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

Businesses in Carmarthenshire are being urged to market themselves to older people in the county. The Carmarthenshire 50+ Forum is asking business people whether they have something to sell to people aged over 50 - the fastest growing section of the population in Carmarthenshire. A 50+ Member Discount Scheme has been set up to provide special offers for Forum members. The Carmarthenshire 50+ Forum has 1,300 members, each having a proof of membership card, and has direct access to them through twice-yearly mailings. The Forum is offering businesses the opportunity to be associated with its brand. Older consumers are price-sensitive and on the lookout for the best deals. In exchange for an exclusive 50+ member discount offer, the Forum can give free advertising though its planned 50+ Member Discount Scheme flier. 50+ policy officer Dr Kevin Pett said: “The 50+ Forum is going from strength to strength with new members joining all the time. We are constantly looking for new ways in w...

There are some minor changes to Carmarthenshire Council's refuse/recycling collections on the week beginning Monday 7 May 2012: Usual Collection                    Collection On Monday 7 May 2012            Tuesday 8 May 2012 Tuesday 8 May 2012            Wednesday 9 May 2012 Wednesday 9 May 2012       Thursday 10 May 2012 Thursday 10 May 2012         Friday 11 May 2012 Friday 11 May 2012             Saturday 12 May 2012 All other days are as normal. The Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in Trostre (Llanelli), Wernddu (Ammanford), Nantycaws (Carmarthen), Whitland and Llangadog are open as usual on the Bank Holiday. For further information visit www.carmarthenshire.gov.uk/recycling or call Carmarthenshire Direct on 01267 234567.

A Gwendraeth Valley man has been prosecuted for illegally carrying scrap metal. Jonathan Mark Wright, aged 33, of Clos Gwyn, Tumble, pleaded guilty by post to an offence contrary to the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. Carmarthen Magistrates Court heard that Wright was stopped by police in Cross Hands. He was in a vehicle with scrap metal on it but did not have a waste carriers licence. The information was passed on to the council’s environmental enforcement officers who contacted Environment Agency Wales to check if Wright was a registered waste carrier. He did not hold the relevant licence and was prosecuted in court as a result. Wright was fined £75 by magistrates and ordered to pay full costs of £203.72. The council now hopes this case will act as a warning to others and help prevent the illegal transport of waste which often results in fly-tipping . All businesses that carry waste, including scrap merchants, ...

Residents in Carmarthenshire are being urged to give home composting a go and take advantage of a one day half price compost bin sale. It’s Compost Awareness Week from May 6–12 and to celebrate Carmarthenshire County Council’s waste section is selling compost bins for just £5. The sale is being held at the Co-op car park in Cross Hands on Wednesday, May 9, from 10am to 2pm. The 330 litre compost bins are available to Carmarthenshire residents only and must be collected on the day (no delivery) with only one bin per address. It includes a free composting guide with every purchase. Council waste minimisation/recycling officer Karen Fulham said: “Many people don’t realise how simple it is to home compost or just how much of their household waste can actually be composted. As well as autumn leaves, grass and hedge clippings, vegetable peelings and egg shells, you can put shredded cardboard, tea bags and even the contents of your vacuum cleaner into your compost bin. “Home composting ...

The Court of Appeal has thrown out the application for a Judicial Review into the building of homes at Stradey Park. The plans by Taylor Wimpey for 355 homes on the site can now proceed, bringing with them much needed construction jobs and housing. Carmarthenshire County Council approved the plans some time ago, after campaigners lost their appeal to the Welsh Government to intervene. They then continued their fight and applied for a Judicial Review which has caused lengthy delays to the scheme. Chief Executive Mark James said: “The council is pleased to see that the Court of Appeal has upheld the fact that the process we followed was quite right and proper. “This has been an unnecessary waste of time and money, and we shall be seeking to recover our costs on behalf of the council taxpayers of Carmarthenshire. It has also meant a delay in the payments agreed with Taylor Wimpey to the County Council. “We hope that Taylor Wimpey will now get on site as soon as possible to build much nee...

