Hundreds of Carmarthenshire pupils will soon be learning about the £1.3 billion Swansea Bay City Deal.

From September, the City Deal will feature as part of the enterprise and employability module of the Welsh Baccalaureate at schools across the county.

Following a trial in Carmarthenshire, the scheme could also be rolled out to schools in Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Pembrokeshire in future.

A qualification for 14 to 19-year-olds in Wales, the Welsh Baccalaureate aims to help students develop knowledge and skills that universities and employers want them to have when they leave school.

The Carmarthenshire trial is part of the Skills and Talent initiative that will underpin all City Deal projects, helping give people a pathway to access the thousands of well-paid jobs that will be created in sectors like life sciences, energy, smart manufacturing and the creative industries.

Cllr Emlyn Dole, Carmarthenshire Council Leader, said: “The Swansea Bay City Deal will create close to 10,000 new, high-quality jobs across the City Region, but it’s vitally important local people benefit from these job opportunities.

“That’s why a Skills and Talent initiative led by Carmarthenshire Council will support all City Deal projects, including the £200m Wellness and Life Science Village at Delta Lakes in Llanelli, and the ‘Yr Egin’ creative cluster at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s campus in Carmarthen.

“Subject to the approval of a business case by the UK and Welsh Governments, the Skills and Talent initiative will give children throughout the City Region a pathway to access the jobs being created by the City Deal by opening up suitable courses in schools, colleges and universities focussing on subjects aligned to the City Deal projects, including life sciences, digital technology, construction, and sustainable energy research and development.

“The trialling of the City Deal as part of the Welsh Baccalaureate in Carmarthenshire schools from September will raise awareness of the game-changing investment that’s about to unfold across South West Wales, helping inform students and teachers about the kind of innovative local projects, jobs and opportunities that are in the pipeline.”

Swansea Bay City Deal projects are being funded, subject to the approval of business cases, by the UK Government, the Welsh Government, the public sector and the private sector. Over the next 15 years, the City Deal will boost the regional economy by £1.8bn.

The Swansea Bay City Deal is being led by the four regional local authorities – Carmarthenshire Council, Swansea Council, Neath Port Talbot Council and Pembrokeshire Council – together with the Abertawe Bro Morgannwg and Hywel Dda University Health Boards, Swansea University, the University of Wales Trinity Saint David, and private sector partners.

Other City Deal projects include the Swansea City and Waterfront Digital District, which will feature a digital indoor arena, a digital village for tech businesses, and a ‘box village’ development for start-up companies at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s SA1 campus. A Homes as Power Stations project is also planned for the City Region as a whole, with all projects to be supported by world class digital infrastructure.

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Staff at Jenkins Bakery shops in Llanelli and the rest of South West Wales are dressing up and having fun to raise money for Cancer Research UK.

Last year, the bakery staff helped raise a magnificent £3,200 for the charity.

This is the sixth year for the bakery to embark on the fundraising fortnight for Cancer Research UK (Photo above is of the Eastgate coffee shop in Llanelli).

All 30 Jenkins Bakery shops are decorated with a pink theme to promote Cancer Research UK.

The bakery is selling pink cupcakes and donating 10p for every cake sold.

Each shop is doing a different event or dressing up in fancy dress to promote the fortnight.

All shops have collection boxes to receive donations.

“The Pink campaign in our shops is always a huge success,” said Jenkins Bakery area manager Fiona Snook.

“Members of staff dress up in a pink theme and the shops are decorated to add to the party spirit.

“Our loyal customers are, of course, fantastic and hugely supportive of the campaign, with generous donations going to Cancer Research UK.

“A word of special praise goes to our staff, who are fantastic, holding raffles, fancy dress events and other fundraising projects to raise extra cash for the charity.”

“We are into our sixth year of doing this event and each year the fundraising campaign for Cancer Research UK goes from strength to strength. A big thank you goes to all our staff and all our customers for supporting this worthy charity.”

