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

Six people have been issued with fixed penalties for dumping litter at a Burry Port recycling site. Council environmental enforcement officers recently deployed CCTV at the council’s recycling site in Seaview Terrace due to complaints about an increased amount of waste being left around the recycling banks. The site was monitored for 4 days in July when six people were seen depositing waste around the site and not in the banks provided. This resulted in those six being issued with £75 fixed penalties each. Failure to pay the fines could lead to prosecution in the magistrates court and a maximum penalty of up to £2,500. Carmarthenshire County Council provides recycling banks to assist residents in recycling more of their waste, this is in addition to a comprehensive kerbside recycling service. Executive board member for Environmental and Public Protection, Cllr Jim Jones, said: “Unfortunately, not all residents are using these facilities in the correct manner. Some people are too lazy...

As pupils across the county are preparing to go back to school, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Award winning Catering Services team are urging parents to ensure their children start the term the right way – with a healthy breakfast and lunch in their bellies. For just £2.20 a day, pupils having school meals can enjoy a refreshment, main meal and pudding which has been carefully measured to ensure nutritional content. Each school meal accounts for one-third of a child’s daily nutritional intake and within a school setting children benefit from the healthiest lunches possible, receiving a well-balanced, tasty dish which can prolong their energy for their afternoon lessons. Over a week, they also work out cheaper than buying separate ingredients to fill packed lunches, and the variety of meals also beats a daily sandwich. Catering Services Manager, Sandra J Weigel, said:” The choices children and their parents make about their diet can have a big impact on their health and learning. ...

Aberystwyth University’s School of Management and Business has been shortlisted for the prestigious Business School of the Year Award at the Times Higher Education Awards 2014. For 10 years, the Times Higher Education Awards have provided a sparkling backdrop for UK universities and colleges to celebrate the best teams and individuals in higher education, and the most successful institutions. The awards recognise exceptional talent, dedication and innovation across the board, from research to widening participation, teaching to entrepreneurship. Speaking of the shortlisting, Professor Steven McGuire, Director of the School of Business and Management said: “I am truly delighted that the efforts of colleagues and students within the School of Business and Management have been recognised in this way. We are very proud of how the School has developed since its establishment, and particularly since the School has become part of the Institute of Management, Law and Information Science at the...

Scientists at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) are bringing together chemists, biologists and parasitologists from Welsh universities and companies based in Wales to build and lead a new consortium for parasite drug discovery and research within Wales. The scientific term for parasitic worms is helminths and drugs capable of destroying or eliminating parasitic worms are known as anthelmintics. Professor of Parasitology Peter Brophy from IBERS said, “Parasitic worms (helminth) have devastating impacts on human health, animal welfare and food production, with climate change spreading worm diseases to new regions. “The control of parasitic worms of livestock is not sustainable in the absence of vaccines, increasing anthelmintic (drug) resistance and few alternative drugs. “Parasitic helminths are a major threat to global food security and food borne human disease. Better diagnostics, vaccination strategies and new anthelmintic co...

Latest news from the Span Arts team in Narberth -  Comedy, Classical & Beatboxing, there's a lot on this September! Brighten up your month with music and laughter...For tickets or more information on any of these events please click on the relevant photos, or visit the Span Arts website . You can also call the Box Office on 01834 869323 Span Classical series is back starting with Jessica Robinson - Thursday 4th September The renewal of the Classical series, Welsh soprano Jessica Robinson is the first to perform. Pembrokeshire's own Jessica is a true talent, counting HRH The Prince of Wales within her fan base. Singing Workshop - Wednesday 10th September Sing your heart out -Span Arts singing workshop is back for another month with the wonderful Clara Clay. Great for socialising and having fun. All welcome.  Comedy Club: Andrew Bird, Stephen Carlin and Meryl O'Rourke - 11th SpetemberComedy Club can brighten the most dreary of Autumn evenings. The perfect n...

Tenants of Carmarthen’s Belvedere Avenue have been amongst the first to see new signs erected illustrating the council’s £200million investment in homes and communities. A series of signs have been installed across the county on housing estates where the largest scale improvements have been made under the council's Carmarthenshire Homes Standard (CHS) programme. They feature the faces of local people who have had their homes and neighbourhoods improved. Cllr Tegwen Devichand, Executive Board Member for Housing , said: “We are very proud of the investment we have made in homes and communities, and wanted to celebrate that by installing signs in key locations around the county to show what we have achieved. “We’re coming close to completion of the programme in 2015, but our tenants have told us that the improvements have already made a big difference to their lives. “As well as improving the physical appearance of homes, we have insulated them and installed energy efficient boil...