Carmarthenshire’s tourism section is using new technology and sponsorship to develop the county’s tourist industry. The county council is committed to improving the economic impact of the industry, which is worth around a third of a billion pounds a year and sustains the equivalent of 6,00 full-time jobs. Carmarthenshire is the sixth largest tourism area in Wales and is increasing. A report on progress over the last year has been presented to the council’s regeneration and leisure scrutiny committee. Marketing and tourism manager Huw Parsons said: “Our tasks are categorised into two different sectors - Destination Management and Destination Marketing. “Destination management is about ensuring that visitors to the county have a high quality, varied and enjoyable experience, while destination marketing is about ensuring Carmarthenshire is promoted as an attractive place to visit for selected target audiences.” Tourism officers work closely with other staff in the regeneration and leisure...

Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service Smokers are being warned that they must wake up to the deadly dangers of smoking - especially when tired - as Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service highlights that more than 40% of all deaths in fires in the home are caused by smoking materials. Smoking is the biggest killer in accidental fires in the home, often because of careless behaviour such as smoking in bed or not taking care after drinking alcohol. And when smokers fall asleep with a lit cigarette in hand, their proximity to the resulting fire seriously lowers their chance of escaping in time. Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service is reminding smokers to ´Put it Out, Right Out´ whenever they light up; to install smoke alarms on every level of the home; and, to test them regularly. Without a working smoke alarm you are four times more likely to die in an accidental fire in the home.

One of Llanelli’s best-established businesses has signed up to be part of the prestigious new East Gate development in the town. Jenkins the Bakers will be taking a ground floor unit in the new development. “We are one of the most historic businesses in Llanelli and we wanted to be part of an exciting new development which will form a key pillar in the town’s future,” said Jenkins the Bakers operations director Russell Jenkins. “We already have three very well-established outlets in the town centre but we also wanted to be a part of the new East Gate scheme. “Our planned expansion to another shop will not affect the current Jenkins shops in Llanelli town centre. For them, it will be business as usual. “We view the East Gate development as another string to our bow. The familiarity of our current shops endures with both staff and shoppers and we don’t plan to break that winning formula. “The East Gate development represents expansion on our part and a vote of confidence in the n...

Food Festival is a proper treat | The National Botanic Garden of Wales This year's Food Festival will be  a proper treat at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, May 12-13. The West Wales Food Festival boasts the best in local food and drink and demonstrations from the best chefs in Wales along with talks, walks, music, magic and many other delights. Top Welsh chef Bryn Williams will be demonstrating his skills on both days in the Festival kitchen while in the Local Producer Marquee you will find the best local food and drink around from more than 40 regional producers.

The new Evan-Evans Brewery guest ale will be out in the pubs of Wales next week. Evan-Evans May Fly  4.2% ABV (Premium Bitter). A refreshing Spring Ale with hints of apricot and a light floral aroma. This is a great spring beer, and just right for this time of year. Find out more on our Facebook page, we hope you like it.

Melin Consultants is the latest firm to move into The Beacon, the landmark hub for innovative and enterprising businesses in Llanelli. The consultants made the short hop from their previous home at Llys Aur, Dafen, this week. They now occupy a prime top floor, corner office at The Beacon. “It’s a very impressive landmark building and the ideal fit for us as a business,” said Melin director Jamie Best. “We watched the developments closely when Carmarthenshire Council took over the management of the former Technium building. “We are a go-ahead firm and this is a go-ahead building full of innovative and enterprising businesses, so we were glad to move in and join The Beacon family.” Melin Consultants is a company totally tuned in to the construction industry buzzwords of ‘environment and sustainability’. The firm is building a Wales-wide reputation as one of the industry experts on sustainable construction. The business has also recently expanded into England with the opening of a offi...

