Carmarthenshire County Council’s Actif Holiday Clubs are returning for the school summer holidays and parents are being encouraged to book their children in early.

The yearly clubs at Carmarthenshire’s leisure centres will be running from July 25 through until August 31, Monday to Friday (except bank holidays).

Clubs run between 8.30am and 5pm, with half days available at St Clears Leisure Centre for children aged 4-7 years.

Children aged between 8 and 12 years are welcome.

With popular demand and busy parents, Actif Clubs are a great way to keep children engaged in new activities and sports, making new friends and keeping active come rain or shine during the school holidays.

Cllr Peter Hughes Griffiths, Executive Board Member for Culture, Sport and Tourism, said: “The Actif Holiday Clubs are a great option for many parents looking to keep their children active over the summer. The clubs have a brilliant range of activities and sports at our leisure centres so there is something for everyone.”

To book, visit www.actifsirgar.co.uk

Hot on the heels of Hollywood stars including Judi Dench shooting scenes for a major new movie in Llandeilo and other nearby beauty spots, Carmarthenshire Council is making it easier than ever before to film in the county.

The council has launched an improved filming opportunities section of its website to make the process of scouting and booking filming locations as hassle-free as possible for movie-makers and TV production companies.

As well as dealing with initial enquiries, the council is also on hand to help with filming permits, logistics, community engagement, traffic management, parking, accommodation and hospitality.

Dame Judi was in Carmarthenshire earlier this summer to film scenes for Six Minutes to Midnight, a conspiracy movie set in the build-up to World War Two that also stars Eddie Izzard. Other movies and TV programmes part-filmed in the county include King Arthur, Da Vinci’s Demons, Top Gear, Keeping Faith, Carrie’s War and Hinterland.

Stradey Castle in Llanelli also recently played host to a crew filming scenes for Jerusalem, a forthcoming Channel 4 period thriller starring Keeley Hawes, Michael Stuhlbarg and Matt Lauria.

Cllr Emlyn Dole, Carmarthenshire Council Leader and Executive Board Member for Economic Development, said: “Carmarthenshire offers a huge variety of scenery for the TV and movie industry, including sweeping beaches, historic buildings and mile after mile of picture postcard countryside.

“So many stars have visited Carmarthenshire to film scenes for movies and TV programmes, which raises the profile of the county, boosts an already thriving tourism industry and benefits businesses because of large production crews who visit our local shops, hotels, bed and breakfasts, restaurants and pubs.

“But as a council, we can’t rest on our laurels in our drive to further put Carmarthenshire on the map. That’s why we’ve done all we can through the one-stop portal on our website to make the process of scouting and booking potential filming locations as seamless as possible for TV production companies and movie-makers.”

Also due to open at the University of Wales Trinity Saint David’s Carmarthen campus this autumn is a creative digital cluster called ‘Yr Egin’ that’s set to be part-funded, subject to the approval of a business case, by the £1.3bn Swansea Bay City Deal.

Welsh language broadcaster S4C is already on board as the development’s anchor tenant.

Cllr Dole said: “Yr Egin, complete with state-of-the-art post-production facilities, is a further boost to Carmarthenshire’s thriving creative industry sector.

“As well as the county’s rich, stunning scenery and communities that embrace film crews, developments of this kind also mean expert support and facilities are available close at hand for the TV and film industry.”

Web entrepreneur Bonamy Grimes MBE, co-founder of flight price comparison website Skyscanner, has been presented with an Honorary Fellowship of Aberystwyth University.

Bonamy grew up in Ceredigion and attended Aberaeron Comprehensive, where he was amongst the first cohort of pupils to study computer science at both O-level and A-level in the 1980s.

He went on to co-found flight price comparison website Skyscanner from his attic in London in early 2002.

Since then the company has grown to be the largest travel search company in the world with over 700 employees and offices across the globe.

He received an MBE for services to technology and travel in the Queen’s birthday honours list in 2016.

In November 2016 Skyscanner was sold to the online travel agent Ctrip for £1.4 billion.

