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

A new fleet of refuse collection vehicles will soon be hitting the streets of Carmarthenshire. The council has taken delivery of 28 new lorries; costing around £4million, including 18 26 tonne Mercedes-Benz and 10 15 tonne DAF trucks with NTM bodies. The vehicles will provide a more efficient service to residents and help to increase the county’s recycling rate. They have a separate compartment to keep food waste separate from blue / black bags. The vehicles were officially handed over at Llanelli’s Festival Fields with a very special guest, Welsh rugby legend Sir Gareth Edwards CBE. Sir Gareth, a director with Euro Commercials (South Wales) Ltd, said: “Having come from West Wales it’s great to see such investment in the serious logistics of waste. The council is really demonstrating the ability to deliver a first class waste management programme, with some of the latest cutting-edge technology and innovation from Mercedes Benz trucks.” Euro Commercials truck sales manager Nathan Bla...

The cold snap hasn’t quite hit yet but doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals are urging local people to be Winter Wise and prepare for the season. ​Staff in Hywel Dda University Health Board – from those working in main and community hospitals, to those visiting patients at home or seeing them in community facilities such as pharmacies – expect to be kept very busy helping sick patients this winter. The organisation has worked with the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust, local authorities and the third sector to prepare for the busy period ahead with a Winter Plan. This is published on the health board’s website and sets out how the organisation is preparing to run services as smoothly as possible to ensure patients’ needs continue to be met 24 hours a day. There is also a wealth of useful information for members of the public on the Winter Wise webpage ( www.hywelddahb.wales.nhs.uk/winterwise ) including how to: get your flu jab and protect yourself and your community ...

The annual Lifelong Learning and Welsh for Adults Awards held at Aberystwyth University provided an opportunity to reward excellence in learning and teaching. The successes and achievements of individuals and groups were celebrated in the special ceremony, which offered an opportunity to congratulate both students and tutors. Speaking during the event, the Director of the Institute of Professional Development, Professor Judy Broady-Preston, said: “Aberystwyth University takes great pride in the success of adults who are learning new skills. Our learners have demonstrated great commitment, and their efforts are rewarding for themselves, their families and their communities.” The Welsh in the Family Award, an award for Welsh learners who have increased the use of Welsh within the family, was awarded to Vicky Thomas and family of Maesymeillion, Llandysul. Vicky has been learning Welsh for five years. She, her husband, and their four young children moved to Ceredigion in August 2015. Vic...

'Get ready for winter’ – that’s the advice today for over 65s from an older people’s charity and the Welsh Government’s warm homes scheme. Age Cymru and Nest are teaming up to give away handy ‘Winter Wrapped Up’ guides which contain advice on preparing for winter. The ‘Winter Wrapped Up’ guide has information about issues including: · Getting your central heating system serviced by a Gas Safe-registered engineer · Insulating and draught-proofing your home · Making sure your smoke alarms are working properly · Installing carbon monoxide alarms in your home It’s part of Age Cymru’s annual ‘Spread the Warmth’ campaign to help keep older people across Wales warm, safe and well over the winter. “With winter just around the corner it’s a good time to plan ahead to make sure we are able to keep ourselves warm, safe and well over the colder months” said Age Cymru’s Spread the Warmth coordinator Angharad Phillips. “Working with Nest, we have put together our ‘Winter Wrapped Up’ ...

Scarlets players Ken Owens and Rhys Patchell are supporting International Walk to School Month. Pupils from Brynteg School were invited to Parc y Scarlets to start their ‘walk to school’ where they were met by Captain Ken Owens and fly-half Rhys Patchell. They were also joined by Council Leader Emlyn Dole, as well as local councillors Sharen Davies (Llwynhendy) and Deryk Cundy (Bynea), and not forgetting the council’s road safety mascot Gary GoSafe. Every October, International Walk to School Month sees primary school pupils from across the UK join forces with children in more than 40 countries worldwide to celebrate the benefits of walking to school. Cllr Dole said: “I was delighted to go along and walk to school with the children from Brynteg. Walking to school has a number of benefits for both pupils and parents, as well as the wider community. “It is good fun, and a great way of getting regular exercise. It reduces traffic congestion and pollution, helps develop pedestrian and ro...

Ammanford Rotary Club members are hosting a special rugby-themed evening on Monday November 7 at Ammanford Civic Hall (7pm). The evening will feature Llanelli, Wales and British Lions rugby legend Derek Quinnell 'And Friends'. The evening is a fundraiser for the Ray Gravell and Friends Charitable Trust. If you would like to support this event, tickets are £20 and, besides 'Derek And Friends', the evening consists of a two-course meal, raffle and secret auction. If the Rotary Club is able to raise £500 on the night, Lloyds Bank have offered to cash-match the sum. Tickets are available at ISmooth Community Cafe 8-10 College Street Ammanford 01269 597640.

An Aberystwyth PhD student has discovered that birds with additional DNA may live longer lives. In research published in the journal 'Aging', IBERS PhD student Ilze Skujina screened hundreds of mitochondrial DNA sequences for the presence of duplications and demonstrated that they are found significantly more often in longer-lived bird species. http://www.aging-us.com/article/ggTZQvxjJXncACAsf/text Ilze said “Understanding how ageing happens in different groups of species like birds may provide insights into ageing in humans.” The mechanics of flight utilises a large amount of energy and results in higher body temperatures but despite this, birds live longer than mammals of equal size. Mitochondria are the 'batteries' of cells and generate chemical energy that every cell in the body can use. Mitochondria play an essential dual role in maintaining a constant body temperature and in generating energy, which both link to expected lifespan. Dr Rob Mc Mahon, Ilze’s PhD sup...