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

Harpist Claire Jones returns to her West Wales roots to help launch a new album celebrating her recovery from ME. ‘Journey: Harp To Soothe The Soul’ SIGNING AT TESCO, SWANSEA 12pm SUNDAY 1st MARCH Album release date - St. David’s Day – March 1st 2015 Claire Jones will be returning to her West Wales roots to launch a very personal new album ‘Journey’ on St David’s Day, with a special signing and in store performance of some of the tracks from the album at Tesco in Swansea at 12pm. Shoppers at the store can relax and take off the pressure of the weekly grocery shop by listening in and enjoying to this music to soothe the soul. Since taking up the role of HRH the Prince of Wales’ official harpist in 2007, Claire Jones’ feet have hardly touched the ground. She’s performed regularly at royal and state functions, at the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge’s wedding in April 2011 and became a household name through the international media frenzy surrounding it. In September 2012, Clair...

The latest 'On Song' column (about the choral scene in and around Llanelli) from the Llanelli Star -  The choristers of Côr Meibion Llanelli (Llanelli Male Voice Choir) have a new accompanist. Aled Maddock lives in Cross Hands and is a native of the Neath Valley. He attended Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera before graduating in Music at The University of North Wales, Bangor. He is a former pupil of Madame Eileen Gethin–Jones and Czech pianist Jana Frenklova. He has worked as Musical Director of Craig y Nos Castle and with a number of choirs, including Neath and District Ladies Choir, Côr Meibion Onllwyn, Bryncoch Male Voice Choir, Tonna Male Voice Choir and his own mixed choir “CôrA1” in the Swansea Valley. He has conducted the popular S4C religious programme Dechrau Canu, Dechrau Canmol on several occasions. Aled is Head of Music at Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera, where he teaches both Music and Performing Arts. He has toured extensively with the performing arts faculty, visiting Canada,...

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. --------------------- An Oscar Winner’s Speech Should Be A Thankless Task – Otherwise It Takes Far Too Long. In London a couple of weeks ago, I walked through Leicester Square and saw that a movie premiere was underway. I guessed immediately that the film was “Fifty Shades Of Grey” because the carpet outside the cinema wasn’t red. It was black and blue! The film’s already made over $130 million in America. Talk about money for new rope . . . Staying with films, you’ll know by now who won what at the 87th Academy Awards, held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood. You’ll also know who made the longest, most toe-curlingly embarrassing speech and who wore the most inappropriate frock – the guilty party usually, but not always exclusively, being a woman. Most importantly, you’ll have discovered which actors and actresses are incapable...

Works to create safe walking and cycling routes in the community of Llwynhendy will mean temporary closure of Parc Gitto for two days in March. Parc Gitto will be closed from its junction with Hendre Road for a distance of 350 metres in a northerly direction. The closure is necessary for Carmarthenshire County Council to carry out Safe Routes in the Community Work from 8am on Monday, March 2, to 6pm on Tuesday, March 3. The alternative route for north bound traffic will be to travel in a north-easterly direction along Hendre Road to its junction with Llwynhendy Road. At the junction, turn left and continue in a north-westerly direction to return to a point north of the closure. Vice versa for south bound traffic. Executive board member for engineering and transport services, Cllr Colin Evans, said: “Our transport teams have excelled in attracting grant support for so many safe routes schemes throughout the country in recent years. “This minor disruption inconvenience to motorists wi...

An exciting new initiative to help people quit smoking is about to open its doors across the Hywel Dda University Health Board area. The iQUIT service offers advice and support from local community pharmacies to help people stop smoking and improve the quality of their life. This scheme adds to the range of support already available so that those who want to give up smoking can all find the free service that is right for them. Whilst quitting is not always easy, the chances of successfully stopping are four times higher if smokers use a recognised behavioural support programme like iQUIT alongside nicotine replacement therapy. Teresa Owen, Director of Public Health for the University Health Board said: “Smoking remains Wales’ number one cause of avoidable early death and has a huge impact on people’s quality of life through its part in the development of chronic chest and heart conditions. Passive smoking also has a harmful effect on those people around smokers especially babies and...