Last year, the bakery staff enlisted the help of actor, broadcaster and ‘local hero’ Kev Johns MBE (see photo above) to hand over the cheque to Cancer Research UK at a special event at the Jenkins Bakery shop in Gowerton.

Kev Johns said: “I’m a lover of all things Jenkins, especially chocolate chip pancakes!
“I was delighted to be able to help out and accept the £3200 cheque from Jenkins on behalf of Cancer Research UK.

“All of the staff at Jenkins have done a marvellous thing for Cancer Research UK, so it’s a very big ‘Da iawn’ and well done from me for all their hard work for the charity.”

Every household in Carmarthenshire will soon be receiving a Household Enquiry Form to check who should be registered to vote.

Carmarthenshire County Council writes to all properties every year to update the Register of Electors.

It is important to provide the information requested because under Government rules you could be fined £1,000 for failing to do so.

The form holds information on those who are already registered in the household, but the householder is required to respond to the form, even if there are no changes.

Responding is quick and simple – you can either fill in the form and return using the freepost envelope or complete the form online by visiting www.hef-response.co.uk and using the 10 digit security code which will be on your form.

A project which aims to strengthen the heritage sector in Wales will be launched at the Royal Welsh Show on Tuesday, July 24.

Heritage Construction in Wales, supported by Carmarthenshire County Council, will be delivering a series of training, education and networking activities.

The pan–Wales project is funded by CITB and Cadw and is supported by a partnership of five organisations with a strong interest in supporting the development of the Welsh Heritage Construction Industry in Wales.

These are three construction companies: Andrew Scott Ltd; Tree and Sons Ltd and Just Lime Ltd; the Welsh Traditional Buildings Forum and Carmarthenshire County Council.

The project will run over four years and will meet some of the core objectives in the Strategic Partnership Skills Partnership Agreement between Cadw, CITB, Historic Environment Scotland and Historic England.

The scheme will support heritage contractors to qualify their workforce through the Onsite Assessment and Training route.  Experienced craftsmen and women will be assessed for their NVQ Level 3 in Heritage Stonemasonry, Plastering and Wood Occupations whilst they are working on site.

It is planned that on-line learning resources relating to theoretical heritage construction knowledge will be developed as well as a series of short accredited courses in Repair and Maintenance and Energy Efficiency in traditional buildings.

Employers will also be encouraged through the scheme to attract new staff by setting out entry routes within the heritage construction sector.

Cllr Mair Stephens, executive board member responsible for training, said: “This is an innovative project which we are delighted to support. This is an excellent opportunity for craftsmen and women in the county and for employers to up-skill their workforce.”

For more information about the project please contact Ruth Rees Project Officer on 01558 824271 or via e-mail on wtbfmail@gmail.com

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Technology entrepreneur John Thompson has been awarded an Honorary Doctorate Degree by Aberystwyth University as part of this year’s Graduation celebrations.

John Thompson graduated in Computer Science from Aberystwyth in 1992, and started his career intechnical research working for the UK Ministry of Defence.

In 2001, he co-founded Commerce Decisions Ltd where as CEO he worked closely with his brother Ian (an Aberystwyth Business Studies graduate) to create software that supported global customers undertaking complex procurement projects. The software has been used on 12,000 projects worth a combined £265bn.

John sold the company to QinetiQ plc in October 2008 in a deal worth £12m.

In 2012 he created UserReplay Limited; a technology to assist website owners to understand and resolve issues causing frustration to consumers.

He is now chairman and advisor to a number of early entrepreneurial technology companies.

John Thompson was presented by Professor Qiang Shen, Director of the Institute of Mathematics, Physics and Computer Science at Aberystwyth University on Thursday 19 July 2018.The full presentation is available below, in the language in which it was delivered.

Presentation of John Thompson by Professor Qiang Shen:

Ganghellor, Is-Ganghellor, darpar raddedigion, gyfeillion.  Pleser o’r mwyaf yw cyflwyno John Thompson am radd Doethur er Anrhydedd, Prifysgol Aberystwyth.

Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, prospective graduates and supporters.  It is an honour and a privilege to present John Thompson for an Honorary Doctorate Degree at Aberystwyth University.