Having stepped down from day-to-day involvement in the company, Bonamy now mentors several start-up businesses in the UK and is involved in a range of charity projects.

Bonamy Grimes MBE was presented by Dr Bernie Tiddeman, Head of the Department of Computer Science at Aberystwyth University on Thursday 19 July 2018. The full conferral presentation is available below, in the language in which it was delivered.

Presentation of Bonamy Grimes MBE by Dr Bernie Tiddeman:

Canghellor, Is-Ganghellor, darpar raddedigion, gyfeillion.  Pleser o’r mwyaf yw cyflwyno Bonamy Grimes yn gymrawd Prifysgol Aberystwyth.

Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, prospective graduates and supporters.  It is an honour and a privilege to present Bonamy Grimes as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

Bonamy Grimes grew up in rural Ceredigion, just a few miles south of Aberystwyth, in what sounds like an idyllic childhood, dominated by “fields, woods and running around”.  From those humble beginnings he went on to co-found SkyScanner, one of the great British web startup success stories which in November 2016 was sold to Ctrip, the largest travel firm in China, for $1.75 billion (£1.4 billion).

He attended Aberaeron Comprehensive School, which was part of something called the Technical and Vocational Educational Initiative that allowed him to do the first ever computer science O-level.  This kicked off his interest in technology and computer science, which he went on to study at A-level and then for a degree at Manchester University.  It was at Manchester that he met fellow computer scientist Gareth Williams who would later become SkyScanner’s second co-founder. The two bonded over shared interests in music, skiing and technology.

It was almost 10 years later that they met the company’s third co-founder Barry Smith, while working as an IT contractor for Marks & Spencer in the early 2000s. The three set up their own consultancy and Skyscanner began to take shape when Williams was awarded a contract by Reuters that he wasn’t too keen on accepting.  He took on the work on the understanding that he would have two weeks on and two weeks off.  He used those weeks off to go skiing over the winter, and started to develop software to work out the best choice of flights.  Recognising the business potential, the three started to develop William’s initial implementation (created in a spreadsheet), into a robust flight search system.

As a self-funded enterprise, initially the firm grew slowly, making some mistakes, but learning from them and refining the product and the business idea. As Bonamy has said more recently ‘The one piece of advice I’d have is that it’s not about the idea – it’s about the execution.’

The team took 5 years to develop the software to the stage where they felt ready to approach funders to allow them to scale up the system.  They secured £2.5m from venture capital firm Scottish Equity Partners in 2007 and used it to translate the site into 29 different languages and expand the range of destinations it covered.  Since then the company has grown to be the largest travel search company in the world, with over 700 employees and offices in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Barcelona, Singapore, Miami and Beijing.

Having stepped down from the day to day involvement in the business, Bonamy has explored a number of projects involving his passions of cycling and motor racing as well as helping to mentor a number of start-up companies in the UK.

Bonamy is also involved in a number of charities, working on the technical advisory board of The Alzheimers Society, and is also a regular rider on the Ride25 cycle trip to Sydney in Australia, raising funds for 1moreChild, an orphanage in Uganda.

Canghellor, Is-Ganghellor mae’n bleser gen i gyflwyno Bonamy Grimes i chi yn Gymrawd. 

Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor it is my absolute pleasure to present Bonamy Grimes to you as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

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.

Photo: Aberystwyth University Chancellor, the Rt Hon. the Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd with Bonamy Grimes MBE, Honorary Fellow of Aberystwyth University

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

By Mark Jones, director of Carmarthen-based Clay Shaw Butler chartered accountants and business consultants.

The taxman at HMRC has confirmed that the tax gap for 2016/17 has fallen to 5.7%.

The ‘tax gap’ is the difference between the tax that should theoretically be paid to HMRC and the actual tax that has been paid.

HMRC believes that the tax gap is lower as a result of its work to help taxpayers get things right from the start, and the department’s sustained efforts to tackle evasion and avoidance.

