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

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in and around Llanelli) from the Llanelli Star - There’s very little sign of our choirs taking a summer break, as the concert programme for July promises to be exceptionally busy. Cerith Owens and his Loud Applause Productions team have a particularly busy spell in July. Events include - Loud Applause Summer Soiree: A black tie event with wine and canapés at Stradey Castle, Llanelli, 18th July - Parti Llwchwr, fresh from their win in the People’s Vote in Cor Cymru; The Loud Applause Rising Stars: Vocalists: Nia Rees, Stephen Davies and Johnny Mansel Lewis. Instrumentalists: Cai Charles (guitar), Rhodri Thomas (trombone), Ffion Elin Williams (Harp). Andrew Pike (accompanist). Robert Lloyd (Host). Tickets on sale at Llanelli’s Cadno Music Shop 01554 771772.  Midsummer Music Concert at St Elli Parish Church, 11th July -Swansea Bach Choir, The Singhs, Guillaume Mathias. Loud Applause has linked up with the historic Llanelly Hous

The latest Phil Evans column from the South Wales Evening Post. Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy. www.philevans.co.uk -------------------- You may remember, depending on the length of your attention span and whether you actually read my page or use it for lining the bottom of the budgie’s cage, that a couple of weeks ago I vented my spleen - I’m having the stitches out a week Thursday by the way! My fury (if you can call it that) was directed at the irritating use of sloppy grammar on TV programmes, specifically the substitution of “Should of” for “Should have” and the emphasis on the first syllable of the word “Research” so it becomes the Americanised “ Ree-search!” Well, it’s obvious that the presenters of BBC Breakfast, Sky News and whatever the ITV breakfast show is called don’t have the South Wales Evening Post delivered to their Hampstead houses, Mayfair mansions and Manchester maisonettes, because they’re still at

Prince Philip Hospital, Llanelli, will receive £1.4million investment to improve services for people needing emergency medical and other unscheduled care. Doctors and clinical staff, working alongside community representatives, including Hywel Dda Community Health Council, Llanelli Rural Council and lobby groups such as the Committee for Improving Hospital Services CIHS/SOSPPAN, were delighted to hear the news at a recent meeting. Hywel Dda University Health Board will make the investment from its discretionary capital budget whilst at the same time putting together a business case to the Welsh Government, which if successful, would effectively reimburse the money. The Front of House project focus’ on six different areas of care – substance misuse, frailty, mental health, acute medicine, minor illnesses and minor injuries. The aim is to ensure that people come into the hospital and see the best person to provide them with definitive treatment as quickly as possible. Medical lead Dr Si

The Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council , Cllr Emlyn Dole, has launched a 10-year vision of sustainable services for older people in the county. Tremendous challenges are ahead for older people’s services, with the population increasing and people living longer. Carmarthenshire County Council currently spends £37million on social services for older people. This budget is set to reduce over the next three years by £2.2million, whilst the demand for services continues to rise in line with the older demographic profile of the county’s residents. To assist the authority develop and deliver a plan to provide sustainable social services over the next decade the council is seeking people’s views, particularly in promoting independence for older people. Speaking at the launch of the consultation at Llanelli Library’s Athenaeum, executive board member for social care and health , Cllr Jane Tremlett, at said: “It is a cause for celebration that people in Carmarthenshire are expected to li

There’s just a few days left for people to secure their chance of winning a construction apprenticeship. The clock is ticking towards the June 19th deadline for entries to this year’s Next Steps – the annual competition where anyone living in Carmarthenshire, aged 16+, has the chance of securing an apprenticeship with local building firms Lloyd & Gravell Ltd and TRJ Ltd . It is open to men and women, there is no upper age limit, and it does not matter what previous experience entrants have. Next Steps is run by Constructing Carmarthenshire Together - a partnership of Carmarthenshire County Council, Coleg Sir Gâr , and Carmarthenshire Construction Training Association Ltd . Now in its fifth year, the competition has already changed the lives of countless local people – including people who have gone on to set up their own business and win national skills competitions, as well as children and adults with severe disabilities who have benefitted from community projects built by th

Carmarthenshire Council is investigating after receiving complaints of illegal posters advertising ‘Circus Vegas’ in Llanelli being put up across the county. The posters have been put on road signs, litter bins and bus shelters in towns and villages as far as Carmarthen. Environmental enforcement officers are now investigating to find the persons responsible for putting up the posters illegally. Fly-posting is a criminal offence and the council takes it very seriously as it can cause a litter problem and lead to possible road accidents. Posters attached to street furniture will have to be removed by the council thus incurring substantial clean-up costs. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said large commercial ventures should know better. “We want to remind people that it is an offence to affix illegal advertisements to any structure on the highway and we will take action against those responsible, and that includes big companies as well as