There will be plenty for everyone to enjoy at the Gŵyl y Gwanwyn Spring Festival in Ffarmers on Saturday 26th May. Starting at 2pm, the festival will include exhibitions of vintage tractors and commercial and rare breed sheep, demonstrations of rural crafts and skills, children’s activities and a barbecue are all on offer in the Village Hall and on the community field. Folk dancers Dawnswyr Penrhyd, and folk group Jac y Do and Ammanford Silver Band will be providing the entertainment and it promises to be a great day out for all the family with entry only £3 or free for schoolchildren. The event has been organised by the Neuadd Bro Fana Committee and received funding from the RDP Sir Gâr Innovative Hubs scheme’s Dathlu Diwylliant grant. The grant aims to widen access to quality cultural events through the medium of Welsh and provide opportunities for people of all ages to enjoy and participate in the arts in rural Carmarthenshire. Community groups can apply for up to £5000 towar...

The UK’s former Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Sir Emyr Jones Parry, will discuss and debate contemporary foreign policy issues of the European Union and the United Kingdom on Wednesday 2 May at Aberystwyth University. Sir Emyr, who is President of Aberystwyth University, retired from the Foreign Office in 2007. During a distinguished diplomatic career he also served as Permanent Representative to NATO in Brussels, chaired the Security Council of the UN for four terms as well as EU meetings during five UK Presidencies between 1982 and 2005. The issues Sir Emyr worked on include the enlargement of NATO and the EU, European foreign policy, defence policy, Iran, Kosovo, Iraq, development policy, and UN affairs. He was appointed President of Aberystwyth University in 2008 and Chair of the Open University Business School’s International Advisory Board, which supports the global development of the school. The discussion, which forms part of the University’s Centre for Euro...

A team of 15 athletes from Aberystwyth University Harriers Running Club will make their way to London next Friday 4 May to compete in the three-day British Universities and Colleges Sport (BUCS) Visa Outdoor Athletics Championships, which will be held at the new Olympic Stadium. The Championships will be the highlight of Universities Week 2012, an annual UK wide celebration of universities and institutions of higher education which runs from 30 April to 7 May. This year’s Universities Week, themed ‘The Olympic Games’ and coordinated by Universities UK and BUCS, aims to increase public awareness of the wide and varied role of the UK’s universities http://www.universitiesweek.org.uk/Pages/default.aspx The draw of competing in a stadium that will in a few months, play host to the world’s greatest athletes, has proved a great incentive and has seen more than 100 universities registered. Professor April McMahon, Vice Chancellor of Aberystwyth University, says, “The experiences o...

Polecat caught on camera | The National Botanic Garden of Wales After two years of trying to capture a picture of an otter at night, the team at the National Botanic Garden of Wales have instead caught a picture of a polecat. The photo was taken adjacent to the Gatehouse and Plant Sales, on the edge of a stream that runs into Pond Ddu, the first lake you see when you come into the Garden. The cameraman was Colin Miles. See the link for the picture.

Crafts in Action | The National Botanic Garden of Wales It’s Crafts in Action time at the National Botanic Garden’s Great Glasshouse next Bank Holiday weekend (5-7 May) where local crafts people will be putting on a show of their skills. From woodturning, feltwork and spinning; to ceramics, crochet, glassware and enamel jewellery – there’s bound to be a craft or two to tickle your fancy.  There will also be a range of stalls with handmade teddy bears, soap, pens and farmtoys so there’s something to suit all members of the family.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Funding announced for autism Gwenda Thomas, Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services, has announced a funding package of £2m for 2012-13 to support children and adults with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD) across Wales. This funding is designed to support existing projects and includes £880,000 to maintain local ASD leads and action plans in each of the 22 local authority areas.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Seasonal Flu Outbreak at South Pembs Hospital Following an outbreak of seasonal flu, affecting a small number of patients and staff, Hywel Dda Health Board has temporarily closed South Pembs Hospital in Pembroke Dock to new admissions. Strict infection control precautions are in place and visiting is restricted to essential visitors only in liaison with ward staff. Next of kin have been advised of the situation. The Health Board is asking members of the public and staff who have suffered flu like symptoms to not visit any hospital or care facility until they are at least 48 hours free of symptoms.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Investment in NHS buildings boosts Welsh economy by £1.1 billion Investments in hospital buildings over the last six years have boosted the Welsh economy by hundreds of millions of pounds. Since 2006, the Welsh Government has ploughed £363 million into projects now completed, £227 million in sites currently being developed and committed a further £552 million into projects in planning. Of the 12,318 workforce employed on those sites, nearly 80% (9,811) were Welsh residents.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Update on outbreak of cryptosporidiosis associated with Cwmbran farm : A further four people have been clinically diagnosed with cryptosporidiosis and are linked to the outbreak associated with a farm in Cwmbran. The four new cases bring the total number of confirmed cases investigated as part of the outbreak to eight. All cases were either members of staff or volunteers who bottle fed unwell animals. These animals have now been removed from the farm.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Professor Simon Smail re-appointed as Non Executive Director of Public Health Wales Health Minister Lesley Griffiths has announced that Professor Simon Smail has been re-appointed as a Non Executive Director of Public Health Wales. His appointment is for four years.  The appointment was made in accordance with the Commissioner for Public Appointments Code of Practice and was part of a number of appointments made to the Boards of Health Boards and Trusts in Wales.

