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

The first ever bicycle beach race in the UK will be staged at Cefn Sidan, and Pembrey Country Park. Entries for Howies Battle on the Beach – being held on March 16 - went on sale on January 1 and sold out in just three days. Riders will have to negotiate the former military railway tracks, ride through old tunnels and round pillboxes in an area steeped in history and dating back more than 100 years, with the creation of the Nobel Powder works at Pembrey. Set against the spectacular backdrop of Gower Peninsula and the coastal scenery of Carmarthen Bay, Battle on the Beach is open to all off-road bicycles. It has already attracted 300 riders from across Europe and all corners of the UK. Executive Board Member for leisure service, Cllr Meryl Gravell, said: “It is tremendous that Battle on the Beach has been attracted to our wonderful park which continues to show its diversity for holding all kinds of events throughout the year. “I am even more enthused that the event is being promote...

A total of 33 community organisations in the Amman Valley have a spring in their step thanks to the Mynydd y Betws Community Benefit Fund. Grants worth more than £600,000 have been awarded for various community projects across the eligible 10 wards. The benefits to the local community will be through improved parks and play areas, gateway enhancement projects, facility improvements, youth performance equipment and a variety of cultural projects. One local organisation to benefit is Amman Valley and District Branch of the Pony Club, which has had a grant of about £27,000 to put down a new riding surface. Gaynor Rooke, District Commissioner of the club, which caters for children and young people from the age of 4-24, said: “The grant is to put down a new surface for riding on, so that we can do more competitions at the clubhouse. It’s a major project.” The fund has also been able to support ISmooth, a local social enterprise that offer skills and training to people with learning diffic...

The road back to a parent’s house is the central journey Welsh-born author Carol Lee portrays in Out of Winter, following news of her father’s sudden illness. Over the next two and a half years, the M4 becomes familiar territory as she travels from her London flat to Carmarthenshire, where her English father and Welsh mother have settled in their retirement. The experience of long-distance care is shared by many and, in this candid portrayal of family life, Carol writes of the conflicting emotions of being an adult ‘child’. Long journeys to visit the village near Llanelli where she was born find her a mass of conflicting emotions, guilt and anger among them. Part of her conflict is mirrored by her parents’ difficult marriage, which both she and her brother retreated from. In returning to care for her mother and father, she feels ‘stretched along the motorway, as if I had a Welsh heart and an English head. Always a piece of me left behind.’ But, in Out of Winter, Carol re-exa...

Two senior councillors responsible for rural affairs and economic development have been touring the county to see the work being done to boost the economy and regenerate communities. The new executive board member for rural affairs Cllr Jim Jones and the executive board member for regeneration and leisure Cllr Meryl Gravell have visited the Ceridwen Centre, Pen-y-banc Farm, Drefach, Felindre; Y Ganolfan, Capel Iwan; and Beacon Stoves in Capel Iwan, and more recently Eagle Signs in St Clears, Red Roses Community Hall, The Gate in St Clears, and to see improvements being carried out in Pendine and Laugharne. Cllr Meryl Gravell said: “These visits have given us the opportunity to see how grant funding accessed through the county council is being used both to help local businesses such as Beacon Stoves to further develop.” Cllr Jim Jones said: “I have appreciated the chance to see how work such as the upgrading of Pendine Promenade can encourage tourism and boost the rural economy.” The ...

A range of activities are taking place across the county’s libraries to celebrate National Libraries Day. Carmarthenshire County Council librarians in Llanelli, Carmarthen and Ammanford are calling on locals to show that they love their local library this Saturday (February 8) as part of the nationwide celebration. Children will be challenged to find the hidden characters such as “Where’s Wally” and “Find a Library Cat” in a free, fun treasure hunt. Follow the clues to find that golden ticket. Prizes up for grabs include Scarlets tickets, theatre tickets, book tokens, free family swims and free dvd rentals. The aim of the day is to encourage people to visit their local library and discover the wide range of services on offer, and for regular users to encourage their friends and family members to make use of libraries services. Cllr Meryl Gravell, Executive Board Member with responsibility for libraries said: “National Libraries Day is a celebration of what is great about our li...

Dewis Menter offers free advice and guidance to individuals who want to start their own business. It also supports existing businesses to identify and implement opportunities for growth and development. Along with one- to-one support from Business Development Officers Lesley Lewis and Barry Hale, the project has a team of mentors from the various business sectors and holds events and workshops throughout rural Carmarthenshire. The Dewis Menter team can be contacted on 01267 242429 or  dewismenter@carmarthenshire.gov.uk *This project has been funded by the Rural Development Plan for Wales 2007-2013 which is funded through the Welsh Government and European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development.

Law firm Red Kite is looking at establishing innovative new partnerships with smaller law firms in West Wales. Red Kite Law is drawing up a feasibility study for a West Wales legal hub, following attempts to establish similar networks in other parts of Wales. “Legal hub networks are a recent innovation in the legal world,” said Red Kite Law partner David Sangster, pictured above. “As a go-ahead law firm, we always like to be in the vanguard of new innovations and this legal hub network idea could provide a big plus for smaller law firms in West Wales. “No longer will they have to risk losing clients to bigger firms outside West Wales if they are asked to do work outside their skill set. “For example, smaller law firms can join a hub operated by Red Kite Law, refer the work they can’t do to Red Kite Law and benefit from referral fees, safe in the knowledge that the client will be returned to them with a smile! “We are fortunate in already having good relationships with many West Wa...