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

Latest news from the Jazz in the Bar team at Brecon -  Hello everyone - here's something in February to really look forward to! BRECON JAZZ CLUB : BRECON JAZZ BAR, THEATR BRYCHEINIOG, CANALSIDE, BRECON, POWYS LD3 7EW Tues 18 February 2014 Mike Chappell Quartet: modern standards, piano-led, with guest Bob Moeller trumpet/flugel, plus Erika Lyons on bass and Burt Jones on drums. Starts 8pm, £6 on the door. Not too late to book for supper buffet (£5 pp) at the Lansdowne Hotel. This is from quarter to 7 until 7.45pm on the night. Individual diners welcome: we have a communal table and good company. All best wishes Lynne, Roger & Co Preview: Tues 18 March Debs Hancock jazz vocals with the Dave Cottle (piano) Trio.

Carmarthenshire residents won’t be stressing out, thanks to a free ‘understanding stress and anxiety’ course. Carmarthenshire’s Communities First team is holding the free course on Monday, February 17, at Felinfoel Community Resource Centre to help people overcome and prevent stress. The course is aimed at helping people to identify stress, anxiety and depression so that they can cope better with stress in their lives During the course participants will be taught a number of cognitive-behavioural techniques to practice. Communities First Family Learning Worker Rhian Richards said: “We hope that participants will learn some new approaches to help them in breaking the negative cycles that come with low self-esteem.” Launched in 2001, Communities First supports the most disadvantaged people in our most deprived areas with the aim of alleviating persistent poverty. Anti-Poverty Champion, Cllr Pam Palmer, said: “Small changes in people’s thinking and interpretation of a situation can hel...

Carmarthenshire County Council’s housing teams and tenants are looking to the future to develop and shape their services in line with modern day demands. With the UK Government driving social housing reform, and the council’s £203million Carmarthenshire Homes Standard (CHS) programme drawing to a close, housing chiefs are finding out what really matters to tenants in developing their next three-year business plan. With more than 70 per cent of the CHS complete – a programme that will be fully delivered by 2015 – officers and tenants have now embarked on a journey to plan the next phase, creating new opportunities, embracing new technology and maintaining standards. As part of the planning, tenants are being asked to envisage how they will live their lives in 10-years time – what technologies they will be using and how their homes will be run. Carmarthenshire Homes Standard Manager Jonathan Morgan said: “Tenants are playing an integral role in helping us shape services and prepare for...

Residents of Pontyberem are playing their part in shaping services for people with dementia. The small Gwendraeth Valley village has been officially recognised as Carmarthenshire’s first Dementia Friendly and Supportive Community, helping people understand dementia and providing feedback on a range of topics to the county’s Dementia Action Board. Carmarthenshire County Council has worked with partners to deliver and evaluate this multi-agency approach with a view to developing a model which can be used throughout Carmarthenshire. The project was officially launched at Pontyberem Memorial Hall recently, with members of the community joined by a range of organisations who provide support for people with dementia. Over the next few months, villagers will help establish a community profile including the physical environment, facilities, services and groups, and will take part in a quiz to find out how much the community understands about dementia. People who suffer with dementia, and the...

A replica of Dylan Thomas’s iconic writing shed is to be unveiled at an event in Laugharne this week. Welsh Government Minister Edwina Hart will officially open the shed on Friday, February 14, to give people their first glimpse inside. Hannah Ellis, granddaughter of Wales’ most famous bard, will announce the first new word to be published in a Dictionary of Dylan. Artist in residence at the shed Emily Hinshelwood will be delivering Poems on Prescription in celebration of Valentine’s Day, handing out love poems to the public. Children from Laugharne Primary School will perform a dramatic presentation of some of Dylan’s work, including A Child’s Christmas in Wales. Carmarthenshire County Council is organising the event and the Leader Cllr Kevin Madge, executive board member Cllr Meryl Gravell and Chair Cllr Terry Davies will all take part in the programme. People are welcome to go along to the event which is taking place in Laugharne Castle car park from 10am. The bespoke replica of D...

Four people have been fined for dropping litter in the Ammanford area. A man was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £75 after he was seen leaving two glass bottles on the grass verge on the Riverside Walk near Tesco. A second man was caught dropping a plastic drinks bottle on a footpath at Margaret Street. Council environmental enforcement officers also fined two men for dropping crisp packets on Glanamman Road in Glanamman. The officers were on patrol in the area at the time of the offences. Failure to pay could lead to prosecution in court and a fine of up to £2,500. The council has a zero tolerance towards anyone caught dropping litter. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Keeping Carmarthenshire clean is something we take very seriously and anyone caught will be fined. “Ideally, we do not want people to drop litter in the first place. It costs the council over £2 million a year to clean our streets; but if people didn’t drop the...

