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

A street support scheme in Carmarthen has proved so successful that Carmarthenshire Community Safety Partnership is hoping to do something along similar lines in Llanelli. Carmarthen NightLight’s friendly team of volunteers from local churches and chapels go out onto the town’s streets on Saturday nights from 11pm - 3am to offer help. The volunteers could be handing out flip flops to girls who can no longer wear their high heels, giving people water or lollipops, picking up abandoned bottles and glasses - or simply providing a listening ear. The street team is in regular radio contact with the CCTV operators and police. Carmarthen NightLight is supported by Carmarthenshire CSP which recently paid for warm winter jackets for the volunteers and funded a leaflet to raise awareness of the scheme and bring in new volunteers. NightLight Co-ordinator, the Rev Coralie Steel said: “Both the police and the people on the streets are very appreciative of what we do and of the fact that we are t...

Carmarthenshire Communities First teams in partnership with Jobs Growth Wales are tackling the challenges facing young people in one of the toughest jobs markets by finding unique employment opportunities. They are helping young people aged 16-24 that are job ready but have had difficulty securing employment by offering exclusive job placements, paid at or above the national minimum wage for a minimum of 25 hours per week. The programme focuses on helping young people living specifically within the Carmarthenshire cluster areas, to gain high-quality work experience in order to progress into sustained employment or, where appropriate an apprenticeship. Communities First Jobs Growth Wales Mentor Hannah Evans said:”If you are job-ready and just need a chance to gain the work experience that you may be lacking, this could be an opportunity for you.” Executive Board Member Regeneration and Leisure, Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “This is a fantastic opportunity for young people seeking employme...

The approaches to Bynea Station have been given a makeover. The £20,000 scheme has improved the immediate area adjacent to the rail station access for bus and rail users. The work was part funded by Welsh Government and ERDF through the National Station Improvement Programme grant awards. Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board member for transport services, Cllr Colin Evans, said the work had been completed to a high standard to provide pedestrian safety and the potential to connect rail and bus journeys. He said: “It is great to see that the council’s transport and engineering team have enthusiastically enabled this work and that the authority has given up land to enhance the scheme.” Local member Cllr Deryk Cundy said the scheme had been well received by residents too. He said: “There is a great all round improvement in the station area from a visibility point of view, provision of a new crossing point and installing a missing footpath link on the northern platform sta...

A Pembrokeshire older people’s charity has changed its name and joined a national network of charities for older people. Age Concern Pembrokeshire’s new name is Age Cymru Pembrokeshire and it has become a member of the Age Cymru family of charities. Commenting on the change, Age Cymru Pembrokeshire’s Chief Officer Jane Slade says: “This is a very exciting time for us and a time of change. “After over 20 years as Age Concern Pembrokeshire, Age Cymru Pembrokeshire will continue to provide support and services for people in the area. “Local people will still be able to access our free, confidential, information and advice service and be supported by our befriending scheme and carer support programme. “We will also continue to provide our ‘Home from Hospital’ programme; our ‘Home Support’ service; our nail cutting service; socialisation packages and our telephone care calls. “It goes without saying that after 20 years, we still need the support, enthusiasm and energy of our cohort of v...

The award-winning South Wales business the Jenkins Bakery has released details of its Mother's Day range of products.  "Everyone knows mums are special," said the Jenkins Bakery's operations director Russell Jenkins. "There's gifts galore out there for Mothering Sunday, but we have found our own very special way of saying 'I Love You' to mums. "Make your mam a cup of tea and give her one of our special Mother's Day cakes to sample - she'll love it." The Jenkins Bakery staff have produced three special products to mark the occasion - Mothering Sunday is on Sunday, March 30, 2014. MUM CUP CAKES £1.00 Our moist plain cup cake topped with various flavoured frostings and a hand decorated sugar paste disk.  MUM HEART SPONGE £4.00 A luxury lemon sponge flooded with flavoured fudge icing, hand decorated and gift wrapped. MUM BISCUITS 85p Luxury Shortbread Biscuit Heart Shaped Hand Decorated Sugar Paste Disk and Gift Wrapped....