John is a leading player in the software industry, with strong connections to Aberystwyth, coming to study in the Department of Computer Science in 1989. He recalls being given 4 megabytes of storage per student to last for 3 years, and I doubt the department’s graduands sitting here today would have been impressed had we given them a similar allocation. But back in the early nineties, 4 megabytes represented a huge amount of storage for an undergraduate used to dealing in just kilobytes.

John graduated with the top 1st for his class of 1992 and went on to do four years research into Requirements Engineering for Software and Systems for the Ministry of Defence.

In 2001 John co-founded Commerce Decisions Ltd and working with his brother Ian Thompson – himself an Aberystwyth alumnus – built a software company that supported customers in 12,000 complex procurement projects, with a combined value of $350bn. Clients included London 2012, the Home Office, the Ministry of Defence and the Australian Government. Indeed, the first University to become a customer of the software was Aberystwyth, after the software was adopted by the Welsh Government in 2006.  According to John, this was sheer coincidence but it may reflect the fact that Aber is an innovative University and an early adopter of new technologies. John eventually sold the company to QinetiQ plc in a deal worth £12m in 2008, and was delighted to learn that the executive put in to run the company by QinetiQ was also an Aberystwyth alumnus.

In 2012 John started his second business project – User Replay Limited. UserReplay is a technology for improving eCommerce sites by enabling website owners to understand and resolve issues causing frustration to consumers.

In 2015 John commenced investigating Machine Learning techniques which could potentially bring a step change to the field of eCommerce analytics, and returned to Aberystwyth to discuss ideas with Prof Chris Price, Dr Richard Jensen and myself. This resulted in a successful joint Aberystwyth/UserReplay project, funded by InnovateUK, which led to a new UserReplay software system that is now used by leading global eCommerce companies throughout the USA and Europe.

In January this year John stepped down after 17 years in CEO positions to start a portfolio career with multiple business interests. He is now a non-executive Chairman at two software companies with multi-million pound turnovers, retained as an advisor to a number of London based tech start-ups, and by a leading UK Venture Capital company.

John has made a substantial and important contribution to society. His efforts have created over one hundred jobs, and the software he created at Commerce Decisions has added value to major Government projects with total budgets of $350bn around the world. John always says his Computer Science degree from Aberystwyth was pivotal in helping develop his business career.

Aber has always been very important to John and he has enjoyed returning to the Department to speak as a guest lecturer on a number of occasions over the last 26 years, and we look forward to further inspiring visits in the future.

It is not only John who has strong connections to Aberystwyth. His son Joe is currently studying for a degree in Computer Science and we believe that this is the first father/son combination for the Department. His daughter Susie will be coming to Aber this September to study International Politics. Both John’s sister (Susie) and brother (Ian) are Aber Alumni, with Susie graduating from the History department in 1998 and Ian from the Business School in 2001.

The connections of John’s extended family with Aber are just as strong. Both John’s brother-in-laws are also graduates of the Computer Science department – and his sister-in-law graduated in Law in 2000. John’s family is indeed steeped in Aber’s history.

Ganghellor, mae’n bleser gen i gyflwyno John Thompson i chi am radd Doethur er Anrhydedd.

Chancellor, it is my absolute pleasure to present John Thompson to you for an Honorary Doctorate Degree.

Aberystwyth University Honours 2018

Nine individuals are being honoured by Aberystwyth University during the 2018 graduation ceremonies, which take place at the University’s Arts Centre from Tuesday 17 July until Friday 20 July.

Six Honorary Fellowships are being presented to individuals who have, or have had a connection with Aberystwyth or Wales, and who have made an outstanding contribution to their chosen field.

One Honorary Doctorate is being presented; recognising an individual who has been outstandingly successful in their field, or who has a long record of renowned research and publication.

Two Honorary Bachelor degrees are being presented. These are presented to individuals who are members of Aberystwyth University staff without an entry-level degree in recognition of long-service, contribution and dedication to the Institution; and members of the local community who have made a significant contribution to Aberystwyth and the area.