The news headlines about flooding have added meaning for the team at Burry Port engineering firm Amcanu. Production at the factory is heavily geared-up to producing canopies and fabricated bases for mounting state-of-the-art water pumps of the type needed in natural disaster scenarios such as flooding. “The pictures in our newspapers and on our television screens hammer home the message every day for the team here,” said Amcanu managing director Owain Davies. “We specialise in tailored sheet metal solutions and providing the noise-insulating enclosures which fit around giant pumps. “It is specialist work and the team here are Amcanu are keenly aware that the finished products they help produce are going to be of great service and use when it comes to pumping water.” The engineers at Amcanu have just finished work on a beast of a pumping unit – a 10-ton giant called the Series 15. “This is the largest enclosure unit we have produced at Amcanu and we were very proud to see it...

The latest 'On Song' column from the Llanelli Star - The concert diary is filling up fast for Côr Meibion Llanelli’s 50th anniversary year. The choir has agreed to make a return visit to Hersham in Surrey on Saturday, July 12. “Our visit there last year was a great success, with the organisers saying they could have sold tickets for the venue twice over,” said choir chairman Mel Harries. “On our last visit we raised a huge amount of cash for the Royal Marsden cancer hospital. We are hoping to do the same again this year as it is a very worthy cause.” Mr Harries added the choir had also received an invitation from Llanelli MP Nia Griffith to perform at the Houses of Parliament in London on Tuesday, April 1. “It is a very prestigious invitation and we are looking forward to performing for a select audience of MPs and members of the House of Lords. Meanwhile, the Côr Meibion Llanelli organising committee has finalised dates for the choir’s trip to Austria later this year. The choi...

Llanelli residents are getting in to the spin of things to keep fit and healthy. High intensity exercise craze spinning is proving so popular in Llanelli Leisure Centre that it’s had to introduce more classes since the arrival of 15 new bicycles last month. The 45-minute sessions involve hopping on a stationary bike and peddling as hard as you can while adding and subtracting resistance. The funky music classes improve cardio endurance and muscle tone, as well as helping to reduce stress levels. Instructor Ruth Armstrong-Bull said: “You’ll get an amazing workout and many people just go for the atmosphere and to make friends. The class can be as intense as you want it and you can adjust your bikes to a level you feel comfortable with.” The latest craze is known for it strong sense of camaraderie between riders as they sweat in dimly lit studios that pump heart-pounding music. The classes are held on a Monday at 7am and 7pm, Wednesday at 7am, Thursday at 7am and Friday at 9.30am and 5....

No-one will accept they are a bad driver, but a gentle reminder of the basic skills can do your confidence a world of good. And this is never truer than for older drivers. So much has changed since their learned to drive from road layouts to the density of traffic. Carmarthenshire County Council’s Road Safety Unit, supported by the Community Safety Partnership, has taken a proactive approach towards improving the road safety of the older driver population and has been working with the 50+ Forum to pilot ‘refresher’ driver awareness sessions. More than 50 drivers across the county have taken part in courses in the last few months. In the UK there is an increasing population of drivers over the age of 60 years. Within Wales there are a total of 544,602 driving licence holders aged 60 or over, with 58,579 of these being over the age of 80. County road safety manager Keith Griffiths said: “With these numbers set to increase we have introduced these sessions and they’re proving popular. “...

A former weightlifting Olympian and twice commonwealth bronze medalist is hitting the treadmill to learn to walk again. Peter Arthur, was left unable to take more than a few steps after suffering a stroke more than a year ago. For the last 12 months the 76-year-old has been working the treadmill four days a week at Carmarthenshire leisure centres and is now able to walk a mile and a half. The dad of one says determination, a tailored fitness package, plenty of water and his wife’s support has been key to his recovery. He said: “After suffering the stroke I was in total shock and couldn’t understand why it had happened to me because I had always been so fit. I was frustrated at being in a wheelchair and I couldn’t see any light at the end of the tunnel. “I was paralysed down the right side of my body and was unable to do simple things like tying my shoe lace or eating with my right hand. “I was at a low point before I was referred to the leisure centre and put on a fitness programme t...