Move over Obama! The replica of Dylan Thomas’s iconic writing shed is vying for pride of place at the NATO summit. The pop-up shed , which has been touring the country as part of the DT100 celebrations, is visiting the prestigious event at the Celtic Manor. The bespoke replica, complete with curled pictures on the walls, boiled sweets on the desk and the poet’s jacket still hanging on the back of his chair – is on tour as part of the year-long festival commemorating the centenary of the great Welsh writer’s birth. The original shed sits above the Boathouse in Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, where Thomas lived with his wife Caitlin and three children, and where he penned some of his most famous works including Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night and Under Milk Wood. The Boathouse and the replica shed are owned by Carmarthenshire County Council’s cultural services division. Principal Arts Officer Eleri Retallick is with the shed at the summit. Ms Retallick said: “It is really e...

More than 1,650 children took part in the council’s Learn to Swim programme every week last year in Carmarthenshire leisure centres. Llanelli Leisure Centre supported 550 children, Carmarthen 650 and Ammanford 450 through the life saving scheme. The council’s sport and leisure team delivered a staggering 79,500 lessons - 26,500 in Llanelli, 31,200 in Carmarthen and 21,600 in Ammanford. Under the county’s school programme, 600 children swum every day with 117,000 lessons delivered in 2013. Sadly, drowning is the third most common form of accidental death in children, so being able to swim is an essential life skill. Parents are being urged to take action and put their children through the swimming scheme. The programme is fun, progressive and designed to be a continuous journey through aquatics. Children of any age, size or ability can take part . The idea is to teach every child to swim and achieve stage 6 of the national teaching plan by the age of 11 using the latest digital techn...

Motorists in Carmarthenshire are being urged to drive carefully as essential road maintenance  works are carried out. Surface dressing works are carried out annually by the council to make the roads safer and better to use. It involves applying a coating of hot bitumen onto the road surface followed by layers of hard stone chippings. A mechanical sweeper then removes the excess chippings after a day or so. Executive Board Member for Street Scene Cllr Colin Evans said although it caused some inconvenience for drivers, it was an essential maintenance operation. “This work prevents water seeping into the road foundation and weakening it, thus reducing the chances of potholes developing, and prolongs the life expectancy of the road,” he said. “It is the most cost effective method and allows traffic to drive over the newly laid surface almost immediately. “Following treatment, the skid resistance value of the road surface is restored when the surface was previously smooth or slippery....

The latest Phil Evans column from the South Wales Evening Post - Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy. It was either Archimedes or The Two Ronnies who profoundly remarked, “When a body is immersed in water...and the Radox foam is tickling your chin, the telephone will always ring downstairs.” That’s why they call cold calls, ‘cold’ calls. Because by the time you’ve climbed out of the bath, wrapped a towel around yourself, walked downstairs to the hall, accidentally dropped the towel and, in so doing, frightened the old lady next door who’d popped-in to borrow a pint of milk, turned around and quickly bent down to pick up the towel and, in so doing, frightened the old man next door, who’d popped-in to find his wife....and answered the ‘phone...you’re flipping freezing! In fact, any time a cold caller coldly calls you at home, as they tend to do more and more these days, it’s always at an inconvenient moment. Not that there’s s...

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in and around Llanelli) from the Llanelli Star -  There’ll be divided loyalties this weekend as there are two big concert attractions in the area. In Burry Port, the town’s male voice choir stage their annual concert on Saturday night. While, in Llanelli, on the same night, all roads lead to Greenfield Chapel, where a First World War Centenary Concert is being staged. The Chairman of the Burry Port Male Voice Choir Phil Barton has said his choir’s concert promises to be a treat. The evening will include performances of traditional Welsh songs and popular tunes. Joining the choir on stage will be Welsh soprano Catrin Aur and celebrated bass Emyr Wynne Jones. French horn player Stephanie Rees will also be taking to the stage with accompaniment from pianist and local Burry Port hero Caradog Williams and John Evans. Directing the performers will be seasoned musical director Ryan Lee. Mr Lee has arranged many of the songs sung by t...

