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

Support for the Taf Quality Time Club (the QT Club), which provides a lively meeting point for families coping with dementia-related illnesses, has been coming from all points of the compass over Christmas. Donations totaling £500 have been received from Scotland, Hampshire, Oxfordshire and Dorset, adding to all the support the club has been receiving from friends and supporters in Wales. Club chairman Reg Wyeth, from St Clears, included information about the club in his Christmas message to friends across the UK without expecting such a surprising and welcome outcome. He said “The response was quite overwhelming and every Christmas card my wife, Pam and I received seemed to bring with it a generous donation. It was very touching, especially at Christmas, to receive such help and support when we needed it most”. The funding has already been used directly to support the activities organised by the QT Club. All who came along to the December Christmas party meeting were able to see at

Cerebra, the Carmarthen based charity for children with neurological conditions and brain injury, is delighted to announce that Carmarthen Town AFC is supporting its work this season. The football club, through its EMC Services sponsored Community Programme, will be supporting the charity through a series of fundraising events. To launch the support programme, the club hosted the Cerebra Christmas raffle draw at the Richmond Park clubhouse and community centre. Representatives from the club and the charity discussed fundraising plans and the club and charity mascots (Merlin the owl from Carmarthen Town and Sir E Bear from Cerebra) drew the winning tickets. Paul Ashley-Jones, who heads up Carmarthen Town's Community Programme, said "We pride ourselves on being more than just a football club and every year our fans raise money for deserving local charities. We are delighted to support Cerebra in 2014." Elaine Collins, PR and Marketing Manager at Cerebra, said: "

The latest 'Shop Elli' (about life at the St Elli Shopping Centre) column from the Llanelli Star -  With just six days to go to Christmas, it is the proverbial ‘last lap’ for Christmas shopping at Llanelli’s St Elli Shopping Centre. St Elli centre manager Andrew Stephens said: “All of our traders have been reporting brisk trading and the beauty of our shopping centre is that we are open right up until the last-minute for the pre-Christmas rush.” Santa’s Grotto (part of the big ‘Christmas Shop’ at Unit 1 at the centre) has been very busy in the run-up to Christmas. Mr Stephens said that there was something for everyone at the centre. “One of the features at the St Elli Shopping Centre is the Gilded Lily Craft Fair. “The fair is usually on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of most weeks, but has been pretty well continuous for the last few weeks. “We think it adds another shopping dimension to the centre. You have your established retailers and then there’s even more activity wit

The latest 'On Song' column about the choral scene in and around Llanelli from the Llanelli Star -  It’s been another busy week for Côr Meibion Llanelli. After the success of Saturday’s Christmas concert, the choir performed at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli on Monday night. The performance was recorded for broadcast on the hospital radio station, Radio BGM. On Wednesday night, the choir will be performing at the Thomas Arms Hotel in Llanelli in their last event before the festive break. It’s also been a busy time for Burry Port Male Voice Choir. On Tuesday, they performed at a special memorial concert at St Mary's Church, Burry Port. The choir is busy organising events for 2014, with a major Cymanfa Ganu already scheduled in for 7pm on March 9 at Jerusalem Chapel, Burry Port. The event will raise funds for the Burry Port National Eisteddfod committee in advance of the 2014 Carmarthenshire Eisteddfod to be held in Llanelli. Pontarddulais Male Voice Choir members are also

Christmas Carol Service at Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli, featuring Cor Meibion Llanelli, Brynwgyn School pupils and soloist Susan James. Videos

Couple of old photos from the family archive - Photo of Llanegwad Church in the Tywi Valley. Date unkknown. My grandather, 'Tommy' (Thomas Rhys) Lloyd, of Tyllandre, Llanegwad in the Tywi Valley, Carmarthenshire.

Côr Meibion Llanelli musical director Eifion Thomas conjured up the festive spirit for the choir’s ‘Sing Christmas’ concert staged at Greenfield Chapel, Llanelli. Mr Thomas organised a show which cleverly blended audience participation on a number of Carols and Christmas favourites with choral treats from Côr Meibion Llanelli and their guests, Côr Baroc and Parti Llwchwr. It was a Christmas cracker of an evening, with musical treats galore culminating in a rousing Hallelujah chorus. Mr Thomas went into the choir’s back catalogue to serve up Song Of Hope from the choir’s 1983 album and provided another gem in Trysor y Crud (The treasure of the manger), a song written by the aunt of BBC newsreader Huw Edwards. Bethlehem from the musical Martin Guerre (written by the team behind Les Miserables) was given a good airing, while a further treat was provided by ‘Sut Nadolig bu eleni?’ (What sort of Christmas will it be?), a song written by former chorister Bryn Davies, of Llwynhe

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