Strange days at County Hall in Carmarthen. They have taken to using the council website to lob hand grenades at all-comers. Here's the latest volley issued as a press release . . . make of it what you will. ----------------------------------- Many councillors and officials at Carmarthenshire County Council say they are bitterly disappointed and frustrated at misinformation being circulated around the recent public interest report issued by the Wales Audit Office. As such, they have today published correspondence between themselves and the Wales Audit Office in order for people to judge for themselves as to what has actually taken place, ahead of the extraordinary council meeting which has been called to debate the Public Interest Report later this month (February 27). Whilst the intention had been to present this information to councillors at the meeting, the scale and persistent nature of the misinformation in circulation has led the council to publish it earlier and s...

Cross Hands Library has been closed temporarily while repairs are being carried out to the building. A full structural survey is being undertaken following concerns about the condition of the parapet wall at the front. The library will be closed for the foreseeable future and the area has been cordoned off for scaffolding to be erected. The library service will continue to be provided via the mobile facility, times and days will be announced shortly. Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board member for libraries Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “We apologise for any inconvenience caused as a result of this closure. “We are exploring a number of options to continue providing the library service in this area. “We will deploy the mobile library van as soon as possible while a longer term solution is decided, as we await the result of the survey from the current building.”

The choristers of Cor Meibion Llanelli have raised nearly £200 for the Ty Bryngwyn Hospice Appeal by staging a charity concert at the Thomas Arms in Llanelli. Choir chairman Mel Harries said: "We support the hospice appeal throughout the year with different events, including the annual Festival of Light in the St Elli Centre. "The landlord and landlady of the Thomas Arms Hotel very kindly asked us to play at a special concert for the hospice appeal and the end result was an extra donation of nearly £200 for the charity." Mrs Susan Thomas, the secretary of the Ty Bryngwyn Hospice Fundraising Committee, said the appeal members were very grateful to the Thomas Arms and Cor Meibion Llanelli for their continued support. Photo: Choir members pictured at their weekly rehearsal as the cheque was handed over to the Ty Bryngwyn Hospice Fundraising Committee. The photo includes choir chairman Mel Harries, musical director Eifion Thomas, David Craddock, the chairman of t...

The go-ahead engineering firm Amcanu Ltd in Burry Port has a vacancy. See below - Our Technical department requires a - Mechanical Design Engineer based at our factory in Burry Port, near Llanelli We are a specialist sheet metal manufacturer with the core business in designing and manufacturing sound attenuating enclosures for the pump and generator sectors worldwide. We are looking for a talented and enthusiastic person to complement our technical department and have the ability to work in a demanding environment. Applicants should, preferably, have – 3D CAD Experience (Preferably Autodesk Inventor) Mechanical Design Experience Sheet Metal Knowledge Radan CAM Software Experience As a forward thinking and dynamic business, further training and personal development will be provided if required. Salary £25k to £35k (Depending on experience) Please apply, using the application form click on this link . Or send your CV to jobs@amcanu.co.uk

The members of Llanelli Rotary Club were honoured with a visit by their District Governor (area boss) at their weekly meeting at the Stradey Park Hotel, Llanelli. David Curtis is the current chairman of District 1150 (South Wales) of Rotary International Great Britain and Ireland. Mr Curtis is a member of the Pontllanfraith, Blackwood, Gwent, club. He is a former international gymnast and trampolining champion. He was welcomed to the meeting by Llanelli Rotary Club President Ken Abban. Mr Abban said it was an honour to greet Mr Curtis and to listen to hear him speak about Rotary's work in South Wales. Mr Curtis praised the Llanelli club for their fund-raising efforts and for their many community projects. He said he was delighted to attend the second oldest club in Wales. The vote of thanks to Mr Curtis was given by past District Governor and past Llanelli Rotary President Mr John (JC) Williams MBE. Website - http://www.llanellirotary.com

Residents in Bury Port and Llanelli are urged to be vigilant after residents reported a spate of cold call incidents involving companies attempting to defraud consumers by giving the impression they were working for the Government’s Green Deal Scheme. The callers generally request an upfront fee of several hundred pounds to carry out energy efficiency assessments, however after making the payments some residents have been left in the cold when assessors have failed to turn up and calls left unanswered. Carmarthenshire County Council executive board member for environmental and public protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Some private companies are charging householders for Green Deal Assessments, which they are allowed to do, however the charges can vary and there has been some concern as some householders have paid for surveys that have never been carried out.” Trading Standards in Carmarthenshire advise residents to be wary of any approaches made over the telephone and that if people a...