Shoppers and traders at Carmarthen market have donated £400 to the Special Care Baby Unit in Glangwili hospital. Each year the market’s traders committee picks a local charity to support throughout the year. The money donated is made up from the percentage of the takings received to the committee from the market’s photobooth and children’s ride as well as donations made by shoppers to the wishing well in the foyer. Chairman of the traders committee, Doug Ashton, said: “Just by using the photobooth in the market or by making a donation in our wishing well, shoppers are helping local charities, such as the SCBU unit in Glangwili. We would like to thank all those who supported and helped us pass on this money to a good cause. We shall be continuing to raise money for another local good cause this year.” The money raised will go towards purchasing a sofa bed for the newly re-decorated parent’s sitting room in the unit. Julie Young, Neonatal Unit Manager at the Special Care Baby Unit in G...

School children across Carmarthenshire will be celebrating St David’s Day by tucking in to a traditional Welsh meal. To commemorate the Patron Saint of Wales, the county’s catering department are preparing to dish up for over 19,000 bowls of homemade cawl with bread roll and cheese on Tuesday (March 2). Healthy eating mascot Dylan the Dragon will be making a special visit to one school to tell children about the importance of healthy eating and as a treat the youngsters will be given a traditional Welshcake, Teisen Lap and custard. Catering Services Manager Sandra Weigel said: “It is important that we help celebrate this great occasion with a traditional menu. “There’s nothing better than a healthy bowl of warm cawl to help get you in the spirit of St David’s Day, and we know that it always goes down a treat with the children.” School meals cost £2.20 a day, and pupils can enjoy a main meal and pudding which has been carefully measured to ensure nutritional content. Each school meal ...

Stagecoach, the leading West Wales theatre arts school, has exactly what you’ve been looking for when it stages its annual musical at the end of March. Disney’s High School Musical gives the Stagecoach youngsters plenty to shout and sing about when it runs at Carmarthen’s Lyric Theatre between March 25 and 29. “It’s a wonderful show and our pupils are very excited about it,” said Liane Evans, principal of Stagecoach Theatre Arts Carmarthen and Haverfordwest. “The children are taking their cue from one of the show’s hit songs, We’re All In This Together. “High School Musical will see pupils from Stagecoach Carmarthen and Stagecoach Haverfordwest team-up for what should be a dazzling five days at The Lyric. “More than 200 Stagecoach pupils will be taking part in the show and they come from all over West Wales, including as far afield at Tenby, Fishguard and Aberaeron.” Liane added: “It’s a show many are familiar with and we are delighted to be performing Disney’s High School Musical...

Pupils at Ysgol Dewi Sant are top of the class when it comes to physical education. Identified as a good practice school through its sporting achievements, seven year six pupils have been selected to take part in a Welsh Government pilot programme. The Physical Literacy Framework initiative is aimed at trying to raise a child’s numeracy skills through physical literacy strategies. For 15 weeks each pupil will spend half a day, once a week doing a variety of tasks with each one completing a circuit session to provide baseline data. They will take part in physical activity sessions and be given information on leading active and healthy lifestyles. The group will also be questioned on their physical educations skills and will record data on spreadsheets and graphs. The pupils will be responsible for counting and working out percentages. At the end of the period the group will be tested for improvement and the results fed back to Professor Donaldson who is leading the review of the Nat...

Nearly £35,000 has been awarded to sport clubs in Llanelli since last April. Many clubs have benefited from the Sport Wales Community Chest grants including Llanelli Steelers Basketball, Sosban Riders, Llanelli Gymnastics, Llanelli Blues Netball, Zanshin Judo, Llanelli Inline Roller Hockey Club, Trostre Boxing Cub, Trostre FC, Llanelli Wrestling and many more. The funds are administered locally by Carmarthenshire County Council’s leisure team who are developing a successful Active Communities campaign county wide. Much of the cash has helped to set up clubs, develop teams, increase coaches, introducing new age groups and purchasing vital equipment. A total of £107, 436 has been ploughed into sporting organisations across Carmarthenshire in the 12 months, with £111,000 available this year. The council’s executive board member for regeneration and leisure, Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “ These grants are aimed to provide funding towards activities in the county that encourage more people to...

