part of the 2011 National Science and Engineering Week. More than a 1,000 school pupils from Ceredigion and Powys have already signed up for Tell us some Science which takes place on Tuesday 15th, Wednesday 16th and Thursday 17th March at the Sports Cage on the University’s Penglais Campus. Event organisers are also extending a warm invitation to members of the public with the Wednesday session remaining open until 6 in the evening. Opening hours on Tuesday and Thursday are 10 a.m. until 3 p.m. Exhibits from the University’s science departments (Mathematics and Physics, Computer Science, Sports and Exercise Science, Geography and Earth Sciences, the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences and Information Services) will feature along with Ceredigion County c

Spent the evening as MC at the Carmarthen Wanderers Cricket Club annual dinner at the Carmarthen Quins rugby club. Derek Bevan and Cliff Golledge guest speakers.

To Aberystwyth today for the funeral of our dear friend Joan Morris. 1.30pm at Aberystwyth Crematorium. RIP Joan.

Scientists in Aberystwyth University are developing new varieties of a traditional crop which could help lessen the danger of heart disease. This is one of the health benefits of a chemical called beta glucan which is found in oats, a crop that can cope with the poorer agricultural land and the wetter climate of areas like west Wales. Beta glucan can help trap cholesterol and stop it from entering the bloodstream, so experts at the University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) are breeding varieties of oats with higher beta glucan content. “There are clear benefits to human health,” said the scientist leading the research, Athole Marshall. “Lowering cholesterol is the most obvious of these. “This will make oats more attractive as a crop in Wales and other parts of the UK where it has traditionally been grown. Our research will offer new opportunities for farmers.” The research work involves developing techniques for measuring the beta glucan content of

International research at Aberystwyth University could provide a new source of clean energy and help protect nature-rich land in Wales. The University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) is working with research centres in Germany and Estonia to develop new ways of managing under-used grasslands and making them productive. Scientists are working on six experimental sites in each country – using different native grasses and ‘nuisance’ plants like rushes and bracken to create energy. PROGRASS is a 3.5 year project funded through the European Commission’s LIFE+ grants and is aimed at making better use of grassland on protected sites and increasing biodiversity too by providing a sustainable way of managing the land. The research could also lead to a new source of income for Welsh farmers and more use of clean energy. How it works . . . A specially developed processing unit is now in place at IBERS’ Gogerddan campus and is processing up to 400kg a day of sil

Lamphey Court Hotel in Pembrokeshire is now under new management. Phil Thomas, 44, has arrived at Lamphey Court with an extensive CV working at leading hotels throughout the UK. “It’s a great privilege to arrive at Lamphey Court, a hotel which has the best architecture in Wales,” Mr Thomas said as he gazed up at the south-facing Ionic pillars at the Georgian mansion. Mr Thomas said: “Lamphey Court has a great reputation and as the new general manager I am looking to enhance that reputation even further, particularly in relation to the quality of our kitchen. “The stunning location speaks for itself. But I am confident we can build on our name to provide quality facilities and service which will attract everyone, visitors from afar and, very importantly, those local people who support us.” “I am genuinely excited about the launch or our new state-of-the-art spa. Costing up to £2 million and exclusively using products such as Cinq Mondes, Lamphey Court will put Pembrokeshire on the map w

Carmarthen Town AFC is teaming up with the mighty Swans later this month. Town, in conjunction with the Swansea City Supporters Trust, will be holding a Swansea City fans forum at Richmond Park on Wednesday 23rd March. Swans manager Brendan Rogers will be attending, along with at least two of his players. The Swans, of course, are currently in the Championship race for a place in the Premier League. The evening will start at 7pm and there will be a formal question and answer session followed by the opportunity to meet Brendan and the players and take photographs and get autographs. It should be an excellent evening at a very exciting time as the Swans push to secure a place in the world's best premier next season. The evening is free entry for everyone and the clubhouse will be open from 6pm. For any further information please contact Paul Ashley-Jones on 07775820864.