South Wales comedian Phil Evans has written this feature on the importance of standing up to bullying. Why ‘stand-up’ beats the bullies Cyber-bullies, playground bullies, workplace bullies, gay-bashing bullies, celebrity bullies . . . It appears there’s more ‘bullish’ behaviour in society today than in many pedigree herds of cattle. Blimey! Even the fragrant Cheryl Cole is alleged to have been involved in a spot of bullying. Cole was the X Factor in an alleged encounter with a nightclub toilet attendant – possibly proving that even famous people aren’t always on their best behaviour. You can be rich and famous, but if you hurt, humiliate or belittle someone less fortunate than you, you’re a bully. And if you keep on doing it, I’ll get my seven-foot tall, professional wrestler mate ‘The Giant Needle’ (I found him under ‘The Giant Haystacks’) to beat you up! Okay, I’m being ironic. Do pay attention, 007! During our lifetimes, we’ll inevitably encounter physical...

Social entrepreneur and millionaire Kevin Green has given his reaction to Chancellor George Osborne's Budget -  I am very glad and that I invested my monthly pension contribution into a house rather than a pension. I am not paying intermediaries massive fees - and cutting out the middle-man means that my family are much more financially secure. The other question I would ask regarding the pension changes is: why would you pull money out of a pension and then get slapped with income tax? I also wonder why people bother locking money up in ISAs, when they may be better off shopping around for a high interest account which can achieve the same thing, if not better. I sometimes wonder with ‘vehicles’ such as the ISA, who really benefits? The customer or the introducer? I think I know the answer to that one! There’s a good plus point in the Budget with the Home Equity scheme being extended. It shows evidence that the Government wants to kick-start the economy. The extension of t...

The UN World Water Day[1] wants to promote energy use that keeps the world’s water safe, but a Welsh environment charity says that fracking and clean water don’t mix. Friends of the Earth Cymru has urged the Welsh Government to take action on World Water Day (Saturday 22 March), and halt the fracking industry that could pollute water in Wales. Exploratory drilling for shale gas uses 1.6 million litres of water for every frack[2], with the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency considering there to be a “high risk” to the water environment[3]. Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, Gareth Clubb, said: “Wales is rightly famed for our high quality natural environment. Fracking and clean water just don’t mix. “Time after time we hear of fracking causing water pollution right around the world. World Water Day is asking people to consider the links between water and energy, and we know that the fracking industry could do serious damage to Wales’ water. Contaminating our ground water could...

S4C has launched a national campaign to inject some of Cyw’s colourful world into children’s wards in hospitals across Wales. Carmarthen’s Glangwili Hospital became the second hospital to have the Cyw treatment as Ward Cilgerran, the children’s ward, was decorated with pictures of Cyw and friends this week. The campaign started last December as pictures of characters from Cyw, S4C’s children’s service were put up on walls in Dewi Ward; the children’s ward at Ysbyty Gwynedd in Bangor. Other wards in hospitals across Wales will be decorated in a similar way over the coming months. Director of Communications, Marketing and Partnerships at S4C, Garffild Lloyd Lewis hopes that the campaign will help lift children’s spirits when receiving treatment in Wales’s hospitals. “We hope that this new campaign will be a small contribution to the efforts made to ensure that time spent in hospitals isn’t too uncomfortable for children in Wales. We know that staff in wards across the country...

Desmond Bowen CB CMG, a member of the UN Secretary General’s Advisory Board on Disarmament Matters, will be speaking at Aberystwyth University today. A former civil servant with a focus on defence and international security issues, Desmond Bowen will be discussing arms control and disarmament by evaluating its contribution to international peace and security and what motivates nations to enter into arms control agreements. The lecture “Arms Control and Disarmament: Pipedream or Panacea?” will be held in the Main Hall, International Politics Building on the Penglais Campus and will start at 6.30pm. This event is free and open to the public. Background Disarmament hit the headlines in 2013 when Syria agreed to give up its chemical weapons and the OPCW won the Nobel peace prize. Most arms control is less spectacular. How should we evaluate its contribution to international peace and security, and do we understand what motivates nations to enter into arms control agreements? Are such ag...

