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

A week of celebrations will be held from October 20-27 to celebrate the saving of Llangyndeyrn and Cwm Gwendraeth Fach from drowning. In the late 1950s and early 1960s, the then Swansea Corporation developed proposals for a dam and reservoir to be built in the Gwendraeth Fach valley to supply water to Swansea. The proposals involved the construction of a dam which would have resulted in the flooding of productive farmland, several farmhouses and a number of houses close to and within the village of Llangyndeyrn, and also upstream to the village of Porthyrhyd. The village of Llangyndeyrn itself would have been greatly affected with a large dam wall built on its eastern flank. Homes would have been lost, livelihoods destroyed and the community torn apart. The community established a defence committee to fight the Swansea Corporation’s plan. The Defence Committee for Llangyndeyrn organised itself and fought a long hard battle against the proposals which culminated in an intense strug...

A team of volunteers have helped to clean up Dafen Pond for the benefit of the community. Carmarthenshire County Council Leader Kevin Madge was one of many volunteers to get his hands dirty along with Deputy Leader and local member for Dafen Cllr Tegwen Devichand. More than a dozen bags of rubbish were removed along with two car wheels and several other large miscellaneous items that had been fly-tipped there. The clean-up was organised by Tidy Towns and Keep Wales Tidy with Cllr Devichand who brought along a number of volunteers to help out. The footpath leading to the disabled hard-standing by the pond has also been cleared and the Japanese Knotweed will be sprayed as soon as possible. A new litter bin has also been installed. Cllr Devichand said: “The pond was full of rubbish. Not only was it an eyesore but it was also very dangerous for the wildlife. Dafen Pond is a popular recreational area used by families and it is not fair that it is being spoilt in this way. Hopefully now that...

Delivery firm Celtic Couriers Ltd is supporting Burry Port Rugby Football Club. 'The Blacks' of Burry Port have just received a donation of 'sponsored shorts' for first team players. Senior coach Gareth Gravell said: "Running a rugby team can be an expensive business, so we are always very grateful to the support of local businesses such as Celtic Couriers." Celtic Couriers business development manager Clayton Moore was on hand to make the presentation of the kit to Burry Port RFC before the match against Pantyffynnon in the Welsh SWALEC Bowl cup competition. Mr Moore said: "We are always delighted to lend our support to a number of different local organisations. "We have an excellent relationship as sponsors to Burry Port RFC and when they mentioned they needed new kit we were glad to help out. "We hope the kit helps the club perform well on the field of play and we wish them all the very best for a successful season." Burry Por...

Carmarthenshire’s Executive Board has agreed new terms on its financial agreement with Scarlets Regional Ltd, resulting in increased income for the county council. Under the amended terms, the club will pay interest on the council’s £2.616million loan at 3.5 per cent above the bank’s base rate, a deal that the Executive Board considered a better return than any other commercial investment. It means that the council will now receive £8,000 more in interest from the club per year – a figure which amounts to some £104,000 annually. In addition, the income thresholds at which the club is required to pay rent on the Parc Y Scarlets stadium have been dropped from £2.2million to £1.5million, and £2.8million to £2million, bringing forward the potential for the council to generate rental income for the facility. Cllr Jeff Edmunds, Executive Board Member for Resources, said: “This is a sound commercial decision – an interest rate of 3.5 per cent above the base rate makes commercial sense in the ...

An exciting £1,000 musical bursary prize – thought to be the biggest of its kind in Wales – will be awarded to a Trimsaran teenager on Saturday night (October 19). Megan Thomas has been picked as the first winner of the Gethin Hughes Memorial Bursary Scholarship. The prize celebrates the life of Gethin Hughes MBE, who was known as Llanelli’s ‘Mr Music’. Megan joined other bursary prize hopefuls at competition auditions for the prize. “She is a very worthy winner,” said the chairman of the judging panel, Eifion Thomas. Mr Thomas, musical director of Côr Meibion Llanelli and Côr Baroc, said the judges were impressed by the quality of the young musicians and singers who applied for the bursary. He added: “The bursary is being supported by a £1000 cash contribution by the Llanelli-based Jenkins Bakery and we are grateful for their support in helping talented youngsters continue their musical education.” Megan, 19, has just taken her place at the Royal Welsh College of Music an...