Pair of burglars sentenced to 7 years | Dyfed Powys Police | Heddlu Dyfed Powys Two Polish men who pleaded guilty to a string of burglary offences across the country have today been sentenced to seven years and are due to be deported back to Poland when they’ve served their sentence. Ryszard Elert and Krzyszstof Karmaciuk committed their offences over a 15 month period between October 2010 and December 2011. They were eventually identified and caught thanks to technology invested in and deployed by Dyfed Powys Police. A proceeds of crime hearing has also been adjourned as Dyfed Powys Police are pursuing financial assets identified in Poland.

Professor John Williams from the Department of Law and Criminology at Aberystwyth University has been invited to join a panel of 15 international experts on older people and the law by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights. In 2010, the United Nations General Assembly established a working group to strengthen the protection of the human rights of older persons. This group is examining the existing international legal framework for the protection of human rights, identify any gaps and consider how best to address them. Professor Williams will be a member of the Expert Meeting on the human rights of older persons meeting in New York which is being held on 29 to 31 May 2012. Among the issues to be considered by the expert group are violence against older people, age discrimination, human rights and the enjoyment of the right to health in older age, long-term care for older persons, dignity and older persons and the justice system. An outcome paper, re...

Scam alert - beware unexpected refunds, lottery wins or insurance payouts | Dyfed Powys Police | Heddlu Dyfed Powys Dyfed Powys Police is appealing for people to be on their guard against fraudsters and scams after several reports of residents in the Llanelli area being conned out of substantial amounts of money or attempts being made by fraudsters to scam them. The scam works by fraudsters calling residents, usually elderly or vulnerable people, telling them they are owed money in the form of refunded bank charges, from a payment protection insurance claim, or from any manner of other types of refund or winnings they’re due. The caller then asks for an administration fee, in many cases more than once, to process the repayment.

The award-winning South Wales architects the Lewis Partnership Ltd have been reappointed consultant architects to Llanelli Town Council. The Llanelli-based firm has accepted a five-year role with the local authority. “We are delighted to be chosen by Llanelli Town Council for the role,” said managing director Philip Lewis. “The Lewis Partnership is a firm with a strong commitment to the community in Llanelli. “We have a strong track record of working with the town council (and with other local authorities in South Wales) and we look forward to a successful relationship with the Llanelli authority. “As consultant architects, we will be responsible for the design of future town council projects. We will work closely with the council to ensure that the authority gets the best possible value for money in any new work.” Mr Lewis added: “We are a strong team at the Lewis Partnership using the very latest high-tech Autocad computer-aided design to complete projects. “We believe passionatel...

