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

Carmarthen Town beaten 1-0 by Bala Town in the Welsh Premier League today. Spirited show, but Carmarthen not quite good enough.

Llanelli man enjoys sweet smell of success as new face of Lynx | This is South Wales A Llanelli man is enjoying the sweet small of success — after becoming the new face of Lynx. Cerith Jones, formerly of Swiss Valley, has scooped the leading role in the men’s toiletries brand’s new advertisements.

Arrest in Llanelli Football Club cash inquiry | This is South Wales An investigation has been launched into a substantial amount of money missing from Llanelli Football Club. Police are probing the matter after being called in by the Reds.

Surgical cover fears after medics leave Prince Philip Hospital | This is South Wales The sudden departure of two surgeons at Prince Philip Hospital has sparked fresh concerns over emergency surgical cover. Consultant surgeon Simon Rowley and his deputy have left the hospital and with calls to the consultant reportedly being diverted to Glangwilli Hospital in Carmarthen, questions have been asked about the future of colorectal surgery at the hospital.

Comedian mobilising flashmob to save rainforest the size of Wales - News - Go Green - WalesOnline An environmental charity is mobilising a flashmob the size of Wales the save a rainforest of the same Size. The charity, called Size of Wales, has called on comedian Dan Mitchell, from Carmarthen, to gather as many people as possible to make a stand against rainforest destruction in Africa.

Carmarthenshire residents are being urged to trail-blaze lifestyle changes that will help the planet. The Council’s Sustainability champions are calling on people to embrace environmental issues in their day-to-day lives. They are leading a call for residents to go green and change their habits in favour of a more sustainable world. Recycling, using transport wisely, shopping ethically and thinking about the use of energy, could all help to preserve the planet for future generations. The move comes after a new carrier bag charge was introduced in Wales. The Welsh Assembly Government has introduced a 5p charge for every single use carrier bag in a bid to drastically reduce the number of bags that are thrown away each year. Carmarthenshire County Council is leading the way in sustainable development and staff are working to educate people about how the decisions they make are having an impact on the world. Officers say that everyone could make simple changes that would have a big impact ...

Award-winning former Ysgol Dyffryn Taf pupils have been presented to the Duke of Edinburgh at St James’s Palace. The 10 youngsters, now all in their first year at university, have recently achieved their Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award. Headteacher Robert Newsome, former pupils Jack Murphy, Nicola Donnelly, Matilda Mitchell, Hannah Hill, Sally Jackson, Harry Kind, Bethan Eynon, and triplets Rachel, Eleri and Tom Allan, and VIP guests Carmarthenshire County Council executive board member for education and children’s services Cllr Gwynne Wooldridge and director of education Robert Sully went to St James’s Palace earlier for the award ceremony. Mr Newsome said: “We have had 32 pupils at the school achieve the Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award this year. Ten went up to St James’s Palace on Tuesday and 22 will go at half term. We have another group of 30 pupils close to achieving the award and another 24 starting off. “It is a unique occasion for the students and a justifiable reward for all their ...

Volunteers and families on an Amman Valley estate are being given the chance to transform an area of waste ground into a community garden. Garnant Family Centre, which is a registered charity based on the Maes y Bedol estate in Garnant, will run the garden on waste housing land provided by Carmarthenshire County Council. The garden will be a fenced area with a vegetable and flower planting area, a fruit garden and lawn. Produce will be used in the Family Centre and sold to the community. There will be an Eco Lodge for outdoor educational use, classes and play sessions. The project will also include a new play area to replace the current play area. Families from Garnant Family Centre have been consulted and involved in the design, layout and choice of equipment. This is an exciting community project resulting from excellent partnership working between the Family Centre and Town Council. They have secured the funding from the County Council through the Environmental Works Project as part...

They really mean business at the Ashburnham Championship Links Golf Club in Pembrey. The club is chipping in with a special offer to businesses with a new Corporate Membership deal. “It’s something of a cliché to say that people do a great deal of business on the golf course,” said Ashburnham club manager Huw Morgan. “But there’s probably a lot of truth in it and we want to do our bit at The Ashburnham to keep the wheels of commerce turning. “We have just set up a new Corporate Membership category which we hope will appeal to small to medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Carmarthenshire and on the other side of the Loughor Bridge. “It’s possible bigger businesses and corporations will also find our business deal attractive as we offer the use of the room here (complete with a big screen) free of charge for meetings for our Corporate members. “There are other golf courses that offer Corporate deal, but we believe we have a superior package on offer as we have great clubhouse facilities an...