Côr Meibion Llanelli were honoured with a visit by three rugby legends at their rehearsal session at Furnace Community Hall in Llanelli. Llanelli rugby heroes Derek Quinnell, Terry Davies and Doug Williams paid a visit as a tribute to the long-standing cooperation between the Scarlets and the choir. The three stalwarts of the Scarlets Former Players’ Association paid tribute to the years of support given by Côr Meibion Llanelli to rugby in Llanelli. “Most recently,” said Mr Quinnell, “the choir members turned out to support the opening of the Scarlets Rugby Heritage Trail and the unveiling of the rugby posts and Phil Bennett icon at Sandy Water Park.” Mr Quinnell presented Côr Meibion Llanelli musical director Eifion Thomas with a special limited edition Scarlets souvenir plate. The former Llanelli, Wales and British Lions forward added: “It is a small token of our appreciation as former players for the sterling service and support you have given to the game of rugby in Llanelli down...

A total of 1105 bags of rubbish, 121 tyres and 180 miscellaneous items such as pushchairs, carpets and scooters that have been dumped across Carmarthenshire have been removed by Tidy Towns in the past six months. Since April, Tidy Towns project worker Brian Mogford has worked with 385 volunteers, 23 community groups, six schools, 15 disengaged groups and four businesses. He has travelled a total of 4,076 miles and helped to clean up 35 wards across the county. Activities carried out included river and beach clean-ups, habitat management, cycle track clean-ups, community skip days, litter-picks and overgrowth clearance projects. Brian has also targeted Japanese Knotweed hotspots across the Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford areas with a total area of 12,600m2 sprayed. Previous spraying has been very effective, with only a few pockets of new growth appearing in treated areas. Executive Board Member for Regeneration Councillor Meryl Gravell said: “It is important that people take pr...

The latest On Song column from the Llanelli Star - It’s getting to be something of a regular event at Llanelli’s new Ffwrnes theatre – ‘Tickets sold out’ signs for choral events. Following the success of the Llanelli Choral Society Lesley Garrett concert (played to a packed house at Ffwrnes), tickets have now been sold out for the ‘Night With The Stars’ event at the theatre on November 16. The concert will be in aid of Wales’s pancreatic cancer charity Amser Justin Time. Shan Cothi, who set up the charity in memory of her late husband, will be headlining the evening. Shan will be joined by the very popular baritone Mark Llewelyn Evans. Mark will be performing some songs from his new album ‘This Guy’s in Love’. The two stars will be supported by Côr Meibion Llanelli, making a welcome return to the theatre after their popular ‘annual concert’. Also performing will be the young up-and-coming musical theatre star Samuel Morris. Samuel is 17 and currently a sixth form student at Ysgol Gyfun...

Latest results from The Ashburnham Championship Links Golf Club – David Sinclair Cup - 1, Philip Watson, 83 - 09 = 74 (& Lowest Gross Score); 2, Alan Margery, 89 - 14 = 75; 3, Michael Rees, 91 - 16 = 75. Brian Rolfe Cup – 1, Norman Edwards, 79 - 11 = 68; 2, David Evans, 81 - 11 = 70; 3, Elliott Anderson, 72 - 02 = 70. Prince of Wales Cup 1, Jeff Kavanagh, 76 - 06 = 70; 2, Devlin Leach, 72 - 01 = 71 (Lowest Gross Score); 3, Michael Key, 79 - 08 = 71. Welsh Dragon Brooch 1, Mari Jones, 101 - 23 = 78; 2, Eleanor Roberts, 99 - 20 = 79; 3, Susan Davies, 112 - 32 = 80. Saul Cass Cup – 1, Paul Stobie, 36 pts (27); 2, Gareth Charles Pugh, 34 pts (09); 3, Andrew Wayne Joinson, 33 pts (12). Millennium Trophy - 1, Eleanor Roberts and Yvonne Williams, 43 pts (00); 2, Marie Hale and Wyn Parsons, 40 pts (00); 3, Maria Davies and Ann Francis, 37 pts (00). Evan Williams Cup and Medal 14 - 1, Sophie Anderson, 80 - 06 = 74 (& Lowest Gross Score); 2, Barbara Buckland, 101 - 27 = 74; 3, Lyne...

