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

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in and around Llanelli) from the Llanelli Star -  Côr Meibion Llanelli will again be taking part in the annual Festival of Light celebration at the St Elli Shopping Centre in the town centre. The Festival of Light celebration raises funds for Llanelli’s Ty Bryngwyn Hopsice. It takes place on Monday November 17 at 6.30p.m. Choir chairman Mel Harries said: “We turn out every year to support the Festival of Light. “It is a wonderful evening of readings and song and the choristers are delighted to be able to support the very important appeal for the Ty Brynwgyn Hospice.” Recently, the choir complete another of their 50th anniversary celebrations with a Cymanfa Ganu at Soar Chapel, Llwynhendy. Mr Harries said: “Conducted by our musical director Eifion Thomas this was an evening in the finest Welsh choral tradition. “It was very fitting that we should perform at Soar Chapel as the venue as a close association with the formative year...

The president of the Royal College of Physicians, one of the world’s leading medical organisations, visited the Prince Philip Hospital to meet front-line staff working to transform medical services in Llanelli. Professor Jane Dacre, president of the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) met with consultant physicians, junior doctors and health board managers before visiting the clinical research centre and the stroke unit to see staff in action. She was accompanied by Dr Alan Rees, the RCP vice president for Wales, Professor John Harvey, the RCP’s service adviser in Wales and Dr Andrew Freedman, the RCP’s associate service adviser in Wales. Over the past year, senior RCP consultants working in the Welsh NHS have been working to address growing concerns about the current standard of hospital care in Wales. They have identified plans for change at Prince Philip Hospital as an innovative case study which is included in their new report, Rising to the challenge: Improving acute care, meeti...

A host of singing stars and artists will unite at Llanelli's Ffwrnes Theatre on Saturday, November 22, to celebrate the début album of BBC Cardiff Singer of the World finalist, baritone Gary Griffiths. The night titled “Début”, will be introduced by BBC Radio Wales’ popular Beverley Humphreys, Welsh opera star Gary Griffiths will be joined by English National Opera soprano Kate Valentine, pianist Caradog Williams, the acclaimed Hywel Girls’Choir & Hywel Boy Singers (Director of Music John Hywel Williams MBE, pianist Jean Hywel) and the mighty Pontarddulais Male Choir (Musical Director Clive Phillips, pianist David Last). Audiences can look forward to a beautiful journey of song spanning opera, classics, sacred, musical theatre and the world of cinema. Highlights will include Bizet’s Toreador, Mozart magic from the Marriage of Figaro, Easter Hymn, O Mia Babbino Caro, Hallelujah Chorus, O Holy Night, Panis Angelicus, Pie Jesu, a special arrangement of Myfanwy, Les Miserables, ...

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 ----------------------- Ever had two different thoughts on one day and then realised they’re connected? Please say ‘Yes’ or we’ll get nowhere with this. I was thinking about celebrities whose names are, despite their fame, often incorrectly spelt in newspapers and magazines. If you’re a fan of Judy Dench....Shane Ritchie....Matt Munroe...Cliff Richards... or... Brian “It’s A Puppet!” Connolly, you’ll realise I deliberately misspelled their names – but that’s how I’ve seen them spelt in print many times. For the record, here’s the correct spelling(s) - Judi, Richie, Monro, Richard and Conley. The L.A. Times has dropped the second ‘t’ in veteran American actor Elliott Gould’s first name on no less that 47 occasions. His agent complains, but it keeps happening. Edgar Allan Poe’s middle name is invariably spelt ’Allen’ in the ‘p...