Hywel Dda Health Board | Call for posters for Welsh Public Health Conference Poster abstracts are now being accepted for the second Welsh Public Health Conference being held on 18 July in Cardiff. The conference, titled ‘Together for Public Health’ is the second Public Health Conference to be held in Wales. Jointly organised by Public Health Wales and the Welsh Government and in partnership with the Welsh Local Government Association (WLGA) and Wales Council for Voluntary Action (WCVA), the 2011 conference attracted policy makers, leaders and public health professionals from across the public sector.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Living life to the full with EPP Cymru Living with an illness everyday can be difficult but the Education Programme for Patients team is on hand to help patients with long term conditions. The Education Programme for Patients (EPP Cymru) helps both patients and their carers to manage their condition and gain support from others. The courses are about making you an expert in living your life to the full with your condition and are led by tutors who themselves have experience of making life changes as a result of a long-term health condition. Courses are run in local communities, close to home and free of charge and offer opportunities for participants to gain Agored Cymru credits. Robert Williams, aged 61 from Carway, recently completed a six week Chronic Disease Self Management Programme in Llanelli.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Support for families Support is now available to vulnerable families in rural mid and west Wales to enable them to make positive lifestyle changes in the interests of their children and the whole family. The Integrated Family Support Service (IFSS), officially launched by Gwenda Thomas AM, Deputy Minister for Children and Social Services at Llanelli’s Parc Y Scarlets, is being delivered in partnership by Hywel Dda and Powys Teaching Local Health Boards with Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys Local Authorities. Initially concentrating on families where parental substance misuse coexists with concerns about the welfare of the child, the multi-agency Integrated Family Support Teams will work to provide targeted support and better connect children and adult service with a focus on the family as a unit.

The development of a promising biofuel crop, Miscanthus, has been given a boost today with the announcement of an additional £6.4 M in UK Government funding, over five years, for an integrated and collaborative breeding programme.  The breeding programme aims to produce new commercial varieties of optimised Miscanthus to make a significant contribution to future energy security. The development of crops as sources of bioenergy is an important component in finding economically acceptable substitutes for fossil fuels. Miscanthus, a ubiquitous Asian grass with high yields and requiring low inputs, is a particularly promising plant species for bioenergy development. The new collaborative breeding programme will further link previous research on Miscanthus at IBERS (funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in 2004-2010 and by Ceres, Inc., an integrated energy crop seed company (from 2007 onwards), to a suite of co-ordinated research projects funded b...

One of the bosses from popular South Wales bakery Jenkins the Bakers joined a march on No10 Downing Street today in protest at the Pasty Tax. David Jenkins, commercial director and company secretary with Jenkins the Bakers, joined hundreds of bakers in presenting a petition objecting to Pasty Tax to No10. Mr Jenkins said: “It is grossly unfair to ask the consumer to pay an extra 20 per cent on the product simply because it is either hot or warm. “We live in a very difficult economic climate and a lot of our customers are on very tight budgets and they cannot be expected to pay the extra amount. “It’s an unfair tax” The Jenkins Bakery currently sells more than 50,000 corned beef pasties every week in South West Wales. Mr Jenkins said the proposed 20 per cent VAT would obviously hit sales of the bakery’s products. Today’s march was organised by the National Association of Master Bakers (NAMB) and started from Pudding Lane. Up to this morning, nearly 500,000 signatures had been collected ...

More than 300 people have benefitted in Carmarthenshire from a regional programme designed to support working age people who struggle to find suitable training and employment due to illness, disability or social disadvantage. The Carmarthenshire COASTAL Programme, which includes popular projects such as SA31 Café at County Hall; STEPS units in Carmarthen, Cross Hands and Llanelli; and Next Step to Work, a supported employment agency, for young people not in education, employment and training. Supported with matched funding from Carmarthenshire County Council and the European Social Fund, the COASTAL team has been working hard since 2009, with the aim of helping over a thousand people to find training and long-term employment. Since the project began, the team has recorded a number of achievements. About one third of participants who have enrolled on the project now attend a supported centre dedicated to helping them learn skills for independence and work, including gardening mainten...

A group of community volunteers and workers have gathered to celebrate their success in gaining new skills to help children get the most from play. Organised by Carmarthenshire Children’s Partnership, 14 people had the opportunity to take part in a training course which aimed to help adults understand which elements of play can benefit children most. The course is useful to people who organise community events or organise childcare facilities within their communities. After successfully completing the course, participants were awarded an OCN Agored Cymru level two certificate in playwork. Play Officer Maria Austin, said: “Many adults have a responsibility to organise children’s time, usually including play – we can help give adults the tools to create rich play environments and opportunities which is vital to a healthy childhood.” Carmarthenshire Children’s Partnership organises affordable play courses every term, run by a qualified play officer. The next course is due to run at Fur...

