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

There's a night of celebration at the Amman Centre in Ammanford on Friday night. Lleisiau'r Cwm are celebrating 15 years this year and Cantata are celebrating the S4C title of Female Choir of Wales. Catrin Hughes, from Ysgol y Strade, conducts both choirs so the event promises to be an evening to remember. Concert details: Amman Centre Ammanford, Friday, July 15th, 7.30 till late. Artists in the first half- Cantata, Lleisiau'r Cwm. Presenter - Heledd Cynwal S4C. Auctioneer - Glynog Davies. Star guests in the second half - Fat Barry's Soul Band. Raffle and auction on the evening - proceeds towards Bobath Cymru (celebral palsy unit). Tickets - £10 (including buffet) available from Catrin Hughes (Ysgol y Strade) and members of both choirs.

Pupils at two Llanelli secondary schools have now got a range of healthy school meals at their fingertips. New cashless catering systems have been installed at Bryngwyn and Ysgol y Strade school dining halls meaning pupils no longer have to use cash to buy lunch and refreshments – instead they only have to place their index finger on a scanner at the till to have their pre-paid accounts debited. They are the first schools in Llanelli to use the system, installed by Carmarthenshire Catering Service – part of the county council - as part of an on-going commitment to improving the schools meals service. Both schools have jointly funded the system with the council. Key benefits of a cashless system include the removal of the ‘free school meal’ stigma, where pupils entitled to free meals have their accounts credited on a daily basis instead of receiving and using tokens or vouchers. In turn, the system helps remove the opportunity for bullying and improves pupils’ overall welfare. A cashles...

Ysgol Y Strade’s dining room has had a ‘hip’ make-over as part of an S4C children’s TV programme. Three year eight pupils, Gwenllian Jones, Gwenno Evans and Rachel Thomas, wrote to the producers of ‘Hip Neu Sgip’ - a TV show which transforms nominated community venues – to suggest they visit their school hall. The design team moved in and with the help of around 60 volunteers freshened up the dining room with a trendy American diner and cartoon theme. A colourful mural has also been added which depicts the ethos of the government’s Appetite for Life programme, and an ‘eat well plate’ which suggests ways of maintaining a nutritious balanced diet. School pupils helped the production team to transform the hall, which has been brightened up at no cost to the council. Sandra Weigel, catering services manager, said: “We are delighted with the makeover at Ysgol Y Strade, and would like to thank the girls for nominating the dining room to feature in the show. “The dining room has a bright and ...

Pupils at Llanelli’s Ysgol y Strade have been put in the driving seat when it comes to their school dinners. Pupils have been taking part in a questionnaire so that Carmarthenshire’s Catering Service can gain a better insight in to what they like and dislike about school meals. In return, pupils were entered in to a prize draw to win a signed Scarlets rugby shirt or a month’s worth of swimming vouchers for two. Year 11 pupil Dyfan Watkins, and year eight pupil Dion Jenkins, won the swimming vouchers, and year nine pupil Alex Stewart picked up the signed Scarlets rugby shirt. Helen Bailey, marketing and project officer for Carmarthenshire County Council, said it was all about giving pupils more control over what they eat during school hours. “We wanted to pilot a questionnaire in comprehensive schools to see if we could have a better insight into what the pupils like,” she said. “Information gained from the questionnaires will be relayed back to the catering team to try and target any p...