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 members are getting ready for a series of Christmas events. On Saturday, December 13, the choir’s annual Christmas concert takes the form of a Gymanfa Ganu at Greenfield Chapel, Llanelli, starting at 7pm. Côr Meibion Llanelli musical director Eifion Thomas said: “The Gymanfa Ganu tradition remains strong here in Llanelli and it seems appropriate at Christmas time that we should all be united in song and in rejoicing. “The Gymanfa promises to be a celebration of the very best of community singing and we are looking forward to a full house at Greenfield Chapel so that everyone can get into the proper festive spirit.” On Monday, December 15, the choir will be singing at the Christmas Raceday at Ffoslas racecourse in Carway. On Wednesday, December 17, the choir’s annual charity concert takes place at The Thomas Arms, starting at 7pm. The choir will also be bus...

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 --------------------- I loathe round robins. Not the chubby, red-breasted little birds you see on Christmas cards. Although in olden times, (before Channel4 began) a robin was seen as a harbinger of death. I’m referring to those self-congratulatory ‘What A Wonderful Year Our Family Has Had’ letters and e-mails that arrive in the run-up to Christmas, usually sent from distant relatives, old work colleagues you barely remember and that irritating couple you met on holiday, to whom you foolishly gave your address in a moment of weakness. You never see them from one year to the next - for which you’re more than grateful – yet bafflingly, they think you’re desperate to know what they and their incredibly talented, highly successful family have been up to since you dropped their last round robin into the recycling. They also mistake...

Get well soon wishes go to Peter Rees, Scarlets and Wales rugby hero. The former Llanelli RFC Chairman and President went into hospital in November and had to have a second emergency operation on Saturday - but he came around from surgery in time to watch the Wales team beat South Africa! Peter is the last surviving player from the 1947 Five Nations Tournament, which was the first after World War Two and the first Five Nations tournament for 16 years. Wales were joint Champions with England. Peter, 89 (90 in February), is currently in Preseli Ward in Glangwili Hospital. Mark John, Secretary Llanelli Rugby Football Club, said everyone at Llanelli RFC and the Scarlets wished Peter a speedy recovery.

A Carmarthenshire businessman has stepped it to save a popular festive contest for schools with the donation of a 20 Christmas trees. The popular Christmas Tree Decorating Competition, held annually at the National Botanic Garden and featuring hundreds of local schoolchildren, was thrown into doubt when the Garden’s supply of trees disappeared. But Roger Hunt, who owns and runs the company Cymru Christmas Trees and a massive plantation of 10,000 trees near to the Garden, has made a very special Christmas gift of 12 six-foot trees to ensure the competition goes ahead as planned – on Thursday December 4. Education development officer at the Garden, Nancy Hardy said: “We are very grateful to Roger. It is a fabulous gesture and came just in the nick of time to save this special day in which hundreds of local schoolchildren take part.” Mr Hunt said: “As a major supplier of Christmas trees, I am delighted to be able to help the National Botanic Garden with this competition. “We are part o...

Aberystwyth University officially announced the Pwllpeiran Upland Research Platform New Entrant Partnerships at the Royal Welsh Winter Fair today. The Partnerships offer a unique opportunity for up to two farmers with some experience in managing a livestock hill farm, to work in partnership to develop upland research programmes with the Institute and its researchers. Nigel Scollan, Waitrose Professor in Sustainable Agriculture at IBERS said; “This is an exciting prospect to work with us to investigate and demonstrate new innovations in Uplands Agriculture, and to identify and exploit new rural or land based enterprises and business opportunities. The challenges of food security, global warming and the protection of biodiversity require informed and improved use of the uplands through the development of new plants and animal systems. Innovative, science-driven approaches will be developed to meet these challenges, and as such IBERS is exceptionally well positioned to make a major contr...

Christmas event for Ty Cymorth Carmarthen and District Hospice Appeal - Wednesday  December 3, Christmas Coffee Morning with mince pies at the Ivy Bush Royal Hotel Carmarthen, starts at 10am. To be opened by Dr Llinos Roberts. To include a Christmas raffle and stalls. Tickets at the door or available from any committee members at £1.50. Free car-parking. Why not pop along for a lovely cup of coffee and a chat?

