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

A Noson Lawen has been organised later this month in aid of the chosen charities of Carmarthenshire County Council’s Chairman. The event will be held at St Peter's Civic Hall on Saturday April 23 at 7.30pm. Council Chair Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths said: “There will be a Noson Lawen for Ifan JCB to thank him for his tireless contribution. “The proceeds will go to my chosen charities, Wales Talking Books Project and TENOVUS West Wales Cancer Care.” There will be entertainment in the company of Bois y Castell, Ifan Gruffydd Tregaron, Dawnswyr Talog, Tri Bariton, Helen Gibbon, Dwy a Dime and Penybont YFC. The accompanist is Meinir Jones Parry and Cllr Hughes Griffiths is the compere for the evening. Tickets are £8 from Siop y Pentan, Carmarthen.

The Chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council will welcome a peace run to the National Botanic Garden on Sunday March 13. Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths will be at the Garden to welcome the participants in the Sri Chinmoy Oneness-Home Peace Run at 8.50am before the start of a 5km race and 2.5km Fun Run at 9am. Following the prize giving by the Chairman, a peace statue of a man holding a torch will be unveiled in a new peace garden area by Lord Elis-Thomas. The Peace Run will arrive in Laugharne at 3pm where they will meet the Port Reeve and the Mayor for a presentation. They will then go to the Dylan Thomas Boathouse to open the Writing Shed when Dylan Thomas’ granddaughter Hannah Ellis will be present and International Dylan Day will be promoted. On Monday March 14 the Peace Run will arrive at County Hall, Carmarthen, to be met by councillors and will then move on to Ysgol y Dderwen to meet the Town Mayor and Head teacher. The 5K Run for aged 11 upwards has a £7 entry fee of £5 for UK...

A celebration has been held to mark the opening of 13 new apartments for older people in the heart of Llanelli. New tenants were joined by neighbours, friends and guests for an afternoon tea at Waddle’s Court Sheltered Scheme on Friday - an opportunity to celebrate Carmarthenshire County Council’s £1.4million investment to transform a former care home into one-bedroom homes for older people, which was part funded by the Welsh Government. The apartments, linked to the existing Waddle’s Court Sheltered Scheme, are self-contained, giving tenants their own freedom and security; whilst communal areas – including a lounge, library, TV and computer room – give them the opportunity to socialise with friends and neighbours if they wish. Tenants prepared for the celebrations by baking cakes and making decorations, supported by Spice Time Credits volunteers, and took part in a short film produced by volunteer Robert Masterman . The official opening was performed by council chair, Cllr Peter Hug...

The Chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council has visited Mrs Nan Jones of Cross Hands who was celebrating her 100th birthday. Chairman Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths visited along with Council Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole last week. Cllr Hughes Griffiths said: “We chatted to Mrs Jones for a long time and her conversation and reminiscences were so enjoyable. Warm congratulations to her.”

More than £1,800 has been raised for the Carmarthenshire County Council Chairman’s Charities through a special concert in Carmarthen. Chairman Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths put on Cymanfa’r Hen Ganiadau at Priory Chapel last Sunday when the performers included Côr Meibion Caerfyrddin, baritone Aled Edwards, contralto Eleri Edwards, tenor Philip Watkin, and soprano Ann Davies. The accompanist was Meinir Jones Parry, and Dr Mair and Elin Walker presided. Cllr Hughes Griffiths said: “Cymanfa’r Hen Ganiadau has raised some £1,800 so far and money is still coming in. The proceeds will be shared between my two Chairman’s Charities, the Wales Talking Books Project and TENOVUS West Wales Cancer Care.”

Carmarthenshire County Council’s Chairman is urging local residents to back the British Legion Poppy Appeal. Chair Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths is supporting the Poppy Appeal and has agreed that poppies can be placed in council premises. Last year’s Poppy Appeal currently stands at just over £45m which is an increase of more than £6m on the 2013 total. The Head of the Poppy Appeal Ray Sheppard said: “Our welfare services this year have seen over £1.3m a week spent on a variety of services. From helping a young widow through an inquest to ensuring that an older veteran can stay independent in their own home. “Our Armed Forces and the demands on our services are as important now as they have always been.” This year Remembrance falls from October 24 until November 11. The success of the Poppy Appeal relies on the committed support of volunteers and the British Legion is again running its Poppy People campaign to attract new volunteers. Anyone over 16 years of age can help and they can do...

Councillors in Carmarthenshire voted as one today to welcome Syrian refugees to the county. In a special item allowed by Chair Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths at the end of Full Council today, the Leader Cllr Emlyn Dole called on all members to support his plea to help. He revealed that the Chief Executive and senior officers were already looking into how Carmarthenshire could play its part. Cllr Dole said: “This is a huge humanitarian crisis, there is a human and moral requirement upon us to support in a welcoming and positive way this crisis and these refugees. “I celebrate the extraordinary courage of the refugees, and I call on the Welsh Government and the UK Government for an immediate response, and for us to declare we will play our part fully in welcoming with open arms people, not only to consider their plight, but to do something about it.” The Leader quoted lines from the poem by John Donne ‘For Whom the Bell Tolls’ which starts with the famous line ‘No man is an island’ and en...

The new chairman of Carmarthenshire County Council has announced his charities for his year in office. Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths has chosen the Wales Talking Books Project ( Llyfrau Llafar Cymru ) and Tenovus West Wales Cancer Care. He met representatives of the two charities in the Chairman’s Room in County Hall to discuss his support for them over the year ahead. The Wales Talking Books Project is based at Parc Dewi Sant in Carmarthen and offers a service for people who are blind or have sight problems. It consists of a team of volunteers, led by two full-time staff, who record books, magazines and local papers on cassettes or CDs and distribute them to hundreds of people throughout Wales. Up to 40 books a year are recorded. There is a campaign to reach more people, and the charity knows of nearly 1,500 people in Carmarthenshire alone who could benefit. Llyfrau Llafar Cymru needs to raise £50,000 a year to sustain its service. Llyfrau Llafar Cymru chair Sulwyn Thomas said: “We ar...

Plaid Cymru's 'Magnificent Seven' posed for a photocall outside Carmarthen's Shire Hall today. The seven took the Carmarthen seats and the Llangunnor seat on Carmarthenshire County Council. They are pictured posing for Carmarthen Journal photographer Carolyn Evans. To be fair to the potential future Leader of Carmarthenshire County Council, Peter Hughes Griffiths on the left, you can't be critical of his choice of footwear; he was helping out at the Carmarthen Mayor's Fun Run races this morning!