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

The third annual Young Musician competition organised by Llanelli Rotary Club saw performances of the highest standard. “The competitors were a credit to their parents and their teachers and helped showcase what a wonderful range of youth talent we have in and around Llanelli,” said the chairman of the judging panel, Côr Meibion Llanelli Male Voice Choir musical director D Eifion Thomas. The final of the Llanelli Rotary Club competition also doubled up as the Rotary Area Final, with the winners going through to the third round, a District Final in Cardiff on March 4. The Young Musician event is a national competition. The target is to get through to the Rotary International Britain and Ireland final, which is being held in Wales this year – at the Welsh College of Music, Castle Grounds, Cathays Park, Cardiff, on Saturday May 6. The winner of the Llanelli Rotary Club Final and Area Final was 12-year-old Thomas Park, of Coedcae School, Llanelli, who performed Variations Brillantes by...

The Rotary club of Merthyr Tydfil - a club which plays a very active part in the local community - has just introduced three new members. All of its members are special but never in its 87-year history as it had a female member. There are many female members in Rotary both nationally and internationally but this is the first in Merthyr Tydfil. Tracey Burke, the centre manager of Cancer Aid Merthyr Tydfil, Huw Williams, a lecturer and historian, and Hywel Samuel, an administrator, were formally introduced as Rotarians at a short ceremony at the club's meeting in October. The introduction was carried out by District Governor Chris Williams, who oversees some 67 clubs in District 1150 covering Wales. Chris was impressed by the many ways that the club was involved in the local community and living up to the Rotary motto " Service before Self " He also thanked the club for its contribution to international relief such as its efforts to eradicate polio in the world. He was...

The Rotary District 1150 92nd annual bowls triples competition will be held in Llandrindod Wells this summer. Details - DISTRICT 1150 92nd ANNUAL BOWLS TRIPLES COMPETITION LLANDRINDOD WELLS Date: Tuesday 7th July 2015 Lunch: Metropole Hotel at 12.30 p.m. Bowls Competition: Llandrindod Wells Bowling Club, Rock Park 2.15 p.m. Teams of three players each playing three woods. To win prizes, all three must be current members of respective Rotary clubs Contact: Noel Tippett, Rotary Club of Pontllanfraith Tel: 01495 228280 Email: tippett115@btinternet.com

President Carol Ramaya and members of Lampeter Rotary Club will be celebrating 45 years of service in the community in 2015. The club is holding its 45th Charter Night at the Grannell Hotel, Llanwnnen, on Friday, May 29, 7.00 for 7.30pm. The guest speaker is retired Police Inspector, Mr. Ken Lewis, Llanwnnen, who published, in March, his biography ‘Insbector Ken’. The cost of the evening, including the three course dinner followed by coffee, is £20. Dress – formal and regalia to be worn. An invitation is extended to Rotarians Please RSVP by 20/05/2015 to - Rhys Bebb Jones Secretary Glynrhosyn 50 Heol y Bont Llanbedr Pont Steffan Ceredigion ...

Maesteg Rotary Club will be holding their 70th Charter Anniversary Dinner at the Masonic Hall, Castle St., Maesteg, 7pm for 7 - 30pm, Saturday, 2nd May, 2015. There is a warm invitation for Rotarians to attend with partners/friends. Entertainment - Dennis Lang. Tickets £25. Dress code: Black Tie Dinner . RSVP to David Howells, "Amaroo", Maesteg Road, Llangynwyd, Maesteg CF34 9SN. Telephone 01656 732438. Email dhowel@talktalk.net

In celebration of Rotary International's 110 years of accomplishments around the world two Mayoral receptions were held recently. The Mayor of Torfaen, Cllr Mandy Owen, hosted a reception for the Presidents of her four local Rotary Clubs – Cwmbran; Cwmbran Vale; Henllys and Pontypool to recognise their club members' outstanding contribution to the area. Later in the day, it was the turn of the Right Worshipful Mayor the Mayor of Newport, Cllr Matthew Evans, to ask the Presidents of the Rotary Clubs of Caerleon; Newport; Newport St. Woolos and Newport Uskmouth to pass on his thanks to their members for their service to the community by hosting afternoon tea in the Mayor's Parlour. The Rotary Presidents were accompanied by the District Governor of Rotary in Southern Wales, Sandra Townsend, Past District Governor Michael Rye and Assistant Governor for the Newport and Torfaen Area Maggie Hughes. If you would like to know more about Rotary please contact Rtn. Ken Williams t...