Meat and two veg was the order of the day for thousands of Carmarthenshire schoolchildren yesterday. Carmarthenshire County Council’s Catering Service laid on the special menu to celebrate the Food for Life Partnership’s second annual National Roast Dinner Day. The humble roast is a firm favourite with children, and already features on the three-week rolling menus in all of the county’s primary schools. This special event was aimed at encouraging children to become more aware of where their food comes from, how it is grown and the way it is cooked. Sandra Weigel, Catering Services Manager, said: “The feedback we have received from our school cooks is that the meals went down very well, as is always the case with our roast dinners which continues to be one of the children’s firm favourites.”

There's just a few days left for people to make their views known regarding plans to amend, or suspend, the Right to Buy scheme. Carmarthenshire County Council is supporting the Welsh Government’s consultation on the proposals which could give individual local authorities the permission to suspend the Right to Buy in their areas for up to five years. If the proposal goes ahead, any suspension could be restricted to certain areas or property types, depending on local housing need. It is aimed at maintaining the availability of social housing in times of extraordinary pressure. The Right to Acquire for secure tenants of housing associations may also be affected. Carmarthenshire County Council’s housing department wants tenants, residents, and the wider public, to air their views before the Welsh Government makes its decision. Responses need to be made by the end of October. Head of Housing, Robin Staines, said: “Suspending the Right to Buy scheme in certain areas would effectively me...

A day club set up by the community for older people living in Ystradowen is growing bigger and better by the day. Residents living in the area rallied round to run the day club when it was offered to them by Carmarthenshire County Council. With the help of various departments within the council, the residents formed a small committee and enlisted volunteers, and now the club is standing firmly on its own two feet. Chair, Rhys Maddock, said: “We have had an excellent response from the local community and as a committee we are keen to establish the centre and ensure that the community has an easy accessible venue for years to come. We have also been very busy fundraising and to date the committee has applied for almost £300,000 of grants.” Since launching in May, the club has already developed to involve many more activities than the council was previously able to provide. In independent hands, it also means that eligibility criteria no longer needs to be applied, meaning many more peopl...

People in Carmarthenshire are being asked to watch out for hedgehogs before they light their bonfires on November 5. The county’s Biodiversity Partnership is making the appeal to avoid the creatures being accidentally killed. Hedgehogs prepare for hibernation at this time of year and may use unlit bonfires assuming they are cosy locations for the winter. Hedgehog numbers are in decline due to various reasons, and have now joined the UK Biodiversity Action Plan list of species in need of conservation and greater protection. Carmarthenshire County Council’s Biodiversity Officer Isabel Macho said: “Hedgehogs are great friends to gardeners and natural slug control. However, they are declining in number and we need to help them whenever we can. Just by taking special care on bonfire night we can help them survive to breed next spring." Top tips to keep hedgehogs from harm: • Build the bonfire as close to the night as possible to reduce the chance of a hedgehog moving in. • Pile materia...

It’s being billed as Swansea’s best ‘value-for-money’ fireworks display. The venue will be Dunvant RFC rugby ground on Friday, November 2, for a spectacular fireworks display which starts at 7.15pm. The annual display was revived by the club last year and the success of the 2010 event means it is making a welcome return to the ground at Broadacre, Killay. The fireworks night will be in aid of the Dunvant Rugby Club Junior Section. “It’s a great cause as the club works very hard to develop sporting activities for the youngsters,” said one of the organisers, Martin Newbury. “The gates open at 6pm and we are expecting a healthy crowd to experience the best ‘value-for-money’ fireworks display in Swansea. “Tickets cost £2.50 each, or there’s a special party rate of 5 for £10, with car parking available at £1 a car and burgers and hot dogs available at reasonable prices. “The location at Broadacre is ideal for a fireworks display. Spectators face the display, which is professionally ...