Incident involving Laugharne and Furnace rugby clubs | Dyfed Powys Police | Heddlu Dyfed Powys Video recordings taken during a rugby match are being sought by police after an incident left a player need hospital treatment. “On Saturday 21st April Laugharne Rugby Club were playing Furnace Rugby Club at home,” said Sergeant Mark McSweeney. “At some point during the match, some sort of pushing and shoving has broken out between players from both sides. “During this incident one of the Furnace players has been struck to the face from behind causing him to have some quite serious injuries that have required hospital treatment. We are now trying to see whether anyone has witnessed the incident or if anyone has video recorded it."

Irish veterans make a beeline for the Garden | The National Botanic Garden of Wales Thursday will be a ‘vintage’ day at the National Botanic Garden of Wales with the visit of some classic cars – from Ireland. Members of the Irish Veteran and Vintage Car Club are on a tour of West Wales this week and will be calling in at the Garden for a visit and to display their vehicles. Organiser Henry Noonan said members had enjoyed the visit to Carmarthenshire last April so much that they wanted to return.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Raising awareness of male cancers this Health Wednesday This Healthy Wednesday the Hywel Dda Health Board is raising awareness of male cancers. More than 40,000 men in the UK are diagnosed with a male-specific cancer every year – sons, fathers and husbands face the risk of prostate, penile or testicular cancer. As part of its 10 pledges, the Hywel Dda Health Board is aiming to reduce the number of people dying from cancer by 100 a year in five years time. Testicular cancer is most common in younger men aged between 15-45 years, with around 2000 new cases diagnosed per year.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Doctors recruitment campaign launched The next phase of a campaign to attract clinicians (from doctors in training to consultants) to work in Wales has been launched by the Welsh Government. First Minister, Carwyn Jones and Health Minister, Lesley Griffiths visited Morriston Hospital in Swansea to promote the campaign. This follows the launch of a website in January which provides would-be doctors with more information on the benefits of working in Wales.

Hywel Dda Health Board | New developments in Singleton Hospital Singleton Hospital in Swansea is to have £4.299 million for two new developments to improve the care facilities for children and for elderly patients. The Minister for Health and Social Services, Lesley Griffiths, has announced the funding to enable the existing elderly medicine facility to be re-located from Hill House, a community hospital in central Swansea, to Ward 4 at Singleton Hospital. Two physically separate wards at Hill House cater for rehabilitation and ongoing recovery of older people with chest and/or heart or stroke problems.

Basketball players receive £500 police grant. | Dyfed Powys Police | Heddlu Dyfed Powys Members of the Brecon Dragons Basketball teams have received a grant of £500 from Dyfed Powys Police. The money has come from the force’s incentivisation fund. This fund is made up of money that’s been recovered as proceeds of crime from convicted criminals, which is then ploughed back into our local communities.

The latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC column from the Carmarthen Journal newspaper - Club members are asked to note that the annual general meeting of Carmarthen Town AFC will take place at the Clubhouse and Community Centre at Richmond Park at 7.30pm on Tuesday, May 8. The annual presentation evening for players and fans will be held at the Carmarthen Town AFC Clubhouse and Community Centre at 7.30pm on Friday, May 4. The date of the annual summer fete has been set for Saturday, July 7, at Richmond Park. ------------------------------------- Popular Carmarthen comedy entertainer Phil Doyle will be staging a fund-raising evening at the Carmarthen Town AFC clubhouse and community centre on Saturday, May 26. The show starts at 7pm. Tickets are £12 per person, including buffet. Phil has appeared on many TV shows including New Comedians and Talking Telephone Numbers. Phil has won the Jersey Variety Club Award for Best Comedian for three years running. ...