A campaign has been launched to clean up some of Carmarthenshire's sticky streets and pavements. Not only is chewing gum litter an eyesore but it can stick to people’s clothes and shoes and it is difficult and costly to clean up. Carmarthenshire council, supported by Tidy Towns, is taking part in a campaign to tackle chewing gum litter and to encourage people to put their gum in the bin or get fined £75. As part of the campaign, officers have cleaned sections of problem areas in Carmarthen, Llanelli and Ammanford which will now be monitored throughout November. The areas which have been cleaned will be monitored to see if there’s any improvement. Officers will also be issuing shop keepers with gum wraps to hand out and they will also be handed to people on the streets they see chewing in an effort to encourage people to be aware not to throw their gum on the floor and to place it in the wrap until it can be placed in a bin. Executive board member for environmental and public ...

Drivers are being asked to allow extra times for journeys in and around Llanelli because of a series of unavoidable road works. While the long-running Welsh Water Rainscape works are coming to an end on the main road sections around Asda, other drainage and road safety measures are being installed near New Dock Stars and Sandy Road. Because works are advanced on delivering the new Ysgol y Strade school extension, work to construct a road crossing for surface water work has been brought forward to start November 10, due for completion by November 19. At New Dock Stars the crossing point is to be improved. A new pedestrian crossing is under construction to serve Coedcae School, where the civil works were undertaken using temporary lights at half term. A proposed mini roundabout will also be installed in Sandy Road at its junction with Denham Avenue, as part of the agreed traffic calming measures for the Strade school extension. This work will follow on but has not yet been programmed. ...

A solid oak bench, designed and crafted by Carmarthenshire schoolchildren and carpentry apprentices, has gone on display in Llanelli. The bench will be available for the public to view at Ty Elwyn until Friday (November 14). Pupils from Ysgol Gorslas , Ysgol Saron , and Swiss Valley Primary School all played their part in designing the bench, which was then hand-crafted from Welsh oak by carpentry apprentices employed by Cyfle Building Skills , supported by Coleg Sir Gâr carpentry tutor Paul Norrington. The project has been supported by Carmarthenshire County Council , and Leader Cllr Kevin Madge and Deputy Leader Cllr Tegwen Devichand were amongst the first to see it on display. “It was my honour and privilege to allow the bench to be displayed in one of our busiest buildings where it can be seen and enjoyed by many people,” said Cllr Madge. “As Armed Forces Champion, and Chair of the Garnant branch of the Royal British Legion , I am proud of the great effort local young people, w...

Celebrated TV comedian Russell Kane is one his way back to South Wales for two shows which see him team up with some of the area's local comedy heroes. November 18 marks the return to Swansea of Kane as he comes to the Brangwyn Hall with more of the hilarious stand-up comedy that won him the prestigious Edinburgh comedy award and saw him hit TV screens as a regular on 'Live at the Apollo', host of 'Britain Unzipped' and 'Live at the Electric'. Following his sell out tour (which hit Swansea Grand Theatre earlier in the year), a sinister one-man play and the publication of his debut novel, Kane is booked into the recently-renovated Brangwyn and there genuinely couldn't be a bigger act than the energetic, Essex-boy-come-comedy-king. The idea to put on the show is a collaboration between '100 Voices', an organisation well known in Swansea for raising money for numerous local charity causes and 'Comedy Sheep' a stand-up comedy group ba...

Llanelli Rotarians raised £3000 for the Royal British Legion through a memorable World War One centenary concert staged at Greenfield Chapel, Llanelli. The money was handed over to Phil Flower, community fundraiser for the Royal British Legion in South West Wales, at the Rotary club’s weekly meeting at the Stradey Park Hotel, Llanelli. The President of Llanelli Rotary Club Hywel Bassett said he was delighted that the club had been able to support the work of the Royal British Legion’s Poppy Appeal in South West Wales.. He added: “The sum represents a sterling fundraising effort on the part of Llanelli Rotary and I would like to thank everyone who contributed to the evening and who attended what was a memorable and very moving concert. In particular, I’d like to thank Rotarian Cerith Owens of Loud Applause Productions and the small sub-committee of Rotarians who made the event work like clockwork.” The programme for the concert carried the bold letters, 'Lest we forget'. The w...

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