A new digital outreach service is being launched to help people in rural parts of Carmarthenshire. It will give them access to the same advice and support which is available in the Hub in Llanelli town centre without having to travel to the Hub itself. The Hub is a one stop shop which brings together all advice, information, education, voluntary, housing, and employment opportunities in the county. Experienced advisers, who have extensive knowledge of all the opportunities and services available, are on hand to help. The new outreach service is known as the hub-spoke and involves customers undertaking a Skype interview with any of the Hub’s support services from a dedicated public access point. There will be two hub-spokes – one at the Municipal Buildings in Llandeilo, and the other at Llandovery Library. They are part of a new project - the Carmarthenshire Universal Support Delivered Locally (USDL) trial, which is one of only two in Wales. The scheme, which is a partnership betwee...

A whole month of fun is being planned to celebrate all that is great about Carmarthenshire. Throughout March, a campaign is taking place to raise awareness of the delights which can be found On Your Doorstep. It aims to showcase attractions, activities, local businesses and a guide to what’s on during the month. Three special events will take place in town centres as part of the scheme - in Carmarthen on March 7, Ammanford on March 14, and Llanelli on March 21. Businesses are invited to come along to show off their goods and services. Companies with activities such as potters wheels, climbing walls, arts, crafts and sports are all invited to attend to add to the entertainment. There will be live broadcasts at all three locations from Radio Carmarthenshire and an intensive promotional campaign will be run in partnership with local media. On Your Doorstep is being run by Carmarthenshire County Council in partnership with Carmarthenshire Tourism Association. It is part of Wales T...

Dyfed Powys Police is urging members of the public to show their support for a campaign seeking to call time on violent crime by making an online pledge. The #PaulsPledge campaign now has an online profile where people can pledge to ‘never commit or condone alcohol-fuelled violence or aggression, or any violence full stop.’ The online petition is the next step in encouraging people to stop and think about the consequences of violence for the victim and the offender. #PaulsPledge is led by Paul Pugh, a 34 year old man who is still suffering the effects of a vicious, unprovoked attack that happened on a night out eight years ago. Despite the fact that he will never fully recover from injuries that left him having to learn how to walk and talk again, Paul has bravely used his experience to campaign against alcohol-fuelled violence. Paul Pugh said: “I was overwhelmed by the support and kind comments I received at the launch of #PaulsPledge. I hope the launch of the online pledge will enc...

A community fun day held during half term attracted families from across the Tyisha ward. The council’s Recycling Advisors organised the event at St Barnabus Hall on Llewellyn Street. As well as fun and games for the children; there was lots of information on recycling , replacement food bins and blue bags. Also in attendance were council housing and road safety officers, the fire service, local police and Communities First with advice including energy efficiency, home repairs and adaptations for the elderly. Community Recycling Advisor Geinor Lewis said: “We had a really successful day; it was a chance for residents to come along and have a chat with us about their recycling scheme and also speak to our partners for advice on a wide range of issues. “As it was held during half term we had fun activities for children and food.” The council received funding from the European Regional Development Fund, through the Welsh Government, for the recycling advisor posts. The project is part ...

Hywel Dda University Health Board is reminding people not to visit patients in hospitals and care homes if they have been feeling unwell. Members of the public are advised to be cautious when choosing to visit a loved one or friend if they have recently been ill or had any symptoms of seasonal illnesses such as flu or norovirus (winter vomiting bug). Director of Nursing and Midwifery, Caroline Oakley said: "Illnesses such as diarrhoea and vomiting and flu can pass from one person to another very easily. “Viruses can be extremely serious for sick and vulnerable patients and we are asking for your support to protect patients and healthcare workers. "If you feel unwell or have diarrhoea and vomiting or flu symptoms, we ask that you wait at least 48 hours after becoming symptom-free before visiting any hospital or care facility. “If you are experiencing these symptoms it is important to wash and dry your hands thoroughly after going to the toilet and before you handle food to pre...