Two new businesses have recently launched in rural Carmarthenshire thanks to funding from RDP Sir Gar’s Strengthening the Tourism Appeal of Rural Carmarthenshire (STARC) project. Delivered by Carmarthenshire County Council’s Physical Regeneration division, the grant aimed to strengthen Carmarthenshire’s position as a year round premier tourist destination by helping businesses to develop and promote themselves. Visit Ancestral Wales, specialise in holidays for people interested in researching their family tree and Welsh history. They received funding for Llysmeurig,a 1930s themed holiday accommodation in Pwll Trap near St Clears and Cefnmeurig, a genealogy research room attached to their award winning 5 star cottage holiday accommodation in Llangynin. Llysmeurig also has an exhibition of 1930s and 40s photographs in the house and a traditional photographic darkroom in one of the outbuildings. The company has considerable genealogy resources accumulated over the decades. The fund...

Latest 'Healthy Wednesday' advice from the Hywel Dda University Health Board - Don’t be blue – men make healthy changes this Healthy Wednesday. This Healthy Wednesday as part of Blue September we are highlighting the changes men can make to improve their health. Men’s health is not nearly as good as it could be and 42% of men die before the age of 75. Men are more likely than women to have a weight problem, to smoke, to drink alcohol at risky levels or to eat a poor diet. They are also more likely to take risks with their skin in the sun and less likely than women to visit their GP or to ask a pharmacist for advice. However, there are plenty of simple steps which can be taken to improve your health: Stub out the fags – smoking is the main cause of lung cancer and increases the risk of developing over 12 other cancers, including mouth and bowel cancers  Cut back on the booze - try alcohol-free days and non-alcoholic drinks  Aim to maintain a healthy body weight...

The replica of Dylan Thomas's writing shed is setting sail for Ireland as part of the DT100 celebrations. In partnership with the festival, British Council Ireland is to take the replica of the shed across the Irish Sea to the Mountains to Sea dlr Book Festival from 12th-14th September 2014. The shed will set sail on board the Stena Europe from Fishguard and makes the sea leg of its journey to Ireland courtesy of Stena Line ferries. The shed - complete with curled pictures on the walls, boiled sweets on the desk and the poet’s jacket still hanging on the back of his chair – is on tour as part of Dylan Thomas 100, the year-long festival commemorating the centenary of the great Welsh writer’s birth. The original shed sits above the Boathouse in the scenic seaside town of Laugharne, Carmarthenshire, where Thomas lived with his wife Caitlin (whose family hailed from County Clare), and where he penned some of his most famous works including Do Not Go Gentle into That Good Night and hi...

Residents in Carmarthenshire are being urged to put their rubbish bags out for collection correctly or face a fine of up to £1,000. The advice comes following two residents in Llanelli who have been fined £100 each in July for putting their bins out incorrectly. The residents, who live on Langland Road and Annesley Street, were issued the fixed penalty notices as well as being given information regarding recycling and notices requesting that they comply with the recycling scheme in their area. Residents are warned that if they fail to comply with such a notice issued under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990, they may be fined or reported for summons in a Magistrates court where the maximum fine on conviction is £1,000. Cllr Jim Jones, executive board member for Technical Services, said: “Carmarthenshire County Council's Environmental Enforcement section receive numerous complaints every day regarding rubbish bags being presented early for collection or being put ...

An Amman Valley woman has been prosecuted for failing to take down an unauthorised stable block. Linda Martin Thomas appeared before Carmarthen Magistrates where she pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to Section 179 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. The court was told that she was initially served with a Planning Contravention Notice for identified breaches of planning control by putting up a stable block on land near Penywaun, Grenig Road, Glannamman. She submitted a retrospective planning application which was subsequently refused and as a result was served with a Planning Enforcement Notice on August 31, 2012, that required her to remove the unauthorised stable block, material that formed the hard standing where it was sited, and required her to return the land to its former state. Thomas, of Cwmamman Road, Glanamman, appealed against the enforcement notice but the Welsh Planning Inspectorate dismissed the appeal and upheld the notice requirements. The Inspector d...

Youngsters are expected to make a huge splash to celebrate the reopening of Llanelli’s swimming pool . A fun packed, free activity programme has been planned for Saturday following the opening of the leisure centre facility earlier this week. Children are being invited to take part in a host of aquatic activities including free swims, Rookie, Aqua Aerobics, Water Polo, Snorkelling, Diving, and general fun sessions. Basketball, Junior Zumba, Circuits, Multi Skills, Trampoline, Futsal and Raquet sessions will also be delivered throughout the day in the sports hall. For the younger age group there will be a Netball and Hockey tots as well as family sport sessions which will start around 4.30pm. During the afternoon adults can get active by trying their hand at Spinning and Kettlebells sessions. Activities will start at 11am until 6pm, with free swimming for all on Sunday. The council’s senior sport and leisure manager, Carl Daniels said: “We are delighted to be up and running again and...

