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

Many of the volunteers at the South Wales Miners Museum know just what it feels like to strike a rich seam. Today, they are celebrating striking into a substantial vein of cash – thanks to a grant from the Welsh Assembly Government. A grand total of £91,338.25 has made "an immense difference" to the popular attraction, according to South Wales Miners Museum secretary Mair Boast. "It really has turned our world around and made a huge difference to a museum which plays such a vital role in telling the story of mining in the South Wales Valleys." The cash came from CFAP – the Welsh Assembly Government Community Facilities and Activities Programme. It enabled the museum to move from old Portakabins behind the Afan Valley Visitor Centre in Cynonville to a purpose-built extension at the park. "There was something temporary about our old surroundings," said Mrs Boast. "Now, we have a feeling of permanence. This is a worthy home for a museum which tells a sig...

An Ammanford businessman is leading a local fightback in the recession by planning an expansion at his popular business park. Alun Richards is developing new offices and a new road into the Tycroes Business Park at Llety. “Interest in the new offices has been high,” Mr Richards said this week. “We already have some high-profile businesses on the park and the plan to expand further is down to our self-belief that this park will go on to great things.” The business park is based around the old Llety farm at Tycroes. “Essentially, we have developed businesses in and around the old farmyard. But there are 200 acres here so there are plenty of possibilities for a lot more expansion. “Currently, there is a great deal of team spirit among the businesses here, with everyone supporting each other.” Businesses on the park include Abaca (makers of organic beds and bedding), The Learning Partnership (a company which works in partnership with local education authorities, teaching foundation phase ...

Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council's press office - Carmarthen schoolgirl’s a winner with Eco Eli and Dylan the Dragon A Carmarthen schoolgirl received a huge surprise when Eco Eli and Dylan the Dragon turned up at her school with some very special prizes for her. Naomi Dark from Johnstown Primary School won a hamper of fruit and compost bin for her family as well as a bag full of goodies after the all-singing and all-dancing ‘On the Road with Dylan and Eco Eli’ show visited the school. Eco Eli, the council’s eco-friendly elephant, and Dylan the Dragon, the council’s healthy schools meals mascot, hit the road earlier this year in an exciting new show with childrens’ entertainers the Gregory Brothers. A joint initiative by Carmarthenshire County Council’s street scene and catering services departments, it was performed to 39 primary schools across the county. Eco Eli took to the stage to raise awareness of environmental issues such as recycling, saving energy and...

Bottom of picture, spot the heron at Sandy Water Park today. Picture taken with HTC mobile phone camera (2.0 mega pixels).

Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council’s press office - Action to improve needle exchange scheme Action is being taken to improve Carmarthenshire’s needle exchange scheme following concerns raised by councillors. The Local Health Board and the Community Safety Partnership are looking at a number of measures to increase the number of needles returned and reduce the likelihood of needles being discarded. It follows concerns raised by the county council’s Social Justice Scrutiny Committee back in January about the low number of needles being returned and the possibility of used needles left in the community. Needle exchange schemes operate across the UK and offer injecting drug users sterile injection equipment as well as advice on safer injection techniques and appropriate disposal. The aim of the schemes is to prevent the spread of blood borne diseases, in particular HIV and Hepatitis B and C, amongst both drug users and the wider community; as well as encourage drug users i...

‘Think Big,’ is the motto of a group of West Wales businesses who are joining forces to beat the credit crunch. The Big Business Association (BBA) has been founded as an exciting new business network to help local firms promote themselves. “There’s no point sitting back and expecting someone else to do the work for you in this age of the credit crunch,” BBA founder member Amanda Davies said. “You’ve got to get up off your feet and sell yourself and the BBA has been founded to help West Wales businesses do just that. “There are plenty of dynamic businesses out there in our communities and we will be providing a forum for them to get out there and sell themselves.” Joining the BBA is free and many of the association’s services will also be provided at no charge to members. “It really is ‘win-win’ as far as local businesses are concerned,” said Amanda, who has 20 years of experience in marketing, sales and advertising and who runs the popular Lush Model Agency. “These are difficult times ...