The independent co-chairs of a new group which will shape the future of health services in Mid Wales have been appointed, Health and Social Services Minister Mark Drakeford has announced. Dr Ruth Hall and Jack Evershed have both agreed to chair the new Mid Wales Health Collaborative, which is being established following an independent report into the future provision of health services in the region. The study by the Welsh Institute of Health and Social Care (WIHSC) at the University of South Wales spent nine months listening to the views of patients, the public and NHS staff across Mid Wales. The study, led by Professor Marcus Longley, made a number of recommendations about the future provision of health services in Mid Wales. Following its publication, the Welsh NHS organisations providing services in Mid Wales - Powys Teaching Health Board, Hywel Dda University Health Board, Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board and the Welsh Ambulance Services NHS Trust – agreed to set up the Mid...

The choristers of Côr Meibion Llanelli (Llanelli Male Voice Choir) have a new accompanist. Aled Maddock lives in Cross Hands and is a native of the Neath Valley. He succeeds Rhiannon Williams-Hale. Cor Meibion Llanelli musical director Eifion Thomas said: "We are delighted to be welcoming Aled to the team. He is a very experienced musician with an extensive CV and we are sure he will fit in and help to take the choir forward in 2015." Aled Maddock (B.Mus) Aled Maddock attended Ysgol Gyfun Ystalyfera before graduating in Music at The University of North Wales, Bangor. He is a former pupil of Madame Eileen Gethin–Jones and Czech pianist Jana Frenklova. After graduating Aled was appointed as Musical Director of Craig y Nos Castle where he was responsible for arranging numerous musical events held in the Patti Theatre. During this time, he also began his association as accompanist with Neath and District Ladies Choir, Côr Meibion Onllwyn who performed with Côr Me...

Organic mattress producers Abaca have been awarded a prestigious Green Dragon environmental award. The award was handed to Abaca MD Rhiannon Rowley by Jake Griffiths of the Wales Green Business Centre. He said: “The Green Dragon award is quickly gaining currency with businesses in Wales as a benchmark for environmental management systems. “The testing for the award is rigorous and it is an ideal standard for businesses with significant environmental credentials, such as Abaca. “We take a whole host of environmental management factors into account and firms also get rewarded for their work within the community and their charitable work. “In the case of Abaca, everyone at the business has worked very hard to achieve the award. “We hope the plaque and the certificate now gets pride of place in the business as it is a great example for others to follow.” Abaca MD Rhiannon Rowley said she was delighted to receive the Green Dragon Level 3 standard. She said: “As a business we care very ...

Llwynhendy Health Centre in Llanelli has become the first GP practice in Carmarthenshire to receive the Investors in Carers Silver level award and the first in the Hywel Dda area to achieve silver level following the introduction of the Carers Strategies (Wales) Measure in 2012. The Investors in Carers scheme is designed to help GP practices focus on and improve their carer awareness and enhance the help and support they give Carers. Llwynhendy Health Centre has been recognised for its ongoing commitment to providing appropriate support and consideration to its patients who are Carers following its Bronze accreditation in March 2014. Hywel Dda University Health Board’s Chair and Carers’ Champion, Mrs Bernardine Rees OBE met with Phillip Harrison, Assistant Practice Manager and Rachel Galloway, Assistant to the Management Team, from Llwynhendy Health Centre this week to present the award and hear more about the practice’s work to support Carers. Bernardine said: “It is a privilege to ...