Latest news from Aberglasney House and Gardens in the Tywi Valley -  DAVID COWDRY'S ART EXHIBITION - 6TH TO 11TH SEPTEMBER David returns to exhibit for the second time this year with paintings inspired by landscape, light and wildlife. Aberglasney Members are invited to David's Preview Evening held in the Aberglasney Mansion on Friday 5th September 6:30pm to 8:30pm. About David Cowdry The 43-year-old Llandelo-based  has been steadily building up a ‘fan club’ of followers at Aberglasney with exhibitions at the mansion house over each of the last seven years. “It’s become a bit of a base camp and it’s a place I really enjoy visiting to show off my latest works,” said David. Aberglasney is a long way from David’s native Kent, but it’s very much a home from home for the artist. “I first moved down to Wales from Kent more than 20 years ago to study wildlife illustration at the old Carmarthen College of Art. “Believe it or not, but I was a failure,” chuckled ...

Latest news from the Oriel Myrddin Gallery in Carmarthen -  Amser cinio yn yr oriel // Lunchtime in the gallery: Sgyrsiau Cefn Gwlad // Countryside Talks 15 - 19 Medi // September 12:30pm bob dydd yn yr oriel (sgwrs yn para 40 mun) 12:30pm every day in the gallery (talks last 40 mins) Cyfres o sgyrsiau amser cinio am ddim yn yr oriel ar thema ffermio, y tir a bywyd gwledig, gan gynnwys celf, barddoniaeth, archeoleg ac arferion ffermio. Ymunwch â ni bob amser cinio a dewch â’ch brechdanau! A series of free lunchtime talks in the gallery about farming, the land and rural life; from art and poetry to archeaology and farming practices. Join us each lunchtime and bring your sandwich! @orielmyrddin #Omlunchtimetalks Dydd Llun 15 Medi // Monday 15 September Alice Pyper Ymddiriedolaeth Archeolegol Dyfed Dyfed Archaeological Trust Ymchwiliad Tywi: Cymuned yn ymchwilio i’w gorffennol Exploration Tywi: A community exploring their past Archeolegydd yn Ymddiriedolaeth Ar...

Businesses in Carmarthen are being urged to join the new High Street campaign being launched later this month. Carmarthenshire County Council is supporting the Welsh Government initiative taking place between September 20 and 27. It is aimed at encouraging businesses and communities to support their local High Streets and rediscover the benefits of shopping locally. A number of events and activities are being planned in town centres across Wales during the week, and Carmarthen is now being urged to join in. Regeneration executive board member Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “We are supporting the campaign and are encouraging local shops and businesses to come forward with their ideas. “It could be a specific event or a number of different activities or promotions – the main thing is that people take this opportunity to raise awareness of the benefits of shopping locally. “Some town centres are running large carnival style events, whereas in others there are a number of smaller activiti...

WISSARD, an American led study funded by the National Science Foundation to discover life under the Antarctic ice sheet, has published its findings this week. In late January of 2013 the WISSARD team made scientific and engineering history when they retrieved water and sediment samples from Lake Whillans which lies 800 metres (2600 feet) beneath the Antarctic ice sheet. Writing in the journal Nature, the team reports that water and sediment samples taken from the lake prove it supports a microbial ecosystem. Aberystwyth University scientist Dr Andrew Mitchell was one of only two European based scientists to have taken part in the mission. Dr Mitchell, a researcher at the Department of Geography and Earth Sciences, worked in laboratories located on the ice-shelf above Lake Whillans in Antarctica during December 2012 and January 2013. His work focused on testing water and sediment samples taken to determine the presence of chemical signals of microbial activity. Combined with microbial...

Latest news from the Bluestone resort in Pembrokeshire -  Earlybird 2015 Offer - Book Now! Early Bird Offer for 2015 - Simply book any 3, 4 or 7 night self catering break for 2015 and we'll give you 15% off! In addition to this great offer, you only need to pay a 15% deposit AND as part of the Bluestone Lowest Price Guarantee if the price of your break ever drops - you can claim the difference back! 15% Deposit Book now with a special deposit of just 15% instead of the standard 35% that you'd normally have to pay. A selection of upcoming 2014 highlights......... Christmas Break Kingdom of the Elves New Year's Break Bluestone Resort Ltd, The Grange, Canaston Woods, Narberth, Pembrokeshire, SA67 8DE.

