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

Off to London. Lunch at the House of Lords tomorrow. Normal service will resume later!

Organisations that offer help and advice to people on debt, money management and benefits are being asked to come forward. Advice Support Carmarthenshire (ASC), which includes representatives from several Carmarthenshire County Council departments and partner organisations such as Age Cymru, Citizen’s Advice and CAVS, is undertaking a mapping exercise to identify the help available for local residents. The group has put together a questionnaire for interested parties to respond to. It seeks to gather evidence of the work currently being done in Carmarthenshire on debt and poverty. Feedback to the questionnaire should enable ASC to put together a comprehensive map of services so that people can be easily and quickly directed when in need of support. Cllr Kevin Madge, chair of the ASC and the county’s Anti Poverty Champion, said: “It is important that we have a comprehensive overview of the support services that are out there. “We know there are many organisations that provide valuable a...

Carmarthenshire County Council is launching a series of workshops for people interested in becoming a tourism ambassador. Businesses, employees or individuals can take part in the sessions, which will investigate why tourists visit certain areas, and how they can be encouraged to return. They will help to identify the uniqueness of the county’s towns and villages, and will share ways of better promoting tourist hotspots. The workshops will also include exercises on the famous Carmarthenshire welcome, visitor’s expectations and communicating in the language of the visitor. They are being held at various venues across Carmarthenshire from the end of January until June. Huw Parsons, tourism and marketing manager, said: “An ambassador is of great value to the visitor as they are aware of the attractiveness of the area they live in. They can describe points of interest to the visitor and can generally influence the visitor to visit attractions and locations of interest. “Ambassadors can le...

Young people in the Amman areas have been offering a help in hand by calling in on the elderly during the cold snap. Carmarthenshire Council’s Youth Service officers have been assisting the young people as well as the Neighbourhood Policing Team. Ysgol y Bedol gave their milk to the young people to give to the elderly and vulnerable. Councillor Gwynne Wooldridge, Executive Board Member for Children and Education Services said:“It’s great to see young people giving up their time to help the vulnerable during the bad weather. “I’d like to thank everyone who’s assisting the young people and for thinking of the elderly. It’s at times like this we depend on the help of others and I’m delighted that the community is working as one.” Further calls will take place during the bad weather.

Young people from the Dr Mz Young People’s Forum have been given the title Organisation of the Year 2009 at a Carmarthenshire Association of Voluntary Services (CAVS) awards event. Staff at Dr Mz Youth Project nominated the young people for their determination and passion and for making it possible for young people to have a voice and to participate in a range of activities at Dr Mz. The young people were also awarded with their 50 hours of volunteering certificates. Dr Mz Young People’s Forum is a structured group which provides young people with the opportunity to express their ideas and to encourage young people to play a role in decision making. Dr Mz Youth Officer, Gemma Jones said:“We would like to thank all our young volunteers for their support and for helping to develop Dr Mz for young people in the community. “Without the support of our Young People’s Forum and volunteers, staff would find it difficult to if not impossible to have been able to achieve and provide some of the ...

Carmarthen Young Mums Group has created a DVD as a way of informing young mothers on how to interact with their children through play. The 18 month project, ‘Positive Play’, was funded by the British Council to help young mums to develop play activities and to visit various children’s facilities in the county to help explore different ways of children’s development. The Young Mums Group provides a place for young mothers aged 16-25 and their children 0-5 to meet and take part in fun and educational activities. Cerys Thomas, Carmarthenshire Council’s Community Youth Worker said: “The Carmarthen Young Mums Group aims to help young mothers learn and develop parenting skills and to help them have the best possible start with their young children. “The mothers have worked exceptionally hard to produce the DVD and I’m sure many young mums across the county will benefit from viewing the DVD which will be viewed for the first time in Wednesday.” The young mums also had opportunities to take pa...

AP proves he's the real McCoy with another stunning treble AP strikes again with 40-1 treble at Ffos Las.

The Reds Academy games against Port Talbot on Sunday have been cancelled after Carmarthenshire Council decided that the pitches at Penygaer were unplayable after the recent bout of bad weather. The Under-18s away game at Porthcawl Athletic has suffered the same fate.

"John Bercow is bonus of champagne quality. His enthusiasm and leadership will liberate Parliament's creaking exasperating procedures" - Labour MP Paul Flynn pays tribute to the new Commons Speaker.

A refusal to eat junk food: that is the secret of Georgina Easter, who at the age of 100 emerged as possibly Britain's oldest keep-fit fanatic. Whether she is limbering up to the latest chart hits or stretching her legs on a wooden chair, Miss Easter rarely misses one of her Keep-Fit for Mature Movers lessons in Derby. Her secret to her youthful exuberance is a healthy diet, but even her fellow classmates, some 30 years her junior, are astounded at how she keeps going.