The annual Carmarthen Bay Film Festival just keeps growing and growing. This year's event attracted more than 200 entries. "There was a fantastic response from film-makers around the world," said festival CEO and founder Kelvin Guy. "It is astonishing how the festival has grown in popularity from very small beginnings. "They say great things grow from little acorns, and that is very true of the film festival." "We are now eagerly looking ahead to 'Year Five' of the festival, another event which helps puts Llanelli, Carmarthenshire and Wales on the worldwide film map." The event, based at the Stradey Park Hotel, saw new partnerships building with the film festival by Sony, Pinnacle, Final Draft, the Royal Television Society (Wales) and S4C. There was added glitz and status to the festival as the event is now on the approved list for BAFTA Cymru Wales. Mr Guy added: "The BAFTA abbreviation is pretty special in the

The members of the world famous Côr Meibion Llanelli will be holding a recruitment day in Llanelli town centre later this month. The choir regularly boasts more than 60 members on stage at performances, but choristers are keen to take on new recruits. "In true General Kitchener Word War One style, we are putting out a big rallying call for new members," said choir vice-chairman Tony Crossman. "Kitchener was the subject of a famous poster which declared, 'Your country needs you!' "In our case, it is 'Côr Meibion Llanelli needs you!' as we cast the net for new members." The choir recruitment day will take place at the St Elli Shopping Centre on the morning of Saturday, June 27. Mr Crossman said: "We are planning three 20-minute mini-concerts during the course of the morning and will be taking breaks in between to mingle with shoppers and explain what it means to be part of a great male voice choir. "There are definite

The new chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council has announced his charities for his year in office. Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths has chosen the Wales Talking Books Project ( Llyfrau Llafar Cymru ) and Tenovus West Wales Cancer Care. He met representatives of the two charities in the Chairman’s Room in County Hall to discuss his support for them over the year ahead. The Wales Talking Books Project is based at Parc Dewi Sant in Carmarthen and offers a service for people who are blind or have sight problems. It consists of a team of volunteers, led by two full-time staff, who record books, magazines and local papers on cassettes or CDs and distribute them to hundreds of people throughout Wales. Up to 40 books a year are recorded. There is a campaign to reach more people, and the charity knows of nearly 1,500 people in Carmarthenshire alone who could benefit. Llyfrau Llafar Cymru needs to raise £50,000 a year to sustain its service. Llyfrau Llafar Cymru chair Sulwyn Thomas said: “We ar

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Trading Standards team are reminding sunbed operators of their responsibilities ahead of the summer season, when people are more tempted to top up their tans. They are carrying our unannounced inspections and testing as part of their remit to ensure sunbed salons and beauty spas are operating legally and safely. One of their checks is to test the level of UV radiation emitted by each bed, which must fall within the levels permitted by European legislation. So far, around 94 per cent of beds tested pass, compared to less than half - 47 per cent - in 2013. “Whilst this is encouraging, we want to see a 100 per cent pass rate,” said Cllr Jim Jones, Executive Board Member for Public Protection. “Our unannounced inspections help to ensure that all sunbed operators take their responsibility to supply a ‘safe’ product seriously. “Of course, as always - with increasing evidence that the use of sunbeds increases the risk of skin cancer - we would prefer that pe

More than 60 schoolchildren served up their best hand at the county’s tennis festival. Children from seven primary schools battled it out in five competitions of singles matches at Llanelli Tennis Club, with Ysgol Dewi Sant winning three of them. The teams of four consisted of Year 5 boys, girls and mixed and Year 6 boys and mixed from St Michael’s, Nantgaredig, Swiss Valley, Ffwrnes, Y Dderwen Schools and Ysgol y Castell. Parents and staff volunteered to umpire and collect balls. St Michael’s and Nantgaredig were the Year 5 boys and girls winners. The council’s sport and leisure officer, Ali Discombe said: “Everyone had a great time showcasing their skills throughout the morning. There was a real sense of team spirit with everyone and clearly lots of fun was had.” The winning teams will now go forward to the South Wales finals in Cardiff. Lee Jones, Actif sport and leisure area manager said: “This event was a great opportunity to provide tennis players with competitive experience an

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