Honorary Fellowships:

Honorary Fellowships are being presented to:

• Professor Ann Sumner – art historian, exhibition curator and museum director
• Bonamy Grimes MBE – web entrepreneur and co-founder of flight price comparison website Skyyscanner
• Euryn Ogwen Williams – broadcaster and seminal figure in Welsh media
• John Dawes OBE – former international rugby union player and coach
• Professor Menna Elfyn – award-winning poet and playwright
• His Honour Judge Milwyn Jarman QC – leading judge.

Author and scholar the late Professor Meic Stephens was presented with an Honorary Fellowship of Aberystwyth University on Thursday 3 May 2018 at a special ceremony in Cardiff. Sadly, Professor Stephens died on Tuesday 3 July 2018.

Honorary Doctorate

• John Thompson – technology entrepreneur and software designer.

Honorary Bachelor Degrees:

• Eric Harries – retired Station Manager of Aberystwyth Fire Station, who organised and led 50 humanitarian missions to Eastern Europe to help the innocent victims of war.
• Sue Jones-Davies – actor, singer, town councillor and former Mayor of Aberystwyth.

Photo: John Thompson, who received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Aberystwyth University at Graduation 2018.

Links:
Graduation 2018
https://www.aber.ac.uk/en/graduation/

Scarlets, in conjunction with Macron, have today (Friday 20^th July) launched the home kit for the forthcoming Guinness PRO14 and Heineken Champions Cup campaign.

The region’s kit sponsors were given an exclusive preview of the kit at Parc y Scarlets before the kit was unveiled to the public across Scarlets’ social media channels.

Juno Moneta Group were unveiled as the new main kit sponsor in a lucrative commercial deal that will see the company emblazoned on the chest of both home and away jerseys for the next three seasons.

The Juno Moneta Group of companies was founded in 2014, by Chairman and Founder Louise O’Halloran.

The firm is based on a client centric culture providing standardized and consistent service that is built around the needs clients, first class service and performance without the premier price tag.

Juno Moneta Group is a proud Welsh based firm with offices in South and West Wales as well as throughout England and encompasses not only financial services led businesses but solicitors, accountancy and real estate agencies.

Juno Moneta’s vision, like the Scarlets, is to uphold successful partnerships whilst building strong ties with the wider community.

As such, Juno Moneta Group will be donating their table of 10 in the Quinnell Lounge, at every home game, to the region’s community enabling charities, schools, fundraising organisations and more to enjoy first class matchday hospitality.

Louise O’Halloran, Chairman and Founder of Juno Moneta Group said; “Our clients are at the heart of everything we do as a company and from the very first meetings with the Scarlets we felt that their vision closely aligns with ours.

“This new venture, as Scarlets’ main kit sponsor, is one that we are particularly proud of and excited by. They are a club and region that have their community at the core of everything; the Scarlets family is something very tangible and we’re proud members.

“We will work closely with the Scarlets over the next few years to ensure that we make a personal contribution to the region’s wider communities. Scarlets inspire so many and bring family, friends and colleagues together and we’re looking forward to being a part of the family.”

The home kit for 2018-19, in scarlet colours, proudly displays a modern design with the Scarlets dragon adorning the chest, whilst combining a traditional white collar to give the shirt a sharp finish.

Nathan Brew, Scarlets Head of Commercial said; “Today’s showcase event at Parc y Scarlets has been an opportunity for us not only to reveal the new home kit for the forthcoming season but also to welcome new sponsors to the family.

“We are pleased to officially welcome Juno Moneta Group to the Scarlets and we’re looking forward to seeing the partnership flourish over the next few years.

“As well as Juno Moneta we welcome logistical partners Owens Group, Ronnie S. Evans and Pencnwc Holiday Park as new shirt sponsors for the forthcoming season alongside the existing sponsors.

“I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you, on behalf of the Scarlets, to each and every sponsor that continues to support us. The continued support from local and national companies is the lifeblood of the region’s success and we’re very much looking forward to another successful season both on and off the field.”

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