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

Age Cymru Sir Gâr are celebrating reaching their 21st year operating as a charity for people aged 50-plus in Carmarthenshire. The charity has supported people to live longer, live independently, make informed choices and have control over their lives. The charity is extended a warm invitation to all members of the public to come and join in the celebrations on Thursday, March 30, at St Peter’s Civic Hall, Nott Square, Carmarthen, from 12-3.30pm. Like all good parties, there will be music, activities and refreshments throughout the afternoon. There will be taster sessions of all the activities the charity has helped to set up around the county as well as some new activities. You can have a go at Nordic walking, seated exercise or dancing, as well as the more traditional knitting, arts and crafts. The charity was set up in October 1995 with their first office in Cross Hands. The charity moved to Blue Street in Carmarthen and needed to move again in 2001 to more suitable, disabled-frie...

The Mayor of Carmarthen's Charity Appeals Committee is holding a 'Table Top Sale' on the 11 June between 10am and 2pm at St Peter's Civic Hall Carmarthen. There are a small number of tables available at £5 (plus a raffle prize donation). Come along and sell unwanted items or organise a table for a worthy cause. Or pop along and grab a bargain, free admission, refreshments will be available. For further information contact 07910 744993 or 07496 314360.

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.

At a well-attended meeting on April 8, the Mayor of Carmarthen Charity Appeal Committee discussed the forthcoming barbecue at the Mayor’s home to take place on the 11 May at 7pm. Also under discussion were arrangements for the Vintage Tea Party to be held at St Peter’s Civic Hall on June 8 at 3pm. Tickets for both events at £5 will be available from Committee members and from the Town Council at St Peter’s Civic Hall. The Treasurer asked Committee members to nominate local charities to receive donations from funds raised. A number of fundraising ideas were put forward and would be discussed at future meetings. The next meeting is to be held on May 7. All proceeds raised by the Appeal Committee are directed to local charities. For further details of any of the events please contact Debby on 01267 222326 or the Town Council at St Peter’s Civic Hall.

The Carmarthen Riverside Association AGM and Committee Meeting will be held on Monday, 17 September, at 7.30 pm at St Peter's Civic Hall.

Just Good Friends, Carmarthen's theatre company, will present the Roman romp 'A Funny Thing Happened On the Way To The Forum' at St Peter's Civic Hall, Carmarthen, from 25th to 27th July at 7.30pm. This musical comedy is linked with the name of Frankie Howerd who played the main role of Pseudolus the slave at a National Theatre production. Swansea's own Desmond Barrit also played the role and he has sent the company good luck messages from the cast of Wicked, in which he is currently performing in the West End. Featuring as Pseudolus in the Carmarthen production is Chris Potter, a Llanelli deputy head, who two years ago won an award from NODA for the best performance in Wales and Ireland for Dafydd in A Chorus of Disapproval. Rehearsals are a "hoot" and audiences are guaranteed an evening of laughter and tapping feet. Tickets are available from Sian Morris, Director at 01267 237386

The next Carmarthen Riverside Association Executive Committee Meeting will be on Monday, 9th July 2012, 7.30 pm at the Committee Room, St Peter's Civic Hall, Carmarthen.

There is a Seedy Saturday Spring Fayre at St. Peter's Civic Hall, Carmarthen on Saturday 11th February, 10 am – 3 pm. You can swap seeds, information and ideas for a sustainable future with tools for self reliance, stalls, speakers, crafts, food, kids space etc. Email seedysaturdayllanelli@hotmail.com C/o 8 Sgwar Randall, Penbre, SA16 0TY Phone 07884 346373

Shelley Williams of The Vintage Tea Party is organising a Christmas Market to be held in St Peter’s Civic Hall on November 12. Shelley won RDP Sir Gâr’s 2010 Dragon’s Den style competition – Cwtch y Ddraig – with her idea to hire out her vintage tea sets for special occasions. Her prize was £500 from the businesses sponsoring the event toward her business start up and she has since gone on to open a shop, The Vintage Tea Party, on Carmarthen’s Mansel Street. “The competition gave me the opportunity to meet with other businesses and entrepreneurs and my business evolved very quickly with the resultant media attention that came with being a winner. It also gave me confidence to take The Vintage Tea Party forward as the judges believed in me” says Shelley. RDP are working to regenerate rural Carmarthenshire through the Rural Development Plan (RDP) for Wales 2007 – 2013 which is funded by the Welsh Government and the European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development. The latest RDP Sir Gâr ...