Côr Meibion Llanelli’s extra special guest at their annual concert on Saturday, September 20, will be the award-winning and record-breaking West End and Broadway performer John Owen-Jones. John is a ‘local hero’ being from Burry Port. He is best known for his performances as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables and as The Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera. The concert marks the 50th anniversary of Côr Meibion Llanelli. It is being held at the newly-refurbished Selwyn Samuel Centre in Llanelli, starting at 7pm on Saturday, September 20. John will be accompanied by celebrated pianist Caradog Williams. Côr Meibion Llanelli will be under the baton of musical director Eifion Thomas, with Rhiannon Williams-Hale as accompanist. The concert will also feature Burry Port Town Band. “It promises to be an extra-special occasion in the Llanelli musical calendar,” said Côr Meibion Llanelli chairman Mel Harries. “John Owen-Jones is a world class act and his local fans only get rare opportunities t...

Carmarthenshire's Trading Standards have begun visiting almost 600 people whose names have been found on a ‘suckers list’ used by scammers. Their names have been picked up through a National Scams Hub, which Carmarthenshire County Council has signed up to. Their first visits are in Ammanford, and so far, officers have spoken to a number of people who have parted with money ranging from a few hundred pounds to thousands, mainly through scam mail. Quita Davies, Trading Standards Officer, said: “Quite often, people are either unaware that they are a victim, or are too embarrassed to admit that they may have fallen for a scam. “Through intelligence gathered via the National Scams Hub we have been able to make proactive visits to many people, offer them support and protect them from these criminals.” Trading Standards have linked up with Dyfed Powys Police , and Barclays Bank Ammanford Branch , who are helping identify victims and handing out scam information to customers. Cllr Jim J...

The number of construction apprenticeships provided by Carmarthenshire’s award-winning Next Steps programme this year has not just doubled – it’s quadrupled! An unexpected twist rounded off what has been another successful competition. Ammanford’s TRJ Ltd joined the scheme for the first time this year, providing an extra apprenticeship placement as part of the process. But during the winner’s ceremony, held at Llanelli’s Ffwrnes Theatre , the two companies announced that - such was the calibre of this year’s candidates – that they wanted to take two apprentices each. Dewey Clarke from Llanelli and Rhodri Evans from Pontyates will now begin apprenticeships with Lloyd and Gravell Ltd , and Luke Allen from Llanelli and Scott Williams from Ammanford will work with TRJ Ltd. There were two runners up – Jarred Fairhurst from Llandybie who has now secured a place on a diploma plastering course, and Josh McCarthy from Llwynhendy who has gained a place on a full-time carpentry course, both w...

The iOSDevUK conference takes place at Aberystwyth University from 2-4 September 2014 and is the largest event of its type in the UK. The conference welcomes Apple developers from all over the world to learn and share knowledge and experiences of the technology. This year the conference will be focusing on Apple’s new development platform, Swift, as well as covering new industry trends such as Wearable Technology. Professor Chris Price of the Department of Computer Science at Aberystwyth University, who founded the conference, comments, “iOSDevUK gets bigger and better year after year and this year’s conference is our most exciting line up yet! We’re delighted to have such prestigious speakers at our conference here in Aberystwyth and we’re very much looking forward to yet another successful iOSDevUK.” The delegates will be given the opportunity to attend talks and tutorials by over 20 Apple experts including Colin Eberhardt from Scott Logic who will present a session on ReactiveCoco...

Latest news from Ffos Las raceourse in Carway -  Sunday Afternoon Racing September 14 August The Real Ale Festival is one of our extremely popular racedays. With an opportunity to sample a wide selection of real ales and cider from local brewers as well as seven great flat races and ‘live’ music post racing from ‘Expecting Company’.

Latest news from the Blue Lagoon Water Park -  Swimming Lessons - starts on the 4th of September 10 week course just £40 In the warm surroundings of Blue Lagoon, our swimming lessons are in conjunction with the Amateur Swimming Association, whereby a ASA qualified teacher will guide your child through their first stages in the water. With stages 1,2,3 and 4 already sold out, make sure you book your little ones onto stage 5 to avoid disappointment. We also have limited availability on "Lagoon Ducklings" our swimming lessons designed for your 3 and 4 year olds prior to their official Stage 1 class. Rookie Lifeguard - starts on the 4th of September Just £40 for a 10 week course! Keep those energetic 7 to 12 year olds busy at our Rookie Lifeguard classes – they cover a wide range of lifesaving skills and abilities including self survival, CPR and First Aid. Join us every Thursday at 5pm for a fun and informative 10 week course! Places must be pre booked as spaces are li...

