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

A group of Carmarthen Town soccer fans are getting on their bikes for charity. Eight intrepid cyclists are planning a marathon 135-mile trek from North Wales to Carmarthen to raise money for the Carmarthen Town AFC Community Programme and two local charities. “It’s a big task for the cyclists, but they are keen to do all they can to support our community programme and they have the full support of everyone at Carmarthen Town,” said soccer club chairman Jeff Thomas. “We wish them well for their training, the journey itself and any sponsorship funds they collect on their way. I am sure the people of Carmarthen will give them great support.” The cycling marathon will take place between April 22 and 24 and will take the team from Cefn Mawr, Wrexham, to Carmarthen. They will actually set off from the ground of Carmarthen Town’s opponents Elements Cefn Druids, planning to arrive at Richmond Park, Carmarthen, in time for the Welsh Premier League match against the North Wales side at 2:30pm on...

A multi-cultural event held in Llanelli to celebrate International Women’s Day proved a colourful and musical affair. The event, organised by Glanymor and Tyisha Communities First - a Welsh Assembly-funded initiative run locally by Carmarthenshire County Council – attracted many local people who were able to sample global delights from Bollywood dancing to Henna painting. It was held at Morfa Social Club, Llanelli, and featured international performances from female dance groups representing India, Korea, Africa, the Phillipines and Nepal. There was also a strong Welsh flavour with local school children demonstrating St David’s Day celebrations. Glanymor and Tyisha Communities First was successful in securing funding from the Welsh Assembly Government in line with the theme Promoting Women into Public and Political Life. Speeches were given by women working in political and public sector fields, and service providers included the Crown Prosecution Service, Police, Fire Brigade, and Wom...

Young people from across Carmarthenshire will be showing off their talents at the Carms Stars finals on Friday March 26. The event will be held at St Peter’s Hall Carmarthen and doors open at 7pm. Auditions were held around the county and the successful finalists will get the opportunity to perform in front of a panel of high profile judges. Carms Stars is run in partnership by the 3Ts Youth Forum and Carmarthenshire Youth Service. Youth Worker Dai Jones said:“We’ve seen some fantastic acts across the county and the standard is very high. It’s exciting to see fresh, new talent and I’m sure the finals will be a great success. “This should be a good night out for all the family and for anyone who has an interest in performing arts.” For tickets, please contact Michael-Rae on: 07772057609

Young people looking for something to do in the Llanelli area over the Easter break won’t need to worry about becoming bored. Llanelli youth team have put on an array of activities to help keep young people preoccupied over the holidays. Activities including mountain biking, table tennis and boxing have been arranged at Bwlch Rangers Youth Centre from April 7 – April 16. The team of experienced youth workers at Bwlch Rangers put on a programme of events every holiday period which encourage young people to develop skills and interests. Many young people attend the activities and come back year after year to benefit from the free activities on offer. All young people between the ages of 11-17 are welcome to attend. Councillor Gwynne Wooldridge, Executive Board Member for Education and Children’s Services said:“The Youth Service put on fantastic programmes for young people and I would urge them to take full advantage of the free events on offer. “Many young people come back to Bwlch Range...

"He is a goat-footed, wheezy, old queen, and all my male lovers agree with me" - Actor Alec Baldwin on a newspaper reporter with whom he had a spat.

A media company apologised to a potential customer after writing him a letter addressed to "Mr Illegal Immigrant". Virgin Media wrote to 24-year-old Aaron Needham, from Strelley, Nottingham, with details about the company's services. The letter, sent last week, was addressed to "Mr Illegal Immigrant". It continued "Dear Immigrant". A spokeswoman for the firm apologised to Mr Needham.

Back from North Wales jobs. Phone going off the hook as the Gold Cup is about to start at Cheltenham.

Off to The Grapes Hotel in picturesque Maentwrog in the Vale of Ffestiniog.

Tynycornel on Talyllyn today.

