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 -  TV celebrity and singing star Aled Jones will join forces with Llanelli’s Hywel Choir to thrill local audiences on 11 April at Y Ffwrnes for “Spirit of Song” - an exciting night of music and song. Aled has strong links with Llanelli, having performed previously at venues including the Selwyn Samuel Centre. He has also forged strong links with choirs in the town and used Côr Meibion Llanelli (Llanelli Male Voice Choir) on one of his albums. Today, 44-year-old Aled Jones MBE is best known for his television work with BBC and ITV and Radio Wales and Radio 2. In the mid 1980s, Aled Jones, the boy treble with the pudding bowl haircut, was seemingly ubiquitous. The Anglesey.-born singer joined the Bangor Cathedral Choir aged nine, and won many national singing competitions and Eisteddfodau. He was first recorded by the Welsh company Sain, who were alerted to his talents by a member o...

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. www.philevans.co.uk --------------------- He's the little boy that Santa Claus forgot And goodness knows, he didn't want a lot He sent a note to Santa For some soldiers and a drum It broke his little heart When he found Santa hadn't come Those lyrics often run through my head at Christmas when I see people out shopping for presents, because I know there are households that Santa fails to visit. This was proven last week, when the ‘papers quoted 13 poignant words spoken by a five-year old boy from the North of England who’d been taken into care because his mother and her partner had neglected him. “Santa doesn’t come to my house. I don’t know why. I’ve been good.” If those words don’t touch your heart, telephone the undertaker and ask him to collect you. In my opinion, ‘neglected’ doesn’t come close to the way th...

Security has been stepped up at Pembrey Country Park after boy racers left a trail of destruction behind them. Hundreds of pounds of damage has been caused from embedded tyres marks across landscaped areas including a barbecue and camping field, grassed lay-bys and a raised bank, known to locals as Monks Head, sometime last Friday evening. Footage from the twenty four-hour cameras at the barrier is being monitored and the police has increased its patrols. The carnage has not only left the park footing the bill, but they now have to re-landscape the areas affected. The council’s countryside and parks manager, Rory Dickinson said: “We have a beautiful park here on our doorstop and a lot of hard works goes into maintaining this wonderful area. The park is open to everyone for enjoyment and it’s such a shame that a minority of people show total disregard and cause damage in this way. Our cameras capture the details of every car that goes through the barrier and we are currently going thr...

A new season of art exhibitions in the Mansion at Aberglasney House and Gardens in the Tywi Valley is just around the corner with the wonderful David Cowdry opening the 2015 season on Friday March 27. About David Cowdry The 44-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 eight 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 David. “I did some, but not all of the course as there was too much attention paid to bookwork and classroom activity. “I couldn’t believe that we could be stuck indoors in an area which bo...

Traders are being reminded to remove any unauthorised A-board signs from the streets after a visually impaired woman was injured in Carmarthen town centre. The woman was walking along Red Street when her white cane became lodged under the advertising sign and her body fell into it. She injured her hand and knee and her cane was bent as a result. Traders across the county are now being urged to help make the streets safer for pedestrians. The council has a statutory duty to keep the highway clear of obstructions and this includes A-boards which can be hazardous to the public, particularly those who are disabled or visually impaired. Not only could the boards themselves cause injury, but they could also put pedestrians at risk by forcing them off the pavement and onto the road. Street works officers are now visiting traders across the county to remind them of the council policy in relation to A-boards. Businesses found to be in breach of the policy will be sent a letter asking them to ...

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