Job vacancies at Llanelli's Diplomat Hotel HEAD CHEF Head Chef required, busy a la carte restaurant, TRUBSHAW'S RESTAURANT up to 100 covers, functions,weddings up to 300 covers, conference facilities and leisure club. SECOND CHEF Required as above HOUSEKEEPING STAFF CONTACT:  cpjenkins@tiscali.co.uk TEL: 07808077564 Best Western Diplomat Hotel and Spa, Felinfoel Road, Llanelli, Carmarthenshire, SA153PJ 

Fracking in Wales could threaten far more jobs than it’s likely to create, new analysis [1] of a recent UK Government report [2] has revealed. Study of the Government report by environment charity Friends of the Earth Cymru has shown that, at its peak, a shale gas industry is likely to create just 240 jobs for the people of Wales, mostly in low-skilled, low-paying employment. Even this peak period of maximum employment will only last four years, after which employment will rapidly decline. The UK and Welsh Governments have also admitted there has been no assessment of the impact fracking could have on employment in other sectors, such as renewable energy, agriculture and tourism, despite concerns raised by unions and industry representatives. More than 100,000 people are currently employed in these sectors in Wales. Director of Friends of the Earth Cymru, Gareth Clubb said: “We’ve been told that fracking could be a massive boost to employment and bring much-needed jobs. But beneath th...

Letters written by Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847), best known for his Wedding March score and still the most frequently used music to wedding ceremonies today, were recently conserved and are now accessible to future generations for study and research at Aberystwyth University. The documents, bequeathed to the University over a century ago through the generosity of Sir Hugh Owen and George Powell (of Nanteos 1842-1882), include 17 letters and also two supposed autograph overture scores by the German Romantic composer, pianist and conductor. Mendelssohn made his first public debut at the age of nine in Hamburg, Germany, and from the age of 11, he composed a huge quantity of piano and chamber music, choral works, as well as five symphonies. He composed music for William Shakespeare’s play, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, and another well-known piece is the Hebrides Overture. Bill Hines, Information Services Departmental Fellow, explains, “The letters are in French and German and are address...

Community spirit is still alive and kicking in Carmarthenshire, with over 100 people turning up to a community day organised by Carmarthenshire’s Communities First . The free community day took place at Trimsaran Leisure Centre and was one of a series that have been held to help promote services and programmes available for local people in a fun family environment. The community day offered various attractions ranging from arts and crafts, knitting and crocheting workshops, as well as DJ and graffiti workshops and sports taster sessions including rugby, kick boxing and self defence. While the crowds enjoyed, the Communities First staff were on hand to offer information, advice and guidance on courses, volunteering, Time Credits and health. Communities First Volunteer Support Worker, Amber Williams, said: “It was great to see the community coming together enjoying learning a new skill and having fun. We had a great turnout and managed to spread the word a bit further about what Commun...

Around four million people are currently living with diabetes in the UK, a figure that is projected to increase to 6.25 and cost £16.9 billion to the NHS (17% of its annual budget) by 2035. Aberystwyth University is hosting a Diabetes Information Evening on Wednesday 3 September between 7-9pm at the Carwyn James Building on Penglais Campus which is designed to raise awareness about diabetes and provide support for those who already have the condition. The evening offers an open invitation to all who have an interest in or questions about diabetes and its management and is being organised by Dr Ffion Curtis, a researcher at the Department of Sport and Exercise Science at Aberystwyth University. She explains, “A recent research study conducted by us and Hywel Dda University Health Board identified that people living in and around Aberystwyth may be at risk of vitamin D insufficiency during the winter months. “The primary source of vitamin D comes from sun exposure. It has been known fo...

Hundreds of grassland experts from across the world will be celebrating 50 years of the European Grassland Federation at a conference in Aberystwyth from 7-11 September 2014. Aberystwyth has been strongly associated with grassland agriculture and in particular the breeding of forage and cereal crops since the foundation of the Welsh Plant Breeding Station (WPBS) in 1919. The influential grassland scientist and environmentalist Sir George Stapledon was its first Director, a post he held from 1919 to 1942. Stapledon argued that grasslands were at the heart of successful agriculture, which in turn was at the heart of Britain's economic and spiritual well-being. For many years his vision was allied with the requirement to increase production from all types of grassland. Meeting bi-annually, this 25th General Meeting of the European Grassland Federation is entitled ‘EGF at 50: the future of European Grasslands'. Dr Athole Marshall, President of the EGF and Head of Public Good Pla...