The latest 'View from Richmond Park' Carmarthen Town AFC column is in the Carmarthen Journal today. Smashing story in the Carmarthen Journal about brewer Simon Buckley's plans to establish a Llandeilo Jazz Festival. Review of the wonderful Rhydian Roberts Llanelli concert in the South Wales Evening Post today. Lovely little story in the Llanelli Star about Scarlets rugby coach Nigel Davies talking to Llanelli Rotary Club tonight. Nice story in the Llanelli Star today about the new links between the juniors of Ashburnham Golf Club and a famous club in Sandwich, Kent.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Hywel Dda Health Board contacts patients with metal-on-metal implants Patients living within the Hywel Dda Health Board area and who have received Metal on Metal joint replacements, are being contacted by the Board and provided with advice. The Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) has issued a medical device alert UK wide on MOM implants. The MHRA is clear that the majority of patients with these type of implants have well functioning hips and are thought to be at low risk of developing serious complications. However, it has been identified that a small number of patients may go on to develop a problem.

Hywel Dda Health Board | Refurbished Orthodontic Practice opens its doors The newly refurbished Orthodontic Centre in Carmarthen has opened its doors. Located on The Parade in the town centre, the practice has recently undergone a £350,000 refurbishment to install brand new facilities including a new diagnostic suite with digital x-ray and imaging equipment, a large open plan treatment area and central sterilisation. Full computerisation will also improve working efficiency and facilitate communication with referring dentists and patients.

An unusual strain of plant that never flowers has enabled scientists to isolate a gene that is essential for the formation of the branches on which flowers form. Writing in Nature Communications today, Tuesday 24 April, an international team of scientists which includes Professor Noel Ellis from Aberystwyth University, outline how they studied a mutant pea plant, Pisum sativum, to identify the gene that leads to formation of flowering branches on plants. By comparing it with flowering plants, the researchers were able, after many years of painstaking research, to identify a gene that controls the development of these branches on plants. Professor Ellis from the Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) at Aberystwyth is an expert on legumes - plants such as peas and clover. He believes this work puts in place the methods, principles and expertise needed to use genetics for the development of more productive and environmentally beneficial legumes. Pro...

Pontypridd's Alex Newman led the way in the Girls' Medal (0-36Hcp) at the Junior Open Day staged at The Ashburnham Championship Links Golf Club at Pembrey. The result was - 1 Alex Newman 64 nett (Pontypridd) 2 Sophie Lovatt 69nett (Tenby) 3 Megan Gurreiro 72nett (Tenby) Ashburnham member Nia Greville achieved the lowest gross score for the girls (81). Lowest Gross Boys – Lloyd Elliot (76) , Llantrisant & Pontyclun Golf Club. Six of the younger Ashburnham girls - Beca Morgan, Laila Francis, Amy Owens, Lucy Powell, Katie Burt and Dionne Protheroe - played a short 6-hole girls' competition. Lucy Powell was the winner and the runner-up was Beca Morgan. Pictured above: Alex Newman in full swing at The Ashburnham. Also, Alex Newman with vice-captain of 'The Ash' Gethin Davies. A 'Girls' Golfing Gig' was held at 'The Ash'. Eight girls (pictured above) arrived for the gig, all eager to play on a fine, fairly breezy afternoon....

The Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire Ladies' County Finals were played at Ashburnham in glorious sunshine. In the Joan Gale Cup, an 18-hole medal competition, the golfers had to battle against strong winds on the front nine, but this did not detract from some fine scoring. The winner was a member of this year's Curtis Cup squad, Becky Harries of Haverfordwest, with a terrific 74 gross, followed by Shan Lewis of Carmarthen on 79 and Sophie Anderson of Ashburnham on 81. The top eight from the morning round then entered the knockout stage. In the first match Harries beat Elin Jones (Carmarthen), Vicki Thomas (Carmarthen) beat Olwen Davies (Ashburnham), Anderson beat Georgia Thomas (Tenby) and Nia Greville (Ashburnham) beat Lewis. The first semi-final produced the best golf of the tournament. Thomas was up against Harries in a repeat of their final two years ago at Ashburnham, when Harries won on the 19th. This time, Thomas went two up early on and was still two up with two to pl...

