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

Scientists at Aberystwyth University’s Institute of Biological, Environmental and Rural Sciences (IBERS) are supporting Wales’ Fire and Rescue Service personnel in their charity bike ride to raise £15,000 for the Fire Fighters Charity and Wales Air Ambulance. The sports physiologists at IBERS are advising the team on the best way to prepare in relation to energy and fluid replacement strategies for the 14-day event. The very first ‘Fire Ride’ is a bike ride that links up all of Wales’ 152 Fire Stations, and will take place over 14 days between 22nd May – and the 4th June 2015. A core team of riders will complete the full 1350-mile ride, and hundreds more are expected to support and join in the challenge by completing individual stages of the event. The course will cover Wales' beautiful landscapes and joining up all of the fire service communities around the country. All Service personnel are welcome and there is a ride for all abilities, from extreme sports and endurance enthus...

A Carmarthen man got together a team of ‘rebels’ to tackle a 55 mile cycle to say thank you to a unit which helped save his life. Rhodri Reynolds formed part of the Rhodri’s Rebels group of friends who cycled 55 miles from Aberaeron to Saundersfoot to raise funds for the Chemotherapy Day Unit at Glangwili Hospital, Carmarthen. Rhodri said “I was treated at Glangwili Hospital in 1996 for Hodgkin Lymphoma when I was 19 years old. I have been fortunate to make a full recovery and wanted to give something back in return for the marvellous care that I was given by the doctors and nurses. “I am pleased that we were able to raise £2,106.10 for the Chemotherapy Day Unit as it provides such an excellent service. Having visited the unit today for the first time since my treatment I am amazed to see how charitable donations have helped to provide above and beyond what the NHS is able to offer.” Rhodri added: “I would like to thank my family and friends for all the support they have given me ...

Cycle riders will be making their way from Llanelli to Aberystwyth as part of a four day challenge to raise vital funds for the Motor Neurone Disease Association. The group of riders, mainly from the Llanelli area, will leave North Dock Llanelli on Thursday 26 June making their way to Aberystwyth. Friday 27 June consists of a challenging route through Beddgelert, Llanberis, Bangor and Betws y Coed. Saturday 28 June will be a ride down to Brecon through Bala and the Bwlch y Groes. On Sunday 29 June the group will start the day with a hike on foot from Corn Ddu to Penyfan having cycled over 300 miles during the previous three days! The group will then finish off their challenge with a fancy dress cycle back to Llanelli‘s North Dock over the Black Mountains! The group has set a fundraising target of £12,000 for the South West Wales branch of the Motor Neurone Disease Association. The local branch helps to improve the quality of life of patients living across the Hywel Dda University Heal...

A Llanelli gym instructor is getting on his bike and cycling from Paris to Burry Port to help children with autism. To raise money for week on the street project, Rob Welch is saddling up for the 450-mile French challenge in July. The 39-year-old Llanelli Leisure Centre worker is part of a group who will gear up and peddle the journey from Paris to Dieppe then onto Newhaven, Winchester, Chepstow before arriving in Burry Port on July 17. The former bodybuilder has been training hard for the last couple of months, clocking up around 200 miles a week, and hopes people will dig deep in their pockets to raise as much money as possible. Dad of one Rob Welch said: “My friend’s son is autistic and I wanted to do something to help. When the bike ride was suggested I thought this would be a great opportunity to raise money for such a worthy cause. “People can donate by going online to the just giving website page or donate via the collection buckets at Llanelli Leisure Centre.” The scheme, whi...

A family bike ride is this year raising money for the Special Care Baby Unit (SCBU) at Glangwili Hospital. The Sosban Cycle Ride is being held in Llanelli on Sunday 11 May 2014 and has been specifically designed as a starter cycling experience for every member of the family to enjoy together. Phil Edwards of Merlin Cycle Sports Ltd said: “With panoramic views across the water to the beautiful Gower Peninsula, the Sosban Ride will follow a mostly flat route allowing for a pleasant and relaxed Sunday morning activity the whole family can enjoy whilst reaping the benefit of being out in the fresh air and enjoying some healthy light exercise.” Starting at Bynea Cycling Club, there will be a choice of two routes for cyclists that follow the picturesque Millennium Coastal path: 20k (12 mile) route heading to the Discovery Centre at North Dock Llanelli 45k (27 mile) route continuing along the costal path through the historic harbour town of Burry Port into Pembrey Country Park and bac...