International award winning brewer Evan-Evans has made a formal complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman about the conduct of one of the town councillors in Llandeilo. The complaint involves the conduct of Councillor Julia Jones, who lives in Ammanford. Simon Buckley, for Evan-Evans, said: "Being a town councillor is a thankless job, but those that seek public office have to abide by the rules of public office. "Evan-Evans, in November, applied for an extension of hours at its award-winning pub in Llandeilo the White Horse. "Councillor Jones, instead of declaring a vested interest as she owns a property next door to the pub, sought through her office as town councillor to influence the council by taking part in the debate, and seconding the vote recommending opposition to the licensing application. "It is quite clear that Councillor Jones had a vested interest in objecting to the license, despite the police and licensing authorities offering no objection. ...

Campaigning MP Zac Goldsmith was the guest of honour at the opening of the new Abaca showroom in Richmond, London. The former editor of The Ecologist magazine and MP for the Richmond constituency cut the tape on the new showroom at 12C Eton Street, Richmond. It was, the MP admitted, something of a first – “I’ve never been asked to open an organic mattress shop before,” he smiled, before adding, “This is not any old mattress shop!” Mr Goldsmith praised Abaca MD Rhiannon Rowley for the quality of her firm’s products and for taking the bold step of expanding with a London showroom. Mr Goldsmith said: “I genuinely believe there will come a time when people will look at the junk that gets put into mainstream mattresses nowadays and wonder how it was ever possible, how it was ever sanctioned by the regulator, for such things to be produced. “Thankfully, the story is very different with the mattresses produced by Abaca. There is a great provenance in the product and you can tell this is ...

Job opportunities at Clay Shaw Butler chartered accountants and business consultants in Carmarthen - Receptionist/Administration Assistant Previous Experience in administration is essential. Will involve reception work, answering telephone, distributing mail, filing, typing and general day to day administration duties. Wage negotiable depending on experience. Working hours 9.00am to 5.00pm Monday to Friday. Please send C.V. Felicity Morgan-Jones, Practice Manager at Clay Shaw Butler or e-mail  felicitymorgan-jones@clayshawbutler.com Closing date March 20th Accountant We are seeking a self-motivated, experienced or qualified Accountant to join and work well with our proactive dynamic team. The candidate should have audit experience and suitable experience in preparing company Accounts to review stage together with management accounts for all clients and ability to deal directly with clients. Must be conversant with computerised accounts in particular Sage,...

A team based at Morriston Hospital has tapped into technology to allow patients to “attend” clinics without leaving home.  Getting to hospital for appointments is not always easy for anyone living in rural areas – and even more so for those with multiple sclerosis. Now the regional MS team has won a prestigious award for making access much easier through the use of smart phones and tablets. The team may be based in Morriston but it covers the ABMU and Hywel Dda areas, looking after people living as far north as Ceredigion. Video conferencing facilities have been used for many years to allow Morriston staff to hold clinics in Bronglais Hospital in Aberystwyth. This was increased in 2012 with the support of the MS Society, reducing travelling time and costs for the clinicians – but with no additional benefit to patients as they still had to get to Bronglais. Last year, with the support of a pharmaceutical company, the team piloted the use of iPads for patients to have a consultatio...

Caroline Drummond, Chief Executive of Linking Environment and Farming (LEAF) will present a public lecture at Aberystwyth University on Wednesday 25th February from 6.00pm. This inaugural event in the Sêr Cymru National Research Network for Low Carbon, Energy and Environment (NRN-LCEE) public lecture series will be hosted by the Institute of Biological and Environmental Sciences (IBERS) on the University’s Penglais Campus. Through her presentation ‘Breaking Down the Barriers to Deliver Real Change to our Farming and Food Systems’, Caroline Drummond will explore the challenges faced by our planet, the scientific community and wider society that need to be addressed in order to bring long lasting and meaningful changes to the sustainability of farming systems, how our food is produced and what we eat. It will set out some of the areas where real change is starting to happen and highlight areas where new thinking is needed. Speaking in advance of the lecture, Professor David Thomas, N...