Llandeilo-based award-winning brewer Evan-Evans is starting the search for 10 new apprentices to join the brewing company’s pub estate. And one of them will be the first ‘brewing apprentice’ in the Welsh brewing industry. The company has teamed up with Mid Wales company Cambrian Training to provide the comprehensive training scheme that will develop the new talent for the Evan-Evans brewery group. The scheme, launched this week, will develop the opportunity for one new apprentice in each of the company’s public houses to work through the British Institute of Innkeeping (BII) Level 2 and 3 certificates in Licensed Hospitality Skills. In addition to training a team of front-of-house apprentices, the company has also committed to driving opportunities for apprentices in food production and cooking. Evan-Evans Group Chief Executive Simon Buckley said: “The search is on for 10 really good people to join our apprenticeship training scheme. “We are an international award-winning company wit...

The South, West and Wales Consortium, in which Aberystwyth University is partnered with seven other universities – Bath, Bath Spa, Bristol, Cardiff, Exeter, Reading and Southampton - has been awarded £14.2 million funding from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) over the next five years to deliver postgraduate supervision, training and skills development from 2014. The Consortium is one of 11 new Doctoral Training Partnerships (DTPs) and seven Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) to have been awarded a total of £164m funding from the AHRC. The South, West and Wales Consortium will offer postgraduate studentships and training across the full range of the AHRC’s disciplines, with a strong emphasis on collaboration between the members of the consortium and 19 partner organisations including English Heritage, the National Trust, the BBC, Cadw and Welsh National Opera. The funding, which equates to 200 new studentships, will allow for innovative postgraduate support, including t...

Rising movie star Samira Mohamed Ali is to see her award-winning first British feature film receive a 'Welsh Premiere' screening in Port Talbot. The supernatural feature Molly Crows will be screened at the Reel Cinema in Port Talbot on Monday, October 28, at the start of Halloween week. The event is being used as a fundraiser for the Better Life Appeal and Cerddwn Ymlaen (Walk On) in aid of the Wales Air Ambulance. Swansea-based Samira is one of the stars of Molly Crows, a feature film made by a relatively unknown British director. The film won Best Drama at London’s Portobello Film Festival when it was screened for its UK premiere. The movie also received praise when it had its world premiere in the Cannes Festival earlier this year. “To scoop the main prize at the Portobello Film Festival was wonderful,” said 28-year-old Samira. “There’s a very young team behind Molly Crows. Making the film was a great experience and for most of us it was a first taste of making a ‘M...

Wales has some of the most scientifically important and diverse habitats for grassland fungi in the world according to researchers at Aberystwyth University. Writing in the latest edition of the journal Mycosphere, an international team led by Dr Gareth Griffith from IBERS (Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences) also reports the discovery of a new species of mushroom previously unknown to science, and another 13 species that had not been previously recorded in Britain. Mushroom-forming fungi are generally associated with woodland habitats but the grassy meadows and hills of north-western Europe are home to around 400 species, with intriguing names such as waxcaps, fairy clubs and earth tongues. However, increased intensification of agriculture over the past 75 years has meant that most of the low nutrient grasslands required by these fungi have been destroyed through ploughing and land improvement. Dr Griffith and his team recorded the presence and abunda...

