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

West Wales media consultant Robert Lloyd is spending time in Rio de Janeiro at the 2016 Olympics and Paralympics. He will be reporting exclusively for The Herald newspaper series on his adventures. If my personal road trip to Rio is anything to go by, this could be a roller-coaster journey. Three years in the planning, the journey hit what can only be described as a speed bump last week with a medical issue. So, I write this very much in hope – the hope that I will be on the plane to Rio on Sunday . . . just as long as the doctors agree it is safe for me to travel. Three years seems like a long time, but the reality is that my personal Olympics and Paralympics journey goes back further still. A lifelong fan of the Games (one of my earliest memories is of David Hemery winning the 1968 400 metres hurdles at Mexico on our first colour telly!), it has always been a ‘must see’ TV event in our house. The idea of actually ‘being there’ at an Olympics first started forming during a summ...

A Carmarthen student is set to make a positive difference when he takes part in an expedition with sustainable development charity Raleigh International. Ben Butler, 17, will work alongside volunteers from Tanzania for seven weeks, as part of Raleigh International’s expedition programme. Living and working in a rural community, he will be getting stuck into sustainable community and environmental projects, working in some of Tanzania’s most remote places. He will be volunteering on projects to improve the resilience of the community, and helping them to protect their natural resources, helping to make a genuine difference. He will also take part in a challenging trek as part of an adventure phase. Ben said: "I am really looking forward to the challenges ahead." Ben has set up a justgiving page for any supporters to make a donation however small at www.justgiving.com/Ben-Butler5 All funds raised for Raleigh International will contribute towards making tangible a...

Volunteers are urged to come forward to help support the future of Kidwelly Carnival — one of the town's great traditions — as fears are growing that it could be in jeopardy. The town's welfare committee organise the popular event annually, raising proceeds all year round through various fundraisers including lunches and coffee mornings. But the cash strapped group are now finding that they are making little to no profits from their efforts — and are issuing an SOS for help to continue the event long into the future. For more on this story, click on the link in the headline for the Llanelli Star.

Communities First helps people become valuable volunteers. People living in Carmarthenshire are being invited to a volunteer recruitment event. On Thursday, February 27, Carmarthenshire County Council’s Communities First team are holding a volunteer recruitment day at Llanelly House from 10am – 4.30pm. The aim is of the event is to encourage more people to lend support through volunteering, by engaging with residents to promote up-skilling. Volunteering is also an ideal opportunity for students looking for placement hours to aid in their college course, as – whilst helping others – they can gain all-important work experience and employability skills. Communities First Volunteer Support Worker Amber Williams said: ”I’m urging everybody to come along to the event; this is a great place to start looking at becoming a volunteer. “If you're unsure about what type of volunteering you would like to do or just want to explore the world of volunteering there are a range of opportunities w...

Do you fancy being a Pregnancy Pal or helping to support a new family? The Sure Start Health Development Team are recruiting Pregnancy Pals/ Mentoring/ Behaviour Support volunteers for the next training course, due to start on Thursday 3rd October 2013 This is an ideal opportunity for people in Carmarthenshire to gain experience and a qualification to work with families. You would be provided with training to gain an OCN accreditation in Mentoring. In return the Hywel Dda health Board will ask you to support families in the community for up to two hours per week for a minimum of one year. If you are interested or would like to find out more please contact the team on 01554 779505.

Press release from Hywel Dda Health Board: Hywel Dda Health Board are celebrating their hundreds of fantastic volunteers who give up their free time to help patients and staff. As part of National Volunteer Week people are being asked to use social media to tell the Health Board if you have had contact with a volunteer – they are easy to spot they wear distinctive yellow t-shirts or tabards! If you see any of our volunteers tell us where at www.facebook.com/hywelddahealthboard or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/hywelddahb and please go up and say thank you to them. David Fretwell, Head of Volunteering Services, said: “We are lucky to have some fantastic volunteers working across the Health Board and we hope people take this opportunity to say thank you and publicly raise the profile of their hard work.” There are more than 200 volunteers throughout the health board undertaking more than 70 different roles. Below is just a snap shot of some of them:  Ann volunteers in the Acc...

Three young people who have volunteered at Hywel Dda Health Board are off to start their medical studies. Volunteering for Health has more than 70 different roles across 59 different healthcare locations in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Pembrokeshire. As well as benefiting the patients over 75 volunteers have gone onto further education or employment. As a patient befriender volunteer Syedah Aleena Haider supported patients and staff on the Stroke ward in Prince Philip Hospital. She also volunteered for Radio Prince Philip and a Diabetes Research Centre. She said: Through volunteering I have realised the importance of healthcare staff and the role they play for the wellbeing of patients. "I am starting Christ’s College, Cambridge form October to study Medicine. I have always wanted to pursue a career in Medicine, perhaps in research and the advancement of health sciences. The volunteering I did has provided me with some basic knowledge of how good quality healthcare and patient...