S4C and BBC Cymru Wales have welcomed the launch of a brand-new award for excellence in the production of Welsh language film.  The Carmarthen Bay Film Festival is to award the Gwobr John Hefin Award for the best Welsh language short film. It can either be a live action narrative fiction or a factual report on a chosen subject or idea. The film’s final running time must be more than two minutes and less than 45 minutes including credits, if any. The entry fee per submission is only £15. Entrants will need to submit their film to the festival, which is to be held in Llanelli in May 2014.  The festival website is at - http://www.carmarthenbayfilmfestival.co.uk/   The deadline is March 14. Festival founder and chief executive Kelvin Guy said: "The aim of this new award is to actively encourage the submission of Welsh language short films amongst up and coming filmmakers and to give them a platform to screen their work to a wider audience. "We’d also lik...

Over the next century, plants and animals will need to adapt or shift locations to track their ideal climate in response to continued global warming. In research published today in the journal Nature, Aberystwyth University academic Dr Pippa Moore, along with an international team of scientists from Australia, Canada, Germany, Spain, UK and USA, reveals global maps that show how fast and in which direction local climates are shifting. This new study points to a simpler way of looking at climatic changes and their likely effects on biodiversity. “The maps show us where plants and animals will have to move to stay within their existing thermal niches and thereby track climate change,” says Dr Pippa Moore from the Institute for Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences, Aberystwyth University. The study analysed 50 years of sea surface and land temperature data (1960-2009) and also investigated two future scenarios for marine environments (‘business as usual’ and 1.75°C temperature i...

Volunteers with Pembrokeshire Community Team for Learning Disabilities have been recognised in Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Best of Health awards for their help and dedication in supporting people with learning disabilities to communicate better. Ben Fulton and Julie Warlow have been volunteering together for the Speech and Language Therapy service since 2012. Julie joined us as a volunteer, with the remit of supporting Ben in his volunteering role as he has learning difficulties. They won Volunteer of the Year being praised for their professionalism, time and energy as well as their unique supporting role to each other. The whole team nominated them saying: “From the start, Ben and Julie have worked together as a team. Julie supports Ben with the organisational side of volunteering, helping him to plan and sequence their tasks. Equally, Ben has taught Julie our core sign vocabulary, and has given her advice on using our computer programme ‘Communicate in Print’ which we use...

The countdown is well and truly on to the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival. There's just over 83 days to go to the start of the third annual festival on Tuesday, May 6. "Excitement is building and the foundation blocks laid by the first two festivals are paying great dividends, " said festival founder and chief executive Kelvin Guy. "We always knew that we would start small as a festival, but it is hugely encouraging to see the event growing year by year and attracting more interest nationally and internationally." The festival aims to encourage independent film and cinema in Wales and beyond. Mr Guy said his interest in film stemmed from his ancestors — including Gareth Hughes, the first Welsh silent film star in Hollywood, who was his grandmother's cousin. "I made a documentary about him and met and interviewed some of his friends and family in the USA," said Mr Guy. "So I suppose it is his fault that I had the idea to start a festiva...

Latest news from Lynne Orton's Business Network (includes new Llanelli venue) -  Business Breakfasts (7.30am - 9.30am ) £15 non-members, £12 members 12th Feb 2014 Swansea Business Breakfast The Liberty Stadium Swansea 14th Feb 2014 Bridgend Business Breakfast The Grove Golf Club * NEW VENUE Bridgend 19th Feb 2014 Cardiff Business Breakfast Miss Jones Whitchurch 21st Feb 2014 Chepstow Business Breakfast Marriott St Pierre Chepstow 26th Feb 2014 Swansea Business Breakfast The Liberty Stadium Swansea 28th Feb 2014 Bridgend Business Breakfast The Star Inn Treoes Business Lunches (12 till 2pm) £29.50 non-members, £26 members 11th Feb 2014 Cardiff Business Lunch Marriott Hotel Cardiff 13th Feb 2104 West Wales Business Lunch Sosban * NEW VENUE Llanelli 18th Feb 2014 Newport Business Network Marriott St Pierre 20th Feb 2014 Swansea Business Network Marriott Hotel Swansea On the day . . . When you arrive you will pick up your badge which tell you which table you are on. Y...

