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

"I would rather see something properly made up and properly acted and properly written than this half-arsed manipulated thing. Can't be bothered with it" - Entertainer Victoria Wood on The X Factor. I second that!

Members of Carmarthenshire Youth Council have been to Brussels to visit the European Parliament. Twenty eight Youth Council members aged 11 – 25 years old from all over the County learnt about the work and the role of the European Parliament and got the opportunity to see the Parliamentary Chamber. The members also visited the famous landmarks such as the Grand Palace, the Atomium and Mini Europe. Following the trip, the Youth Council had a question and answer session with Welsh MEP’s to discuss issues affecting young people in the County. Charlene Davies, Youth Council Chairperson said: “This was a fantastic opportunity for us. We learnt all about the European Parliament’s powers and how it differs from local democracy. “Having met with the MEP’s, we are confident that our issues have been addressed and that young people’s voices are being listened to.” Sarah Powell, Carmarthenshire Council’s Youth Participation Officer said: “The Youth Council now has a greater understanding about de...

An awards ceremony took place on Monday September 7 at the Scarlets Stadium to celebrate the success of the Carmarthenshire’s Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. Young people from across the County received their Gold certificates and were commended for their efforts. Over the past year the Carmarthenshire Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has grown from strength to strength with more than five hundred people achieving a Gold, Silver and Bronze award, which is a fifty one percent increase on last year; this has come about through more adult volunteers helping to deliver the Awards programme. In addition, an increase of seventy five percent of young people has completed the Award through the medium of Welsh. This has resulted in the Carmarthenshire Duke of Edinburgh’s Award coming first in the league table of Welsh Unitary Authorities. Andrew Peebles, a former pupil of Queen Elizabeth High School said: “The Duke of Edinburgh’s Award has helped me immensely; I’ve noticed a huge difference in my confidenc...

One family took most of the honours in the inaugural cricket-spitting contest in the town of Marshfield, Wisconsin. Brian Johnsrud spat a dead cricket 22ft 8in. Minutes later, his son Jared managed 10ft 5in to win the nine-to-11 age division. Mr Johnsrud said the key was to pick the biggest insect and take a deep breath before putting in your mouth, to avoid swallowing it. Beats playing conkers hands down!

"An embuggerance" - Writer Sir Terry Pratchett's description of his oncoming Alzheimer's - a turn of phrase included in the latest Oxford Dictionary of Quotations. Nice one, Sir Terry!

Community benefits such as affordable housing will have to be provided if plans for housing at Saron are to be given the go ahead. Thursday’s meeting of Carmarthenshire County Council’s planning committee will discuss a full planning application by Eatonfield Developments for 17 detached and semi-detached two-storey houses on land behind Saron Road. Officers are recommending approving the application with a condition that before work starts the developer must enter into either a Unilateral Undertaking or a Section 106 Agreement with the council to ensure the applicant makes a contribution of £27,000 towards parks/open spaces and £33,000 towards Education Services.

One of the oldest and most famous coaching inns in Wales will be turning the clock back 200 years next month to mark the grand arrival of two large stagecoaches. The 17th century Grade II listed inn, The Grapes in the picturesque village of Maentwrog, in the Vale of Ffestiniog, will be marking the arrival of a coaching party engaged in a fund-raising tour in aid of injured servicemen and servicewomen. The Grapes has been a ‘must stop’ inn for centuries, but hasn’t hosted teams of coaches and horses since the first half of the 19th century. “This event will see us literally turning the clock back 200 years. We’ll see The Grapes as it was in its coaching heyday,” said Andrew Roberts Evans, manager of hotel. The coaching party will include representatives of The Household Cavalry Charitable Fund. The party of drivers, assistants and passengers will be up to 26-strong. The Grapes will be an overnight stop en-route between Bala and Portmeirion. “We intend making sure that the occasion will ...