Significant support for the Taf Quality Time Club (the QT Club), which provides a lively meeting point for families coping with dementia-related illnesses, has been received from pupils at Sparkasse Guterslohe school in Germany. The cheque for £500 arrived during March to the great delight of QT Club members. Club chairman, Reg Wyeth from St Clears, said “This is a tremendous boost to what the QT Club can do for its members. Our new venture is dependent on the support we receive and it is a very big thrill to have such a generous donation from youngsters so far away. After the cheering, our members were unanimous in sending their sincere thanks to the children for their kindness.” The donation was arranged with the school by Trevor Stubbs who is based at Guterslohe in Germany and who has relatives and friends in St Clears. The funding will been used directly to support the activities organised by the QT Club. The QT Club meets on alternate Fridays at 2pm in the St Clears Boating C...

A total of 50 leading experts will gather for a seminar hosted by Aberystwyth University in Cardiff today to explore a particular aspect of the changes in the way Wales is being governed since devolution. The inter-disciplinary seminar is being organized by the University's Institute of Welsh Politics and the Department of Law & Criminology at the Pierhead building in Cardiff Bay. It will bring together Commissioners, Ombudsmen, key decision-makers, Civil Servants and leading academics from Wales and beyond to examine the role of these key figures in Welsh public life. Professor John Williams, Head of the Department of Law and Criminology at Aberystwyth University and one of the convenors said: “Commissioners and Ombudsmen are a prominent feature of Welsh governance and indicate how Wales has developed its distinctive path of governance and policy-learning since devolution. The Children's Commissioner, the Older People's Commissioner for Wales, the Welsh Language Commis...

The latest 'On Song' column about the choral scene in and around Llanelli from the Llanelli Star -  Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi (Vale of Towy Male Voice Choir) are gearing-up for their annual concert to be held on June 28 at the Princess Gwenllian Centre, Kidwelly, with guest artists soprano Catrin Aur and the Welsh Choir of the Year 2013 Cor Y Wiber. Choir spokesman Derrick Rowlands said: “2013 was a very busy and successful year for the choir and 2014 is promising to be another memorable term for the choristers. Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi engagements include - 23 March, Penygraig Chapel. 5th April, Princess Gwenllian Centre, Kidwelly. 19th April, Wedding, St Mary's Church, Kidwelly. 24th - 27th April, Isle Of Wight Tour. 12th July, Hillingdon, London. 4th August, Eisteddfod Sir Gar, Llanelli. 18th October, Lyric Theatre Carmarthen. Anyone interested in joining Côr Meibion Dyffryn Tywi, can contact Mr Rowlands on email on onnen@hotmail.com or fill out the contact fo...

Yellow is being used at Withybush Hospital to help dementia patients find their way around. Approximately 25% of people accessing hospital services are likely to have dementia and the number of people with dementia is expected to double by 2030. Colour can be used to encourage or discourage movement into certain areas and brighter colours may be used to emphasise more important areas of a room. Yellow is a highly visible colour and often used to carry important messages and good visual cues are important for patients with dementia. Last year wards 1,7,8 and 12 at Withybush Hospital underwent simple enhancements to improve the environment of care. The aim was to improve orientation and visual cues for patients with dementia locating toilets. Doors on all patient’s toilet areas were painted a distinctive yellow colour and a symbol sign used to denote the room. County Head of Acute Nursing, Lesley Jenkins, said: “Patients in general have felt that it was easier to find their way aro...

Some 5,752 staff from across NHS Wales have completed at the least the opening level of the national learning programme Improving Quality Together in just one year - and numbers are continuing to grow. Improving Quality Together (IQT) was launched in March 2013 to give all staff in health boards and NHS Trusts the opportunity to develop a common approach and language to healthcare improvement. And as the first anniversary of the programme falls on NHS Change Day – a national movement to encourage staff to pledge do something to improve care – it’s a great opportunity to inspire even more staff from within Hywel Dda University Health Board to do IQT. Dr Alan Willson from 1000 Lives Improvement, the national improvement service in NHS Wales that delivers the programme, said; "We are delighted to reach this milestone of 5,752 staff completing the bronze level of the programme. "We are seeing the benefits of everybody speaking a common language of improvement and working towards ...