It won’t be art for art’s sake in Ammanford next month; it will be art for charity’s sake. A charity art auction is being held at Saron Hall, Ammanford, on Sunday, April 10, in aid of the Healing The Wounds charity. The charity helps treat sufferers of PTSD (post traumatic stress disorder) in Wales. More than 60 ‘lots’ have already been kindly donated by local artists. “The response has been amazing,” said Healing The Wounds co-founder and secretary Carol Richards. “But we are still looking for some more works of art for the auction to raise as much as we possibly can on the day. “Richard Chinnery is the organiser of the art group in Saron Hall and he has been instrumental in helping to put the event together. “In addition, we have popular auctioneer John Eirian Davies from BJP in Carmarthen giving his services for free for the day. “It should be a great day out for lovers of local art. And the local Women’s Institute will be on hand to serve refreshments. Doors open at 12 noon for 2pm

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg took time out to catch up with the work of the Healing The Wounds charity when he visited the Welsh Lib-Dems annual conference. “He was very interested in our work and what we are going to fund treatment of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in Wales,” said charity co-founder and Executive Director Kevin Richards. “It was plain that he has a great awareness of the issue and he wanted to catch up on all our latest activities.” Mr Clegg visited the Healing The Wounds stand at the conference with the leader of the Welsh Lib-Dems Kirsty Williams AM. Mr Richards said: “We are very grateful to Kirsty Williams as she has been a keen supporter of the charity. She has seen first hand how treatment programmes for PTSD have helped one of her constituents. She has always been very supportive of our work. “Mr Clegg asked plenty of questions and we were able to brief him on how we have started to help PTSD victims in Wales and what future treatment programmes we h

Members of Kenfig Hill Women's Institute have been busy with a variety of fund-raising activities for the Healing The Wounds charity, which works to fund treatment of PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) in Wales. The WI presented a cheque for £400 to Carol Richards, co-founder and secretary of Healing The Wounds. The presentation took place at the weekly meeting of the WI at Greenfield Terrace, North Cornelly, near Bridgend. Carol Richards said: “Healing The Wounds is delighted to accept these funds raised by the ladies from the WI, who work hard to donate to many deserving charities in Wales. We are extremely grateful to all involved.” The Healing The Wounds charity was set up in January 2010 to help provide PTSD treatment for members of the armed forces and veterans. It aims to set up a Welsh base for the treatment of PTSD. It is already arranging treatment courses and building a team of counsellors who can treat PTSD. Picture, left to right, Pam Coates, Carol Richards and Bren

In the newspapers and media today - Story in the Llanelli Star today about Jenkins the Bakers in Llanelli making 15000 pancakes for Shrove Tuesday. Tribute to our friend Joan Morris, tragically killed in a road accident last week, in the Llanelli Star newspaper today. Spotlight on Rev Eldon Phillips being the guest speaker at Llanelli Rotary Club's weekly meeting in the Llanelli Star today. Funeral details and tribute to our dear friend Joan Morris in the South Wales Evening Post tonight. Nice little story on Pancake Day at Jenkins the Bakers in Llanelli in the South Wales Evening Post tonight. 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen AFC football team column in the Carmarthen Journal today. Spotlight on Stagecoach Carmarthen theatre arts school's production of the musical Oliver in the Carmarthen Journal today. Tribute to our dear friend Joan Morris in the Carmarthen Journal newspaper today. Spotlight on Carmarthen horsewoman Julie Oliver, who raised £470 for the Healing T

Forget last week’s London Fashion Week - Llanelli is where the latest trends will be found when the town hosts its first ever fashion week. (March 21- 25) The fashion extravaganza will include live shows and events across the town, covering all range of clothing, from evening wear to bridal, sporting, and casual. Top models, including local celebrities, tv presenters, Scarlets rugby players, and one or two surprises, have been lined up to add an extra sparkle to the proceedings. And for some shows, the organisers have teamed up with the Scarlets and Ffos Las Racecourse to offer free entry to a match and race meeting. People who buy tickets for the Wednesday night show at Parc y Scarlets, which will feature high street trends, will be given free tickets for the following weekend’s Magners league clash between the Scarlets and Benetton Treviso, while the first 100 people to buy tickets to the Dress For The Races fashion show at the town’s Diplomat Hotel on the Tuesday night, will get