The first ever Young Musician competition organised by Llanelli Rotary Club saw nine children from three different schools battle for the title. Set in the prestigious surroundings of Stradey Castle, the competition set a very high benchmark for future Young Musician events. “It would be fair to say that the talent on display was quite remarkable,” said Llanelli Rotary President Hywel Bassett. “As this was our inaugural Young Musician competition, we didn’t really know what to expect. But I know I was blown away by the quality of musicianship and singing – and I know the audience packed into the Great Hall at Stradey Castle felt the same.” The winner was 16-year-old guitarist Cai Charles from Ysgol Gyfun Y Strade (pictured above with Llanelli Rotary President Hywel Bassett). Cai, who has ambitions to study at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in Cardiff, performed The Cello Suite in G Major No1 by J S Bach and Sunburst by Andrew York. Cai said he had been inspired to take up the g...

Baroness Gillian Shepard (deputy chair of the Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission) attended the Rotary Club in Cardiff to hear from Rotary members from all over South Wales about their work with social mobility The venue was Whitchurch (Cardiff) Golf Club, Pantmawr Road, Cardiff. Baroness Shepard spent the afternoon with Rotary Club members from across Rotary's District 1150 South Wales area to hear about their continued work and support within their local communities. There was a focus around what the clubs are doing to reduce child poverty and improve social mobility, which is timely, as child poverty and social mobility is rising up the agenda again. Background: The Social Mobility and Child Poverty Commission (the Commission) is an advisory non-departmental public body established by the Child Poverty Act 2010 as amended by the Welfare Reform Act 2012. The Commission became fully operational in January 2013. The role of the Commission is to: Monitor the Government’...

The teams from Llanelli's St John Lloyd school emerged victorious from the Llanelli-Swansea area final of the Rotary Youth Speaks public speaking competition. The Llanelli school beat off strong competition from Ysgol Gyfun Gymraeg Bryn Tawe in Swansea to win both the junior and senior events in the competition staged at Llanelli Town Hall. The St John Lloyd junior team debated 'Once a cheat, always a cheat', with Chairman Sophie Ayres and Vote of Thanks Proposer Charlotte Rees also winning individual awards. The best individual junior Speaker award went to Branwen Cleaver, of Bryn Tawe, who took as her subject, 'Fatima Whitbread, unsung sporting hero'. In the senior category, there was a clean sweep for St John Lloyd, with Yasmin Rai judged the best Chairman, Lloyd Haines winning the Speaker prize and Connor Charles picking up the Vote of Thanks Proposer prize. The team debated 'Sport is a unifier'. The teams from St John Lloyd won their way through t...

Off to perform MC duties at the area final of the Rotary Youth Speaks public speaking competition at Llanelli Town Hall.

Good to see Fergus Walsh doing an excellent BBC piece on Rotary's work to end polio - http://ning.it/zTPioD

Lovely welcome from the ladies of Five Roads WI last night (Roger Stephens and I were talking on Rotary and Shelterbox), Tea and Welsh Cakes at the close of the meeting. Smashing!

Off to a Rotary District training seminar at Cowbridge Comprehensive. Hope I don't get detention! Meanwhile, nice spotlight on Nia Greville's latest success at The Ashburnham Championship Links Golf Course in the South Wales Evening Post today.

Off to the annual Rotary Club District Assemby at Swansea Metropolitan University.

Heading home from Dublin today after three-day Rotary conference - guest speakers included the excellent Terry Waite.

A Thanks for Life swimathon organised by Llandovery Rotary Club is hoping to splash the cash for charity. The Thanks for Life project is aimed at the elimination polio worldwide. The club is organising the sponsored swim in partnership with Carmarthenshire County Council’s Llandovery Swimming Pool on behalf of Rotary International District 1150. This project was initiated in 1985 by the Rotary movement with the World Health Organisation and Unicef. As a result of Rotary’s efforts and public support, Polio is not present in most of the world. The only hot spots remaining are in Nigeria and Northern India. Rotary hope their continued support for immunisation programmes in these areas will help eradicate this disease. The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation has committed $355,000,000 to "Thanks for Life" and will essentially match-fund the money that Rotary raise worldwide for the project. County executive board member for leisure services Cllr Clive Scourfield said: “The Author...

Llanelli team lost to Gower and Llwchwr in semi-final of Rotary District quiz. Well beaten, but what nasty questions! See earlier post - http://sirgarblog.blogspot.com/2010/01/rotary-quiz-night-tonight.html

It's round two of the Rotary District quiz this evening. The Llanelli team includes yours truly, so wish me luck. The battle venue is Gower Golf Club.