Young people from the YFC (Young Farmers Club) from Dihewyd donated £230 from carol singing to the Day Chemo Unit at Glangwilli Hospital, Carmarthen. They also raised the same amount for RNLI Newquay lifeboat. Hywel Dda Charitable Funds is a registered charity which provides vital support beyond what the NHS currently provides. The funds are invested in the health and well-being of the local population by helping to keep Hywel Dda’s services at the highest standards. Grants are provided to a variety of areas such as purchasing state of the art equipment, improving hospital environments, community care and supporting research. The generosity of supporters makes a real difference to our patients, their families and visitors on a daily basis. For more information contact the Fundraising Team on 01269 239815 or fundraising.hyweldda@wales.nhs.uk or download a fundraising pack from www.hywelddahb.wales.nhs.uk/supportforlife  

The replica of Dylan Thomas’s iconic writing shed is to visit St Catherine’s Walk in Carmarthen this weekend. It will make its first appearance in the shopping centre as part of the World Poetry Day  celebrations on Saturday. The Young People’s Poet Laureate for Wales – Martin Daws will be creating bespoke poems for everyone from the Shed in readiness for Mother’s Day. The poetry takeaway will be there throughout the day. People can have a chat with Martin at the Shed, then go shopping and collect their own unique poem from him later. Carmarthenshire County Council’s Principal Arts Officer Eleri Retallick said: “Our poetry takeaway offers the opportunity for a bespoke gift written from your thoughts by Martin. “The Shed itself has a full programme of visits planned as part of the DT100 festival, the replica shed has already attracted a lot of interest and will help promote Carmathenshire, and in particular, Laugharne, as the home of Dylan Thomas and the place which inspired so...

Lord Dafydd Elis-Thomas, Assembly Member and former Chair of the National Assembly’s Environment and Sustainability Committee, will be outlining the work of Committee at Aberystwyth University on 20 March 2014. The lecture “Democracy and Sustainability” is part of the Climate Change Consortium Wales (C3W) lecture series and will start at 6.30pm in the Biology Main lecture theatre, Edward Llwyd Building on Penglais Campus. This event is free and open to the public. The National Assembly’s Environment and Sustainability Committee was established in 2011 with a remit to examine legislation and hold the Welsh Government to account by scrutinising expenditure, administration and policy matters encompassing the maintenance, development and planning of Wales’s natural environment and energy resources. Dafydd Elis-Thomas became the first Assembly Member to represent Dwyfor Meirionydd in May 2007 after representing Meirionnydd Nant Conwy from 1999 to 2007. He was Member of Parliament for Meirio...

Volunteers who have helped patients in Carmarthenshire have been recognised for their long service. Evelyn Fowler and Margaret Ray both volunteer through the university health board’s Volunteering for Health project at Ty Cymorth in Carmarthen. At 92, Evelyn is Volunteering for Health’s oldest volunteer and has been volunteering at Ty Cymorth since her husband died 12 years ago. Evelyn’s husband was looked after by the service and volunteering was a way of giving something back and supporting other patients with a terminal condition. Margaret has been volunteering with Ty Cymorth since the service opened in 1995. She provides an opportunity for patients to sit and talk and provided them with refreshments Recently retired volunteer Joan Lewis was also recognised for the hours she has given. Joan has been volunteering in Ty Bryngwyn since it opened in 1995 providing an opportunity for patients to sit and talk and provided them with refreshments. Also praised for his long service w...