Key findings from the Measuring the Tax Gap publication include:

• small businesses made up the largest proportion of unpaid tax by taxpayer group at £13.7 billion
• taxpayer errors and failure to take reasonable care made up £9.2 billion of unpaid taxes by behaviour, while criminal attacks made up £5.4 billion
• income tax, national insurance contributions and capital gains tax made up the largest proportion of the tax gap by tax type at £7.9 billion for 2016/17; equivalent to 16.4% of self assessment liabilities
• the VAT gap showed a declining trend over time, falling from 12.5% in 2005/06 to 8.9% in 2016/17.

Mel Stride, the Secretary to the Treasury, said:

“These really positive figures show that the tax gap is the lowest in the last five years, which reflects the hard work that HMRC and I have been doing to ensure we support businesses to pay the right tax at the right time and clamp down on tax evasion and avoidance.

“Collecting taxes is essential for funding our vital public services such as the NHS – indeed, had the tax gap remained at its 2005/06 level the UK would have lost £71 billion in revenue destined for public services, enough to build 200 hospitals.”

Internet link to the Government website –

https://www.gov.uk/government/news/low-tax-gap-results-in-71-billion-for-uk-public-services

In other news, a plumber has won a legal battle for working rights in a Supreme Court ruling.

The Supreme court has backed up an earlier ruling by an Employment Tribunal in the case of a contractor engaged by Pimlico Plumbers.

Plumber Gary Smith carried out plumbing jobs for Pimlico Plumbers.

He was VAT registered and paid tax on a self-employed tax basis.

The Supreme Court has ruled that Gary Smith was entitled to workers’ rights and confirmed that the Employment Tribunal was ‘entitled to conclude’ that Mr Smith was a worker.

As a worker, Mr Smith was entitled to rights including holiday and sick pay.

Details of workers’ rights can be found on the following Government website link –

https://www.gov.uk/employment-status/worker

Pimlico Plumbers chief executive Charlie Mullins said that he was “disgusted by the approach taken to this case by the highest court in the United Kingdom.”

He added: “This was a poor decision that will potentially leave thousands of companies, employing millions of contractors, wondering if one day soon they will get a nasty surprise from a former contractor demanding more money, despite having been paid in full years ago.

“It can only lead to a tsunami of claims.”

Internet link for more information and press summary –

https://www.supremecourt.uk/cases/docs/uksc-2017-0053-press-summary.pdf

You can find out more about money matters on the Clay Shaw Butler website (under our news for business section) –

http://www.clayshawbutler.com/news/latest-news-for-business

We have a strong and experienced team with great local knowledge all geared-up to helping you get the very best from your finances – whether that is as an individual or as a business.

We stay ahead of the game by putting great store by continual professional development for our staff.

With Investors In People status at Clay Shaw Butler, we care passionately about making sure our staff have all the tools they need to serve you, our customers.

Weblink – http://www.clayshawbutler.com

The team at Clay Shaw Butler can be contacted on 01267 228500.

The team at Clay Shaw Butler are on Twitter. Look for @clayshawbutler.

Actor, singer and former mayor of Aberystwyth Sue Jones-Davies has been awarded an Honorary Bachelor of Arts Degree from Aberystwyth University.

Sue graduated from Bristol University in 1971 before embarking on a career as an actor and singer. She has worked in television, film, radio and theatre in both English and Welsh.

On stage, she appeared in the original London production of Jesus Christ Superstar. On television, she acted in How Green was My Valley, the ITV series Rock Follies, and played Megan Lloyd George in the BBC series The Life and Times of David Lloyd George.

Her most notable film appearances were as the messiah’s girlfriend, Judith Iscariot, in the cult Monty Python film Life of Brian(1979) and in Solomon and Gaenor(1999) which received an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Language Film.

In the 1970s, she sang with The Bowles Brothers Band, and now sings in the Welsh-language acoustic band Cusan Tân.

She teaches yoga in the Aberystwyth area, where she is part of the Yoga i Bawb group, which aims to bring yoga to all parts of the community.

Sue has also been a key member of the Front of house team at Aberystwyth Arts Centre on the University’s Penglais campus for many years.

