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

Carmarthenshire Council is looking for four families who are up for taking part in some fun and games at the National Eisteddfod 'Maes' on Tuesday, August 5. Council staff are being joined by S4C’s Stwnsh Sadwrn presenter Tudur Phillips to put on a fun-packed family game show on the council stage with plenty of fantastic prizes up for grabs. The search is on for four family teams to take part in Sialens Cynnal y Cartref (Home Maintenance Challenge) – a competition which will see families compete in a series of challenges designed to test their team work. It’ll involve blindfolds, mental challenges, and possibly a bit of water.... Tudur said: “This is going to be a right laugh – I can’t wait to meet the families who will be taking part. We’ll have loads of fun, and with plenty of fantastic prizes up for grabs there’s going to be some very happy faces at the end of it.” The game show will run twice during the Cartrefi a Cymynedau (Homes and Communities) themed day on Tu...

The 2014 Carmarthenshire National Eisteddfod is getting close. Work is under way preparing the site at Festival Fields, Llanelli, for the Festival taking place from August 1-9. The Eisteddfod is returning to the county and the site for the first time since 2000. Carmarthenshire County Council is looking forward to welcoming around 150,000 visitors to the county for a week to remember and to celebrate the Welsh language and culture. The council’s executive board member with responsibility for the Eisteddfod Councillor Keith Davies said: “I'm looking forward to the Carmarthenshire National Eisteddfod, and to see this spectacular event returning to the county. It is an honour for us in Carmarthenshire to be hosting the Eisteddfod." You can visit the Eisteddfod’s website, www.eisteddfod.org.uk if you would like more information about the festival and the week’s events. The main Eisteddfod Maes will be on the Millennium Festival Fields off Sandy Road as it was in 2000. This is w...

Communities in Carmarthenshire are being given an opportunity to show that they live in the loveliest area in the county. Carmarthenshire’s Loveliest Locality Competition aims to encourage communities throughout the county to dress their area up in readiness for the arrival of this year’s National Eisteddfod. The council’s executive board member with responsibility for the Eisteddfod Cllr Keith Davies said: “It has been such an achievement for the majority of appeal committees to have reached and exceeded their targets. This is our opportunity to celebrate their hard work and enthusiasm. “The aim of this competition is to ensure that Carmarthenshire gives the National Eisteddfod a true Welsh welcome. All those visiting the area can be confident that, from whatever direction they come, they will see flowers, pretty shop windows, plenty of colour and of course bunting.” The competition will be judged on Monday July 28 when the Chair of Carmarthenshire County Council Cllr Daff Davies wi...

More than 350 people from across Carmarthenshire have come together in a Community Day as part of celebrations being held in the run-up to the National Eisteddfod. The sun shone down on the fun-filled event, held at the National Botanic Garden of Wales, Llanarthne. Community groups, families and members of the Eisteddfod fundraising committees around Carmarthenshire were invited to visit the Gardens for free as a thank you for their hard work in already surpassing the total needed to be raised by the County ahead of hosting the National Eisteddfod in August. Visitors to the event, which was organised by Carmarthenshire County Council, were able to get ideas on how to spruce up their communities during and in the run-up to the Eisteddfod; from bunting and gardening workshops to Welsh language taster sessions and the chance to see the Carmarthenshire National Eisteddfod Crown, Chair and the Italian Trophy. It was also an opportunity for people to buy Eisteddfod merchandise, meet some o...

More than 1200 children have taken part in a parade through Llanelli town to welcome the National Eisteddfod when it comes to Carmarthenshire in August. You can check out Carmarthenshire County Council’s Flickr page to view pictures from the event.

A new project called ‘ffrinDiaith.org’ was launched in the National Eisteddfod (in the Studio on the Maes) to help Welsh learners find Welsh-speaking friends. The original idea for the project came from Hywel Gwynfryn, and it is now being developed in partnership between the six Welsh for Adults Centres throughout Wales and the online course SaySomethinginWelsh.com. Learners and speakers can register at www.ffrinDiaith.org and contact each other to arrange regular informal sessions - in a cafe, in a community centre, or just down the pub! "This is a huge step forward for Welsh learners,’ says Siôn Meredith, Director of the Welsh for Adults Centre in mid-Wales. "One of the biggest challenges learners face is taking their Welsh out of the classroom and into the community. ffrinDiaith.org will help them get to know Welsh speakers as soon as they start learning, so they will have an immediate connection to the Welsh-speaking community that will grow and deepen as their own ...

Freemasons in West Wales have donated £5900 towards the 2014 'Sir Gar' National Eisteddfod, which is being held in Llanelli. The Masonic Province of West Wales is sponsoring the dance competition at the Eisteddfod. At a special meeting at the Masonic Hall in Harries Avenue, Llanelli, Ion Murphy, Provincial Charity Steward, accompanied by Lawrence Murphy and Tom Evans presented a cheque for £5000 to Mr Elfed Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of the Eisteddfod. In addition to the dance sponsorship, the Llanelli Freemasons Lodges of St Elli, St Teilo and Trevor Kelway are also providing cash support. The three lodges were represented by Roger Robinson, Dilwyn Littlejohns, Andrew Davies, Philip Rogers, Tom Powell and Philip Hall. Cheques for £300 from each Lodge were presented to Mr Roberts to go towards the Eisteddfod's 2014 General Fund. Photos: Top - Freemasons meet Elfed Roberts, Chief Executive Officer of the Eisteddfod. Worshipful Brother Ion Murphy...

The leader of Llanelli’s business community has called for an urgent meeting with the organisers of the 2014 National Eisteddfod, a festival now being branded as ‘Carmarthenshire’s Eisteddfod’. “Businesses throughout Carmarthenshire should be involved in discussions and preparations for the 2014 Eisteddfod, said Andrew Stephens, president of Llanelli’s Chamber of Trade and Commerce. The appeal follows a host of ‘mixed messages’ about next year’s Eisteddfod, including disquiet about the cash Carmarthen Town Council is giving to the festival. “I think it’s important that the festival organisers get a grip of the situation very quickly and work with businesses and traders to ensure that the 2014 Eisteddfod is a big success,” said Mr Stephens. “On the one hand, we seem to have a row developing in Carmarthen over their contribution to what they perceive is an event which will benefit Llanelli. “Here in Llanelli, we can give a contrary view and tell you that we have recent, very unhappy, m...

The 2014 National Eisteddfod will be held in Carmarthenshire, and local preparatory work for the Festival begins with a public meeting on Thursday, 8 November, to encourage local people to be part of the preparations for Wales’ leading festival, held on Festival Fields, Millennium Coastal Park, Llanelli from 2-9 August 2014. National Eisteddfod Organiser, Hywel Wyn Edwards, said, “The Eisteddfod has visited Carmarthenshire many times over the years, and we’ve always enjoyed a warm welcome in the county, so we’re very much looking forward to returning in 2014. The Eisteddfod was last held locally in 2000, on the Millennium Coastal Park, and this will be our home again in 2014. The site is an accessible and pleasant location for visitors from all directions. “Since announcing our intention to return to Carmarthenshire, we’ve had enquiries from people across the whole area, keen to get involved in the preparations, and we hope that this enthusiasm and eagerness will continue for the nex...