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

A local company is celebrating 10 years of business in Loughor along with creating 15 jobs at its new Hendy plant. Ben Hughes Engineering Ltd started trading in 2004 after a buy out from Ben Hughes Loughor Foundry, established in 1864. Over the last three years, the volume of work has increased to the point where capacity was reached at their site in Loughor. Although their main office remains at the original premises along the banks of the Loughor Estuary, the company has now expanded into additional premises in Hendy. Specialists in the machining of titanium for the aerospace industry, alongside local partners they supply prestigious customers including Rolls Royce, Airbus and Pratt & Whitney. The move to Hendy was made with the support of Carmarthenshire County Council and LIF Cymru, to expand their operation. They now employ 74 people, plus one apprentice, and along with the specialist service they undertake general engineering projects and a variety of metal working service...

The ‘Parti Llwchwr’ ladies choir from Loughor will be flying the flag for West Wales in the prestigious televised Côr Cymru (Choir of Wales) competition. The grand final of the competition takes place at Aberystwyth Arts Centre next weekend, Sunday, April 19. It will be screened live on S4C, the Welsh fourth channel, with a public vote for the best choir running side by side with a verdict from the competition judges. “It’s a very exciting time for us,” said choir member Mari Moscrop. “We are only a small choir, but we have won our way through the final and we are very proud and delighted at our achievement so far. “It would be the icing on the cake to win the competition and we are hoping for a massive amount of local support in the public vote. “We hope everyone gets behind us as the local West Wales choir and casts their vote for us in the final. “The competition final is live on S4C, so ‘excited’ doesn’t really cover it as far as our feelings go for the competition. We’re very ne...

Brave kidney transplant woman's fundraising efforts | This is South Wales A kidney patient waiting for a life-changing transplant from her mother has put aside ill health to organise a massive fundraising concert to benefit Morriston Hospital. Kathryn Bedingham, from Loughor, is hoping to undergo an operation next month to receive her mother’s kidney, after being told by doctors she is approaching end-stage kidney failure and that her mother Fran George is a match.

Works totalling £150,000 have been carried out to strengthen the Carmarthenshire coastline from Loughor to Pendine. Members of the council’s Environment Scrutiny Committee have visited key sites along the coast to view the various schemes which have been carried out over the last year. It is part of the committee’s ongoing monitoring of the threat posed by coastal erosion. First stop was Loughor where an £80,000 scheme has been completed to strengthen existing defences including toe armour. Next the members were taken to Machynys where £10,000 has been spent on the maintenance and management of existing defences. Works of £30,000 have been carried out at Llanelli beach which includes the management and maintenance of defended coastline including dune management. The committee’s final stop was at Pendine where a £30,000 scheme has been undertaken including the installation of transitional works into eroding dune to prevent erosion to the promenade and Museum of Speed. Chairman of the En...