The funeral of our dear friend Joan Morris will be held at Aberystwyth Crematorium at 1.30pm on Friday. Joan's life was tragically cut short in a road accident last Wednesday. Alan and family are in our thoughts. Any pals who want further information on the funeral etc, direct message me. Thanks. South Wales Evening Post story - http://www.thisissouthwales.co.uk/news/Tributes-bike-tragedy/article-3296626-detail/article.html Western Mail story - http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2011/03/07/tributes-to-wife-and-mother-who-died-in-crash-91466-28288952/

Tomorrow is the day when people go flipping mad for pancakes. And Llanelli’s biggest bakery will be doing their bit to mark Shrove Tuesday. “Pancakes are popular all the year around,” said Jenkins the Bakers director and company secretary David Jenkins. “But all our shops will be making a special effort with pancakes on Tuesday. “We reckon that we sell something like 15,000 pancakes every Shrove Tuesday, so you can see how popular they are. “In fact, we sell two varieties – a fruit pancake and a plain pancake. The order book from our shops total 7465 fruit pancakes and 8250 plain pancakes for tomorrow!” Mr Jenkins added: “This is a busy time of year for us as we recently put out a special range of typically Welsh products to mark St David’s Day. “We pride ourselves as being a bakery business which knows its customers and we know how people love to celebrate different events such as St David’s Day and Shrove Tuesday. “This year is also an extra special one for us at Jenkins, as we are a

Carmarthen tenor Wynne Evans has been forced to postpone his homecoming concert tomorrow evening. The concert was planned to mark the launch of his new album ‘A Song In My Heart’. The special charity show was scheduled to go ahead at the Lyric Theatre, Carmarthen, on Tuesday night. It was due to be filmed for S4C for broadcast on Mother's Day. The concert line-up featured Rebecca Evans, Mark Evans, Christopher Jacobsen, Owain Llyr Williams, Rhys Meilyr Jones, Cerddorfa Siambr Cymru and Côr Caerdydd. Evans said today: "Both Rebecca Evans and I have chest infections so Tuesday will be postponed for a week or so. Sorry." See earlier post - http://sirgarblog.blogspot.com/2011/02/wynne-evans-concert-date-for-home-town.html

Bad news for Llanelli in The Observer newspaper today. Millions living near the coast are likely to be hit by rising sea levels, erosion and storm surges, warns a new study by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation. I quote - One of the towns that will be particularly affected is Llanelli, on the Loughor estuary in Wales. The inhabitants told the report's authors that they believe many parts of their town could be under water within 50 years. Recent storms have destroyed the Millennium Coastal Path around Llanelli, while sand dunes at nearby Pembrey have disappeared. See full story - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2011/mar/06/climate-change-coastline-joseph-rowntree

A major choral and orchestral performance of one of the world’s great choral masterpieces has had to retune its plans as a last minute major power failure has rendered its existing concert venue unusable. The massed voices of the mighty Llanelli Choral Society, the Celtic Orchestra, leading operatic singers are all lined up for the grand performance of Haydn’s Creation on Friday 11th March which will now be staged at Tabernacle Chapel, Town Hall Square, Llanelli instead of All Saints Church. All Saints Church suffered a power failure which has affected all planned events at the Church – services, weddings as well as major performances. “In the true spirit of the performing arts, the show will go on!” explains John Hywel Williams. “Production teams, carpenters, performers and organisers have all mobilised with an inspiring can-do attitude to restage the event and rehearsals in the eleventh hour and tell all its audience. Tabernacle Chapel itself has shown great community spirit and fle

Good luck to everyone in the Llanelli Waterside Half Marathon today, including Dai Watkins and Richard Thomas. Have a good race! Find out more about the Llanelli half marathon (great event for spectators on a nice day like today!) - http://www.humanbeingactive.org/