It was a night when the power of song lifted spirits – and raised nearly £700 for the Healing The Wounds charity which helps treat victims of PTSD, post traumatic stress disorder. The 'Stars in their Eyes' event at Cefneithin RFC rugby club featured the Cross Hands choir of Only Boys Aloud. The event raised a whopping £667.80. The Only Boys Aloud singers served up a treat with their own version of the classic ‘Sosban Fach’ and a varied repertoire of other songs. The choir was conducted by Craig Yates from Only Men Aloud. He revealed that Only Men Aloud had recently finished recording their Christmas album. Healing The Wounds charity secretary Carol Richards thoroughly enjoyed the evening and said: “We would like to thank Jason Mills and his colleagues at Cefneithin RFC for the warm welcome received on the night and for the opportunity to raise much-needed awareness for the charity.” For more information, email chairman@cefneithinrfc.co.uk Weblinks – http://healingthewounds.co.u...

Welsh Dairy Show: Jersey completes hat-trick with event’s supreme title | Shows and events | Farmers Guardian The Jersey milker, Bluegrass Heritages Lovely Lady, completed a remarkable hat-trick - adding the supreme Welsh Dairy Show championship to those she won at the South West Dairy Show two weeks ago, and at last month’s Dairy Event and Livestock Show in Birmingham. The treble success was not the only cause for celebration by the Cardigan-based Wilson family. They also chalked up a double victory by adding Carmarthen’s inter-breed heifer championship to their haul as well.

FUW dairy award goes to ex-NFU president - Farming News - Farming - Daily Post North Wales Former NFU president Tim Bennett was this week revealed as the winner of the annual FUW-HSBC Bank award for his contribution to the Welsh dairy industry. The Carmarthenshire farmer switched plans to attend the World Dairy Summit, Italy, so he could collect the award on the eve of the Welsh Dairy Show, Carmarthen.

Carmarthen Town Football Club celebrated the award of the Football Association of Wales Lifetime Award to their former secretary Mr. Alan Latham. Alan, (seen above centre), first joined the Old Gold in 1970 and still remains an integral part of the Town set-up to this day. He served as Secretary of the club for 26 years and is a legend in the history of the Welsh League. He was presented his award by Mr. Bob Waygood (above left), former secretary of the West Wales FA and Mr. Ken Tucker (above right) the Welsh League Secretary and Vice Chairman of the Welsh FA. Both paid tribute to Alan’s wonderful service to the club and stated that there were only a dozen recipients of the award throughout the whole of Wales. “His contribution to the club and the league in general is immeasurable and is thoroughly deserving of the award.” Alan remains as the author of the famous column in the Town Match Day programme “In a league of his own” which is essential reading at every home game. The former r...

A multi-agency exercise has held to test Carmarthenshire’s response to a potential maritime pollution event, has been hailed a success. Exercise Celtic Coast - involving the emergency services, several local authorities and other agencies – was staged over two days at the beginning of October. It involved a series of table-top exercises at the county’s new Strategic Coordination Centre, accompanied by the live deployment of resources and equipment both at sea and on shore in the Milford Haven waterway and at Pembrey Country Park. Agencies that took part included Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Powys County Councils; the Environment Agency Wales; Milford Haven Port Authority; the Maritime Coastguard Agency; Dyfed Powys Police; Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Services; the Hywel Dda Health Board; Public Health Wales; the Countryside Council for Wales; the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and the Welsh Government. Although the exercise was based on a fictional...

Burry Port children enjoyed learning about animals at the town library. The children from the infants school visited the library for the Zoolab event, which features animals to demonstrate parts of the science curriculum. Tom Pedley of Zoolab showed the pupils snakes and insects during the session.

Lakefield schoolchildren met Superbook at a visit to Llanelli Children’s Library. The visit was one of many arranged by the library to encourage more children to use and visit the facility. Education executive board member Cllr Gwynne Wooldridge also popped in to meet the children. Cllr Wooldridge said: “We want to foster a love of books and reading in all our children and these school visits to our libraries are one of the ways we try to do this. “The children enjoyed their visit and meeting Superbook, we hope it will encourage them all to come again.”

Ammanford children have enjoyed a picnic in the park organised by the town library. It was one of the events put on by the library to encourage more children to use and enjoy the facility. Superbook, Carmarthenshire’s library mascot, and Gari Gofal the road safety mascot, joined in the fun and helped entertain the children.