"Be careful with chillies, especially the seeds which are the fiery part. It's a bad idea to scratch your nether regions after touching them" - Former supermodel Sophie Dahl who is hosting a TV cookery show.

A 100-year-old woman who moved into a house as a child before the outbreak of the Great War has now lived there for 96 years. Muriel Noyce, then just four, and her family, including 10 brothers and sisters, moved to the tiny two-bedroom terrace in Romsey, Hampshire, in August 1914 - just as war was in the air. Miss Noyce, who never married, said that in those days - as the youngest of her large family - the house was a bit of a squeeze at bedtime and she slept head-to-toe in a double bed with her siblings.

BBC News - 18th Century dinner set returning to Llanelli Phew!That's pricey for Llanelly House.

Sat in the lounge of Tynycornel on Talyllyn, Cader Idris as the backdrop. Busy catching up on my work. What a life!

Llanelli AFC have been charged by The Football Association of Wales for the alleged racist abuse made by a supporter or supporters at the Welsh Premier League match with Port Talbot on Tuesday 9th March. The club have been charged under FAW Rule 24.2.13. The Charge states: “Llanelli AFC is charged for the alleged failure of its supporters to refrain from abusive, obscene or provocative behaviour, conduct or language whilst attending the Welsh Premier League match, Llanelli v Port Talbot on Tuesday 9th March” The club still appeals to any supporter who was present at the match and who witnessed the alleged abuse, to come forward and make a statement. Likewise, the club would like those supporters who were sitting in Block A of the main stand and who didn't hear any racist remarks, to also come forward and make a statement. You can contact the club on 01554 758018 or e mail nigel@llanelliafc.org.

A two-year buying spree of JJB stores by rival Sports Direct International (including a store at Llanelli) was given formal clearance by the competition watchdog today. The Competition Commission was asked to investigate the 31 purchases by the Sports World owner after the Office of Fair Trading raised concerns about five areas where it believed competition had been reduced. However, the Commission said it was unlikely that there would be higher prices or a reduction in quality and choice for consumers. Inquiry chairman Diana Guy said: "Sports Direct and JJB are undoubtedly each other's closest competitors nationally and this has not changed as a result of the transfer of a relatively small number of stores. "What we have found is that the prices and range on offer in any individual Sports Direct store are not significantly affected by whether there is a nearby JJB store or not but, rather, depend on the degree of overall competition between the two retailers at the natio...

Thursday, March 18: Inquest into the death of a five-year-old boy who died after a mini motorcycle accident. Jake Wilson died of head injuries after he was hurt when riding the bike in the grounds of a cattle market in Carmarthen. Venue: Council Chamber, Town Hall, Llanelli, SA15 3AH.

"They are like mechanics going into a Rolls-Royce garage with a spanner and starting to lay about the bodywork" - TV reporter John Simpson describing Culture Secretary Ben Bradshaw and others who make "bellicose noises" about the BBC.

Bomb disposal experts were called out to a remote village when a park warden found what he believed to be a hand grenade in a litter bin. The discovery was made in a park in Linton, Cambridgeshire. Linton Parish Council clerk Sue Parry said the device was actually a smoke grenade. "The village custodian was doing his usual Monday morning litter pick when he found it," she said.

BBC Sport - Rugby Union - Tom Prydie set to break Wales record Have to feel sorry for Halfpenny. But glad he's dropped Martyn Williams.

A Carmarthenshire school cook is in the running to be named best in the UK. Glenys Rees, who serves up school dinners to children at Brynsaron Primary School, has recently won the Welsh final of the School Cook of the Year competition, after coming up with a tantalising main course and dessert for just £1.25. She will now compete against other school cooks in other parts of the UK to take the overall crown. In her bid to impress a panel of judges – some of which were children – Glenys put together a main course of Teifi Loaf with tomato and mint sauce, served with boiled Pembroke potatoes, mixed green salad, and a stuffed tomato. Her dessert, named Welsh Dragon, consisted of a traditional plain Welshcake with caramel filling and summer fruits. She competed against three other school cooks, and each were allowed 90 minutes of preparation and cooking time. Sandra Weigel, Carmarthenshire’s catering services manager, said: “All of our school cooks do a wonderful job cooking over 18,000 mea...