An Aberystwyth town councillor for Plaid Cymru, Sue was Mayor of Aberystwyth from 2008-2009.

Sue Jones-Davies was presented by Dr Anwen Jones, Head of the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies at Aberystwyth University on Wednesday 18 July 2018.  The full presentation is available below in the language in which it was delivered:

Presentation of Sue Jones-Davies by Dr Anwen Jones:

Pro Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, prospective graduates and supporters.  It is an honour and a privilege to present Sue Jones-Davies for an Honorary Bachelor of Arts Degree of Aberystwyth University.

It is indeed a particular pleasure for me as Head of the Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies to present a candidate who clearly embodies the artistic vitality and the creative verve of the discipline to which she has dedicated an impressive professional life. In physical stature, Sue is, like myself, compact, but her persona and charisma as a performer, whether singing or acting, has depth, breadth and magnitude.

Since graduation from Bristol University in 1971, Sue has worked extensively across a wide variety of creative media, including television, radio and theatre both in English and Welsh with equal flair and impact. Mae meistrolaeth Sue ar feysydd amrywiol theatr, ffilm a theledu yn dystiolaeth o’i hyblygrwydd fel perfformwraig o’r radd flaenaf a hynny mor rhygl yn y Gymraeg ac yn y Saesneg.

Cychwynodd ei gyrfa llwyfan yn Theatr y Palas, Llundain ac wedyn ar lwyfannau Chichester. Her first stage role was in Jesus Christ Superstarand her first theatre roles were Petra in Ibsen’s The Enemy of the Peopleand Bianca in Othello. Clearly, Sue could handle the challenge of strong female roles but she could also respond with flexibility to the varied demands of differing art forms such as the musical, on the one hand, and the Shakespearean canon on the other; strength and flexibility then, cryfder a hyblygrwydd, emerge as some of Sue’s key attributes.

Sue always occupied a challenging and tantalisingly provocative artistic space; she was, and is, exciting in artistic terms. The company she has kept such as that of Sian Phillips and Stanley Baker in the series, How Green was my Valleyand the lives she has presented such as that of Megan Lloyd George in the BBC series on the life of Lloyd George reveal the way she was robustly embedded in Welsh cultural and performative life and yet so clearly on her own artistic terms. Efallai nad yw’n syndod i’w rôl mwyf adnabyddus ddod yn ei chyfraniad i’r ffilm dadleuol, The Life of Brian. I am sure that the Aberystwyth Arts Centre, where we celebrate all of today’s achievements, is proud to have screened The Life of Brianin 2009.

Sue has lived her professional life intensely, with integrity and in the light of her own principles and it is no surprise that she has made significant contributions to the political life of Aberystwyth and beyond in her role as town mayor, and Plaid Cymru counsellor and in her dedication to ecological, human rights and feminist causes. Ar droad y mileniwm, ail hyfforddodd Sue fel athrawes yoga a bellach fe nodweddir ei gyrfa gan yr un egwyddorion ag erioed; hyblygrwydd a chryfder.At the turn of the millennium, Sue re-trained as a yoga instructor so her career and contribution to the arts continues to be characterised by those enduring and admirable characteristics; flexibility and strength.

Dirprwy Ganghellor, Is-Ganghellor, darpar raddedigion, gyfeillion.  Pleser o’r mwyaf yw cyflwyno Sue Jones-Davies am radd Baglor er Anrhydedd yn y Celfyddydau Prifysgol Aberystwyth.

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 will be 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 will also be 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 will be 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.

The broadcaster and seminal figure in Welsh media, Euryn Ogwen Williams, has been honoured as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University in recognition of his contribution to the cultural life of Wales.

Brought up in Leeswood near Mold in Flintshire, Euryn Ogwen Williams graduated from the University of Wales Bangor in Philosophy and Psychology.

From 1964-1981, he produced and directed a wide range of programmes for BBC, ITV company Television Wales and the West (TWW) and HTV as well as the independent sector.