Aberystwyth University has been awarded a £60,000 grant to fund an innovative research project aimed at improving how prostate cancer, the most common cancer in men, is diagnosed. This generous grant, given by the Merthyr Tydfil-based appliance manufacturing giant Hoover and awarded by The Prostate Cancer Charity, will help improve the accuracy of prostate cancer diagnosis.  Professor Reyer Zwiggelaar, the Principal Investigator of the project at the Department of Computer Science at the University and his PhD student, Jonathan Roscoe, met with David Lunt, Chairman of The Hoover Foundation, and representatives from The Prostate Cancer Charity, to formally be presented with the vital funds. Meeting at the research centre on Penglais Campus they discussed how this research aims to help doctors see more clearly the extent and location of a man’s prostate cancer and in turn enable them to make better decisions about treatment. Professor Zwiggelaar said, “We are delighted that the ...

Young people and their families from across Wales will get the chance to experience computing in the outdoors at Beach Lab, a Technocamps event held at Aberystwyth Bandstand from 11am to 3pm, Saturday 12 May 2012. Beach Lab is the first in a series of free public events being run by the Technocamps team based at the Computer Science Department at Aberystwyth University, with the aim of giving young people aged between 11-19 years old a chance to develop their computing skills beyond the usual screen and keyboard. The one-day event is open to all who are keen to experience technology in the open air with flying kites (with on-board cameras), land robots, sailing robots, wearable technology and much more. Some of the demos will be using programmes designed by young people from Ceredigion who have been involved in Technocamps through school and holiday workshops. Dr Mark Neal, Senior Lecturer in Computer Science at Aberystwyth University and one of the academics involved in Techno...

Hywel Dda Health Board | Final call to ‘Meet the Health Board’ People who have not yet attended the ‘Meet the Health Board’ Hywel Dda Health Trust events will have another opportunity to do so at an additional two venues this week. The final two drop-in events, organised by Hywel Dda Health Board, are being held as follows: 2pm – 8pm   Tuesday 24th April 2012 Lampeter The Arts Hall, Lampeter University 2pm – 8pm  Thursday 26th April 2012 Saundersfoot Saundersfoot Regency Hall

Rhydian Roberts, Côr Curiad and Côr Meibion Llanelli, Selwyn Samuel Centre, Llanelli. They came from as far away as Scotland. Some came from North Lincolnshire, Southampton and Brighton. There were even a couple of hundred from Felinfoel! The Rhydian Roberts Fan Club must be as well travelled as the Llanelli’s Scarlets rugby team. They certainly made sure that visiting Munster rugby fans had their work cut out trying to find a spare hotel room in Llanelli on Saturday night. For the first time, the ‘Full House’ notices went up at the Selwyn Samuel Centre in Llanelli, with 1,200 packed into the bowls hall. The gala concert had been arranged by the ladies of Côr Curiad to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust, with a cheque for an amazing £14,000 being handed over on the night. The classically-trained Rhydian, hero of X Factor and much more besides, made a grand entrance with a dramatic rendition of the Tom Jones classic Thunderball, from the James Bond film of the same name. Rhydian...

Carmarthenshire News - More names added to Dinefwr Literature Festival 2012 line up More names have been added to the bill of the inaugural Dinefwr Literature Festival. This unique three-day bilingual festival will combine award-winning writers, poets laureate, fringe acts and musicians in a celebration of the written word and the mythical landscape of the National Trust’s Dinefwr Park and Castle in the heart of Carmarthenshire, West Wales. The festival promises an eclectic mix of high quality literature, music, comedy and visual arts from established names to up-and-coming new talent.

Spielberg-styled film makers of the future could be spawned by an ambitious new film project in Carmarthenshire. The County Council and It’s My Shout Productions have teamed up to deliver over spring and summer at Laugharne, St Clears, Whitland; Pencader/Llanfihangel-ar-arth/Llanllwni and Brynamman/Llandovery. The project will give groups and individuals an opportunity to learn new skills in film production and take part in the production of a short film of their very own. All ages are welcome. Funded by the Arts Council of Wales, the project will launch this Spring throughout the county and will engage local talent and enthusiasm to work on the production of three films from start to finish. Guided by industry professionals, everyone involved will have the opportunity to develop their skills in a variety of creative areas and stages of production, including storytelling and scriptwriting, acting, cinematography, sound capture, production design, costume and make-up and post-prod...