Councillors in Carmarthenshire have voiced their concerns over changes to services at Llanelli’s Prince Philip Hospital, with a notice of motion which declares that members ‘deplore’ the decision by the Welsh Health Minister. Speaking during an emotionally-charged debate at Full Council on Wednesday, members voted on an amended notice of motion put forward by Deputy Leader Cllr Tegwen Devichand. The notice reads: “Carmarthenshire County Council deplores the decision to replace the Level 2 accident and emergency department at Prince Philip Hospital with a nurse practitioner-led and GP-supported provision. “We will continue to lobby the Minister and the Health Board to review this decision to reduce resources and services at the hospital, and call for the level two A&E services to be preserved in its current configuration and where appropriate, enhanced. “We would further request from the Health Minister, a statement detailing the services available at our hospitals.” Members of all ...

More than 17 tonnes of small electricals have been recycled by residents since the WEEE banks were launched last year - the equivalent of 8,550 kettles! The council, in partnership with DHL Envirosolutions, has provided 10 WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) banks across the county. Unwanted or broken small electrical appliances can be disposed of such as hairdryers, radios, toasters, kettles and mobile phones; in fact any electrical item that can fit inside the bin will be accepted, recycled and turned into something new. By keeping old WEEE separate from other household wastes it can be treated, the hazardous substances can be removed and a large proportion recycled rather than sent to landfill. Executive Board Member for Technical Services Cllr Colin Evans (pictured) said: “We all know that we can recycle paper, cans and glass for example, but few people realise that old electrical items such as toasters and power tools can also be recycled. “We must continue to in...

A huge response from nearly 7,000 Carmarthenshire pupils to a schools sports survey shows they are right on track to being more active more often. Although county pupils have a greater variety, and spend more time on sports than most other areas of Wales, the detailed report will help develop even better future results. The county’s leisure and education departments have worked closely with Sport Wales and the county’s primary and secondary schools to ensure maximum participation in the survey. Carmarthenshire County Council’s Executive Board Member for leisure services, Cllr Meryl Gravell, said: “There has been a fantastic response from schools. It has led to 2463 primary and 4584 secondary school pupils participating. “It means that all secondary schools and 43 primary schools will now receive a school-specific report with a raft of information and data about pupil wellbeing and participation in physical activity. “We will listen to the information that young people have given us, an...

Llanelli’s Christmas carnival – the biggest in Wales – could have 30 floats and a secret surprise package this year, pulling in anticipated crowds of 24,000. The town’s Christmas carnival capers and fireworks spectacular explodes on Friday, November 22, sparking a three-day festive party with a craft fayre in St Elli Shopping centre on the Saturday and the famous reindeer parade at noon on the Sunday (Nov 24). The spectacular event has been attracting national interest that could lead to a surprise additional attraction this year but ‘Mum’s the word’ on the Secret Santa surprise for the time-being. The carnival is organised by Carmarthenshire county and Llanelli town and rural councils with massive support from Llanelli Round Table. This year Llanelli Town Council hosts the event. Round Tabler Roger Bowen said: “There has been phenomenal interest this year with schools, businesses, charity groups, streets, marching bands and baton twirlers keeping up the momentum to help make this year...

This week's special offers from the Jenkins Bakery - WEEK COMMENCING 14/10/13 3 MEDIUM CORNED BEEF PASTIES £1.60 2 SPICY CHICKEN PASTIES £2.20 2 LARGE CORNED BEEF PASTIES £1.90 3 STRAWBERRY SCONES £1.00 2 FRESH CREAM ECLAIRS £1.70 SANDWICH OF THE WEEK – TUNA & CUCUMBER £2.00 BAGUETTE OF THE WEEK – CHICKEN TIKKA WITH YOGHURT & MINT £2.35 ROLLS OF THE WEEK – WHITE BAPS - PACK OF 4 £1.00 2 TEACAKES 90p LOAF OF THE WEEK – SMALL WHITE BATCH £1.05 SPECIALITY LOAF - ANCIENT CEREALS BREAD (available Thur, Fri, Sat) £1.20 Website - http://jenkinsbakery.co.uk/