When Welsh language broadcaster S4C was set up in 1982, he became its first Director of Programmes, and was the channel’s deputy Chief Executive Officer from 1988 until 1991.

In March 2018 he led an independent review of S4C for the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

He has published two volumes of poetry and a series of papers on the changing media scene. He lectures and advises on media and is a regular contributor to television and radio programmes.

Euryn Ogwen Williams was presented by Dr Jamie Medhurst from Aberystwyth University’s Department of Theatre, Film and Television Studies on Wednesday 18 July 2018. The full conferral presentation is available below.

Presentation of Euryn Ogwen Williams by Dr Jamie Medhurst:

Dirprwy Ganghellor, Is-Ganghellor, darpar raddedigion, gyfeillion. Pleser o’r mwyaf yw cyflwyno Euryn Ogwen Williams yn Gymrawd Prifysgol Aberystwyth.

Pro Chancellor, Vice-Chancellor, prospective graduates and supporters.  It is an honour and a privilege to present Euryn Ogwen Williams as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

In his biography, Euryn describes himself as a ‘media consultant’. But the man you see before you is much more than this. He is a giant of the media industry in Wales, with a career in broadcasting which spans over fifty years.

Fe’i ganed ym Mhenmachno yng Ngwynedd a’i fagu yn Leeswood, ger Yr Wyddgrug yn Sir y Fflint.And when the time came to fly the nest he attended what was then the University College of North Wales Bangor (but we’ll forgive him for that) and graduated with a degree in Philosophy and Psychology.

He began his illustrious career as a presenter with the ITV company Television Wales and the West, TWW, based in Cardiff – I could sing you the TWW station ident – or maybe we could duet – or maybe not … see me after, maybe. He went on to produce and direct a wide range of programmes for TWW, Harlech Television/HTV, BBC and the independent sector.

Euryn oedd Cyfarwyddwr Rhaglenni cyntaf S4C cyn symud i swydd y Dirprwy Brif Weithredwr ym 1988. Mae hefyd wedi gweithredu fel ymgynghorydd arbennig ar deledu Gaeleg yn Yr Alban, ar deledu yn yr iaith Wyddeleg ac fel ymghynghorydd i Bwyllgor Diwylliant Cynulliad Cenedlaethol Cymru yn ystod yr adolygiad i’r iaith Gymraeg.

In March 2018 he completed and published an independent review of S4C for the Secretary of State for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport in the UK government and was giving evidence on the report to the Welsh Affairs Committee a fortnight ago.

Mae Euryn wedi cyhoeddi dwy gyfrol o farddoniaeth yn ogystal â chyhoeddi nifer o bapurau a phamffledi ar y byd cyfryngol. In addition to publishing two volumes of poetry he was the president of the Vale of Glamorgan National Eisteddfod in 2012 and he and his wife Jenny live in Barry and have two children and three grandchildren – plenty to keep him busy!

Wedi cyfraniad oes i’r byd darlledu, mae’n gwbl briodol i Euryn dderbyn Tlws Cyfraniad Oes yng Ngŵyl Ffilm Bae Caerfyrddin yn 2016.

His contribution to the world of broadcasting was acknowledged in 2016 when he was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Carmarthen Bay Film Festival. And if you’re planning to attend the National Eisteddfod in Cardiff this year, BAFTA Cymru have an evening to pay tribute to Euryn for his remarkable contribution to Welsh broadcasting – or as BAFTA say, to pay tribute to his ‘influential career’.

Ond dyma’n cyfle ni i dalu teyrnged am gyfraniad Euryn i fywyd diwylliannol Cymru.Today, however, we have an opportunity to thanks Euryn and to honour him for his contribution to the cultural life of Wales.

Dirprwy Ganghellor, mae’n bleser gen i gyflwyno Euryn Ogwen Williams i chi yn Gymrawd. 

Pro Chancellor, it is my absolute pleasure to present Euryn Ogwen Williams to you as a Fellow of Aberystwyth University.

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 will be 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 will also be 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 will be 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.