Press release issued today - All we want for Christmas is a radio station – that’s the wish of two of Llanelli’s best-known media men. David Hurford and Robert Lloyd have teamed up to float an innovative project aimed to boost Christmas business in Llanelli. The idea is to launch a temporary radio station - provisionally titled Santa FM - in Llanelli. “The mission of the station would be simple – to boost business in Llanelli, starting at the time of the annual Christmas carnival and broadcasting in the run-up to the festive holiday,” the duo said this week. Mr Hurford is a freelance media producer with experience running Llanelli’s Hospital Radio. Mr Lloyd is the former editor of the Llanelli Star and now works as a media consultant. “We are floating the idea this week with the hope of generating more interest in the project,” the pair said. “For it to work, it would require the support of Llanelli businesses, the local authorities, the chambers of trade and commerce and, of co...

Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council’s press office - Top chef inspires Carmarthenshire’s school cooks Carmarthenshire’s school cooks have been inspired to look at food creatively by a top chef who has worked for Raymond Blanc, Gordon Ramsay and the Roux Brothers. Sri Lankan chef Lahiru Jayasekara was invited to talk to cook supervisors about new ideas and creative ways of cooking as part of Carmarthenshire catering service’s marketing development programme with comprehensive schools. He gave demonstrations using local fresh produce, and spoke to the group about his experience in the catering industry – working his way up the ladder from a beach café in Sri Lanka to pot washing for Gordon Ramsay. The 24-year-old currently cooks at the Le Manoir Hotel, Oxford, for Raymond Blanc, and hopes to gain Michelin accreditation in the near future, which will allow him to run a top-quality restaurant of his own. His story was all the more inspiring as he lost his home, and almost his family,...

Stuart Roberts goal sees Reds beat Motherwell 1-0 away in the first leg of their Europa Cup match. Next Thursday sees second leg at Parc y Scarlets. Beeb link

Just a test blogging direct from Word.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/worldnews/article-1196967/Dont-look-Terrifying-view-glass-box-balcony-jutting-skyscrapers-103rd-floor.html

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/8130428.stm Wonder what those nasty South Africans are up to here?

Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council’s press office - Ffos Las housing plan deferred Carmarthenshire councillors have deferred a planning application for housing at Ffos Las - in case the Welsh Assembly Government wants to look at it. The county council’s planning committee visited the site of the proposals for up to 280 houses on land near the Ffos Las Racecourse in Trimsaran before this afternoon’s meeting at County Hall, Carmarthen. The proposals submitted by Ffos Las Ltd lie within the area earmarked for housing directly to the south of Carway and seeks outline permission to establish the principle of up to 280 houses on the land. Head of planning Eifion Bowen said: “The Welsh Assembly Government has received a request to call in the application and has the final say if it wants it. The committee decided to defer a decision until we know what WAG intends to do.” The application includes plans for community benefits which would mean that 15 per cent of the housing must be afford...

Just testing from mobile phone

http://georgedearsley.blogspot.com/2009/06/how-not-to-do-power-point.html

Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council’s press office – It’s a Good Egg Award Carmarthenshire County Council has received a ‘Good Egg’ award for committing to use eggs from free-range hens. The Good Egg Awards were handed out at a ceremony in Harrogate on Wednesday, July 1, 2009, by Compassion in World Farming, a leading farm animal welfare charity, to celebrate the commitment of companies and public sector bodies to stop using eggs from battery caged hens. Carmarthenshire County Council’s pioneering move across its catering departments in schools and social care establishments will ensure hens supplying 40,260 eggs each year will be spared a life of misery in a cage. They will be free to carry out many of their natural behaviours, unlike hens kept in barren battery cage systems. The council is one of a growing number of local authorities in the UK to receive a 2009 Good Egg Award. The recognition comes in the framework of Compassion in World Farming’s ‘Cage-free Councils’ campaign...

Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council’s press office - Dog owners pledge to scoop the poop Dog owners in Carmarthenshire have pledged to ‘scoop the poop’ and help keep our streets muck free. Council officers were out and about during National Poop Scoop Week urging dog owners to clean up after their pets. They handed out free poop bags and goodie bags to residents and visitors to the county as well as giving lots of information and advice. Dog owners were also encouraged to sign a pledge to ‘grab it, bag it and bin it’ and enter a free draw to win a ‘dog loo’. Littering our parks, pavements and public spaces, dog fouling is one of the main causes of complaint to Carmarthenshire County Council. Although the majority of residents are responsible and pick up after their pet, a careless few are still giving dogs a bad name. Executive board member for the environment Councillor Haydn Jones said: “Dog faeces left anywhere can be a serious health risk. All faeces contains bacteria that can...

Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council's press office - Keep Cool and Well this Summer Most of us enjoy sunny weather, but extreme heat can seriously damage your health. With summer temperatures set to rise further, people are being encouraged to look after themselves and others during prolonged periods of hot weather. The Carmarthenshire Health, Social Care and Wellbeing Partnership has published a series of leaflets and posters to warn people of the dangers of extreme heat, and to advise of measures people can take to keep cool. The advice is available online at www.healthchallengecarmarthenshire.org.uk. It urges people to avoid going out in the hottest part of the day, between 11am and 3pm, particularly more vulnerable people including older people and young children. If going out is essential, then people are advised to stay in the shade, to wear a hat and light, loose-fitting clothes - preferably cotton, and to make sure they always apply high protection sun cream and carry ...

Just testing the email to blog facility, which seems to work a treat!

Latest news from Carmarthenshire County Council - Woman fined for persistently putting rubbish out early A Carmarthen woman has been fined £100 and ordered to pay costs of £274.85 by magistrates for putting her rubbish out too early. Jade Clare Davies, aged 26, of Waterloo Terrace, was convicted in her absence at Ammanford Magistrates Court for an offence contrary to Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that between May 2 and December 5 Davies repeatedly put out her refuse days before it was due to be collected despite warning letters and visits to her home by environmental enforcement officers. The council received numerous complaints from residents and special arrangements also had to be made for her refuse to be collected to avoid vermin and rubbish strewn across the road. Following a number of warnings, Davies was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £100, however, it was never paid. An...

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Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council’s press office - Vehicle amnesty launched to help rid streets of abandoned cars Residents in Carmarthenshire with unwanted vehicles on their hands are being urged to surrender them. The county council is running a vehicle amnesty in conjunction with the Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service. From July 1 residents are being offered the chance of free collection and disposal upon production of all relevant registration documents. The scheme is open to owners of cars, vans, motorbikes and trucks up to 7.5 tonnes. Vehicles will be collected on a first come first serve basis and spaces will be limited to one vehicle per household. It is hoped the amnesty will help reduce the problem of abandoned vehicles in the county and improve residents’ safety and quality of life. The scheme is good for the environment too as it will make sure all hazardous fluids and materials are removed from the vehicle and that as much recycling as possible takes place. ...

Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council’s press office – disability strategy day Families who have children with disabilities and special needs have been invited to take part in the launch of a new strategy designed to address better communication between individuals and professionals. The Disability Service Communication Strategy will be launched at the Selwyn Samuel Centre, Llanelli, on Tuesday, July 7. A range of organisations and professionals will be attending, including Homestart, the Family Information Service and representatives from Llys Caradog and Blaenau respite centres. Representative groups will present debates and scenarios about effective and poor communication and the difficulties faced by children with disabilities and their families. Children and young people will take part in activities to let people know how it feels to have a communication difficulty, and parents will speak about the issues they face. There will also be featured activities such as translating the...

Latest news from Carmarthenshire Council’s press office – Gorslas housing plan Carmarthenshire planners have agreed to allow a developer to pay an agreed contribution of almost £40,000 towards leisure facilities and education provision in instalments because of the recession. Planning permission was given for the construction of 10 houses at land off Ffordd Gwyrdd, behind Church Road, Gorslas, back in September 2007 on condition that a Section 106 legal agreement was signed. Last week’s meeting of the planning committee was told that a draft section 106 legal agreement had been prepared but the applicant wished to amend the terms of payment of the financial contribution, whereby a fraction of the total payment is given to the council following the completed sale of each dwelling instead of as a lump sum before the start of the development. The report said: “This method of payment is considered acceptable in the context of the current economic recession.” Before starting work the develo...

After a four week wait for BT to sort out my blog hosting, I am reverting to Blogger. Let's hope this is more reliable.