A Carmarthenshire energy business has moved into a state-of-the-art new home with help from RDP (Rural Conversion Grant) Sir Gâr. The owners of Beacon Stoves, Ben and Francoise Graham, are celebrating a £96,905 grant to convert an unused building into a brand new base for the flourishing company. The business was established in 1985 and operates from a house and outbuildings at Parc Gwair, Capel Iwan. Ben and Francoise had their expansion dream realised thanks to a Rural Conversion Grant from RDP Sir Gâr. They received the grant to convert a building that was originally used to house pigs on the site into a new modern showroom, training room, store rooms and entrance lobby. Work has now been completed on the low energy building which was constructed with local timber and will be heated with renewable energy. The project will safeguard four jobs and create another three, as well as providing a workshop for training in the installation of environmentally friendly heating systems. Owner B...

Reggie Perrin creator David Nobbs entertained books fans with a lecture at Carmarthen Library. The 76-year-old author and scriptwriter happily fielded questions and answers and signed copies of his latest books. Nobbs has links with South Wales. His mother was from Swansea. He recalled how trips from Swansea invariably took in visits to Tenby or Llandeilo. "I has tea at the Cawdor Arms in Llandeilo before giving this talk and it brought back some very emotional memories," he said. The Yorkshire-based writer gave an insight into working with Leonard Rossiter and then Martin Clunes on two separate versions of the Reggie Perrin story. Nobbs is pictured sharing a joke with Mrs Dilys Douch, of Llangunnor, Carmarthen, after signing a copy of his book, Cupid's Dart.

Mitchells and Butlers to open at St Catherine’s Walk Shopping Centre Orchard Street Investment Management announces the letting of around 10,000 sq ft of retail space on a 25 year lease to Mitchells & Butlers at St Catherine’s Walk shopping centre in Carmarthen. The restaurant operator will open its first dual operation with a Harvester Restaurant and Toby Carvery in December 2011.

Older people enjoyed 'itea and biscuits' at Llanelli Library to learn about technology such as the internet, digital cameras, and mobile phones. The event, which included tea and biscuits, was part of an annual campaign run by Age UK which aims to introduce technology to people in later life. A spokesman said: “Technology is increasingly important and can offer older people numerous benefits, from using mobile phones and the internet to keep in contact with loved ones more easily, to using digital cameras to capture those important moments in life.” At the event experts were on hand from Llanelli Library to teach people about technology. Carmarthenshire’s education executive board member Cllr Gwynne Wooldridge said: “Itea and biscuits week was very popular and a great way for people in later life with little or no experience of technology to get a taste of it first hand. The library is a great place to learn to use technology such as the Internet. “Technology really can make a ...

Pre-school children enjoyed storytime sessions with Fifi the Flowertot in Carmarthen Library. It was part of weekly events for young children taking place at the library on Wednesdays from 10.30am to 11.15am during term time. New storyteller Jacquie Hyde of Flying Start will be hosting the sessions. For more information contact Carmarthen Library.

Residents in Carmarthenshire are being invited to take the smarter driver challenge which could help them save money on their fuel as well as benefit the environment. The council’s sustainability section has booked the Energy Saving Trust’s eco driving simulator for members of the public to try on Thursday, November 3 in St Peter’s Hall in Nott Square, Carmarthen, between 12.30pm and 2pm. There will also be a display of electric vehicles and information on a range of sustainability issues including green energy, waste and transport. Carmarthenshire’s Sustainability Champion Cllr Pam Palmer said: “Much work is underway in the county to reduce our carbon footprint and reduce climate change and it is important we all think about what we can do to help. “I hope residents will come along to the event and take the smarter driving challenge which could also help them to save money.” People are being urged to make better use of public transport, cycling or walking which can make a big differen...

