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

The latest Clay Shaw Butler Money Matters column from the Carmarthenshire Herald. By Mark Jones, director of Carmarthen-based Clay Shaw Butler chartered accountants and business consultants. Deadlines are so important in the world of business – particularly when it comes to tax matters. At Clay Shaw Butler, we recognise how important deadlines are by helping our customers with a regularly-updated calendar of upcoming key taxation dates. Here is what’s coming up during the rest of this year . . . August 2017 Saturday August 19 PAYE, Student loan and CIS deductions are due for the month to 5th August 2017. This deadline is relevant to employers who have made PAYE deductions from their employees' salaries and to contractors who have paid subcontractors under the CIS. Employers are required to make payment to HMRC of the income tax, national insurance and student loan deductions. Contractors are required to make payment to HMRC of the tax deductions made from subcontractors under th...

The latest Phil Evans column from the South Wales Evening Post. Comedian Phil Evans is from Ammanford. He is known as the man who puts the ‘cwtsh’ into comedy. www.philevans.co.uk ................................ A shock to the system:  It’s been announced that rail electrification between London and South Wales will stop at Cardiff Central – although no-one is prepared to predict at the precise time it’ll come to a halt. Having taken the train to Paddington and back on more occasions I can remember, there’s every chance it’ll be delayed because of a signal failure between Reading and Didcot Parkway, a cow on the line outside Swindon and the possibility of a nervous little train refusing to move out of the safety of the Severn Tunnel and on into Newport in case it has its wheels stolen while waiting in the station for two minutes. It’s okay. I have friends in Newport. They can take a joke. Well, you’d be exactly the same if you lived there. As soon it was announced rail electrif...

The latest 'On Song' column from the Carmarthen Journal and Llanelli Star - The wonderful ladies of Côr Curiad are just a slim fingernail away from having a sell-out concert in September. At the start of this week, there were just three seats left for their September 2 concert with The Overtones at Ffwrnes Theatre, Llanelli. The night will conclude Côr Curiad’s two-year fundraising efforts for Ty Bryngwyn Hospice in Llanelli. The choristers set themselves a £20,000 target. The target has already been met, so Côr Curiad’s members are looking forward to smashing the figure and handing the final cheque over on a special night! The Overtones are a five-piece vocal harmony group - Darren, Mark, Timmy, Mike and Lachie. They were discovered by a Warner Bros Records talent scout while working as decorators in a shop near Oxford Street, singing during their tea break. Their debut album, Good Ol’ Fashioned Love entered the UK Albums Chart at No16 in November 2010. However, after the re-...

There’s a touch of Mexicana leading the new products being launched by the Jenkins Bakery. The new products hit the shops on Monday (July 31). They are – Mexicana Cheese & Salsa Wrap – £2:60 BLT with Applewood Cheese Sandwich – £2:75 and Mallow filled Oyster Wafer (“Ollie the Oyster”) – £1:00 Operations director Russell Jenkins said: “Our team at our bakery HQ in Trostre are always keen to try new products. We like to do plenty of market research to see what new taste sensations our customers fancy trying. “This week, we have three new products making their debut on the shelves. “The Mexican Cheese Salsa wrap is a tortilla wrap with spicy fire-roasted tomato sauce and spicy Mexicana Cheese. Mexicana cheese is a red Farmhouse cheddar cheese with bell peppers and Hot Chilli spices. “The BLT with Applewood Cheese is on Multiseed bread with Reggae Reggae spicy sauce, rashers of streaky bacon, Lettuce, Sliced tomato and Applewood Smoked Cheese. Applewood cheese is a smooth textured Farm...

Reflections on a ground-breaking trip to honour links between Llanelli and a city in The Netherlands were the order of the day at Plas Llanelly House. There was a full house for an afternoon which mixed music and memories for the team from Loud Applause Rising Stars. ‘Rising Stars’ is the charitable wing of Loud Applause Productions and works to help mentor up-and-coming singers and musicians and give them experience of the concert stage. The team from Rising Stars were invited to attend World War Two commemoration events in s’Hertogenbosch (Den Bosch) in The Netherlands. And the success of the trip was outlined in a photo presentation by Loud Applause Rising Stars Trustee Mrs Susan Roberts. Loud Applause Rising Stars took two of their young singers, Thomas Bytheway and Callum Rhys Williams, to s’Hertogenbosch. They were accompanied by Rising Stars Ambassador Mark Llewelyn Evans and accompanied by Andrew Pike, musical advisor – and a team of Rising Stars supporters. Mrs Roberts said ...

A new pop-up gallery has opened in Llanelli at historic Plas Llanelly House. The new gallery features exhibits by awarding-winning artist Denise Di Battista (John Street Gallery) and Llanelli Photographic Society member Arthur Mallett. “This is a first for Plas Llanelly House,” said trustee Alison Evans. “We’ve got some great rooms to show off her at Plas Llanelly House and it’s great to be able to create a buzz in the house with the installation of a pop-up gallery. “Denise Di Battista is a very well known local artist who already runs a successful gallery in John Street. “Arthur Mallett is a wonderful photographer and his prints will also attract a great deal of local interest." The pop-up gallery is on the ground floor and everyone is welcome to come in and have a browse. Arthur Mallett is a member of Llanelli Photographic Society and gained his AWPF (Associate of the Welsh Photographic Federation) in 2010. He said: “I have taken photos for most of my life but only took it...

Age Cymru Sir Gâr in Carmarthenshire have applied to the Tesco Bags of Help scheme and needs your support to help win up to £4,000 to help us support older people with new technology. Ann Dymock, chief officer of Age Cymru Sir Gâr, explained - "Tesco donates all the 5ps that they charge for carrier bags to a charitable cause. Age Cymru Sir Gâr are in the final 3 for July 2017 and details about the charity and the work it wants to achieve with funding help from Tesco will be displayed in its Carmarthenshire stores throughout July. "To help us win the £4,000 for the charity to help older people learn how to engage with new technology please vote for us. All you need to do is to make a purchase of any value from a Tesco store. You will receive one token per transaction (you may need to ask for the token) and it's not necessary to purchase a carrier bag in order to receive a token. At the front of the store there will be three bins where you can place your blue token. Ju...