Staff at West Wales solicitors Hains and Lewis are getting on their bikes in aid of three charities. The solicitors, based at Haverfordwest, Carmarthen and Narberth, will be organising a charity bike ride on Sunday, September 30. The event is being organised by Angela Killa, senior assistant solicitor at Carmarthen. It will raise funds for Women’s Aid, Ty Hapus and Brain Tumour UK. To register your interest in the bike ride, or to find out more, you can contact Angela Killa on 0845 4080125 or email – angela.killa@hainsandlewis.co.uk The three causes: Women’s Aid Women’s Aid inWest Wales assists victims of domestic violence. They undertake a great deal of work in the Carmarthenshire area and the money raised will help the Carmarthen, Ammanford and Llanelli offices. Ty Hapus Carmarthen-based organisation that provides support and practical assistance to single fathers. Brain Tumour UK This is a national charity providing support to families affected by the dignosis of a brain tumour. Th...

Staff at West Wales solicitors Hains and Lewis are getting on their bikes in aid of three charities. The solicitors, based at Haverfordwest, Carmarthen and Narberth, will be organising a charity bike ride on Sunday, September 16. The event is being organised by Angela Killa, senior assistant solicitor at Carmarthen. It will raise funds for Women’s Aid, Ty Hapus and Brain Tumour UK. Angela said: “We are in the early stages of organising the ride, but the intention is to raise money for three very worthwhile charities. “In addition, in the build-up to the event, we are hoping to organise a competition for local schoolchildren to get involved with designing a poster, a logo and a webpage for the ride. “The ride will be open to the public and we’d like as many people as possible to get involved. “As a local firm of solicitors, we recognise the importance of supporting good causes, so, hopefully, we can do a lot of good with the money raised. “The bike ride route and the distance inolved is...

Bobby on a Bike is hitting the roads of Ceredigion | Dyfed Powys Police | Heddlu Dyfed Powys An Aberystwyth Police Officer has completed a cycling challenge with a difference over 400 miles of back roads, hills and mountains. PC 544 Mel Gaul joined colleagues from the Suffolk Constabulary who arranged the four-day 400 mile event to run from RNLI Aldeburgh east coast to RNLI Borth near Aberystwyth. Funds raised will go towards supporting the 2012 ‘Bobby-on-a-Bike’ coast-to-coast cycle ride, in aid of local RNLI stations.

Carmarthen accountant Ann Thomas is counting down the days to a marathon international bike challenge. Ann, senior consultant with Clay Shaw Butler chartered accountants and business consultants in Lammas Street, Carmarthen, has signed up for the Paris to Swansea charity bike ride in August. “It’s the biggest physical test I’ve faced since climbing Kilimanjaro a few years back, but I’m looking forward to a great challenge,” said Ann, 37. “At the front of my mind will be helping to raise loads of cash for charity and I will be riding for Maggie’s. They are a very worthwhile UK-wide charity with a new cancer centre in Swansea. “The actual ride takes place between August 22-26 and will cover 320 miles. I will be joining a group of riders who hope to raise more than £80,000 for Maggie’s.” Ann is already in training for the ride and is just over a quarter of the way towards reaching her individual target of raising £1,500. “I’m a keen cyclist and I’ve taken part in what are described ...

The Carmarthen Town AFC charity cyclists received a cash boost from Town's players on Saturday. Phil Williams, Anthony Parnell, Paul Evans, Emlyn Schiavone, Ultann George, Ceri Rees and Paul James completed a marathon four-day cycle ride in aid of Ty Cymorth (the club's nominated charity for this year) and the Carmarthen Town AFC Community Programme. It was a circular ride of 240 miles beginning and finishing at Carmarthen Town AFC, taking in visits to Aberystwyth Town AFC, Newtown AFC, Port Talbot AFC, Afan Lido AFC, Neath AFC and Llanelli AFC football grounds. The Carmarthen Town AFC members were carrying on a tradition started by former treasurer Nigel Williams, who sadly passed away recently. Nigel was instrumental in organising charity cycle events during his long relationship with the club. The club's Welsh Premier League players raised cash to support the riders and the money was handed over to the cyclists by Tim Hicks. If you want to contribute to the fund-raisi...