Two people have been fined for dropping litter near Pibwrlwyd in Carmarthen. A 17-year-old female and 21-year-old male were issued with fixed penalty notices for £75 by the council’s environmental enforcement officers. Failure to pay could result in prosecution in the magistrates court and a fine of up to £2,500. The officers were on patrol in the area following complaints from residents. It is now hoped these fines will act as a warning to others that this type of anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. It also follows a county-wide ‘Bin It’ campaign to encourage people to dispose of their litter more responsibly. Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Philip Hughes said: “Dropping litter is against the law, whether it is discarding rubbish from a vehicle, throwing cigarette ends or spitting out chewing gum. “If there are no bins nearby, then take your rubbish home with you to dispose of. We do not want to fine people but we are determined to clean up Carmarthenshire and...

The Wales Audit Office has praised Carmarthenshire County Council for the way the local authority goes about its business. The WAO has sent the council its Corporate Assessment Letter for 2011/12 which confirms that the local authority’s Improvement Plan submitted to County Council on June 8, 2011, meets the statutory requirements and that the Auditor General is satisfied that the council is discharging its duties to secure continuous improvement. Wales Audit Office Group Director Alan Morris told a meeting of the full Council: “We have concluded that the council is clearly committed to driving improvements forward and that there are processes in place to achieve this such as your Improvement Plan. “You have effective arrangements for consulting widely with stakeholders and the public. You are well placed to meet the financial challenges the council is facing.” The Corporate Assessment Letter sent by Auditor General for Wales Huw Vaughan Thomas said: “Good progress is being made on the...

People living in the Amman and Gwendraeth valleys are being invited to volunteer for the Debt and Benefit Back to Work project, funded through the Welsh Government Outcomes Fund, Deprived Area Fund and Carmarthenshire County Council. The Project has recently launched in the Gwendraeth valley, after huge success in the Amman valley. The existing staff and volunteers can offer free and confidential support to residents who may have debt and benefit issues, or are looking to return to work in one form or another. The aim is for the project to be a volunteer led support service, engaging with residents to encourage general volunteering and up-skilling. It is hoped the project will encourage more people to move back into employment, therefore tackling domestic debt, economic inactivity and child poverty. Communities First Volunteer Development Worker Kathryn Cook said: “We are looking for volunteers who want to help others and give something back to their community. “As a reward, all volun...

The latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC football club column from the Carmarthen Journal - Carmarthen Town AFC is calling a public meeting to discuss how the club can stay competitive in the Welsh Premier League. Club chairman Gareth Jones said a public meeting would be held at the Carmarthen Town AFC Community Centre at Richmond Park at 7pm on Monday 7th November. Mr Jones said: “We are an ambitious football club. In fact, we are also proud to declare, ‘We are more than just a football club’ because of our strong community links. “The ground and community centre developments are a testimony to this. The club has been in the Welsh Premier League for 15 years winning the Welsh Cup in 2007. As members of the Welsh Premier League, the club has represented our town and community in European competition in Denmark, Finland, Ireland and Norway. “It also runs Academy teams at under 12, 14, 16 and 19 level and last year we raised hundreds of pounds for local charities ...

Shelley Williams of The Vintage Tea Party is organising a Christmas Market to be held in St Peter’s Civic Hall on November 12. Shelley won RDP Sir Gâr’s 2010 Dragon’s Den style competition – Cwtch y Ddraig – with her idea to hire out her vintage tea sets for special occasions. Her prize was £500 from the businesses sponsoring the event toward her business start up and she has since gone on to open a shop, The Vintage Tea Party, on Carmarthen’s Mansel Street. “The competition gave me the opportunity to meet with other businesses and entrepreneurs and my business evolved very quickly with the resultant media attention that came with being a winner. It also gave me confidence to take The Vintage Tea Party forward as the judges believed in me” says Shelley. RDP are working to regenerate rural Carmarthenshire through the Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Wales 2007 – 2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The latest RDP Sir Gâr ...

Carmarthenshire Trading Standards Service is again advising residents to be on their guard against rogue traders who ‘cold-call’ to find work. This follows a recent spate of incidents where elderly people have been targeted by unscrupulous traders offering services such as roof cleaning and other repairs. In all cases, large amounts of cash have been requested ‘up front’ and in some incidents the consumer has even been taken to the bank to withdraw the money. Trading Standards Services Manager Roger Edmunds said: “We have noticed a significant increase in such incidents recently and it may be down to the current economic climate. “Also with the winter weather approaching, traders may use high winds and ice as an excuse to invent problems that may not exist, such as loose roof tiles etc. “We would urge residents not to agree to have work done on their property on their doorstep, especially if the trader is asking for a large deposit. We would always recommend taking some time to think...

