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

Christmas in Llanelli will be kicked off with a weekend packed full of family entertainment. The fun starts on Friday, November 20, when the annual Christmas Carnival rolls in to town with a night of entertainment sure to get everyone in the mood for the festive season. As well as the parade and switch on of the Christmas lights, there will be an impressive firework display, live music, a fun fair and side stalls, all set to ensure an evening of entertainment for all ages. Carmarthenshire County Council has once again linked up with Llanelli Round Table, Llanelli Town Council, Llanelli Rural Council and Llanelli Chamber of Trade to produce the event, supported by Scarlet FM and sponsored by TAD Builders, of Llanelli. The carnival will be followed on Saturday with a Family Fun Day. This new event for 2009 will take place at Llanelli’s Spring Gardens, extending in to the town centre to compliment local retailers and Christmas markets. With Christmas street entertainers and live performan...

The cultures of the world will descend on Llanelli to take part in a Multicultural Mela. The event is due to take place on Saturday, November 14, at the Antioch Centre, Llanelli, from 11am to 2pm. Activities will include Sari tying workshops, Samosa making demonstrations, Nepalese dance performances and African drumming workshops. And there will also be a Welsh feel to the event with Welsh Cake and Cawl making along with a Welsh harp performance. It is being organised by the New Dock Residents Association, and supported by Glanymor and Tyisha Communities First, a Welsh Assembly initiative run locally by Carmarthenshire County Council. Farah Aziz, Communities First development officer, said: “It will be a fun, informal day with entertainment from different cultures from across the world. “It will give people an insight in to different traditions, and will help create a better sense of understanding in the community.” For further information about the event, contact Teresa Armstrong on 0...

Residents of Glanymor and Tyisha will be able to learn of ways to make their homes warmer, more comfortable and less expensive to heat. They are being invited to a Warm Homes event, being hosted by the local Communities First team, at Morfa Social Club, from 10am-3pm, on Friday, November 20. The aim of the event is to raise awareness about fuel poverty and energy efficiency issues and to make people aware of the role that energy efficiency can play in making homes warmer and more efficient. Amongst the activities and information on the day will be a model house, constructed by local school children, which will demonstrate fuel efficiency measures. There will also be advisers from various service providers, along with information about available services and grants. Winter warm packs and energy efficient bulbs will be distributed at the event, and local school children will be picking up prizes for making informative posters on energy conservation. Farah Aziz, Communities First developm...

"Trust my wife's bullock to take me out. I'll be giving bullocks a wide berth in future" - Question Time presenter David Dimbleby, who is to miss the show for the first time in 15 years after being hit by a bullock.

A painter and decorator described his shock at finding the severed head of an alligator while he was out walking his dogs. Peter Lumb, 59, of Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, found the skull and a section of the reptile's jaw while he was walking his two border collies on a hillside in the Crosland Moor area. The bones were checked out by experts at Manchester Museum, where his daughter Catherine works, and found to be that of an American alligator, officially an alligator mississippiensis, which is usually found in the south-eastern United States.

"I never thought that I would be on TV begging people to believe I'm a transvestite. I am a card-carrying transvestite. Always have been, always will be" - Comedian Eddie Izzard, who says he has been in "boy mode" rather than "girl mode" for the past few years.

Champion eater Joey Chestnut set a new world record to win the first meatball-eating competition in Las Vegas. He got through 50 in 10 minutes, weighing 6.25lbs. Pat "Deep Dish" Bertoletti finished in second place, just one meatball behind.

Seven students from the Llanelli SMART Project, run in partnership by Jobforce Wales and Carmarthenshire Youth Service, have completed the Phoenix Fire Course. The course, run at Llanelli fire station, is designed to raise awareness of the dangers of fire-related crime, as well as teaching students some basic fire fighting activities. They worked alongside uniformed fire fighters, going through exactly the same paces as new recruits would. The students took part in a passing out parade in front of friends and family, attended by the chief fire officer, and were presented with their certificates. Keanu Johnstone was also awarded the “Student of the Week” Award by the fire fighters for his hard work and commitment. The Smart Project, now in its eighth year, supports young people to achieve success in a different learning environment, and has been particularly successful in engaging disaffected youngsters. Kim Goodwin, Smart Project Manager said: “We are very proud of what the Smart Proj...

Carmarthenshire Youth Council held their annual Youth Conference at the Scarlets Stadium to coincide with Youth Work Week. More than 170 young people attended the event. To mark the 20th anniversary of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the Youth Council named their theme My Generation, which focused on children’s rights. Charlene Davies, Carmarthenshire Youth Council Chairperson said: “We chose the theme My Generation because even today many young people are still unsure of their rights. “It’s important that we know as young people what we’re entitled to and that we can speak up on issues tat are important to us. County Councillors were present at the event to answer questions and provided information. Young people’s champion and Executive Board Member for Children and Education Services, Councillor Gwynne Wooldridge added: “This was a fantastic theme for an annual youth conference and I’m sure the young people who attended the conference left the day fully awar...

In his programme notes manager Deryn Brace predicted an intriguing affair between two improving sides and that's exactly what we got with Carmarthen AFC v Bangor at Richmond Park With little to choose between the sides, Town created the better chances but without being able to nail the game down they were forced to share the spoils with the Citizens. Manager Deryn Brace told Y Dre ar Y We. “I think overall we have to be satisfied. It is disappointing because we could quite easily have been 3-0 up in the opening ten minutes before Bangor had strayed into our half. “We’ve talked about putting pressure on ourselves several times but that’s what we’ve done again today. Although we’ve come out with a point we have to put our chances away. We’ve got to be better in the last third with our crossing, with our passing, just be more decisive; otherwise we’ll have more days that’ll come back to haunt us like today. “Their keeper has had one of those days when he’s pulled off save after save. ...

A Chinese Communist Party official has become the third to drink himself to death this year. Drink is an important part of business and political life in the country but the government is making attempts to moderate its use. The latest victim died in bed after attending a state banquet in Anhui province.

"You know the stories you read about people who get their own back 60 years later, so there's still a chance ... I know who they are" - Explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes on those who bullied him at Eton.

A win, win, win weekend. Found a TV to watch the Wales match. Found the 'Dirty Duck' rather than the Muddy Duck. Got the result of Carmarthen AFC's big clash with Bangor at Richmond Park. Best part, though, was watching Twelfth Night at the Courtyard Theatre in Royal Shakespeare Company Land! The production featured Richard Wilson and James Fleet and a fab supporting cast. Excellent production.