“It's awesome!”...that’s the view of pupils at Llanelli’s latest new school. Ysgol Ffwrnes threw open its doors to pupils for the first time today, months ahead of schedule. The £14.6million primary school has been built as part of Carmarthenshire County Council’s Modernising Education Programme , and headteacher Catherine Lloyd Jenkins was the first to welcome pupils for their first day at the new school this morning. For many, it was the first time they’d laid eyes on it, whilst several older pupils - who have been involved in the design and build stages – were pleased to see the project complete. “There’s been a lot of excitement, but we’re settling in very well,” said Mrs Lloyd Jenkins. The excitement of the day was summed up by year four pupils Austin Jones, Ifan Wheeler and Rowan Morris. Austin, aged nine, said: “It’s nice – I love the smell of it! And the carpets are really colourful.” Comparing it to his old school, which has now been decommissioned, Ifan, eight, s...

Carmarthenshire residents are being asked to test out the county council's new i-Local site to check that it’s easy to use and access. The site, which was launched by the county council at the National Eisteddfod in August, is now being tested. The Council’s E Government Officer employed via the Communities 2.0 project is assisting to ensure that i-Local is easy to use and as accessible as possible, the results from testing will be used to make improvements to the site. Executive board member for communications Cllr Pam Palmer said: “We are asking local residents to get involved to test areas of the website so that we can improve the service. “We want to make sure that i-Local is as easy to use and accessible as possible and we believe consulting the people who use the site is the best way to achieve that goal.” The first testing session took place recently at the Felinfoel Resource Centre, facilitated by the Communities 2.0 E Government Officer and was the first time Carmarthen...

Carmarthen market will now be open every Sunday in the run up to Christmas. It’s even easier to wrap up your Christmas by visiting the indoor market – now open 7 days a week from this Sunday (December 7). The market will be open from 10am-4pm every Sunday. And don’t forget you can take the stress out of the organising the big day by pre-ordering your fresh produce in good time - visit your local market trader to find out more. Carmarthen open air market will also be held every Sunday in December in the run-up to Christmas and every day from Monday, December 15 until Christmas Eve. Carmarthenshire County Council’s executive board member responsible for the markets Cllr Jeff Edmunds said: “With the markets open on these extra dates it’s even easier to get Christmas wrapped up.” To find out Christmas opening hours and much more, visit www.carmarthenshiremarkets.co.uk

People can have their say on council budget proposals at events taking place across Carmarthenshire. Roadshows will be held in Newcastle Emlyn, Llanelli, Ammanford and St Clears as part of the consultation process. People can go along and speak to officers and councillors about the proposals being put forward as the council tries to balance its books, whilst facing cuts of around £44million over the next three years. With such a significant reduction in its budget the council is having to look at all options for reducing spend and it is likely that this will affect dozens of services and jobs. Senior officers have already identified millions of pounds in operational savings, now councillors have to make decisions that could affect the delivery of front line services to find the rest of the money needed. The process started with a members’ seminar, and all of the Council’s scrutiny committees will discuss the budget at their meetings over the coming months. Full consultation with th...

The globe-trotting choristers of Côr Meibion Llanelli have returned home after their winter tour to Austria. The birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart was the destination for a musical journey with a Christmas theme. The choir members performed at the renowned Salzburg Cathedral and also sang at nearby Oberndorf, the place where Stille Nacht (Silent Night) was written. They also took in a trip to some of the key locations of The Sound of Music film. “All in all, it was a very memorable trip and one of the highlights of this our 50th anniversary year,” said choir chairman Mel Harries. “It is yet another great example of why it pays to be a member of a choir with a great tradition of male voice singing like Côr Meibion Llanelli. You get the chance to perform in world famous locations and make friends the world over.” The choir members were honoured to be allowed to perform at the memorial chapel to the writers of Stille Nacht (Silent Night), Franz Xaver Gruber (music) and Joseph Mohr (ly...

Staff from HSBC’s South West Wales premier banking team have raised a fantastic £2500 for Cilgerran Ward at Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen. Members of staff cycled from Carmarthen to Swansea and others walked from Llanelli to Swansea on the same day. With the money raised by the team generously match-funded by HSBC’s Pound for Pound scheme their donation is set to go even further. In recent years the group have raised funds for a variety of national charities but this year decided that they wanted to support something a little closer to home. Simon Dyer, Area Premier Manager, said: “We are pleased to be supporting such a worthy cause for local children and young people and hope that the donation makes a difference to the services provided by the team at Cilgerran Ward. It was a pleasure meeting members of the team and hearing first hand about the fantastic work that they do.” Cilgerran Ward at Glangwili Hospital provides inpatient children’s service for scheduled and unscheduled care...

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