Are the Toilet Police operating at County Hall, Carmarthen? Headline in the Llanelli Star - 'Members vote to rid party of motion rights'. The World's Gone Mad Part 9 - The economy is in ruins, but today The Senedd is tearing its hair out over smacking children! Today's phrase of the day (from the BBC Breakfast financial lady) is - "And the CAC index is down again'. (Oh really!)

Nice spotlight in the Western Mail business section today on six West Wales building firms launching a new sustainable community venture. Spotlight on latest results from The Ashburnham Championship Links Golf Club in the Carmarthen Journal today. Lovely picture story in the South Wales Evening Post about a surprise farewell party at The Ashburnham for veteran golfer 'Peggy' Jones. South Wales Evening Post story today about Cor Meibion Llanelli heading off to s'Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands for Liberation Day events. Llanelli Star puts the spotlight on the next Men's Dinner at The Ashburnham Championship Links Golf Club in Pembrey. Nice piece in Llanelli Star today about Cor Meibion Llanelli heading off to s'Hertogenbosch in The Netherlands for Liberation Day events. Latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC football club column is in the Carmarthen Journal today. Can chill for the rest of the week now - made it back into the Llanelli Star'...

Tomorrow (October 20), Dr Kay Swinburne MEP will give a guest lecture on “The European Parliament: the democratic element to dealing with the Eurozone crisis” at Aberystwyth University. The lecture, organised by the Centre for European Studies, will be held at the Main Hall of the Department of International Politics at 2.30pm and is open to students, staff and members of the local community. During her lecture, Dr Swinburne will provide an insight into her experiences as a Member of the European Parliament and explain how the European Parliament is interacting with other EU institutions to respond to the Eurozone crisis. Educated at Llandysul Grammar School, Dr Swinburne went on to study Biochemistry and Microbiology at King's College London, followed by a PhD in medical research and an MBA from the University of Surrey. She was elected as the Conservative MEP for Wales in June 2009. Dr Swinburne is currently the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) Group's Co-ordinato...

Journalism conference: Is there a future for the press in Wales?, Cardiff School of Creative & Cultural Industries This one-day conference is an opportunity to analyse the crisis in the Welsh press and to look for solutions which will provide the citizens of Wales with the journalism they need in the future. Organised by the University of Glamorgan and the Cardiff and South East Wales branch of the National Union of Journalists.

Tesco could become Burry Port’s biggest employer creating 130 full and part-time jobs if its multi-million-pound store plans are approved. Selected as Carmarthenshire Council’s preferred operator, Tesco beat off huge interest in the Llanelli Waterside land known historically as “Fairground Field” close to Burry Port Harbour. Tesco is proposing a new store with a 15,000 sq ft sales area and a 125-space car park that will be available for all shoppers, regardless of whether they visit the store. In addition, the modern store has been designed alongside the award-winning Plasymor so it complements the area and incorporates sustainable features such as rainwater harvesting. County executive board member for regeneration Cllr Clive Scourfield said: “This is wonderful and long awaited news for Burry Port that will help enrich and develop the community.” The store will offer customers a wide variety of food, from the Finest to the Value range, as well as recycling facilities, an ATM machine a...

The town of Llanelli, led by town and county civic dignitaries, will join the Hywel Girls' Choir (pictured above) and Hywel Boy Singers' in their traditional 'The Magic of Christmas' performance. In the beautiful surroundings of Greenfield Baptist Chapel, Llanelli, Director John Hywel Williams will lead the massed voices of the Hywel Girls' Choir and Hywel Boy Singers, the Llanelli Choral Society, soprano Rhiannon Herridge, pianist Jean Hywel and organist Huw Tregelles Williams in an evening of Christmas song, music and word. The performance, a tradition in the calendar of the town with popular Christmas music and carols blended with hearty congregational massed singing, promises to greet the Christmas season with a resounding welcome. Programme highlights will include Once in Royal Davids City, O Holy Night, Ding Dong Merrily on High, Adestes Fideles, great highlights from exciting choruses from world oratorios such as Handel's Messiah ...to name but a few. The...