Local children in Meidrim are pictured enjoying their new dream park. The rural community of Meidrim has had its play area transformed into My Dream Park. The county council provided a Rural Community Inclusion grant, local children gave their ideas of what they wanted for ‘My Dream Park’, and Meidrim Welfare Committee ran the project. The Committee has installed a variety of new equipment at the park including a zip wire, swing, multi play frames, roundabouts, and Seesaw. They designed the layout of the park equipment to create three distinct play areas for toddlers, older children and young teenagers, as well as leaving an area free of equipment in order to create a grass play area. Rural Community Inclusion is part of the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 .

Mother's Day lunch at Langostino's in Llanelli - 

A spaghetti tangle of ‘Pieces of Eight’ red coloured metalwork rising at Llanelli’s North Dock is arresting a good deal of attention. The 18ft high pirates’ crew cabin and crows’ nest climbing frame and other maritime themed play things are being assembled in a magnificent and long awaited £106,000 playing area at the entrance to the Millennium Coastal Park. The cash for the play area has been provided through Section 106 monies provided by the adjacent Millennium Quays North Dock development. The park will be open in early March well in time for the Easter rush and is being welcomed by North Dock businesses to help boost visitor numbers. Around the spectacular climbing frame there will be spring loaded playing items including sharks, an octopus and dolphins and other nautically themed items all in a secure fenced off area alongside the main public car park. Manager of the North Dock ice cream kiosk Angela Edwards said: “There has been a huge demand for this facility for years. It is...

Do you have the brains to take on a BBC Egghead? Could you compete against other local businesses and take the trophy for the brains of Haverfordwest? On Friday 8th May 2015 at 19.30 there will be a charity quiz at Haverfordwest Cricket Club. Hosted by BBC Egghead CJ de Mooi - this is sure to be a great night. The evening will be held to raise money and awareness for a very rare illness called Behçet's disease. Early last year Amie Baker – a local young lady, who is only 23 years old, was diagnosed with Behçet's disease. Behçet's disease is a rare immune-mediated small-vessel systemic vasculitis that often presents with mucous membrane ulceration and ocular problems. Amie has now been in hospital (Withybush) for just over eighteen months and we are a long way from managing her illness. Here is a message from Drew Baker - As a family, all we can do at the moment is work hard to raise funds to help with research into this awful illness. The quiz is going to be for invited...

As the country prepares to celebrate the 70th anniversary of Victory in Europe this year, local choirs will lead the town of Llanelli in two poignant commemorations. The Llanelli Choral Society and conductor John Hywel Williams will present “We Remember”, a civic commemoration concert, on Saturday 9th May at the spiritual heart of the town at St. Elli’s Parish Church. “We Remember” will feature the Llanelli Choral Society, guest choir Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Singers, gust artists, patriotic music and poignant marches by serving personnel and veterans of HM Armed Forces. On Saturday 6th June at Y Ffwrnes, the Hywel Girls’ Choir & Hywel Boy Signers will pay special tribute at their landmark “Last Night of the Proms” with the 275 massed voices and musicians of the Hywel Choir, Pontarddulais Male Choir, Llanelli Choral Society, TV tenor Aled Hall and the acclaimed British Sinfonietta Orchestra. Veterans from all conflicts will be invited on stage to join the giant cast for a...

Residents in Newcastle Emlyn are being urged to have a spring clean and take advantage of a waste and tyre amnesty being held in the town. The council in partnership with Tidy Towns is holding the event in the main car park on Wednesday, March 4 between 8am and 1pm. Most household waste can be taken along including unwanted furniture, carpets and mattresses, electrical items such as fridge-freezers and televisions, garden waste and tyres (maximum 10 tyres per household/no tractor or lorry tyres.) However, paint, garden chemicals, car batteries, gas bottles, asbestos, construction and trade waste will not be accepted. Residents that dispose of any waste items will also get a free bag of Merlin’s Magic Compost (while stocks last) courtesy of CWM Environmental Ltd. Executive Board Member for Technical Services Cllr Colin Evans said: “I hope residents take advantage of this one-off opportunity to get rid of their household waste. As much as possible is recycled, helping to increase the c...