Following research and the Speak up Report, Carmarthenshire Youth Council (CYC) found that the majority of young people rely on buses to get to school and many are faced with walking up to three miles to get to school, three miles back home or having to pay for their journey. For those who live less than three miles away from their secondary school this is a problem many young people face everyday. The CYC found that young people could be paying up to £7.50 a week for transport and this was a concern for some families with more than one young person at school. Peter Morgan, CYC member said:“Although the journey to school on foot can only be five minutes, for many young people attending Carmarthenshire Secondary Schools they have to walk along narrow pavements bordering fast flowing roads in all weathers. “During the winter months young people have to face walking in the dark, along with rain, ice and snow, all of which make already dangerous journeys even more risky; we don't think...

"Selecting a woman who has been photographed on a regular basis with bleeding feet, filthy clothes, dishevelled hair and ancient make-up seems perverse. Let's call it tramp-chic" - Broadcaster Janet Street-Porter on the news that Fred Perry is to launch a fashion collection with Amy Winehouse.

A streaker livened up the proceedings at Crufts. As competitors watched the judging of the Gundog group on the fourth day of the canine showcase, the man ran into the arena at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. He was wearing nothing but shoes and socks and a cat-shaped mask covering his modesty with the words "I streak.com" written on his chest. He was quickly escorted from the area.

WalesOnline - News - Wales News - How banning goldfish bowl-facilitated conversations among council workers will stop us going round in circles Whatever next?

CPD Caerfyrddin / Carmarthen AFC But Town are still in 11th place in the Welsh Premier League. The target is 10th or better.

Just sent this off - As if the result wasn't bad enough, why do we have to put up with Eddie Butler as the commentator on BBC Wales? 'What the Butler saw' isn't quite what the spectator sees. He gets names wrong and makes ham-fisted attempts to wax lyrical. Is it any wonder that many of us are now opting for the TV mute button and tuning in to the Gareth Charles commentary on Radio Wales instead?

WalesOnline - Lifestyle - Arts - Welsh stars available for hire - and what they charge Wouldn't pay £20 to listen to Katherine Jenkins! I remember the rip-off at the opening night of Pontyberem Hall.

Ireland 27 Wales 12 Pretty grim stuff.

Holsteins reach 3,200gns at Carmarthen | Shows and events | Farmers Guardian

Plans to lease a parcel of county council land to Garnant’s Tot’s Ty Ni Family Centre on a peppercorn rent have been approved. The Family Centre, situated within the Maes Y Bedol estate, wants to take control of the land in order to create a community garden. Tots Ty Ni will be leased the land for 21 years on a peppercorn rent equivalent to the cost of setting up the lease agreement. The parcel of land is currently overgrown. The family centre proposes to cultivate the land, create raised beds and storage facilities for gardening equipment, and eventually erect a greenhouse. They will invite residents from the estate’s 60 dwellings and the local school’s gardening club. Once established, it is hoped that produce grown on the land can be sold to the local community, generating income which would be ploughed back in to the scheme. Local member, and deputy council leader, Cllr Kevin Madge, said: “This sounds like an excellent proposal which will be of huge benefit to the community. “I am ...

"It would have to be someone younger but I couldn't go out with anyone to whom I could have given birth" - Cilla Black draws the line at too youthful boyfriends.

Devotees of a man claiming to practise a traditional African religion said they had to ingest the mucus of a giant African snail which made them violently ill. Federal authorities raided the Miami man's home after receiving complaints. The man has not been charged, but prosecutors and state and federal wildlife agencies are investigating. The 10in snail is prohibited in the US without special approval as it devastates new ecosystems. The complainants said they became violently ill, losing weight and developing strange lumps in their stomachs.