In an event held at the Carmarthen Town Football Club Community Centre in Richmond Park, the club launched its charity events for the 2011/12 season. In an evening superbly arranged by hard-working Club President Jeff Thomas, the audience was entertained by harpist Elan Ward from Ysgol Bro Myrddin, while the Rev Towyn Jones told some extraordianry tales. The evening was compered by Peter Hughes Griffiths. This season’s charity is Ty Cymorth, the local hospice. Supporters of this charity were present at the evening and were impressed with the facilities and welcome at the Community Centre. This was the first in a series of events the club intends to hold during the coming months to raise funds for the hospice. Club president Mr Thomas said: "I believe we have a role within the community not only as a football club. It is our duty to support charities within the Carmarthen area and I will lead this campaign for the coming season."

Former Carmarthen Town AFC football club President Mr Anthony Jenkins was honoured at a special evening function at club's Community Centre in Richmond Park. Anthony was President of the club for more than 16 years and could be seen carrying out all kinds of duties for the club. He could be seen manning the turnstile and selling raffles as well as representing the club at official functions. Peter Hughes Griffiths, the compere for the evening, paid tribute not only to Anthony’s contribution to the football club but also to the community of Carmarthen Town. Anthony emphasised how far the club had developed during his time as President, noting the visit to Seven Sisters at the start of his period in office and visiting the Rasunda Stadium in Stockholm for Carmarthen Town’s first ever away fixture in Europe. In the photograph Anthony (left) is being presented with a small token of the club’s gratitude for his work by Executive Chairman Gareth Jones. It is the intention of the current ...

The Kidwelly-based construction firm Dyfrig Dalziel Ltd has helped plant the seeds for an innovative project which will help children at two West Wales schools. The project has helped build vegetable plots at Carway Primary School in the Gwendraeth Valley and Swiss Valley Primary School in Llanelli. And it has also been designed to give important health and safety messages to the schoolchildren. “We’ve managed to come up with some very practical ideas which will help the children’s education,” said Dyfrig Dalziel, Managing Director of Dyfrig Dalziel Ltd. “There are several strands to the project, which means that we can help promote healthy eating, messages about the environment and recycling and information about health and safety and the need to be aware of potential dangers on construction sites. “On the health and safety side, we are able to engage with the children through ‘Ivor Goodsite’, a character from Considerate Constructor, the body which promotes jobs in the construction i...

Côr Meibion Llanelli will be travelling to The Netherlands next week to take part in special Liberation Day and Veterans Day services to mark a key World War Two battle. The choristers will be travelling to the city of s’Hertogenbosch (known in the Netherlands as Den Bosch – ‘The Wood’), about 50 miles south of Amsterdam. “The invitation links in with special services and tributes to mark key events from World War Two,” said choir secretary Fred Elias. “We are very honoured to receive the invitation to attend the events and looking forward to being proud representatives of Wales in ‘Den Bosch’.” Civic officials from ‘Den Bosch’ attended one of Côr Meibion Llanelli’s rehearsals at Furnace Community Hall earlier this year. “They were given a taster of what they can expect to hear at our performances in ‘Den Bosch’ next week,” said Mr Elias. Jan de Wit, chief executive of s’Hertogenbosch City Council, said: “We were greatly impressed by what we heard at their rehearsals and are looking fo...

Tenants living in parts of a Llwynhendy council estate are being asked to vacate their homes for a few days to allow contractors to prepare their home for internal refurbishment. Almost 70 households living in council properties in Browen, Ynyslas, Pant Y Celyn and Morawel are being supported to find suitable temporary accommodation for around three days whilst the work is carried out. They are also being offered a compensation package for their inconvenience. Standard surveys undertaken in preparation for Carmarthenshire Homes Standard internal works have identified asbestos paper insulation around flue pipes, and some mixed with other materials in a small amount of rubble. Information has been provided to tenants which reassures them that asbestos is safe, providing it is not disturbed. With work being planned at their properties, it has been decided to remove the material to make the area safe for contractors, and to prevent the disturbance of any material as a result of their activ...