Sea defences installed 25-years ago to protect a now defunct experimental wind turbine station off the coast at Burry Port have been damaged in the recent storms. As a result, 30-metres of a triple bank of stone-filled gabions are being removed and a footpath within Burry Port Woodlands is being sacrificed in a ‘managed retreat’ by being moved inland. Two bite-sized chunks of the headland overlooking the sea have been taken in the storms. Fencing and signs have been installed to warn regular users and dog walkers of the risks of walking too close to the edge where chunks of the land alongside the footpath have fallen 20 to 25-feet to the beach below. The eroding bank consists of a back pulverised fuel ash waste product of the former Carmarthen Bay Power Station which occupied land nearby. Carmarthenshire County Council’s coastal defence consultant Howard Blackwell said a short length of the stone-filled gabions that had been installed more than 25 years ago had been undermined by the...

The following products are being produced by the Jenkins Bakery to mark St Valentine's Day - LOVE SUGAR HEART BISCUITS - 95p Our top quality shortbread biscuit with a heart sugar plaque, hand-decorated with a cute message and gift wrapped. VALENTINE HEART BISCUITS - 75p Top quality shortbread biscuit half dipped with chocolate and decorated with a valentine heart. RED VELVET CUP CAKES - 95p Our moist red velvet cup cakes topped with marbled frosting and sugar paste hearts. CHOCOLATE VALENTINE CUP CAKES – 95p A chocolate cup cake topped with marbled frosting & sugar paste hearts. VIENNESE HEART BISCUITS - 85p Top quality shortbread biscuit with a rope of rich Viennese around the edge and in filled with red piping jelly. LOVE BUGS - 85p Shortbread biscuit base with light caramel filling with milk chocolate and hand-decorated.  VALENTINE CHOCOLATE DIPS - 65p Our top quality Genoese cake sponge coated with chocolate and decorated with two valentine sugar...

Latest news from the Introbiz business networking team -  What a day to remember we all had on Tuesday 4th February, The FA Wales & Introbiz Business Club Launch. The M4 motorway was closed for nine hours, we had over 70 companies stranded on the motorway that couldn't make the event. A big thank you to the 50 companies that did manage to attend this fabulous event and Q & A with Wales manager Chris Coleman. We will be planning another event shortly for all those companies that didn t manage to make the event and had already booked to attend. They will receive two free tickets to Wales v Iceland and hospitality on 5th March 2014 at Cardiff City Stadium. Please email info@introbiz.co.uk if you require them. This week's event is at the new venue Parc Thistle Hotel in the centre of Cardiff Introbiz Networking Event at Parc Thistle, Cardiff. Thursday 13th February 2014 4pm-6pm with food & drinks The Parc Thistle, Cardiff CF10 3UD Join us at this beautiful ho...

The care provided by the Chemotherapy team at Glangwili Hospital is just one of the Carmarthenshire winners at Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Best of Health awards. Nominated by patient Mr Eirian James the team was praised for recognising and respecting his individuality and this, along with all other aspects of his care, resulted in a positive patient experience that he wants to share with others. Mr James said: “Every time I entered the unit or made telephone contact I was met with the same smile or the evident caring attitude that was prevalent across the entire unit. I felt that somebody actually cared about me and my condition and that this was as an individual and not just another person coming through an increasing conveyor belt system.” The Unit won the Improving the Patient Experience, including Safety, Dignity and Respect and the Chief Executives award for overall winner. Another Carmarthenshire based winner was Fiona Daniels, Macmillan Lung Cancer Support Officer, Carma...

Latest special offers from the Jenkins Bakery - WEEK COMMENCING 10/02/14 - VALENTINE'S WEEK 3 MEDIUM CORNED BEEF PASTIES £1.60 2 CHICKEN & MUSHROOM PASTIES £2.20 2 LARGE CORNED BEEF PASTIES £1.90 2 FRESH CREAM ECLAIRS/CARAMEL & CUSTARD ECLAIRS £1.70 2 CUSTARD SLICES £1.60 SANDWICH OF THE WEEK – CHICKEN TIKKA £2.25 RUSTIC BAGUETTE OF THE WEEK – HAM & CHEESE £2.35 ROLLS OF THE WEEK – WHITE BAPS - PACK OF 4 £1.00 LOAF OF THE WEEK – SMALL FARMHOUSE £1.05 SPECIALITY LOAF – RUSTIC BROWN BREAD (available Thur,Fri,Sat) 95p (special offer 20p off) Website - http://jenkinsbakery.co.uk/