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

Parents in Carmarthenshire are being urged to put their children through the Learn to Swim scheme. Sadly, drowning is the third most common form of accidental death in children, so being able to swim is an essential life skill. The programme is delivered by the council’s qualified sports and leisure team, through Actif Aqua activities. It is fun, progressive and designed to be a continuous journey through aquatics. Children of any age, size or ability can take part at in Llanelli, Carmarthen, and Amman Valley leisure Centres, and Llandovery Swimming Pool. Sessions are held in Llanelli on Tuesday to Friday, 4-6.30pm and Saturday morning 9.30am-1pm. The idea is to teach every child to swim and achieve stage 6 of the national teaching plan by the age of 11 using the latest digital technology. As children move from stage to stage and become more confident, the skills become more challenging and they are introduced to new skills as they become better. The council’s executive board...

Women and girls are getting more support to pull on their running trainers at new sessions being run at Amman Valley Leisure Centre. Carmarthenshire Council is offering ‘introduction to running’ sessions at the centre in a bid to get more people into running and exercise. Sessions on Monday and Wednesday morning, from 7am to 8am, will focus on technique, foot wear and training techniques. Every participant will receive a beginners 5k training programme – ‘Run your 1st 5K’ – with the help of Fusion gym staff. There will also be opportunities to run in recreational groups Amman Valley Fusion Gym fitness instructor Kevin Rees said:“We know that many people struggle to start up running because it is quite daunting starting up alone and they are unsure about things like footwear and how much training they should be doing. “With a little support and encouragement we can get them into a positive routine by doing the right exercise at the right time.” With the county one of four areas of Wale...

In a nutshell: Amman Valley Leisure Centre Fancy an early morning dip or joining friends for an aerobics class? You’ll be made welcome at Amman Valley Leisure Centre. A friendly atmosphere, on-site parking and a team of fully qualified staff are reasons why more than 200,000 people a year enjoy the centre. http://www.actifsirgar.co.uk/english/leisurecentres/ammanvalley Ammanford SA18 2NP  01269 594517

Planning permission has been granted for a new main entrance to make Amman Valley Leisure Centre more accessible for disabled people. Carmarthenshire County Council’s planning committee approved a scheme by the local authority to build a single storey extension to create a new entrance which complies with the Disability Discrimination Act. The new entrance at the leisure centre off Margaret Street, Ammanford, will include a lobby area, steps up to a raised level and a platform lift. An officers’ report to the committee said: “It will hopefully promote increased leisure centre use by all members of the community.”

Planning permission has been granted for a car park extension and new court area at Amman Valley Leisure Centre. Carmarthenshire County Council’s planning committee approved an application to adapt a netball/tennis court into an extension to the car park at the council-operated leisure centre in Margaret Street, Ammanford, and to build a new court area as a replacement. The scheme will double parking provision to 122 long stay spaces with seven disabled parking spaces. The netball courts are being relocated to an area to the west of the swimming pool area, on the site of the cricket nets, whilst the cricket nets are being relocated to an area within the confines of the running track.