Schoolchildren across the county are preparing to go bananas as part of Fairtrade Fortnight. Carmarthenshire’s Catering Services is ordering in 700kg of Fairtrade bananas for a special themed lunch to mark the event, which will take place on Wednesday, February 25. Pupils can tuck into a roast dinner with broccoli, carrots, gravy, mashed and roast potatoes followed by homemade Fairtrade banana split served with vanilla ice-cream and hot chocolate sauce. The school meals services supports the sustainable and ethical food procurement practices and actively promotes use of Fairtrade products such as bananas, sugar, and fruit juices within school dining halls. Catering services manager, Sandra Weigel said: “It is important we show our support to Fairtrade as it complements our efforts to deliver a healthy and nutritionally balanced school meals service, which quite literally doesn't cost the earth. It also helps educate the children about the ethics of Fairtrade.” Each school meal a...

The hot sunshine of an African summer is beckoning for one of Carmarthenshire County Council’s building cadets who’s preparing for a charity mission over 5,000 miles away in Uganda. Layton Davies, 23, will join other local tradesmen from TAD Builders Ltd and TRJ Ltd to oversee the construction of a new maternity unit for poverty-stricken families in Kachumbala. The project is being run by Engineers for Overseas Development (EFOD) Carmarthenshire , established by the local construction industry in 2012 to benefit communities in impoverished countries. Far from the cosy life he shares with his girlfriend Chynna in Llandybie, Layton is preparing to work long shifts on the building site in the scorching sunshine of Kachumbala. Staying in a ‘simple’ complex nearby, where electricity is intermittent, the former TRJ bricklayer and Ysgol Tregib pupil will spend two weeks on the project, where he will work with locals to pass on his trade skills and get hands-on with the build. This will be...

Ammanford has a new Twrch Trwyth boar brand designed to help create a distinctive and strong image for the town. The recognisable and memorable brand will used to market the town to locals and visitors alike and be used on promotional and events advertising material in the future. The newly-established Ammanford on Track Town Centre Partnership commented: “In the first instance the logos will be going on banners positioned at the gateways into the town, they will also be used on branded jute shopping bags. The banners will bring colour and vitality to the town creating an attractive centre with lots of activities and events going on. We will be using a variety of messages and colours on the banners spread around the town.” Council Leader Cllr Kevin Madge said: “This is an exciting step which will boost our efforts to promote Ammanford by creating a distinctive brand based on an established Mabinogion legend of Arthur hunting the Twrch Trwyth throughout the Amman and Gwendraeth Valle...

Latest special offers from the Jenkins Bakery - WEEK COMMENCING February 23, 2015 3 Medium Corned Beef £1.65 2 Large Corned Beef Pasties £1.95 2 Minced Beef and Onion Pies £2.20 2 Fresh Cream Eclairs £1.70 Sandwich Of The Week, BLT £2.40 Rustic Baguette Of The Week, Chicken Tikka £2.40 Filled Softie Of The Week, Ham Salad £2.20 Website - http://jenkinsbakery.co.uk/

Carmarthenshire CSP is working with Dyfed Powys Police to deliver the Police’s strategy to reduce violent and alcohol related violent crime throughout the county, create a safer community and provide the public with a first class quality of service. The strategic overview includes: Working alongside partners in order to manage the night time economy and protect families and individuals from domestic violence including effectively using the Special Constabulary and volunteers to support operational officers and partners. Protecting members of the public from harm by identifying and managing violent persons and reducing re-offending. This involves using the Integrated Offender Management (IOM) scheme to reduce the risk of harm to communities by concentrating on offenders who cause most harm ensuring effective bail management of offenders Using newspapers and local radio as well as social media such as Facebook and Twitter and the On Line Watch Link (OWL) scheme to raise awareness of...