Members of Carmarthen Town AFC are carrying on a tradition started by former treasurer Nigel Williams, who sadly passed away recently.  Nigel was instrumental in organising charity cycle events during his long relationship with the club. These events will continue in honour of Nigel. This year, club members will be cycling to raise money for Ty Cymorth (the club's nominated charity for this year) and the Carmarthen Town AFC Community Programme. The Ty Cymorth Day Care Centre in Carmarthen provides a service for people facing a life changing illness and their families. Their aim is to enrich the person’s quality of life, promote their independence, offer opportunities to empower the person to make their own personal choices within a safe therapeutic environment and provide education, information, support and advice for both patients and families. The Carmarthen Town AFC Community Programme, sponsored by EMC Services, is based at Richmond Park, Carmarthen. It incorporates a ...

On your bike! | Dyfed Powys Police | Heddlu Dyfed Powys Some people will do anything for charity, but an officer from Dyfed-Powys Police is set to go the extra mile – 400 miles in fact! On St David’s Day, PC Mel Gaul and colleagues from the Suffolk Constabulary have arranged an event for partners and colleagues to meet at Aberystwyth Police station and enjoy a fundraising opportunity and network over a coffee and a cake! Funds raised will go towards supporting the 2012 ‘Bobby-on-a-Bike’ coast-to-coast cycle ride, in aid of local RNLI stations, which is taking place on 27 May 2012.

News reaches me of an ambitious charity bike ride planned by Llanelli-born policeman Giles Evans. Giles is planning to cycle from 'Toon to Town' - Newcastle to Llanelli! He explains: 'Toon to Town is my brainchild. I am a serving Northumbria police officer, having transferred here in 1989 from Dyfed-Powys police, having been born in Llanelli. 'In 2010, I decided to organise a 400-mile charity cycle ride from Newcastle (Toon) to my home town of Llanelli (town). On this challenge, I cycled alone and finished the challenge at Parc y Scarlets, the home of he Scarlets regional rugby team. 'In 2011, I decided to do it again and I was joined by colleagues Tim Mayland and Bryan Orkney, together with my brother Simon, who travelled up from Llanelli, and a friend Rob Newstead. 'Over the two previous challenges, more than £6,500 has been raised for charity. 'This year, the nominated charity is Help for Heroes and a minimum target of £10,000 in new donati...

Llanelli Rotarian Mark Evans completed the Carten 100 charity cycle ride from Cardiff to Tenby, raising £2,000 for charity. Mark, in the orange jacket, is pictured with fellow members of Llanelli Rotary Club and supporters just after completing the leg to Loughor Bridge. In the yellow jacket is the president of the Rotary Club of Gower and Llwchwr, Ian Hughes. Since the inception of the Carten 100, a staggering £49,000-plus has been raised for charity. The name Carten reflects the names Cardiff and Tenby and the 100-mile distance of the ride.

Forest fires, floods, windstorms and getting hit by a truck – just a few of the hazards faced by two tandem riders pedalling across South Wales this month as part of a truly epic cycle challenge. Huw and Carolyn Thomas have spent the past year riding 10,000 miles on a tandem, towing a large green box on a trailer behind them. The green box is a ShelterBox – more normally used for delivering emergency aid to families who have lost their homes in disasters all over the world. Averaging 50 miles a day in the saddle, the two riders have already crossed North America, New Zealand and parts of Australia and Europe to promote ShelterBox, a charity based in Cornwall. Now on the final leg of their mammoth journey, the couple are due to arrive in Fishguard on Wednesday 13th July. From there, they continue via Haverfordwest, Saundersfoot, Llanelli, Gower and Cardiff – giving a number of talks to Rotary Clubs along the way. They will be in Llanelli on Friday July 15. Carolyn, 43, said: “We have ha...