'Healthy Wednesday' advice from the Hywel Dda Health Board -  This Healthy Wednesday we are supporting National Patient Nutrition and Hydration Week and promoting the importance of good nutrition and hydration for people who are at nutritional risk both in hospital and in the community. Nationally up to 40% of people admitted to hospital are at nutritional risk as a result of their illness or condition and similarly many older people and those with long term illness in the community are at nutritional risk. When food intake or appetite is very poor a ‘Food First’ approach to improving nutrition is encouraged. This means focussing on getting the best nutrition using every day foods and drinks. The main nutritional focus in hospital is optimising patients nutritional intake to minimise the effects of poor nutrition on recovery, healing and well-being. However, when you feel unwell you may not feel like eating – just when you need food the most! When you do not feel hung...

A new post is hoping to raise awareness of cancer amongst people with learning disabilities. Macmillan Cancer Support have funded Tracey Lloyd, a Learning Disability Nurse, who is based at Ty Bryngwyn, Prince Phillip Hospital, Llanelli, to take a closer look at strengths and needs of services for all concerned with learning disabilities and cancer. This new initiative hopes to improve the outcome for people with learning disabilities, their families and supporters, and work with staff within primary and secondary care services to recognise the issues they face. The project stems across Wales and is keen to educate and empower people, and help collaborative working build a healthier future. Tracey said: “People with learning disabilities are a growing population both in number and in age. Many reports show they have higher levels of ill health and often have multiple chronic and complex health conditions. “Although cancer is of lower incidence than the general population there are iss...

Aberglasney Gardens in Carmarthenshire has received initial support from the Heritage Lottery Fund for a project to create a new heritage horticulture training facility at the historic gardens. Development funding of £130,500 has been awarded to help Aberglasney Restoration Trust progress their plans to apply for a full grant of almost £1 million. The project aims to provide inspiration and training for a new generation of gardeners as well as students with learning difficulties and school children and is the latest in a line of restoration projects at Aberglasney. The facility will be housed in a group of derelict farm buildings on the site, once the piggeries of Aberglasney Home Farm. As well as restoring the traditional buildings, there are also plans for a spectacular new greenhouse. Roger Evans, Chief Executive of the Aberglasney Restoration Trust has welcomed the news that the project has been given the initial support of the HLF. He said: “Aberglasney is already regarded as...

Glangwili Hospital’s urology department has been the recipient of a golden donation thanks to the generosity of Newcastle Emlyn couple, Mr Elgan and Mrs Margaret Jones. To celebrate their 50 years of marriage, Mr and Mrs Jones asked friends and family to forgo presents and asked for a donation instead to thank the team who had cared for Mr Jones. A fantastic £800 was raised and Mr and Mrs Jones recently returned to Glangwili in Carmarthen to present their cheque to the team. Mr Jones said: “We wanted to thank the wonderful team here, Wendy, Julie, Linda, Mike and all the staff. We had a lovely meal with our family and friends and we’d like to thank everyone for their generosity.” Mr Moosa, Urologist, Hywel Dda University Health Board, said: “I wish to convey my sincere thanks to Mr and Mrs Jones for choosing to mark such an occassion as special as their golden wedding anniversary to support our service and to their friends and family for their wonderful generosity.” Every day patie...

Oriel Myrddin gallery bosses in Carmarthen are investigating ambitious plans to further develop both the gallery and Carmarthen’s emerging cultural quarter in King Street. The gallery has commissioned a feasibility study to look in to the artistic, community and business benefits of the redevelopment of the Oriel Myrddin site. The gallery has been operating successfully for more than 20 years and has gained an excellent reputation as the main publicly funded art and craft gallery in the South West region. The team are now looking to extend the reach and impact of the gallery’s programme and education provision and explore plans to integrate an iconic new-build on the site of the bus shelter with the aim of attracting more footfall to the town. RDP Sir Gâr’s Innovative Communities, part of the Axis 4 Innovative Hubs scheme, has part-funded the feasibility study along with the Arts Council of Wales. Gallery Manager Meg Anthony said: “We’re really excited to have been given this opportu...