Carmarthenshire Trading Standards has launched a new consumer education board game to help youngsters learn about the issues in a fun way. The bilingual game, Dianc o'r Storm/Escape the Storm, was launched in Llannon Primary School. Escape the Storm is a pioneering new multi-purpose Consumer Education tool of five standard size boards - each one can be played by up to six individuals. Players must follow a spiralling path from the centre of the board (the storm) out to the edge (the sun). As they move forward they will land on question spaces or exclamation spaces and another player must read out the corresponding card. The exclamation cards will describe a real-life situation that will have either a positive of negative outcome. The player will get to move backwards or forwards a space, depending on that outcome. The question cards: the play can roll again if they answer the question correctly. The questions and situations described on the exclamation spaces can be amended to suit...

Young people are being encouraged to broaden their horizons by travelling to Europe. This was the basis for a series of secondary school visits in Carmarthenshire organised by Lorena Prist, from the West Wales European Centre, based in Carmarthen. The visits coincided with the European Day of Languages, which is celebrated each year in countries all over Europe, and for a week, students in the county learnt all about the diversity of languages and cultures in the EU. They also had information about EU grants available to improve their language skills and to experience for themselves another way of living and working. One youngster who has spent time in Europe said: “Living in a different country has given me the opportunity to face new challenges, make new friends, and learn a new language. “I feel from these experiences that I have grown as a person with more confidence, maturity and gained new skills.” This is one of the many positive comments from young people throughout the UK who ...

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Off to the University of Wales Trinity St David at Lampeter to give a two-hour lecture/workshop to students. This should be fun!

A bean lasagne is just one of the delicious new dishes to be added to the Carmarthenshire primary schools winter menu. The dish, introduced following a successful tasting session, will be served as part of a three-week rolling menu which is packed full of healthy and nutritious two-course meals. Amongst the new desserts on offer is a homemade marble sponge with chocolate custard, and good old-fashioned homemade jam roly-poly. Children will get their first taste of the menu when they return to school following half term. Staying on the menu for the new term are several favourites, including gammon with parsley sauce, Alaskan salmon bake, chicken korma and homemade cawl. Carmarthenshire Catering Services also caters for vegetarian pupils and those with special dietary requirements. Catering Services Manager Sandra Weigel said: “We serve around 19,000 school lunches every day, and with the three-week rolling menu we manage to make each mealtime appealing to children with a variety of dish...

Llanelli Rotary Club members have made a significant contribution to the town's Food Bank. And last week they received first-hand news about how the Food Bank is distributing food to the needy in Llanelli. The Rotary club's guest speaker at their weekly meeting at the Stradey Park Hotel was Food Bank co-ordinator Claire Childs, who explained how the food is distributed from Myrtle House in Llanelli. The Rotary club members, and staff at Llanelli Rural Council, collected more than 65kg of food for the Myrtle House Food Bank. Club president Graham Williams said members had been shocked to discover the level of need in Llanelli. Mr Williams added: "Rotary Club members have been impressed with the way the Myrtle House operation is organised. There are safeguards in place to make sure the food goes to those truly in need and everything works very efficiently. "I know that members of the Rotary Club were shocked to discover the level of need in Llanelli for the Food Bank se...

Caerleon doctor and arts patron Russell Rhys, dies (From South Wales Argus) Dr Russell Rhys, formerly GP for Caerleon but much better known in later years for his patronage of the arts has died at the age of 85 following a short illness. The village of which he was such a flamboyant resident is coming to terms with the loss of one who for over 40 years has been at the centre of its collective story. Russell Rhys (the name was later changed from the anglicised Rees) was born near Llanelli, the son of a coal miner.

Reggie Perrin creator David Nobbs is to visit Carmarthen Library to talk about his life and work. The author is most famous for the series which saw anti-hero Perrin driven to bizarre behaviour by the pointlessness of his job at Sunshine Desserts. Leonard Rossiter played the character in the 1970s and more recently it was played by Martin Clunes. David is also the author of the hit TV mini-series A Bit of A Do, many comic novels, and TV scripts for comedians such as The Two Ronnies, Les Dawson and Frankie Howerd. He has been described as ‘probably our finest post-war comic novelist.’ His visit to Carmarthen Library will take place on Tuesday, October 18 at 6.30pm where he will speak about his life and his work. Entry is free and tickets are available from Carmarthen Library or by phoning 01267 224824.