Llanelli-based concert and events promoter Cerith Owens has released details of his 2014 events programme. Mr Owens is the man behind Loud Applause Productions. "Our main aim with Loud Applause Productions is to fund-raise for charities and help organisations achieve success with their musical ventures," said Mr Owens. Events include - 22nd March, 7pm Llandybie Memorial Hall In aid of Fight for Sight Gary Griffiths Côr Merched Tybie Côr Meibion Dyffryn Aman Tickets: £8 unreserved Available: South Wales Guardian Office or 01269 593618 Sat 3rd May, 7pm Greenfield Chapel, Llanelli In aid of new Prostate Cancer Diagnostic Machine at Prince Philip Hospital Pendyrus Male Choir Lleisiau’r Cwm Samuel Morris, Rev David Jones (host) Tickets: £10 unreserved Available: Carmarthenshire Theatres Box Office 21st June, 7.30pm Swansea Grand Theatre In aid of Ty Hafan Only Boys Aloud Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers Ariosa Singers Daniella Difede Samuel...

Côr Meibion Llanelli (Llanelli Male Voice) are getting ready to welcome their 'twin choir' from Germany. The choir has been twinned with Singverein 1870 Laudenbach since 1979. The German choir will be joining the choir for a special concert at Llanelli's Ffwrnes Theatre on Saturday, June 7. Côr Meibion Llanelli musical director Eifion Thomas said the Llanelli choristers were looking forward to welcoming their old friends from Laudenbach, a town in the Miltenberg district of Germany, just south of Frankfurt. "I can remember our very first trip to Laudenbach when we took three coaches of choristers and supporters for the trip. When we arrived, they were waving flags in the street. It was a spectacular welcome and the two choirs have remained great friends ever since." Singverein actually means 'singing club' in German. The 1870 recognises the fact that the Laudenbach choir was formed in that year. The choir has performed throughout Germany and...

Llanelli’s leading young choristers will later this year join a celebrity line when they perform at London’s prestigious Royal Albert Hall. The Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers – under the direction of their magical maestro John Hywel Williams – will be part of a celebrity line up at the Royal Albert Hall for the acclaimed Salvation Army Christmas Celebrity Performance in November. The traditional sell-out event with a 5,000-strong audience, will see the Hywel Choir join forces with singer Cerys Matthews and other celebrities along with the Salvation Army’s International Staff Band and Chorus. In their planned performance, the Hywel choirs will be performing O Holy Night, a song they will also be recording and releasing for Christmas. Llanelli’s star choristers have a prestigious yet whirlwind November planned which will see them perform at the Royal Albert Hall, a return performance to St David’s Hall Cardiff for the Wales Festival of Remembrance, performing for the...

A breast cancer survivor who has raised £1,000s for Prince Philip Hospital has made her most recent donation. Sue Ladd was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2004 and has since made a full recovery. She received such fantastic care and support from staff at Prince Philip and Singleton Hospitals that she set up a registered charity, Sue Ladd and Friends, to raise funds for the units as a way of saying thanks. Since 2005 Sue Ladd & Friends have raised over £145,000 by organising a wide range of fun fundraising activities – from an annual charity ribbon race to a grand auction evening. The Breast Care Unit at Prince Philip Hospital has been the main beneficiary of financial support but they also support other local causes. They recently presented Mr Yeung Ng, Consultant Urological Surgeon, Hywel Dda University Health Board, with a cheque for £500 which will go towards the purchase of a state of the art ultrasound machine to help fight prostate cancer. The prostate ultrasound biopsy m...

Aberystwyth University has announced two new senior appointments. Alwena Hughes Moakes has been appointed Director of Communications, Marketing and Public Affairs and Louise Jagger has been appointed Director of Development and Alumni Relations. Alwena is currently the University’s Policy and Executive Officer, heading up the Vice-Chancellor’s Office. An award winning PR and communications professional, she joined the University in 2009 from Aberystwyth based PR agency FBA having previously worked in Local Government, the National Public Health Service, and the private sector. An Environmental Science graduate of Aberystwyth University, she also holds a MA in Management of Change and a Postgraduate Diploma in Public Relations. Alwena is also a former President of the University’s Students’ Union and UMCA (Undeb Myfyrwyr Cymraeg Aberystwyth) – Aberystwyth’s Union of Welsh Students. Speaking of her appointment, Alwena said; “I am delighted to be appointed to this role and am excited to...